ACCOZZAGLIA

when sparkle_vixen and i discussed this the other night, i found myself struggling to confess that something must change. and soon.

my plans, prior to moving here, was that not only would she and i live and build our lives together under the same roof, but i’d also be able to pursue my career plans and educational aspirations in the city, as well.

that was over seven painfully long months ago.

what i learned was that my new location was far more isolated than i could have originally imagined, especially for someone who exclusively uses mass transit. and as it has been pointed out by several friends, it’s paramount that i be in the company of people for me to grow, evolve and thrive.

while that implies the company of being nearby good people — friends, networking colleagues and so on — it also means that i feel far more animated and vivacious while walking on a busy city sidewalk or cramped on a mass transit system than in the nether reaches of a newly-planned suburban community, one comprising of a populace that you never, ever see behind all the tinted glass and high wheelbases.

time and again, i’ve read about the nearly-decapitated Seattle job market for my line of work — graphic design, as well as copywriting. i know it’s not limited to the advertising, marketing and creative sectors, either. the recession hit this area badly in 2001, and only worsened just after my arrival. i know of no one who has found a job here in the last seven months. sparkle_vixen i think knows of one, but not anyone she knows personally. all her friends were laid off, too.

also, my own clients have not commissioned anywhere close to enough work for me to ensure that all my monthly budget income is reached. while i don’t plan to set an ultimatum on ending my solo practise, i understand that working alone in an isolated environment where networking isn’t even an option is not conducive for creating new client relationships.

so.

loath to finally allow myself to admit it — the longest clinical depression of my life not helping any of this in the least — i proposed to sparkle_vixen that i have to return to a permanent, full-time routine, even if i have to leave here to make it happen.

there really isn’t much choice right now.

so, as of now, i’m permitting myself to search and pursue leads and openings in the following markets:

–> SEATTLE
–> NEW YORK
–> TORONTO
–> VANCOUVER
–> MINNEAPOLIS (sure, you bet i’d go home if the work was there)
–> CHICAGO
–> BAY AREA
–> BOSTON

these cities are not only centres where i could conceivably feel relatively safe in my infinite, translucent queerness and encouraged to learn more about my own needs, but they also happen to be places where i already know people and would not be left in this initial state of isolated limbo — such as the case when i first moved to Minneapolis all those years ago (it’s this reason why i did not include Portland, despite its relatively nearby locale. i simply don’t know anyone there).

and in every case — save for Vancouver and Boston — i’ve spent some time in the area, so getting lost wouldn’t be an issue.

moreover, how much harm is there in extending my search scope? i mean, it would be absolutely disappointing to leave my girlfriend, all the while scuttling my newfound Washington state residency status (which would make an imminent return to university tremendously less expensive if i went to the U-Dub) and any hope in contributing to the Seattle scene.

it’s a sacrifice that i may have to make. and if the opportunity permits, i’ll do it.

were i fortunate enough to be hired, i’d need to know whether i could lean on the knowledge of those people who already live there — picking your brains for such things like tasty hole-in-wall eateries, places to find stuff on the cheap, the local art-fag scene, leads on unpublished rental units and so on?

if you live in any of the listed areas, please let me know how you’d feel about this. i’d like to keep such information-rich stuff filed away in the back of my brain should an unlikely lead come to fruition.

thanks.