Not here to brag or boast, but on a sunny day, I don’t hate what I wake up to.
I have little more to write about this one than wow. Something that started out as a general, but smallscale good, has apparently exploded into something much more. Never thought I’d say this, but thank you Ty Pennington.
Short and sweet, read this- “An Extreme Model for Success? Ya Gotta Love This City!”
Here’s a hint:
Ryan
Why not?
A few years back I first read of a handful of larger gardens being planted in some of the “tough” neighborhoods of Buffalo. This was no major revelation, but the type of thing you simply like to see. Caring citizens who support where they live and want to see it grow in any way it can. Quickly these gardens became more than just street corner flowerbeds. Soon enough they were growing produce and bringing with them a now more involved general population. Groups started to spring up that would take care of and tend to these gardens and before you knew it my city was on the urban agriculture train.
Of course, for every success, there must be opposition. From the streets of the very same city came a family who had bought an old broken down home and the lot next to it. Nothing major there, but they had big plans. Former countryside dwellers, they saw their added land as the perfect place to plant their own crop. A fitting metaphor for the slow hope that was growing in their very run-down neighborhood. Well, despite their ideas, the city quickly stepped in with zoning restrictions and whatever else could be dredged up to fight their farm. As far as I know, their fight is still on going.
Now I am no tree-hugger, nor am I any sort of specialist, but I see very little wrong with putting a seed or two in the ground, no matter the setting. For years now on roofs all over your local metropolis people have been planting gardens. It has been seen as chique and forward thinking. New York City has been praised for their elevated gardens that now occupy former train platforms. I see no downside to any of the above.
Furthermore, when it comes to urban layout, I believe strongly in density. Tall buildings are all well and good, but a city is not a city without thick, to the curb, development. The kind of street scene that came with the massive urban populations of the early 1900’s. Sorry Charlotte, Columbus, Denver, and others, your skylines look great, but there’s just not much to you on street level. My favorite American city, architecturally, is Washington D.C. simply because it NEEDS density. The city cannot build up. Such restriction fosters creative structures that have to maximize their 12-ish stories to stand out. I would rather see a city build in and out than up while it still can. And with that in mind, why not fill space with some green?
No one likes a vacant lot (here’s looking at you Rustbelt). Surface parking is ugly. An open lawn can be fine but it is better suited for the burbs. Plant a field of flowers. Grow fresh vegetables and start a farmers market in your neighborhood. It’s trendy and environmentally friendly (yeah, that rhymed, deal with it). If carefully tended, there is no way for it to be an eyesore. They can speak volumes for the passion of the people who live there and may even be an added novelty boost to tourism, who knows?
Above is a picture of a soon to be field of what looks like sunflowers in the heart of Ansan. I like it.
Ryan
I have been working up to this post for quite some time. Very few things get my goat as much as music and needless to say in my new world there are plenty of new sounds to work with. Compiling my observations I feel compelled to write on the subject. However, as I stare at my keyboard I realize that at the moment sitting in bed and watching pirated TV is bound to win out tonight.
So for now, enjoy this rugged little fellow known as G-Dragon. He and his friends (as well as an astounding array of American artists as well) will be in my sights before you know it.
Ryan
Not Actually Ansan.
After a big move, the world gets very small. None of the shrinking has anything to do with the travel itself. Sure, planes are magic and take us anywhere we want (except under water, let’s get on that) but there is no such thing as an easy trans-continental flight. Even less so when you own a boarding pass to the only flight canceled in the world’s largest airport. Simply, getting to where you want to go is hell, always has been, always will be. However, I digress.
Now in Korea, my world is surprisingly small. It is beautiful, exciting, tempting, challenging and everything else, but for now, a bubble. Ansan is big, very big. I underestimated how much land it covered and all of the subsections within it. Big enough that I could not even tell you yet just where in it I live. I do know a handful of streets. Couldn’t tell you their name, but they are there. I can find my school and my apartment, otherwise, through my jet-lagged haze, it all just melds into one blinding symphony of neon lights. Signs screaming things to me that I can not understand.
