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.

Musings on Moving.

I recently found myself with no job, thanks to a departmental RIF and relocation. Deciding that I'd had enough of the company and the DC metro area, I asked for a new place to call home. (Yes, yes, I know. Usually with a RIF, you don't get to decide about whether or not you like the company and want to stay. When the VP of another department found out about me leaving $large_isp, I was called and told that she would create a position within her department for me, if I was willing to stay. Yes, I am that good at what I do. Down, Ego, down!) I wanted to stay on the East Coast, but closer to the water's edge, set my rent amount firmly in mind, and outlined a few very general things that I would like from my new home, intentionally leaving out a location other than "East Coast, close to a large body of water." Two days later, a friend of mine from high school posted about a room she had to rent near the Gulf, two blocks from the beach, in my price range, and matching every other thing for which I had asked. Now, it occurs to me that if you ask $deity for anything and you get a speedy response like that, you should be going where you're being pointed, as quickly as you can.

Three weeks later, I found myself knocking on the door to my new house in Florida. Whether or not this place is my new home remains to be seen. I am quite enjoying the new location and feel more at ease here than I ever did near DC. Entertainingly, a friend of mine and I were talking, not even three months ago, and the following words came out of my mouth:
"I don't think I'd like it down there. I can't see myself living in Florida."
I've eaten my words so many times in the past that I have the perfect sauce for them. They barely taste like leather boot at all.

In essence, I have left everything that I know and great job security to move to an area I had never set foot in before. Again. For the third time. The only difference is that this time, I've also moved to an area where there is no work in my chosen field. When I told $old_orkplace's AUP Queen and privacy lawyer about my plans, she applauded me for being willing to leave my security blankets to go in search of Grand Adventure.

I have driven out of range.