As I walked into work this morning, the security guard wished me a good morning as I walked by, as she usually does. She acted as if she knew me, which I thought was cute. Of the thousands of people that work in the building, she couldn't possibly actually remember me every day. She is just being polite, I'm sure.
Then it occurred to me.
I'm probably one of only a few people that actually enter the building through the front door. The vast majority of people drive into the garage and then enter the building through the parking structure from below. I walk right in the front door, which is usually reserved for smoking breaks and lunch walks to Union Station.
As someone that travels almost exclusively on foot, by bike and via transit, I always get to use the front door -- a concept that has almost become a novelty. I get to experience all sorts of things that other people don't, like the near-monopoly I have on the morning greetings of the security guard. I understand the context and the interconnectedness of the neighborhoods I frequent. I see the world -- a world that is increasingly fashioned so people can spend as little time as possible outside of their car or home.
From the street, everything is better. I pass storefronts to enter Coffee Girls from Southwest Boulevard, not from the parking lot behind it. I hop off the bus to enter Dragonfly from its pleasant frontage, which is good for more than just decoration, as opposed to the back lot passageway. I walk right in the front door of Lulu's instead of the little ramp in the back, facing the parking. I didn't even know that Harling's had a back entrance until recently, effectively hiding all of the activity from Main and funneling the patrons to their cars out back.
Most people don't choose to experience the world like this, which might explain why I get so much more excited about the built environment. Most people don't even notice that friendly security guard, either.
The front door is reserved for the distinguished guests and, in getting to see the world so much more vividly than those who drove up to the back entrance, I feel like one.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Corner Restaurant Redeemed
The aptly named Corner Restaurant, overlooking the intersection of Broadway and Westport, was on the verge of being dropped off the bottom of my coveted breakfast destination list. Formerly a favorite with its unique mixture of customers and servers, tacky outdated decor and hip urban location, it would be sad to not have the experience.
On the last visit, what is typically an always-hot bottomless cup of coffee sat with a few bits of coffee grounds at the bottom. Empty. The pancakes were grainy. In the last two visits, they were always out of bananas, which were essential for my favorite pancake. Our traditional server, Janette, an oddly dressed bra-less counter-culture hipster looking young lady that was had the attitude and service ethic that matched the location, was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a stoned out, inattentive girl that scarcely noticed our presence.
So, no refills, no service, bad food. When a guy lives in the best breakfast neighborhood in the world in the River Market (The Diner, Succotash, Cup and Saucer, Cascone's), making a trip to Westport for a lackluster experience just doesn't compute.
Sunday morning was the "last chance" breakfast.
Our server was someone I recall seeing as a bus boy and he handled the promotion well. Not only was he back 3 times to top off the coffee, but the other servers and bussers were armed with carafes of tasty goodness as well. I think I still have a caffeine high from that morning. They had bananas. The pancakes were good. The crowd was a little strange, a little hippy, a little blue collar, a little white collar, a little retiree, a little bum.
Corner Restaurant is redeemed. I tipped heavily and left them on the breakfast list. Don't let me down again, Corner.
Christmas Off Target?
When discussing Christmas shopping with my mother over the Thanksgiving holiday, a little spat ensued when I learned that she is boycotting Target because of an e-mail she received. Countless people get these forwarded messages, many of which are bogus. Snopes does a good job demystifying these things, as they did for this issue.
It seems Target has ceased to use the word "Christmas" in their promotional materials in favor of recognizing the "holiday." Last time I checked, everyone was bemoaning the overly commercial nature of the Christmas holiday. Now that Target isn't playing the word "Christmas," people are angry about that. If they just totally ignored the holiday season entirely, would that be a good thing or a bad thing?
I find it frightening that the religious crowd never circulates an e-mail of outrage over the gross injustices in the world but calls for a boycott over what a store decides to put in their sales circular.
Target's line? It makes sense. They don't want to alienate. They want to allow everyone to celebrate in their own way. Kwanza, Hanukkah, Solstice? Come on in! It is a pretty weak Christian that thinks that Target has any impact on how they enjoy the holiday, or that the presence of the word "Christmas" is somehow going to change the minds of the general public.
