With the new year come new hopes and aspirations. As I stated last time, I have applied to graduate school, something that for me represents a new challenge as an individual. I hope that I will learn and grow, but also try my hand at something that I feel has great value to the world as a whole. Corny and cliched? Maybe. But it feels good.
As I also stated last time, self-doubt has crept in. Will I be good enough to be accepted? What if I don't? Will I be stuck doing something I don't want to forever? How will I pursue what I want to pursue? What can I do to keep growing, develop skills, and find my next great adventure?
Naturally, all of this is a bit scary. Self-doubt is incredibly crippling. If you allow yourself to be overcome by negative thoughts posed by others or more often by yourself, it is very often that those doubts become reality, a never-ending spiral into dark places. It becomes so tough to escape and easily seeps into the other areas of your life: relationships, day-to-day activities, and your overall health. It is terrible to be caught in this trap and I wondered how I would ever be able to persevere.
Until I started to think about running.
People often ask me why I run. Usually its a very indirect question such as, why would you ever want to run that far? Some people will try to talk about the dangers of running or the joints I'll have to replace as a deterrent, but I am too far into it to stop. The truth is that I run for a lot of different reasons, and the more I run, the more those reasons change and grow.
When I first started running I was a person who believed that running was only good if you could chase a ball. If there were no reason to run, what was the point? It seems silly that we would want to run for miles and miles with no real reason other than to do it. How is it possible?
My first race I trained for was a 5K with the intent of finishing. At the time, running a mile brought up terrible memories of high school gym class, huffing around the track. Running 3.1 miles was just crazy. But, when I started, it was simply because I knew other people who had run a 5K and thought, 'I want to do that too.' It started as a means to accomplishment.
After that race I felt pretty good. I realized that a 5K wasn't that bad. I was tired, but I also recall thinking about that one place where I stopped running for a few moments. I thought about how I could have started a little slower to run the entire time. I could have run faster, harder, better.
So I decided to do another race. And another. And increase the distance. And soon I recognized that I wanted to one day do a marathon. And I wanted to do a marathon before I started my 'real life' because I wanted to have a sense of accomplishment. So I decided that I would do the Bayshore Marathon in May of my senior year of college. Mostly because I wanted to say I had run a marathon.
Marathon training is hard work. I started training around Christmas for the race in May, running nearly every day. With every race I run, I always sign-up before the training begins. I do this not because I'm worried of getting a spot in the race, but because with the cost of a non-refundable entry fee, I am obligated to train.
Training for a spring race in Michigan means fighting the biting cold in January and February, running when its dark, running on ice and snow, and wearing multiple layers upon layers to log those miles. It isn't always fun and there are many days it seems downright crazy.
But, the truth is that there will always be an excuse if you let there be. I could have said that it was too dark, I was too tired, it was too cold to go running. But, I knew that when March rolled around it would be too windy. And in April it would be too muddy. And when the race came in May, I wouldn't be ready.
So, I ran every day. I ran increasing miles. I ran even though I was taking 17 credit hours, president of the largest organization on campus, actively involved on 2 other boards, participating in Alternative Spring Break, and working about 15 hours a week. To say my schedule was packed is an understatement.
Training for a marathon requires logging miles. But, the truth is that the hardest part of a marathon is not the distance. The hardest part of the marathon is the voice in your head that says you can't do it. The hardest part is the people who say you can't do it. The hardest part is that time when you are tired, and worn, and the work you are doing is hard, but you push through. The training is there to remind you that you CAN do it and have in fact, trained to do it.
Today I have accomplished 2 full marathons, 3 half marathons, and have a full scheduled in June and am contemplating a half in April. I fully intend on running a half or full marathon in every state before I turn 50. I intend on doing this because running, for me, is a wonderful metaphor for life.
As self-doubt tries to cripple me before my first big life decision, I remind myself of running.
Running is accomplishment. Running is attitude. Running is tenacity and determination. Running is meditation. Running is perseverance.
That is why I run. I run to remind myself that I can. I can run those extra miles. I can get up in the morning. I can pack my schedule with life. I can persevere through the hardest times.
We all run a marathon in life. Sometimes it is a bit of hard work. Sometimes we just don't want to get up in the morning. We have a choice, though. We've already signed up for the race. We can either train for it, or watch as the race passes us by. But you'll always regret not running the race. You will never regret the hard work it took to accomplish your goals.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Fat Tuesdays: Vinsetta Garage
With the world ending on Friday I decided not to buy groceries. My fridge is scarce and the cupboards are bare. If all else fails, I'm sure Meijer will be open with a sale during the Mayan apocalypse.
No, actually, I hate buying food before I leave for a period of time. You know that time when you really need to buy food, but if you buy food you probably won't eat it all because there are so many stinking Christmas parties to go to, and then you're going to be gone for a while so you don't want to stock up, or risk wasting a bunch of food that you could never eat in time? Yeah. That's right now.
So, instead of making anything cool for Fat Tuesday today, I give you a tale of a trip to a restaurant I recently visited. It was in a faraway place called Berkeley, north of 8 Mile, in a land that we south of the border rarely see.
It was a few weekends ago when I called up my buddy Matt to see what he was up to. Matt is from Chesterfield, via Warren, via Troy. If you don't know your Detroit geography, Matt is from the northernmost parts of the big yellow blob on the Michigan map and I live somewhere near the bottom. Despite the fact that we both live in the yellow blob, it gets a bit tricky to meet up sometimes. This particular weekend worked well, however, and we decided to do some dinner with our significant others at Vinsetta Garage, located on Woodward Avenue between 11 and 12 mile roads.
