Fall 2024 hiatus

I was hoping to be able to keep my weekly updates until the end of the year. Unfortunately, I've run out of what to say, at least in this format. Last week was the first week since the start of the year where I wasn't even able to put out a late update. I guess almost 9 months isn't too terrible of a run, all things considered.

I might add more pages to make it easier to navigate some of the subjects I returned to, but otherwise, I will have to see if and when I get back to it.

Until then, the blog is on indefinite hiatus.

Public transit

I've been writing quite a bit about modes of transportation - might be time to set up a link-collecting page. Before that, let's talk about public transit.

This weekend I finally made use of the local bus system - one line, for starters. Last weekend I walked to get my groceries, but aside from the time and effort involved, it's not necessarily the most effective way to preserve the more perishable items when one goes home.

It took me a bit of adjustment, but ultimately most public transit systems have settled on a combination of NFC-enabled smart cards and mobile phones, and that served me here.

The buses are pretty much the same as they were where I last lived, although those had been upgraded farther in recent years, and have always been more frequent. Places that have better transit networks have made me feel much freer even than when I've driven a car - I just need to decide where to go, and especially today with path-creating mapping programs, it's very easy to get places through the use of a combination of buses and trains.

This area so far has not made me feel as comfortable. Even if it did, I do think getting a car would be required, although even if the coverage or frequency were better, it's unlikely I would want to limit myself from taking long road trips to the various hiking destinations that are not very accessible through transit themselves.

Landmarks and geography

My new home is dominated by a significant mountain range. It is visible from most points in the region. Aside from being beautiful, and having fascinating interactions with the sky and the weather, they provide a sense of order to the space.

In my previous region, there were two main providers of this order - a large, dominant river, and its tributaries, and an unusually tall set of buildings in the downtown of a big city, which could be seen for many miles away in most directions.

Sometimes this type of feature can lead to confusion. I spent my college years on the side of a highly curved mountain range, so while it did give me a sense of direction locally, it meant that whenever I traveled farther away, I felt disoriented when trying to fit that sense into the larger frame of reference.

Finally, a new home (for now)

I have left the temporary apartment I talked about here, for a long-term solution. It's spacious, and the view is great. I've got some bare essential furniture to keep me until my full shipment comes in a few days. I've done some cleaning and organized a bit, although now that I've done most of what's necessary, I'm feeling lethargic. Finally I can rest for a few hours, knowing I am set for the next few days, no specific deadlines rushing at me with uncertain ends.

Now I can really start trying to make this area into my new home. It's time to explore, to meet new people, to find new activities to participate in, aside from driving, of course.