*Note: I began this piece a year ago and, thankfully, I feel things have gotten even better since.

Saturday, November 13, 2010: I am sitting here in Chaco Canyon Cafe, drinking my morning juice and coffee, contemplating the day and night before. Late last afternoon I met with a “classical” violinist and a “hip-hop, soul, r&b” vocalist to conspire and inspire a collaboration that I feel very excited about. After the meeting’s conclusion, I went to see a friend perform a very creative, inventive and engaging dance duet amidst a fashion show where the designers, ranging from ages 8 to 45, were handed random recycled fabric and asked to create clothing out of it. (I find it of interest to note that the proceeds from the event went to FareStart a local organization that trains homeless and disadvantaged people in the culinary arts.) From there, I went to my gig at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown with The Teaching, accompanied some talented vocalists, and shared the bill with one of the fathers of modern beat-boxing, a virtuoso turntablist,  and a large “funk” outfit that is one of the tightest in Seattle (aka “The Town”). In addition to it all, some new friends from the Hard Rock show gave me a free ticket to an event at the Seattle Art Museum called REMIX, a party where all folks can hang, dance and drink while taking in the wealth of the art museum (including some work from some cat named Picasso). Simultaneously, a dear friend of mine was performing up the street at the Moore Theater, pouring her heart and soul singing on stage in front of The Seattle Rock Orchestra, and yet another friend was throwing a CD release party with his new amazing band 15 min away at Nectar Lounge in Fremont. Life is rich and so is this city.

Saturday, November 27, 2011: Here I am about a year later and things here in The Town are becoming more exciting. I feel it is time we own and celebrate the abundance here in Seattle with care, intention and concern for quality. Creating space in this for all individuals to express themselves and give attention and concern to both our local and global environment. How can we do this? With engagement, openness and collaboration. I feel that Seattle is exiting its prolonged adolescence as a city. We are stepping deeper into a maturity of collective selfhood that calls us to be bold in our expressions and preferences. We must be Bold, yet not stuck. We must share our perspectives and have true dialogue—dialogue that aims to raise the quality of our local universe by the boldness of being itself. And why? BECAUSE IT FEELS GOOD DAMMIT!

In these past months, I have watched myself struggle with experiences within, asking myself, “IS Seattle the place for me?”; “If I want to be a great artist, do I have to move to New York?”; “Am I a big fish in a small pond?” All that shit… And I find that these very questions are a part of that exiting of an adolescence that should be addressed by all artists and thinkers in this city.

I don’t want to lose the dreamer side of me. Yet, oftentimes, we respond to growth with a numbing of self, the numbing of the child and the big ambitious, limitless dreamer within us. And in its place we give birth to a tepid neurosis that shackles to a passive aggressive, just good enough for Seattle, depressed existence. To which I say, FUCK THAT!!! As crude as it may sound, Seattle needs to cultivate a swagger in all its forms of expression. It is a strut that is developed from a transparent self-knowing that is willing to converge, share, interact and dialogue with the aim of growth for the whole city.