I moved to the Bay Area one year ago today. I’ve heard time is supposed to move faster when you’re older but I never noticed that chronological illusion until now. I had to look back for visual proof that time had really happened. Where had I been? What had I done? Here is a tiny sliver of some sparkly highlights:

  • I left my heart in West Oakland. (Be right back).
  • The strange incident of the rickshaw driver in the night.
  • Midnight luchador wrestle mania at the Oakland Metro, with Billydalto and Nika States- shortly after finding a chicken tied to a tree in Nika’s yard. Wait, is this a Marquez novel? No, Oakland just is magically real.
  • The Bay is covered in street art. Once you notice it, you’ll never walk alone. 
  • Secret stairway walks of San Francisco with Mademoiselle Petitchou.
  • Mr. Ourcoldsummers, looking ghoulishly dapper as usual, at a theme party for the above-mentioned Petitchou.
  • Point Lobos. Not the Bay, technically, but as you can see from this photo, technicalities are out the window here.
  • One of my biggest objections with Boulder was that there wasn’t enough public nudity or street performances. San Francisco more than makes up for Boulder’s lack on both fronts. Other eyefulls from the Folsom Street Fair. 
  • Occupy Oakland, early November. I haven’t finished wrapping my head around how the Occupation has changed me and my relationship with this place, though I’m happy to bear witness to so much history. Isn’t this an exciting time to be alive?

I didn’t expect anything when I moved here beyond a measure of quiet happiness. I kind of wanted a lemon tree, but I was willing to wait for such earthly pleasures. A year later I have a job and an income. I have friends and a lemon tree. Upon reflection, those things sum up to be greater and I realize that what I have is an entire life, which I think means I’ve made it here.