lovedetroit

summer daze

2007-07-28T10:24:00.001-07:00

it's been a while, sorry... but it's prolly been a while since anyone has read this blog anyway!!! i'm part of so many blogging networks, it's hard to keep up on everything, but i do love the D and want to keep writing positively about it...

still waiting on Quicken to announce it's plans for downtown... it's all speculation, but it appears that they are planning to move downtown... that'll be huge!!! my hopes are that they move to the Grand Circus Park site... that'll really liven up Washington Blvd, especially since the Book-Cadillac will be at the other end... i imagine more things moving to Washington Blvd. should Quicken choose the Grand Circus Park site... here's hoping and praying...

in my neck of the woods (Midtown) i've heard very unofficial rumors about the corner of Cass and Canfield... rumors of an Ace Hardware, Papa John's Pizza, Sprint Store and Chipotle Restaurant have been spreading to possibly fill the presently vacant southeast corner... it'll be incredibly awesome if these rumors are true (plus it will enhance my view exponentially!)... however, as always, you have to take all rumors with a grain of salt... who knows if these plans will go through (though i've been told that Papa John's is a definite)??? it'd be a pretty big deal though for Midtown...

Wayne State has been doing a lot for Midtown as well... they're finally tearing the old Forest Apartments on Cass and Forst... that's needed to happen for a while... also, they're working on the new residences (lofts?) on Woodward between Forest and Canfield (which i believe are on Forest as well)... that's gonna be a sweet addition and they're working on it pretty diligently to have it done when the signs say they'll have it done, which would be by Summer 2008... if these residences go up and the area i mentioned in the previous paragraph gets worked on too, Midtown as a while will look completely different... YES LORD!!!

anyways, that's my love for Detroit for today...

Asian Village

2007-06-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

well, Asian Village has finally opened on the River!!! kinda... according to my sources, the coffeehouse and the sushi bar are open, but the rest of the place has a couple more weeks to go... eventually it'll have a fine dining restaurant as well as some grab and go kinda stuff... they're trying to give you the feel of walking down a street in a major city in Asia by offering you typical things that you might find there... i.e.- some sort of Asian bbq pork, fresh fish and Asian deserts... i think it's gonna be great... most of all, i can't wait for the Bubble Tea!!! unfortunately, it is not quite yet available, but is supposed to be soon...

spent a lot of time on the River this past weekend... totally awesome!!! the River Days festival has been a success so far... i'd never seen so many Detroiters in one spot (when i say "Detroiters" i mean actual citizens of Detroit)... everyone was just chillin' out and havin' fun... i think the whole city is glad that we can finally use the riverfront for fun instead of work... it's really only the beginning... some people are predicting Detroit's demise in the coming years, i predict the exact opposite: a new Renaissance, one that will defy the odds... one that will show just how powerful God is...

sound crazy??? good!

Detroit Jokes

2007-06-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

i am so sick of Detroit jokes... trust me, i love to joke around... but i hate hearing jokes about how violent Detroit is... it isn't because i don't think it's true... i know Detroit is still high in crime... it is mostly because i think the jokes don't help... i pretty much think that if you don't have anything good to say, why say it??? the city is getting better... jokes about Detroit's violence don't help the city, they only hurt it... and if you think that's not true, just ask any person not familiar with the city... they're terrified of the city, not because of experience, but because of what they've heard from others who prolly don't have experience either... conversely, i talk to people who have lived down here and they want to stay here... they're excited about the future and they love things how they are now... i wish people would talk more about that stuff... which is why i can't stand Detroit jokes... they don't tell the whole story... they don't tell the better part of the story... for some strange, twisted reason, people love to hear all the bad about something and don't really care much about the good... it is definitely twisted...

Festivals and Walks

2007-06-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

headed to the Detroit Festival of the Arts today... very cool... it seemed bigger and more populated... a good indicator for how things are faring for our beautiful city...

Detroit a beautiful city!?!?! yeah, it is... you just have to have the eyes to see it... if you're looking through the lenses of tired old viewpoints passed on through hearsay or lack of experience, you couldn't possibly believe it's beautiful... but come on down, come to the right places and you'll see it's pretty beautiful...

also, the Riverwalk expanded this past week... very cool!!! haven't been down there yet , but you can bet the wife and i will be there a lot... my main concern with the Riverwalk is parking... where will we be able to park??? how much will it cost??? i think i've talked about this before, but these are relevant questions... if i have to park and walk across Jefferson everytime i wanna head to the River, what good is that!?!?!

anyways... that's good for today...

