Do you ever find yourself yearning for a challenge? Wanting to push yourself out of your own comfort zone… to see what will happen? Curious about what lies just a few steps further than you’d normally go?
Recently, I’ve been feeling that keenly. The desire to be more than I think I can be, to do things I don’t believe I’m capable of, to explore, to navigate, to fail grandly, to think of my world as big and filled with possibility.
In that spirit, I recently decided to spend half my time in Los Angeles, splitting my time between here and Port Townsend. LA is where I was born, but it’s one of those cities I’ve spent hardly any time in as an adult, and so, holds the most unknowns, and thus, possibly the most potential.
Workshopping some new song ideas at the Bedrock.LA recording studios in Los Angeles.
This week I began the slow journey of walking around unfamiliar neighborhoods, finding rehearsal space, searching for new friends, looking for collaborators, and wondering what the future holds.
I find myself wobbling back and forth between excitement and terror, two emotions that so frequently walk hand in hand, and being overwhelmed with questions like…
“Will I find a place to record my next album?”
“Where do the sousaphone players hang out?”
“What's the best way to make new friends?"
"Am I a good enough artist to live here?"
It's been a long time since I've intentionally made an effort to carve out a space for myself somewhere entirely unfamiliar.
Of course, I'd never leave the Pacific Northwest. I’m lucky to have a beautiful, welcoming community on the Olympic Peninsula where I find collaboration, support, family, friendship, art, inspiration, and magic.
But I'm ready to push myself a little harder. To lean into the unknowns. To learn from other musicians, creators, and artists. To feel lonely, make mistakes, embarrass myself, and build unexpected friendships. To create art out of thin air, in an unfamiliar environment, influenced by surroundings that are entirely new to me.
Here's to the unknown!
Thanks for reading! Feel free to like, share, or comment on this post. Check out my latest album here, and all other projects here.