Just Chill and Wait.

I have a new job!

Same type of work, IT systems and network management. Its what I do, and I like to think I do it well. I guess after 20 years, you have either mastered the task or the ability to sham. And I don’t sham….. Anymore.

But that is another story...

However, those days are over. I am a fully functioning adult (really) and I manage to do what I need to do.

Back on to the subject. I walk to work now, which is fantastic. The weather has been great, and it makes a lovely open and close to the work day. It takes me a grand total of 14 minutes from locking my front door to sitting at my desk on the 16^th floor. That dear reader is most excellent!

Downtown and the Capital

Moving on up!

As with anything in our modern word, this is not completely smooth or even risk free. One of the intersections I cross is I Street and 12^th Street. This has recently become a very dangerous place traffic wise. In the last year there have been 3 major collisions, two of which happened with in a few days of each other last month.

From the info I have, it seems to be all related to people trying to beat the traffic lights. It probably doesn’t help that the streetcar/tram/light rail (choose your name for it) travels on 12^th. People don’t want to wait for the train or other cars. Each time I am at the intersection I wait as my crosswalk light turns green and watch some one run the red light. It happens every time.

So here is my public service announcement for the day; wait for the light. It only takes a minute. No one should be in that much of a hurry. Either you’re going to crash into another car, hit a pedestrian, or make the Thai place on the corner a drive through for the third time.

At least there is one saving grace, the closest fire station and ambulance crew is at Station #2, at this very intersection, on 12^th and I Street.

Open 24 Hours

Switzerland was an amazing place, no doubt about it, but one of those nagging items that would occasionally get to me, as an American, was the fact that once the sun went down, generally, everything closed.

Normally this was good. A slower pace, more time at home ect, but if it was 3 AM and you were hungery, your options were severely limited.

Now that I am back in California, this is no longer an issue. Many places are open 24 hours; gas stations, grocery stores, check-cashing places and most importantly, restaurants.

Of course, using the term restaurant is being a bit generous here.

I refer to the ubiquitous American Diner. Healthy options don't exist. Its cheap, fast and flavorful. Just what you need in the middle of the morning after a night out drinking and dancing.

The unusual suspects

Last Friday (errr, Saturday morning) after a great night out, we stopped at a well known diner chain and for an hour we ate, talked and enjoyed the early morning.

SOOOOO TASTY!

This is one of those truly quintessential American things. Nowhere else can you do this, even if you wanted to. We have something here that is special. Part of Americana and I am so happy I can experience it again.

Folsom California. Even here you can find a Welsh Flag

Possible New State Motto

Two of the many things in the news recently about California are wind and fire.

No puns about earth please....

So we have just finished quite a 24 hours here in Sacramento with some robust wind and quite a few fires. There were large fires in the Bay Area and a quite destructive fire in the Wine Country, still raging today.

Carquinez Bridge - California Department of Transportation

The region's largest electrical provider PG&E is shutting down power lines before hand to reduce the chance of a falling high tension line starting a fire, again.

It was the same last year when I arrived (yes, almost one year) with fires raging north of here. But this time the fires were closer, much closer. Two freeways were closed in Sacramento today due to a fire, a shopping center suffered a fire in South Sacramento. Brush fires in the River DIstrict, adjacent to downtown, were burning. As well as this, they are trees down everywhere and quite a lot of dust in the air.

The price we pay living here I suppose.

But this leads me to the title of this post.
After fires, wind, (we had a tornado last month), floods, blizzards, drought and earthquakes, I came up with a new motto...

"California, Still Hurricane Free"

Fences down

"Here are you sandwiches, thank you"

One of the things I didn't know I missed was the random conversations you have here in the states.

In Switzerland, people are generally restrained in their interactions with people in public. With the exception of the greeting of the day, there isn't much else said.

Here on the other hand, conversations get personal, quickly.

Todays example....

I went to the store to get some sandwiches. At the counter I said "hello" to the woman working there, whom I have never seen before. By the time I had the sandwiches I was made aware of the following things;

• She has a son
• Her cousin and her just bought a duplex together
• she is moving this week
• She is missing her nieces ice cream social today
• She is divorced
• Has a boyfriend but he "doesn't understand"
• Every month she gets $350 in child support
• Two hours after moving into the new duplex, her son damaged the floor
• The floor is hardwood laminate 
• The boyfriend "still doesn't get it"
• She was very thankful I was there for her to vent to

So there you have it, a MAJOR difference between Zurich and Sacramento.

You don't get that in the Subway on Sihlstrasse.

© Google Street view

Windows to the New World

In the apartment, there is alas, no porch or balcony. 

Not that it matters too much as there are the windows on to the street.

The flat is at ground level on a reasonably busy street in Midtown. As well as decent vehicle traffic, there is quite a bit of foot traffic. Within a few blocks is the Music Circus, the Memorial Auditorium and what is left of the Convention Center (under redevelopment). Since people are generally cheap, a lot of people park in the neighborhood and walk to the venues. It is on these days, the people watching peaks.

The "Porch"

Allow me to explain. Sitting on the couch, we can observe the comings and goings of all sorts of people. The windows are right at upper body level, the screes are dark and we are in shadow, so people just walk by and don't even see us.

On most days, the windows are open and we hear all the conversations of the folks walking by. Even in these sweltering days of summer (over 100ºF/40ºC each day) we still open up the windows and "sit on the porch". There are a few people in the neighborhood that stop by and chat which is nice, but generally we sit, chat, watch and listen.


So, if you find yourself one evening walking in Midtown remember, we might be there, like Statler and Waldorf......

Ah, where have you been?

Yes, I have been absent for a while.
I have been busy!!!
New job!
New relationship!
New me!

So' I am back on the blog. Lots to catch up on and not sure where to start. So for today, I'll leave a hint for the next post.... the highest form of civilization is....

Stand by!

Fastnacht Mardi Gras Pancake day.....

It's all the same.
I have lived in four different countries (five if you count Wales and England separately). In each country the day before Ash Wednesday was celebrated. In Germany it is called Fastnacht, Switzerland it is Fasnacht. In the UK it is Shrove Tuesday and here in the US it is Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday.
The celebrations vary. In the UK, it is a simple affair where people make pancakes on the day thus its common name of pancake day. This was a tradition we celebrated with the kids in Switzerland to celebrate their British side.

In Switzerland and Germany, they celebrate with street parades, loud music and lots of drinking.And here in the US, it's the same. I haven't lived in the US for a long time and last night was my first Mardi Gras. 



I went to my local bar. It was on the parade route for a local brass band and it was wild! Loads of people all in good spirits. It's funny how the same event, celebrated in different places and in slightly different ways, can also be the same no matter what the cultural background is. Sure it was a bit low key compared to New Orleans or Luzern, but it was fun and I really had a great time.