Saturday, October 17, 2009

Communities: Belonging

So far in this blog I have talked about my geographic community. I started there for the simple reason that one day I was struck by how much I enjoyed living where I live. I wanted to share some of my sights and neighborhoods. Considering what pictures to include and framing the shots allowed me to see my surroundings in a way I usually do not. But there was another reason. I believe that people feel a belonging in certain geographic locations--places where they feel at home. Some are lucky enough to be born where they belong; others search for that place or, possibly, feel the dis-ease of being out of place. I'm interested in exploring those edges.

Recently I took a road trip across the southern part of British Columbia. It wasn't a new road to me but it had been many years since I had been that way. When I travel outside my usual haunts, I gaze at the passing scenery--the farms and small towns and large cities (although there were no large cities on this trip!)--and wonder what my life would be like if I lived in that place. Who would be my friends, how would I spend each day, would I like the weather, where would I work?  Some places feel like an instant fit. Others would need to prove themselves to me.

But even in the places where I feel like I could belong--where I might feel at home--I immediately realize that home involves so much more than place. I would be so far from my friends and family! The thing is, we make new friends (if we're lucky) but we cannot hurry the history that creates the fabric of old and dear friendships. Still, newness and adventure and curiosity exert a pull....another edge to explore.

Finally, because I'm thinking of friends, both new and old, and because I've just discovered the fun of creating a picture collage on Picasa, I'm compelled to include this collage of some of my friends, all of whom enrich my life immeasurably! (Disclaimer: Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo, and Tom Robbins are not "friends" but neither are the pictures Photoshopped!)
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Friday, October 2, 2009

Subscribe to my Blog

People have asked me how they can "follow" my Blog. I have placed a box for subscribing to Posts and/or Comments at the top of my sidebar (on the right). If you are interested in being notified when a new post is published, click on Posts and follow the instructions. Thank you for reading what I have such fun writing.

Proctor District Redux

Since my last post about the Proctor District, I have probably gone there every day I've been in town. I would like to claim I walked there each time but, no, most of the trips were by car (laziness? no time? no excuse). One of my favorite places in the District is Metropolitan Market. Met Market regularly has samples like cooked-on-the-spot food, delicious cheese (my latest favorite is graskaas, a wonderful "fresh" cheese), fruit--particularly new varieties--and occasionally sweet treats from the bakery (today was a little key lime "bite"). Mmmm. Two items that I like that I can get only at Met Market (at least in Tacoma) are a very good version of cioppino (excellent with their herb rolls) and rebel crunch granola, which is made by Blue Heron bakery in Olympia.


I love the colors and quilt-like displays of the produce department so want to take a picture. However, I feel strangely guilty and furtive aiming my camera. Would someone think I was an industrial spy? No one questions me but my red-flag feeling is confirmed when I approach the table where an employee is wrapping and displaying the items shown in the next picture. (I've included the picture as a guessing game for all you three who read this blog. What are the objects displayed in the picture? The only prize for getting it right is your own self-satisfaction and that's worth plenty these days! What a clever way to get you to comment on my blog!)

To continue: the employee grimaces when I brandish my camera and then explains apologetically that I can't take pictures without permission. She suggests I speak to the manager who, when I explain my blog, is thrilled that I am including Met Market but hopes that I am not sending it to Whole Foods. I assure her that Whole Foods is not following my blog. Ha!


When I leave Met Market to go home, I find the main intersection at 26th and Proctor is under construction. The City is installing traffic-calming bulb-outs and lovely rose-colored pavers to prominently mark the crosswalks. Unfortunately, I've also hit it right when Mason Middle School students are getting out of school and parents are everywhere picking up their kids. The traffic is brutal. (Why are all those parents picking up their kids? I don't remember parents picking up students when I was in junior high school.)

I apparently need to watch my timing because on the day I walked to take the pictures, I also managed to get right in the middle of gaggles (giggles?) of  red tee shirt and sweatshirt-wearing Mason students. The snatches of overheard conversations were amusing and horrifying and probably not that different from when I was a teenager: "Aiden, Christian (or was it Kristen?) wants to beat you up" and ". . .she's only 13 and I don't usually . . .but before I touch her I'm gonna make her sign something . . ." (a budding lawyer? I wondered and worried about that one). Then there was the angelic-looking young woman/girl who turned around and shouted "Hey, homey!" surprising the hell out of me.

More on the rest of my walk home next post...