#youwinamherst

the internet is a weird place. you write it, it stays. forever. therefore, be wary. i'd love to offer that opinion like most adults would to the "#selfiegeneration" but, they'll learn eventually when they try and run for office, or get that dream job... womp womp.  good luck, kids.  

for me, what that means is that usually blog posts are perhaps a little guarded or reserved. usually. it's different than lets say, writing music... you can write your damn soul out in a song about the love of your life and someone listening may interpret it for singing about the crappy day you had. it's tricky. Dave Grohl actually said "that's one of the great things about music. you can sing a song to 85,000 people and they will sing it back for 85,000 different reasons." 

so for today, the first post since the big move...we'll follow suit. 

here we are, Amherst, Massachusetts. and yes, the H is silent, and yes, I've been corrected....twice. soooooo there's that. it's incredibly liberal. as a matter of fact, Amherst consistently ranks as one of the most progressively liberal regions of the United States, due in large part to five colleges within the area. The Amherst-Northampton region is known as the "Happy Valley" or "Pioneer Valley" due to the art and music communities, progressive ideas, prestigious colleges, and large student population. I tend to think that the liberal-ism that is this area comes from so many college students trying to figure it all out while utilizing that dramatic energy to throw inhibitions to the wind, get away with wearing tie dye, not caring to look when crossing the street and only showering every other day...because after all --- YOLO right? again, good luck kids. this place has a plethora of restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream parlors (yum), bars, local shopping, organic food spots and a killer vibe. i appreciate the beautiful architecture that surrounds the area - it's got a little bit of southern flair which I absolutely adore. HUGE homes on beautiful green lots with perfectly manicured lawns and hydrangea bushes. beautiful. there seems to be a ton of good spots to just get lost in the day... i love that and look forward to trying a few of them out myself.  as for the driving here...terrible. joe is convinced it's because the lights within close distance to one another don't sync. i'm convinced it's because people are clueless and there literally are no lines on the road to separate the lanes. regardless, texting and driving is literally impossible here (happy to hear mom? ;)) and if i don't hit someone walking across the rainbow colored crosswalks during our time here... it will be a miracle. seriously. 

now, i can't say i wasn't anxious, overwhelmed or a little bit torn about leaving Roanoke. and trust me when i say that i know that makes some a little or a lot confused but... i know that it's going to be okay. quite simply, i just want to breathe. to be. to smell the new england air and then shake it all out. there is so much to look forward to and so much to be excited about and i know i am where i should be. it's a new job (and yes, the first day in town I landed a gig - insert big pat on my own back - incase you want to know and didn't ask --- Marketing and PR Manager for the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau which ultimately drives economic development to Western Mass through travel, leisure and tourism), it's obviously a new city, it's a new apartment, it's a new commute and new street signs, new grocery stores, and everything in between. it's pretty much new everything and sometimes it's just simply overwhelming. however, i love my constants, my crew, my little family here and i know that i have people that love and support me through their own ways of showing it. so, please be patient with me. listen, love and laugh with me.

now, all i have to do is take a step back, get a little bit out of my own head and be still.  not only that, but be in control of my own positivity and how i feel about love, life, and everything in between.  i can't change how people act or the things that they do or do not say but i can control how i feel or react to them. that's a little reminder i need to keep close. because hell, life does move pretty fast, if you let it...so why not control the ride.  i'm pretty sure i've said it before but, i'd prefer mine with the windows down, hair blowing, and the music loud... however, i will say, on the back streets around this place, it's gonna be a beautiful drive.