When they’re tired of the community faces,

Relying on everyone for everything,

When they just want to be left alone,

You’ll see homeless become suburbanites.

When they’re tired of the shared spaces,

Welcoming anyone to do anything,

When they want a fence around their home,

You’ll see children become suburbanites.

When they’re all armed with shields and maces,

Afraid of someone or something,

When they all retreat to their Thunderdome,

You’ll see us all become suburbanites.

I’m sure you probably heard by now, but Pittsburgh was ranked on of the best places of the world by National Geographic.  I, too, am a little skeptic and possibly embarrassed.  Sonoma Valley, Ca was the only other US location selected.  I mean, Pittsburgh’s great n’@, but I don’t think it’s worthy of the 7 world wonders or anything.

here’s the complete article:  http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2012/#/botw-main-gallery-pittsburgh_41334_600x450.jpg

Here’s some interesting past and present pictures of the Hill District.  I can’t even imagine the Hill District being as lively as it used to be.  So many buildings and businesses and people.  It seems like it truly was connected to the hustle and bustle of downtown at one time.

http://multimedia.post-gazette.com/ThenNow/Hill/Center/default.asp

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11226/1166781-53.stm

We all grow up, but some of us never leave home.  Some of us will always remain close to where we grew up.  It’s not a bad thing either way, sometimes it’s born out of necessity.  I know a lot of people who moved so far away from home, but they ended up moving back.

Pittsburgh is confirmed as the filming location for the new batman movie!  I’m stoked.  This is one of the biggest movies to be filmed in Pittsburgh for a long time.  I’m also noticing that Anne Hathaway is slated to be in the movie…I wonder what that means for Kallie…people are going to be extra jumpy about sightings.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11095/1137149-348.stm

A tip of the hat to Amy for this gem!

Dispatch Work is an artist’s project to repair city landscapes around the world with LEGO bricks. Click on the cities on the right hand side of the site to see all the different locations. People simple volunteer to build LEGO creations to fit into the cracked, broken, or missing tiles or bricks.

Rest assured, Pittsburgh will be featured here soon…

The naked trees wave white plastic bags
Like wounded soldiers waving surrender flags

Sirens scream from the project heights
Homeless were once suburbanites

Multiple stab wound lies on the street
While the starving steal the shoes from his feet

Where the in want out, and the out want in
Where lives end, and business negotiations begin

Where the deals are smooth and a bag costs one fifty
This is my home, this is the city.

So Kallie and I need about 1.2 cars.  I walk to work and most places we go together.  Every once in a while though, we need to go separate ways.

I’m envisioning a car that can break in half basically.  I think there are people like us that need more than 1 car sometimes.  There would also be a market for couples in the city with 1 parking space.

I’m thinking 2 small engines, one in the front, one in the back, driving each axel independently.  When you have the “cars” together, the two engines work together.

You’d have to make the extra tires fold up or something when it’s in 1 car mode.  I don’t have any design ideas yet, but I think there’s a need, and where there is a need and some imagination, you have potential.