Searching for Beacons

Coit Tower, Telegraph Hill, San Francisco

What a ten days it has been.

Grand milestones celebrated. Childhood friends revisited. Animated rallies attended. Unfortunate losses counted. All amidst an uncomfortably stratified yet contiguous set of urban existences. More grating to this observer each passing day. A source of growing defeatism rather than drive, though the latter’s leading quota is irreplaceable.

Port City hardly ever disappoints. That post, by the way, is not only my brief ode to Vancouver, but a reflection of its place in my life. A larger metaphor for a transitory phase of existence, one that continues to extend beyond expected timelines. I mean, I have been in Prince George for nearly four years. I should have made a home of this place. And yet… the apartment continues to resemble a waystation. It was about this time last year when I was musing about transience and its associated luggage. Funny how the seasonal patterns ripple in time.

It is a question still on my mind: Quelle heure est-il au Paradis?

Today’s photo is of a tower many of you may be familiar with, its cold white concrete illuminated at night. A landmark – an imposition of beauty – on a similar metropolis not so far away.

Perhaps this picture came to mind because this traveler’s thoughts are on beacons, or lack thereof. The course-correcting kind that arrive in the form of people, decisions, and moral will that seem to always be scarce. We are all living in Omelas and happy to champion its cruel vision.

It is tough to read about daily massacres, hear about tragedies among acquaintances, and think about the deeper impacts of popular policy, without feeling disheartened. The disquieting strength of collective pessimism and surrender to mediocre norms of past and present – whether in the form of conspiracy, prejudice, pseudoscience, or short-termism – rather than building in consult with known futures, is an odd marriage of self-interest and self-destruction. And it is especially difficult to step away from engagement with this collective derangement when your life – your work, proclivities, relationships – demand you remain informed.

So let me use this opportunity for a broader blog update. At the present time, given my personal and professional commitments, I have decided to shelve the article lists that are usually shared on Sundays. No more ‘Weekly Picks’ will be posted. The archives will remain accessible at the menu link. Aside from other draws on my time intruding, I also find that the lists tend to dominate what is an otherwise personal online space. While I still have much to share on here, the frequency of my longer posts will be sporadic in nature.

I will continue to engage with longform critical commentary outside of the social media bubble and encourage you to do the same. But this space will be reserved for the other stated categories – my own observations of this fractal world.

When I do spot the beacons, I will be sure to point them out.