Gettin' Craze for Hayes

Reporting is not as easy as I thought it would be. To be honest, when I came into this class I was petrified. When I had signed up for Yvonne’s class some random guy said. “Oh you’re taking with Yvonne? Are you good with drill sergeants?”

Crap.

I tend to think of the worst possible scenario even when I have no credible information. I blame this on growing up in Fresno and having an overactive imagination. So I have to admit that when I went into class I was really really scared of Yvonne, even though I only had one really bad source. I laugh thinking about how little I spoke in class those first few days. My thought process was something like: If I don’t talk she can’t yell at me.

I quickly came to realize that Yvonne is a non-scary professor. I deeply prefer these professors because it’s difficult for me to really learn or expand in a tense, hostile environment.

I feel like with Yvonne’s help and the stories I found in Hayes Valley I really got to explore a more creative side of writing that I am not so used to. I mean being creative is scary. Someone could easily look at your anecdotal lead and say NO! That’s cheesy! That’s not very funny, you’re not making sense, why are you using so many onomatopoeias? But I felt really encouraged because there was a really welcoming and accepting energy radiating from this class since the start. Yvonne really created an environment for us to explore, evaluate and learn!

Hayes Valley irritated me a lot. The Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association had me nearly tearing my hair out. They were so interested in keeping the undesirable away. I kept thinking why don’t they use their wealth for something other planting all these gardens. Not saying that Hayes Valley Farm was a bad idea, but this group was seriously preoccupied with how many trees and flowers they can plant for the purpose of beautification and nothing much else.

However, I found a really awesome gem: Judah. Judah runs the African Outlet on Octavia and I have seriously sparked a friendship with this woman. It seems like those people sipping their cappuccinos at La Boulange (who say they know everyone in the neighborhood) cower into their iPads when she walks by. She is such a unique character and has beautiful views on life, and those people are missing out. All those “undesirables” come to her shop to hang out and feel welcomed in a neighborhood that doesn’t welcome many who don’t have a steady platinum income. But the greatest thing about Judah is she invited me to be on the African Outlet float for Carnival and I am so doing it!

I am going to miss our little news meetings so much!

Thank you everyone!