SoMa by flickeruser niallkennedy

Strangely, it was the anniversary of JFK Jr’s death that reminded me that it was ten years ago that I made a hasty move back to San Francisco — the second boing in three boings in which I’ve bounced from the Bay Area, to Ventura, to the Bay Area, and again to Ventura.

Oh what a strange time it was. I was a refugee from a failed engagement and absolutely adrift. A job opportunity opened up at a film foundation at which two of my oldest friends toiled in San Francisco, so I jumped aboard.

It was the tail end of the first go-go internet insanity, and I took a nonprofit job that paid less than $30,000 a year. Things got slightly better, financially, when I changed positions. But that’s the whatever part of this story. I made friends with the most wonderful horde of humans in existence. We were in an awesome clique and I was so happy. I got to reconnect with my old friends, too. Such a circle!

The job itself was not without stress, especially toward the later times. But that first year, lordie. I worked so hard that I stopped watching TV completely. I didn’t have a permanent home. I was all shook up! Everything was new again!

I started creating with a vengeance, riding the first crest of the neo-craft movement. I’m so grateful for that; my creative life opened wide and has never closed again.

The party ended too quickly and the job got miserable for me, fast. There’s a certain yucky significance that my last scheduled day of work was September 11, 2001. My world crumbled and changed irretrievably in lots of ways with all that trauma. But that’s another whatever for another time.

After my incredible time in Seattle recently, where I bonded deeply, in a freshman-dorm kind of way, with many people there, I feel deep gratitude at the people that have found me. The groups that have surrounded me. Lucky girl am I.

My friends! Holy shit! Every last one of you: thank you.

And a special hello to all those former coworkers that I met at that crazy place. I miss you!