October 12, 2011 – Campfire

Years ago I figured out what I like about camping and what I don’t like. I’ll pass on the whole tents and lack of plumbing experience. And even simple car camping can be ruined by one loud family of Santa Rosa trailer trash rolling into the campground late at night and disrupting an entire campground (you guessed correct if you think I am writing from experience).

But there is a lot I love about camping. There is the quiet of the early morning, starting the fire and getting some water boiling for tea. Sharing dinner with friends at night, feeling the darkness come quickly. That feeling when 7:30 p.m. already feels like 10 p.m. because you’re out in the dark in the woods. And the best part is all about the fire. Perhaps it is some primeval programming that has most of us mesmerized by that fire. The sound, the smell, the warmth — watching a good campfire beats anything you’ll ever find on TV.

Yesterday afternoon I was in a secluded, quiet clove below Marin Headlands on the shore of the Golden Gate. We stayed until about 10 o’clock, enjoyed dinner, birthday cupcakes, a full moonrise and of course we had a campfire. It was the things I love about camping. But no need for a tent because at the end of evening I was driven back across the Golden Gate Bridge in a swell little mini cooper convertible with the top down and heated seats on.

April 18, 2011 – 1906

In San Francisco 1906 only means one thing. Today is the anniversary of the earthquake struck and subsequent fire that destroyed about 2/3 of the city. 200-300,000 left homeless and over 3,000 perished. Over a century later and the historical facts of the disaster are still open to debate. The exact number of deaths was never even established. Like many natural disasters, this one was worsened by bad decisions and human incompetence. Corruption lead to inadequate and poorly built infrastructure – chiefly the City had no water flowing to fight the fires. Some histories portray Frederick Funston as the military hero who saved the City. Yet, Funston was an outsider and a reactionary who illegally seized power. His obsession was protecting private property and preventing looting. Ordinary San Franciscans were determined to pitch in and fight the fire. Funston ordered his troops to clear the city and thousands of volunteers who wanted to help. We were turned back at the point of bayonets. And the city burned.

I live below Alamo Square in a neighborhood that was just spared the spread of the fire. There is an iconic photo taken of San Franciscans watching their city burn from the square. It is no wonder that park always feels haunted to me.

On this anniversary we can remember and we can prepare for the next big one. It will happen one day. When the earthquake happens, I have no doubt we will all come together and save, repair and rebuild our beloved City. And, like a century ago, I have no doubt people from all over the world will help us in those efforts. But most of all, we must be ready ourselves. The incompetent government responses to disasters like Hurricane Katrina and earthquake and tsunami this year in Japan are reminders – be ready!