“I had a vision recently: I’m at a little market buying cream soda and Ding Dongs. Bathed in luscious, late-afternoon amber light, I head out to the levee and perch on some rocks. Seagulls soar overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a Camaro blasts ‘Frampton Comes Alive.’ I start in on my junk food, and then … nothing happens. Ever.” It turns out there’s a decent chance I was right there with Carolyn Jones, since we grew up in the same town, and on occasion, made mud pies together. But this article is about more than that. Ode to San Rafael: my unremarkable hometown.

+ And another one that hits (a little too) close to my childhood home. “A sign with ‘racist undertones’ discovered last month at an East San Rafael elementary school has prompted the district’s superintendent to take a stand for student equity and inclusiveness. Jim Hogeboom, superintendent of San Rafael City Schools, said a large sheet of paper with the message ‘Got English?’ was placed over the marquee at San Pedro Elementary School.” (It’s everywhere.)