Vinsetta Garage, I came to discover, is a fairly recent and quite popular establishment. The draw, at least for me, is the ambiance of the restaurant, located in the oldest service station still in existence east of the Mississippi River. If you can imagine a service station from the days of the past, now with a brick pizza oven, full service bar, and numerous tables filled with people, you've either been there before or you're getting a great picture of what this place looks like.
We picked a Saturday night to visit the Garage, which may have been a bad idea. We didn't actually arrive until probably 7:30 or 8:00, but it was clear that the place was popular. When we arrived, parking was tough to find. Vinsetta has a nice valet service available, but I'm not quite that cool. Instead, I opted for one of the side streets for parking. After a short walk, we managed to get back to the restaurant to put our name on the list. The neighborhood surrounding Vinsetta is nice and quaint, at least in the dark, and easy to navigate.
The second indication that the place was popular was that when we checked in with the hostess, we were told the wait would be about an hour and a half. AN HOUR AND A HALF! That's pretty amazing. And what I think was more amazing was that it actually took an hour and a half. You know how you go to a restaurant and they tell you 45 minutes, but its really like 30 minutes and then you're happy because they over delivered, but they knew all along it was only 30 minutes? Yeah, that didn't happen here. It was really and hour and a half.
Since it was 8:00, we were all pretty hungry. Naturally, we grabbed a few beers and decided to take up a table on the patio. I imagine the patio is a nice place in the summer. It sits right on Woodward (so Dream Cruise Day is probably really special) and people are constantly coming and going so the people watching is excellent. However, early December is probably not the best time to sit and enjoy the outdoors. It was dark and cold and downright chilly, beer or not.
Being the good friends that we are, we enjoyed the hour and a half chatting, catching up on things we've missed in each others lives, and using movie references that few would understand. We had a few laughs, drank our beers, and anxiously watched the buzzer on the table. I'm thankful my back was to the window or I would have been salivating over the food that kept flitting by.
When the buzzer finally went off we all leaped to the hostess with great haste and ravenously asked for our table. Inside, the place was still jammed. The decor was difficult to see while zipping through the dining area, but it was clear they put some details into the room. The most notable piece to me was that the kitchen was clearly the old work bench in the garage and that each chef wore overalls like the old greasemonkeys of yore.
Having waited for an hour and a half, I was now at the point where any kind of food would have been tasty. Basically, I was expecting that this food had better be the best food I've ever eaten. Ever. I only recall being so hungry that the choices on the menu were overwhelming. Its not that there were that many choices, just that all the choices looked outstanding.
Matt and Desiree ordered a few burgers, while I split a pizza with Janel. I think at this point I must have slipped into a coma. I don't really recall what we talked about or how long the meal took to arrive, only that it came to our table and we devoured the food. I think it was good. Yes, it was good. Was it worth an hour and a half wait? I'm not convinced.
All in all, I enjoyed the experience. I like being in restaurants full of people. It always seems like something is happening. It was clearly a place to be. And the guys who own the joint are what is being dubbed as the new type of restauranteur. These guys own several restaurants in the metro region that have done quite well. They own multiple restaurants, but unlike a franchise owner, these guys have themed restaurants that fit the space they have renovated. I think its an outstanding concept.
Would I recommend Vinsetta Garage? Yes. Would I recommend going on a Saturday night? No. I'd like to visit again when it is lively, but not too crowded. And I'd like to visit again when my appetite isn't quite so savage that the pile of trash on the street starts to look appetizing. If you're looking for a place with a great atmosphere that has good food, this is a place to go. Just be sure that in the near future you plan for your entire evening to be spent with the company you keep. And you're not there on an empty stomach.
No, actually, I hate buying food before I leave for a period of time. You know that time when you really need to buy food, but if you buy food you probably won't eat it all because there are so many stinking Christmas parties to go to, and then you're going to be gone for a while so you don't want to stock up, or risk wasting a bunch of food that you could never eat in time? Yeah. That's right now.
So, instead of making anything cool for Fat Tuesday today, I give you a tale of a trip to a restaurant I recently visited. It was in a faraway place called Berkeley, north of 8 Mile, in a land that we south of the border rarely see.
It was a few weekends ago when I called up my buddy Matt to see what he was up to. Matt is from Chesterfield, via Warren, via Troy. If you don't know your Detroit geography, Matt is from the northernmost parts of the big yellow blob on the Michigan map and I live somewhere near the bottom. Despite the fact that we both live in the yellow blob, it gets a bit tricky to meet up sometimes. This particular weekend worked well, however, and we decided to do some dinner with our significant others at Vinsetta Garage, located on Woodward Avenue between 11 and 12 mile roads.
Vinsetta Garage, I came to discover, is a fairly recent and quite popular establishment. The draw, at least for me, is the ambiance of the restaurant, located in the oldest service station still in existence east of the Mississippi River. If you can imagine a service station from the days of the past, now with a brick pizza oven, full service bar, and numerous tables filled with people, you've either been there before or you're getting a great picture of what this place looks like.We picked a Saturday night to visit the Garage, which may have been a bad idea. We didn't actually arrive until probably 7:30 or 8:00, but it was clear that the place was popular. When we arrived, parking was tough to find. Vinsetta has a nice valet service available, but I'm not quite that cool. Instead, I opted for one of the side streets for parking. After a short walk, we managed to get back to the restaurant to put our name on the list. The neighborhood surrounding Vinsetta is nice and quaint, at least in the dark, and easy to navigate.
