Autumn

This is one of my favorite times of year. The light changes and while it isn’t Officially Autumn, the plants and my body know it is.

Last night it was in the high 30’s and there’s a crispness in the air.

I know why I was happier in the mountains than I’ve ever been in the city.

It easier for me to be dialed into the natural world. I can feel the dirt under my feet and the smell of the earth and plants around me. Yes, even the smell of the occasional animal poo when I’m out hiking or walking, is somehow comforting.

Down in the cities it’s all about dominating and keeping the world at bay. Even the grass is manicured to within an inch of its life and wildness in trees or (heaven forbid) weeds isn’t tolerated.

That being said if you’re lucky enough to find an open patch of ground, you’ll find trash, broken glass and God only knows what else because that too is domination of the land. Why can’t we just mark our territory or say, “We were here” by taking a leak on a rock or tree? Why do we have to absolutely trash the place?

As the weather cools on the mountain I’m becoming more convinced that it’s well past time for me to dump the job and find something else to do.

It occurred to me that the domination extends not only into the natural world, it’s in full play on a corporate level too. 

I caught between two very different worlds and a minimalist approach is only appreciated in one of those worlds.

Even the noise of traffic is an expression of domination. Sure there’s the noise of cars rolling by on the two major roads near my apartment. But there are, at regular intervals the really obnoxiously loud cars and motorcycles that are purposely modified to be loud. Call it a person screaming I AM HERE BITCHES! at 1am then they accelerate away so no-one can catch them or call the police.

Loud motors on a racetrack make sense, you want every single bit of power an engine can produce. Loud motors in a residential neighborhood is essentially just pissing on everyone you wake up. I honestly doubt the perpetrators give a thought to the fact that for 30 minutes after they’ve passed every dog in the affected area is barking too.

I come to the mountain, and mostly things are entirely different. It’s quiet I know my neighbors, crazy as some of them are, there’s a sense of community.

It’s this realization that’s leading me more to the conclusion that I can’t stay in San Diego.

In fact It’s making me consider abandoning the more densely populated states altogether.

I’ve thought for years that I didn’t like people. I think it’s more likely I like people just fine. I don’t like crowds of people and prefer to be with like-minded individuals. Folks that appreciate nature and the world around them realizing that nature can’t be dominated.

For now, I’m going to enjoy the autumn light and the chill of the day.

Hope you have a nice day as well.