So I am up in Glens Falls, NY for a few weeks performing at the Adirondack Theatre Festival , and being away from the familiar always makes me think about the concept of home. Having moved around a lot growing up, I've always considered myself to be a very adaptable person. I've never lived anywhere for more than 5 years, but I'm nearing that time in Brooklyn, and more than any other place so far, it really does feel like home. I think part of that has to do with sharing an apt with someone I love, and I also think that the older I've gotten, the more attached I've become to routine and familiarity, all things that get thrown out of whack when I leave town for a little while.
Right now I'm living in a beautiful neighborhood surrounded by trees. I've gone for walks in the woods with lush mountain views ahead of me. I spent a few languid hours in the backyard swing today reading a book and observing the neighbors doing yard work/house projects and it got me thinking about the merits of living in a house out in the suburbs/country vs. an apt in the city.
Some of the things I like about living out here: having a washing machine, breathing in the mountain air, losing myself in the woods, cars stopping anytime you need to cross the street...
Some of the Brooklyn things I miss: diversity, being able to walk/take the subway to anything you want or need, the energy of the streets, the wealth of events/opportunities that you could take advantage of...
A friend of mine who recently moved from Brooklyn to a rural West coast town said that overall that the people there seemed happier but less edgy and interesting. Sometimes that seems really appealing, the idea of a happier, more relaxed lifestyle in a more livable place. New York can be a hard place to live in part because so many people have chosen to come there to make their mark; you really have to fight hard and hustle to make a place for yourself, but it can also be a pretty awesome place, like when you walk around the corner to go to your favorite dollar store and on the way you hear 3 different languages being spoken. I guess it's all just a matter of timing and priorities, and for now, it's still the place I want to be.
I'd love to hear others weigh in about where you live: city/suburb/country... What do you like/miss about your lifestyle?