The second indication that the place was popular was that when we checked in with the hostess, we were told the wait would be about an hour and a half. AN HOUR AND A HALF! That's pretty amazing. And what I think was more amazing was that it actually took an hour and a half. You know how you go to a restaurant and they tell you 45 minutes, but its really like 30 minutes and then you're happy because they over delivered, but they knew all along it was only 30 minutes? Yeah, that didn't happen here. It was really and hour and a half.
Since it was 8:00, we were all pretty hungry. Naturally, we grabbed a few beers and decided to take up a table on the patio. I imagine the patio is a nice place in the summer. It sits right on Woodward (so Dream Cruise Day is probably really special) and people are constantly coming and going so the people watching is excellent. However, early December is probably not the best time to sit and enjoy the outdoors. It was dark and cold and downright chilly, beer or not.
 |
| This is a rendition of what we all looked like. Not actual footage. |
Being the good friends that we are, we enjoyed the hour and a half chatting, catching up on things we've missed in each others lives, and using movie references that few would understand. We had a few laughs, drank our beers, and anxiously watched the buzzer on the table. I'm thankful my back was to the window or I would have been salivating over the food that kept flitting by.
When the buzzer finally went off we all leaped to the hostess with great haste and ravenously asked for our table. Inside, the place was still jammed. The decor was difficult to see while zipping through the dining area, but it was clear they put some details into the room. The most notable piece to me was that the kitchen was clearly the old work bench in the garage and that each chef wore overalls like the old greasemonkeys of yore.
 |
| Inside Vinsetta Garage. There were approximately 3,000 more people inside when we were there. |
Having waited for an hour and a half, I was now at the point where any kind of food would have been tasty. Basically, I was expecting that this food had better be the best food I've ever eaten. Ever. I only recall being so hungry that the choices on the menu were overwhelming. Its not that there were that many choices, just that all the choices looked outstanding.
Matt and Desiree ordered a few burgers, while I split a pizza with Janel. I think at this point I must have slipped into a coma. I don't really recall what we talked about or how long the meal took to arrive, only that it came to our table and we devoured the food. I think it was good. Yes, it was good. Was it worth an hour and a half wait? I'm not convinced.
All in all, I enjoyed the experience. I like being in restaurants full of people. It always seems like something is happening. It was clearly a place to be. And the guys who own the joint are what is being dubbed as the new type of restauranteur. These guys own several restaurants in the metro region that have done quite well. They own multiple restaurants, but unlike a franchise owner, these guys have themed restaurants that fit the space they have renovated. I think its an outstanding concept.
Would I recommend Vinsetta Garage? Yes. Would I recommend going on a Saturday night? No. I'd like to visit again when it is lively, but not too crowded. And I'd like to visit again when my appetite isn't quite so savage that the pile of trash on the street starts to look appetizing. If you're looking for a place with a great atmosphere that has good food, this is a place to go. Just be sure that in the near future you plan for your entire evening to be spent with the company you keep. And you're not there on an empty stomach.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Marvelous Mondays: 5 Reasons I'm Excited for 2013
Is this thing still on? Sorry about that. I've been gone for a little while. I got busy and realized last night that I really missed sharing things here and keeping my mind thinking. Since the world is ending on Friday I thought it would be nice to spend this week posting a few things on my blog.
Naturally, when not blogging for several months, things happen in life. Thanksgiving happened. That was pretty great. I am now involved with a lady-friend whose company I enjoy greatly. I applied to a graduate program. I got to see some friends and miss some friends. I made some new friends. I worked. Its been good.
When good things happen, I tend to get fairly excited about the future. Here are 5 things I'm looking forward to in the coming year.
1). Graduate School:
I've been debating about grad school for quite some time. I can recall talking about grad school when I first started working at my current job 2.5 years ago. Some friends are exhausted about hearing my plans, but they will be happy to know that I finally made a commitment. The application is complete!
Something finally clicked in me that it was time to start the process. I was sitting at work one day tired of organizing an event when I realized I needed something different. I read a blog about cities and had just done something cool in Detroit when I finally decided I needed to pursue urban planning. I have talked about it for years and always wanted to pursue it. Self-doubt has played a huge role in why I haven't pursued it, concentrated mostly in the idea that I have never taken part in anything urban planning related. But, my interests and my passion seem to be a good fit for the field and I crave the opportunity to see progress in places that are old. I'm fueled mostly by Detroit, but ultimately I have a love of cities.
As 2013 gets underway I am looking forward to the opportunities presented in grad school. I want the chance to mingle with others and think about ideas and study concepts. I want to learn again. And I want to challenge myself. Which leads to me being excited about...
2). Preparing for a Challenge:
I often go back and forth about my place in life. On the one hand, I tell myself I'm 25 years old, what could I possibly know? How could I possibly be a contributing member of society? And then I recall people who have done amazing things by the time they were 25 or cavemen who were the wise sages of their time. As I go through life I marvel at the fact that we have such an opportunity to challenge ourselves constantly. I think we are often pressured into finding that perfect career that motivates us, but in reality, we live in a time when it makes more sense to try many things. You either become an expert in something specialized or you go out and try new things.
For me, the only way to stay excited and motivated is to try new things. I get bored easily and that makes things challenging, but I liken it to the confidence gained in school. I always remember being slightly frightened as a freshman in high school, but marching in senior year with a smug confidence that only seniors could have. It was the, been-there, done-that mentality that sets in when you do the same thing for too long. While I've only been at my current job for a few years, I've been doing this job for much longer. Yes, I've learned new things along the way, but the fact remains that I'm bored. 2013 is the year for me to start challenging myself again. Really the last several months have been the start of that, but I look to 2013 as the year that it really takes off.
