i took my first BART trip since living here to downtown. i had to wait a little while and was worried i'd be late, since i procrastinated leaving. i got lost leaving the station as 511.org gave me ridiculous walking directions. i navigated a gauntlet of street people who ignored me for the most part. they were weaving around, arguing with each other. i dodged and used my 'city walk' as i was late. one man said 'girl, you a charlie's angel, you sure are!' i said 'thank you. and yes i am.'
i made it to morgan auditorium and people were still arriving. i got some candy and water and walked into the auditorium, which is a converted church, it seems. we had to sit in wooden pews without cushions. i sat down next to *possibly* the only other grad student there. everyone else looked about 15 with their tiny tank tops and shorts and perfect skin.
her name was anna, from argentina. we chatted and it was fine. i think i expect myself to be so much more awkward than i am, generally. i'm just fine and need to stop whining already.
the movie was the new 'star trek', which i hadn't seen. i got to tell the terrified under-grad next to me that 'that guy lives across the street from my sister!' the film was projected on a pretty small screen for such a big room and was 'full screen' instead of 'widescreen' and the sound was distorted. i missed some of the jokes, but i think i got the gist, and i liked it.
a kind of crappy picture of the church/auditorium
i limped out of there (having stepping on a sliver of glass the day before) and navigated the tourists and shoppers of friday night downtown. that was kind of interesting to observe, but i was glad to be observing and not participating.
eventually, i found my way back to sholley's in the lower haight. i met her friends jason and octavio and promptly fell in love with them. (they've been together for 6 years) we had a great time. they were both so warm and funny and completely delightful AND brought whiskey. we made some drinks and went down to 'the cage' (the gate to her front door) to watch the world go by. i watched a silent 'tonight show' from outside a bar on the sidewalk, we made friends who passed by, we laughed, we chatted, it was awesome.
on the night owl bus back, three young YOUNG british boys were sitting across from me, a tourist couple next to me. this was about 2am. i swear the british boys were about 18 and traveling around california having an adventure. they were on their way to yosemite, then los angeles. i thought that was awesome and fearless of them.
the bus dropped me on market and valencia meaning i had to walk about 20+ minutes to get to my apartment. it was just fine, aside from my limp. there were many people out enjoying the night. i saw my friend paul on my way home, always a pleasure and fell into my bed with no problems.
saturday i met jenny at her apartment, where i haven't been for about 3 years. it was so lovely to see her again, and refreshing to see her familiar home where i've stayed several times. we walked (in the heat) to a skate park on portrero for a chili competition and some sort of skateboarding event. it was sunny but there was a constant breeze which made it entirely delightful. there were many lovely skater boys to ogle and i was reminded of the lovely skater boys from high school.
jenny and i at the skate park:
i walked back home (about a 30 minute walk) through the heat and with limps and blisters. it was pretty miserable. when i got home, i collapsed in a sweat ball on my bed. after falling asleep and cooling off, i took abigail to oakland. she bought me a freakin delicious teriyaki tofu sandwich and we set off for the airport. dropped her off and made my way back across the bridge, right as the sun was in full blinding glory, too low for the visor, too high to avoid. somehow i made it to the bridge, which had such a beautiful view. i am grateful for these informative, exploratory adventures. now i've been to oakland!
after a cold shower and some pampering, i read, watched a movie and fell asleep. that cold shower was seriously the greatest thing ever. it was just hot enough to be really uncomfortable (especially after walking for the total of an hour in it), though anne texted me a picture of their car thermometer which read 108. i stopped complaining about the 90 degrees we were experiencing.
yesterday i took the longest bus ride EVER to the waterfront to see my friend sholley's gallery. that was good and crazy and there were many really different, really beautiful pieces there. we had dinner in north beach/little italy, then navigated to where melissa and jesse were eating with cody and tiffany who were in town from seattle for a wedding. so good to see them! we walked through chinatown, chatted and generally had a lovely visit.
the most beautiful mercedes i've ever seen, the girls checking out some street suitcases:
trekking through chinatown:
after complaining and developing a bloody blister, melissa, jesse and i made it to their car and they graciously drove me home. phew. good weekend, aside from all the foot maladies. great friends. exercise. events. adventure.
i've been thinking about my transition into the city. i think it's been a kind of solitary experience and an adjustment to get back into urban life. but i have friends nearby. i speak the language (for the most part. i DO live in little mexico/latin america). i've been to the city many times before and it's easy to get around. then i read my friend lauren's blog. (ieatdirt.blogspot.com) i recommend it. it's highly entertaining and well written. she just moved, too. to a city she's been to once. in a country where she's learning the language, but it's largely unfamiliar. and she's alone. she's amazingly brave and i'm in awe of her, really. so when i'm feeling like, as she puts it, a cowardly lion, i think of her and her japanese adventure. perhaps japan told her that HER heart is fearless. i hope so, because man. she's more fearless than anyone i know.
today i hope to get my student i.d., find the building where all three of my classes will be held and rent a locker. and perhaps do some laundry.
here's some pictures of the weekend:
just kidding. it's taking forEVER. i'll try again later.
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