Running the River

2007-05-25T10:05:00.001-07:00

ahh yes, Detroit's greatest and until now most underused asset is the river... i just love going down there in the summer... i recently found out that they opened a YMCA in the RenCen so the wife and i have been going there a lot because it's less busy than the Boll Family Y and the RenCen one has newer machines... not to mention it has a decent view of the river!!! however, when i workout down at the RenCen i don't do my cardio inside, instead i run the river!!! very cool!!!

a few days ago i ran at around noon and it was great because all the folks from GM were out on lunch and the riverwalk was fairly well populated!!! i just love being around people, even if i don't know them, so it was a great experience... i really believe it's only a matter of time before the river becomes THE place to go in Detroit...

Bureau of Urban Living

2007-05-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

the Bureau of Urban Living is a cute little place inside the Canfield Lofts on Canfield just east of Second... to be honest, the first time i checked it out i was a little disappointed because it's just so small... i walked around it and saw some little knick knacks here and there that were pretty cool... however, i went back a second time and checked it out yesterday as i was given a gift card there and i realized that the place is pretty cool... they've got a lot of things that can make a loft cooler than it already it is... yesterday the wife and i went and found a few things that we want to pick up once they come back in stock... add in the fact that it's right around the corner and it makes the place pretty sweet... i wish it was bigger and had more product, but i recommend checking it out... i don't doubt that you'll find something you'll like...

CMP love

2007-05-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

i know i post on here a lot about Campus Martius Park, but it really is da bomb!!! after working out at the Y i always drive around it, even though it's totally out of the way... this afternoon it is filled with people of different ages, ethnicities and economic strata... it was a serene feeling during my short drive around CMP... it was like "all was well in the world"... ha...

another thought i've had recently is that Willis between Cass and Woodward prolly has more broken glass on it than any other street in the world... that's prolly an exaggeration, but it seems like the whole street is lined with broken glass (the likely result of multiple car burglaries/thefts)... i walk that street at least once a week and yesterday i had the privelege of seeing some guy pee on someone elses car... at first i thought it was his car and he was just looking at the car (stupid me)but then i recognized his posture (the peeing posture: legs slightly bent, back slightly reclined and/or slouched)... this was basically on the corner of Woodward and Willis... sheesh!!! the guy had no shame as he looked directly at me during and after his relief... whatever... i suppose it gives character to the city??? yeah, that's a nice spin...

mini D-velopment tour

2007-05-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

the other day the wife and i took a drive around town to glance at the developments and all that's going on in the D...

after a nice workout at the Y we made our way towards the RenCen to drive Atwater/the riverfront... we were particularly interested in seeing Asian Village (corner of Atwater and Beaubien) because they were supposed to open on May 1, but that obviously hasn't happened... it looks pretty far along, but i wish they'd open up already... i've been waiting over a year for that place to open!!! we then drove further down Atwater towards what will be the riverfront's new Rivard Plaza... they're working on the carousel that's supposed to be accessible come June... that'll be nice... furher east we went to spy where the Atwater Lofts and Watermark Loft developments will hopefully be springing up within the next year or so... i would LOVE to live in either of those communities... hopefully i'll have some cash in my pocket by then!!! we took Atwater all the way to Jos Compau and re-reminded ourselves that we have to checkout the Atwater Block Brewery sometime as well as the other fine establishments on that little strip...

from Jos Campau we went back to Jefferson and headed back west to go straight north on Woodward... we got a good look at the Vinton Building... looks like their ground floor is almost done... as we headed north, i realized that i'll never get tired of driving around Campus Martius Park... i just love that fountain and what the park itself represents... 1001 Woodward is another place i would LOVE to live... up through the Fox Center/Stadium district we went and then we hung a right on Winder to stroll through Brush Park... in 10 years, Brush Park is going to be one of the finest neighborhoods in the city... those mansions are just plain incredible... and yes, i'd LOVE to live in one of those too...

