random outings

22 August 2017: San Diego trip

Have you ever had those moments where you desire to do something but know it will never happen?

It might be 99% of your thoughts or .001% of your thoughts. 

I happen to take these "absurd" thoughts into consideration in my life, they push me to strive for the "goals of absurdity", well according to my humble mother, and give me a form of self-discovery.

Just the other day, I decided to take a solo trip for my birthday to San Diego--the home of detrimental Sea World. 

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting much of this trip because it was last minute and the idea of being slightly intoxicated by myself in a hotel room elsewhere seemed appealing to me at 11 p.m. as I booked the hotel. 

Obviously, as the days passed by and the day of my adventure came closer. A list of outcome expectations from the trip started to appear, and grow.

They consisted of: 

1. Learn new places and see new faces.

2. Reflect on how far you have come in life (positives only)

3. Soak in every minute, and don't rush-- especially walk fast

I tell you this now, it was hard to do goal two and three after 6 p.m. since I was slightly intoxicated walking around the San Diego harbor. 

The easy task during this time was knowing how my debit card worked in a museum gift store that I didn't even buy admission to. 

I did, however, soak in all the areas San Diego has: from rural to naturistic. 

The diverse culture of San Diego which is seen from the Chicano presence in the inner part of the area, especially the history of Chicano Park. 

A history that I had been exposed to in an ethnic studies course at SFSU, which was one of the classes I didn't have high expectations in learning anything or having anything embedded in me for the rest of my life. 

Boy.. was I wrong. 

Well, the knowledge of the Chicanx history did make me appreciate the art displayed in the Logan Barrio far more than those cringy tourists.

Not to say it's offending these say "cringy tourists", they have better fashion than me so really, who's winning here? not me.

The naturistic part of San Diego, the parks and harbor were delightful. 

They made me feel at home since parks speak to me, and most of the time they are a distant cousin of mine down the line.

Well, the weird and complex family bloodline of mine.

This connection of nature was where I made most of my reflection which tends to happen most of the time when I visit parks. 

Most of the meditation I do on a daily basis happens here, which is great to know I can do in different places, especially new places. 

This San Diego solo excursion trip didn't change me completely as a person or give me a full rebirth, but it did give me a tune-up of my outlook on life. 

It has inspired me to plan solo excursion trips for the future to self-explore and start a segment on this blog called "random outings".

The blog segment itself will help me face the fear of writing and face the harsh reality of pursuing a career as a writer. 

Let's say-- it isn't pretty.

Before I end this blog post abruptly, I wanted to give a shout out to the living and dead cells which have made/are making this 20-year-old body functional.

#20chica

- Karla Yeseñia Lopez