When I first moved to San Francisco, I was told over and over again about the rivalry between SoCal and NorCal. I thought it was ridiculous. I love all of California. I’ve never had a problem with anyone from SoCal - until today when I tried to get on AirBart at the Oakland Airport. The place was crawling with people who just arrived from San Diego and LA. They were the tan ones with the flowered, short-sleeved buttoned-down shirts, shorts, and sandles. There was a line for the AirBart that went further than I ever expected. It reached the whole length of the passenger platform. This is because a bunch of people (who happened to be from those aforementioned cities), groups of them, about 5 per group, were in line. This just annoyed the piss out of me. Number one – I have two suitcases, my laptop bag, and my camera backpack. I was crammed onto the bus, without room to stand, let alone sit or stow my luggage. Then I had to listen to them all talk to eachother. They asked stupid questions, like, “Who plays at the Coliseum?” But the thing that angered me the most was that they were such large groups who would have made out much better by taking a cab (split between 5 adults is not so much). AirBart is for people like me who take public transit everywhere. It wouldn’t make any sense for me to spend $50 on a cab. It would totally make sense for these gaggles of people, who were taking up my space and patience. I wanted to tell them to get out of my space, off of my bus and train, and let me get home to San Francisco. I freaking live here! I should have priority, dammit!

The following is a blog entry I wrote while in Spokane for Thanksgiving. Chuck's parents have dial-up, so I saved it. I should have uploaded it weeks ago:

Well, it’s Thanksgiving Day in the Northwest Inland Empire called Spokane, WA. Chuck took me to Priest Lake, Idaho on Tuesday to show me his favorite place on Earth. I now know what he speaks of when he describes the spiritual cleansing it gives him. I felt my mind and heart clear of all the past year’s pollution: envy, depression, and money troubles. We hiked up and down and around until we heard the rumbling splashes of a large waterfall. It was the most beautiful sight I had laid eyes on in a long time. I literally wanted to burst out in tears. We took some pictures and then took a seat on some perfect sitting rocks overlooking and hanging over the waterfall. It was a bit scary, since there was nothing from keeping the rock from breaking off into the water from our weight. We sat and stared in awe at the water pouring violently over the rocks below. He told me that this is the place he used to visit to come and think about things and then he began to hint that this is where he has wanted to propose to me. He tried to get me to say it, but I just smiled from ear to ear, nodded, and listened. “But I have no ring,” he said. “That’s alright,” I said. Chuck then got on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was crying uncontrollably, because I began to think this would never happen. He was waiting for the opportunity to “take his favorite person on Earth to his favorite place on Earth.”

It was such a beautiful experience and I want to remember that day as clear as I do now for the rest of my life. I am so in love with this man and look forward to an incredible lifetime of joy, pain, sadness, and laughs.