Another shitty day in San Francisco

I want to like it more, I really do. 

But my gosh, this city is so disappointing.

I have given this place a whole decade of my life. Time I can't reclaim. 

I tried so long to like being here but I am now considering to find the courage to say what I think.  

Other than a string of very positive healthcare experiences with providers across San Francisco, I haven't got all that much to praise.

But health is #1. So I do want it to be known that for the healthcare I am unreservedly grateful. 

Happy St. Nicolaus Day

Happy St. Nicolaus Day

Happy St. Nicolaus Day, a photo by Birgit Deubner on Flickr.

Lazy Day in the Mission

..on the road with the Lens Baby fish eye. This makes everything really fun to photograph but it is really difficult to focus as the lens is more in the realm of toy than it is in the realm of professional equipment. It was a really relaxed day, with a good breakfast at home, a short visit to Progressive Grounds Cafe on Bryant Street, where we got on with a little work. (J checking emails and I crocheting on my San francisco cowl project, for which I have already posted the first photograph 2 days ago, showing the beginning..). 

I am still having difficulties arranging photographs in Blogger and think I should try and post fewer images maybe. This seems a shame. I am such an image maximalist! I love posting LOTS of images of my day. I am not sure this blue bear as the only image would be sufficient... 

 

It almost seems that J is always hungry. Perhaps he has worms. It was only really an hour after we had breakfast that we were back at home for lunch. And if I remember right it was then time for snack time and groceries shopping followed by another snack time. I am not sure how he will get through the day now that he is having a 2 hour food break..   ;)

here we are groceries shopping on 24th St..

Cambodian treasures: displaced

Today we went to the Asian Art Museum for it's first sunday of the month Free Admission day.

I woke up at 7am, pretty much ready to go immediately, excited about the sunshine and the free museum visit, which saved $12 per person. I dragged J out of the bed and we eventually set off at just after 9 am and still arrived before the museum doors opened.

I started my tour of the gallery at the top of the building, on the third floor. South Asia - The Persian Word and West Asia - Southeast Asia - The Himalayas and the Tibet Buddhist World - China. And that is just the third floor!

My absolute favorite was the Southeast Asian Gallery, with it's beautiful Cambodian and Thai artifacts. I saw some things there that I have not seen before. Like these hammock carrier adornments, for hammocks in which noble folks would be carried around in, this must have added so much weight to the shoulders of the bearers.

What these displays from Cambodia together with all too regular views on the streets of San Francisco also reminded me of is how I wish I could be economically in a better position. I say that I care about others and that I would like to help, but by my choices I also say that my own life matters to me more. But I am increasingly feeling the sense of responsibility that we don't live just for ourselves alone but that instead we ARE part of a wider community, even if we are possibly oceans removed from it. Each person's choices can impact tremendously on others, regardless of if we have met them or not. But let's use my case, I have met friends from around the world. Some I met as I visited other places and others I met as they came to Europe to study. Yet others I don't personally know, but I see them on street corners, abandoned looking and lost. 

I imagine how great it would be to have the financial freedom to share choices. How? By means of helping somebody out with those things that could be cheap but still might be outside their reach. Things that can affect the qualities of lives.. Be it education costs or paying a phone bill for a month so that somebody can squeeze through until they get on their feet (without being disconnected from the world by being unreachable).. Or maybe sponsoring a month pass for the public transport or simply helping with a one off need, the fulfillment of which will enrich somebody's health and/or life.

I have worked as a professional Artist for a long time, yet my income has been insufficient to save the world. Now I am wondering if my sense of social responsibility will take over and see me subscribe to a Teacher Training Course in England in autumn 2013.. 

But for now let's return to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The monthly free Museum days are amazing. I am so pleased that they have them. I do think it is a shame that some are during the week. As if everybody who worked could afford to pay admission to a museum and therefor wouldn't need a free admission offer on the weekend.. I think this is a little sad. For me, the short term visitor it is of course fine. I will make use of each and any free day and make the most of it all. 