3). A Clearer Sense of Identity:
Is our generation doomed to take longer to leave the nest? Why does it seem like we have taken much longer to establish our identities? Perhaps it is over-protective parents or maybe it was the economy we were pushed into. Perhaps the world is just a tougher place to be in or maybe it was the onset of social media that allowed us to stay young for much longer. Or maybe we all take the same amount of time to establish ourselves, and my generation has taken the steps to clarify our identity more seriously; that we want to be defined by something other than our jobs and families.
I think these questions are only answered with more time, but I can say that writing personal statements for graduate school and discussing the motivations for pursuing a degree certainly help outline a sense of identity. I don't have it all figured out, but I do know things that motivate me. I see that when I talk about, think about, read about urban planning, I get an excitement in my heart and in my mind and I know I need to pursue it. It helps me to gain a sense of what I want to give back to the world, arguably the hardest question to answer.
4). I Am Going to Meet New People:
I love to meet new people. The past few years have been difficult living on my own in Detroit. I often use this as a crutch to complain and whine about how lonely I am and blah blah blah. The truth is, I am proud of the fact that I have survived on my own and explored some great things about the city. I am proud of the fact that even though no one followed me here, I have made steps to establish myself in the city.
This year I want to do more. I am ready to join a club or organization. Is it a running club? Maybe the community choir? Maybe its a group I don't know about yet or just plain volunteering. Whatever it is, I intend on being a part of something more to gain a new network of people. Old friends will always be a part of my life, but I will not be dominated by their absence. Instead, I plan on meeting new people to open the next chapter of my life.
5). I Am Going to Seattle:
Since middle school I have always wanted to go to Seattle. Seattle has consistently been near the top of my list of places I'd like to move and I have never been there. Along comes my girlfriend whose parents just moved to Seattle. So, I signed up for the Seattle Marathon in June and we are already actively planning our trip there. I am excited beyond my means.
The marathon should be a challenge. It is a hilly course. But, I'm very much looking forward to the sights and sounds of the city. I'm excited to travel to Seattle and visit a city that's been on my list for years. And I'm excited to travel with my girlfriend. So far, we're pretty good travel buddies.
So there you have it! 2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year. If the twists and turns of 2012 are any indication, 2013 will have its share of excitement that I am not anticipating. With any luck, by this time next year I will be elbow-deep in graduate school, completed my race in Seattle, and looking forward to celebrating 2014 with a new network of friends.
Naturally, when not blogging for several months, things happen in life. Thanksgiving happened. That was pretty great. I am now involved with a lady-friend whose company I enjoy greatly. I applied to a graduate program. I got to see some friends and miss some friends. I made some new friends. I worked. Its been good.
When good things happen, I tend to get fairly excited about the future. Here are 5 things I'm looking forward to in the coming year.
1). Graduate School:
I've been debating about grad school for quite some time. I can recall talking about grad school when I first started working at my current job 2.5 years ago. Some friends are exhausted about hearing my plans, but they will be happy to know that I finally made a commitment. The application is complete!
Something finally clicked in me that it was time to start the process. I was sitting at work one day tired of organizing an event when I realized I needed something different. I read a blog about cities and had just done something cool in Detroit when I finally decided I needed to pursue urban planning. I have talked about it for years and always wanted to pursue it. Self-doubt has played a huge role in why I haven't pursued it, concentrated mostly in the idea that I have never taken part in anything urban planning related. But, my interests and my passion seem to be a good fit for the field and I crave the opportunity to see progress in places that are old. I'm fueled mostly by Detroit, but ultimately I have a love of cities.
As 2013 gets underway I am looking forward to the opportunities presented in grad school. I want the chance to mingle with others and think about ideas and study concepts. I want to learn again. And I want to challenge myself. Which leads to me being excited about...
2). Preparing for a Challenge:
I often go back and forth about my place in life. On the one hand, I tell myself I'm 25 years old, what could I possibly know? How could I possibly be a contributing member of society? And then I recall people who have done amazing things by the time they were 25 or cavemen who were the wise sages of their time. As I go through life I marvel at the fact that we have such an opportunity to challenge ourselves constantly. I think we are often pressured into finding that perfect career that motivates us, but in reality, we live in a time when it makes more sense to try many things. You either become an expert in something specialized or you go out and try new things.
For me, the only way to stay excited and motivated is to try new things. I get bored easily and that makes things challenging, but I liken it to the confidence gained in school. I always remember being slightly frightened as a freshman in high school, but marching in senior year with a smug confidence that only seniors could have. It was the, been-there, done-that mentality that sets in when you do the same thing for too long. While I've only been at my current job for a few years, I've been doing this job for much longer. Yes, I've learned new things along the way, but the fact remains that I'm bored. 2013 is the year for me to start challenging myself again. Really the last several months have been the start of that, but I look to 2013 as the year that it really takes off.
3). A Clearer Sense of Identity:
Is our generation doomed to take longer to leave the nest? Why does it seem like we have taken much longer to establish our identities? Perhaps it is over-protective parents or maybe it was the economy we were pushed into. Perhaps the world is just a tougher place to be in or maybe it was the onset of social media that allowed us to stay young for much longer. Or maybe we all take the same amount of time to establish ourselves, and my generation has taken the steps to clarify our identity more seriously; that we want to be defined by something other than our jobs and families.
