Will Sim: The Man Who Defies the Adjective

2010-02-06T01:36:28Z

“Are you going to take my picture?” Will’s voice on the other end of the phone sounds hurried yet genuinely concerned. I tell him that I’m just going to be interviewing him today. “Alright, then I won’t wax my mustache. I’ll be there soon.”

I can only chuckle. Will Sim, a 21-year-old student at Sacramento City College, is the type of guy that cannot be defined. The word “eccentric” falls to its knees when used to illustrate his personality, and those who know him are left at a loss for words when asked to compare him to anyone or anything.

This is, after all, the man who once drunk-dialed my parents. But that’s another story.

“I don’t know. Whenever I try to describe Will – I just say ‘Will’,” Katie Kaffka, a 21-year-old student at UC Berkeley, who has known Will since 7th grade, once told me. And she’s right – I honestly have no idea how one could describe him in any other way.

Fifteen minutes after calling, he meets me at Sophia’s, a local, hip-yet-sophisticated bar that we frequent often in downtown Davis. We take a seat on the balcony outside and order two glasses of wine; He ordered the Argentinean malbec, which made my sauvignon blanc look amateurish. He begins our interview by asking something only Will would ask.

“Wait, before we start, I need to make absolutely clear that I’m not allowed to lie, right? Because I really like lying. But if you tell me not to lie, I probably won’t.”

I stare at him, wait for him to finish his long string of contradictions, and tell him that I’d definitely prefer it if he would not. He concedes and then continues with the truth.

“On the day I was born, there was a horrible storm. Fires broke out all over the place. Power was out in most of the town – winds were wreaking havoc –,” I think he senses my disbelief at this point, because he continues with, “And the best part is, I’m not making this up.”

That day was Mar 27, 1988, which, according to Will, was the most important day of his life, because in the literal sense of the word, his creation marks his greatest inspiration. However, though he acknowledges the cliché, he is driven by his desire to change the world.

“I’ve always felt that any sort of skills you have and knowledge you learn are sort of wasted unless you can apply them to help other people,” Will states confidently. “So, I think my sort of ridiculous goals of making the world nice and better are what fuel me.”

For him, the path to make the world a better place will start by transferring to Portland State – or Berkeley if he gets in – to get his degree in Middle-East Studies with a specialty in Lebanon and Lebanese-Israeli and Lebanese-Iranian interactions. He also plans on spending time studying abroad at the American University of Beirut.

“Ultimately I would like to put my learning to use in a way which will make an impact on the world – preferably a positive one,” he says as he sits up straight and eyes his pack of Nat Shermans. “I’d like to end up working for the government in foreign relations – possibly as a diplomat or in the Department of Defense.”

Will also romanticizes the thought of becoming a famous writer, and spends quite a bit of time writing short stories, plays, and music for his band, which is appropriately named Mustache. But in all truthfulness, if he could have his way, he wouldn’t be doing any of this at all.

“I’d rather be learning honest-to-god magic,” He explains, while using his glass of malbec more as a theatrical prop than anything else. “Not like Hogwarts, that’s too much boarding school for me, you know? I’d rather be having Merlin teach me how to kill dragons or something. Although he probably would stink. I mean I have a problem with B.O., that’s all I’m saying.”

He has a valid point there.

The question remains, though: Are there any people out there quite like Will Sim? And if so, would the earth implode if they found each other?

“If I met another Will Sim, I’d kiss him on the mouth. And give him a high five,” he tells me effortlessly, but then rethinks it. “Actually that might be a bit narcissistic, even for me.”

(Thanks to Andres Ruiz for the photo.)

Sierra Club Yolano Group Discusses Berryessa Snow Mountain Project

2009-10-22T05:53:37Z

In the heart of quiet, residential west Davis, the management members of the Sierra Club Yolano Group, a close-knit circle of eight elderly friends that represent the Yolo and Solano counties, met on Oct. 8 to discuss the progress to set aside a national conservation area surrounding Berryessa Snow Mountain.

The proposed national conservation area would include 800,000 acres west of Sacramento and north of the San Francisco Bay, with elevations ranging between 2,000 and 7,000 feet. Putah and Cache creeks both wind through the area, greenery to the whole valley. The Sierra Club is one of many groups trying to get this land legal protection.

The land is also home to many animals, including tule elk, black bear, mountain lion, bald eagles, falcons, white pelicans, osprey, bobcat, foxes, and river otters.

“Our goal is to protect this incredible biodiversity,” said Bob Schneider, the Yolano group’s conservation chair.

Getting legal protection for the land would allow it to be monitored and conserved in ways that not only protect the land, but work with the people who currently live and farm in the area and help them become more environmentally conscious. It would limit the building of new houses there and keep the animals as far away from human tampering as possible.

“Any farming is better than houses, because once you pave it, you can’t get it back,” Marc Vayssières, the treasurer of the group pointed out.

Various government agencies and local farmers, however, fear that the change to “national conservation area” might bring more people to the area, thus making the initial problems worse.

“They’re concerned that more people are going to impact their operation, and that’s a valid concern,” said Schneider. “We hope to see this happen late this year or early next year.”

The Yolano group currently has about 1,475 members, but the management group meets on the second week of every month and is completely open to the public.

“Since it’s open to the public, we never know how many people are going to show up,” said Ida Bryan, who is in charge of newsletter distribution. “But we always love to see new faces!”

“We’re one of the most democratic groups around,” joked Schneider. “We discuss issues and discuss issues and discuss issues. Everyone is heard, not everyone agrees, but decisions are always made.”

Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Cat Jones

Will Sim: The Man Who Defies the Adjective

Sierra Club Yolano Group Discusses Berryessa Snow Mountain Project