Wild Wild West

So I traveled down along the 101 from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo for work last week. It was gorgeous – a long drive’s worth of gorgeous (3.5 hours each way!) but I remembered how pretty California is – not all beaches, but golden rolling hills, ghost towns, farmland.

Last time I had a job here and I travelled, I’d always wished that I had taken pictures. So, now that I will be travelling all over the golden state, I will pull over when I want to and snap a few pics to remember and to share. Here are a few shots from my last adventure.

A new place on the way

I met with Kim yesterday to talk about what kind of place we want. I think we will make a great match as roommates.

We decided the ideal place would have the following:
A way for the cats to get outside easily
Off the main road
2 bedrooms and spacious common areas
Yard/garden
$1600/month rent
Walking distance Ashby Bart & Berkeley Bowl
Near cafes and shops
June 15 move-in date
Off street parking
Bay windows
Washer and Dryer on premises

I got so excited driving around our future neighborhood. It’s perfect. Trees and flowers, cute houses, and close to other friends. Wonderful!

A new life begins

My new life has started. I am living with my friend Alicia in Oakland for a bit – she has graciously offered a cozy nest on the floor in her apartment for me while I save money to get a place with another friend Kim in mid-June.

I feel like I am in a bit of a culture shock – leaving a life with many roommates to a life with just one or two. I haven’t had to buy my own food for two years. So many things were taken care of – cooking, shampoo, scrubbing the toilet. Now I am back to living without a huge community behind me, without so many people to catch me if I fall, or if I lock myself out, or if I need a ride to the airport.

It’s funny. I actually feel like I did when I came back from Kenya. I feel that same sense of shock. Last time I digested my experience by making a beautiful scrapbook. This time, I think I will write. A lot. And I will put it all on paper to keep it, because it was so sacred.

Welcome to my new life – it is a conglomeration of my expansive past, singular present, and unknown future.