I had a fun adventure today. There is a very brand new and well-designed Kaiser Permanente right next to my apartment that has sparked my interest more than once. They recently rennovated the parking garage (exciting, I know) and I look at it every now and then. I wanted to climb it, to stand at the top and look out over the city. For about a year now I have asked Colin to go up there with me - he always said "Sure... sometime." No, not some time. Today. Sometimes you just need to forge ahead and do things that you want to do - don't wait for anyone else to give you permission. I am making it a rule for myself: never ask someone to do something with you more than three times. If they still say no after three times then it is never going to happen. That's fine - I am just not going to waste my breath. Go ahead and do that thing they turned down and make them regret not going with you.
Why am I being so epic about a parking garage? I don't know - I guess it reminds me of my time at Portland State University. I used the same parking garage for four years and it became like a home away from home. Shifting around from dorm to dorm, dorm to parent's house, class to class, work to class to dorm and back to the garage. I don't know - I guess I just like to climb to the top of things and look out over the city. Everything below seems trivial and small. Up there, you are closer to the sky.
It took me about five minutes of huffing and puffing to get up to the top, stomping up the 108 steps (I found the elevator later on, of course). I got up to the top and was gloriously alone. There aren't many public places where you can feel like yourself. It made me happy to look out over my city and recognize places I visit every day. And you can totally see our house from the top - screw you, Colin! I was right!
It started sprinkling. I took cover under the solar panels and watched as the sun shone through thick black clouds. I will definitely be coming up here again, as long as it remains a relatively private spot. Good place for a picnic or a sunrise/sunset watch.
There is so much more I could say, but some things are better left as secrets, right?
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