Souls Of Polk: Fall 2015

Souls Of Polk: Fall 2015Photos: Dijon Bowden/Souls of Society
Dijon
Published on September 30, 2015

In our ongoing series, Dijon of Souls of Society gets to know locals via brief on-the-street interviews and snapshots. Today, we visit Polk Street for the second time. (Here's the previous installment.) 



What’s one of your favorite things about him?

Him: “Ew! I know one.” 

Her: “That he knows how to handle himself on the street.” 

Him: “Our ability to have a conversation.” 

You two have great energy together. How do you keep it so fresh?

Her: “Live apart.” 

Him: “That’s true! It keeps it really fresh.” 

How long have you been a couple?

Him: "Eight years.” 


How do you like to contribute to your community?

“I own a salon called Tailored, and I’m all about supporting local businesses and having community events.” 

What gave you the impetus to start your own thing?

“I used to work at Vidal Sassoon, but it got really corporate.” 

What’s your idea of a good time on a Friday night?

“A dive bar, maybe Summer Place. A little whiskey.” 


What’s one of your proudest accomplishments?

“My work. I work with autistic kids. Watching them progress and get better. Even small little things, like when they make eye contact. I feel accomplished when I see them growing.” 

What inspired you to get involved in that kind of work?

“Fear. I was afraid that if I was ever gonna have kids, they would be autistic, so I thought, why not face that fear?” 

That’s pretty unique. Do you usually go straight towards your fears?

“Absolutely.” 

Where does that come from? Your parents?

“No. I’m really into spiritual growth. I like to challenge myself.” 

What sparked your interest in spirituality?

“I have 16 years sobriety, so it all started from recovery and grew from there. Since I moved to San Francisco, there’s been so many things I’ve dipped into spiritually and I thrive off of it.” 

“Fear is just False Evidence Appearing Real so you can Fuck Everything And Run or Face Everything And Recover.” 


Her: “We have 50 pieces of art in our living rooms. Mostly cranky portraits of women in the kitchen. In the living room, we have still lifes and cityscapes and landscapes that are more conservative.”  

Him: “A lot of wacky stuff in the bathroom.” 

Her: “More cartoon-y, funny pieces in our bedroom. More whimsical stuff on paper.” 

Him: “We have a lot of diversity in the bedroom.” 

What characteristics are necessary for a good long-term relationship?

Her: “Sense of humor.” 

Him: “And the ability to get over yourself.” 

Her: “We’ve been together 16 years. We opened this art gallery 12 years ago.” 

How is it you’re able to have so much fun after all that time?

Him: “We were old when we met each other.” 

Her: “We had a lot of miles on us. We knew what we were interested in. Even though we have very different ways of being in the world, we have similar priorities and values.”