Sunday, November 18, 2007
My Task in New York for Tomorrow
People in New York are funny. They are actually friendly when you engage them in conversation about some relevant topic or when you are the subject of their service, but overall without the pretense of a focussed topic they ignore you. Such is life in a megalopolis, I suppose. For example, when you pass some one in the street here, the usual interaction is to say nothing. You huddle up and scurry on your way.This suits me well. I generally dislike such trifling acknowledgments of our existence, and, I assume like most New Yorkers, just want to get about my business.
I feel compelled, however, to change my ways in the city that suits me so well (being the rude, un-noticing son of bitch I can be), and tomorrow I shall greet every person on my path in a friendly manner.
Perhaps this is noticing the difference between where I live and here. No. No. No. It is not that Salt Lake is the bastion of friendliness--in fact it is not. It is the fact that here you have the Salt Lake problem of being rude to your passers by so massively evident. In Salt Lake, however, at least you have someone who recognizes the problems of a homeless person (I've only met one so far in this visit to New York) or even a hobbling old lady. In SLC there would be at least some help for the old lady. The homeless folks, however, face a harder time. You know, ultimately, that may be why beggars are so far and few between in modern New York: there is very little tolerance for poverty or for beggars. They don't fit in the scheme. They don't survive her because the people don't tolerate everyday courtesy.
Zow. (No offense, New York, but as the song says "I love you but your are bringing me down.")
Ok, Ok, so what't the plan as I finish my Convention attendance here in the greatest city in the world? "Hello!" I shall say to the unwitting tenement dweller in my unfortunate neighborhood. "How's it going?" I will ask of the tourist hauling her luggage to Penn Station. I will give my change to whoever asks for it.
It is easy to forget the simple courtesies while living in such a large city. Yes it protects us. (As I know as a resident of a not-so-large city), but it also anesthetizes use from living. The difference between San Francisco (which abounds with beggars) and New York is vast. I feel compelled to write about that difference and what it really means. That is for latter, however.
But, Hello! How are you doing? Thanks for stopping by. Would you like something to drink?
Labels: fear, hope, life, living, street, tourism
¶ 9:06 PM 3 comments
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Monday, October 08, 2007
Why was Main Street traded for Malls?
Utah Stories has a fine analysis of Why was Main Street traded for Malls?While you are there, you can check out US's take on the Sugarhouse problem.
Labels: city, living, salt lake city, urban planning, Utah
¶ 6:03 PM 1 comments
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Ashamed or "Punk ass Kids"
I posted this photo over on flickr because I was quite amused by the antics, but after talking to my friend Tif and then reading what Dr. Write has to say about commonplace violence, was quite shamed by my actions:
The bored, little, teenage wannabe baller punks* up the street have taken to throwing apples at cars. My house is across the street from their vantage point and, consequently, their spent ammo ends up in my yard.
I shouted at them last night with a classic Hank Hill line: "Are you going to stop doing that, or am I going to have to come over there and kick your ass." Aside from a little back talk from them, they quickly dispersed, especially when I charged from the porch to the sidewalk. Great fun.
It is not to hard to track down who the kids are, given that the neighbor up the street has an apple tree in his back yard next to their basketball hoop where these dipshits practice their mad ball skillz. It is going to be fun when the cops show up the next time they decide to pull this crap.
*You know the type: 15 year old rich white boys dressing in basketball gear as a sort of uniform, and think it actually conveys on them some sort of ability and right to cop an attitude with anyone they meet.
Labels: city, grow-up, humanity, kidshows, life, living, shame
¶ 9:26 PM 6 comments
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
"Consider the lilies of the field...."
A quotation for you:We choose..."a life of action over a life of comnsumption...engendering a life style which will enable us to be spontaneous, independent, yet related to each other, rather than maintaining a life style which only allows us to make and unmake, produce and consume." (Ivan Illich, Deschooling Society, 52 as quoted in The Everyday Writing Center: A Community of Practice, Geller et al, 71)
Discuss.
Labels: living, philosophy, question, quotation, simplicity, survey
¶ 5:01 PM 6 comments
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