My Daily Examen

I've been out here in California for awhile and I think the past 24 hours have been the most exciting times I've had out here. Friday after work I drove up and met some old friends from the Peace Corps in Oakland. One thing I love about those friends is that we immediately had to cut through all of the friendship pleasantries in the Peace Corps. We were our support network. We were who we all relied upon. That made for some quick solid friendships and quick solid enemies. But that is a post for another day.

However, the reminiscing with old friends from 5 years ago and from 15 years ago was amazing. After wonderful dinners and wonderful laughs, I headed out to do my favorite thing ever - Stadtbummeln. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to it. Though sadly it is not too extensive. I've been trying to practice contentment in my life throughout the past through years. After Peace Corps, I just can't genuinely feel there is any way I could be discontented or upset about my lot in life. My rambling through the city of San Francisco only solidified that for me. I didn't have an aim. I didn't have a map yet I survived and had one of the most clichéd gay experiences of my life. This is your cue to cringe Liz. All I'll say is it involves a Cable Car and Judy... :)

I ended up walking from Market Street to Coit Tower (not very far but almost COMPLETELY uphill) stopping at various stores along the way. One of them was THE famous book store of San Francisco and it's beat generations. I had to call my friend for the name because her father told me years ago I HAD to go. Now I got to the top of Coit Tower and had some wonderful views but knew my feet couldn't take anymore of the hills. Down is pretty easy though. I got down to the bottom of the hill and saw Lombard Street. I didn't climb to the top though. I knew from just my proximity to water that I was too far to walk to the BART to get back to my car. So I did as you naturally do in SF and I hoped on a Cable Car. Just as I did, some weird cosmic force affected my iPod and Judy Garland's version of San Francisco came on shuffle. I laughed and grinned ear to ear as I was hanging on a cable car on my way home.

More soon.