Bella said it best “Momma, it feels like we were just visiting Nashville, and now we’ve returned home to Malibu.”
I’m telling you she nailed it there, the moment we begin our decent into LAX I start to get the Chihuahua buzz, my knees shake and I wanna pee on the rug. Once we make it from the back of the airplane and step into the actual airport I’ve got to contain myself – LA is one of those places on earth where humanity dreams – these dreams are big time and then sent out via television and film into the world. Of course now we all know that this is changing considering where most of us go for entertainment – the Internet and folks like me can be anywhere and producing content, however LA continues to be the main hub of “what if ?”
We are here for two weeks, hanging out on the beach and checking out houses, yep it’s that time – the question is on the table – do we return to the West Coast? Stay in Nashville, or pick a new spot?
Lee has really gotten the Ranch back together after the floods, and in the process we’ve also changed partners; bringing in some new folks and freeing Lee up to try his hand at some new ventures. All this says to us that we don’t “Have” to be in Nashville.
The other night I went to meet up with some friends from high school who were passing through Nashville, when one of them asked me “So do you like it here?” I had a total out of body experience, watching myself answer “Yeah, it’s a nice city easy to get around, little traffic, tons of culture and even a creative class!” My “what the hell are you talking about character was like “Jigga What?”
Most people, including myself think Nashville is only Country music, but it’s way more than this. In fact there are more professional studio musicians living in Nashville than anywhere else in the country. Every night of the week writers nights are held where songwriters famous and not gather around to share their tales and play a little music. I went to my first with Maryalice a few weeks ago and fell hard for this art form, ever since I’ve been trying to participate a bit within the city more, now that I feel so much better – staying up a bit longer is part of my deal! 
This past weekend Ted and Peggy came to visit, we had such a blast; as they LOVE culture and current events. We went to the Frist Museum to see a fashion exhibition – Paris and London 1947-1957. I loved it!!!!! It was like walking through time, I kept thinking about the life style and the motivating thoughts of pop culture of the late 40’ and 50’s, just after the war and the beginning of “processed everything”, from food to high fashion.
What I didn’t expect was my reaction to the Chihuly exhibition, he is more than just a glass blower – he brings life to life. After a car accident left him with one eye and a bad shoulder he needed to rely on a team to create his projects – this team work is now something FANTASTIC to watch, truly capturing the theory that the process is more important than the outcome. Now when he is having one of his creation sessions, he gathers a team of folks together, he serves as the director and all of these humans connect into the same flow of nature and produce magnificent pieces of art. People come from all over to watch this creative process.
I loved reading something Chihuly shared regarding Jackson Pollack, the painter said that when one is creating they are NATURE, that Nature moves through us when we create…. the process is the magic that we all seek.
I love this, ‘cause I am a writer and now I’m writing like mad in my books; but most of my days are full of creating other things like food for my family and arranging an environment that we all thrive in – this is art -this is nature moving through me.
After having such a profound experience at the Frist Museum we all were in a hurry to experience Chihuly in the evening, Cheekwood Mansion is the old Maxwell Coffee family home; now turned museum. This house rests on 50 acres and I’m talking 50 acres of unbelievable botanical gardens. The Chihuly exhibition was placed through out these gardens and lit in the evenings, creating mirror like reflections when placed in the many reflecting pools and ponds. Our mouths dangled open as each installation wowed us, with the heat of the southern nights and music of saccades’ and bullfrogs filling our ears with natures symphony – reminding me that creation is nature moving through us.
Princess Know It All is now a year old, that’s right folks, and this is our anniversary week. One year since the website has been up and running. Princess Know It All was first a play that I wrote 9 years ago in LA, then once we moved to Mexico – where I set out to write a book and escape the hustle of life, so that I could have the focus for the task; Ted (Bubba) said “why don’t you write a blog so everyone can stay in touch.” I did this calling it Princess Know It All…Goes to the Jungle. Before I knew it tons of folks were following and I was a newbie to the blog world.
As you all have noticed I’ve taken a few weeks off, trying to finish up my books and really reflecting on what I want the direction for PKIA to take in her second year.
With this reflection PKIA is now fixn’ to get a makeover – so if you see that the site is acting up don’t give up just know we are behind the scenes building. I’m working on adding something really cool –my characters are about to come to life – animation Shorty!!!!
I’m really jazzed about this, ‘cause I will be able to show y’all that I’m separate from Princess Know It All, she is all the characters or aspects of me that operate out of fear, insecurities and doubt – these characters are the core of all KNOW IT ALL’s; ‘Cause when I’m Mee Tracy, I Knows Nothing.
I’m also looking for new office space and considering leaving the convent; I understand that I needed to be secluded the last 18 months. My energy was so low and my focus was on surviving. Now, with all of this development I’m looking to expand my crew – just like Chihuly I too will learn to work with a team.
So this brings me back to where I’m now sitting, on the beach in Malibu.
We are here for two weeks, Lee has some meetings and I came to feel it out. I wasn’t sure if I’d still have the connection to this city that I once had or if my friendships had weathered the distance of 3 years passing.
I called Ms.Deanne – Bella’s preschool teacher and she saved a spot for the girls to attend her summer camp here in the “Bu.” The moment we walked down the drive the scent of desert sage and local plants swarmed my memory, then Ms. Deanne hugged us and her perfume sent me swimming. I went all the way back to when Bella was 2yrs 9months and I was a first time momma, protective and frightened – frightened because I had no clue if what I was doing was right, I had no clue if I could actually hand my youngin’ over to someone else for the day. Ms. Deanne’s scent reminded me of all of these lessons of trust that she guided me through. I was home…
Lola jumped right in and Bella too, I then hung with my friends for the next two days – reveling in good conversations with familiar folks – the 3 years of time have done nothing to separate us, if anything we are closer than ever, knowing that our time together is special; after all we met in Pre-school.
What’s shocking is that my relationship with Nashville as a city is growing, I’ve become comfortable in its slowness, I’ve found myself appreciating when someone responds with a “yes Mam or No sir.” I like all the green that fills this town/city, what I don’t like is the loneliness due to a lack of friendships.
I walked into Ms.Deannes and instantly 3 new moms began conversations with me, I’ve been in Nashville and the moment I open my mouth I feel like folks are trying to figure out which group to place us in, and fo’sho we don’t have a category and this is where Malibu is a fit – there really aren’t groups, this is LA and everyone is doing their own thing.
We have another week here to go and who knows what we will know by the end of our stay…will I expand in Nashville or come back to the Bu?
