T-shirt: H&M, Jeans: Gap, Shoes: Converse, Earrings: Target.
I'm a somewhat shy and reserved extrovert, married to an outgoing and entertaining introvert. We love a good party but Dan exhausts himself within the first 45 minutes, chatting and small talking and often entertaining everyone with stories and jokes. I observe for the first while and just when I'm starting to warm up, he wants to leave. And so it goes.
Nashville is an interesting town, socially. There are so many creatives, just trying to make it. People come from all over the world to try and make it here and there's an underlying theme of rampant, unabashed self-exploitation. And I'm no stranger to that. I took business cards to a beautiful harvest moon party. To make friends, yes. But also to let people know that I'm a photographer. (For the record, there are at least 5 photographers at every party or gathering I have been to in this city. The art of photography is alive and well in Nashville!)
Since our trip back to Washington last month, I've made a point to get out as much as possible. "Never turn down an invite to a Nashville party", they say. I've been networking with photographers and planning coffee dates. Going out with people I barely know. I love it. I have felt more energized and positive and excited for my future in this city. I am alive because I am taking time for me, which means making time to socialize.
However, there's only so much I can take. It's a bit uncomfortable, feeling so unknown. Constantly meeting people who know nothing about me. So much of who I am belongs to other people. I am not myself without Liam or Dan. You'll see my true self when I'm with my sisters or my best friend, Sara - who I've known since the day I was born. In the midst of dressing up for parties and talking about myself, I just want to be known. I want to throw on a T-shirt and jeans and chat with an old friend. Someone who knows that Liam is a wild animal and that my parents are divorced and that I lived in France for a year and went to college in Canada and I love 90s pop culture and I watched VHS tapes until long after it was appropriate.
However, there's only so much I can take. It's a bit uncomfortable, feeling so unknown. Constantly meeting people who know nothing about me. So much of who I am belongs to other people. I am not myself without Liam or Dan. You'll see my true self when I'm with my sisters or my best friend, Sara - who I've known since the day I was born. In the midst of dressing up for parties and talking about myself, I just want to be known. I want to throw on a T-shirt and jeans and chat with an old friend. Someone who knows that Liam is a wild animal and that my parents are divorced and that I lived in France for a year and went to college in Canada and I love 90s pop culture and I watched VHS tapes until long after it was appropriate.
We'll get there, Nashville.
I can totally relate to what you're saying. The comfort of going home and being "me" without having to tell people who "me" is... well it's just priceless. The other nine months of the year can be challenging.
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