Cities keep me grounded.

Something you don’t see out your window when you work from home (for most people). Someone nodding off from taking heroin. Sitting here in my office I just saw that. This is part of why I like being in offices, in a city, its a reminder in the middle of “catching up on pocket reads” of what is out there in the world and a moment to reflect on what am I doing to help?

I’ve done a lot of running at 5:30–6:00 am and man what I see out there only 1 mile from my house / office, it’s humbling.

I’ve watched construction guys working outside all winter long, I’ve seen a guy in a wheelchair who had no arms and legs while his girl (I think) was at the ATM outside my office, he seemed happy in that moment.

View from my desk, I see good out this view, and bad.

That Same ATM later get destroyed in a protest when a bunch of dudes tried to bomb it and steal money:

Yup, went out with my broom and cleaned it

I’ll always work and live in cities it is an in my face reminder to be grateful, I don’t have Jones’es to compare my house model to, I got this and it shapes my worldview on what life in a pandemic is like. Cause I see a lot more than if I only saw my basement walls or backyard most of the day.

It is a reminder that a lot of people got it pretty bad out there. It’s a reminder that these people and I…we share paths, paths to work, we use the same ATMs, trash bins, etc. We’re connected.

It’s a real reminder that I have the ability to help.

I remember I once saw an old homeless man getting his ass kicked by what might have been a guy he owed money to. I ran out of my office in the middle of a 1:1 and went to help him, let him know someone out there saw that and someone out there cared enough to help him. I bought him a coffee (distanced) and he cried. I dunno what happened, I dunno who was at fault but that shouldn't happen.

Living here, working here gives me moments to be uncomfortable, and sometimes that's exactly what we need to spring into action.