gratitude to chico

just figured i would mention how lucky i feel to be able to have access to all the diverse art and music in chico. ive live all over the world, hong kong, taiwan, san francisco, seattle, houston, dallas... and settled my family in this strange rural norcal area... most people ask. why? well, because i love being able to make a difference and be part of a smaller community and also because i love the land around here. i like to see things change and grow and be able to make longer lasting relationships as part of a sustainable lifestyle of music and culture. since i have lived here, going on 5 years now, i am awe of the talent and the people that create and put time and energy into thier art. you notice things more and looks closer sometimes in a small town than you would when you are inundated with a multitude of options. teaches you to look closer. things can always get better, of course and that is exactly what i feel is happening here. i always hear people dissing chico left and right, usually people who have lived here a long time. and i just dont feel it. and maybe its because im not from here. of course it is not going to have the same access and diversity of a large city but it has so much more in terms of community and recognition. you can do something here and expose people who have never heard of "this" or never scene "that" and open their minds to something new and see how it changes people. things in a large metro get so tired so quickly. and so much has been seen and done. granted, the local media outlets are somewhat naive and closed minded when it comes to exposing and writing about new sounds and events. but, in general, i love that there is a diverse array of music being played here and art being created. and above all, when i hear people talk they are trying to push the envelope of what this town has to offer and make new things happen.