I think these questions are only answered with more time, but I can say that writing personal statements for graduate school and discussing the motivations for pursuing a degree certainly help outline a sense of identity. I don't have it all figured out, but I do know things that motivate me. I see that when I talk about, think about, read about urban planning, I get an excitement in my heart and in my mind and I know I need to pursue it. It helps me to gain a sense of what I want to give back to the world, arguably the hardest question to answer.
4). I Am Going to Meet New People:
I love to meet new people. The past few years have been difficult living on my own in Detroit. I often use this as a crutch to complain and whine about how lonely I am and blah blah blah. The truth is, I am proud of the fact that I have survived on my own and explored some great things about the city. I am proud of the fact that even though no one followed me here, I have made steps to establish myself in the city.
This year I want to do more. I am ready to join a club or organization. Is it a running club? Maybe the community choir? Maybe its a group I don't know about yet or just plain volunteering. Whatever it is, I intend on being a part of something more to gain a new network of people. Old friends will always be a part of my life, but I will not be dominated by their absence. Instead, I plan on meeting new people to open the next chapter of my life.
5). I Am Going to Seattle:
Since middle school I have always wanted to go to Seattle. Seattle has consistently been near the top of my list of places I'd like to move and I have never been there. Along comes my girlfriend whose parents just moved to Seattle. So, I signed up for the Seattle Marathon in June and we are already actively planning our trip there. I am excited beyond my means.
The marathon should be a challenge. It is a hilly course. But, I'm very much looking forward to the sights and sounds of the city. I'm excited to travel to Seattle and visit a city that's been on my list for years. And I'm excited to travel with my girlfriend. So far, we're pretty good travel buddies.
So there you have it! 2013 is shaping up to be an exciting year. If the twists and turns of 2012 are any indication, 2013 will have its share of excitement that I am not anticipating. With any luck, by this time next year I will be elbow-deep in graduate school, completed my race in Seattle, and looking forward to celebrating 2014 with a new network of friends.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wednesdays in the 'D': Detroit Marathon Weekend
I like to run. If you don't know this by now you don't know me very well. In which case, thanks for reading! For the rest of you, you'll be happy to know that I had a great time at the Detroit Marathon this weekend. Unfortunately, I was not running this year as I have a race in a week and a half and needed to rest and instead volunteered on Saturday and Sunday to make sure I didn't miss out on the action. True, looking at the maps for the race I longed to be lacing up my shoes and running across the bridge, thinking of how tired my legs should be leaving the tunnel, and how I would need that last boost of energy to get off of Belle Isle.
But, alas, I decided to dedicate my time to supporting those who would be going through the race, first by giving out packets on Saturday and then sitting at mile 24 for encouragement. I was the guy that was cheering people on when all they really wanted to do was stab someone for how long they had been running. The early runners didn't see me. The middle runners were happy to see me. The runners at the end hated that I was smiling and wanted to throw me into the river in a body bag.
That's how marathons work. And its fun.
But before I start gushing too much about why I love to run and the spirit of the race, let's get to the point of all this. I was volunteering on Saturday with a guy named Lou. This was his first marathon. He was 67 years old and filled with a lot of stories about life. He was a bit shorter than I was and had a lot more belly on him, but not any more than any other 67 year old man should.
Lou grew up in Detroit. I know because he told me, unsolicited. In fact, he told me a lot of things unsolicited. He now lives in Brighton, about as far from Detroit as you can be to still be considered part of that blob on the east side. He had a heart attack recently due to his exposure to Agent Orange during Vietnam, and in Vietnam he nearly died one day when he ventured to Cambodia by mistake. These are just a few of the unsolicited tales from good ole Lou.
Anyway, Lou met me at 6 am in Tim Horton's at the foot of the Belle Isle Bridge. 6 am on Sunday is already pretty early, but meeting Lou at 6 makes things really early. Lou is a talker. In fact, I don't think he knows how to stop talking. It was always a challenge to get a word in edgewise. But, he's also one of those grandfathery people who you enjoy listening to for hours, even if you don't know what the heck he's talking about.
Standing in Tim Horton's he immediately informed me that he had scoped out the place where we'd be for the day and found a great parking place. Parking was really the least of my worries as we would be standing for the next 7 hours unable to move our car, but nevertheless I was appreciative of his preparedness.
After sitting in his car waiting for the sun to rise, I learned a great deal about Lou. Not just the aforementioned stories, but also that Lou had grown up on the east side of Detroit in the 1950s and remembered a lot of great things about the city. Downtown Detroit was the place to go for first-run movies. I was unfamiliar with this term, but apparently movies weren't released all at once back in the day. Only the biggest places got the first-run movies. And Downtown was the biggest place around. He would take a date downtown, put on a suit jacket, and have a fancy dinner. Then it was off to the movie to see a brand new film that nobody else around could see. Those were the days.
He also told me about how Belle Isle was the place to go in the evenings. You could stay at Belle Isle until midnight or later, watching the stars and feeling the breeze off the river. His go-to line was to ask the girls to come watch the submarine races with him. If you know anything about submarines, you'll know they are underwater and that it would be quite challenging to watch them race. In other words, this was his code to get girls to Belle Isle to make out. Ah, thanks Lou, I got it now.
Lou is one of those guys that you could easily roll your eyes at and seek others to help take pressure off the conversation. When Vietnam is a central part of a guys' life and that's his lead off story, its easy to write a guy off as a crazy nut job. But, I wanted to give him a chance. First off, I was stuck with the guy for the next 7 hours and it was highly unlikely anyone would be along to take the pressure off. Secondly, I did find his stories interesting. And as if some kind of young person, unspoken duty came over me, I decided that I needed to listen to him.