from Brush Park the wife and i then went up Woodward over to north Midtown, just above the Cass Corridor (where we live actually)... on our way there we past the Ellington, which is an awesome building. but doesn't seem as full as it should be or as full as it says it is (70%)... anyways, in north Midtown i was a little disappointed to see the Nine on Third project... it's kinda ugly, but it's better than something abandoned... the Springfield Lofts (Second and Alexandrine) are pretty sweet, but the neighborhood there still needs some developing... the Elmoore and the Alex (i think that's what they're called) condo/loft developments are supposed to go up across the street from the Springfield Lofts, but they've been saying that for a while... the Willys Overland Lofts seem to be well underway and it's a pretty big project... those are going to be some pretty sweet lofts when they're done... in my own building, the Stuberstone we're having a tenant move in downstairs, i think... i wish they'd move in already so that we could know what to expect... prolly a doctor's office... i think they were wanting a restaurant, but i think i'd rather have a doctor's office... across the street is what was once called the Auburn Lofts... i think they decided not to make the building into lofts anymore and i'm not sure if they have any tenants for that one either... maybe???

all in all, it was an encouraging look at the D... but only if you have the eyes to see it...

p.s. i was too lazy to posts links for this entry... sorry...

Quicken quickens me

2007-04-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

in this article in the News today, i can't help but be totally psyched... it basically talks about Quicken Loans possibly being headquartered in Downtown Detroit and bringing other companies with it...

to say that i'm excited about this is an understatement... it might be a little premature, but i totally want to explode... it would mean so much for the city if Quicken were to move downtown... if they move down, it'll open the doors for so many other companies and businesses to want to move to the D... if that happens, more people will come to the D, live in the D, boosting it's economy, home sales and everything else...

as i've alluded to several times... i'm a Christian and i pray... i'm praying for this to happen... do you pray??? pray that Quicken will move to the D... it'll change the city so much, for the better... yes, the city is changing for the better anyways... but having Quicken downtown will quicken the process...

Rotaries/Roundabouts

2007-04-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

everytime i drive downtown i love driving around Campus Martius Park... it's just a really inspiring place for me because i feel like it gives so much life to the city and symbolizes progress in the D that we've all been longing for...

i like it's design... the fountain is just fantastic... i also love the fact that its inside of a rotary/roundabout... but what i don't love is the people driving in the rotary/roundabout!!! the skill level of drivers in the D is subpar as it is... put them in a rotary/roundabout and then things are even worse!!!

i drive a sub-compact vehicle, so overall it's great for driving in the city... however, when i drive in the rotary/roundabout it's not so great... people swerve all over the place, usually almost hitting me and then go on their merry way... i'm not bitter, but i am always a little apprehensive when entering the perils of the Campus Martius Roundabout!!!

Eastern Market

2007-04-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

one of the biggest gripes about downtown Detroit is that there is no major grocery store... i can share with the sentiment because it is a big drag... but i have recently discovered the asset that Eastern Market is to those of us in the city... it's kinda sad that it's taken me so long to take advantage of EM, but it is what it is...

anyways, the wife and i headed over to EM this past tuesday afternoon, found a place that was selling some fresh organic (mostly) fruit and vegetables and then went home... it was all so quick and easy, it baffled me why i'd ever waited so long to utilize EM... people go out of their way just to buy fresh organic fruit and vegetables, including my wife... well, not anymore... instead of driving 20 minutes to the 'burbs, we're drivin' 2 minutes to EM... not only will we save time, but we'll also save some cash too since the prices at EM were much cheaper for fruits and vegetables... we also stopped by a meat market but didn't pick anything up because we weren't sure if the prices were too steep... basically, we're not used to buying meat at deli's... we usually just pick it up pre-packaged...

still, after enjoying Eastern Market, we still need a major grocery store in Downtown Detroit!!!

Tiger Impact

2007-04-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

i was headed down to the Y this afternoon when i saw all this traffice on Woodward... i figured it was because of the construction on the bridge at Woodward and I-75, but later i found out it was because the Tiger's have an afternoon game... all in all, it added about 5 minutes to my commute (a commute that should be less than 5 minutes overall)...

i really love seeing more people downtown and the Tiger's are helping that happen... at the same time, i don't like having more people around because it makes things so busy and ultimately makes everything less inconvenient... it's a stupid complaint really... i want more people to come and live and spend time downtown, but then i don't want them to impeded on anything i'm going to do... quite silly...

i want to buy one of those new condos that they're building on the river... i didn't think i wanted to live near the river before, but now that i keep heading down there, i find that i really do wanna live down there... i also found out that they just opened up a Y in the RenCen and that would be another plus...

