(image from thedude.com)
a friend of mine, who writes this great blog, is moving to the east bay, and asked me what i think of oakland about a month ago. i keep saying that i'll write her back, but somehow i keep putting it off; you know it seems like i have a novella's worth of thoughts on the subject after living here, except for a year, since 1997. ah, procrastination.then today my basically-a-sister-but-technically-not-blood-related-friend adriane sent me this excellent blogpost on sf gate's "the poop" titled "why i love oakland." it also reminded me of my friend monte's post about oakland a couple of months ago, and i thought that until i get my act together and actually write down what i love about oakland, i'd let these two speak for me.
in the meantime, i know some oakland-ers read this blog;
what about you?
what do you love (or hate or fill in the blank) about oakland?
:)
ReplyDeletecan't wait to read what people write. thanks for the hyperlink!!
oh, this might get me blogging again...
ReplyDeletehttp://chrismagnuson.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-i-love-oakland.html
I love Oakland because of the confrontation that comes from living in close proximity to people from completely different life experiences and beliefs. I love learning how to live by watching how others live and in Oakland you can't ignore the influences of the diversity. I believe being confronted by these differences is a contributor to negative results in Oakland like the crime rate, but that's the result of fighting against understanding those influences. That confrontation can bring about a better life because you get more perspective (schema for Mark Anderson) on other ways that life could be lived. I love Oakland because I certainly don't have everything right and living in that confrontation teaches me to live a better life.
ReplyDeletei am sorely disappointed in the lack of feedback, erin. seriously. ok, i give in. i'll make my own freaking list. lazy lurkers- no one will respond. sad and pitiful.
ReplyDeleteok, i shouldn't sad no one, since aaron and chris responded.
ReplyDeleteI love Oakland because it feels like both a big city and a small town. I almost always run into someone I know at the dimond peets and lots of folks who work in the dimond have watched and commented on Micah from when he was in my belly through now! But, it is a big city with diversity, fun restaurants, recreation areas and parks and an amazing farmer's market! I get so upset when people male Oakland seem like the worst place to live in the world. grrr..
ReplyDeleteoh yeah-I also love redwood recreation area. 8 minutes up the hill and you feel like you are in a mountain retreat.
I'm piping in as well - and I don't even live in Oakland anymore (in another city people have lots of opinions about - Seattle). I lived in Oakland 1998-2002.
ReplyDeleteSome of my fondest memories - the views and beauty in the redwood forest by Chabot, the drive between Redwood Heights and Moraga (gorgeous!), Piedmont/Mount Claire districts, Rockridge restaurants and the diversity of people in a small area.
why i love oakland..
ReplyDelete1. there is beauty in the midst of the broken. that includes the city and the people
2. when you face challenges, it brings the people together to fight against it. there is special comradery in our communities
3. people here value the organic, healthy, and local foods.
4. oakland seems to attract artists of every kind.
5. there is no one way to dress, act, live, be...in oakland, you can be who you want without the pressure to conform.
6. living in oakland means you are 2 min from a lake, a forrest, and a downtown, depending on your mood.
6. my friends live here.