Reflection 2

Sometimes people want to be alone.

I went to my area of inquiry Friday, April 29. It had been at least a week since I had been there, it had been a long week. Returning was sad, I felt a bit sad, and I was a bit annoyed by the place. I sat where I normally sat, on a concrete ledge 100 or so feet from the actual dam. I could not stand it. I was tired, that was the day of coast project presentations, but it was more than that. My mood was effecting how I feel about the place. I worried that my mood would become my new memory of that particular place. I decided to cut my losses and venture out to where I had not been. The excitement did elevate my mood, and in the end it was a good decision, it made it easier to return the next day. I walked along the train tracks under the 5th ave. bridge.  all the way to where it seemingly ends (West Bay Park). I hadn’t ventured that far out before for a few different reasons, I didn’t want to get lost, but I also didn’t want to be found somewhere I wasn’t wanted. But I thought “screw it” and off I went.

It seemed like a place of privacy, but in reality it isn’t. I get the feeling people are searching for similar things in this area, freedom: loneliness and excitement. Although it may just be me. “Too many people” I thought, but how can I complain, after all I am a person. Every time I have gone (ok, not every) there has been this sense of respect, don’t bother each other. Usually the only time someone says anything to me (besides “hello”) is when they are apologizing for their barking dogs. This is the case most places, but it feels heightened here, I assume it’s because people aren’t supposed to be here ( as indicated be the no trespassing signs), but because we are all seemingly breaking the rules, we’re trusting that we’re all there for our own reasons (I’m just making assumptions). Although it is seemingly impossible to be alone, it is a good place to not be disturbed.