Go Tigers!!!

my feelings about Detroit

2007-03-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

Government: it's tough to say... i don't think Kwame is the greatest mayor ever, but i don't think he's the worst... he's made some mistakes but has done some good... Detroit is the way it is as a result of decades of neglect and decline... it will take decades to get it back to any semblance of a thriving city... one man isn't going to change that in a 4 year or 8 year tenure... the City Council is also a part of Detroit's city government and as far as i can tell (which isn't that far) they seem more like a hindrance than anything else... in my experience as a Detroiter they've been embarrassing and petty... with my limited experience and exposure, i'd say we get rid of the City Council... but i could be wrong...

Development: there are so many developments going on this city it's crazy... the wife and i just drove around town today and it was both encouraging and disheartening... there are glimmers of hope and doses of reality... in my neighborhood there are so many developments happening... if they all get filled up, Midtown itself will be as thriving as Royal Oak or Birmingham... but that's a big "if"... if they don't fill up, then it will be a daunting, nagging failed attempt... and this city has had too many of those... a whole lot of people are investing in the city though, so if it goes bad, a lot of people are going to lose a lot of money... but i don't think it will go bad... in fact, i think it'll go well...

Economically: it's not looking very good at all... companies are leaving the region left and right... it's a terrible time for Michigan in general, but especially Southeast Michigan... Detroit is in the process of redefining itself... in 20 years i think we'll still be known as the Motor City, but some other industry will rise up as a major provider of jobs... they're trying to become a major technology center here, but time will tell whether or not technology will be Detroit's next thing... regardless, something's gotta change...

Socially: Detroit is still a very sensitive and divisive place... people project so much onto the city that it's nearly impossible to change generational perceptions... racial tensions are still around, but another not so seen tension is financial tension... poverty is a major spirit in Detroit and it holds many of Detroit's residents in bondage while simultaneously scaring off Detroit's neighbors... i can only speak from my experience in Midtown/Downtown... people are friendly in general down here... for the most part, the people down here are glad you're down here because they want you to see how good it can be down here... there are however some (of all races and economic stratas) that don't want you down here if you're obviously not from around here...

Personally: if you were to stick a gun to my head and force me to decide right now whether i would live and raise my family in Midtown/Downtown Detroit or the Suburbs, i'd pick Detroit... the energy and potential are just too tantalizing for me... i love the grit and the reality of this place... i could raise kids down here in the right situation... anywhere outside of Midtown/Downtown i wouldn't live in because it's going to take a long long time for those parts of town to turn around... but if it's in the "city" city, i'll take it... it's a lot of fun down here and it's only gonna get better...

early closings

2007-03-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

one of the things about living in the D that you just kinda get used to is that a lot of the places you wanna go to close early...

yesterday me and the wife headed down to the Y to get a quick workout in at about a quarter to 5... we got to the door and they tell us it's closed!!! gah!!! i shoulda known... Detroit would be so much more fun and easier to enjoy if things stayed open later... but things close when they do because right now, Detroit is what it is... places in the past have tried to stay open later/longer, but they've come and gone... Starbucks and Beans & Bytes seem to be doing alright at it though... hopefully, that's an indication of change...

anyways, instead of doing cardio at the Y, we did cardio in the city... speedwalked/jogged our way down Broadway to Randolph, west on Jefferson to Hart Plaza and the riverwalk... then back east up the riverwalk, past the RenCen to the Rivard Plaza (not finished yet)... then back west, took a look at the new coming Asian Village and then back to the Y (where we parked)... it was wonderful and encouraging walking the river... a Red Wings game had just gotten out... people were walking around all over the city and the riverwalk was filled with folks too... as we walked back towards to the Y we cut through Greektown and that was great to see people out and about the city...

okay, that's enough for today...

call it a comeback

2007-03-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

it's been a long time since i've written and i wouldn't be surprised if no one reads this ever again... still, here i am writing again!!!

part of the reason i stopped writing is because i kind of got disenchanted with the city... i got tired of the filthiness... i got tired of the poverty... i saw some guy breaking into a car right in front of my home and didn't know what to do, i only knew i never wanted to live in a place where i could see something like that right in front of me... but it is where i live...

faith comes by hearing and i wasn't hearing much about the city and so my faith about it getting better got worse... i'd drive around and see much of the blight, and it also seemed like a lot of the buildings that are supposed to be helping Detroit's comeback (loft developments, new office buildings) weren't getting filled up... i started to wonder if i was a fool for buying into Detroit...

