I was thinking last night that the turnover rate on our block in Southeast Baltimore (Canton, to be exact) is extremely high. I think there are about thirty houses on our street, and at any time it seems as if four or five are for sale. We've been here seven years and, along with the personal-responsiblity Republican next door to us (read white-trash ghetto), are the one of th only original residents on our street. Yet we hardly know anyone anymore, watching passively as newer generations form cliques, only to be dissolved again upon moving. And it's always the same people moving in and out--higher-income white yuppies with who drink at the generically-unique bars and restaurants in Canton square, wear sporting casual clothing, drive Jeeps and BMWs, and participate in the Baltimore Sports and Social Club. It would be so nice to move to Mount Vernon or Charles Village (or have the artsy types in Mount Vernon and Charles Village move here), but once we sell the house and turn the big profit involved (I think the house has almost tripled in value since it was acquired seven years ago), we are on our way to California with a nice nest egg and hopes of greater diversity in the Bay area (I know; we can dream, right?)