Austin has some surprisingly indecisive fall weather: 80 degrees today, then freezing on Saturday. I didn’t expect this! Something else I didn’t expect: so many big box stores. I mean, maybe I should have because “Everything’s bigger…” but still, I can’t believe how many Wal-Marts, Targets, Office Depots, and HEB Supermarkets exist within a 10 mile radius of each other.

I’m two months into my stay here and this homogenization makes it hard for me to find the richness of this city and its various neighborhoods. Maybe it just takes more time. Perhaps I’d discover it quicker if I weren’t so engrossed in my work and projects down here, if I were instead a tourist here for a short while. I’m not sure. One thing I will say is that I have yet to feel the correlation people often draw between Seattle and Austin. As much as I am enjoying the range of my experiences here, maybe I’m just homesick for the sweeping feeling of Love I have for Seattle and all my dear friends there.

But even so, Seattle, we have something very unique about our city and the potential for it to be a leading creative hub like none other. I feel it when I think about the uniqueness of our neighborhoods, when I think about how much our local businesses and artists shape who we are as a city and why our inhabitants want to invest and want to stick around. It’s why I call it home and look forward to continuing to create there. We, as a city, will become more magnificent the more we each realize the value we are being called to bring to our shared experience, when we believe that our presence makes a difference, and when we aren’t afraid to illuminate our Emerald City’s often deliciously melancholic grey skies with the power of our Love.

So, what’s new with me?  A lot of the above internal processing, as well as an upcoming performance with Tapestry Dance Company in “Of Mice and Music.”  On December 13th and 14th, I’ll be dancing in this production that is an Austin holiday tradition, based on The Nutcracker. Looking forward to it! Also, my illustrated book is still live on Indiegogo until December 23rd. To date, my supporters have helped me raise $986 of $1500. I’m currently working hard on content organization and illustration so that, no matter what happens with the campaign, I’ll still be on target to launch book one in 2014.

Lately, I’ve been playing a lot with polyrhythmic patterns with my feet and hands, and last week I had a blast diving deep into McCoy Tyner’s “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” for inspiration. Also, I started learning some jazz chords/tunes on the uke and downloaded charts for about 50 new songs for practice sessions. I’m making sure to balance playing time with creation time with the uke. The last couple weeks have been devoted strictly to playing. Feeling focused, remembering to follow my joy, and trying to let myself be a clueless newbie. (Hard to do!)

Well, the next time I write, I’ll be at the airport heading HOME. Until then… Be Well, friends.