the wife and i have also been thinking about having a kid soon and still aren't sure if we really want to raise a kid here in the D... the schools are terrible and it's not really that safe...

regardless...... i love our loft... i love the grittiness of the city... the fact that it feels more "real" than the suburbs... i love seeing the city skyline everyday... i love the Penobscot building... i love hanging out in the Guardian Building's lobby... i love going to the Y... i love driving around and chillin' out at Campus Martius... i love just driving up and down Woodward... i love walking the river, especially as a new piece of the riverwalk opens up... i love the feeling of the tension of possibility... i love defying people's conventional thoughts about the D... i love supporting something that most people have turned their backs on...

so that's why we're still here... and i believe God has called us here and i'm still trying to figure out why (but i believe that this year i will find out why)...

i have every intention of writing more... at least once a week about some experience i've had here in the city... i do love this city and i'll love it more... promise!!!

Starbucks and Avalon

2006-10-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

was just talking to a local... he told me he never goes to Starbucks and that he goes to Avalon instead because he likes to support the community... that made absolutely no sense to me... how can you not be supporting the community by going to Starbucks??? granted, Avalon is a local grassroots place, but i guarantee that if you purchase something at Starbucks, you're helping the community... if Starbucks were to leave Midtown, it would just be another failed business attempt in the D and that would further reinforce the myth (?) that you just can't do business in the D... Detroit needs Starbucks to do well because if a Starbucks can't make it, why would a decent grocery store bother coming here, not to mention other businesses???

it's funny because living in the city, there's this attitude that says "we don't want any outsiders"... i know that attitude is in the 'burbs, but in over 25 years of living out there, i never felt it as strong as i do down here... it's pretty stupid and i'm pretty certain it contributes to why the city is the way it is today... on the flip side of that, i'm sure that there is a reason that that attitude has come about, a legit reason... still, however legit that reason may be, the "we don't want any outsiders" attitude has got to change...

Kenny Rogers

2006-10-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

the pitcher, not the singer....

i find it amazing that just last year baseball fans in Detroit were booing Kenny Rogers at the All Star Game, but this year they're cheering him like crazy... as they say, winning changes everything right??? however, to me it shows just how shifty people are these days... people will honor you like crazy if you please them, but they'll turn on you quick and take you down ruthlessly if you fail them...

all that to say, i wish people were a bit more merciful... think the best about people... about Jennifer Granholm... about Dick DeVos... about Kwame Kilpatrick... about George W. Bush... it took 17 years for Kenny Rogers to win a post-season game, but now that he has, he's just awesome??? if Kwame Kilpatrick does one great thing, will that change your thoughts on him??? what if he does several great things to come??? what if George W. Bush does???

the other day there were some Bush bashers parading down my street and i just wanted to open up my window and yell "SHUT UP I LOVE MY PRESIDENT"... and trust me, i don't love my president because i agree with everything he's done... i love my president because of mercy... i love my president because he's my president... i'd feel the same if people were bashing Granholm or Kwame... you gain authority by respecting authority... you have no authority because you do not respect authority...

i know, i know... too preachy..... but honestly, i ain't ashamed of it... sorry!!! truthfully, i think people often call convicting truth preachy... they call it preachy because they don't like the feeling of being convicted...

Illitch

2006-10-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

i can't stand it when i hear people criticizing the Illitches... i'm not saying they're saints or anything, but the mere fact that they even try to do anything in Detroit is a great thing to me... have they handled everything the way i would or would want them to??? no... but why should i expect a businessman to not do things that are in his best interest, that would make him money??? people expect the rich to give up things just because their rich, but often times, those same people don't make similarly proportioned demands on themselves to give up what is theirs for the "greater good" or what is best for a city...

i'm glad the Illitches have restored the Fox, that they helped build Comerica Park and that they haven't given up their properties to crappy businesses (muffler shops, liquor stores) that wouldn't bring about the Downtown Detroit that we all want to see... people accuse them of being slumlords and for harboring abandoned properties, but do people ever think that their properties aren't being used because people simply don't want to do business in the D??? it's not like people are begging to do business here... if someone else owned those properties and fixed them up, i doubt they'd be filled... take a look at lower Woodward... they just "spruced" up that strip and only a small handful of those properties are being used...

