Blah. Blah. Blah.

thursday confessions

2011-05-05T18:19:00.002-04:00

rice with italian dressing is no longer my favorite food.
i still cry when i watch legally blonde (after midnight).
i keep my sparklepants in a desk drawer at work. in case of emergency.

an early valentine

2011-02-15T09:59:00.003-05:00

if you hate children, and magical unicorns, and warm fuzzy feelings you should probably stop reading right now. i've come to expect the unexpected from valentine's day. this year was no exception - hanging with les and neighbor john, feeding my recent peter pan obsession with "hook," and red cross-ing the night away. but my best valentine came last friday at a place called freedom house.

i'd stopped by to meet with my 8-year-old "language partner." plans changed when a group of young, and clearly beloved, volunteers showed up with party hats and birthday cake. the small tv room transformed into a party palace as residents, staff, and volunteers filled the small space. i tried to duck out when my young pal confronted me with: "you're not staying for the party?"

there was only one answer to give.

enjoying my fly-on-the-wall position, i felt my heart grow too big for my rib cage: suburban high school kids celebrating passage into adulthood, a 5-year-old lost in music and one-of-a-kind dance moves; and a group of adults immersed for a blissful moment in the familiar sounds of home. it was that cinematic scene when voices fade and the focus gets softer. the camera pans widely, sentimental music kicks in, and its your cue to cry. i was overwhelmed by that elusive notion we call love.

so i tried to sneak out again, but my little buddy caught me in the hallway. "you're leaving already?!" he asked with concern. "when will you be back?"

not soon enough, little man. not soon enough.

even peter pan let his teeth grow up

2011-02-12T13:16:00.022-05:00

2011 is proving to be a year of many changes: wrapping up my tour in detroit (and michigan), preparing for law school, getting my big kid teeth...

if you are reading this, you probably know my smile looks something like this:as you may know, that smile includes 2 baby canines and a memorial gap for the baby tooth i lost in high school. with 2 parts practicality, 1 part vanity, and 1 part good fortune, i decided 2011 would be the year for my smile to grow up.

so doc pulled out the two survivors, leaving me with a frightening grin

and a flipper (e.g. temporary dentures).

i'm told the vampire phenomenon will fade as i get used to my adult-size canines. stitches come out next week. screws go in mid-march. and with good fortune, i'll be ready for my close up when i hit the books this fall.

many thanks to my benefactors - mom and dad - for making this possible!

sorry kid, no such thing as a snowstorm

2011-02-03T12:26:00.002-05:00

communities from oklahoma to maine braced for an historic snowstorm this week. schools and businesses shut down, people stocked up on food and blankets, and reporters warned residents to stay off the roads. for many, the storm came. and it was epic.

but as leslie, neighbor john, and i waited up until midnight, 1am, 1:30...we grew skeptical. stubbornly clinging to visions of snowdrifts and white outs, we drifted off to sleep. in the morning, i awoke, disillusioned:

detroit blogger john

2011-01-26T23:16:00.004-05:00

christyn and ismael came over tonight to sample my first attempt at fattoush, israeli salad, and falafal laffa (many thanks to les for the help!). per the usual, christyn tipped me off to another great blog. forget my "things to do in detroit" google doc, detroit blogger john's done all the research for me...

detroit grocery quest

2011-01-24T22:46:00.004-05:00

al-haramain, photo courtesy of stephen mcgee

this isn't the first time i've posted about grocery shopping in the d. and, realistically, it won't be the last. i'm slowly discovering that buying food can be a hobby in its own right. tonight leslie and i braved the cold to check out al-haramain international foods in hamtramck. a historically-polish community, hamtramck now boasts a significant arab population (primarily yemeni) and is culinarily-known for kebobs as much as kraut. while les was scouting out bargain produce, i got lost in the olive oils and fresh-baked laffa bread. all told, the damage was about $40 and i walked away with specialty items like falafal, laffa, olive oil, local dairy milk, graviera cheese, and sumac in addition to fresh produce and dry goods. did i mention it's open until midnight (unheard of in detroit) and features an olive & nuts bar?

previously on detroit grocery quest: kim's produce delivered groceries to my doorstep. no service charge whatsoever. gotta love living at the park shelton...

next adventure: little asia mart at third & forest. walkable. bikeable. totally likeable? only time will tell.

cycle chic

2011-01-06T14:15:00.002-05:00

my friend, christyn, sent me a link to this blog. so much for afternoon productivity.

tales of the holy land

2011-01-05T01:14:00.027-05:00

baby rach and i were thrilled to visit cousin scott in israel/palestine.

we saw many holy sites, such as al-aqsa mosque,

the western wall,

gethsemane,

the garden tomb,

and the church of the nativity.

in the west bank, we dined at stars & bucks cafe,

spotted a few banksy's,

and wandered like lost souls.

all our adventures wore baby rach out.

so we decided to cross the judean desert for some dead sea fun.

many thanks to scott and friends for your hospitality and adventurous spirits!

thursday thought train

2010-10-21T01:14:00.004-04:00

originally from angola, my friend, ismael, moved to detroit about 10 years ago. jovial and outgoing, i rarely hear him speak about home or his experiences growing up in a war-torn country. our recent trip to bruce peninsula was an exception.

his fiancee, christyn, asked if people often go camping in angola. he quickly and softly replied, "no. never." when pressed, ismael simply explained: "people like camping, but there are still many land mines. it is too big a risk." that image, a post-war generation robbed of such a simple leisure activity, seared my mind.

i thought of it again tonight as i listened to joaquim chissano, former president of mozambique, speak about his country's move toward peace and independent democracy. admittedly, i know nothing about this subject and cannot offer alternative viewpoints to the ones he presented. but as i listened to him talk about a people wearied by years of war, another salient image came to mind.

the book of mormon tells of a people who - after years of violence - decide to bury all their weapons so they will never again be tempted to kill one of their countrymen. they are so distraught by their past, and committed to a peaceful future, that they promise God they would die before they would kill again.

as i felt overwhelmed by images of children who will never go camping with their families, civil wars, and book of mormon pacifists, dr. chissano's words resonated with hope:

(speaking of present-day mozambique) they asked: 'why do you make an organization for peace? we have peace.' when you have domestic violence, you cannot speak of peace. it also pertains to the community. we need constantly to work on reconciliation and peace, starting with ourselves.

i did it!

2010-10-18T08:50:00.004-04:00

i ran across international borders twice, unfettered. i fueled (and occasionally bathed) myself exclusively with gatorade and luna bars. i high-fived over a dozen strangers. with a finish time of 4:31:13, i can officially add "run a marathon" to my eat-your-words list.

dad met me between miles 10 and 11:

and again at the finish line:

both times i was overjoyed to see him. despite what the photos suggest.

my new favorite blog

2010-10-10T22:19:00.000-04:00

hipster girls in mustaches.

cheer squad

2010-10-10T11:17:00.003-04:00

i was 6 miles into a run this morning when two kids - dressed in sunday best - fell in step beside me. the older of the two spoke up:

k: excuse me, are you jogging?
c: yes, i am.
k: is it fun?
c: fun enough.
k: oh.
c: are you gonna jog with me?
k: oh no!
c: ahhh...c'mon!
k: (bolting in the opposite direction) nooooooooooooooooo!!!!

this isn't the first time i've scared small children. nor the first time i've encountered an impromptu cheer squad. running in this city is a highly interactive sport. some of my favorites include:

(critical approach)
"you need to lay off the cigarettes!"
"better run, girl, or i'll run you down!"

(positive reinforcement)
"didn't i just see you across town? you go!"
"how far you running today? new york? that's something!"

one week til the marathon :-)

bp before bp was

2010-10-03T10:40:00.009-04:00

i'm not talking oil. the theme for this week's top 100 picks is robert redford (a.k.a. brad pitt, when the boy himself was still playing four-square on the playground). here's what i have to say about it:

all the president's men: if you're a succor for cynical mid-century political thrillers a la the manchurian candidate (1962) and the parallax view (1974), this is your flick. also tempting as a double feature with frost:nixon. this movie artfully captures the quiet intensity and indignation surrounding watergate.

butch cassidy & the sundance kid: simply stated, i love scoundrels. from robin hooding to hoodlums robbing, i find myself rooting for criminals to the dire end. and a little ole fashioned hollywood storytelling never hurts. sound like you? grab some popcorn. let butch and sundance take you for a ride.

the sting: from a competitive standpoint, this was a complete waste of time considering i watched it 3 years ago. but butch cassidy got me craving more paul newman-bob redford magic. if you haven't seen them work the streets of chicago - of if you haven't seen them in awhile - the sting is well worth a watch.

double indemnity: confession - neither robert redford nor brad pitt are in this movie. the film noir masterpiece, which took some teeth-pulling to make, raked in 7 academy award nominations in 1944. shocking, witty, and suspenseful, it's just what the doctor orders for a rainy autumnal eve.

the top 100 update

2010-09-21T11:11:00.004-04:00

i'm up to 45 on the top 100 movie challenge. the theme of this week has been war movies. here's my take on the latest views:
on the waterfront: holy marlon brando. i don't care if he was difficult to work with or a jerk off-screen. he was one talented hottie. besides, it's nice to know that anti-snitch culture has been an urban battle since at least 1954.
the african queen: all those katherine hepburn jokes i made in college actually played out in this flick. it was pretty sweet that some of this movie was shot on location in africa, though.
schindler's list: never again is right. though well-crafted, this movie reminded me why i swore off holocaust films (and war movies in general) years ago. watch at your own risk.
the general: okay. forget what i said about war flicks. silent movies are an exception. buster keaton, the unlikely hero, proves that there is comedy in every situation.

the grocer and me

2010-09-17T15:33:00.009-04:00

the following conversation ensued between a local grocer and me when i returned the platter and bowls from a catered fruit tray i'd purchased for a women's activity at church:

g: how'd it work out?
m: great! as i predicted, the almond dip was a major success.
g: they liked it, huh?
m: (picking out a few new purchases). yup. me and some of my girlfriends were doing this home spa thing and -
g: spa thing?
m: yeah. and we wanted something sweet and light to go with it.
g: oh.
m: so it was perfect.
grocer follows me to the register where he instructs the cashier how to ring up my new purchases.
g: home spa...so like massages and those facial rubs?
m: uh-huh. and some epsom salt water to soak our feet.
g: girls are weird.
m: uh-huh, it was great.
cashier gives me change and passes my purchases across the counter.
m: (to the cashier) thanks.
g: see ya later.
m: next time.

i coulda been a contender

2010-09-15T17:22:00.006-04:00

a few months ago jay dropped this list on my coffee table with check marks next to several movie titles. "how many have you seen?" he challenged. to my surprise, we had seen exactly the same number of flicks from the american film institute's 10th anniversary edition of the best 100 movies of all time. boring.

so i took it to work. mark, tony, julie, jenn and i each chose a color and meticulously marked each of our have seens. our progress varied from the teens to 40-somethings. then it got serious. jenn came in on a monday morning bragging about movies she could check off the list. roommate leslie started to notice a trend in our netflix queue. tony was staying up late for classic reruns on showtime. it even made the agenda for our weekly department meeting once.

now icecream and pride are on the line. the race is on. i cordially invite you to join in the "who can watch the top 100 movies of all time first?" competition.

don't let yourself fall behind, left only to ramble on about how you coulda been a contender.

