Once upon a time there was a girl who wanted to move to Oregon
As most of you know, 3 ½ years ago I left my life Atlanta and headed across the country with a few possessions in a trailer. My destination was Oregon. I had no idea if I’d even like it there. I was just following a gut feeling that life as I knew it needed to end. One of the many stops along the way was a place called Boulder Colorado. I instantly fell in love with the mountains, parked the U-Haul and never made it to Oregon. And the princess lived happily ever after. Well not quite. I’m writing to let you know that at the end of this month I’ll be moving to Oregon! For real this time yo.
This is a very hard decision surrounded by a lot of bittersweet emotions. It has been the best 3 years of my life! I have met some amazing people and made some lifelong friends… I can’t imagine my life without them. I’m frightened and saddened at the prospect of saying goodbye.
How to wrap up my life-changing Boulder experience in a paragraph… I guess first of all the mountains. This topic alone could be a book. I have fallen in love quite a bit in my life, but never like this. This is the real deal if you nowhadimean. Trying to encapsulate the depth of my relationship with them and what they have given me is like taking a picture at 14,000 feet with nothing but an ocean of peaks in every direction. It’s impossible to capture and impart. What I can say is that having a relationship with them has put me in a better relationship with myself. Learning their natural rythms and cycles has put me in touch with my own – discovering that they are the same, that I belong to and am a part of this vast, wise power. Hearing their voice (a resonant whisper rolling on the wind that I hear from the inside, as if it were my own) has changed my life forever! I will never again be able to live in a place without mountains. I think that if God doesn’t live in them, He/She must at least vacation in them.
So my life in Boulder summarized: I’ve healed, hiked, yoga-d, changed my body and my mind, met God on a mountain in my backyard, climbed ten 14ers, experienced alchemy, traveled to Europe 4 times, been to the opera at La Scala in Milan, danced on beaches in Hawaii, laughed until I gagged, performed an autobiographical skit at a public theatre, talked my way into a private art show at the Met in NY, caught my first fish, lit my first campfire, turned 40, rode in a gondola with Hillary Swank, seen bears, petted deer, been chased (yes chased!) by raccoons, found my inner wolf, sang to the stars, let go of tightly held precious illusions, fought and conquered life-long demons, and… (drum roll) changed careers. Yes, again!
For the past two years I’ve been studying for my sommelier diploma. It has been stressful, grueling, demanding, (at times I thought I actually HATED wine), oh yeah and fun too. I’ve drank Classed Growth Bordeaux that was born before me, tasted Grand Cru Chablis that made me cry, drank Barolo that I thought I should be making out with, Burgundy that made me want privacy, had the privilege of tasting with Master Sommeliers, heard some of the most eloquent (and sometimes ridiculous) descriptors for fermented grape juice, and have probably spit more wine than I ever drank before I began this journey.
I’ve been hired by an amazing winery in the Willamette Valley – Cooper Mountain Vineyards, one of the leaders in organic and biodynamic growing. Check it out at www.coopermountainwine.com. It’s a great opportunity and I’m very excited (and yes scared shitless!). I’ve been told that working a harvest is back-breaking, the hardest work I’ll ever do and that my hands will be black until next year some time. Apparently being in the cellar is even more precious – scrubbing barrels, cleaning large equipment and pipes. I’m not sure of the details of my position, but I think the technical description is “getting your ass handed to you.” All for the irresistible amount of $20,000/yr!!! During my phone interview with the French winemaker (while I was trying to demonstrate as much wine knowledge as possible) he asked if I drive a forklift. Yeah it comes in very handy when I want a client out of my chair. What?
OK so why this rather than a sommelier position or marketing or sales? There is something in me that is craving the land, a simpler life, a close-up and intimate knowledge of the cycles of life/death/life that are represented in the vine… It’s difficult for me to explain the call of the dirt (though I’m working on a piece to hopefully be published that may better explain this insanity). Suffice it to say that I’m following the same gut that told me to leave Atlanta. I know something that I don’t know I know… Stay tuned. And hell, all that sniffing/swirling/spitting/analyzing/taking copious notes about the intricate layers of a glass of wine – I want to learn how to make the damn stuff.
I’m basically looking at it as more school. I’m not yet sure what part of the industry I want to conquer, so I’m starting from the bottom of the barrel – ha uh ha, couldn’t resist. At 30 I left a career-track position in corporate America to go to beauty school. Now at 40 I’m leaving a very lucrative, fully booked clientele and a great life to go to Oregon and become a cellar rat. I keep thinking about the Kierkegaard quote: “To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself.” I don’t fully know why/what/how/when etc, but I do know that my gut is telling me this is right. In the words of my hero, Albert Einstein, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” I’m attempting to follow my gift.
Well that’s my novel. I’d love to hear from you and “what’s learnin ya” as my friend Bob says. Drop a line, stay in touch, come visit me in wine country. My new number as of July 30 will be (541) 490-3380 (yeah it’s time to lose the Atlanta digits I think). For those of you in Boulder, I’ll be at the Kitchen Upstairs on Friday, July 25 at around 6:30 and the West End rooftop on Saturday, July 26 at around 5:30 if you want to say goodbye.
A couple of P.S.s: 1) I’m selling my car, 2002 Saab 93 convertible with only 36,000 miles for $13,500. Most of you know I LOVE my car (her name is Sassy), but I won’t be able to afford her anymore :( Please spread the word to everyone you know. It’s available July 29. 2) Does anyone have a friend in Seattle that would welcome the company of 2 way super cool chics for a couple of nights? My dearest friend Yvonne is coming to the mainland from HI for a visit. We are planning to check out Seattle a bit and maybe camp in the rainforest or something. Anyway we’re fun, funny, good cooks and great company :)