i for one am grateful that they'd even take a chance on the D... seriously, if people had the chance to make large investments with that kind of money, most wouldn't gamble on the D... the Illitches could easily go to Oakland County or Chicago and prolly make even more money than they would here... but they're here and have some level of commitment to Detroit... it's more than we can say for a lot of other businessman who started in Detroit and then moved on...

again, i'm not saying that they're saints or that they've handled anything perfectly... but quit the whining and complaining and be grateful that someone would even want to do business in our city...

loving Midtown

2006-09-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

city life is good… walked down to the Catholic Church to give out groceries, then headed to the bank to deposit a check… thought about going to Starbucks but instead walked north to get something with more substance (Mcdonalds?)… ended up at the Detroit Historical Museum and then back home… the best thing about all that is that i traveled to all those places on foot!!!

living in Midtown is great… and the longer we’ve stayed here, the better it’s gotten… a handful of retailers have moved into to the area (Thai restaurant, Cell phone sellers, Starbucks, FedEx Kinkos) and i imagine that only more will be coming… it’s prospects like that, along with the ones in Downtown, that make living in Midtown exciting… i’m interested to see what it’ll be like in 5 years around here… one of the great things about Midtown is that it has 3 good museums (2 of which are outstanding)… we’ve been here for about a year and i’m a little bummed because i haven’t even taken advantage of all this area has to offer… i’ve been to all the museums, but not all the galleries and haven’t been to the Orchestra Hall or seen a play done by the WSU theater folks, nor have i seen a show at the Majestic or bowled at the Garden Bowl…

well that settles it, it’ll be my goal to make it to all those places before next September… shouldn’t be too hard right??? then again, i know several people who’ve lived in Detroit all their lives but never went to the Henry Ford/Greenfield Village… that’s just crazy… that’s like living in Orlando and never going to Disney World…

talking helps

2006-09-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

the last few weeks have been encouraging as a resident of Midtown Detroit... been talking with various peeps around town who know people who are trying to do stuff in the city...

found out that the building across the street will not be turned into lofts, but instead will be retail and that they have 3 tennants (out of the 5 needed) lined up, one of which is a restaurant... i guess i'd rather have lofts, but something is better than nothing and more activity in the area is good... i hope they're good retail tennants too... the kind that brings good folks around my 'hood...

also heard that things are going forward at a few places on Woodward... the space between the Mobile gas station and the Whitney (between Forest and Canfield) has plans underway by Wayne State... i've also heard that the buildings on the west side of Woodward between Alexandrine and Selden are going to be worked on, which is huge because that's a part of Woodward that is in dire need of help...

looks like development is moving further south down Cass as well... on the southeast corner of Cass and Alexandrine the building there is getting fixed up by some business (can't say what/who) and also the building on the northeast side of Cass and Parsons has some stuff in the works too...

hearing all this is really encouraging... will all of it go through??? i doubt it, but if any of these can go through in the near future, it'll do a lot for Midtown morale... i think at least...

to stay or not to stay…

2006-08-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

lemme start by saying that i love the city of Detroit (hence the name of the blog)… i would totally love to stay in the city for as long as i’m in Michigan… but i honestly can’t say whether that will or will not happen… 2 main reasons:

Affordability – currently, i live in a 1 bedroom loft in Midtown… i love where i live and of all the places i’ve lived in Metro Detroit, it’s been my favorite (over Royal Oak, Farmington Hills and West Bloomfield)… but the next house i move into has to be a 3 bedroom and if i want something like that in Midtown/Downtown it’s gonna be way out of our price range… on top of that, the ‘burbs will have a plethora of options within our price range…

Safety – it’s almost been a year living in Midtown and the wife and i have never felt our safety was in jeopardy… a good thing indeed… but we’re not stupid, we know that stuff happens all around us all the time… i’ve heard countless stories about people in our neighborhood getting mugged, robbed and/or having their car broken into/stolen… at least once a month there’s broken glass in front of my building (indicative of a car break-in)… i’m thankful that that stuff hasn’t happened to us, but i’m not so sure that part of me doesn’t fear it might one day… and it’s just plain clear that that stuff doesn’t happen nearly as often in the ‘burbs…

i grew up in the suburbs and deep down, i’m still a suburban boy… but i love the city and if i didn’t have to consider safety or affordability i wouldn’t leave it… but truth is truth, life is life, family is family… what’s best for me and my family??? even if i want to stay, can i afford it??? if i can afford it is it safe??? you all know the taxes are killer and my increased taxes don’t make me more safe (though they should, shouldn’t they?)… my increased car insurance doesn’t either…

