Gypsy Hollow has its origins in the way I process ideas about home. As a vagabond, gypsy, wayfarer, traveler, migratory worker, (call me what you will) I have lived in many places on this ole earth. Often, when asked where I'm from, I am a bit confused and end up by saying "I move around a lot."
As you can imagine this often creates consternation in the person or persons asking the question. For what they really want to know is: Where do I fit into their scheme of stereotypes. We all have them. Stereotypes, I mean. In fact, everyone of us uses entire schemes of stereotypes. It's kinda like cache memory in a computer.
If data comes in that doesn't fit the data most recently kept in the cache, then we have to access other files and/or process some new ones so we can cope with this new data, I mean person, standing in front of us. Hope this makes sense, we'll talk about all that again somewhere else.
For now, though, the point is, Gypsy Hollow isn't any one place. It certainly is my home. No doubt about that. But it physically resides on a computer somewhere. But it is also a real place. It just so happens that it moves around with me. Hmmm..... But then, so does the internet domain named gypsyhollow.com.
On the other hand there really was a real-time place I called Gypsy Hollow. I lived there in a cozy little cottage and I really thought I would live the rest of my life there. And that's why I called it Gypsy's Hollow, at that time. As if though, this old gypsy had finally settled down and removed the wheels from her caravan. My daughter and all her friends also called it Gypsy's Hollow. But it wasn't official. It was just a dream.
After I moved away, everyone stopped calling it Gypsy Hollow. Right now, I happen to be 'in transit' that means I'm renting and I don't have any kind of permanent address. (As if I ever did!! ;) So the big question in everyone's mind is: Is there REALLY a Gypsy Hollow? And the simple answer is: yes, there is.
The domain, gypsyhollow.com, is certainly a part of Gypsy Hollow. My home and its surroundings are another part. It exists in my mind and is the setting for the life I have crafted for myself. As for a real-time place, an actual piece of land, weelllll......maybe. Just maybe, we can always hope, that the rickety ole caravan of this ole gypsy might yet find a last place to park. When it does, THAT will be Gypsy Hollow. Until then, we all have to content ourselves with gypsyhollow.com.
For more about the migratory lifestyle please read "Gypsies
& Migrants".
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