Sleeping in Seattle (Part 2): Deciding to stay put.
It began as a 10-day visit with a friend. I planned places to see and things to do, the typical must-see spots on any traveler’s “Seattle sight-seeing” list.
I joined a meetup group to connect with people at some local events. I see every place I travel to as an opportunity to meet people. My goal is always to create genuine relationships, expand my community, and grow my business. The aforementioned is my grassroots method for marketing. Go to a place, meet people, tell them what I do, and keep it moving. I love word of mouth; it’s a far less intimidating strategy than frequently creating content and inundating email boxes. I went as far as reaching out to my circle to figure out if I could get in a dive or two with the people my friends know.
I hadn’t anticipated stay-home orders, especially since I didn’t have one (a home). I never expected the world to shut down. That’s right, the world.
I’d embraced the nomadic lifestyle after losing my job and apartment early on in 2019. I had no intention of looking back and getting locked into another 9 to 5. I still don’t.
When I came for a visit, it wasn’t part of my original plan for 2020 to stay in Seattle. I had a return ticket (which I now have a credit for). Then the world stood still. The pandemic took us by willful surprise. We could have prepared for it in February or January. We didn’t. What can you do except for pivot?
Two weeks of quarantine turned into a month. And my next destinations were no longer a consideration for me. I became stuck in Seattle.
I had to decide and get real about my situation with myself and the person I was visiting. Sometimes you need a little help from your friends.
No longer able to fall back on my usual trades. I had to find work and move swiftly. I graced for two months as an impromptu roommate with a chance to re-evaluate my situation. Immediately, I realized that most of my skills were not readily translatable into the work-from-home space.
At first, I panicked. Passively. I got lucky after applying to many different jobs. A grocer was hiring, and the pay was not horrendous. I took a chance and became a grocery picker.
Then I panicked some more. I had to take a bus! The city was foreign to me, and submitting to public transit during a global pandemic was not ideal. I considered not taking the work and continuing my job search to “stay home.” Of course, that was an option I was far less willing to take.
I’d come to enjoy the grocery picking job. I’d have the chance to listen to audiobooks and podcasts much more than I ever had before. My steps grew to 5 miles per workday. Going to the job was curbing my stir craziness. I also felt good about helping people to get their essential items for their families. The company I worked for also offered food donations to local organizations. So, as I got used to my new role, I began taking some pride in it.
After six weeks, I became determined to find a space of my own. I didn’t want this feeling of displacement to happen to me again. I decided that its time for me to commit to a home base. I am a traveler. I get up, and I go. I always have, and I always will as long as I am able. It seems, though, that 2020 had other plans opposite of my own.
Once I decided to stay, everything fell into place for me.
I found an apartment for way less than the average Seattlite pays. With complete privacy, near the water, and some green space, I was winning.
Since being in my space, I’ve taken pride in changing my address and registering to vote, receiving packages, and the like.
During the midst of a pandemic, I’d find myself embarking on a year of stillness, sleeping in Seattle.