city living

2010-08-31T07:18:00.004-04:00

late last night i entered the basement laundry room at precisely the same moment as an unacquainted neighbor. silently, we surveyed the situation. then, he outed the elephant:

him: there's only 1 washer open.
silence.
me: wanna rock, paper, scissors for it?
him: best of three?
me: yup. are we doing "rock, paper, scissors" or - ?
him: "rock, paper, scissors, shoot."
me: k.
we play. i lose.
me: all yours.
him: thanks. (examining the machine). ugh. it's one of those high efficiency ones.
me: huh?
him: the machine. i think it takes a special kind of detergent.
me: oh. uhh...i dunno. (scanning bottle for instructions). you're welcome to use my detergent. if it's the right kind.
silence.
him: nah. you can have it. i'll just wait. thanks though.
me: you sure?
him: yeah.
silence.
him: nice playing with you.
me: oh. likewise.
he silently exits. i load laundry as the elevator announces its arrival with a "ding".

jane austen's fight club

2010-07-26T17:00:00.003-04:00

i love it and the people that made it.

wheels of fortune

2010-07-08T14:08:00.006-04:00

recently, i came across a new york times blog that outlined the comparative costs of car v. bike ownership in new york city. among the 159 comments in response to this entry, my favorite was: "come on. be practical. rest of america is not new york." and that got me thinking...

i'm single with no children, live in the motor city, work 15 miles from my apartment, go to church 30 miles away, love to socialize by "going out," and have been tracking my monthly expenses religiously since i moved here last year. the past 14 months reveal:

car - $4654
i drive a 1999 chevy prism that my parents gifted to me. it has approximately 145k miles, and i piggyback off mom and pops insurance to get a lower rate.
purchase - $0
insurance - $560
gas - $1538
maintenance - $2556

bicycle - $323
i ride a custom build road bike i bought from a community bike shop. during the summer months, i rarely use a car. from october-march, i use my bike primarily for recreation and short commutes within the city.
purchase - $250
maintenance - $18
security & accessories - $55

other transportation costs - $1324
public transit - $59
trains, planes, and (rented) automobiles - $1265

dollar for dollar, i have found owning a bike is approximately 14 times cheaper than owning a car in detroit. as the daughter of an economist, i feel compelled to bring up opportunity costs, such as time, convenience, earning potential, security, and social capital. i'm admittedly biased toward cycling and public transit, but that's not everyone's cup of tea.

commentator 159 is right. the rest of america is not new york. where do you live? how much does it cost you to get around?

banksy in the d

2010-05-23T21:35:00.009-04:00

i spied the headline banksy was here on the cover of last week's metrotimes and immediately set to work scheming. a few weeks ago, banksy allegedly tagged 4 locations while visiting the d for the local release of exit through the gift shop. 2 are no more, 1 is in an art gallery, and 1 is still intact north of the city. jay and i set out to find (and re-create) the goods:
kid draws his garden (r.i.p. power-washing property owner)
a girl holds a diamond (r.i.p. botched excavation attempt)
a boy paints (relocated to the 555 gallery on w. vernor)
tightrope rat (showing off in warren)

how does your garden grow?

2010-05-02T10:52:00.007-04:00

it may not be eden exactly, but there's plenty of garden in the d these days.

GREEN RECOVERY PROJECT
this is a work effort to engage river rouge residents who are disabled or in addiction recovery with other community members through vegetable gardening. it's in the early phases - i was helping build raised beds last friday - but i'm looking forward to starting a "grow it, eat it, love it" group with our teenage clients later this summer.

ART CENTER COMMUNITY GARDEN
this is the new fancy-pants garden around the corner from my digs. and home to my 8x12' garden plot rental, which i will cultivating with leslie and neighbor john this year. with any luck, we'll learn a few things, eat some fresh produce, and (fingers-crossed) be ready to sell at eastern market's "grown in detroit" stand next season.

GEORGIA STREET COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
this is why i love detroit; every time i leave my apartment i realize i have a long way to grow.

grocery shopping

2010-03-30T20:59:00.005-04:00

my love for the d can be summarized in three words: calder's horchata icecream.

see, it's like this: there are no grocery store chains in detroit unless you consider family dollar or save-a-lot a grocery. which makes food acquisition interesting; or decidedly suburban. i generally opt for the former.

if i'm feeling fancy, i shop at eastern market for produce and specialty items like cheese and nuts. otherwise, i stay fresh with kim's produce and go to either food pride or university foods to get dry and canned goods. then sometimes the smell - or simply the memory - of fresh tortillas and salsa lures me into honey bee market for a one-stop shop plus surprises like coconut soda and giant strawberry-flavored marshmellows.

which brings me back to calder's horchata icecream. my partner in crime and roommate, leslie, recently informed me that my favorite local dairy sells their icecream at honey bee market. it's not cheap, but as i am a witness, the sweet sensation of farm-fresh icecream in the freezer section of a city grocery lingers.

love and (il)logic

2010-02-09T00:01:00.008-05:00

sometimes my life feels like a love affair; unpredictable and cliche all at once. i don't quite get how it started or where it's going. i'm not sure i'll even want to know in five, ten years. but for now? i wouldn't have it any other way.

after spending 1.5 hours of court-ordered time with 7 teenage delinquents, i had an insatiable desire to watch boyz n the hood. so i sat down with my roommate and some fresh sushi to try to make sense of male violence in the comfort of our living room. which made me late for my pbs date with mom and dad. wrapped in my red blankie, i trotted upstairs to contemplate urban transportation design for 60 minutes. at which point my thinker was completely saturated.

so here i am. blogging in bed to the sounds of vampire weekend. sigh...c'est l'amour.

as if canada needs another reason to pique my interest

2010-02-06T09:25:00.003-05:00

sings like devendra banhart meets early bob dylan
plays violin, guitar (acoustic and electric), piano, and harmonica
speaks english, french, and icelandic

you'll always be a part of me

2010-01-26T19:08:00.005-05:00

moving "home" has made me all kinds of nostalgic. maybe it's the fact that i work with restless suburban teens all day. or that i bump into high school acquaintances on a semi-regular basis. or simply that i catch myself doing the sway-and-snap every time i hear mariah carey's "always be my baby"...which averages once/month.

by the time mariah hits the first verse, i'm back at bonaventure, skating and feeling slightly uncomfortable with all the hand-holding going on around me. puzzled more than envious, all feelings temporarily take a back seat to the present fear of falling. with a few hours of free skate and 4" of recent growth, one can never be too careful about these things.

an attractive employee flashes an encouraging smile. now you wanna be free-ee-ee. so i'll let you fly-i-i... the music, the braces-free grin, the smooth confidence with which he skates backwards. it's too much and i'm in love.

i've made it 3 times around the rink without falling, but it's not enough to get his attention. i need something more. something sassy. like the cross-over turn; that nifty one all the hockey kids know. you'll always be a part of me... i build speed and take a deep breath. oo darlin', (this is for you, bonaventure man) cause you'll always be my baby. do-do doooo do (bom)...

i get caught up in the song and my skates. epic wipeout. do-do-do-do-do-do-do... he's by side in 3 seconds flat, flashing another perfect smile. but mariah's voice is fading now and the lighting's changed. it's the same smile i get from my older brothers when i fall down the stairs. how did i miss that the first time?!

there's only one way to heal this heartbreak: rope candy.

january firsts

2010-01-23T03:28:00.012-05:00

never had i ever (until jan 2010)...

restored an antique bed frame
watched the original batman
biked in a snowstorm
made candy sushi
had a professional modeling gig
been to the maah
taken a portuguese class
owned a milk frother
asked a bus driver to drop me off at an unofficial stop
conquered a stack of hay bales with a sled
reupholstered dining chairs

what's new with you?

making old things new

2010-01-11T02:22:00.003-05:00

sometimes i get these nutty ideas in my head that i just can't shake. like when i dreamed i was at junior year homecoming wearing a traditional cheongsam and wouldn't shut up about it until mom took me to joann fabrics to pick out a pattern and fabric for the dress. those ones.

when i moved into my apartment a few weeks ago, the mental steamrollers went to work in high gear and pretty soon i was set on an antique bedframe. old building, old frame - makes sense, right? 6 days of bedroom floor camping and 2 visits to eastern market antiques later, i am the proud owner of a 1920s painted metal frame with flowery detail in the center of the head/foot boards. dusty and rusty and 3/4 wheeled; everything i'd hoped for.

tonight i set about the business of restoring it. step one: pull off remaining 3 wheels and cast aside for (possible) future use. step two: scrub it down with soapy water and a wet rag, then use a dry rag to, well, dry it. scrub, dry. scrub, dry. scrub, dry. easy enough and it looks great.

i almost can't wait for spring cleaning when i get to do steps 3 and 4...

the sunny side of a michigan winter

2009-12-15T23:56:00.009-05:00

some people drink. others hibernate. i relish the seasonal perks:

1. lounging in your long johns and watching uber-violent films, guilt-free
2. stocking up on every variety of cocoa for your twice daily dose
3. extending your friendly indoor visit just to thaw out
4. sporting the biker burqa look and fashionably functional boots
5. never standing out as the smelly kid

first snowfall

2009-12-09T01:06:00.002-05:00

ride there. cheat death. rock on.

2009-11-15T02:03:00.008-05:00

there's nothing quite like a perfect saturday. i slipped on my rainbows and slung the bike chain over my shoulder before heading to biggby's for my first detroit bikes group ride. from biggby's, approximately 50 cyclists including me started out on the free java junket tour: croissant & nutella from 1515 broadway, mango juice from cafe con leche, the grilled 3 and apple cider from cafe 1923, and a warm hello at good girls. but that was just backdrop for the true treats: real conversation with long-time acquaintances kristen, jen, and joanna; "small cities" talk with connecticut mike; bike designing/building advice from keith; dirt bike park construction with ben, jason, and joey; a friendly visit with leopold's owner greg; and catching up with detroit bikes organizer tom...

tom deserves a paragraph of his own. a retired lapd officer, and detroit native, tom destroys every obligatory prejudice my liberal heart harbors against law enforcement officials. witty, affable, charismatic, creative. today after telling an entertaining, if not tragic, story about attempting to spread his brother's ashes across the pacific, he concluded: "my life motto has always been - ride there. cheat death. rock on."

post bike ride, i managed much needed visits with neighbor john and baby rach before meeting up with jay for a night at the movies. earlier this week i learned the burton theatre, which recently opened in a defunct school building, offers a special discount for cyclists. after jay scored a bike from a local punk commune and i free popcorn coupons from burton building owner, joel landy, it seemed fated for us to see crude this weekend.

**burton theatre image courtesy of burtontheatre.com**
the theater was everything i hoped for - a pseudo-sketch neighborhood, a kooky back door entrance, an unceremonious stairwell, and a spectacularly designed 33mm film theater with old-school concessions. the movie was well-done and exceptionally depressing. jay and i biked back to woodbridge to soothe our nerves with the good-humored company of his roommates and a few episodes of arrested development.

that, folks, is life in the d: ride there. cheat death. rock on.

i'm no sharp shooter, but i know when i (don't) see one

2009-10-22T07:37:00.005-04:00

when i biked past seven dudes in flawless camo strutting out of a business building on monday, i thought: funny they're all asian. as i rounded the corner to find my route destroyed by a massive military demonstration, i fought off annoyance, and obediently rerouted myself. quietly, as instructed. that night, i asked the red cross team if they knew who was being honored. nobody could say.

yesterday, i saw a man gesturing a large truck to drive the wrong direction down a one-way street. and it finally clicked: duh. they're filming a movie. my mind raced through images like the hasty wrap-up of a good heist. why hadn't i noticed? people whispering confidentially about clean, gutted tanks parked near the transit center; a serviceman conversing with a casually well-dressed civilian about shooting schedules; an uncanny number of exceptionally good-looking men; and the familiar sense that, amidst this chaos, i was somehow the spectacle.

after recovering from personal disappointment about my poor recognition rate, i savored the sequence and sighed: there's no place like home.

life expectancy calculator

2009-10-20T15:13:00.004-04:00

the server went down at work, which meant that we only had access to the world wide web. seeing as our employer blocks facebook, youtube, hulu, and any other entertaining or socially productive sites, we were forced to google: life expectancy calculator. and compete over who would live longest.

i made it to 93. and immediately started shaving years off my life by stressing over other people's results. despite the calculator's affirmations re: my diet, lifestyle, family history, and exercise routines, EVERYONE SCORED HIGHER than i did. whatever, doc. you probably got your MD online. not even. you're probably a 13-year-old computer genius hermit who's obsessed with ruining people's lives.

but seriously, what's your score?

mission:inevitable

2009-10-09T09:54:00.008-04:00

for detroiters, exploring michigan central station is a rite of passage. more a question of when than if. after a productive discussion about economic development and tree-planting along jefferson ave, i stepped outside to inhale the damp, autumnal air. tonight's the night, i thought. i hurried home, changed into stealth attire, and set out to pick up my partner in crime.

