Saturday, October 25th, 2008

Trying to ‘fit in’ presents very little challenge in this city.  It’s a place of misfits or “culture” (depending on your perspective)…  The dotcom millionaire sits next to a punk rocker who sits next to a jock who sits next to a goth who sits to a hippie who sits next to me as I eat some sort of organic muffin and wonder if anyone is noticing me notice them.  I want to take a picture but it’s just any other day.   You won’t find this “day” in Kansas City or Cleveland or Miami or Boston however.  It’s only a San Francisco thing.  You might a hardened version in Manhattan but it’s still very different (the hippies are more authentic here).  The color and wonder of it all will be a part of my one month life in the City.   We all belong here… and none of us do.

Today I moved into my studio overlooking the bay.  Interesting that it’s taken me this long to transport two pieces of luggage three miles from Stone’s apartment.  Stone was kind enough to let me sleep on his couch for a few nights and work from his dining room table.  His giant cat Eli seemed mildly pleased to have me around as an additional source of heat.  She sat on my lap the day before as I mulled through a bunch of conference calls and generated the usual onslaught of electronic messages while eagerly anticipating the weekend.  For whatever reason, I just never seemed pressed to make the transition… there’s always something to do and we’re always doing something.  And so, a few hours after the organic muffin and the hippies, Stone quickly dropped me at the studio.  We then promptly left and so he could introduce me to what would be my ultimate local haunt, the Grove in Lower Pacific Heights.  To my demise, they have giant chocolate chip cookies, fresh fruit smoothies and attractive ladies in a very approachable environment.  This would be my regular stop and the host to much of this writing.  Stone and I reviewed his current ‘lady situation’–there were a few prospects on the line but nothing serious.  He was interested in finding something new and was essentially starting from scratch.  Like any single person of our generation, Stone was experiencing the continual relationship cycle.  It goes something like this:

1) Wipe the slate clean

2) Seek out as many new prospects as possible

3) Expand the list while evolving the early prospects

4) Whittle down the options

5) Select a winner

6) End it and start over

Stone was currently on Step 1… I would be helping him with steps 2 and 3.  We finished our beverages in the midst of constructing the perfect plan.  The plan would go into effect as soon as I returned from my business trip on Wednesday.

After the Grove, I finally settled into my apartment.  Unpacking and rearranging was both quick and easy.  There was litte to be done with two pieces of luggage in a small studio.  I feel into a nap and the place became mine.