Owning your Place.

I've moved more times in my life than I have years. I've always felt like the most vital part, for me, of settling in was learning the area. Until you know the shortcuts and the fun roads and the incredible sights well enough to tell someone else how to get there, you're not truly part of your new place. Just walking around, if you pay attention, can give you insight on the people who live there, as long as you are willing to get off the main roads.

"I've just moved here recently and am trying to get to know the place. Can you tell me where something interesting is?" is always a good conversation starter. Most people will ask what you're looking for more specifically. I respond with, "Anywhere worth going." Listen, ask questions about things, and you'll meet some fascinating people. But you have to listen to what they're saying. Sometimes, they'll even share their favorite secret place with a complete stranger if you really listen.

When I visited Norfolk, if I'd stayed on the main roads, I'd have never known the depth of poverty there. The main roads are like new aluminum siding slapped on over termite-infested wood. You can go to a fantastic habichi place, but one block over is a soup kitchen in an area that's dangerous to walk alone at night. Church Street is another of those areas where one shouldn't walk alone, but it's an extension of one of the main raods downtown. You'd never see this, if you followed the signs. Because I listened to someone down there, I ended up seeing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time from a cozy, little private beach on my birthday. The view was amazing and the houses looked like something from a 50s postcard. It was, perhaps, the best present I have ever received.

I went walking to the beach on the bay earlier, down here in Sarasota. Huge houses with marvelous trees and everywhere, there are leezards. (This morning one leezard was good enough to eat the spider that was keeping me from going outside. Good leezard! Have another bug!) There are still a lot of roads to learn and people to meet while I'm exploring, but I'm starting to own my place.

Hmmm, my place. I like the sound of that.