The pelting rain against my windshield showered volumes over my deep pounding dance music. I had known this series of storms were going to hit the coast for days now but with only four more hours of driving, San Francisco would be my final destination. The end to a very long journey it seems, that started six and a half years ago in Dallas. Where I had first stepped off that one way train which carried me all the way from the beaches of San Diego; the leaping off point.
After all but hydroplaning over the congested Grapevine and dodging mad eighteen wheeler's and their road sprays, the sun light finally sabered through the broken clouds. The rolling hills ahead with their newly sprouted blades of grass signified a new beginning to me. Somewhat profound to my present awakening to relocate to the west coast. I had hiked big hills like these countless times throughout the ages in San Diego. A personal joy that had sadly been missing from my life for more than half a decade. I remembered the last time I had made this drive, which seemed an eternity ago, when I had tagged along with Chelsea to San Francisco and insisted that we pull over to climb one of the tall peaks on our way back to Encinitas. Why this obsession with climbing hills is beyond me. I'm just wondering if this need for accomplishing the extreme heights will lead to something bigger, like Mt. Everest? Ya-right! Like I really wanna die. I've had a few of my own close calls on the side of a mountain but I'm not stupid. Now, this stupidity doesn't include the metaphoric balance of nature. When it comes to personal obstacles, it doesn't matter what size of mountain God might throw in front of me, conquering it would be an understatement.
Owning an umbrella was my first lesson upon my arrival in San Francisco. Though Clint was nice enough to let me borrow his for a few days, my Chuck Taylor's were soaked to the bone by the end of my first venture out into the city. I thought it would be cool to walk to all my destinations, attempting to get some bearings straight with the lay out of all the eclectic neighborhoods. Dude...it was freezing! But standing on the sidewalk in the misty rain, waiting for a bus to take me somewhere was the last thing I wanted to do and I sure as hell wasn't ready to master the BART or MUNI system yet. I had asked a few weirdoes on Market Street for some directions but soon realized I was pretty much in the wrong part of town and completely lost. It was a total "duh" moment, I can admit that.
But at the same time, there was something very empowering about being in a new city. The energy in San Francisco is somewhat on the mild side compared to New York, but still very independent. I knew that some day soon I would definitely mold into part of the equation, and my total awareness of the city would be chalked up to experience.It took me a few extra long blocks to realize that I was the only one utilizing my umbrella after the rain had stopped. But when the afternoon sun pierced through the murky grey clouds, I saw a cute couple pass by me who both had big smiles on their faces. When I turned around to see what they were looking at, a huge rainbow towered over the city. It was so big, I couldn't even fit the entire bow in my camera.
So here I am, a thirty nine year old single male who is getting ready for his freshman year in college in the city of San Francisco. I start classes tomorrow. I'll be studying all aspects of film making but focusing primarily on cinematography and directing. Though I already have one feature film that I have written and directed, which is currently in its final stages of production, there is no end to learning in my world. This world of ours is constantly evolving. Ideas are born during every moment in time. Can you imagine if there was the CGI, digital world around when Fleming was directing his master pieces, which would later define the year in pictures? Imagine the Wizard of Oz in HD digital 3-D...
Okay, I first began writing this post almost six weeks ago. Why I didn't finish it is beyond me. I guess I felt (at the time) that I really didn't have a lot of interesting material to write about. But I was totally wrong. The emotional experience I had while traveling from Dallas to San Francisco was life altering. Not many people can do what I've done; that is, stopping everything to just pick up and go. Especially at thirty-nine. Most guys my age are married with children. But this is where I consider myself very fortunate. I'll admit; it might seem crazy to do something so drastic as quit your job, leave your apartment, say goodbye to your friends and head west. But I've done it before. Just like the time when I shaved my head without informing my agent before I did so. It was a risk, but I did land two modeling gigs shooting the next day because of my new look. And in a conservative town like Dallas, a shaved head was completely unheard of in the fashion world.
San Francisco: the newest chapter in my life. I have made some awesome new friends. I'm getting A's in all my classes thus far and I plan to keep it this way. My assignments are very complex but I take them all in stride. I look forward to posting my work on this site, once I start receiving them back from my professors. Miraculously, the hunt for a new apartment is finally coming to an end. I'll be able to fill everyone in on this move once I get settled. I also sold my truck. Yes...I know there are a few people out there who might have deeply exhaled once they've read this, (knowing what I went through to get my truck) which is a separate blog post in itself. But I really don't need a car in a city like San Francisco. The meters are twenty-five cents for three minutes. The tickets are over fifty dollars if the meter runs out. There is absolutely NO place to park almost anywhere in the city and if the meter runs out and it's been more than fifteen minutes, your car WILL get towed. Shall I tell you how much it would be to get it out of impound? You don't want to know. But everyone should know this: why own a car in a city where you don't need one? First of all, not having a car eliminates a car payment. Second, you don't have to pay for insurance. Third, you don't ever have to pay for gas and finally, you shed all those extra pounds walking. You see? I just killed four birds with one stone. And that, my dear friends, is a definite ERICKISM!
