Nomaderie

I just made the switch from Vancouver to Seattle, having arrived in Seattle today for the first time in four years.  My work at True Contrarian first brought me here at the end of July 2011.  Now I'm back sitting at the same bar, Boom, drinking the same cocktail (The Kasai Margarita), taking the same same selfie in the same pose and feeling just as hopeful but in different ways.

I'm undergoing a social media Renaissance.  Maybe it's because I'm experiencing a lot of change in my life and it's made me realize how grounding a solid online presence can be.  I miss blogging and the way words feel when they flow out of my head, though my hands and onto the screen.  As my dream is to dominate the online space like a true femme fatale, I figured being more present is a good idea.

The name for this blog originated when I walked into a bar named Nomad the first day of my stay in Vancouver.  I thought it was a great name when I first saw it on Yelp and it's a relatable title to me, given that I never can seem to stay in one place for more than a few weeks at at time.  I entered the beautiful high-ceilinged space and sat at the bar, which was lit naturally by the sunset outside and looked very inviting.  I've never minded entering bars alone, especially on business trips in new places where I already feel somewhat anonymous.  THe first drink on the list of craft cocktails was named "femme Fatale."

I decided to go for it.  After all, who doesn't love a cocktail with a clever title.  I soon found out that all of Nomad's cocktails were as perfectly balanced and uniquely crafted as the first one (if you are a Vancouver reader, go and try The Divide.  THe cocoa and vanilla bitters truly make the drink.)

Let's say I'm nomadic to a point.  Even when I'm in a new place for work, I have a tradition of finding a spot to return to daily throughout the duration of my stay.  How quickly can I become a regular as a stranger to a town?

 I found out just a few moments ago that boom, the restaurant at which I'm currently parked, just moved back to this corner location after spending some time by University of Washington.  To me, it appeared that nothing had changed since my departure from Seattle but in fact, it's only recently the same.  Boom reminds me of Nomad a bit, with the high ceilings, spacious bar and hip-looking staff.  I laugh in the same way, making conversation.  And yet part of me misses the Canadian West Coast.

My last at Nomad yesterday was a riot.  It was their first venture into live music with the talented singer, guitarist and electronic technician Mark Woodyard.  My new friends, the bar's owners, nodded with hopeful smiles as he began his first set and drew the place into a mystical trance.  The night drew on with covered mash-ups, the most memorable being "No Diggity" and "Hit The Road Jack."  I bobbed my head with intrigue, watching Mark loop his vocals back through the system as he recorded new ones.  By the end of my time, I had been appointed to honorary staff, picking up on their inner vibes and jokes.  When I finally tore myself away, there was still a vivacious crowd dancing past closing.  One of the group was even sporting a characteristic Storm Trooper mask.

Gratitude comes to mind when I think about my journey with True Contrarian and how I've come full circle back to Seattle.  I wouldn't say the main thing I've learned is the technical details of investing.  It's important, but there's something I've picked up from the fearless CEO that strikes me even more: Living the experience of a new place and making it my own.  The point of business trips is not only to make profitable connections, but to create lasting hubs within the places you go.  My boss always assumes he will return to a place and when he does, he treats it like his home, remembering every place he's been and sharing it with the newcomers he brings.  I'll return to Vancouver and bring whomever I am with (hopefully my best girl and/or my fiancé :P), sharing with them the memories I created the first time.  Until then, I'm just happy I have one more place in this vast world to call home.