"Where are you from?" has become a tough question to answer as I travel around. I never know if people are asking where I grew up or where I currently live. It seems like, as a musician, people use your city and/or state of origin as a way to define you or introduce you. Bios and introductions say things like, "Wisconsin native..." "Florida's own...." "From New York City...." Things like that. So I get confused.

I'm proud to be from Wisconsin but if someone asks, "Where are you from?" and I say, "Wisconsin." If they ask something like, "Where do you live in Wisconsin," I have to get into the whole, "I'm originally from Eau Claire but now we live just outside of Knoxville, TN." and for some reason, people only hear the "ville, TN" portion of Knoxville, TN so then they say something like, "Oh, Music City! That's got to be a great place to live as a musician." Then I have to tell them that we don't live in Nashville, we live in Knoxville. And then they want to know why, if a musician is going to move from Wisconsin to Tennessee, he would not go directly to Nashville, Music City, USA. Like I miss read the map, only saw the "ville" part of the city and ended up here. And then I tell them that my wife is in the Air Force and we moved for her job. So that's what usually happens now if I say I'm from Wisconsin.

I obviously can't say I'm from Tennessee. Folks from the south will know that's not true before I get done pronouncing the word Knoxville and if they didn't catch it then, I'm sure not going to make it through Tennessee before they know I'm not from the south. And if any of our conversation has the tell-tale "Norwegian from the Midwest" words like boat, coat, couch, about, etc that will certainly blow my cover. Add to that, the fact that I can't really tell you much about this area and becomes clear why I can't tell people I'm from Knoxville.

And now to complicate the whole thing, Cynthia applied for, was offered and accepted a new position in Washington DC! We don't know yet when she needs to be there. She thinks it will be sometime early in the new year. I'm guessing that most folks who live in DC have moved there from other parts of the world. Maybe I can go back to saying I'm from Wisconsin without having to give the long answer.

But no matter where I currently live or where we are headed in the future, I owe a huge THANKS to the Midwest for a wonderful summer. Thanks for letting me come back and enjoy such a beautiful time of the year. Thanks for supporting me and my music and giving me a home away from home (in what was originally my real home. See why I'm confused!) It's great to be back down here. We have tons to do over the next couple of months but it is so comforting to know that there are folks "back home" who enjoy what I do. Thank you all!

Enjoy the day!
Matt