Cleaning House

"Keep only things that speak to your heart. Then, take the plunge, and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life."—Marie Konmari 

It's time to eliminate some things from my life. So, I put together donation boxes. I still have more to go. The above picture of my stuff is a small sample. These are things that make me hold on to the past. Things that no longer give me joy. Things that are now meaningless to me. 

First in, first out. I began gathering what was sitting in front of me, and wondering why was I still hanging on to them—sweaters, jackets, T-shirts, sweatshirts, cuffs, rings, beads, and necklaces. Then I made a few calls to various charities to see if they were accepting donations. I know that it's strange to call up places, but many of them are full, and will turn you down when you show up at their door.

 

Anyway, I finally found a place, and drove there. The lady working at the donation desk kept all the jewelry to herself. She couldn't believe why I would be giving them away. I told her that although they made me happy once, they no longer brought me happiness. I also said that I'm glad that she likes them because all that silver has now found a new home. Once I gave away these items, I felt free. Because sometimes in life, we hang on to things for too long. 

Note: I'm one of those people who folds things neatly before giving them away. If you're like me, this can be a bit frustrating, because when you give them to a charity, they will undo all of the clothes, and toss them into a bin. Yet, I continue to neatly fold the giveaways because that's my way of showing respect to them.  

The Rain

"The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain," as Eliza Doolittle would tell you in the musical, My Fair Lady. As for me, I become more creative when it rains. My writing flows much better. Someone once told me that I live in the wrong city, and should perhaps move to Seattle. But I don't like rain that lasts for months.

I remember this one year in L.A, it flooded for weeks. I could hear the nonstop gushing of water throughout the day and night. You couldn't step outside without submerging your pants in at least two inches of water, and your socks getting drenched as the water penetrated your shoes. Oh yeah, most of us Angelinos don't own rain shoes. And never mind the high depression, and the psychological impact it had on everyone that year. You see, those of us living in L.A are spoiled with year-round sunshine.

But another way to look at the rain is that it waters, and cleanses everything like no other. The earth needs it, vegetation thrives on it, and buildings, homes, lights, and streets get a deep wash. 

So, don't fret. See if you can get creative when it rains. and remember that "the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain." 😃 

Berkeley

About six weeks ago, I visited my niece who is attending UC Berkeley, a 30-minute drive to San Francisco. Okay, the not so good is that the city is named after Bishop George Berkeley, a slave owner. Perhaps they will change the name someday. But today's Berkeley is far from being racist. 

What I love about this area is that it's a student town, which means books, education, light hearted people, fun, and activity. I don't think I ran into a single ill-tempered person while there.

My niece had a busy schedule, but we made it work. When I visit any place, I rarely get bored, and can always find ways to entertain myself. Berkeley is a walkable area, and so I wandered, visited bookstores, chatted with people, and sat at coffee shops to get some reading done.

On Saturday, I got to hang out with my niece. She recommended a breakfast place named Eggys. We got there early enough, so the line wasn't too bad.

This was one of the best breakfasts I had in a very longtime. Fresh food with quality ingredients, super hot Earl Grey brewed to perfection, and great service with a warm ambience.

If you visit Berkeley, this place is a must try. The detailed landscape gives it that relaxing homey vibes.

From there, we headed out to Berkeley Marina for the views and a nice walk. The Marina overlooks the San Francisco Bay and on a clear day, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge.

The waters were a bit choppy, and felt refreshing as it slammed against the barriers, and misted our faces and clothes.

On Sunday, I checked out Pegasus bookshop. This store has a large variety of books, and I do recommend. The staff are helpful, and knowledgeable. I bought Strangers On A Train by Patricia Highsmith, suggested by a kind, and generous employee. I haven't read it yet, but a friend of mine who has, says that it's really good.

My niece and I had a late lunch at a Persian restaurant named Alborz, and stopped by her school. The campus has lots of green areas, and benches where you can chill, think, study, or read for pleasure.

There is a variety of redwood, oak, eucalyptus, and pine trees, but it's the majestic redwood trees that will capture your attention and leave you in awe. 

Note:

 

1. Do not take the 5 freeway. It's faster, but not pleasant. There are a lot of trucks that go through it.

 

2. Leave as early possible, not much later than noon. A drive after dark on the freeways that get you from Berkeley to US 101 is like going through a black hole. I was basically driving blind, passing by what I assumed to be mountains and farmlands where there is nothing there to exit to, and escape. 

      a. I didn't see any visible stars or moon to help out, and the path often has two lanes, with few cars to shed some light. 

      b. Occasionally, you see lights from the opposite side, but it seems as though they are driving with their high beams which makes the visibility even worse (I normally don't have an issue with this, but I did on these roads). 

      c. In the left lane, you cannot see the cement divider, and in the right lane, you can fall into a ditch or hit something. I saw three police cars at different locations helping cars that had slid off the road due to poor visibility. 

3. Let me reiterate. I do not recommend leaving in the dark unless you have a death wish. I hope that someday Caltrans will fix this problem.