I walked uphill through our building’s parking lot, and briefly held my breath when some too-quiet car’s headlights briefly and unsettlingly illuminated my back before turning away. I said hi to A. at our gate, then crossed the avenue for snacks to white-flag a weeklong craving.
Weeks like this one remind me anew how people see (or don’t) other communities, organizations and outlets. Shout-out to [redacteds] for giving me the business as I asked questions, or tried to listen. In time, I’ll feel more grateful; honesty’ll feel like less of a gaffe than a gift.
Sitting in sunshine, nearly 60F/16C out on the plaza. Just eaten. Should I work outside today? Maybe, if I could tune out a person sitting nearby, trying to give someone on the other end of a phone call a little bit more depth on what they do before their 11:30 Saturday appointment.
I forget what it’s like to have a commute, to be alone in my car driving home through several cities. Not so long ago, I lived just over a mile from the newsroom and could bike there, or back to my place if I needed to get my car (not to mention everything else that’s different now).
Today started well: seventy pages of a library book and a little solid language app distraction. A bit of torpor got between me and obvious exercise, but remedies remain available the next couple of days. Between bad stretches at work, I kept getting up to go look at the new moon.
Other than last night’s time out singing and listening to others, I’ve been spending slightly more time at home. Now that’ll change, and it’s just the way the week swings within my calendar and schedule. Midweek will be busy but, more importantly, it’ll work if plans come through.
Today’s views were better than they’ve been in several weeks. I kept noticing things off to the side, just beyond wherever I was: multiple raptor birds flying over San Pablo Dam Road east of El Sobrante; a bicyclist rolling to a stop to use his phone; a sunset San Francisco skyline.
I broke part of a screen for a kitchen light fixture, but wiggling the bulbs inside brought them back to life from a half flickering state yesterday. Then I calendared an appointment for next week, spoke with the maternal unit, and got back on the bike without bursting into flames.
Drove into work for the second time this week and ran a couple of errands on the way back, including topping off our car’s tank. Across the street, I saw the welcome sign that lets folks know they’re entering my city leaning against a fence looked like it got sheared off its base.
Another of those days that starts with too much breeze, not enough sun, a deficit of hot coffee and a surfeit of events in the path of getting things done. But somehow the papers keep escaping from the printing presses, slipping into plastic bags and landing on, or near, doorsteps.
