Marshmellow pumpkins and the like

I've been thinking a lot about what my life will be like after New York. Now, I realize that's a lot of thinking to do for someone who hasn't even been here for 6 months, but they don't call me Planny McPlannerson for nothin! Before moving here, I had no idea how long I would live here. My plan was, and still is, to move to Europe at 30 and give singin' a try over there, if I don't have what I want over here. That all sounds well and good- except the part where I figure out how much it's gonna cost me, and then realize I have absolutely no money saved. Or what about buying a house or a car someday? Hmm...I need some saved funds for that as well. Tough to save much of anything when you're living in the most expensive city in the country, paying back student loans whose payments are about to increase, and spending what's left on food, drink, lessons, applications, and coachings. Who knew being poor was so expensive?
Of course, I'm not the only one. Most people my age struggle with finances, especially other musicians and artists. I credit myself for putting myself out there and really giving it my best shot in the toughest city in America. But again- what happens next?
After watching Masterpiece Theatre for several hours on Saturday night (I know, I know...I'm really the life of the party), I became super nostalgic for the days of yore- my days of yore. As a kid, I used to climb into my mom's bed on Sunday nights to watch Mystery! (which, incidentally, I watched last night for the first time in a long time. And, as it turns out, Robert used to do the same thing. Probably why we're both such big Edward Gorey fans. But I digress.) She would let me watch Mystery! with her for a little while, before I had to go to bed. I don't think it came on that late when I was a kid- there's no way I was allowed up till 10 PM. I remember snuggling under the covers during the fall, just when the breeze outside was getting chilly enough that we had to close the windows. I love that weather. So Masterpiece Theatre jogged my fall time memory- I loved marshmellow pumpkins (I know I wrote a post about those last fall), candy corn, fall colors, Halloween, leaves, apples, pumpkins, and the smell of burning leaves. I loved walking home from elementary school every October, waiting for the day that my mom would decide to hang up the Halloween decorations- the pumpkins on the hearth, the skeleton on the side door, the witch on the front door.
So why did all these nostalgic memories force me to contemplate my next move? Because I miss that. I miss being close to my family. I miss community. I miss not being poor (not that I've ever been rich!) I know living in NYC is what I have to do right now- and I love it. I just hope I'm never too far from marshmellow pumpkins...