The escape from homlessness... California Dreamin'?

In early 2008, singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Kerry Getz, managed to get three members of the legendary Wrecking Crew and some friends to perform in the Anaheim, Marriott lobby.  Why?  It was during the huge NAMM music trade show.  I was siting on a couch next to Jerry Cole's wife and her friend, watching this performance live, fifteen feet away.  That was an epic experience.  A decade later, I've been doing some California dreamin'.

About ten months ago, I came here to this city in Central North Carolina to focus on turning my artwork and writing into a small business.  It's been sketchy as hell, months in a tent, a colder winter than usual here, but I'm now making a little bit of money consistently.  It's time to start looking ahead to trying to get out of the tent and into a room of some sort.  In my situation, the next step is usually a "cheap" motel where I can rent a room by the month.  In reality, "cheap" motels are anything but cheap.  No deposits, no credit check, that part's good.  But the cheapest one here is $740 a month.  The cheapest with wifi is $800 a month.  I MIGHT be able to rent a room in a house for $450 to $600 a month.  But thee are very few of those.

Just on a lark, I pulled up Craigslist for Orange County, California.  There are a lot of rooms for $500 to $700 a month.  Not in the hood, either, I know that area, they're in decent locations.  I literally could put a roof over my head in Orange County, California for the same amount of money that I could here in the Triad area of NC.  Except, there is 1,000 times more opportunity to make money out there.

On the bus back to the area where I "live," it dawned on me that I don't have a fucking single reason to stay in North Carolina at this point.  OK, I have one good friend I hang out with.  My family is here, but I rarely see them.  There's a cool art scene here, but that's it.

I'm trapped here until mid June, when I have a court date from my trespassing arrest.  I could wind up with some other kind of punishment for my actions.  I'm not sure how things work here.  But after that, there's literally not a fucking reason to stay here.  Hmmmmmmm...

Decisions, decisions.  I'll think it over as I spend another night in a tent during another Carolina thunderstorm. 

Update:  I managed to get a room that night and miss that particular thunderstorm.  Still not sure about the future, though...

Check out my art in person or create a project of your own while here in Winston-Salem at Designs, Vines, and Wines.