I find this all very frustrating of course. Travel to me has always been about the adventure and exploring. Get up, point your feet some place new, and see what you find. My schedule has been such that for now, this is out of the question. Granted I have only been here 2 days, but my lack excursions is noticeable.
The fear of swine flu has opened up a window for gentle introduction to my life here. I work, but passively at best. Grab lunch, sit in on a class or two, and then brave the waters of soju. It’s an easy schedule until monday. what comes then, who knows?
This lady named Korea is good. Now I need to find out more.
Ryan
7:30 am. Monday, October 26th, 2009. Uncharted Korean waters ahead.
Something Here Seems Like a Bad Idea.
Oh what a wonderful place it can be when the stars align enough to bring together the perfect collaboration of life and music. Some divine event where every lyric and every note just makes sense. I’ve joked for years that I wanted a life soundtrack. Something to perfectly accompany the ups and downs and if nothing else, be some tasty walking music. Every now and then, a wish will come true.
We are all human. Born with dreams, fears and worst of all, logic. Simple fact, no day is an easy one. That said, some are more dastardly than others when leaping without looking. That damn logic never fails to creep up when wanted least. Ask anyone who has ever jumped out of a plane. A daily mantra of “shit yeah I want to do it,” can quickly turn once the pack is on your back and the door is open. Suddenly “hell yeah,” turns into “the hell am I doing?!?” Can happen to anyone anywhere. It’s not the fear you have to overcome, it’s the logic. Sometimes a good tune is all you need. So, if you are in the life changing business as of late, walking blindly into adventure, do I have something for you!
When taking a chance, and logic comes a-calling, may I suggest a little Eddie Vedder in your diet. A couple years back the grunge legend penned a “solo album” that was essentially the soundtrack to the film “Into the Wild.” Good flick. Better album. Beyond a healthy respect, and a general fear of the faces the man makes while lost in song, I have never much had an opinion either way of Mr. Vedder or Pearl Jam. However, our past aside, his solo effort is the remedy to the “what ifs.”
I leave for Asia on Monday. Doubt rears it’s ugly head now and then. This music makes me ready to run into the trouble ahead. Not to mention it comes with a mandolin or two. Who can resist that kind of fun?
Give it a look sometime.
Ryan
(I am working on getting an audio sample up. It’s a new wordpress trick for me.)
One might think that with only a week left on the continent that my head would be swimming with nothing but Korean thoughts and preparation. You of course would be right, and I have been intending to write something about the human experience as related to a life about-face. But I can be granted a distraction now and then right? And of course, if you were to just scroll down though other things posted, I bet you could guess what might be those jingling keys in the room for me.
A new, incredibly in-depth article has been released outlining the impending Canal Side project in Buffalo. Though I have not technically written about the project specifically in the past, it has certainly come up, being that it dominates the plans for my beloved harbor. The article is massive, detailing nearly ever inch of what is to come(hopefully) and is no light read. Seeing as how it so involved, and how I just woke up, I am going to try and spare you. I will not write a long response, merely relay to you a series of initial thoughts as I read through.
Here is the article: Canal Side
Here are some thoughts:
- Bigger than I thought it would be. Covers more general ground including down to the Buffalo river and past the Marine Drive Apartments.
- They keep saying quality materials. I like that.
- Build with an aesthetic that makes it look like different buildings from different owners and times? Great idea, but can that really be achieved by one developer?
- First mention of residences I’ve heard associated with it. Cool.
- There is going to be some tall shit there. And FISH!
- I like the idea of zones. Still not sure how it will work though.
- Seriously impressed about the scope of this, still.
I end with two key questions as well.
1. What about the already existing historic harbor? I doubt it will be disrespected, but there are business there, will they be chased out?
2. How will this impact what surrounds the site? People live and work down there(Marine Drive apartments, HSBC Center, the Buffalo News,…) and this has a clear tone of something big merely being dropped on the block.
Still like what I see, just do it well.
Ryan
UPDATE- Checking back several hours later I see an even more encouraging sign of things. Further info and ideas about the project have been published since from the same source. Normally this might not be worth mentioning, but in a defeatist world, anything is worth something. Keep it up.
