Previous - 185. Almost a holiday
Chinatown
I either live in or on the edge of Chinatown, depending on who you ask. I used to haunt the shops and buy things for my apartment and as gifts, but these days I may not shop in Chinatown from one year to the next. Today (that was), however, I was picking up a book at the Chinatown branch library which led to my shopping at the local Walgreen's which led to my visiting my favorite bakery for moon cakes (next door) which led to my strolling down Grant street looking for a new backpack.It occurred to me weeks ago that I should get a smaller backpack just for greening events. Just big enough to hold my personal stuff, water, and bags. I had walked most of the way through Chinatown before I came upon a likely shop, and as soon as I walked it I recognized it as the place where I bought my cheap rolling suitcase.
While I like supporting Chinatown merchants, I feel bad about buying schlock products, but I only use the suitcase every year or so (and it's holding up surprisingly well) and buying a "nice" bag for sorting trash would be silly. Anyway, I now have a $14 backpack that seems perfect. I think it's actually intended for kids, but I wanted something small and light. Before I found myself "shopping" in Chinatown, my plan had been to wait until nearer Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, but now I can break it in over the summer.
Broken people
Something that keeps returning to my mind, is the notion, from either Perkins or Day in The Road to Character, that God loves broken people. That people like Dorothy Day are doing "God's work" when they serve these people. For one thing, this is distressingly similar to the notion that wives (or women in general) are only beaten because their man loves them so much.I'm writing about this now because an hour ago I got hungry and so walked a mere two blocks to Bun Me, my favorite Vietnamese sandwich place. In that short distance I passed such an array of destitute and demented people that it even managed to surprise me. God must really love these poor sick bastards.
But then I thought, What if this is part of the bargain (Mephistophelian, of course)? You can only get great cities with innovative tech and wonderful tofu and carrot and onion and jalapeno sandwiches at the cost of a certain percentage of broken people you have to walk around on your way to lunch. Would you say Yes to that? I would want some clarification about the exact percentage and how the broken people were selected, but I'm guessing that in the end I would say yes.
Sump pump
I offered the service guy my headlamp, since there's no longer any light back by the tank and pumps, but he stuck with his hand held flashlight. Headlamps are so much more convenient for when you're working, but people seem to be remarkably resistant to using them for some reason. A couple years ago now I had a dental hygienist who used a headlamp instead of constantly adjusting the hardwired lamp that's part of the chair. Within a couple minutes I realized how much easier this was for her, since her head was always pointed where her eyes wanted to look. I mentioned this to the next two hygienists I got, but they were unimpressed and continued to use the big lamp.
The only reason I have the headlamp is because we used to have to sort trash a fair amount in the dark. Now that we are usually done by the time the event closes, and work mostly in the summer, I rarely need it, but am carrying it in my new backpack. But when I need a flashlight (and remember I have it) it is so much better than using a flashlight and then only having one hand to work with. I will be using it for the final sort of the day at HSB since that is several weeks past the equinox. Which reminds me,
While waiting for the pump guy, I took a closer photo of the tree in a pot outside my window. The resolution isn't that good, but you can see a couple leaves that are changing color and one that is almost ready to fall.
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