if i left there might be some who’d accuse me of selling out… trust me, i ain’t no sell out… if i were single, there’d be no problem… but i’m not… if you don’t have the money for something, you don’t… and if it’s more practical and more livable elsewhere, your accusation towards me is more rooted out of bitterness than it is objectivity…

i want to stay Detroit… but in about a year or so i’m gonna have to make a decision… will the price of housing in Detroit change??? what about safety??? if those things change for the better, the chances of me still being an actual citizen will be better…

divisive language

2006-07-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

i wasn’t really interested in writing today, but i was thinking over the weekend about writing on this topic and then i read something this morning that made me decide to write afterall…

as of late, i have found that the way people talk is often filled with unnecessary chatter… people have a hard time making a point without labeling, criticizing or accusing… it isn’t enough for person A to say that they disagree with person B and support it with objective information… to really make their point, they’ll slap a label on person B… or they’ll accuse person B of being a hypocrite or something else… and often, sarcasm is used to criticize the actions of person B…

for instance: a writer who is pro-choice will author an article about how he disagrees with pro-lifers… while the pro-choice author states his case about why he is pro-choice and why he disagrees with the pro-life stance, it is not enough… beyond simply making his points, he also peppers his article with accusatory statements such as, “pro-lifers just want to take away women’s rights to choose”… or, the author may label pro-lifers as “war-loving conservatives”… and perhaps, the author will sarcastically criticize pro-lifers for being “so old-fashioned, if they could, they’d make women wear corsets”…

this type of language is common, not only in the media but also in talking with people everyday… people make their points using the divisive tools of labeling, criticizing and accusation… while i don’t believe that most people genuinely believe this, their language communicates that if someone disagrees with them, the one who disagrees with them must be this type of person or do this type of thing… furthermore, it is seemingly impossible to think that those who disagree may genuinely believe that their opinion is really the best solution or option (which is basically an assumption that there is an ulterior motive)…

divisive language is every where and it’s prevalence often discourages me from reading the newspaper, listening to the news or talking about anything political… i don’t like divisive language, because it is simply that: divisive… we don’t need more division in our world today, we need unity and love… unfortunately, those who are united often use divisive language, often in the form of protests against this or against that… they use Martin Luther King Jr. as an example, but Martin Luther King Jr. never protested against anything, he only marched and demonstrated FOR a cause… there’s a huge difference between protesting against something and demonstrating for something… one divides and is anger based, while the other unites and is love based… which is better???

sadly, divisive language is everywhere, even the Church… Christians cannot lovingly disagree on doctrine, liturgy or music… they use the same tools as the world… to make their points they use accusation, labeling and sarcastic criticism which results in divisions which have manifested themselves as denominations… Martin Luther, an instigator of the Protestant Reformation, never intended for another denomination to come about when he posted his 95 Theses.... but an unfortunate result was that accusation, criticism and labeling came about and which is why new denominations are still forming to this day and also why society could care less about the church… we accuse, criticize and label each other and simultaneously accuse, criticize and label the world… “Charismatics are over-emotional!”… “Christians who are rich don’t really love Jesus”… “all Homosexuals are promiscuous”…

I Corinthians 13:1 – “if i speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, i am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal”

let’s lose divisive language…

randomness

2006-06-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

i haven’t updated this blog in a long while and it’s mostly because i have other blogs, but i do love detroit and hope to spend more time on it… unfortunately, i’ll be gone on vacation for like the next 3 weeks, so not much is going to be goin’ on on this site for a while… a couple things i’d like to quickly touch on:

- go see a Tigers’ game!!! it’s a really special time right now… it’s been over 2 decades since they’ve been this good, so check ‘em out… it’s good for the city as well… in fact, while you’re down there, grab some dinner beforehand and stop by a bar afterwards…

- there is a ridiculous amount of construction/development going on!!! as resident of the city, it’s really encouraging and exciting to see… the most recent thing to excite me development wise is a new restaurant (Bangkok Cuisine) opening up just a block from my house… it’s things like that that show that progress is continuing to move forward…

