[ExI] happy memories and rising tides

[spike]

I had a number of happy memories rush back today, since I was in downtown
San Jose at the McHenry Convention Center at a car show.  I remembered an
extro schmooze we had down there, or right next to it at Hilton if I recall
correctly.  It must have been in the summer of 01, because I do recall
several of us commenting at lunch how we missed Sasha Chislenko and how sad
it was he was no longer with us.  Is it not amazing he has been gone nearly
ten years already?
 
In contrast to that, I have an optimistic note to sound in this post.  I
moved to the San Jose area about 21 years ago.  At that time, the area of
town where the McHenry Center now stands is one where you wouldn't hang out,
day or night.  A mangy junkyard dog would watch his step down there.  But by
2001, a revival had been taking place.  There were plenty of safer looking
areas where one could walk, especially if they were to hang out in clots of
4 or 5 geeks.  The neighborhood was a bit spotty, but not bad really.  Those
who were there, comments welcome, affirming or contradicting.  I do recall
commenting at the time to stay on the north side of the freeway, for that
adjoining neighborhood just two minutes walk underneath that underpass was
bad news indeed.  But as I recall, the extropians found adequate sustenance
and I do not recall anyone having felt threatened.  We did suggest people
stay indoors after dark if staying at the Hilton.
 
So I was down there this morning at the car show.  I marvelled at how nice
everything was down there, clean, new, fixed up, nice, nothing at all that
looked the least bit dangerous.  So I walked around, and found it the same
all around there, much better even than it was in 2001.  So I decided to
risk disappointment and check out on the other side of that freeway.  I
wasn't disappointed at all!  That area is looking waaay better than I ever
recall seeing it.  Of course it is still lower end housing, lots of ancient
dwellings, some fifty or more years old, still standing by some mysterious
means after all these years.  Perhaps they were built by the same guys who
built the Anastasi cliff dwellings.  But they were tidy and making an
attempt at actual lawns and gardens in many of the houses.  There was
nothing over there that looked scary.  Really!  
 
This was a great contrast to the way it appeared 20 years ago.  In those
days, if one should stumble into that area, one's chances of escaping alive
were negligible.  One might as well not even bother trying, but rather just
save everyone a lot of time and effort, and just pull into the local
mortuary, pick out one's favorite pine box, hand them a credit card, climb
in and close the lid after oneself.  I myself blundered into the area once,
only to escape by sheer miracle.
 
But it isn't that way now.  I saw little that scared me at all.
 
The rising tide has raised all boats in San Jose.
 
I miss Sasha.  May his memory live on forever.
 
spike
 
 
 
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