As any good listener does, I asked questions. I asked Lou why he left Detroit. I figured I knew some of the answers. The riots, white flight, the usual suspects, but I heard different things from Lou. Yes the riots had scared him. But Lou was in Vietnam when the riots took place. It wasn't that he had been changed by the riots, it was how the riots changed Detroit that scared him. When he returned from Vietnam, not only was he returning to a different country from when he left, he was returning to a different city. Neighborhoods weren't quite a safe as they had been. People weren't quite as friendly as they had been.
Lou still worked downtown at this time, though by now he had bought a house and moved to Warren. What finally pushed Lou as far from Detroit as he could possibly go was an escapade he had at work. He worked in a cubicle that he shared with whom he described as a 'black woman who was very nice.' One day while rummaging through her purse, a tiny object fell out and rolled over to Lou's desk. He bent down and picked up a small bullet for a handgun. It was then that Lou knew his time in Detroit was over.
Lou has never looked back. When he came downtown for the marathon, it was his first time back in a long time. He was still nervous of any person walking by themselves, suspicious of their motives. He wanted his car within sight so he could watch it throughout the race, in case one of those suspicious characters decided he liked what was inside. Lou even told me be brought his wife's car down instead of his because hers was older. He was glad I was there so he wasn't alone.
Lou reminded me of how big a battle Detroit really is. I'm a kid here, young and naive. I see a lot of the momentum of the city and tend to dismiss a lot of the talk of how it was. I suppose that's the trouble with youth, we know only as much as we've experienced, which usually isn't much. But, I think, in that way, we are able to renew. We don't have the experiences and stories that Lou has. We don't know what Belle Isle was like or how amazing downtown was. We only know what it is like now.
We need to remember that there are many people like Lou out there with stories. And people like Lou, who have these traumatic experiences and memories of simpler times in the city, are always going to be afraid. Until we are able to provide Lou with solace and comfort, Detroit will always be a place filled with haunting memories and fearful people. And think its important that as Detroit moves forward, we don't forget the people who saw it first.
But, alas, I decided to dedicate my time to supporting those who would be going through the race, first by giving out packets on Saturday and then sitting at mile 24 for encouragement. I was the guy that was cheering people on when all they really wanted to do was stab someone for how long they had been running. The early runners didn't see me. The middle runners were happy to see me. The runners at the end hated that I was smiling and wanted to throw me into the river in a body bag.
That's how marathons work. And its fun.
But before I start gushing too much about why I love to run and the spirit of the race, let's get to the point of all this. I was volunteering on Saturday with a guy named Lou. This was his first marathon. He was 67 years old and filled with a lot of stories about life. He was a bit shorter than I was and had a lot more belly on him, but not any more than any other 67 year old man should.
Lou grew up in Detroit. I know because he told me, unsolicited. In fact, he told me a lot of things unsolicited. He now lives in Brighton, about as far from Detroit as you can be to still be considered part of that blob on the east side. He had a heart attack recently due to his exposure to Agent Orange during Vietnam, and in Vietnam he nearly died one day when he ventured to Cambodia by mistake. These are just a few of the unsolicited tales from good ole Lou.
Anyway, Lou met me at 6 am in Tim Horton's at the foot of the Belle Isle Bridge. 6 am on Sunday is already pretty early, but meeting Lou at 6 makes things really early. Lou is a talker. In fact, I don't think he knows how to stop talking. It was always a challenge to get a word in edgewise. But, he's also one of those grandfathery people who you enjoy listening to for hours, even if you don't know what the heck he's talking about.
Standing in Tim Horton's he immediately informed me that he had scoped out the place where we'd be for the day and found a great parking place. Parking was really the least of my worries as we would be standing for the next 7 hours unable to move our car, but nevertheless I was appreciative of his preparedness.
After sitting in his car waiting for the sun to rise, I learned a great deal about Lou. Not just the aforementioned stories, but also that Lou had grown up on the east side of Detroit in the 1950s and remembered a lot of great things about the city. Downtown Detroit was the place to go for first-run movies. I was unfamiliar with this term, but apparently movies weren't released all at once back in the day. Only the biggest places got the first-run movies. And Downtown was the biggest place around. He would take a date downtown, put on a suit jacket, and have a fancy dinner. Then it was off to the movie to see a brand new film that nobody else around could see. Those were the days.
He also told me about how Belle Isle was the place to go in the evenings. You could stay at Belle Isle until midnight or later, watching the stars and feeling the breeze off the river. His go-to line was to ask the girls to come watch the submarine races with him. If you know anything about submarines, you'll know they are underwater and that it would be quite challenging to watch them race. In other words, this was his code to get girls to Belle Isle to make out. Ah, thanks Lou, I got it now.
Lou is one of those guys that you could easily roll your eyes at and seek others to help take pressure off the conversation. When Vietnam is a central part of a guys' life and that's his lead off story, its easy to write a guy off as a crazy nut job. But, I wanted to give him a chance. First off, I was stuck with the guy for the next 7 hours and it was highly unlikely anyone would be along to take the pressure off. Secondly, I did find his stories interesting. And as if some kind of young person, unspoken duty came over me, I decided that I needed to listen to him.
As any good listener does, I asked questions. I asked Lou why he left Detroit. I figured I knew some of the answers. The riots, white flight, the usual suspects, but I heard different things from Lou. Yes the riots had scared him. But Lou was in Vietnam when the riots took place. It wasn't that he had been changed by the riots, it was how the riots changed Detroit that scared him. When he returned from Vietnam, not only was he returning to a different country from when he left, he was returning to a different city. Neighborhoods weren't quite a safe as they had been. People weren't quite as friendly as they had been.
