visiting atlanta as a non-resident

There are so many cities that I love to visit but wouldn't want to live in. My hometown is no exception. Often, when I am visiting an awesome city, like NYC, London, Chicago, DC, I wonder what it would be like if I lived there. I always imagine that I would max out after about 6 months. Atlanta, which I consider to be a less awesome city than some, I somehow ended up in for 5 and a half years. I hope whatever karmic debt I was serving is complete. 


My buddy Mike put it best. "Everything is beautiful when you put a frame around it". We're not talking about an actual wooden frame enhancing an other wise unappealing piece of art (although that happens too). Rather that it's easy too see all the good stuff about a place, a person, almost anything, within a limited frame of reference. Take camping, I don't want to live in a tent 365 days a year (that's a lie, I sort of do, just not a coleman in N GA, maybe a yurt in Mongolia) but for 3 days its rejuvenating, relaxing and fun. Same with an urban experience. I don't want to live in the ATL but a limited adventure was really something delightful. 


Friday night I drove into Atlanta at the invitation of an old friend. She and her fiance are lots. of. fun. We had a few deliciously and creatively mixed drinks and saw an alternative variety show/circus complete with really cool art installations. I really enjoyed being a guest. When I lived in Atlanta I often found myself playing the role of social coordinator and I hated it. I take that back. I didn't totally hate it but I don't like doing it all the time. 


I thoroughly enjoyed not planning, not navigating, not researching prices, locations or show times, not driving. I just showed up and someone handed me a drink. I was told it was time to go, I got in the back seat and sang along to Billy Ocean. I was free to enjoy someone else entertaining and making jokes, and I laughed and laughed.  I used the extra space in my head, uncluttered by deciding which route required the least time sitting at traffic lights, and watched the bungalow houses roll by, drank in the 200 year old trees, pondered the quirky and funky ways people are reinventing their neighborhoods, themselves and the South. The city seemed sparkly to me instead of like a throbbing, infected canker sore. I felt invigorated and alive in a way I don't usually in N GA.


I was a tourist in my hometown and I loved it.