**the ghost of mcs. courtesy of nicole rork, june 6, 2006.**

we parked a few blocks away and approached the enormous building with awe and anticipation. residual rain drops fell against scrap metal and stone, heightening our sense of unearthly abandonment. from inside, the main floor looked more like a shipwreck than a waiting room.

as we ascended, the scenery changed. sometimes ugly, sometimes stunning. city lights cast a heavenly glow through broken glass. stepping onto a balcony level with "save the depot," i had the fleeting sensation i was in a very strange production of romeo & juliet.

the rooftop, however, was the night's triumph. comfortably chilly, the mood changed from shakespeare to spiderman. only a superhero could know how it felt. to be trespassing 18 stories above street level, sidestepping unruly vegetation to take in a sleeping city.

you know you have a weird job when...

2009-10-07T15:17:00.007-04:00

you find yourself googling sex bracelets and emailing the results to your supervisor. here's what happened:

supervisor: what do the colors on sex bracelets mean? i have a parent who -
me: sex bracelets?
s: yeah. the ones girls are wearing these days.
m: there are bracelets for sex? hold on. (googling.) oh. oh? eww...want me to email you this link?
s: would you? thanks.

september: a suspenseful daydream

2009-09-23T22:54:00.003-04:00

i've been on a nostalgic kick lately. that is, if you consider watching 5 hitchcock films in 4 weeks "nostalgic." to catch a thief lured me in. soon, my evenings were consumed by men who knew too much, spying through rear windows, and knowing - beyond a shadow of a doubt - that this was the best way to spend my time. by labor day, i was on the edge of my seat at the michigan theater begging fictional characters not to visit the bates motel.

on red's recommendation, i started into middlesex after returning from portland. this, of course, piqued my interest about all things motown. bike rides, inquiries, and lingering lyrics led me to ruminate over the '67 riots. in the end, i arrived at a much clearer understanding of how and where the detroit riots started. and, as usual, contemplating canada. it seems only natural that a girl who loved the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald would grow into a woman who looks to dylan and lightfoot for answers.

a mutually ill-informed debate over the leadership qualities of malcolm x versus dr. king drove me to watch spike lee's self-titled biography. incredible performances and fresh direction made me do the right thing with my movie queue. trying to reconcile my pacifist tendencies with a new narrative, i stumbled into this bit of trivia.

having exhausted my mind and spirit, i refueled with a lovin' spoonful of knickerbocker's best remedy:

tour de troit

2009-09-20T18:12:00.005-04:00

yesterday, ann arbor adam and i biked across town to join 2,000 other cyclists for the 8th annual tour de troit. inexperienced at group rides, i wasn't sure what to expect. what ensued was pure magic. although i was familiar with almost every sight we saw, it was a completely new experience sharing them with thousands of other people. residents came out of their homes to cheer us on. i ran into friends and acquaintances throughout the day. at one point, i rode alongside an 80-year-old man who related tales of running the detroit marathon in yesteryear. most people stopped halfway gabriel richard park along the riverwalk to enjoy snacks and the view. after the ride, we partied in roosevelt park with michigan central station for a backdrop including music, catered food from local businesses, and perfect weather. for pictures, check out the free press photo gallery or this cyclists' photo gallery along the ride. on the way home, adam and i caught the final stages of tiger stadium's demolition. a local controversy since comerica park opened in 2000, it was eerie to actually see the half-demolished stadium coming down.

street jazz

2009-09-16T23:04:00.008-04:00

"art in a context," painted across the worn brick building, taunted me as i waited for the light to turn green. black and blue tones in the night sky accentuated the lines of the old warehouse in a way that was strangely stunning. truthfully, i was so excited for the street jazz class at detroit dance studio that the building could have been surrounded by a slew of crackheads desperate for their fix and i would have found it charming. but cars not crackheads filled the well-lit parking lot and i entered the studio without interruption.

prominent pictures of alvin ailey's american dance theater reminded me of my first love affair with this art. toy banks' class. harrison high school. watching revelations:

tonight's session, however, took a different tone. linda's choreography chased janet jackson with fosse. all to the music of mary j. blige. it was everything i hoped for. perhaps i should have been mortified by the way my body was (or wasn't) moving. but linda was an accommodating teacher and i have an inexplicable relationship with confidence.

so it was that i biked home - inhaling the crisp autumn air, singing "way i walk, way i talk, my swagga," mentally reviewing tonight's choreography - and mused: a group of young entrepreneurs have the guts to open a neighborhood dance studio. in the midst of a historic recession. in one of the nation's most blighted cities. detroit, i think i love you.

no school left behind?

2009-07-25T12:17:00.006-04:00

i snapped this photo on my cell phone during last night's bike ride. joy middle school caught my attention because of its striking similarity to cooper elementary. the neighbors weren't keen to chat with a snoopy cyclist so i googled into an explanation:

"the school was one of many closed by detroit public schools last year. it appears no one moved or secured anything in the school after it closed, leaving it open for vandals to have their pick of everything from supplies to students' records to the infrastructure of the building itself" (r.h. boone, detroit free press, march 23, 2008).

julyful joyful!

2009-07-24T12:33:00.007-04:00

july's been packed with music like a sausage with intestines. err. let's move on. friendly recommendations, free music festivals, spontaneous nights of soft rock, and dueling piano bars have filled my ears and my time. the highlights:

the avett brothers put on a great show at cityfest. responsive, playful, passionate, and downright good-looking, they shouldn't have been surprised by the warm response they received from the audience. yet they were, leaving with disarming laughter and a jovial: "thank you, detroit! see you next time!"

i'm embarrassed/proud that i found out about le fanfare du belgistan via tweet. i wasn't sure what to expect, but i figured anything described as "a belgian gypsy brass band" was worth a try. they played in the garden dining patio resting percussive instruments on the raised beds used to grow fresh greens and tomatoes for le petit zinc. tom manoury projected his voice through a megaphone to explain that belgistan is wherever you find happiness, peace, and music. "it is here," he said before picking up soprano and alto saxophones, which he played simultaneously. and indeed it was.

"a few years ago, my mom was really worried about me so i wrote this song to let her know that i was fine. which i wasn't. at all. so...this song is a bold-faced lie." and with that greg laswell launched into do what i can. this sort of light-hearted humor about life, fans, and his music marked the entire peformance. on tour with elizabeth & the catapult, his show at the blind pig was a bit of bliss in a very unconventional year for me.

ghostbusters

2009-07-21T01:01:00.007-04:00

last week damien and i were making our way to the blind pig when we noticed something strange in the neighborhood:
more specifically, in the crosswalk. before reaching our destination we picked out a handful of ghoulish cousins acting as crossing guards. i didn't think much of it until i was walking home from the concert of colors and stumbled across this spirit:

first-hand sightings 40 miles apart. identical images. all in city crosswalks. looks like we have a guerilla artist on our hands, folks.

social cues

2009-07-06T23:10:00.011-04:00

you're in an uncomfortable conversation with mom's coworker's aunt who is reporting on her family's history of foot fungus as you nervously nibble on a piece of cantaloupe. you catch mom's eye across the patio and return her glance with wide eyes and a terrified grin which she immediately mistakes for an "i'm having a great time" smile. she waves merrily and turns her back on you to greet a distant relative who has just arrived. the party's winding down, the punch is gone, and you are stuck for the indefinite future.

what you need are a few clear, unmistakable social cues. none of this ear-tugging, eyebrow-raising nonsense. for your consideration (photo demonstrations by jess):

AWKWARD TURTLE
accomplished by placing one hand, palm down, on top of the other and wiggling thumbs in a circular motion. this communicates feelings of awkwardness and social discomfort. it can be used as a nonverbal cue directed at the person causing said discomfort or as a third party s.o.s. signal.

SEXUAL TENSION SWAN
to assume this pose, bend one arm at a 90 degree angle and place it parallel to your torso, palm up. place the elbow of your second arm in the palm of your first and form a bird beak with your hand. a must-have at the club, this swan can be as sassy and aggressive as situation requires.

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
someone has to break the silence. might as well be you. extend arm diagonally across your body and secure it in the crook of your second arm while covering your face with fingertips. nobody can ignore an elephant like that.

the friday philanthropist

2009-07-03T09:35:00.003-04:00

one year ago i was taking out teams of teens to do community service in the summer heat of new orleans. july 2008 was an intense month and, ultimately, the highlight of my nccc experience. this year i discovered summer in the city, a metro-Detroit operation striving to provide teens with positive and diverse community service opportunities. to understand my enthusiasm for this organization, it might be helpful to catch a glimpse of life as i see it:

working with at-risk youth in a south suburb of the city, i am keenly aware of the urban-suburban divide as well as other forms of segregation - racial, economic, political, ethnic, religious. recently, as i listened to two teenage boys explain in prejudice-laden language their inability to escape violence and gang activity less than 10 miles from my home, it seemed like a much greater distance. i thought how sampling life in a few different neighborhoods could provide the perspective necessary to survive high school. then i thought back on my own teen experience living in an adjacent county. some of my friends' parents did not allow their children to set foot in detroit for purposes charitable or otherwise. i experienced my first encounter with blatant racism in the main office of my high school from a national honor society student who assumed i shared her feelings.

to my mind, the chief benefit of summer in the city is not developing youth leaders or rehabbing houses. the greatest opportunity this organization offers is for young people to step outside of their comfort zones, interact with peers from diverse backgrounds, and engage in activities that help them understand: the difference between a foe and a friend is often saying hello.

**summer in the city is experiencing a bit of a financial crisis and struggling to keep registration fees down so people are not turned away for economic reasons. i know times are tight, but if you have a dollar to spare, it would mean a lot to me if you'd spend it here.**

summer lovin'

2009-06-28T22:17:00.018-04:00

i won't attempt insight or wit. the facts are these: i am loving summertime in this mitten-shaped state. i'll show you why.

EASTERN MARKET
eastern market is an entirely different experience in the warm months. crowded vendor sheds, live music, barbecuing on the street, and great varieties of "grown in michigan" products.

NEIGHBOR JOHN
when i met neighbor john, i assumed we'd become friends because of a serious lack in the 'hood. last wednesday, as he and i scouted out the best place for watching fireworks, i thought: "i really lucked out with this one." i can finally rest easy and start in (subtly) on my urban adventure biking neighbors...

SUMMER FESTIVALS
may through september is marked by a continuous string of festivals in michigan, many of which are free. so far i've made it to: the final four, movement/demf, midsummer nights in midtown, top of the park, and (this week) cityfest.

FRESH WATER & ROAD TRIPS
amy j. recruited some folks to run a race up north in charlevoix. running - meh. up north - yes, please. rolling hills, foliage galore, and lake michigan. what a dream. next stop: mackinaw.

