Wednesday, March 14, 2007

my wanderlust is temporarily satiated

this entry is dedicated to my art-school friend and favourite illustrator alex, who is already harassing me for not adding any content for two weeks. check out his sketchbook and porfolio; he's got mad skills.

ever since it got really cold and snowy in january, i've had a severe case of the twitches. the immediate spring solution to my wanderlust was a trip to Boston last weekend with tony. we looked for warmer places, but scheduling and lack of money prevented us from going anywhere else. but we were able to visit tony's childhood friend, matt, and his wife, heather, who recently moved to Lynn, just north of Boston proper (they're pictured here in front of the famous "Make Way for Ducklings" statue):



i'm embarassed to tell you that we really didn't see anything of the amazing historical sights, or do much of anything tourist-y besides visiting the disappointing Museum of Science (science-lite, in reality). we did wander around the city, eat lots of seafood (i solidified my dislike of clams, raw or cooked), drink a lot and laugh a lot. it was wonderful, both to be with kind and interesting people, and to be in a city again, one with history and character. i was surprised at how small it felt; it was the same impression that i had of D.C.: the core cities themselves seem small, while it's the suburbs that make them huge.

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as i continue with my adult life, i've begun to recognize a personal trend: i need to move or severely change up my life every few years. it helps to live in a large city with many unique neighborhoods where a simple apartment change can feel like a whole new world. i lived in st. louis for 7 years, and lived in three distinct neighborhoods. i lived in D.C. for 2 years. and i've now been in madison for almost 5 years (can you believe it? 5 years!). and it's time to go.

i think that some of this wanderlust springs from my tendency to get bored easily (with my job, with my surroundings, with my daily routine). once i feel like i've learned all i can about a place, i'm ready to move on.

interestingly, all this is in complete opposition to my desire to own a house, to really make a home, and i wonder if i will ever find a place where i will want to settle down. part of me wants to be able to paint my walls, grow a large garden, have a guest room, design my own kitchen. part of me yearns for the two places where i could have settled down: the soulard and dogtown neighborhoods in st. louis. but, sadly, since i'm now interested in coastal management, st. louis is now off the table. and i worry that i never will find a place that feels like home to me. i'll forever be stuck with a futon for a couch and hoarding boxes for the next time i have to move.

but, as i hope that one day i will have a job that i will love for many years, i also hope that i will find a place that will be my home. one day, i will not wonder if there is a better place to be.

1 comment:

alex eben meyer said...

psst, new york is lovely this time of year. and it'll take you more than 7 years to get sick of it. just sayin'.

btw, thanks for the contact. everyday i waited and waited for new jb-isms, and now my thirst is quenched...for now. (further harrassment to follow)