Manifest Destiny Continues...

Summer is six weeks deep- and I'm drowning in the new and old alike. Here's the recap thus far:

Memorial Day, I went HOME for what felt like the last time- as we know it. The ghosts were quiet - But the realization it wasn't so much "over and out" but more of stay tuned, because now we can all look at things from a new perspective.

My newly transplanted friend and I were walking from a morning of pancakes and perfect orange juice, both laughing, what are we doing here? Two years ago, this wasn't even in the realm of possibility - Two years ago I was on a road trip, two years ago was the last time I was a teacher! A few weeks ago, those 9th graders I taught that first year GRADUATED- The road trip was supposed to give me direction. We drove West and East and South and North - but now we are all WEST and more are coming. More visitors, more transplants, more, more, more.

-I'm always ready to be new again-

But, am I? Are we?

Last night, I saw Death Cab For Cutie play at the Hollywood Bowl (if you've never been, go, to any concert). You sit, with a bottle of wine, under the pale sky, watching the sun set over the mountains, with the Hollywood sign perched high in the distance, over looking the stage. Oh, and they were playing with the L.A. Philharmonic, so when Benjamin Gibbard came out with just his acoustic guitar to play "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" and the orchestra joined in, it was okay, okay to be a little emo (finally). Not to be matched of course, by the rousing, delicate rendition of "Transalanticism" with orchestra, culminating with FIRERWORKS over the dark pitched blue night sky, on every down beat. Correction, this is when it was okay to be emo, just this once.

Now, my nostalgia is on hold- why are we so nostalgic? I have San Diego, this weekend I have San Fransisco, then LA again, with more visitors, more, more, more.

We are building a new empire, and it's finally feeling like home.

I will be protective of what's important.

What's so few and far between.

The bomb is about to go off. Ka-boom