UNEXPECTED CULINARY DELIGHTS
if you EVER find yourself within 50 miles of harbor springs, mi, PROMISE ME you will visit turkey's. homemade crust, vegetarian options to boot, and toppings so fresh i peaked around back to see if they had a garden.

putting up a front

2009-06-19T13:51:00.011-04:00

trivia: what do these two stores have in common?answer: they are bothmarks of the recession? not so, my friends. these were never actually inhabited by the businesses advertised in their storefronts. the city commissioned installation art for vacant storefronts near downtown to prepare for the 2006 superbowl. or so says my unverified source. kinda innovative. kinda weird.

today i set out to photograph more legitimate favorites and recent finds in the mid- and downtown districts:more like a neighborhood institution than a bicycle shop. i love it. i do.tipping its hat in food and flavor to detroit's southern sister city.a great place to drop in for a quick bite or to spend an entire evening.good thai food at a great price. perfect for large groups.understated, artsy, and organic, i could really dig this newfound nook.

a story: the owner, danny, noted it was my first visit, introduced himself and inquired about my interest in detroit. he negotiated a fair price for my breakfast and invited me to relax outside while he prepared it.i examined posters for poetry slam nights and theatrical productions hosted at the cafe, observing the discount offered on tickets for "students and unemployed." before leaving, danny thanked me for my business and invited me to come back at my leisure. that sort of experience is how detroit is subtly wooing me into a serious urban love affair.

the commuter exchange

2009-06-16T00:57:00.008-04:00

if you have frequented a city bus somewhere in the continental 48, you are probably aware that there are five types of conversations to be had in this setting:

1) quarrels with an invisible foe
2) teenage love affairs
3) loud cell phone exchanges
4) friendly (and unexpected) reunions
5) attempts to woo a stranger

yesterday i experienced all 5. in reverse order. it started when a tall, lanky character stepped out of a coen brothers film, leaned across the aisle and started in with:

"you journaling?"
"mm-hmm."
"yeah, i do that a lot, too."
"hmm."
"i never used to. i always saw it as a - sort of - feminine thing."
no response.
"thing is, i had got locked up for awhile."

a middle-aged gentlemen interceded on my behalf. plopping down in the seat next to me, he cut me off from the cross-aisle conversationalist who gesticulated wildly and continued undeterred:

"meanwhile, my supposed fiancée starts using again - heroin AND cocaine - all the while pregnant with my baby."

no sooner had the bus started moving, my bench partner leaned over and slurred: "pullastringbaby. thanyou." turns out equilibrium issues, not paternal instincts motivated his move to the seat. as he stumbled off the bus with an empty jose cuervo in his back pocket, the chivalrous chatter got up to support him and snagged the seat next to me. mere centimeters from my face, he continued, wide-eyed:

"so when i got out i caught her using and i was like, 'are you crazy?!'"
no response.
"the baby came a month early and she told the doctors i knew she'd been using and would you believe they charged me with 'parental neglect.'"
"did they take the baby away?"
"no, mom's got him, thank god. say, this is my stop. you think i could get your number - i could take you out for dinner sometime?"

i declined with an impotent "i can't," instead offering a friendly handshake. later, when a woman boarded the bus and began conversing with the stuffed animal giraffe in her purse, i looked out the window and mused: why didn't i think of that?

the friday philanthropist

2009-06-05T18:12:00.003-04:00

a few months ago jess and jordan called me and mentioned a charitable organization their friend created in mombasa. to be honest, that information got shelved because jess and jordan also told me they were getting married.

today i read over blog entries about carly and friends' experiences opening and running a home for "street kids" in mombasa, kenya. it reaffirmed to me that every person is given gifts with which to improve their world, however they are inspired.

once upon a bicycle: a love story

2009-05-31T09:15:00.030-04:00

this is my new bike. we officially met on friday, went out on saturday, and fell in love. this is our story.

we went to see design 99 in hamtramck. it was closed. fortunately, we ran into mitch and gina who introduced us to some of their friends and gave me a private tour of the studio. before heading back to midtown, mitch recommended a visit to hamtramck disneyland.

so i took off with my bike to find the happiest place in hamtramck. we almost missed it, but the man with the torch tipped us off.the real magic was in the backyard.
we meandered through neighborhoods until we found keyworth stadium. it was fenced off so we kept going.
then we happened into cooper elementary, iconized by sweet juniper!.
feeling kinda blue, we went directly to grosse pointe park where the grass is greener.
finally, we headed back to my place. i took my bike inside, told mom and dad i was in love, and headed to the rooftop to contemplate the day.

a tale of two bus rides

2009-05-27T12:08:00.009-04:00

dear ms. parks:

i got on a crowded commuter bus this morning and snagged the last seat. a few stops later a woman older than me - maybe 50 or 60 - boarded the bus. instinctively, i gave her my seat. she was black and i am white. the remarkable thing about this event is that it was not.

thank you,
cc

see you on the rooftop

2009-05-23T01:18:00.013-04:00

the weekend started with a haircut - something sassy for summertime - to usher in a new season for me in the d. like many of the pseudo-symbolic rituals i secretly perform, it seemed to work. staff at the hub took to calling me sparklepants, neighbor john and i actually hung out, and i purchased my first detroit-grown produce at eastern market.the list of firsts continues: niece rachel and i had a heart-to-heart about 4th grade crushes, sam and i rocked out to dj z-trip at movement/demf 2009, i broke a 6-month frisbee fast and played ultimate, and rode a 3-wheeler. to top it all off, i discovered that we have rooftop access around the clock at my building. that means, summer of sleepovers. see you there.

in honor of the holiday i borrow a tune from yesterday's folks like us program (advance apologies - video does not directly reflect on military service):

skating rink

2009-05-18T21:37:00.002-04:00

on the spring side of winter i am prone to romanticize the cold months. can you blame me? everything and everyone around me is coming to life with the sort of triumph that can only be achieved after seasonal sacrifice. then i hear a song on radio 2 with the texture of billy bragg minus political angst. saturated with pure wintry whimsy and juxtaposed against gomez's see the world, i don't stand a chance.

preview david francey's 2003 album in its entirety here.

how my birthday turned into a porno (and other recent adventures)

2009-05-15T11:02:00.008-04:00

it all started with a midnight swim. teej and i were ill-prepared (if that's even possible) and found ourselves emerging from the ocean in sagging, see-through attire. then teej decided to get naked. i guess dry and indecent trumps moist and modest. dax, katie, sniar, and i surrounded her with towels as she changed into warm, less translucent, attire for the walk home. somehow i got stuck toweling off with only three shields, revealing my birthday suit to the pacific horizon.

needless to say, the trip to la was just what i needed. i managed to drop in on a ricasa family party, kick it in the oc, take a boxing class, dine with mar and grove, emit an irreverent squeal during church, lose miserably (and belligerently) in a game of apples to apples, and relapse into carnivorous behavior over sushi. summary: i love friends. thanks for putting up with my lack of forethought and for making it such a great time!

random tidbits:
- recent vertigo symptoms (temporarily induced by middle earitations) have caused me to reflect on old episodes of 30 rock, method acting exercises, and lyrics to the following songs: you spin me round, fallin', the way you make me feel, and gravity.
- after a series of culinary catastrophes, i made pad thai without setting off smoke alarms (see proof, right).
- the lamppost in front of this indian village home (see right) totally looks like the one from the bbc version of the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.
- spring. what a great idea. detroit is all a-blossom these days, beckoning residents out of their winter hibernation. i absolutely love how many trees there are in this city.

the friday philanthropist

2009-05-01T10:46:00.003-04:00

throughout the month, i take note of various charitable activities going on around me. i listen to the radio, butt into strangers' conversations, and google up a storm to find organizations that are inspiring, creative, and - this month - downright funny.

kamm cares is anything but humorous; founded in brotherly love and recognition of a sister's fight against cancer, kamm cares is your traditional tear-jerker. it helps families mitigate child care and grocery costs while mom's undergo radiation treatment. it just so happens that aforementioned brother, ken mckenzie, is not your typical philanthropist.

mckenzie has made a name for himself by lightening the mood while shedding light on difficult issues within his community. in 2007 and 2008, he compiled and sold men of mortuaries calendars to raise funds for kamm cares. while it looks like the calendars are on hold for this year, kamm cares is still providing support to women with breast cancer and their families.

thanks, britni, for keeping it fresh. jess and jordan, you're up next.

nightlife and nautical nonsense

2009-04-28T22:04:00.009-04:00

a few nights ago, i slept with my window open to enjoy the spring breeze. i woke up around 3am to the sound of gleeful shouts from the street below. was i upset? was i startled? no. was my first thought: they're having fun without me!? absolutely.

in other news, i went to belle isle for the first time this weekend. i left pondering how this progeny-of-a-pirate went months without knowing there was a nautical museum mere miles from her home. after practicing my knots, spying on canada through a pair of binoculars, and brushing up on boat signals, i decided i would come back to learn how "lady lighthouse keepers" often rose to power after their husbands found watery graves.

that you might be properly educated:

from the d

2009-04-24T10:08:00.012-04:00

i should be working on the 18-page research paper that is due in two days or outside enjoying the 80-degree weather. instead, i present: random photos from city bike rides...

HISTORIC CANFIELD
a whimsical block of this east-west street with restored homes and a cobblestone street. midtown, march 2009.
DJAY'S HOOD
adjacent to sherwood forest (i'm already biased), djay's northwest neighborhood boasts similar architecture on a slightly more modest scale. university district, april 2009.
ON THE WEST SIDE
lest you think my blog is pure propaganda, this is a tame example of what i saw. with safety and respect on the brain, i tucked my camera phone away for the rest of the ride. core city, april 2009.

culinary catastrophes (and other digestible news)

2009-04-15T00:21:00.019-04:00

name that (un)palatable disaster
for 500 points, properly identify cc's attempt at a midday snack:black beans and rice?or spicy green beans with "roasted" almonds?

i fed him popcorn once
after an earful of chit chat about sex offenders and the death penalty, i was relieved when office conversation turned to '80s action figures:
"remember transformers?"
"yeah, but i never could keep them straight."
"how could you confuse the autobots and decepticons? optimus prime wrapped each episode with an inspirational message!"
"but they transformed so quickly..."
silence.
"anyone have a my buddy?"
spontaneous group rendition of my buddy theme song.
"what about teddy ruxpin?"
"yeah, i had a teddy. with the cassette and he'd tell you stories."
"i always wanted one..."
"but i fed him popcorn once and he didn't talk no more."
silence.
in loving memory:

toast
if only i'd ordered the mushroom omelette, this review would have an entirely different flavor. but i fought instinct and brotherly recommendation as i requested the breakfast burrito at toast last week. ann arbor amy and i happened to be in birmingham last tuesday so we decided to try out the rapidly-expanding chain, one of sam's favorite casual eats. the atmosphere was inviting with friendly staff, quick service, and eye-catching decor. the mushroom omelette, which amy ordered, was off-the-charts. delicious and surprising flavors, generous portions, great presentation. from what i gather, all the omelettes are that way. unfortunately, the breakfast burrito just left me longing for jose bernstein's, and the $8 i spent on my meal.

recipe for a great night out
1 wednesday night in motown
1 classical composer/jazz pianist
1 detroit dj
1 small jazz club
40-50 uninhibited dancers
100-150 innocent bystanders

preparation

mix together

add uninhibited dancers and innocent bystanders.
serves midweek crowd 'til 2am.

root root root for the home team

2009-04-10T09:45:00.011-04:00

it's opening day and baseball is on the brain. to describe me as a major league fan would be completely untrue. i love the sport, but i've only been to a handful of games in my life and i had to google-check that the phillies won last year's world series.

in fact, i've never been inside comerica park. the closest i've come was in 2001 when an impromptu post-prom photo shoot found me and a handful of friends on top of, snuggled up against, and hanging from its menacing stone tigers. yes, we were in formal gowns and tuxes. even tyra would've been impressed.

now, living down the street from the ballpark, i'm determined to be a better fan this season. in january i met a few of chicago dan's friends, all of whom are devout sox fans. well, almost all. one informed me that he was a cubs convert. the details of the story are priceless and, rather than butcher them, i'll leave the retelling to dan. just know that becoming a cubs fan is committing the mortal sin if you live on chicago's south side and his was a calculated crime motivated by years of hurt and betrayal. that i might care that deeply about anything...

the friday philanthropist

2009-04-03T17:04:00.005-04:00

a few years ago girls rural might not have caught my attention. admittedly, i'm a city gal who tends to focus on urban issues. but that was before i met stacyee george from a small town near hollandale, ms. at risk of sounding naive, i was shocked to discover that many of the difficulties my friend encountered in her community, from violent crimes to unplanned pregnancies, mirrored negative images of urban america. the difference was i'd never heard anyone lament about low graduation rates and hiv/aids infection in rural mississippi.

girls rural turns "remote dreams into realistic possibilities" by providing social and cultural opportunities young girls might not find in their hometown. the website suggests several ways to participate such as a monetary donation, organizing a community meeting, and becoming a mentor. more than anything, girls rural reminds me that everywhere, densely populated or not, there are opportunities to grow together through service.

