there’s something about city living that awakens survival instincts. things that matter to me, living in a small town, become so inconsequential in the face of more basic challenges of city living. today’s petty example: normally i make a point to buy earth-friendly bio-degradable laundry soap; here, my pressing concerns are whether will someone nick my clothes if i leave them alone in the dryer or the fact that laundry soap at the yuppie market down the street costs 3 times what it should.

when you consider that most of the world lives in urban areas (i have no stats to back this up, but go with me here), no wonder it’s hard to get people to do anything extra. life in a small town is so convenient that it’s easier to inconvenience one’s self in small ways like buying earth-friendly soap or separating your garbage for a special trip past the recycling center. here, i just want to survive: personally, professionally, financially.