Vibes
Feel those vibes! Christ, it takes a lot of self-possession to move through the day and not react to all those vibes. Most of those vibes are unintelligible, like the expression on someones face as they pass by, are they in emotional pain or experiencing a dire need to find the restroom? The bus driver who appears annoyed with having to wait while the lady in front of me searches her purse for the correct change. She hurries and in a rush drops the coins to the floor, now I am sure I detect annoyance.
An enjoyable vibe gauntlet is downtown Portland. Portland is close by only an hour from where I live in the country. It provides a wealth of character and contrast. When the weather warms up a little, I will walk the streets of commerce where waves of intersecting vibes cancel or magnify, in search of those that resonant with me.
Vibe habitat changes quickly and with little warning. At the corner of Carleton and Congress across the street from 7- Eleven is the Methadone clinic, here the vibe ebbs and I rely on my telephoto. One long city block up Congress, across the intersection the old buildings of repointed brick give way to a new courtyard where on occasion musicians, families and art students gather in celebration of life on the coast. Candid is the vibe there.
The streets are afflux with agreement and conformity moving along in an orderly fashion. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line but that theorom does not hold true when the street vibe begins to eddy. The homeless man squats alongside the building on the sunny side of the street. Here the flow bends and speeds up creating a venturi of enlightenment for those willing to feel its vibe.
A couple times each year and for a few hours in the morning and evening, I enjoy capturing the vibe of the local area and this year. I plan on devoting more time to it.
