I’ve spent the last couple of weeks gradually moving into a new place. Working and moving can add up to an exhausting combination, but I’m pretty much done.

I’m not one to discuss my private life. So I’ll just say my personal world fell apart a couple of years ago, and I escaped to a cracker box-sized apartment in a sketchy neighborhood. I didn’t want to be there, but it was for the best until I could decide if the change was permanent. It is. So now it’s time to move on.

Given the stress level, I’m actually rather proud of myself. I finished my book and started my second life as a music journalist. I’ve taken some great road trips and attended some killer gigs.

But the inner chaos was always there. And where I was staying was doing nothing to help me relax and work things out.

Now that cloud is lifting. I see the way forward, and how I’m going to get there. This move is a huge step in the right direction. In fact, this is much more than a move. I’ve come to see it as a reboot.

Nearly two decades ago, my life took an unexpected turn. I’m trying to get back to where I was before I took that fork in the road. Obviously, I can’t go back to the exact spot. I’m older, and much has changed. But the new path is similar to what I’ve sought all along.

I’ll tend to my career, of course. And certain family aspects will always top my priority list. But music exploration is becoming more and more important. I’ll be promoting the book soon. I’m on the very early stages of planning a podcast. I’ll continue writing both here and for Proglodytes. I’m kicking around ideas for the next book. Somewhere in there, I might even try to make some music of my own.

It’s not a midlife crisis. It’s picking up where I left off.

Life is hard. Nobody is meant to be happy all the time. That’s not realistic. But it’s nice to know I can let my guard down a little more easily. It’s nice to really feel the unbridled joy music brings me, which helps to balance out all the other things I must deal with. And it all starts with coming home and looking out my window.

Where once I didn’t want to know what was happening in the outside world, I now see hope and possibilities. I see places where I can sit under a tree and read, write, or strum my acoustic guitar. I can now look forward to coming home after a road trip instead of feeling my heart fill with dread when I know I’m a few minutes away from my front door.

Did I say this is a reboot? I meant it was a feeling of complete and utter renewal. This is a spectacular reboot!

This is where things get even better. This is where I make giant strides forward. This is where I have a shot at achieving that dreaded potential so many of us have but struggle to attain. This is where I can start to make it happen. Here. Now.

This is home.

The reboot has begun.

#cirdecsongs

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