Idaho

The Intern Whoop: Taking a Local Day Pt. 2
Last year, I discovered newness inside my town and wrote a blog detailing this adventure: Local businesses and new people; I got outside—it was great. Check out, “Taking a Local Day” HERE.

Part Duex

On the first of the year, my wife and I moved from snowy Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho to sunny San Luis Obispo, California. I grew up here in SLO county, well south county, I guess.

Despite my history here, everything seemed new; the mountains had never looked greener and skies had never been bluer. The local troves held new names and faces, while their sidewalks ferried fresh bodies to and fro.

We were in a land of newness and I was bound to explore it.

Then we got jobs. Well, I got an internship and she got a job.

Makin’ Copies

My internship so far has been ideal. There isn’t much grunt work, and I’m treated as an employee with as much to say as anyone else. Though yesterday, I made copies for five hours.

Five hours. I can still smell it. The copies.

In the middle of my copying madness, I was given a quick job to distribute a notice to all the local businesses in our strip regarding a meeting of some sort.

I welcomed the break.

Makin’ Discoveries

strip mall

outside

There were twelve of these notices to hand out. I peeked outside, “there’s twelve shops here?”

For over two months I’ve worked here. Besides the coffee shop, I had no idea who my neighbors were.

“There’s twelve shops?” I repeated.

So once again, I ventured out; I took a local day. Shaking hands, I discovered business owners, employees and their products.

One shop offered full car-audio installation, with a contract for city police vehicles (two were inside). Another shop sold used baby clothes, and right next to it, golf gear. Further down, I met some kids working in a skateboarding warehouse who specialized in online sales; further down, there was a Muay Thai kick boxing ring.

Like us, they were all just trying to make their mark and tell their story. Before yesterday, they didn’t exist. At least not to me.

Reminded

It’s terrible, our bubbles. We hide inside and shut out the world—sometimes on purpose, most times unknowingly. Like a horse race, we focus on the goal and miss the uniqueness that surrounds it, even if the goal is just a parking spot.

Culture is a beautiful thing. Sometimes, embracing it is as simple as walking outside.

Any good stories of meeting your neighbors? What else can we do to break our daily routines? Are all routines bad? I’d love some feedback.

Saying Goodbyes, Lessons of Moving

picstitch

Laying awake last night, my wife slept and my mind raced with questions: Should we really leave? Is it the right decision? Can we really fit everything in the Prius? Can the Seahawks beat the Redskins? … there may have been one or two rabbit trails.

It’s been close to four years since I left California for Idaho; an easy decision at the time. Now, I can’t imagine why I would ever leave Idaho… the Northwest.

It’s beautiful. There’s snow. The people are as genuine as it gets. There’s coffee on every street corner.

I absolutely love the comfort of life up here. Still, I know I’m near to leave. This time, I suckered a pretty lady into coming with me. Well we’re married so she has to come.

So we’re saying our goodbyes. My work friends, her family, our church amigos, the turkeys on the street, we will not see them for a little while.

I wanted to write an in-depth reflection of my time here, but that sounds boring. Instead, I think I’ll just give a little advice:

Live Like It’s Your Last Week In Town: Tell those you love that you love them. Hang out with the people most important to you. It’s foolish to wait, as I have, to thank everyone for their kindness and grace. Enjoy the present.

Throw Away Your Stuff: We have been getting rid of things I never knew existed, and yet for some reason have been packing around for years. It’s great to get sentimental over things that matter, but a pile of burned CDs from high school just needs to go away.

Go On An Adventure: I’m a big fan of these. It doesn’t have to be a life changing-geographical move, but grab someone you love and take them somewhere new, somewhere challenging. Phones, internet, TV… they are all promoting a lie that the world is a small place. It’s not, in fact it’s huge. Go out and see for your self.

Hey north Idaho, thanks for everything.

Wishing Wells: The Bastard Child of American Economy

On the way to class I walked by a wishing well fountain. You know, people throw in change, make a wish, maybe say a quick prayer to Fountainess: The Goddess of Outdoor Décor. Anyways, it was being drained in preparation for winter. I guess they do that here.

In California the fountains run all year, so this was a weird sight. I didn’t realize these things get drained. California is something of an ideal state for wishing wells. Year round coinage.

As I watched the water drain and the naive coins surface, I considered grabbing a few and heading to Taco Bell. I was hungry after all. After pondering the sin value of stealing wish money, I exercised some will power and decided against it. Probably best.

Musing over the economic impact of a wishing well. 

When you spend money, it goes to someone else who eventually spends that money. Through some portal, interest is ultimately added and more money is created. Walla! It’s the big cycle that in essence is our economy. Every time you eat, go to the movies, or buy kitten calendars, you participate in growing the financial system. The more we spend, theoretically, the more our economy grows.

There’s theories and stuff.

Let’s assume we go to a wishing well that is never drained. We stand at the edge and throw in our coin. It hits bottom and falls out of reach, theoretically for all eternity. In another words, it’s spent. What’s most interesting is that the transaction (a wish for a coin) effectively takes money out of the economy. This never happens! Head explode? Anyone? (Is this thing on?)

I think it’s safe to assume I just defied all modern economic theory.

It may at least explain why California can’t balance the budget or seem to tax enough to pay for anything. I mean, their wishing wells are in full swing year round! That’s money taken out of the economy every day! At least Idaho recoups in the winter.

So this brings me to the close. I’ll leave you with some conundrums to query.

What income level makes it socially acceptable to steal from a wishing fountain?

Are there any other ways we spend and kill money at the same time?

Who throws change into a wishing well during a recession anyways?  

Is Kevin’s Theory of Wishing Well Economics worthy of a Nobel Prize?

Nobama, Nobush, Nocare

I just got done walking with a classmate towards my next class. We both have English 102 together and we’re in the midst of writing an argumentative essay.

I asked my friend what he was writing about and he said, “gun control.” I asked him for his thesis and he told me something along the lines that gun control is useless.

Whether or not you agree with his thesis is not the issue. The issue that spawned is that he started spouting off complaints about Obama. I walked along and listened but couldn’t help be slightly frustrated at this situation I found myself in once again. (more…)