I like it

People asked me within days of moving here if I like living in San Francisco better than New York. Clearly these people have never lived in the greatest city in the world. But trying to be nice, as is the custom here, my answer was I can't tell you that yet.

For the most part, I am a happy dude who can get along in any location, and San Francisco is no exception. After visiting New York last week, a city I love, and my wife, a woman I love more than anything, I know I like living here in a City by a Bay.

Yesterday, as I got into a Zipcar to take care of some errands and head out to my run, I caught a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance over the shimmering bay. I thought, well this is easy to like. And for a New Yorker, even by six year proxy, that is hard to admit.

Just like runners New Yorkers thrive on the fact that it is fucking miserable in our city during most of the year. It is either freezing too cold or hot as hell -- both with extreme humidity. There is never a seat on the subway and if there is one, most likely, it is next to a noxious individual who does not ascribe to societal norms. There are a million people in your way at all times and it is always trash day.

But with that taxing reality comes 24-hour life. Delivery of everything from Dry Cleaning to Chinese Food to the more esoteric items. A city with a network of tubes that within 20 minutes can place you in Greece (without the debt issues), Russia (with all of its issues), or right at home. It is a city without limits and endless possibility, complete with grounding reality that the IBanker and the janitor are probably on the same 4 Train, both avoiding the stinky dude.

However, life is just easier here. The weather is nicer. The people are calmer. It is just easy to like.

Last night as I was finishing up my run with some new running chums along the Embarcadero, I witnessed the following exchange:

Hipster Bike Guy: Sir, what you are doing is very dangerous.

J-walker: Thanks and sorry.

This exchange was without a hint of sarcasm.
Now if this took place on Park Avenue in the 50s I am sure expletives would have been utilized. But more likely the biker would have swerved and kept going. This relaxed West Coast mojo seems to be rubbing off.

So yeah, I like living here. But no matter how much I like living here, it often feels as if my life is on hold. My wife is living 3,000 miles away and that makes it hard to establish any sort of normalcy. I have work and my running, even some Jewish stuff. However, my wife is key to every part of my life outside of work and running; it is not surprising that these are the only two things are I am able to do with full intention in the interim.

In the mean time San Francisco is great. And the views are pretty spectacular.