Wide Open Spaces

So I'm taking a break from city life for a week. I came back to Kansas to go to my cousin's wedding and to visit with my family and friends. I always enjoy coming back. It's like a totally different world here. A world I spent 20+ years of my life in and love visiting, but one I think would drive me absolutely insane if I had to spend an extended period of time here. It's quiet. There is space everywhere, wide open green space. Unfortunately, it is totally land-locked. Below is a photo of my parent's yard/garden. They own about 1/2 of the block they live on.



Things are a little slower paced, not that I feel that San Francisco is particularly fast-paced, but definitely speedier than Iola, KS. Everyone drives everywhere. Wal-Mart is not only a store but a source of amusement and social interaction. There's a handful of fast food restaurants and a couple sit-down restaurants. People have yards. There is no public transportation. Diversity, not so much. People will always notice things and people that are different and usually have an opinion about them.

I don't say these things to be negative; it really just is the way things are. For some people, it works. For others, like me, a week is about all I can take. I miss the hundreds of restaurants in San Francisco. I miss my Muni chariots. I miss the ocean. I miss the neverending cast of characters I get to see on a daily basis. I miss things going on after 9pm, besides drinking and fornicating of course. I miss the anonymity. I miss everything I could ever want being at my disposal.

I will say, I do like the quiet here, and it's hard to find a spot where the stars are brighter at night. This place has it charms, and it will certainly always be where I came from; but being here always makes me miss San Francisco.