Four Years Ago

Four years ago today, it was snowing as I drove north through Redding, California. I was driving up I-5, the spine of the west coast, on my way from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. I had a kitty in the passenger seat, and a car stuffed with boxes of clothes, camping gear, books and whatever else I could fit.

At the end of the road was a new city I didn’t know. No job. No apartment. No friends or familiar faces.

It sounds reckless and scary, and I guess it was. I wouldn’t recommend doing such a thing now, four years later, considering the economy and being more familiar with the job market in Portland.

But would I recommend moving to a new city alone? Doing something scary? Leaving the comfort of the familiar for something new?

Unequivocally, YES. A thousand times, YES. It has been, without a doubt, one of the best things that I’ve ever done.

 

Snow Is Nice

It was snowing when I woke up this morning. As I drank my coffee and ate breakfast, the snow came down in sheets and squalls. As soon as I felt like a human being, I grabbed the camera, bundled up, and headed out for a walk.

River benches.

The old train station.

The Peacock in snow.

17th Street.

The Column, and a gull.

92 and 17.

Gull prints.

As I was walking around the coast guard ship, one of the cadets disembarked in gym shorts and sneakers. I guessed he was going to the Aquatic Center across the street to work out. Other guys pelted him with snowballs from the ship. I hurried to get out of the line of fire.

It’s okay that I’m a tourist in my own town, right? It’s so damn pretty.

Sun Is Nice

My parents and sister all live in southern California, which is an anomaly, because we are all originally from Massachusetts. That they all ended up in California was sort of an accident. I was the first to migrate to the west coast, and I first lived in Santa Barbara, which is gorgeous and expensive. After [...]

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The “Danger Toilet” At My Parents’ House

We are having a late holiday at my parents’ house in California. I needed to remind Dave of the “Danger Toilet” in the guest bathroom. You see, this toilet does NOT take a licking and keep on ticking. Why would I write about this? A toilet? Well, because it’s not just a toilet. It’s a [...]

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Twelve Hour Travel Day Today

A bus. Then the Max. Then a plane. Then a car in rush hour traffic in Southern California. But at the end is sun and warmth and my family. And some insane little doggies and some kitties. BRB, Oregon.  

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No, Again, On The Resolutions

Resolutions are bullcrap. I’m just going to get that out there. New years resolutions may have been a good idea at one point. It’s nice to slow down and be reflective. It’s a good idea to take inventory and make adjustments, or set some goals, or reevaluate our trajectories. These are all good ideas. But now, of [...]

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