Walking through San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood earlier this evening, I spotted something new—or at least to me. The “Before I Die…” wall has been there since June 2012. Clearly, I don’t get to that side of University Ave. often enough.
There’s something morbid about the giant chalkboard compared to aspirational “The Courage Wall”, which was my Flickr-a-Day-231 selection last year. Both fixtures provide space for passersby to express something longed to do; one is about overcoming something to achieve something more, while the other is wished for far less earnestly. Compare the aspirations to see the differences.
Still, “Before I Die…”, which adorns the Alibi Dive bar, is monument to free speech and public expression that can inspire anyone reading or writing on the board to set greater goals for personal achievement. I’m a big fan of public spaces and common areas, and I commend Alibi’s owners for adorning the building and the community permitting the wall.
I shot the accompanying photos using iPhone 6s Plus. Vitals for the Featured Image: f/2.2, ISO 25, 1/620 sec, 4.15mm. The angles chosen represent my effort to keep my shadow off the chalkboard cast by the setting sun.