It has been a while since I did a task, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do until this morning. The day was an absolute stunner, and what better way to spend it than on a dérive. Getting into derive mode was more difficult than I thought it would be. I was trying hard not to just get pulled places that I normally go, or ways I would normally get there. So I took the opposite turn than usual and went left on Corbett. I stopped to look at bees on flowers, numbers on houses, views of Sutro tower and then I saw people waiting for the bus. Drawn to a crowd, I went with them.

On the way, I saw the bald brown and green hill that I keep meaning to go up, I felt it might be calling me. I got off in the Castro, and saw the 24 pull up, and took that towards Haight. I passed Courtney’s produce, and now felt a strong need for a Fuji apple. Disembarking on Haight and Divis, I popped over to the greengrocers and picked out a lovely specimen. I waited for a bus to come and took the 71 while I ate my apple. My intention was to go to Buena Vista park and go up the hill, but then I wanted coffee. I am fussy about coffee so I cheated and went where I always go, Coffee to the People.

Heading back to the park, I realized I was missing something very important; bubbles. Now I was on the hunt for bubbles. I told the shop girl at Mendels that I needed bubbles, alas she had none. The man at the grocery shop asked if I wanted bubble gum. Ack, I had fixated on blowing bubbles on the hill and could think of nothing else but pancakes and bubbles. I had walked along Haight St in vain, or so I thought, when I realized I was almost at the house of the Duchess. I had called her earlier warning that I might end up on a dérive in her area, depending on what happened, she had mentioned pancakes which initiated my longing for them. Another phone call was placed asking if she had any bubbles. The kind and generous Duchess fed me vegan pancakes and gave me two little bottles of bubbles from a ceremony held 7 years ago. I left her building, reapplied sun tan lotion and started walking towards the park again. I was tempted to get my fortune read by the man on the street with a white beard, but I felt that my fortune starts with following my own path and my own thoughts. My thoughts up to this point were kind of basic and revolved around how to; get coffee, get apple, get bubbles, pee, climb hill.

As I climbed up the stairs in the park, I started to notice the scent of the trees, the wondrous landscape, the sounds of the city heard from the park and how weird that was to hear a bumping car bass whilst hiking up the hill. I took pictures of which pathways intrigued me the most to follow them. At the top of the hill I realized I was at the top of the wrong hill. I could see the other hill, but wasn’t sure how to get to it. I saw a cute lesbian couple, and now my thoughts went to how I wish that I had a cute girlfriend to do cute things with.

I let the paths that went in the general area of the other hill guide me. I realized the cute couple was behind me, so I blew bubbles for them. I found the hill, which was actually part of the Randall Museum and I was overjoyed, so I ran up to the top. I don’t really like heights very much, but was very brave and climbed to the top of the tallest rocks. I got out the bubbles and blew them towards Mt Sutro and over the bay. I was trying to let the wind do the blowing, but the angle was awkward and it wasn’t really that windy. I started to feel a bit lonely looking out over the city, as there was a lot of couples on the top of the hill canoodling. I found my bearings in regard to where I live, and the painted mural down in the Castro caught my eye. This would be were I went next. A sign post pointed me to the big gay flag so I followed it.

The blooming trees smelt so lovely that my spirits started to revive and I realized that this was not a task for lovers. I needed to be able to think my thoughts and get pulled into doing things and going places that was not influenced by someone else. When I got to the mural, I saw the girls again. This was okay, because now I was tired and wanted orange juice and a nap which would be found at home. There were a lot of things that I was drawn to initially, but failed to woo me fully such as; getting ice cream, shopping, going to Dolores Park. I was so happy to have madeit up to the bald hill, and even happier that I was fully drawn to blowing bubbles on the top of the hill. I was fully enthralled by the beauty of the city and the scent of the trees. I felt really wonderful walking around in the
sun.

I can't seem to get the videos uploaded properly so here they are on youtube. Watch closely the bubbles are hard to see. I am sorry about the heavy breathing and that is me giggling!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWszzH0G1L4



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELO0mXSJq8w

Side notes:
I saw a girl from last nights dance party, totally doing the walk of shame at 2pm this afternoon as I walked through the Castro!!
It has also taken me 2 hours to just submit this task instead of taking a nap as desired, but I got a bit obsessed with posting it.