Friday, July 18, 2008

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

I can't go outside. It's over 100 degrees, but that's not the problem; it's level orange air pollution. Flashing signs along my commute exort me to "limit my outside activities." I stiffle a laugh, sigh and wish I had worn my sequined red slippers this morning.

Two days ago I met my neighbor. Bryan presented as a pleasant man in his mid thirties, pleated khaki pants, shirt tucked in too securely with the tell tale IT security badge tethered around his neck. "Yes, I am your neighbor!" I over enthusiastically replied to his inquiry. Bryan, however, did not want to be my neighbor in the neighborly sense, he'd just seen me leave for an evening jaut and took the opportunity to ask me if I'm the one who plays bass thumping music at 10 p.m.?


Arrrghh....yes, thank you "Mr.Heckles," I'll try to keep it down.


For those of you who have virorously advised me to find community, don't worry--I'm visiting a church this weekend which hosts a friday night coffee house social. I'm forcing myself to go. Yeah, community!


To wrap up this randomly organized and ridiculously self-indulgent post, I've been meaning to share photos of some of the sights along my commute, i.e. my "hood." Yesterday I found a Whole Foods Store (Thank you God!) where upon took a new route home and at one point was smack dab between the new Dallas Cowboys stadium (which is in Arlington), the Texas Ranger's Ballpark, Hurricane Harbor (massive water park) and Six Flags Over Texas.


Enjoy the visual feast...



1 comment:

Mrs. McDonough said...

Your neighbor sounds like a special treat. ;)

You should consider baking cookies and hosting a "sit in" at your place on one of the nasty, polluted evenings and invite all your neighbors. (Hey, if they're not falling over themselves to welcome you to the hood Oregon style, you should turn it around and get to know them on your own terms, own turf, and with your own scrumptious cookies.) Fair warning, though: I tried this with some of our neighbors, one of whom just took the cookies provided and split. What a snot. Most people, though, loved the gesture and are now folks we consider good friends.

Good luck tracking down, drumming up, and creating community my friend! If anyone can do it, it's you.