Just a Few Blocks Away
I don't think I can ever move out of the city. Everything just seems so convenient and easy to get around.
Of course, that is all from my perspective. If you ask my parents or my sister (who were all in town for Christmas), they will tell you another story.
It seems that I tend to label everything as just a couple of blocks away, when nothing really is. They did not understand that I do not measure distance in minutes or miles or anything like that, just a couple of blocks here and there. It was almost like the Smurfs. They (the Smurfs, not my family) were always hiking (they needed to do something to fill up the endless hours they were on TV, and while hiking they would ask Papa Smurf "How much further?" to which he would reply "Not much further" (and I am sure there is a Smurf enthusiast out there who will tell me I am getting the quote all wrong, but I will deal with that when the time comes -- the gist is correct.) The point is that I was constantly telling them the equivalent of "not much further", when they were already frozen by the weather and did not want to take another step. Where my sister lives (South Texas) -- they would not even step outside if the weather was that cold, but in any case the situation would be the same for my sister and my parents -- drive. When you drive, you know the distance (the odometer tells you). When you drive, you apparently get a better sense of time (I am not sure what to attribute this to). When you drive, you are out of the elements.
I just couldn't put up with any of that. You get stuck at every red light as you are on your way, and there never seems to be a great answer. I know that driving is often quicker than having to walk to the Metro, take the Metro, and then walk wherever you are going, but it is not nearly as rewarding. Once again, not very rewarding for me. I had many great walks while they were visiting, but I can't say the same for them.
I had friends in college who commented that urban folk never got to experience the elements, and never got proper exercise. Once again, I think the issue falls on the sub-urbanites.
Of course, that is all from my perspective. If you ask my parents or my sister (who were all in town for Christmas), they will tell you another story.
It seems that I tend to label everything as just a couple of blocks away, when nothing really is. They did not understand that I do not measure distance in minutes or miles or anything like that, just a couple of blocks here and there. It was almost like the Smurfs. They (the Smurfs, not my family) were always hiking (they needed to do something to fill up the endless hours they were on TV, and while hiking they would ask Papa Smurf "How much further?" to which he would reply "Not much further" (and I am sure there is a Smurf enthusiast out there who will tell me I am getting the quote all wrong, but I will deal with that when the time comes -- the gist is correct.) The point is that I was constantly telling them the equivalent of "not much further", when they were already frozen by the weather and did not want to take another step. Where my sister lives (South Texas) -- they would not even step outside if the weather was that cold, but in any case the situation would be the same for my sister and my parents -- drive. When you drive, you know the distance (the odometer tells you). When you drive, you apparently get a better sense of time (I am not sure what to attribute this to). When you drive, you are out of the elements.
I just couldn't put up with any of that. You get stuck at every red light as you are on your way, and there never seems to be a great answer. I know that driving is often quicker than having to walk to the Metro, take the Metro, and then walk wherever you are going, but it is not nearly as rewarding. Once again, not very rewarding for me. I had many great walks while they were visiting, but I can't say the same for them.
I had friends in college who commented that urban folk never got to experience the elements, and never got proper exercise. Once again, I think the issue falls on the sub-urbanites.
posted by Andy Weaver at 22:58
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