Monday, March 14, 2016

Life in San Francisco #2

Seven months ago I moved to San Francisco, or at least I thought I was. What actually ended up happening is I moved to San Francisco and shuffled between hostels in the City and my friends in Pittsburg for a month, then ended up in shuffling between a bed during the week in Oakland and my friends in Pittsburg for two months, and then ended up on a semi-permanent futon in Oakland for 4 months. I couldn't imagine seven months ago that I would actually make it. Somehow, I did.

The place I was supposed to move into? Never happened. I let it go mid-February, posted some Craigslists ads, and took a leap. Where did I end up? Westwood Park in the Ingleside area, 10 minutes from my school. I'm renting a room in a large in-law suite. There are three other rooms, two of which are empty. My roommate is studying business at SF State and is from Paris. We have a small kitchen space and common area. The home is less than a block away from the Muni K-Line, which goes out to the Balboa BART station, and into Downtown. Did I mention it's 10 minutes walking from school? It's a very ideal location and its as cheap as rent can possibly get in San Francisco (which is still really insane).

This semester has been going well. I'm taking Intro to American Government, Critical Thinking and Logic, and Statistics for Behavioral Science. So basically I'm taking Stats and doing my best to keep the other two afloat. Despite how much I hate this class, its the most useful thing I've ever taken. Luckily, this is the last math I ever have to take. So, as far as I'm concerned, after this semester its all down hill for the next year or so. In the fall I just have to take science, archeology. That's it. Well, to stay at 12 units I'll take some P.E. classes. I'm toying with the idea of maybe taking Advanced Composition since I love to write. In any case, I'll be transferring to SF State in Anthropology Spring of '17. After that? Three semesters and I've got a Bachelors.

I've stepped my game up at church. We just got a new Rector who is reinstating Daily Evening Prayer prior to Daily Low Mass (something the previous Rector had put on hiatus). In addition to becoming a regular acolyte on Wednesdays, I've volunteered to help fill the officiant spots and will be leading public worship 2nd and 4th Wednesdays starting in April. I miss my friends from my Bakersfield parish, but I'm really enjoying being apart of a community that has a real pulse between Sundays. If anything, I think that's really what I'm enjoying most, being part of a community again.

Speaking of community, I really miss my Bakersfield Symphony friends as well. I'm jealous reading about all the things that they are getting up to. Pretty soon I'll start looking for ensembles to play it. It's fun playing solo at BART stations, but I miss having a stand partner to goof off with.

I still don't have much of a social life. I've got my good Canadian friends Andrew and his husband Earl, but that is it mostly. I've gone on a couple dates since I've moved into the City, but nothing too promising. But, its nice to know that I've (mostly) still got it.

Lastly, I majorly goofed my calendar. So, I won't be returning to Edwards 14. I'm going to try and transfer the job/title as a school leave employee to the theatre here in SF. I'm not doing summer school so employment of some sort will need to be lined up. I am accepting the fact that a transfer might not be doable, and if this is the case, I will be bid farewell to my 8 year long employment by the Cinema Exhibition Industry (with an undertone of "Good Riddance").

So, finally. I'm growing and am being challenged in every way possible. It feels good. Great, even.

Lessons learned? If it excites, frightens, feels right, and puts you in the most vulnerable position, then you should do it.

I'm glad I did.



2 comments:

Diary of an Autodidact said...

You forgot to answer our most important, burning question: Do the baristas in SF do a better job of spelling your name? We're dying to know!

Nice to hear you are doing well. We miss you at the BSO.

Aaron said...

Haha! Surprisingly not! I never know what variation the barista is going to come up with..

I miss all you BSO peeps as well. Not being musically connected sucks. I'm hoping to catch one of your concerts before the season ends.