I also just realized that people have different work schedules, so of course, some people will be working weekends while others will be free on let's say tuesdays or thursdays..

A great resource for Free and Cheap activities in San Francisco is this site: sf.funcheap.com

apologies about the terrible layout.. Blogger has become very difficult to control. Isn't it so curious that displaying images in a simple grid format is so difficult to do now.

The $10 for grapes day

.. I do find it peculiar when I find myself a metaphorical stone throw from wine county and organic grapes weigh in at $10 for just over a kilo.. 

We cycled around the Mission District today, exploring on a surprise sunny, warm day that resembled the better days of August in England and certainly not the chill I came prepared for. 

We stopped at a co-operative supermarket called 'Rainbow', with an amazing selection of foods and fruits and teas and supplements, but I am a little shocked how expensive everything seems. I could swear that organic food here is more expensive than in Europe. Why would that be? It is making it a challenge to enter any food store. Typically, being a food lover, I want to pack half the store into my baskets. Instead I really had to moderate myself! 

When I think about the outbursts of love that I had for San Francisco yesterday then I also remembered the dreadful absence of labeling laws for Genetically modified foodstuffs. It makes me extremely uncomfortable to think that I could be; and likely will eventually; ingest GM items. It makes me feel even more pushed towards the organic products, but the cost of them makes me wonder if I should perhaps consider a 90 day long herbal tea fast..

Why did Monsanto get away with not labeling their products? Wouldn't you think that if they really believe that these products are something to be proud of that then there would be no hesitation in labeling accordingly?

I think I would find it a challenge to agree to live here for that reason and it isn't alone on reasons to be hesitant about considering an elongated stay here.

I had promised a drawing of a Russian Second Hand Bear for today and must apologize. I am not off to the most punctual start here. Instead of drawing a bear I started a crocheting project. Below you can see the start of a new infinity scarf made with pomegranate / cranberry colored yarn (80% acrylic and 20% wool). It is already feeling really nice. And I look forward to showing you more photos as I go along. Hopefully I will be ready to list it in my Etsy shop sometime later this week. The shop needs some updating and at the moment it still shows some cards I made in the summer, which are actually in England right now while I am in San Francisco. I should remember to hide them before somebody decides to buy one...

And here my only other shot today of our excursion around The Mission District of San Francisco.. It is J colo(u)r co-ordinated with the Palm Reading establishment and with the Coffee Shop, too..

I think I am in love...

Today I wrote from this cafe by Dolores Park. Lovely Mocha, luke warm so I drank it up in about 90 seconds... sadly too fast.. Soya Mocha $3.75

And I found free books outside this bookshop on Valencia St.

I am in San Francisco and I just haven't fully registered yet! I reached central San Francisco, specifically: The Mission District just 21 hours ago. And right this moment I feel SO at home. I could be ready to throw down all of my arguments against living in America and make my nest in this natural disaster prone zone aka Earthquake Central (for which, when it does happen, most will be poorly prepared)... One can think a lot about America and the implications of it's politics; and one may very likely hold certain opinions about this, but all of this pre-reading and thinking is dissipated and changes shape as soon as one steps foot on the streets of San Francisco. Shit! I think I am in love.

This is different to my first trip here.

That time was burdened with uncertainty and such exhaustions (long stories and this is not the time or place for them). I liked it, a lot even, but the twinkle and the sparks of San Francisco didn't grip me as close to the heart as they have in just the first hours of being here this time.

There is a certain quality to the air here, that I can't yet put my finger on... A little Paris, a lot Berlin, a sprinkle Europe and a dash Mexico and Spanish language, evidence of Japan...

And just before I saw, for the first time in my life, a building site where the multi storey building appears constructed entirely of wood! Really? 100% wood in San Francisco? It stopped me in my tracks and I couldn't quite believe it.

