Month: August 2012

THERE IS ALOT GOING ON

Just going to see the America’s Cup event yesterday was a full event. If I pause to think of all the layers and parallel lives occurring simultaneously, I marvel that large cities can function at all. Where Market Street meets the Embarcadero the best dressed and the worst dressed are side by side. The homeless, the occupiers, who at first glance look homeless. It took me a moment to understand why the Federal Reserve  was blockaded. Gabriel Angelo looking natty hoping for fame.A few blocks down the America’s Cup teams have a staging area where the real work is done. Marina Green is for show. The teams spend as little time as possible there. I have the sense that at the Green they really do feel like circus performers and they are not so sure they like the thought.

Then of course the weather in San Francisco changes the landscape at every moment of the day.

 

ANOTHER LOOK AT YESTERDAY

The forecast for today is for more wind. It could be exciting. As you might see there is a camera arms race on. This is BIG glass as they say. Canon is making their presence known. You can borrow this equipment for the week. I happen to shoot Nikon.Where are they?  Next to this equipment is it easy to feel inadequate. It is a good thing I am comfortable in my own skin.

TUESDAY AUGUST 21, 2012 IN SAN FRANCISCO

The Golden Gate Bridge never fully appeared, but the show went on anyway. Lots of boats and lots of capsizes. The breeze out of the West at about 15 knots. The wind and tide were flowing in the same direction during racing , so the water was flat. The racing was close to the Green. I think, having seen the racing, here and in Newport, that in fact, the viewing was better in Newport.

ORDINARY PEOPLE, EVERYDAY LIVES

While in Los Angeles we had lunch with a good friend in Malibu. We found the environment there uncomfortable, at least for us. Since I carry a camera all the time I had many people question if I was a paparazzi, and seemed truly disappointed when I replied that I was not. Apparently, a little later, some genuine paparazzi did appear; from their looks in my direction they were concerned that I was competition. Evidently, lots of movie stars or other famous people often go there for lunch. This is the lure of being there for many.

I am out of step, as I was seeking the unusual among the usual; the ordinary that stands out. It is not always as easy as looking at a movie star; but for me more rewarding

 

THEY’RE NOT POOR, THEY JUST DON’T HAVE MONEY

Perhaps my most favorite saying from my most favorite movie (I Know Where I’m Going) While I am stretching the intent of the phrase in this case; this intrepid group was traveling by jumping trains, hitchhiking and any other means to get around. On this day, they could not play music to beg as it was illegal, but the have a sign and panhandle was not.

They considered themselves migrant workers. Willing to pick potatoes, or anything that needed collecting. Their goal was to save enough to buy a truck so that travel would not be quite as hard.

It does not perhaps seem very realistic; what they were doing; but why not? It would certainly make very interesting reading if they were to write it down. Not just the travails of their journey, but the interaction with those they meet.

I asked if I could photograph them and they consented. I added that I was going to write a post, which left them scratching their heads. I gave them some water and some power bars, because that is what I travel with; a woman came up to them very shortly after that and gave them what must have been enough to meet their goal, because they picked up and left.