- i wasted a half hour of my life watching The Family Guy last night… what is wrong with me?!!? some parts were actually funny but other parts were just lame… it’s weird because i felt like for the first time in a while, a TV show tried to teach me something… i mean, i think TV shows are always trying to teach us something, as subtle as it may be, but last night’s Family Guy episode was just an outright pro-gay show… so they tried to show viewers that homosexuals are people too and that they should have the same rights as everyone else… i agree that homosexuals are people too and that they should be treated fairly… i’ve sat down with several homosexuals in my lifetime and have enjoyed their company… however i can’t support gay marriage and the reason is because i believe that every child needs a father and a mother to be raised in the best way… anyways, how about they teach real values instead of politics??? how about shows that teach about committed relationships, how to handle conflict, communicating better?!?! that prolly sounds lame, but i don’t think it’s a good idea to promote marriage at all (gay or not) if we don’t promote healthy marriage in general FIRST… how does this relate to Detroit??? see my entry on Fatherlessness…

- go see a concert on the river one of these Fridays this summer… GM and WCSX got a great concert series goin’ on…

- Asian Village is coming this fall!!! it’ll be right next to the RenCen and i’ll be one of the first to enjoy the place, me being Asian and all… but it’s about time this city had some sort of Asian district/destination… the best part about the new Asian Village, a true Asian market and of course, Bubble Tea…

okay, on to other things…

the Spirit of Detroit

2006-04-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

check out the pic below:

why, it’s the Spirit of Detroit… a fine sculpture indeed… but look behind it… there’s some writing back there… what does it say??? it says, “now the Lord is that spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”… huh??? where’d they get that from??? well, actually, they got it from the Bible… 2 Corinthians 3:17 to be exact… ultimately, this landmark is saying that the Spirit of Detroit is the Holy Spirit, God, the God of the Christian Bible… i am proud that this is displayed right on the grounds of our city’s municipal building… however, where are the atheists!?!? why aren’t they protesting??? why aren’t they suing the city??? city dollars certainly paid for it…

y’all know i’m a Christian, and if you didn’t, you know now… do you hate me now??? do you think you already know me??? have you already thrown me in the Right-wing extreme Conservative box and disregarded anything i have to say???

i’m pretty peeved about the news of an atheist group suing the city… as if the city doesn’t have enough problems of it own… this atheist group is upset because some of the funds went toward improving church facades… it was an aesthetic move for the superbowl!!! it wasn’t to fund the church, it was so that when people came to Detroit, it wouldn’t look like crap!!! gimme a break… shoot, give Detroit a break… it’s a town full of people of faith… the landmark at the municipal building proves it…

this country was founded on Christian principals… up until the latter half of the 20th century people prayed in schools and swore on the Holy Bible in our courts… i realize that things are different today, and that people think that things should be different today, but you cannot deny that the USA was founded on Judeo/Christian values and that the Church and God were a huge part of our government and life in general… furthermore, no one had a problem with it until recently… for nearly 200 years, praying in school and swearing on the Bible was the norm in our country… even when the Constitution was authored and immediately after, they prayed in schools and swore on the Bible… .

this may not be coherent enough, but i’m actually tired of writing this already… people twist the truth around all the time and when they can’t do that, they try to erase it… one day the atheists will try to get that reference to Scripture removed, but there was a reason for it and they'll try to erase that too...

that’s my rant today…

tough economic times

2006-04-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

last night i said to the wife, “wow, it’s really bad times in Michigan’s economy”… i didn’t say that simply because i just heard something on the news right then and there… i think i just more realized it… a couple things contributed to me saying that… Detroit’s economy is dismal and it is the poorest big city in the nation… Michigan’s economy is nearly as bad and is one of the worst in the nation… the auto industry is flailing… houses aren’t selling… the jobless rate in our state is among the highest percentages in the nation…

okay, that’s enough…

i bring this up because i don’t think i’ve really been directly affected by any of those things… i have a job and the wife has a job… we’re not struggling financially… but we do live in the D (proper) and i work in the auto industry and we’re in the middle of all this… yet i’m not experiencing much of the affects of the economy… we pay more for things (like gas, heat, food) but somehow that’s not so much a big deal… i guess a better way to put it is: it doesn’t affect us like it does others… read my other blog enough and you’ll know why…

it’s incredible to think that we’re living through a tough economic time… i mean, it’s not like we’re in the Great Depression or something, but it is a tough time for a lot of Detroiters and Michiganders… it’s worth mentioning i guess… maybe i just felt like i needed to write or something…