**in unrelated and equally awesome news: family friend, mitch cope, was recently featured in model d for his work in hamtramck, an up-and-coming artistic community.

there are greater dangers than strangers

2009-04-02T00:12:00.008-04:00

i relish those rare moments when people forget to be strangers and temporarily trust each other like old friends. it happened twice today:

after dinner, i biked northeast to meet founder mark from georgia street community collective. although a miscommunication made my visit somewhat unexpected, he kindly introduced me to the main garden and half the neighborhood. i haven't felt that particular brand of hospitality since working in new orleans' holy cross neighborhood. as the night chill set in, mark and i stepped inside his house to talk about plans for the collective, how it got started, and how he views the neighborhood. we also managed to cover genealogy/family history, urban chickens, college football, green building, and mormon missionaries. two hours later, as i accepted a ride home and loaded my bike into his truck bed, i silently considered how often i rely on the kindness of strangers. unlike the tragic blanche dubois, however, it has served me well.

neighbor john, with whom i've exchanged hellos, spotted me in the parking garage and asked where i had been riding.
"northeast. near harper and van dyke."
"and you're just getting back?" he said, noting the darkness outside.
"well, i rode out there and a friend took me home."
"is that where you typically ride?"
"not really. i like to go exploring throughout the city." i gesticulated to illustrate my point. this led to brief, and mutually uninformed, reflections on the dequindre cut, then on to his grad school experience, my new job, and the mixed emotions we feel when a sweet venue gets "discovered." neighbor john then remembered he was a stranger who was heading out for the evening and disappeared into the elevator. as for me, i grinned my way home.

semantics

2009-03-28T17:07:00.024-04:00

i've accepted a job with the guidance center in southgate, mi (southwest of detroit, or "downriver"). starting in mid-april, i will be working with first-time juvenile offenders who have elected to participate in "the program" in lieu of serving time. "the program" consists of support groups, community service activities, and individual/family counseling. i will be leading and organizing groups and activities, respectively. in a nutshell, this is how i feel about it: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! (breathe.) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

so it's official - i'm staying in detroit for a long while. which brings up a lot of questions: how do i feel about living here? what do my city roommates (e.g. mom & pop) and summer cottage hosts (e.g. sam, velia & kids) have to say on the matter? what type of bike should i get? which summer music festival will i attend?

rediscovering metro-detroit and acquainting myself with southeastern michigan has been an adventure. mostly, i've realized my definition of home is even more blurry than when i left 7 years ago.

View Larger Map
describing detroit is tricky because the city itself covers almost 150 square miles, and the metro area (including oakland and macomb counties) is even larger and more diverse. to give you a picture of my detroit experience (please refer to letters on map):

A/J. mom & pop's in midtown. an art deco hotel-turned-residential building. located in the museum district near wayne state, ccs, and avalon bakery. it's a beautiful place with great views (like this one from the rooftop).point B shows you its proximity to downtown (near the riverfront) and, more importantly, good girls go to paris crepes.
C. the guidance center, where i start working next month.
D & E. ypsinlanti and ann arbor, respectively. where i attend church, and home to the wolverines. the map illustrates why i feel a bit disconnected.
F. f is for farmington hills, where i grew up and where sister sarah resides. hosts nostalgic destinations like heritage park and the civic theatre.
G. "the summer cottage" (a.k.a. sam & velia's) in beverly hills. yes, everything in this northwest suburb looks and sounds like west la.
H. bloomfield hills, home to the queen of soul and the lds temple.
I. oak park/detroit. 8 mile, the great divide. this is where i've been delivering sandwiches for the past few weeks. the city-suburb divide is as real as the us-canada border. differences exist, but mostly in people's minds.

then there's detroit according to time magazine.this detroit is interwoven with the city i know. every bike ride i've taken has included sights like the one above. georgia street community collective is no more than a 10-minute bike ride from home.

can you see the tension that surfaces when people talk about "detroit?"

detroit '67 / ask me no questions

2009-03-28T02:12:00.014-04:00

ambassador or not, you're moving me to the dance floor, sammy baby.

i've always found accordion music devilishly delightful.

perception

2009-03-24T21:48:00.009-04:00

today little leta formally introduced me to "christy" doll:
please contrast with "leta" doll, which she is clutching tightly:
gotta admit - i'm both amused and flattered.

the friday philanthropist

2009-03-20T22:00:00.009-04:00

it's time to get real honest for a minute here: i TOTALLY wrote this week's fp on sunday morning and backposted it for friday. life's gotten busy here in the d and i only expect it to get busier as the weather warms up. to avoid writing really lame fp's, i'm going to post on this column the first friday of every month.

in the meantime, let's talk about peace. most people would agree that teaching a young person the value of peaceful living is beneficial immediately and for generations to come. how do you effectively instill this value and break down barriers to peace? below are three approaches in the global community:

music
the shropshire music foundation's dedication to "teaching children peace through music" rings true like an elvis costello song. created in 1999 in response to ethnic cleansing in kosovo, the shropshire foundation now boasts programs in kosovo, northern ireland, and uganda. by providing instruments and music education, the foundation encourages children to play alongside neighbors that might otherwise be considered enemies. musicians, dancers, and athletes might find interesting service opportunities in the november practice for peace campaign.

basketball
this one goes out to my cousin, scott. peace players international serves youths in 5 locations: northern ireland, south africa, middle east, cyprus and new orleans. the middle east program, founded in 2005, "facilitates dialogue and fosters tolerance" between "jewish and arab youth" through integrated basketball leagues. for nola friends with a lingering isp itch, taylor smiley (504-309-9660) is the managing director and the office is located at 1509 jefferson ave.

pushcarts
pushcarts, like music and basketball, are only vehicles for change. teej forwarded me this cnn article about efren peñaflorida's unique endeavors in the philippines through the dynamic teen company. convinced that education is the key to preventing gang violence, 16-year-old peñaflorida set to work making it more accessible to impoverished youths in his community. twelve years and 1500 children later, trained teen volunteers teach saturday classes (from reading to hygiene) out of pushcart classrooms.

weekly whims

2009-03-19T21:09:00.012-04:00

i first heard the rusty p's last week on ann delisi's essential music. their raw rhymes were reminiscent of old jurassic 5 and appealed to my hip hop-loving palette. shake, a nice little party tune, is taken from their 2008 album, the shape of things to come.

i wrongly assumed katie herzig was canadian because i was introduced to her music through our northern neighbor's public radio. regardless, jack and jill has been a recent obsession. sadly, i am not really sold on her other stuff - but i'd say this diddy's worth a download.

justice's d.a.n.c.e. inspires, well, dancing. this week i used it in an attempt to avert a dinner table disaster with nephew-duo:spastic-fantastic. it was incredibly effective. at instigating a dining room riot.

newsfeed

2009-03-13T23:44:00.006-04:00

it's been a chaotically wonderful week in the d. team leader bob called me during church last sunday for MY THIRD RED CROSS FIRE. i pulled a clark kent in the ladies room and went from golddigger boots to steel toes in two minutes flat. it was a sobering experience because the home was nearly destroyed and persistent rainfall that day ensured its demise. i stumbled over most of the client interview questions and managed to make them laugh a few times (mostly at my expense). VOLUNTEER NIGHT at back alley bikes/the hub of detroit was a marked success. working alongside a high school friend, and under the direction of bike expert jack, i COMPLETELY DISASSEMBLED A BIKE for the first time. and i mean completely - removed pedals, derailleur, brake wiring - the only thing left was the sorry skeleton of a schwinn to be added to the hub's "bike art" collection. i am officially on board with detroit synergy for two projects: collecting anecdotes for STORIES IN THE CITY, a project to document and display memories about detroit; and partnering with veteran planner alex to develop detroitbikes! 5th annual BIKE TO WORK DAY EVENT. i've PERFECTED JIMMY JOHN'S VEGETARIAN CUISINE: stick with the basic veggie sub + mild peppers. as dax might say, tastacular! while driving djay home from work on wednesday i DISCOVERED A BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD in northwest detroit, consisting of elaborate stone homes with spires and other castle-like architectural elements. ann arbor adam conspired with me to make a group event of MIDDLE EASTERN DINING and SLINGSHOT HIP HOP viewing at the first annual a-squared palestine film festival on saturday. the documentary was very compelling - although uncomfortably angry at times, the film carefully illustrated the personal and political experiences from which the featured artists emerged. unsurprisingly, i was super-stoked to seeing grown men encourage children in their community to find joy in everyday life and commit to peacefully protest injustices around them. i concluded the evening with icecream and a small crowd at the apartment of poli sci dan, who incidentally knows two of my good friends from ucla. it was THE CC SHOW AT CHURCH today as i talked and taught about "christ's commandment to 'love one another'" and "living in peace and harmony with others," respectively. fortunately, no one seemed to notice that i essentially used the same material for both endeavors. i wrapped the weekend with family bingo night at sam & velia's, relishing vegetarian pasties and an IMPROMPTU EDWARD SCISSORHANDS PARODY, called "sammy, the boxhand man." receiving a HANDWRITTEN LETTER FROM COLORADO KATIE was also a delightful highlight of the week. well folks, that's all the news that's fit to print. love from michigan - johnny

the friday philanthropist

2009-03-13T23:03:00.008-04:00

this week i took liz's challenge to find a family-friendly volunteer activity in the greater-lehi area. it's a bit of a stretch, but here's what i've got for you and davey (baby emma can probably tag along, too):

as i have been learning in my history of philanthropy class, american health care providers include non-profit, not-so-non-profitty-non-profit, and for-profit organizations. unfortunately, the differences are often difficult to identify and based on outdated technicalities. utah hospice specialists is a for-profit organization that provides "an unparalleled quality of palliative hospice care" by striving to "embrace life's special moments."

but it was the memory keeper program, not the tag line, that caught my attention. as memory keepers, volunteers conduct and record "interviews" with hospice clients about their life experiences. in some cases, memory keepers gather these stories via close friends and family. the stories are then compiled and stored so that, after the client passes, loved ones can receive a copy to review and cherish when they "want to remember."

to ensure program quality and client safety, volunteers must attend a 12-hour orientation, have been/get TB tested, and pass a background check. so you should probably sever your ties with the italian mafia asap.