I also passed a bookshop on Valencia St., where I found a box of free books outside. I didn't want to, but I could not turn down a free book! I almost took The Iliad by Homer, but thought that one book would be enough.. I kept the one on Classical Mythology. Then I spotted a book with the title "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges". That title just sounded too good and it also happened to be a hardcover book, with missing dust jacked but the perfect purple and brown binding! And deckled paper edges that just asked for me to play with them.

...

Just as I dismissed the writing in "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges" and was considering to cut a hollow into the book, to turn it into a secret holding box for precious paper on which to draw my daily drawings, just then I glanced at page 37 and spot a mention of a Russian Secondhand Bear... I now believe I could be wrong about this book... "Russian Secondhand Bear" could be a title for something.. perhaps a poem, a text, a project, a drawing, a painting. I think this should be my drawing for tomorrow's drawing of the day :"Russian Secondhand Bear as mentioned on page 37"

I think I am in love...

I think I am in love...

(I need to find the photo that should be here)

Today I wrote from this cafe by Dolores Park. Lovely Mocha, luke warm so I drank it up in about 90 seconds... sadly too fast.. Soya Mocha $3.75

(I need to find the photo that should be here)

And I found free books outside this bookshop on Valencia St.

I am in San Francisco and I just haven't fully registered yet! I reached central San Francisco, specifically: The Mission District just 21 hours ago. And right this moment I feel SO at home. I could be ready to throw down all of my arguments against living in America and make my nest in this natural disaster prone zone aka Earthquake Central (for which, when it does happen, most will be poorly prepared)... One can think a lot about America and the implications of it's politics; and one may very likely hold certain opinions about this, but all of this pre-reading and thinking is dissipated and changes shape as soon as one steps foot on the streets of San Francisco. Shit! I think I am in love.

This is different to my first trip here.
That time was burdened with uncertainty and such exhaustions (long stories and this is not the time or place for them). I liked it, a lot even, but the twinkle and the sparks of San Francisco didn't grip me as close to the heart as they have in just the first hours of being here this time.

There is a certain quality to the air here, that I can't yet put my finger on... A little Paris, a lot Berlin, a sprinkle Europe and a dash Mexico and Spanish language, evidence of Japan...

And just before I saw, for the first time in my life, a building site where the multi storey building appears constructed entirely of wood! Really? 100% wood in San Francisco? It stopped me in my tracks and I couldn't quite believe it.

I also passed a bookshop on Valencia St., where I found a box of free books outside. I didn't want to, but I could not turn down a free book! I almost took The Iliad by Homer, but thought that one book would be enough.. I kept the one on Classical Mythology. Then I spotted a book with the title "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges". That title just sounded too good and it also happened to be a hardcover book, with missing dust jacked but the perfect purple and brown binding! And deckled paper edges that just asked for me to play with them.

...
Just as I dismissed the writing in "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges" and was considering to cut a hollow into the book, to turn it into a secret holding box for precious paper on which to draw my daily drawings, just then I glanced at page 37 and spot a mention of a Russian Secondhand Bear... I now believe I could be wrong about this book... "Russian Secondhand Bear" could be a title for something.. perhaps a poem, a text, a project, a drawing, a painting. I think this should be my drawing for tomorrow's drawing of the day :"Russian Secondhand Bear as mentioned on page 37"

First San Francisco street view

First San Francisco street view, a photo by Birgit Deubner on Flickr.

I have arrived and it is beautiful. My first afternoon.. Fresh off the plane and here my first photo of the first street corner.. A corner I will see often as it is just a few meters from where I will live for the next 87 days.. Yes I realize this blog says 90 days... But a hurricane got in the way of timely departure... Let's see if I can make up for the missing days somehow.. Perhaps it simply means that my journey isn't over when I leave here, perhaps it is an invitation to return before I even arrived or left ...

More sense from me once I have settled in..

First San Francisco street view

First San Francisco street view

First San Francisco street view, a photo by Birgit Deubner on Flickr.

