Taking Stock
Listening to Common's "The Corner" and getting things organized for my trip to New York. Have enjoyed the last week at home so much, but I'm getting bored again. Like the mighty Mos Def has said: "restlessness is my nemesis." As usual, before I go, I have to ruminate on all my experiences to date, and try to make sense (and maybe a story) of it all. Here's some lists:
Top 5 Best Things About Being Back in Vancouver
1. Food. There are so many good restaurants here. Plus, it's nice to eat without having to consider the gastric impact of each meal. Food in developing countries presents a complex game of Russian roulette, and losing that game is soooooo not cool.
2. Friends and Fam. Yeah, it's fun to make new friends from all over the world, but nothing compares to sitting with folks who know me inside out and breaking things down.
3. The scenery. Never thought I would be saying this, but my hometown is so freakin' beautiful. It's truly astounding. The mountains, the ocean, the clean air, the green vegetation everywhere. It's bliss, even if I can't get into the serene, sensitive-ponytail-man vibe of the city. (See? Back to snarky that damn fast.)
4. My CDs. I do not own an iPod and therefore had to cart a couple dozen CDs all across Asia, which I quickly got sick of. It's amazing to have hundreds to chose from again. Sprawled on the floor in my bedroom bumping Usher and Alicia's "My Boo" (still on a little ex factor drama, but almost over that) and then doing an about-face and blasting dead prez.
5. Familiarity. I know exactly where to go to get a good cup of coffee, yummy groceries, delicious take-out, new shoes, and fastidious drycleaning. No maps, no asking around, no getting lost. Also, I am guaranteed to run into at least half a dozen acquaintances that I have known for a good decade at any of these locations.
Top 5 Worst Things About Being Back in Vancouver
1. Where are all the people on the streets? After wading down packed streets in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Bangkok, I am used to being surrounded by people 24/7. The first thing I noticed when I got home was that the streets are empty. My friend Ayesha compares this town to a wasteland, but I wouldn't go quite that far. Still, we are talking like only two or three joggers on an entire city block in the heart of Kitsilano. There's something kind of lonely about that.
2. Van City business owners need to clue in to the $10 manicure. In Asia, I got my hair and nails done every week cause it was so cheap. In Vancouver, getting your hair and nails done runs you up to $100, so women can't go regularly. If the salons here could just drop their prices a smidge, we would start going all the time, and everybody would be happy.
3. Transit. Would be cool of buses ran frequently and actually took you where you wanted to go. The whole inconvenient, wild goose chase, transfer here-and-there thing might account for why the buses are the sole domain of teens and seniors.
4. There is nothing to do. The nightlife here caters to overly drunk nineteen year-olds. No diss, but I've been there and done that already and I wouldn't mind kicking it with grown folks. But grown folks here have a very active, outdoorsy lifestyle and tend to go to bed at ten o'clock at night.
5. People are reserved. In Thailand, the custom is to smile at anyone who meets your gaze. It feels so good to walk around all day getting grinned at. I inadvertently continued the practice when I got home, but was met with cold stares. Good thing I didn't go to Gotham first. Don't think New Yorkers would be feeling that smiley thing!
Top 5 Best Things About Being Back in Vancouver
1. Food. There are so many good restaurants here. Plus, it's nice to eat without having to consider the gastric impact of each meal. Food in developing countries presents a complex game of Russian roulette, and losing that game is soooooo not cool.
2. Friends and Fam. Yeah, it's fun to make new friends from all over the world, but nothing compares to sitting with folks who know me inside out and breaking things down.
3. The scenery. Never thought I would be saying this, but my hometown is so freakin' beautiful. It's truly astounding. The mountains, the ocean, the clean air, the green vegetation everywhere. It's bliss, even if I can't get into the serene, sensitive-ponytail-man vibe of the city. (See? Back to snarky that damn fast.)
4. My CDs. I do not own an iPod and therefore had to cart a couple dozen CDs all across Asia, which I quickly got sick of. It's amazing to have hundreds to chose from again. Sprawled on the floor in my bedroom bumping Usher and Alicia's "My Boo" (still on a little ex factor drama, but almost over that) and then doing an about-face and blasting dead prez.
5. Familiarity. I know exactly where to go to get a good cup of coffee, yummy groceries, delicious take-out, new shoes, and fastidious drycleaning. No maps, no asking around, no getting lost. Also, I am guaranteed to run into at least half a dozen acquaintances that I have known for a good decade at any of these locations.
Top 5 Worst Things About Being Back in Vancouver
1. Where are all the people on the streets? After wading down packed streets in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Bangkok, I am used to being surrounded by people 24/7. The first thing I noticed when I got home was that the streets are empty. My friend Ayesha compares this town to a wasteland, but I wouldn't go quite that far. Still, we are talking like only two or three joggers on an entire city block in the heart of Kitsilano. There's something kind of lonely about that.
2. Van City business owners need to clue in to the $10 manicure. In Asia, I got my hair and nails done every week cause it was so cheap. In Vancouver, getting your hair and nails done runs you up to $100, so women can't go regularly. If the salons here could just drop their prices a smidge, we would start going all the time, and everybody would be happy.
3. Transit. Would be cool of buses ran frequently and actually took you where you wanted to go. The whole inconvenient, wild goose chase, transfer here-and-there thing might account for why the buses are the sole domain of teens and seniors.
4. There is nothing to do. The nightlife here caters to overly drunk nineteen year-olds. No diss, but I've been there and done that already and I wouldn't mind kicking it with grown folks. But grown folks here have a very active, outdoorsy lifestyle and tend to go to bed at ten o'clock at night.
5. People are reserved. In Thailand, the custom is to smile at anyone who meets your gaze. It feels so good to walk around all day getting grinned at. I inadvertently continued the practice when I got home, but was met with cold stares. Good thing I didn't go to Gotham first. Don't think New Yorkers would be feeling that smiley thing!
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