visions always context-based

2007-12-07-1200

things have been fine.

I spent Wednesday researching art of union (artofunion.org, and via tribe.net: artofunion, HOME), plus my other friends/acquaintances in Costa Rica: Rod Rylander, Evan Marks. Partly prompted by Bill mentioning his son, Michael Shames (UCAN god) is going down there setting up eco-resorts. Partly after reading bluejay's airfare site and seeing I could get there for $250.

Thursday reading planetizen.

Tuesday sleeping?

Having a fine time.

Sort of content just to let life happen.

Not really.

Would like to
1206

guide more?

--Now, Art of Union / Heaven on Mother Earth--

In many ways they are doing what I proposed doing--

Community, land trust, spiritual foci,

Many good things.


---------------

I saw the guy celebrating that he lives near a waterfall.

I wasn't super excited. (checked to see what the costa rican cities were like) (we have that here, in los padres NF. . . but not all the fruit and frogs. . . and year-round warm.)

I seem to remain more excited about walking around New York City.
(Why am I not going to participate in Art Of Union? or some other Costa Rica project? Too much work? What work would I ever want to do?)
--------------------------

Oh-- nevermind.

-----------

So I return to urban planning.

----------

I enjoy reading this--

very much.

-------------------

The thought of being a researcher again, and writing papers, and then getting an office job, or being a planner, running public meetings. . .

-------------------------


We'll see.

The plan for now:

continue reading planetizen-- the intersectionsblog.

1217

Today, rode 2hrs to get a pass so I can do challenge course work on a Navy Base.

1218
I have been doing ok taking care of self, having a good routine.

alternate walk/swim mornings. Bike across highway to walk near lake murray. In the evenings, usually play around in warm outdoor pool at SDSU. Visiting with friend most evenings.

1225

it is exciting to think how much better urban environments could become.

fascinating how complex the process of creating them is.

1227

A black guy (I was biking through the "poorer" neighborhoods) cheered me on (I'm on a lowrider recumbent with a bright flashing light on my helmet and florescent vest, florescent tow-truck gloves I found on my last long ride). Something like, "Alright! Way to keep your money guy!"

And that was a main reason I was biking. The round-trip would cost me $5 by transit.

-----------------------

I guess I'm somewhat done being angry at the landscape.

If I wanted to do something about it, I would be.

Biking through it (almost no one does) is my part.

1233

So, no grand vision.

peace,
Colin



1241
-----------------
A Posting (Tuesday night): Ecopoopia: carfreeness/physical activity and veganism

----------------
Notes from this past interval:

A critique of "stay where you are":

She felt Wendell Berry would say “Stay at home, live a sustainable life and get out of the death culture.” Thomas Berry would say, “Discover your dream and life purpose and live fully into it.” From "An evening with Thomas Berry" by Frank Cook.

--------

. . . a piece in The New Yorker by Nick Paumgarten on commuting in America entitled "There and Back Again". The tease at the beginning sums up the entire piece: "People may endure miserable commutes out of an inability to weigh their general well-being against quantifiable material gains."

------
At the turn of the 20th century,William Phelps Eno invented the rules of the road to reduce the number of accidents caused by horse-drawn vehicles; he is credited with devising the stop sign, the stop light, the yield sign, the crosswalk, the pedestrian island, the one-way street, the traffic circle, and the taxi stand. In addition, he codified driving on the right side of the road.

http://www.uctc.net/access/30/Access%2030%20-%2002%20-%20Horse%20Power.pdf
http://www.uctc.net/access/access30.shtml

1258