Packing Light

This weekend I made a big leap. Nothing is different now. But it was a big leap, a question, hard to say, but it came spewing out, in a moment, almost of its own accord.

I have a fairly stable life, and there are things that have been unchanging for over ten years. But now I’ve come to a point where I’m looking to make a big change. They always said you would “just know,” but it was very hard to believe. And then, one day, there it was, in front of me. Leaning on a car, looking very sexy, I might add.

So in the next six months or so, I’ll be making a change. But the last year or so had been a big change too. It’s not drastic feeling; it’s revolutionary but comfortable and wonderful. I’ve never been in the position to consider giving up my apartment before. If you’ve ever had rent control in SF, you know how serious this is.

I’ve lived in my apartment for over ten years now. Once it seemed very big, but then I acquired all this crap. It’s still a great apartment. It’s so central to everything. Saturday, Paul and I walked down to the Yerba Buena and saw the Maori exhibit there (very cool; it was mostly contemporary stuff) and then on the way back, ran into Chinese dragon dancing and kids doing martial arts/dance in Union Square. Tell me, in the suburbs, do you ever have that? When was the last time you “wandered” out and happened upon Maori people in loin cloths and then Chinese kids in dragon get-ups? Other days, we’ve had impromptu and slightly drunk architectural tours and stunning views of the Bay Area from some of the hotels here. I’m in an Irish bar, an hour from now, I’ll be in a tiki bar, then pop over to the Folk Art Museum on the way home. Watch out for the drag queens, some of them are really buffed and agro.

But I won’t live there forever.

I’m already pretty adept at packing light. I carried my all my luggage in Italy, as well as my mother’s, frequently. A weekend away on a bike means a small backpack, not a trunk full of shit. When I arrive in New York for the sales meeting, there’s usually, a “where are the REST of your bags?” No, this is it. I don’t have cable or TiVo. I don’t need a brand new cellphone. What I need is the friends I’ve kept, my bikes, and maybe some pie.

Now it’s time to look at the crap that has accumulated in my life, and toss it away. Make room for what’s next. Pack light, and your options stay open.