the friday philanthropist

2009-03-06T14:37:00.007-05:00

today, it's sunny and 65 in the d. and i had the day off work. a.k.a. bike adventure. as i rode up woodward to 8 mile, then doubled back through neighborhoods, people greeted me all along the way - at the bus stop, on bicycles, and out on their front porches enjoying the weather. this is one of the many reasons i love cycling in the city - it's a social event as much as a mode of transportation. another aspect of biking i adore is that it is an activity you can enjoy at virtually no cost. cue the friday philanthropist:

i first learned about community bike shops in new orleans through r.u.b.a.r.b. bike. the general idea is to make cycling more affordable and less intimidating to city residents. beyond that, community bike organizations are as diverse as the cyclists they serve. some offer "earn-a-bike" programs for children and teens to learn how to build bikes and ride them. others, such as bicrowave in santa monica, focus on teaching adult cyclists how to repair their own bikes. yet others rehab and resell bicycles at a fraction of typical retail costs.

the hub of detroit puts an interesting spin on things. as a "nonprofit, full-service retail bike shop," they vend merchandise you might find at rei or performance bike. this alone is a service to detroit residents who would otherwise be making a trip to the 'burbs for these items. however, all of the hub's profits are recycled into the organization, providing a sustainable funding plan for their youth "earn-a-bike" program, back alley bikes.

every wednesday and thursday evening from 6-8pm, the hub of detroit welcomes volunteers to help clean up shop and learn the basics of bike assembly and repair. you can guess where i'll be next wednesday. they also solicit for donations of unwanted bikes, parts, and accessories.

what's happening at your community bike shop?
new orleans
los angeles
santa monica
philadelphia
logan
chicago
boston

don't see your city or town in the list above?
check out this wikipedia entry that allows you to search for community bike organizations by country, state, and city. each entry provides contact information and most offer a direct link to the agency's website.

because i got high

2009-03-04T23:14:00.012-05:00

fact: stoner nick first played this song for girl ryan and me in 2001.

fact: ironically, girl ryan and i spent many an hour blasting this tune on her car stereo and belting out lyrics in winter 2002.

fact: the following spring, i introduced mom and pop to the big hit.

fact: a few weeks ago, mom referenced the chorus of this song during a meeting with missionaries from our church to explain why she had not baked them cookies for dessert.

fact: they seemed thoroughly distraught.

baptism by fire

2009-03-03T18:20:00.004-05:00

i got the call around 1:45 this morning:

"ready for your first fire?" a seasoned gentleman's voice asked. it took me a minute to register that i was not dreaming myself into the plot of mission:impossible.

"yes!" i sat up with a start.

"meet me at the chapter at 2:30. i'll let you in the building for briefing."

a few months ago, i started paperwork to join the local red cross volunteer disaster action team. last week, team leader bob completed my initiation with: "we work every fourth week. our team is on call next monday through thursday, 6pm to 6am and friday from 6pm 'til monday, 6am. what do ya think? are you up for it?" i assured him i was, and naively imagined i would never be asked to fulfill this commitment.

now, at 2am accompanied by the sounds of nightlife in the city, i splashed some water on my face and said an audible prayer for protection and guidance. dressed in my bleach-and-peace-signed steel toes, leftover amerigarb, and red cross ball cap, i stepped into the cold and shuddered at the thought of a family standing outside, unprepared for the winter winds. at the red cross building, team leader bob and bre, the on-call operator, met me to discuss the situation at hand.

it turned out to be pretty low-key. the family involved was able to stay with relatives for the evening and had already made their way there. bob and i drove over to the empty house and examined the exterior: a few blown-out windows, some smoldering mattresses, and a power box disabled by the dfd. "electrical fire," bob explained. "started in the bedroom. no visible damage in the kitchen. looks like they were pretty lucky."

my mind raced as i inhaled the smoke-saturated air. what was i doing with a stranger my parents' age on a half-abandoned block in the middle of the night in the heart of detroit? what would it be like to wake up with a fire in my bedroom? i love campfires. i'd like to go camping sometime soon. is it weird that i want to climb in the kitchen window? gahl-ly! it's cold out here!

"it's a different city this time of night, isn't it?" bob asked, interrupting my thoughts. i smiled, stepped carefully around debris in the front yard, and climbed into the van.

"that's where i stay with my mom and dad," i pointed out on the way back to the chapter, feeling as young as i sounded. i crawled back into bed around 3:30 and said another prayer, giving God the play-by-play and thanking Him for gentle introductions. here's to a whole new chapter of firsts.

3 reasons i love a job i should hate

2009-03-02T23:49:00.009-05:00

the unsung perks of being a delivery driver:

1. top secret elevator dancing
2. unsolicited life stories
3. a nephew who officially worships me

the friday philanthropist

2009-02-27T23:00:00.001-05:00

sorry folks. delivering sandwiches, entertaining younguns, and analyzing ngos in mexico distracted me from my friday responsibility. anywho...this one's for you, teej:

the national ms (multiple sclerosis) society claims: "ms stops people from moving. we exist to make sure it doesn't." as an organization, the ms society educates, advocates, counsels, entertains, and raises funds for research and programming.

march 2-8, 2009, is ms awareness week. that means it's a great time to check out the national website to answer your questions or contact your local chapter about volunteer events.

there are a variety of sporadic and regular opportunities from assisting with a special event to doing household chores for someone living with ms. a few years ago tj encouraged me to volunteer for a fourth of july event at the hollywood bowl. after assisting clients and their families in getting tickets, finding seats, and collecting event swag, i donned a festive headband with springing stars and enjoyed the outdoor concert for free.

so check it out. either in person through your local chapter or at work when your boss is looking over your shoulder to make sure you're not watching youtube videos. won't she be impressed?

**in honor of tj's mom, judi, who fought a good fight and raised an outstanding daughter. may she rest in peace: 08.19.08.**

the shoe effect

2009-02-21T11:04:00.008-05:00

last month jeff blogged about the shoe effect, or becoming too comfortable in what you intended to be a tide-you-over job. this morning i woke up at 6:30am for training as a jimmy john's delivery driver. as the manager reviewed marketing principles and company policies, an uncomfortably familiar feeling emerged from my gut: enthusiasm. giddiness. pure, unadulterated company pride. oh no, i thought. not again!

forget that jimmy john's actually is a cool company and that i am beyond grateful to have a well-paying job in a city that is 20% unemployed. the point is this: historically speaking, anything involving people and moderate amounts of managerial praise makes me unreasonably gleeful. not high salaries. not promotions. or achieving long-term goals. just people, a positive work environment, and a solid marketing campaign. which is terrifying considering i HAVE long-term goals that DO NOT involve bringing you lunch in 20 minutes or less.

this inexplicable addiction to all things interpersonal causes hiccups in other aspects of my life. i have to actively remind myself that political campaign events are not tailgate parties and that i should not go out with someone simply because he expresses admiration for me.

make no mistake. i'm a big kid who generally makes wise decisions. it's just...i have...i think...i need a 12-step program.

the friday philanthropist

2009-02-20T10:00:00.002-05:00

this week goes out to velia who suggested that service comes from the sole. incorporated in 2006, toms shoes is your typical 21st-century footwear manufacturer, complete with nationwide retailers and online shopping. well, almost typical.

friends of toms, a 501(c)(3) affiliate, allows the company to keep its "one for one" promise: every pair of shoes you buy, toms provides a pair of shoes to a child in need. last october, founder blake mycoskie wrote about his most recent efforts in the huffington post.

buying shoes just isn't your thing? the friends of toms website (mentioned above) provides several suggestions for local and global volunteers.

have a favorite nonprofit? caught wind of a fresh idea? please email me your suggestions for the friday philanthropist at c.sparklepants@gmail.com.

'til the next time...

dangerous?

2009-02-18T22:00:00.002-05:00

i leaned my bike against the chain link fence surrounding michigan central station. from a distance, i hadn't noticed that the beautifully tragic building was decorated with a barbed wire border. determined to explore the abandoned train station, i ignored the "no trespassing" signs and examined the fence for possible entrance locations. i was squeezing my skull through a small opening when rational me took over, sending a shiver down my spine as i considered what my plan for escape would be if i found unpleasant company inside. somewhat dejected, i hopped back on my bike just as a truck full of someone else's family pulled up next to me:

"excuse me, is there another train station?" i smiled at the image of trains plowing through the decrepit building behind me and told the middle-aged man about the amtrak station near midtown. "but why did they stop using this one? why did they let it get like this?"

i pondered who "they" were and shrugged. "not sure why they shut it down in the first place, but now it's in such bad condition the city says they won't fix it up. too expensive. someone would have to buy it and use their own money to make it into a museum or something." it occurred to me i was repeating verbatim what dad told me as we drove past the derelict station last night. i never checked his source.

the man looked dissatisfied. a young girl in a fur-lined coat continued gazing at the building from the backseat. she sighed audibly. the engine idled. "where is everyone?" the man asked as if i had personally promised him the year's biggest party. "this is supposed to be downtown. the big center. but i don't see anybody around."

i wondered how much the downtown area had resembled this train station prior to super bowl 2006. with tall buildings and tree-lined streets in mind, i directed him toward woodward avenue. "how will i know when i'm there?" he questioned.

"you'll know," i countered. "it's not a huge downtown area, but it's very nice. it's just sort of...condensed."

"why? where did all the people go?"

"they left."

"why?"

"i don't know. they thought it was too dangerous and they left. they went to the suburbs and moved away. but they're coming back now." i still wasn't sure who "they" were or why i was talking about "them" with such authority.

"dangerous? how?" i stared at him blankly, mentally reviewing all of the unflattering press detroit has received. he seemed more interested than concerned. "i come from russia and we hear that this city is getting very nice but it used to be bad. how?" i started to respond, recalled recent readings on stalin's soviet union, and settled it with a shrug. he thanked me for the directions and drove off.

i just smiled and rode toward canada.

expecting the unexpected

2009-02-14T23:45:00.003-05:00

confession: i love valentine's day. because you never know what will happen. but you know that it will.

in 2007, a 6'6" cupid arrived on my doorstep, i threw together an infidel of love costume, and we embarked on a mission to forcefully infuse la with love. i spent last year up a tree (literally) with a fellow i hardly knew and who i'd start making out with 5 months later. tonight, decked out in a black dress with eyeliner to rival david bowie's, i set out for a "rock of love" party featuring wii's rock band. knowing hardly anyone, i was surprised to hear someone shout with shock and a hint of disgust:

"christy?! you're not married?!"

a high school acquaintance approached with an apologetic:

"sorry. i shouldn't have said that so loudly. it's just, you know. a lot can happen in seven years. turns out g-'s gay, and e- has a cartload of kids. when you don't hear from someone, you just figure...how are you?"

we caught each other up on life's big events with equal candor. it's nice to have a friend so frank it keeps you laughing.

happy valentine's day everybody!

the friday philanthropist

2009-02-13T09:51:00.004-05:00

it's no secret i think philly is the new brooklyn; it is the hottest spot for american urbanites these days. but detroit - stick with me - is also a killer place to live. forget the pun, and really consider it:

that's what detroit synergy is all about. an all-volunteer organization, it serves as a community platform for individually-initiated activities that "generate positive perceptions" and "build upon the city's strengths and resources." projects fall into three categories: dialogue, discovery, development. i went to my first meeting last night and this is what i heard:

bike detroit (dialogue): free, organized leisure rides based on neighborhood or theme. "spring training" will showcase detroit's sports venues from yesteryear and today.
dinner club (discovery): recession-friendly, participants buy advanced tickets (~$10) to meet up at a casual restaurant and dine from a fixed menu. march's venue is eph's.
project clean (development): a monthly event from april - october, detroit synergy partners with local organizations to "clean up, paint up, fix up." 2009's inaugural event is painting a former police station that is positioned to become an art gallery.

what was it like? detroit synergy chooses a different meeting venue each month. last night was hosted by mezzanine, a downtown boutique, and included drinks and snacks. attire varied from biker gear to business suits. the strict agenda moved from 5-minute presentations to break-out sessions for project development, and back again. people were friendly and energetic. one person, hearing that i recently moved home, introduced me to other california transplants. we then discussed a newcomer event to help people acclimate and find stereotypical comfort spots, such as sushi for californians and bagels for new yorkers.

who participates? it really depends on the event. detroit synergy's mailing list is close to 5,000. there are no dues or required fees for most events. based on my family's experience, projects draw people of all ages and varied demographics within the city and suburbs.

in the past, i've relied heavily on social networks through my university, church and professional field. so the transition has been rough - jobless, taking online classes, and meeting at a church 45 minutes from home. detroit synergy was a particularly delightful find as a geographically-centered, and community-minded, social network.

i googled myself

2009-02-12T09:51:00.006-05:00

just for kicks, ya know? caught up in a moment of delusional grandeur. wondering what someone might find if they ran a search on me. to my surprise, i turned up on 3 asian news blogs citing a comment i never made about "kitchen ware exporters". suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste...

in other news, don't ever google me as christy. lots and lots of porn. not me. i swear on my kitchen ware exporting business.

what does google have in store for you?

if good girls go to paris...

