Wednesday, May 05, 2010

A fond farewell

Dear Santa Cruz

We are breaking up; it’s time for me to leave you.  We’ve had a strange relationship.  You with your beach town feel, surfing, hippy, tourist culture offset by that quirky university crowd and those very wealthy dotcomers (I am simply going to ignore the wasters…..there are more than a few of them, you really should think hard about who you hang out with).  I couldn’t fault your beautiful beaches, restaurants and some of the fab people I’ve met along the way.   Once I found it, I loved that gym too and my boys (Marc and Case), they might come with me, we will see.  But really, it is you; our time is done.  I was only ever visiting and need to head back into the big city.  You were very patient with me while I rebuilt my world, tried to figure out what to do next; finding me that little attic room tucked behind the hoarders house and with the most fantastic roomie.  Took care of me again when the little cottage arrived (well Michelle had a hand in that) and, of course that job, that unexpected job with the company I’d never heard of (Cisco wasn’t it?).  The cottage brought a new roomie too and the sweetest landlords.   Throughout it all I had my rideshare, I’ll miss her, but not the daily commute over the 17.  I’ve survived it all of course and the world looks entirely different than it did 3 years ago, yeah can you believe it, that’s how long it’s been. 
I do want to thank you though, I had no idea you were such a famous little town, everywhere I went people knew Santa Cruz (I hope you didn’t think me too mean always calling you Santa Crazy).
I am telling you this now because I want to give you time to adjust.  I am heading off for three weeks and when I come back there is going to be a lot of change.  I start my new job in June, I’ll stumble through the geography in the early weeks – yes I’ll be in the San Francisco office, too far to commute every day and then I might end up travelling four days a week, so I wouldn’t be seeing much of you anyway, even less than I do now.  I’ll have a new roomie so that changes too; brings new and different things into my world.  I’ll need to make more effort to catch up with the few pals that live here (well Michelle and Marcia, but things are changing for them too and that’s what social media is all about isn’t it?).
I guess you aren’t surprised but I’m glad we talked.  I at least wanted you to know that you’d been important in my life. I won’t forget you and might even come visit some time, the motorbike would enjoy the ride. I’ll never be able to visit nor think about you without feeling grateful you were here.  Life could have gone differently these past years.  Just goes to show sometimes all it takes is the right space and the will to keep moving forward One.Step.At.A.Time.

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