Mt. Diablo is already starting to brown. It isn't even April. Last year at the same time, the Bay Area had record rainfall. Two straight months of rain, it seemed. Today, it is perfect. Toasty inland and crisp on the Bay, its sea breeze shooing away the smog that'd been sitting on the horizon earlier this week. Having crossed the country by train during the holidays, I'm now convinced that there's no place else I'd rather live, high cost of living and all.
I used to dis the Way East Bay burbs (east of the hills) when I lived out here last. But I suppose I've gotten older and can now appreciate the quietness, the trees and grass, the forested buffer of Lamorinda separating home and work, the time to read, daydream or simply veg out on the train. I grew up in San Diego and I guess a return to the burbs was an eventuality. The Way East Bay with its abundant sun and warmth. I hadn't thought about it much in recent years until a conversation with a fellow melanin-blessed coworker a few months back. I was lamenting bike training under a hot sun. "C'mon, man," he said, "We thrive in that kind of weather."
And I suppose he's right, at least far as my seasonal affective disorder goes. Running and being active again in recent years has taught me a valuable lesson: Forget fashion. Forget image. I'm stuck with the body I was born with. No good running in the wrong shoes or riding a bad-fitting bike. What that translates to in the world outside fitness is ... is ... uhh ... well, heck, I lost my train of thought... .
April will mark 10 years of having left the home I grew up in for the Bay Area. When I think about it, I hear Gang Starr's "The Planet" in my brain. I would copy the lyrics here, but Guru is all about delivery and the words look ridiculous on page. But here's a sample.
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Anyhow, Lisa's taking me to see Barak Obama at an Oakland rally this afternoon. I haven't caught the bug, but it's interesting to observe how it infects others around me. Maybe it's pent-up frustration from the last seven years. Like a sunny day between storms in late winter. Everyone eager to re-engage.
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I usually find computer tech books pretty dry. Even those "How Something Something Work" books with a bunch of graphics. Even those for music software and programming put me to sleep. But lately, I've been reading a book on software testing and quality assurance for work. And I swear, for the first time, I actually look forward to picking it up whenever I have a free moment. Granted, it's a beginner/intermediate book, but what does it mean when it keeps me up at night turning the pages? What does it mean when I lust for more books on the subject like this one? ... Will have to re-visit this thought ... .
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