CONTINUED UPDATE- It would seem there is now a “fly through” of a section of the Canal Side project up for viewing. Sadly it only has to do with the section I care least about, the Bass Pro Area, but it’s something. I’d critique it, but why not just enjoy it for now?
From the very get-go I vowed that I would do everything I can to steer clear of simply making this a journal. It’s never failed to bother me how people feel the need to share the little details of their lives in a mass media sort of way. It does not make said details any less interesting, however, if we want the little things, wouldn’t we just ask? That aside, here comes a journal entry. Sorry.
I also said early on this would be a means to relay pieces of my time abroad. Though i have not left yet, this has everything to do with it. I also have a natural segue-way to this from my previous post so I can let it slide.
As of today I am official! My Korean E2 work visa arrived in the mail and the headache that was the ages of paperwork is now through. With this pretty piece of paper I can now finally be the ex-pat I always said I would be. Sure it can seem little and insignificant, but it sure put a nice little smile my face.
Soon I’ll have a ticket in hand and packed bags to boot. I’ll toast to that any day.
Ryan
How do you say “a lot to learn” in Korean?
Time is on my side, more than on my side. I put yourself here though. After what felt like ages of indecision, weighing all the different ways to jump in head first and mix things up, I landed on an idea. Months ago the decision was to move. Something I have done before, several times over, but this would be different. This move would big and bold. This one would be overseas. Asia or bust! Though hardly an easy choice, when you look at things head-to-head, it could be worse. Desk job? Grad school? Debt? ADVENTURE? I’ll have a cup of that last one.
It was an educated decision that has hardly followed my design. The plan was simple. Honor a few scheduled events on the horizon, and then to Korea we go in the fall. Things were looking good. I was set to work a dream job until I left and then whatever was to come abroad after. Of course, as soon as I moved for that dream job, everything fell apart on the other end. The job I had found changed it’s tune, leaving me back at square one. Plenty of headaches and money later, it’s all been sorted out. Except for one thing. I should be there now, I’m not. Granted I will be on the ground before the month is out, it is still a let down all the same. Unemployed until then and living with my parents, I have time enough to feed a small village. There are plenty of ways to fill the time void. Not all constructive of course, but there are positive options as well. Top of the list? Delving into the mysterious world that is learning the Korean language.
Anyone who has spent time abroad will tell you that having, at the very least, a handful a safety words in your back pocket is essential to sanity and function in a new land. Generally speaking, it’s good to build off of things such as:
-Hello/Goodbye
-Thank you/You’re welcome
-Yes/No
-Sorry
-Where’s the Bathroom?
-Bar?
-How much?
These should pretty well get you around and maybe even make you a few friends. Never underestimate how much people enjoy seeing the idiot American trying to communicate on their level. After the safe list, it’s up to the traveler to proceed from there however they see fit.
For most, little more will be needed. A week in a strange land does not require complete command of the language. Also, being that English is the current international language it is often pretty easy to find someone who can help. Found yourself in the dark? Stand in plain sight. Look stupid. Try holding a map upside-down, and some poor soul will pop out of a crowd. Never fails. If you want a good sociology experiment, try the same thing on the streets of New York or LA. Let me know how it goes.
The problem now is, what do you do when the basics will only cut it for so long? A year’s time is not a visit. The international language of facial expressions and hand gestures can go miles, but who wants to spend their life feeling like a cheap mime? And you can’t point your way through a grocery store every time.
But what if languages just are not your thing? If you have tried throughout your life but could never get past that safety list? Ok, perhaps you made it to “conversational” Spanish on your best days, but even that was a stretch. Well every last one of those is this guy. And I promise there is not a single line that can be drawn between the Romance Languages and Korean.
The language is Barely a couple centuries old and composed of countless others from the cultures that once dominated the peninsula. It has layers of formalities for every situation. Let us not forget it is also multi-syllabic across the board. Add it all up, and without a brain built for root memorization, it is not even a steep slope, it is a cliff.
Thankfully there are parallels between certain words and phrases. Common endings that can at least offer a segway to learn with. Otherwise it is pure diligence and scotch inspired confidence. But hey, time is on my side.
Ryan
