wither California?

I put out word the other day that I am thinking of making an escape to California later this year...not to stay but as a vacation (with maybe some readings mixed in).

Then it occurred to me that I am not honor-bound to the beloved Golden State. If the stars are not aligned right and there is not some sense of a welcome (for instance, if no friends or family seem delighted by my potential appearance and make no offer to me for crash space, etc), then I will throw the whole net wide and see what other regions of the country where I have friends, family and, yes, fanbase, that may be more welcoming.

Yes, LA and Venice Beach and Salinas are homes to me in many manners, but so can New Orleans, Mobile, Austin, Birmingham, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, Denver, South Carolina, Boston, New York, Sault Ste. Marie and many other areas lure me with little effort.

Let's see what happens...