I am currently residing in France. Paris, France to be precise.
Why? Why did I come here? That's an interesting question. Because it was always a dream of mine. I saw how many more musicians and artists were freer to do things in Europe as opposed to the American market and just decided that was my goal. I'm going to Europe at some point and make it work.
Voila.
My life was such that I could make this happen, and I did. The actual booking of the ticket was an e-VENT! I mean, I was hyperventalating before I clicked the "purchase ticket" button. It was life changing. Quite literally. I didn't and still do not have a return ticket.
Here I am, renting an apartment for a couple of months, getting ready to do a gig in a couple of weeks, I have to learn a bunch of new tunes, and do things I don't usually do. It's going to be a great time. I'm looking forward to it. I get to remember who I am. How I used to run my 'store' before I got hurt and smashed against the rocks. I get to forget that now and become someone completely new. It's liberating in ways I hadn't realized.
In this liberation I also learn about things that hadn't been working when I left and don't work here. Things like thinking I'm a big fish in a small pond. Uh...NOPE! I'm the smallest fish IN the pond now. Though my first time swimming was a pretty good show. But yes, I am no longer able to rest on the laurels I once had, so to speak. I can't just say "It's another gig" because it's not. These people don't know who I am and don't care about what I used to do. What can I do now, and why should they pay to see me do it? That's a question I hadn't asked myself in a long while and now, it is a question that won't be going away anytime soon. It's imperative that I remember that until I reach my goal. I am a small fish in a big-ass pond and i'm making friends with these other fish who are scads better than I am, and I can't compare myself to them because they are not me. Lessons learned daily. It's a lot of fun.