2009-02-09T18:18:00.004-05:00

i'm not sure what sarah and fay are doing in detroit because, girl, they are good! i'm talking about the female-oriented menu at good girls go to paris crepes, of course.

mom and i were looking to celebrate the recently defrosted d-town when we took off for the creperie just south of comerica park. as we approached the 48-square-foot walk-up, a woman opened the window releasing an aroma that nearly sent me to heaven praising all that is good. we looked over the menu: katie, melinda, mollika, vera, allison, ksenia...mom settled on a savory delight with mushrooms, chevre, spinach, red peppers and a drizzle of balsamic dressing (sarah). i asked for the sweetest of sweets and landed a crepe reminiscent of the new orleans' dessert, bananas foster (fay). mmm...

good thing owner, torya blanchard, is opening a second location in our building this spring? this could be bad.

saturday satiation

2009-02-07T23:30:00.019-05:00

elevaters
with passionate humor, these guys challenge social norms through their music as much as their lyrics. grandma's hands isn't their best song, but it is their best video:

cleanse the political palette before sampling don't sleep.

woodpigeon
cbc radio 3 hooked me on this band with in the battle of sun vs. curtains, sun loses and we sleep until noon. beyond my weakness for extraordinarily long song titles, woodpigeon roped me in with their mellow musical innovation. last year, the guardian pegged them as a "semi-acoustic arcade fire or a full-band version of sufjan stevens." for second helpings, scroll down to potsdamer platz.

ella and louis
what can i say? i'm a sucker for comfort music. under a blanket of blue, i gave in to a good night's sleep.

sweet dreams.

the friday philanthropist

2009-02-06T17:21:00.005-05:00

this week i return to my first love: homelessness.

nyc-based common ground, recently named one of the "top 45 social entrepreneurs who are changing the world" by fast company magazine, has a simple mission: to end homelessness.

sorry folks. we've tried that.

what fresh idea does common ground bring to the picture?
they don't offer shelters. they offer homes. common ground builds and operates "a range of housing options for homeless and low-income individuals and families."

too good to be true, right?
wrong. common ground's "street to home" program reduced homelessness in the 20-block neighborhood of times square by 87%.

how does it work?
participants contribute 30% of their income, whatever that is, toward rent. common ground tenants stay for an average of 5 years. management boasts a low eviction rate of 0.9%.

there's more?
common ground recently expanded their programming to include environmentally sustainable building materials and practices.

crying yet?
in december 2007, npr featured a sister-operation, project 50, near la's skid row. earlier this week, la daily news reported: "today, 'wild, wild west' - one of the 50 most chronically homeless people on skid row - has been clean and sober for a year, has a home and is 'happy and doing well.'

parting words?
"any time you see a homeless person in distress, please call 311. the operator will contact common ground or one of our partners."

it almost matches

2009-02-03T23:55:00.009-05:00

i was dazzled by the wall-mounted waves of vibrant blues, soft greens, and earth tones when i walked into mr. song millinery. one custom-made hat, light brown and hanging over my eyes, transported me to the world of gosford park. i checked the tag ($70) and transported myself to mass-produced hats in the room's center ($5-10). as i perused, four women came in asking about aretha's inaugural hat.

mrs. song and i chatted at the cash register:

c: so it's been pretty busy, huh?
she smiled.
c: well, congratulations on your recent success.
ms: how did you hear?
i stared at her blankly.
ms: tv? in the paper?...
c: um. everywhere.
ms: oh.
she bent down to get a bag, hiding another smile.
c: oh, i don't need one. thanks.

i put on the charcoal gray peddler's cap. mrs. song struggled to find an appropriate response. glancing at my orange pea coat, blue woven purse, 1940's-style house dress, and dark-chocolate-colored tights, she managed:

ms: it looks nice. it...almost...matches.

don't ask me why - that made me love the place twice as much.

harrison made a 100-yard interception return...

2009-02-02T00:48:00.010-05:00

...making "super bowl and steelers history," but little leta was not impressed. instead of joining in animated conversations about the football game, she devoted her attention to dora-inspired-run-your-aunt-til-she-drops drills:

l: run, christy, run!
c: i'm running.
l: run faster! run faster!
c: k.
l: más rápido!
c: i'm running fast!
l: más even rápido!

the friday philanthropist

2009-01-30T10:38:00.013-05:00

last night, dad and i decided to check out the arab american national museum, whose opening in 2005 marked the first of its kind, worldwide.

highlights: mosaic-filled courtyard featuring arab culture and history; visiting exhibit, "a yemeni community: photographs from the 1970s by milton rogovin," depicting life in the "bustling steel town" of lackawanna, ny; table displaying famous arab architecture with corresponding light-up wall map; and museum store vending everything from jordanian pottery to dead sea salt natural mineral cosmetics.

other enjoyable, if not somewhat predictable, elements: permanent exhibit, "living in america," (reminiscent of the museum of tolerance) and programming, such as "global thursdays," (akin to the skirball cultural center).

most museums, like the arab american national museum, are nonprofit organizations who rely heavily on revenue from memberships and admission tickets. so next time you are hard-pressed to find a philanthropic endeavor, consider visiting a local museum.

you knock my pants off

2009-01-29T22:53:00.009-05:00

dave's cranium challenge got me thinking of idiomatic errors:

you are the sunshine of my eye.
maybe i'm blind as a cat and
you're just a sheep in wolf's clothing.
but, baby, i'll burn that bridge when i cross it.
i don't want to beat a dead bush.
it's a doggy dog world out there.
we've all got skeletons to air out
and dirty baggage in our closets.
but you hit the hammer on the head when you said:
abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.

**i'll stop. but you should try some. it's an excellent procrastination past-time. just be careful: good intentions killed the cat.

january firsts

2009-01-25T20:56:00.030-05:00

sundance film festival
thanks to a twist of fate and some helpful tips from dax, i found myself in park city, ut, watching afhan star, a documentary on the socio-political implications of afghanistan's answer to american idol. after the film and a brief q&a including the tv show host, daoud sediqi, this reality-tv-hater went back to sister liz's to catch up on the current season of afghan star.

pick me up cafe
forget coffee - get the new yorker: tofu or eggs, potatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onions, and goat cheese. if you ever find yourself in chicago, check out this 24-hour lakeview joint. turns out i'm not the first to love it for the variety of vegetarian and vegan options, but i might have been the first to propose to my breakfast-for-dinner meal. guhl.

the train ride home
i did it. i took the wolverine 354 from chicago to detroit and, well, it was a trip (christine, hats off to you and ryan for making it with a toddler). the train left 2.5 hours late (8:30pm - 3am, not 6pm-midnight). boo. time aside, it was pretty posh: roomy, minimal baggage restrictions, walk around at will...i could see myself doing it again sometime.

romanian food
reading 250 pages of lenin's tomb only to discover that romania was never part of the soviet union should have satisfied my spontaneous interest in the country where baby rach is serving a mission. when i discovered the bucharest grill last week i should not have gone knowing that everything romanian on the menu was meat-centric. but i did. fortunately for herbivores like me, bucharest grill also makes a mean veggie schwarma...the menu's eclectic, to say the least.

sledding hills
yesterday i swore that shiawassee hill was was the biggest, baddest sledding hill in southeast michigan (a statement i immediately regretted making, having personally experienced only two michigan sledding hills). fortunately, it lived up. nephew duo:spastic-fantastic bolted out of the van to attack the icy slope. their three-year-old sister, leta, proceeded more cautiously: "this is wary slippery. (nervous laugh). it's skeery." she and i had one gloriously bumpy run before she requested to wait in the car. today the boys begged for a comparative trip to their local sledding hill. with a smoother ride and less intimidating decline, leta tried again and loved it. on the way home her brothers congratulated her: "leta! that was pretty good for your first time!" first time sledding? oops. who knew?

the friday philanthropist

2009-01-23T00:38:00.021-05:00

last monday, sam, nephew duo:spastic-fantastic, and i, went to work making old tires new. the story is this:

detroit's got abandoned tires: bad for the environment, bad for people, bad for morale.

detroit's got people who are homeless and unemployed.

cass community green industries, one of many ccss programs**, makes tires + people = mud mats, which are sold nationwide.

overhead = nilch.

proceeds go directly to paying the mud mat makers and helping ccss to be a more self-sufficient organization.

founder, reverend faith fowler, summed it up like this: "it's cleaning up our community and creating jobs for people. and it doesn't cost the city a dime."

**cass community social services also uses tires to make heavy-duty shingles for sheds and garages. other programs include soup kitchens, shelters, and transitional housing.

it's the cold, hard truth

2009-01-22T11:38:00.014-05:00

the deep dark woods don't lie.

Inauguration Day

2009-01-21T00:50:00.001-05:00

Listening to pre-ceremony news coverage for President Obama's Inauguration, Mom related her memory of another significant Inauguration Day -

B: My mom and dad and, I think, Susan and Carolyn, and I drove down from Eastchester, New York, to be at John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration.

Realizing I'd never heard this story, I turned on the tape recorder and started with the questions -

C: Wow. Kennedy’s Inauguration - so what do you – what do you remember most about that day?

B: The drive down was very slow. Very heavy snow and we were like: “Oh! Are we gonna get there?” and la la la la la la. And, um, we stayed in a fancy hotel. I don’t really remember much about the day except that it was very cold. The sunshine was really bright. It was windy. The thing I remember about the actual Inauguration was, for some reason, I remember Robert Frost – probably cuz I’d read his poetry in school. And he was there to give a poem as part of the Inauguration events. He couldn’t see his papers because of the glare and the wind blowing them around. So he spoke from memory.

C: Listening to Kennedy speak, do you remember how you felt?

B: I don’t remember actually hearing him speak. Is the thing. I remember a sense of it was something really important that was happening. But it was kind of a confusing important thing because – it’d been such a - the discussion topic in my home and that I remember from that election was – were a couple of big deals: Kennedy was so young.

C: Mm-hmm.

B: Was he inexperienced? Was he capable? He was so young.

C: Mm-hmm.

B: And then he represented, um, the Irish-American Catholic immigrants' heritage. And that was just a huge shift from where we’d ever had a president. Ya know - and particularly the Catholicism was a big deal in the conversations I’d hear around me. So it was an interesting thing. I was also kind of a little thrown by my grandfather, um, having access to these Inaugural tickets. And it - I don’t know the right word - The populist in me or whatever – wanted to be of the people versus of the elite. I guess I felt like, you know, I was partaking of this because he was somehow in an elite place that I didn’t necessarily wanna be a part of. So there were all these funny little things going on. And – I’m trying to think – in January ’61 – I was 14. So I was aware. But I wasn’t that aware, ya know?

