I consider Seattle my new home.

Perhaps it’s the lack of pretension.  Folks around here tend to pragmatically dress themselves: sneakers, blue jeans, puffy Patagonia down jacket. This is unlike how people dress themselves in southern California, where I lived for over 25 years, where the overall vibe is to dress to impress. I admit, I once bought into that lifestyle, setting my alarm hour an hour earlier than normal in order to iron both my pin striped business long sleeve shirts along with my cream colored khakis. But not anymore — I dress for comfort.

Perhaps it’s the overwhelming love people have for their furry four legged babies.  On the weekends, rain or shine, you’ll find the park bustling with people walking their dogs,  winding up and launching tennis balls into the lake, their dogs galloping at full speed and diving in for the retrieve. Dogs love swimming.

It’s beautiful.

Or perhaps Seattle just happens to be the city in which I started feeling comfortable under own skin, shaking off years of built up anxiety and self consciousness and low self esteem. It’s here in this city that I not only found my singing voice, thanks to Liz Frazier (a top notch vocal instructor), but a voice that resonates with love and confidence and conviction.

Seattle. Thank you.