Mike, the meteorologist, on one of our local TV stations, said, “We’re filling up with fog.”
Around the San Francisco Bay Area, that happens quite often.
I typed his words in my Notes app, because ‘filling up with fog’ could describe a whole lot, beyond our local weather. With so many people weighing in so much, and so constantly, on so many things — in news and social media, and all — what’s more to say? Like the SF Bay Area, we’re getting filled up with fog.
That rocket flight, the other day, with civilians on board! Wasn’t that something? And hearing the now former Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, who hosted the space journey, recounting how earth’s atmosphere looked so wondrous – but so fragile – you were, maybe, thinking about that? About the environment? About safeguarding that unique feature of Planet Earth? Like, you know, the air and everything we need for survival? But he also thanked, during the post-flight press conference, the Amazon workers and customers who paid for the flight… and the fog rolled in. Because of the all the past news about billionaires not paying much, if anything, tax-wise.
Tourism, out your way, in Pagosa Springs — and around here, where I live — is being marketed like mad. Even with lingering concerns about COVID variants, there’s ‘come to California’ advertising, with enticing scenes of coastlines and beaches, and palm trees and tourist attractions, and the wine country, and city skylines, and movie stars.
But we’ll avoid heading to places like the wine country, on weekends and holidays, because of all the vehicular and pedestrian traffic. There’s the seasonal grape crush, out there, and the more frequent crush of tourists. Even journeying to the much closer City of San Francisco is daunting.
A friend of ours, in a quaint town in Maine, avoids going to her local beach on weekends, because of the influx of visitors from Massachusetts. They crowd the beach, local eateries, sidewalks and streets. They’re even called ‘massholes,’ she once mentioned. Maybe that’ll give you Pagosans some ideas for naming visitors influxing – is that a word? – in your mountain town.
I’d say editorials in the Daily Post are bringing clarity to this whole tourism thing. I’d say that because of what my family and I are seeing and experiencing out here, in once quaint places that seem to be losing their character.
Having been in the PR business, I know there’s always going to be differing views, and lots of messaging.
That’s why it’s good to get some clarity when you can, so you won’t get all filled up with fog.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.