At my greige workplace, I sometimes felt like I should be an OTR ambassador, but then I realized that I don’t really care what my colleagues think. It’s where I live, so it’s clearly livable to me, and that’s enough of a statement. I don’t need to convince anyone to move/shop/dine/hang out here. Who cares?

Same thing with the workplace itself: it wasn’t the right fit for me, the trade-offs stopped being worthwhile, so I left. It’s not like I was in a position to change that place and, anyway, it seems to work just fine for a lot of people. So, I just make these adjustments to try to live the kind of life I want to live. Like I said, that’s really the only kind of activism that seems to make sense to me.

*I’m not sure exactly what aspects you worried about assimilating to…

Anyway, you’re right on about the ‘corporate’ lifestyle – I took the exact same perspective. I’m not sure what exactly you were worried about assimilating too, but mine was money. So much so that I turned down a higher paying job because I was afraid of getting too comfortable, too sucked in to the materialization it would’ve afforded me. Life is way too short for that kind compromise.

When people complain about Cincinnati being backward, I’m somewhat puzzled. I’ve never met so many interesting people so quickly. When I hear the rallying cries for a downtown supermarket, I marvel. I’ve never had more convenient access to so much excellent, varied food, all at non-Dean & Delucca prices. It’s so easy for me to eat well here. Did you know that Findlay accepts Food Stamps, even at the farmer’s market? How’s that for backward? Sometimes, I think it takes an outsider, without baggage or expectations, to objectively assess and appreciate a place.

Currently I’m (temporarily) residing with the geese you speak of – sad thing is people out here are so consumed with their cars that they keep running them over. It’s really crazy.

Beautifully written piece. Not very often does a post encompass me the way that yours just did.