Settlin' in - Sunrise

"Are ya settled in yet?"

That's the question I'm asked frequently by my friends back in Tennessee. My answer is usually, "Oh, I'm gettin' there," and the truth is, I really am! Several things happened this past week that make me think I've started putting together a social life. Which reminds me of the most frequently asked question before I moved to Maryland, "Why are you moving?"

It probably seemed that I had things pretty good in Tennessee, a beautiful wife, plenty of friends to hang out with, a successful band, and a good job with a very adequate income. But the truth is, I wasn't really happy. I noticed that the only time I was truly satisfied was when I was with the boys, Dianne, or with my brothers and their families. Oh, Mountain Soul was great fun, but managing a busy bluegrass band is not an easy thing. Music has to be about release for me, it's how I blow off steam And above all, it has to be fun. Most of the time it was, but sometimes, it just added more work and stress. Truthfully, the band often brought me great pleasure, but I'd settled into a lifestyle where most of my recreation involved neon lights and bars. I was successful in my job, but there was no avenue for advancement, and because of their growing commitments, my time with the boy was getting harder and harder to come by. It occured to me that my lifestyle - late nights performing, socializing, and drinking followed by early mornings of managing a busy sleep lab - just might kill me. It wasn't healthy. I wasn't healthy. It was time for a change.

This past week I met some musicians and starting jamming a little and easing into the local acoustic music scene. I know I have to play music in order to be happy. The great thing about starting new is that this time, I've resolved to do it right. I'm sure there will be an element of bar rooms and nightlife to my life here in Maryland, but it won't be what everything else revolves around. Here, I'll be enjoying beautiful sunrises like the one above, fishing the Bay, cooking the perfect pot of crab stew, and enjoying quality time with Dianne and my boys. This afternoon I sat out on my deck and read. I looked up a few times when a sailboat floated by or the Canadian Geese got noisy. A couple of times I picked up my rod and reel, now perpectually standing-by on the deck, and made a few fruitless casts. I had no desire to go anywhere or do anything other than stay right here at home. It's probably the first time I've felt that way in ten years. -Shawn