A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

I have lived in a cozy little town house in Parkmerced all of my life. The neighborhood is made up of ever repeating patterns of houses and courtyards with hidden passages and corners scattered all over the place. It's a very nice place to wander around in and you will easily get lost unless you've done some exploring of your own. The community extends to a large lake/golf course on the west side of the village and this is all very close to the packed SF State University campus. My house, being only two blocks away from the campus, means I've had to pass by it everyday and watch the college kids as they partook in their nice quiet college activities (I also have had to be neighbors with a few noisy students). In this neighborhood every house is the exact same, all painted the same colors, all with the same square footage, and all with the same courtyards and garages, making it seem like you're living in some gated communist society (a lot of old Russian people do live here).

This neighborhood has shaped me and the way I view my outside world for life. I can say I am who I am because of the neighborhood I live in. I am packed close to my neighbors and have developed life long relationships because of it. Because of all these experiences with neighbors and exploring as a young boy I am the man you see today. The quiet and transient courtyards are always a reminder to me of all the time I've spent playing in them as a child. Now I just like to go for a walk or a light jog up and around the pathways, and I am always running into someone I know.