How I know I live in San Francisco

Here are all the things I see, hear and smell around me that remind me (when I notice) that I live in SF……..

• to get into my house you have to buzz me so I can open the gate to let you in my front door
• the Miata can barely fit through the garage door (seriously, houses in SF were built to garage the original Ford motorcar…….well my story, sticking to it)
•  as I wander around the neighborhood I am guaranteed to come across some crazy soul randomly yelling……that’s when I know I’m not a tourist, I barely notice and don’t for a single moment feel obliged to respond or think it’s really about me…..you know they are just mostly people doin their thing
•  running inevitably involves a hill…..it just does
• the smell of urine and rubbish is just part of an everyday stroll down the street
• at any moment I can come across the most amazing art work……this is graffiti by design
• my neighborhood is full of a colourful cast of characters, diversity rules……I add to the colour
• the fog rolls in and it rolls out, it's just like the wind in Wellington.....it belongs
• if I drive around long enough there is always a car park somewhere, I just have to be patient
• as I walk around I can spot some very cool cafes and restaurants that tourists would never see
• everyday I look out my bedroom window and watch "Twin Peaks" emerge from the mist

There's more, much more, but this is my first flush of feeling like I belong and this is where I should live, for now (because I just can't seem to focus on forever).  

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