On your mark...

First, about the title of this blog -- yes, I know it's slightly cheesy and has even been used before, but it describes my dilemma perfectly:

1) I am in Denver.
2) I am broke.
3) I want to do things, or more specifically, I want to get out and see plays, view art, hear music.

Because we bought a house that needed work last winter, 2006 became The Year of the House. All spare energy, time, and money went into that damn 4 bd/2 ba. And just as the major projects were drawing to a close and spare resources looked like they might have been available for other pursuits, one of us became unemployed. [Note: I am typing this after hours at my office job.] So now, while time and energy are at my disposal, money has become scarcer than snowplows in December.

One caveat: I am originally from California. Hell, I don't know why that should be a confession. My folks ended up in CA after moving there from Chicago, and their parents and grandparents didn't all close out their lives where they'd started them. People relocate -- so it has ever been, so shall it ever be. I met my husband in L.A. when he'd been living there for a few years after leaving his Midwest hometown, and after we got married, we decided to find a midway point, both literally and figuratively. We chose Denver for a variety of reasons, and one of the top criteria on my list of non-negotiables was a vibrant arts scene, specifically regarding theater. As I put it to him at the time, I didn't want to end up someplace where the only game in town is the local guild's annual revivals of "You Can't Take It with You" and "South Pacific." And even though there are a lot of safe-bet revivals on any given weekend along the Front Range, there are also homegrown productions that stretch the boundaries and offer new perspectives. I mean, any town that gives rise to a show like "Manson Family Values" is one that I think I can live in.

Since moving here, every time I go home to visit my family and friends, I'm reminded of what an embarassment of riches Los Angeles suffers from. I know that the popular culture makes L.A. seem like a 24/7 episode of "Entourage" meets "Dr. 90210" but trust me, that is not most people's daily experience. And while it definitely is an industry town, there are a lot of people there creating and presenting art, even if some of them are just biding their time until they get discovered at Schwab's. There is just so much going on there on any given day, I can't believe I didn't do more when I lived there. Oh yes, that's because money has always been scarce, and it costs money to get out and do things, no matter where you live.

Well, I refuse to be beat at this. Hence, 2007 shall (hopefully) be The Year of Getting Out and Doing Things for Free. Maybe once we're a two-income household again, I'll be able to append "... or Under $20" to that title. But for now, it's gotta be free, or you'll find me at home watching too much BBC America. That is, until we cancel the DirecTV.