C: Yeah.

B: For some reason one of the things that really really was emblazoned on my memory of that Inauguration was - one of the Inaugural Balls was in the hotel where we were staying and my grandmother made sure that I went downstairs - that we went downstairs together - to just kinda walk by where the Inaugural Ball was. And my thing was: “Oh no! We can’t do that!” And her thing was: “Why not?”

C: Ha.

B: And so - we walked down this empty corridor. And peeked in. And then we sat on a couch in the hallway for a little while. And went back upstairs. And I learned that – Of course you can! And that – that was part of my legacy - this heritage of my grandfather who had a sense of formality and history and – and my grandmother who said: “Well, why not?”

the friday philanthropist

2009-01-16T13:42:00.006-05:00

you might have noticed i've been on a service kick since i got out of americorps. and that gets old REAL fast - we all have full-time lives, most of us already serve lots in our communities, and the last thing I want to hear is how i need to do more for another cause before i can sleep well at night.

a little story about yours truly -

when i moved to la, i felt that volunteer opportunities were like scholarships: statistically present, practically absent. during my americorps service, i was startled to learn that there are an estimated 1.5 million registered nonprofit organizations in the u.s., and that even the smallest communities have a need for volunteers. for this reason, i get totally geeked when i read about an innovative organization and i want to share it with EVERYBODY (extreme extrovert, perhaps?).

so let's make a deal. it's called, "the friday philanthropist". once a week i'll profile my latest nonprofit fancy - no more, no less. deal? i hope so, cuz here goes the first installment:

urban farming, inc., headquartered in detroit, was recently featured on the bbc news for its efforts to eradicate hunger by feeding the poor with harvests from urban vegetable gardens planted on formerly derelict land. founding director, taja sevelle, says urban farming, inc. draws inspiration and structure from the wwii victory garden model. interested in volunteering?

if you live in one of the following cities, you're in luck:

detroit
new york
newark, nj
los angeles
montego bay, jamaica
minneapolis/st. paul
st. louis
raleigh, nc

coming soon to:

atlanta
new orleans
west palm beach, fl

a night of soft rock

2009-01-16T01:23:00.001-05:00

it's like the perpetual pacifier. you're ashamed that you want it. yet, when you're most exhausted, it always turns up. taunting you.

that's my coz!

2009-01-14T01:22:00.001-05:00

i've got a family that would rival the corleone's in size. and i don't pretend to know all of them or their business. cousin scott, for example, grew up in utah. as kids, we didn't talk much. as teens, we talked even less. as adults, our friendship has relied heavily on a single correspondence about the admirable qualities of john wooden and a few episodes of arrested development. scott is an ancient near eastern studies major at byu with an emphasis on hebrew. but that's all backstory.

last week i got a facebook invite from scott:

"'a palestinian student perspective'
do you have questions about the palestinian-israeli conflict?
come ask them to fellow students from the middle east.
q&a moderated by byu professor amr al-azm.
refreshments provided."

i was in utah on family business and the invitation piqued my interest. scott studied for a semester in jerusalem last year. he left expecting to grow his love for hebrew language and israeli culture. he returned distraught about the disconnect between how he saw palestinians treated in israel and how he saw them treated in u.s. media. so he did something about it. with refreshments, no less.

hosted at the pennyroyal cafe in provo, there was standing room only by the time the panelists introduced themselves: 1 professor, 1 student, 1 recent graduate, 1 permanent resident. all from the middle east. we covered everything from hamas and upcoming elections to family losses in gaza last week. it wasn't perfect and some people left clearly disappointed.

as for me, i walked away choc full of reading suggestions**, political ambivalence, and familial pride. i am glad to be related to a man who is willing to educate himself on an issue about which he feels passionately, and then take a bold stance to inspire others.

p.s. that's scott in the photo in case you mistook him for a random.

**professor amr al-azm will be emailing me a list of suggested readings on israeli-palestinian relations, historical and current. if you're interested in the list - or have suggestions - please let me know.

grandfather time

2009-01-12T11:45:00.001-05:00

this tune derailed me from accomplishing anything productive this morning and sent baby emma to snoozeland. thanks a lot, 3hive.

faux boy bands and other recent adventures

2009-01-10T01:22:00.004-05:00

i went to chicago to celebrate new years with americorps friends at pham's place. please note this was only the second time in my 25 years i have spent the holiday away from my family. after a few days in the windy city, i drove with a van-load of people to the american humanics management institute in indianapolis. also, eventful. highlights:

THE COLORED COAT MAFIA
when j.bloom, red, pham and i realized we were sporting brightly colored peacoats around town, we decided it was a sign; we were destined to be the next trendy boy band. being women of action, we took the first opportunity to shoot photos for our debut album cover.

3609 DAVIS STREET
figuring everyone would be sleeping off celebratory side effects until mid-morning, i hopped on the red line at belmont and headed north early on new years day. while i grew up in metro-detroit, i was born in a north chicago suburb called skokie. my memories are limited to a few mental snapshots and return visits after we moved. as i walked from the train station to the vaguely familiar house, i tried to picture my family - numbering 9 then - going about daily routines and errands. i felt giddy when i called mom and dad from across the street at walker elementary. it was so delightful i completely forgot i was wearing blue mesh pants haphazardly tucked into puffy maroon boots with a christmas story-esque hat...until i started getting looks on the now-crowded train heading back toward wrigley field.

MY PLACE FOR TEA
pham moved to chicago from fort wayne, indiana, 3 days before the new years houseguests started buzzing at her apartment building. we went out exploring the city together. my favorite find was a cozy cafe called my place for tea. but it was the menu, not the breakfast nook atmosphere, that caught my attention. my place for tea is, in fact, only a tea shop; they do not sell coffee, hot cocoa, or any other sort of drinks. and they have every tea you've heard of from english breakfast to boba. at the owner's recommendation, i ordered a chocolate chai and settled in for a long visit with katie knickerbocker.

ROBERT EGGERS AND ANNUAL FUNDS
with 35 other ameriwhorps, i pursued the opportunity to register for the american humanics management institute at the recommendation of our training director, silently wondering what "humanics" means. the keynote speaker for the opening ceremony was robert eggers, a night club owner turned social activist. his unconventional manner coupled with an innovative approach to reducing hunger in america had me privately cheering, and once - inadvertently - aloud. the next day brought excellent workshops on subjects such as branding in the non-profit sector and generating sustainable annual funds. nerdy, i know. thrilling, nonetheless.

for byu fans, the y is one of the newest american humanics campus affiliates. for bloomfield hills fans, kirstin lau and i had a mutually unexpected reunion there.

rhythm and motion

2009-01-08T02:56:00.002-05:00

katie knickerbocker asked about my 2009 theme and colors as we rode the train to south chicago. i blinked twice. gahhlly! my eyes are dry, i thought. judging by her unblinking gaze, i assumed she wanted a real answer. "well. i don't really have one. yet," i responded.

it's not that i haven't thought about 2009 themes. lately, it seems like i'm good at working hard or having fun, but not both. so i wasn't sure how to approach this year. we talked it over - my thoughts, her thoughts, my thoughts, her...you get the idea. and agreed to have answers for each other by the time we split this week. we got off the train to have eggplant parmesan with kathy bush, see a sam sinclair trio/chi town kids concert at the beverly arts center, and engage in an intense tapper competition.

somewhere in the mix of things, i decided on rhythm and motion. charcoal gray and fuchsia. percussion and dance. balance and momentum. consistency and risk-taking.

that's what i'm looking for in 2009. here goes.

planes, trains, and automobiles

2008-12-29T21:10:00.002-05:00

if you're anything like me, you're broke with time on your hands. that means one thing and one thing only - you're taking the train home from chicago next week. no delays at midway or o'hare. no airport security. no beverage and peanuts. no sir. you're dedicating 1/2 day to amtrak. and inexplicably happy about it.

here's the thing. i love to move; on foot or buckled into a boeing 747, i dig traveling. i'm constantly curious about how people get from here to there - which modes are most thrilling? relaxing? social? satisfying? efficient?

lately i've been thinking about trains. they seem classy to me. and a bit edgy. occasionally, flammable. and better for the environment than planes?

i realized i wasn't sure. in fact, there's a lot i don't know about trains. so i did a little research. according to this 2007 editorial, when you consider a variety of factors from cost to style points, trains beat out cars and planes for regional u.s. travel. this 2008 new york times article discusses the rising popularity of the eurostar based on its green advantage over planes. this blog tracks a student's cross-country amtrak tour.

out six hours and $20, i'll let you know what i think next week.

christmastime in the city

2008-12-25T03:01:00.001-05:00

merry christmas!

**dad and i set out to photograph the holiday lights along woodward avenue. this was my favorite.**

A Trip to Eastern Market

2008-12-23T19:52:00.001-05:00

last saturday mom and i toured detroit's eastern market:

we had a blast and took upwards of 50 photos.

something old, something new

2008-12-16T02:42:00.003-05:00

BOOK MOOCH
a few years old, this website improves book swapping by broadening your community and making it more financially viable. like craigslist, individuals post a listing for each book they want to give away and interested takers work out the details via email. what sets book moochers apart is that, by shipping books at their personal expense, members earn credits to receive books from their own wish list for free.

CLERK DOGS
this beta-version website launched last week. essentially, clerk dogs is to movies what pandora is to music. unlike netflix' software-based system, movie comparisons are generated by human "clerks" based on 35 movie attributes. while clerk dogs recommends all types of movies, their launch focus has been on the crime and suspense genres.

i like that

2008-12-15T18:03:00.001-05:00

there was a negative wind chill today. the kind that makes you walk backwards rather than face the gusts of doom. i was staring at my orange shoes and considering on a scale of 1 to 10 just how silly i was for wearing mesh pants. i passed through a crowd of people waiting for the bus.

"it's cold and she's smiling," a man observed. i looked up, then realized the she was me. "i like that!" he returned.

i grinned. people laughed. maybe because it was funny. maybe because it distracted us from the early stages of frostbite on our fingers and toes.

and i like that.

in no particular order

2008-12-12T21:48:00.002-05:00

my current love affairs:

SWEET JUNIPER!
completing americorps and returning home jobless to one of the most economically-depressed cities in the nation, this is exactly what i need; a detroit blogger who finds the creative, beautiful, and ironic in everyday life.

BECAUSE I HAVE QUESTIONS, NOT ANSWERS
a stimulating debate between avraham burg, former speaker of the israeli parliament, and omer bartov, professor of european history, on how collective memory of the holocaust impacts current israeli-palestinian relations.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SURPRISES
amanda loves logan and i love amanda. so i figured, by simple math, i'd love logan. i just didn't figure i'd love it so much. adjacent to a stunning canyon, just south of bear lake, populated by bearded intellectuals who love snowboarding...need i say more?

when grammy, mom, and i get together

2008-12-07T00:12:00.001-05:00

i listen to grammy n. and mom reminisce about great grammy h. and how she loved to laugh. grammy describes how she loved going on train rides with her mother.
grammy pulls out photos i've never seen from a time before i was born. i admire grammy's fashion sense and observe how much my siblings haven't changed.
i think about grammy's description of toddler mom running up and down the aisle of a red-eye flight from palo alto to new york. it reminds me that we're not so different as i sometimes think. i notice that we all resemble her - me, rachel marie, even itsy bitsy beanie baby niece emma.
i show grammy and mom a recent picture of emma baby to prove my point. so what if they don't look that similiar? anyway, they have the same button nose.
i read mom's wedding announcement. grammy talks about great uncle paul's cross-country flight in an open-air plane: "i thought flying would be his death for sure. who knew it would be cancer instead?" i realize we three have lived very different lives.
and i feel fortunate to be part of this three-generation meeting about five generations of women in my family.