Lou still worked downtown at this time, though by now he had bought a house and moved to Warren. What finally pushed Lou as far from Detroit as he could possibly go was an escapade he had at work. He worked in a cubicle that he shared with whom he described as a 'black woman who was very nice.' One day while rummaging through her purse, a tiny object fell out and rolled over to Lou's desk. He bent down and picked up a small bullet for a handgun. It was then that Lou knew his time in Detroit was over.
Lou has never looked back. When he came downtown for the marathon, it was his first time back in a long time. He was still nervous of any person walking by themselves, suspicious of their motives. He wanted his car within sight so he could watch it throughout the race, in case one of those suspicious characters decided he liked what was inside. Lou even told me be brought his wife's car down instead of his because hers was older. He was glad I was there so he wasn't alone.
Lou reminded me of how big a battle Detroit really is. I'm a kid here, young and naive. I see a lot of the momentum of the city and tend to dismiss a lot of the talk of how it was. I suppose that's the trouble with youth, we know only as much as we've experienced, which usually isn't much. But, I think, in that way, we are able to renew. We don't have the experiences and stories that Lou has. We don't know what Belle Isle was like or how amazing downtown was. We only know what it is like now.
We need to remember that there are many people like Lou out there with stories. And people like Lou, who have these traumatic experiences and memories of simpler times in the city, are always going to be afraid. Until we are able to provide Lou with solace and comfort, Detroit will always be a place filled with haunting memories and fearful people. And think its important that as Detroit moves forward, we don't forget the people who saw it first.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Marvelous Mondays: 5 Reasons Why I Liked 'Detropia'
Recently a film came out called 'Detropia.' Its a documentary set in Detroit that documents the struggles the city is facing and follows a few of its citizens around while outlining the efforts being made.
Notably, this film was released earlier this year in many worldwide locations... but not Detroit. I remember hearing that the film had screened for a group of Detroit leaders who did not like the way the city was portrayed.
As with anything that has some controversy behind it, me being human, I was curious to know what the fuss was about. One thing is certain, the striking image of two people in gas masks in front of a crumbling home makes me think this film is only going to show the bad parts of the city and call it Detroit. I have a phobia of gas masks which is probably appropriate for another post, but I get angry when the image makes me think I have to wear one to live in Detroit.
The film was different than what I expected. Here are 5 reasons why I liked it:
1). The film showed all parts of the city
Yes, the film did indeed show a lot of abandoned buildings. Its a film about Detroit, I think its in the contract film crews have with the city: 'In order to film within the city limits you must film 1 abandoned building for every 2 minutes of film.'
BUT, the film also showed a few parts that are doing well. And while the entire film is very gritty and sad, I think it accurately portrays Detroit. Detroit is a bit gritty and sad. And to show anything else wouldn't be entirely truthful. There are an awful lot of rah-rah cheerleaders (myself included sometimes) that will gladly skate over some of the grosser parts of the city. While I've flipped and flopped on this issue, I think its far more important that the problems are front and center than swept under the rug.
2). The film was larger than Detroit
I remember reading this defense from the filmmakers upon hearing the screening reviews. I think I agree with them that the focus is not just Detroit. It harkens to something I've been saying all along: Detroit's problems are America's problems. For whatever reasons all the major problems we as a nation face are collected in Detroit. And for whatever reasons the nation has chosen to largely ignore Detroit.
BUT, if we manage to think about these problems Detroit faces and find solutions, even the smallest baby steps of solutions, than we can certainly solve these problems in other places. Detroit has been described as a clean slate and a place to experiment. I think its important that this experimentation shouldn't just be through art, but through social issues that have plagued our country for decades.
3). The film was a bit ahead of the game
The film was filmed in 2010. This caused one major portion of their film to now be inaccurate, which I at first was angry about, but then realized how great that fact is. In just 2 years, a major program has changed into something far more positive for the city. I can't recall anything that has happened in Detroit in such a short period of time that is good for the city.
At any rate, I remember a quote from one of the people featured in the movie about the gap between the rich and the poor, something that hadn't hit the spotlight in 2010 from things like Governor Romney's 47%. The man being interviewed spoke of how we can't keep pushing the upper and lower classes apart. If we rip apart the middle class there is no buffer. And when there is no buffer you are left with revolution. Startling stuff to think about.
4). The film hit familiar spots, but focused on the people
I think another caveat in filming in Detroit is that your film must contain at least some reference to the 1967 riot. This film actually had footage. Of course the Michigan Central Station was featured in the film and several abandoned plants.
But what I felt the film did a great job of was using people to paint the context of these places. It wasn't just about the riots, but how the riots caused such a great change in the city. It isn't just about giant abandoned buildings, its about the people who used to work in those.
I had the opportunity to chat with a 67-year old man who had grown up in Detroit. He was terrified to be in Detroit helping with the marathon this weekend. I often forget the experiences that people have that shape their lives. His experiences have stuck with him for so long that he was constantly looking over his shoulder in a place that I have never seen anything suspicious. Ever.
Detroit, like any city, is a living, breathing place, and as these historical events happened, people's lives changed.
5). The film focused on the resiliency of the people
This was where I thought the film excelled. The film followed a few people around the city and heard their stories. One was a union leader, one was a nightclub owner, one was a blogger, and others filled in the gaps to make the city breathe.
