You know you’re a Ring 1 city when….

And other ways to determine a locale’s vibe. Your opinions requested.

Identifying the grounding color ring of a city is predicated on the notions of: temperature, tone and terrain. The color math by city is one of the most frequented read articles (read here) I’ve written. Why? Because when we travel, it sucks if you show up in the wrong vibe rather than (just) the wrong outfit. The color math applies formulas to logic acquired by experience. In school, when I was taught the formula for something, it was hard for me to digest and apply. When I had formula + rationale, I did much better. But when I could add on a layer of deep familiarity, the kind you feel in your gut, my knowledge level and ability to perform soared.

I think the below will help you feel viscerally what I know by experience coupled with some solid, albeit unconventional, analytics. I’ve taken some key activities we all do, no matter where we reside, and framed them by varied color rings. It’s easy to understand, you’ll feel the vibe. Promise.

And please - I encourage - give me feedback in comments, add places I don’t know, things I didn’t think about. Just don’t tell me I’m wrong, cause this is from my lens. Curious about your pov!

Let’s go:

Dominant excercise:

• Ring 1: fast walk, but make it in a heel.

• Ring 2: a treadmill, controlled and scheduled.

• Ring 3: Hiking or things that require deep breaths in an area where the act of breathing in your environment is not a health risk.

• Ring 4: High intensity aerobics and weight lifting that accompanies grunts and maybe a fist pump.

Weekday breakfast:

• Ring 1: anything that can be held in one hand and eaten during the afore mentioned fast walking

• Ring 2: anything in a bowl: cereal, yogurt with toppings, maybe a soft boiled egg with toast. Parameters are set, utensils required.

• Ring 3: anything in a blender, inclusive of a powdered substance like collagen or creatine.

• Ring 4: anything platable - fresh fruits, eggs, it’s the most important meal of the day afterall.

The Soundtrack:

• Ring 1: Things that thump or carry strong messages- The Strokes, the Cruel Intentions Soundtrack, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem. Or music intentionally ironic to lend perspective like Kate Bush’s “This mother’s work.” In absence of music, you’ve pressed play on the many apps you’ve bought to help you learn Japanese or sharpen your conversational French.

• Ring 2: The “Uncommon Knowledge Podcast”, things found on Siriux XM like The Bloomberg Channel, Nostalgic music (note: this is different for all of us, my Gen 90s nostalgia is different than a Millenial’s early aughts)

• Ring 3: Any songs that have a guitars base- but strummed - not a power picking of chords. Or a tune that allows for singing along - sometimes loudly (and who cares, you’re alone in your car, no ones watching or worse, filming).

• Ring 4: music by groups that have more than 3 men in them, often wearing short sleeve buttondowns and pants with cargo pockets they actually use and that end just below the knees. Or anything involving a steel drum or an instrument exuberantly upbeat like a xylophone, a ukulele, or a glockenspiel.

The greeting:

• Ring 1: (if at all) it’s a cock of the head. Nod down or nod up, depending on the level of familiarity.

• Ring 2: a firm handshake, direct eye contact.

• Ring 3: a soft hug or prayer hands with a quick head bow.

• Ring 4: a slap on the back, maybe even a headlock noogie.

The sendoff:

• Ring 1: Ciao (regardless of native tongue), or just three grey dots that linger for a moment then just simply dissapear.

• Ring 2: “I’ll call you next week” - and they actually mean it.

• Ring 3: “Namaste”

• Ring 4: “I’ll see you at the club.”

Load me up with your comments.

Ciao,

Amy