Written by Charles Evered
Special to The Desert Sun
For some time now, I’ve lived in two places that on the surface at least, would seem to have little in common: Joshua Tree, California and Princeton, New Jersey. The truth is, however, I don’t just live in those two places. I am those two places. And like most worthwhile destinations, they are not so easily definable.
I first came to the desert as a founding faculty member of UCR’s Palm Desert Graduate Center in 2005. We have friends and family on the East Coast, but as a writer and director, most of my projects are born on this side of the country. Also, my wife Wendy is (we hope, temporarily) handicapped and the warm weather helps. And while some parents lecture us on the importance of “consistency of place” when raising children, I always counter that our kids are now familiar with more than one culture, are friends with children on two coasts and perceive the country they live in as being expansive — almost their own backyard.
High Desert and Princeton
As for the towns themselves, Princeton is “arts friendly,” to be sure, but also has the sad distinction of being one of those towns where artists — even “working” artists — can hardly afford to live. Add to this the fact that New Jersey has highest real estate taxes in the country and it’s a challenge for anyone to live there, let alone artists. When we don’t live there, we rent our townhouse out to other professors.
The High Desert area on the other hand, continually surprises us. There are serious artists living here, writers, painters, musicians and actors — not to mention its proximity to the incredible Palm Springs International Film Festival.
People often ask me where I’m happiest and I answer “wherever my family is.” Living the gypsy life of an artist has taught me a few things, the main one being if you’re an unhappy person, you’ll be unhappy wherever you are. If you’re happy, and you’ve found meaning in your life, then you can live in a Maytag box on the side of Interstate 10 and find joy in the simplest of things.
As for my relationship with these seemingly different places, it dawned on me that they both represent two distinct sides of myself. While I’d like to think of myself as a “paragon of artistic integrity,” I’m not.
One income and five mouths
The reality is I have one income and five mouths to feed, counting our dog Wyatt, and so I work constantly to make things happen. Being within driving distance of Los Angeles keeps me rooted in the commercial world. Princeton, on the other hand, keeps me rooted in the notion that ideas matter. As for our kids, now 10 and 11, they’ve learned to adapt in a world that will continue to change on a minute-to-minute basis; this is hardly an undesirable skill set to have. So for now, we’ll try to hold onto this “dual life” as long as we can. We’ll also believe that Wendy will someday be able to walk again like she used to. And not only that, but run. And in the end, what does it matter which side of the country she does that on — as long as she runs back home to us.
Charles Evered directed the films “Adopt a Sailor,” starring Emmy winners Peter Coyote and Bebe Neuwirth, and “A Thousand Cuts,” starring Academy Award nominee Michael O’Keefe, set for release in 2012. His new play, “Class,” was recently published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc of New York City.