Contrast

This is a photo of me at the Redwood City Public Library (more on this in a minute) looking at Ian‘s Flickr slideshow of his trip to the skatepark this morning, while he gloats via IM.

(Slightly Edited) Transcript:

Which brings us to why I’m at the Redwood City Public Library…

It’s really not that interesting.

I’m having a new stereo put in my car because someone jacked mine about 18 months ago. For the first 6 months, I drove around with a hole in the top of my car (where they slashed it to break in) and no stereo. It was a twice daily reminder of how much I hated my situation at the time. In retrospect, I think I didn’t get them fixed because sometimes you get to the point where everything in your life is so miserable that you would rather add to it than provide contrast. I’m over exaggerating a little bit; I had my health, my family, a roof over my head, and a steady (if small) paycheck – especially when you look at what’s happening in the world right now, it seems a bit petty to whine when you have the basics. But, here I am whining anyway. That was a sucky time.

Then, I moved up to San Francisco and parked my car at Y! for the next 10 months. Until they threatened to tow it enough times that I believed them when they said, “No really, we’re serious this time.”

So, now I’ve moved to a new place and I take the shuttle to work. But driving, even occasionally, without a stereo is hard for me – I just fuckin’ love music. And, I’m apparently not in a place where I want to be masochistic. So, I’m finally getting a new stereo (I fixed the top right before I moved, because I no longer had an indoor parking option and it rains in San Francisco). And, guess what…I’m even gonna stop by Ikea after this and maybe buy some furniture for the first time since I moved to the Bay. Don’t worry, Ikea shit is disposable (that’s why I love it) – I’m not getting attached.

Even though walking around Redwood City with a hangover has actually been a unique experience – hangovers make me philosophical (what doesn’t?), walking is the only way to really absorb any place, and Redwood City is an interesting mix of barrio and cookie-cutter exurbanization, I’m feeling that my life is a little too mundane right now – even if I did meet Al Gore last night. Between 2 weeks in Europe, a phone call from my friend Biff on his cross-country roadtrip (something I’ve done three times and loved more each time), and Ian’s stories, I’m starting to get restless. Restless Jonathan can be dangerous, but is always fun to watch. So, stay tuned….