One of my favorite bands these days is The Everybodyfields. They recently moved to Knoxville from Johnson City, and now Adam and I can officially call the more beautiful half of the band our neighbor. Quite literally, actually. She lives with Matt Morelock, the dude I worked for this past summer at WDVX - and he lives three blocks down the street from us. And Adam has a pretty cool story that he can tell if he likes, but basically Jill gave him a personal concert in her bedroom while still wearing a bath robe. No biggie.Anyways, Scott and I both noticed a post on Aquarium Drunkard today about Sam Quinn, the more sideburned half of the band. The site has a recurring feature where they ask artists about their hometown to get a local perspective.
The reason I point this out, besides manipulating everyone to listen to this band, is that Sam and I share a few life goals. First of all, he strives daily to become Huckleberry Finn. I can relate because I strive everyday to be Huckleberry Hound, sleeping in till noon, licking myself, and creating a sighing swoon among every female I walk past.
But seriously, Sam loves a slow speed of life. He makes time to enjoy the real meat of life: shooting bb guns, swimming in the quarry, and drinking beer in his living room outside. Hey, I want a living room outside!
Sam also loves listening to the silence between notes, eating chicken salad, and driving. I love all those things too, but he hits home for me when he talks about East Tennessee.
"I love North Carolina. I love Oregon. I have even been to the desert and I entertained visions of staying, but when I close my eyes and click my heels together it is East Tennessee that is the fancy of my heart."
Of course, I don't know where I'll be in a few years, and I've entertained thoughts about living in different places, like Alaska or France or Outer Space, but I will always feel home near these Blue Ridge Mountains. When I daydream about tomorrow, I often find myself floating back here from some other place. I see farms and hills and dogs. I want to grow things from the dirt. I want to harness the wind to heat my home when it ACTUALLY SNOWS in some distant winter. I want to build rope swings and fishing holes for my kids in summer.
God is really thick in East Tennessee. I'm gonna have to stir the pot to find that thickness in Nashville again, but I know it's there, too. Someday, though, I may click MY ruby heels together and float over the plateau - outside of a fuzzy daydream.
Where do you go when you click your heels together?
