SF Snapshot: Buses, bikes, artists & geeks

The Environmental Studies Major in me is proud of the fact that I'm a die hard user of bikes, MUNI, carpool, BART & City Carshare to get around town & city, but that doesn't mean my attitude is always...ah, overjoyed...to be getting on the bus or pedaling in the spring drizzle. Nonetheless, I had one of those sweet MUNI experiences the other day, en route to a voice lesson, that made me appreciate anew both San Francisco and alternative transportation, as well as reminding me of the connective power of the creative community. A day earlier, I'd picked up a copy of the Shipyard Art guide for this years Spring Open Studios at Hunter's Point, a vital colony of more than 275 visual artists that's been getting stronger over its 25-year history. Another passenger asked me where I'd gotten the print catalog, which tipped us both into the conversation of two other of our fellow commuters. They'd just been photography shopping at 49 Geary & were reviewing work on a smart phone. Turns out our little section of the 71L was full of photographers, patrons, musicians and poets. Anyhow, we all got to talking, swapping cards and learning, respectively, about no-post-production-needed helicopter photography, how home foreclosures have affected the abandoned pet population (it's rocketing--you might want to check out a pet shelter if you're in the market for a dog or cat), yoga & music. I disembarked feeling connected and rejuvenated for the work ahead.