As devoted to Berkeley as I am, I still have a consistent longing to live in neighboring Oakland. Perhaps it's the contrarian in me: most people, around here and throughout the nation, have a decidedly negative impression of Oakland. This impression is bogus. Oakland is a large, dare I say vibrant city with neighborhoods of every conceivable sort, many of them achingly desirable. But when people hear "I live in Oakland", they cringe. And I'm the sort of childish individual who loves getting that ill-informed cringe, as with when I say "My favorite dog breed is the pit bull."

However, I don't think it's my general contrarian streak that causes these Oakland pangs. I think it's much more specific: my envy of Oaklanders who casually litter in other East Bay towns, then say "Oakland got you again." "Oakland got you again." It should be the city motto.