I think with a place like Detroit it is very easy to find people down in the dumps, people with nothing good to say. I think it'd also be quite easy to find people who would have everything good to say about the city, glazing over the problems in education, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, corruption, and the countless other problems that are a part of the reality in Detroit.
But, this film did something I haven't seen from other pieces about Detroit. It managed to find people who were frank about the situation, but still optimistic about the future. I didn't sense anger about what has happened, just observations of how it happened. And in the end, everyone had a very positive outlook of what was ahead. Well, maybe positive is too strong. I should say that these people had a very realistic ideal of what happens next. Things turn around, like they always do, and things change like they always do. And these people living in Detroit will do the best they can until then.
Leaving the film, everyone was quite somber. The music and the scenes shown were cold and gritty, and it shed some light on the major problems that we as a nation will be facing. It didn't show all the pretty new things happening in the city and the pretty new buildings being redone. But, it did show the true story. From all angles. And most of all, it showed that the people here are not done fighting, even if the rest of the country (and state of Michigan) is.
Notably, this film was released earlier this year in many worldwide locations... but not Detroit. I remember hearing that the film had screened for a group of Detroit leaders who did not like the way the city was portrayed.
As with anything that has some controversy behind it, me being human, I was curious to know what the fuss was about. One thing is certain, the striking image of two people in gas masks in front of a crumbling home makes me think this film is only going to show the bad parts of the city and call it Detroit. I have a phobia of gas masks which is probably appropriate for another post, but I get angry when the image makes me think I have to wear one to live in Detroit.
The film was different than what I expected. Here are 5 reasons why I liked it:
1). The film showed all parts of the city
Yes, the film did indeed show a lot of abandoned buildings. Its a film about Detroit, I think its in the contract film crews have with the city: 'In order to film within the city limits you must film 1 abandoned building for every 2 minutes of film.'
BUT, the film also showed a few parts that are doing well. And while the entire film is very gritty and sad, I think it accurately portrays Detroit. Detroit is a bit gritty and sad. And to show anything else wouldn't be entirely truthful. There are an awful lot of rah-rah cheerleaders (myself included sometimes) that will gladly skate over some of the grosser parts of the city. While I've flipped and flopped on this issue, I think its far more important that the problems are front and center than swept under the rug.
2). The film was larger than Detroit
I remember reading this defense from the filmmakers upon hearing the screening reviews. I think I agree with them that the focus is not just Detroit. It harkens to something I've been saying all along: Detroit's problems are America's problems. For whatever reasons all the major problems we as a nation face are collected in Detroit. And for whatever reasons the nation has chosen to largely ignore Detroit.
BUT, if we manage to think about these problems Detroit faces and find solutions, even the smallest baby steps of solutions, than we can certainly solve these problems in other places. Detroit has been described as a clean slate and a place to experiment. I think its important that this experimentation shouldn't just be through art, but through social issues that have plagued our country for decades.
3). The film was a bit ahead of the game
The film was filmed in 2010. This caused one major portion of their film to now be inaccurate, which I at first was angry about, but then realized how great that fact is. In just 2 years, a major program has changed into something far more positive for the city. I can't recall anything that has happened in Detroit in such a short period of time that is good for the city.
At any rate, I remember a quote from one of the people featured in the movie about the gap between the rich and the poor, something that hadn't hit the spotlight in 2010 from things like Governor Romney's 47%. The man being interviewed spoke of how we can't keep pushing the upper and lower classes apart. If we rip apart the middle class there is no buffer. And when there is no buffer you are left with revolution. Startling stuff to think about.
4). The film hit familiar spots, but focused on the people
I think another caveat in filming in Detroit is that your film must contain at least some reference to the 1967 riot. This film actually had footage. Of course the Michigan Central Station was featured in the film and several abandoned plants.
But what I felt the film did a great job of was using people to paint the context of these places. It wasn't just about the riots, but how the riots caused such a great change in the city. It isn't just about giant abandoned buildings, its about the people who used to work in those.
I had the opportunity to chat with a 67-year old man who had grown up in Detroit. He was terrified to be in Detroit helping with the marathon this weekend. I often forget the experiences that people have that shape their lives. His experiences have stuck with him for so long that he was constantly looking over his shoulder in a place that I have never seen anything suspicious. Ever.
Detroit, like any city, is a living, breathing place, and as these historical events happened, people's lives changed.
5). The film focused on the resiliency of the people
This was where I thought the film excelled. The film followed a few people around the city and heard their stories. One was a union leader, one was a nightclub owner, one was a blogger, and others filled in the gaps to make the city breathe.
I think with a place like Detroit it is very easy to find people down in the dumps, people with nothing good to say. I think it'd also be quite easy to find people who would have everything good to say about the city, glazing over the problems in education, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, corruption, and the countless other problems that are a part of the reality in Detroit.
But, this film did something I haven't seen from other pieces about Detroit. It managed to find people who were frank about the situation, but still optimistic about the future. I didn't sense anger about what has happened, just observations of how it happened. And in the end, everyone had a very positive outlook of what was ahead. Well, maybe positive is too strong. I should say that these people had a very realistic ideal of what happens next. Things turn around, like they always do, and things change like they always do. And these people living in Detroit will do the best they can until then.
Leaving the film, everyone was quite somber. The music and the scenes shown were cold and gritty, and it shed some light on the major problems that we as a nation will be facing. It didn't show all the pretty new things happening in the city and the pretty new buildings being redone. But, it did show the true story. From all angles. And most of all, it showed that the people here are not done fighting, even if the rest of the country (and state of Michigan) is.
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