Four Wheels Keep on Turning

Amazing news! I'm just days away from getting a car. Sorry Andy, but it won't be a Honda - however the vehicle is a good deal. Just waiting to get it checked out and make sure all is healthy. I've already named it Freddy as my last car was George.

Having my cousin Ben's car has been a reminder of how much time I save with having four wheels. Yesterday I was able to drive into San Francisco in the pouring rain and save an hour of BART commuting and then I drove to a meeting across the city. The cost savings of driving vs BARTing aren't that much different either. Using City Car Share is the most expensive option of all.

I'll be honest, I'm worried about the lifestyle change. Walking and bike riding keep me in super shape. So, the challenge will be making sure I still walk and ride as much as possible and don't become a car potato.

Citizen Dance

Walking through San Francisco's Mission District is so much like being part of a giant, improvisational citizen dance. People linger, run, pause, panhandle, scream, cry, and meander the streets day and night. The best way to self-choreograph through this dance is to walk with confidence but without aggression, with purpose but with casualness, with certainty but with room for spontaneity. It requires a learned movement vocabulary that is unique to this area of the City.

This dance reminds me of the unique movement of London. Walk on the left or the right, you're never sure but you have to move with swiftness and purpose. You are certain to brush up against other folks with nearly every step. I recall walking down an empty street with just another person across the block. For some reason we both crossed the street towards each other and actually brushed shoulders in the middle of the road. It was a beautiful moment of Londoners finding each other. In The Mission I would say it is an effort to avoid that moment of contact if you want to keep safe.