I have arrived and it is beautiful. My first afternoon.. Fresh off the plane and here my first photo of the first street corner.. A corner I will see often as it is just a few meters from where I will live for the next 87 days.. Yes I realize this blog says 90 days... But a hurricane got in the way of timely departure... Let's see if I can make up for the missing days somehow.. Perhaps it simply means that my journey isn't over when I leave here, perhaps it is an invitation to return before I even arrived or left ...

More sense from me once I have settled in..

When Large things appear small and small ones large

Did you arrive here by clicking on the photograph on my Over 7 Seas Blog?

Ahhh.. Welcome. I will post daily once I reach San Francisco in just 8 days. The first post should be live on the 31st of October. Halloween.. Bear in mind that I will be in a different time zone from you, I am time traveling effectively into the past, 8 hours ago. So if anything special happens that I should know about you can break the time barrier by simply giving me a call, sending me an email (providing that you are privy to such classified information, or comment on this or any future post below.) 

Your comments can help me build a better journal which in return mean an irresistible experience for you. If you have regular access to the internet then maybe add me to your blog-roll, follow this journal by selecting one of the options to the right of this text.. I am already planning a welcome everybody to this blog 'give-away'. Just a tiny little something to get started.. So check in once in a while and let me know that you are here. The more feedback and greetings you post the better. Let's go on this journey!!

This journey is starting to feel increasingly real... I have just purchased my travel insurance.

Soon I shall touch Golden Gate Bridge and cycle from Mission to Dolores Park for a morning Yoga Practice. (Oh how optimistic.. will I really do this in the foggy, chilly San Francisco, still sleepy pre-sunrise, mornings? - well.. Why not? But I may look out for some thermals to help the internal fires firing up on the way to the park. Curiously I can already picture the post practice juice in the nearby Cafe so much easier than the practice itself, now why would that be..??)

P.s. shhhhhhhhhhh

Jason doesn't know when I'm coming yet, so please NO facebook posts until October 31st. I am arriving 3 days before he expects me and he will be meeting me for a candlelit supper, of course he won't know that it will be me whom he will have the supper with... I'm setting him up with his uncle or old neighbor, depending on who is game to play along! 

one step closer to San Francisco

At last I finally purchased my flight tickets! All was well until the moment I was prompted to select my return flight, the heart undertook a distinct thud landing. Heavy feelings predicting the way we both will feel as I step through security, leaving the other half behind in America while I board the plane to England. I just know how it will feel for sunny J. to sit on the public transport without me and I won't feel much happier flying in the wrong direction..

So it took me an infinitely long time to arrange my flights and select which felt like they might be good dates. Difficult. And right at the end United Airlines didn't accept Paypal after all. I did all this research and found their page where they are so proud of offering paypal payment options. Nonsense. It was nowhere to be found when I looked for it. So my poor squealing credit card had to stand in once more.

Now I have my ticket. Finally there is a clear schedule! I will relax as soon as I have booked my travel insurance. The silliest things have the power to stop one from flying. So I would like to be prepared just in case. And taking a trip to America without travel insurance would be pure madness anyway.

one step closer to San Francisco

one step closer to San Francisco

At last I finally purchased my flight tickets! All was well until the moment I was prompted to select my return flight, the heart undertook a distinct thud landing. Heavy feelings predicting the way we both will feel as I step through security, leaving the other half behind in America while I board the plane to England. I just know how it will feel for sunny J. to sit on the public transport without me and I won't feel much happier flying in the wrong direction..

So it took me an infinitely long time to arrange my flights and select which felt like they might be good dates. Difficult. And right at the end United Airlines didn't accept Paypal after all. I did all this research and found their page where they are so proud of offering paypal payment options. Nonsense. It was nowhere to be found when I looked for it. So my poor squealing credit card had to stand in once more.

Now I have my ticket. Finally there is a clear schedule! I will relax as soon as I have booked my travel insurance. The silliest things have the power to stop one from flying. So I would like to be prepared just in case. And taking a trip to America without travel insurance would be pure madness anyway.