My Inheritance Tracks

Many people find the New Year to be a time for reflection. A time to look back on the previous year and contemplate what the next one holds. I must admit I’m no different. At this time of year I find myself reviewing my 2014 endeavors. I had my fair share of accomplishments and some setbacks, too. This blog, for instance. I just did not devote enough time to it last year. I admit I got busy. Then, I had some personal issues that took precedence over this little hobby of mine. And then…I lost my mojo. Call it frustration, disillusion or simply a bad case of writer’s block. Whatever it was I found myself sharing my adventures less and less as the year wore on.

And now? It’s a new year and a new chance. I’m still struggling to find my passion to write but I simply cannot let this little corner of the internet go. You see, this blog has changed my life so much. A naturally shy person I used to hesitate to “put myself out there.” Not any more. I’m no social butterfly but I’ve learned to mingle with the best of them. Which then lead to another wonderful thing – new people. Through this blog I’ve met countless individuals who share the same passions as myself and I now count several of them as my personal friends. And opportunities. The opportunities I’ve had! A cabin in the redwoods! A dinner at Club 33!! A ride in a blimp!!! THE TCM FILM FESTIVAL!!!! I’m one lucky gal.

So…I’m not going anywhere. I may not be as prolific as I used to be but I’m still here. Still exploring. Still writing. Still loving this fabulous place called California. Which leads me to my inheritance tracks. Have you heard the podcast? I am addicted to it (as I’m addicted to most things BBC).  In each episode a different well known individual shares a song they’ve inherited and a song they’d like to pass on. I’ve often contemplated what my choices would be. Since I’ll never be famous enough to be on the show I thought I’d share my picks here.

The song I’ve inherited is the Notre Dame Fight Song. I really wanted it to be Sinatra. I really did. But, truth be told this is the very first song I learned.

My dad’s family hails from the Midwest and settled for many years in South Bend, IN. As such, they are all die hard Notre Dame fans. My dad, my grandma, my aunts and uncles, my cousins – all bleed blue and gold. Even though I have little interest in football I wouldn’t root for anyone else. I may have grown up in the land of crimson but I’m true blue all the way through. When I was a kid I had a button that played a tinny version of the fight song when you squeezed it. Well, I squeezed and squeezed until I had memorized all the lyrics and could sing along. Good thing, too, because when I was 9 years old we moved to South Bend – right under the shadow of the Golden Dome.

South Bend was a marked difference from Southern California. Although I gained many friends in my years there I never could consider it home. There was too much snow. Too much farmland. And far too many thunderstorms. Combine that with no ocean, no Disneyland and, most of all, no extended family and I was more than ready to head back west. After three years, that’s exactly what happened and I couldn’t have been happier. I appreciate my time in the Midwest. I gained an exposure to a whole new way of life and truly formed some wonderful friendships but SoCal is really the only place for me.

And this is my jam. I’ve never met the folks in Best Coast but somehow they were able to get inside my head and put into words everything I’ve ever felt about this place. Southern California. Home.

I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know where my path will lead. But no matter where I live this will always be The Only Place. So, I’ll keep on exploring, keep on writing and keep on sharing it with you.