Target also faced some heat for not compromising their solicitation policy to allow Salvation Army bell ringers outside their doors. What many fail to realize is that allowing Salvation Army to place solicitors outside of the store makes the company's stance against this type of behavior essentially meaningless. What kind of heat will the company face when another charity wants to do the same thing?
Good for Target, I say. God bless them.
It seems Target has ceased to use the word "Christmas" in their promotional materials in favor of recognizing the "holiday." Last time I checked, everyone was bemoaning the overly commercial nature of the Christmas holiday. Now that Target isn't playing the word "Christmas," people are angry about that. If they just totally ignored the holiday season entirely, would that be a good thing or a bad thing?
I find it frightening that the religious crowd never circulates an e-mail of outrage over the gross injustices in the world but calls for a boycott over what a store decides to put in their sales circular.
Target's line? It makes sense. They don't want to alienate. They want to allow everyone to celebrate in their own way. Kwanza, Hanukkah, Solstice? Come on in! It is a pretty weak Christian that thinks that Target has any impact on how they enjoy the holiday, or that the presence of the word "Christmas" is somehow going to change the minds of the general public.
Target also faced some heat for not compromising their solicitation policy to allow Salvation Army bell ringers outside their doors. What many fail to realize is that allowing Salvation Army to place solicitors outside of the store makes the company's stance against this type of behavior essentially meaningless. What kind of heat will the company face when another charity wants to do the same thing?
Good for Target, I say. God bless them.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Standing Room Only
Standing room only. Supposedly, some crazy millions pour into the Plaza for the lighting ceremony, the "largest lighting ceremony in the country today." The ATA has a unique opportunity to dazzle and the too infrequent bus is completely packed by Crown Center. They are running busses every 10 minutes, which isn't close to enough.
I hope these people come back. We need some articulated busses.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Jobs: An American Discussion
Last night, I attended a townhall meeting entitled "Jobs: An American Discussion" mostly to run elbows with the all-star panel and hear some interesting perspectives. On the panel: Neil Patterson, CEO of Cerner; Carol Marinovich, former mayor of the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas; Elson Floyd, President of the University of Missouri System; Mark Ernst, CEO of H&R Block; Her Majesty the Mayor of the Great Kansas City, MO, Kay Barnes. Moderated by CNN dude Frank Sesno, who was impressive.
Much to my chagrin, the discussion got off tangent. It seemed like they plopped the panel in front of a frustrated job fair, with most of the audience complaining about the difficulty in getting a job or some other pet problem.
The biggest frustration? The constant and off-topic complaints about tax incentives given to companies and developers. One retired school teacher lambasted Barnes (and Ernst and Patterson) for the incentives and their impact on the public schools. It made it perfectly clear that few people in the audience had a solid understanding of what tax increment financing is and how it works.
Besides, per pupil spending in the Kansas City, Missouri school district is already higher than many other districts that outperform it. The problem isn't funding, it is that the neighborhoods this district serves are crumbling, riddled with poverty and crime and lack the level of human investment needed to make them successful. Failure to be aggressive in attracting development will just drown urban neighborhoods deeper into dispair. No wealthy child left behind. Long term, the schools depend on the urban environment.
The CEO's were pretty darn honest too. Patterson: schools aren't giving us what we need, we have to go outside KC to get talent, etc. Patterson looked annoyed all night and wasn't particularly pleasant with his smug responses. I could certainly see the man who sent a scathing and threatening letter to his managers coming out in his comments and general attitude and I was glad I worked for the more pleasant guy.
So, Mark Ernst: Indians are cheaper and better. This provoked an old lady to say she is outraged with H&R Block. Well, I suppose Block should just decide not to be competitive in the marketplace, then. If Block doesn't take these steps, they can't grow and add jobs here at home and build new green buildings downtown.
Nevertheless, OUTRAGE. Nevermind that 1000 of Block's 130,000 employees are in India, and they aren't outsourced, they work for Block. OUTRAGE!
Ironically, that sense of entitlement that came up as one of the reasons for America falling behind was being slung up at the panel. Nobody was willing to wonder what we needed to do to get ahead. Nobody wanted to know how they could perform better than those in India. They just felt entitled to those jobs and shamed Ernst for taking advantage of the talent.
Then the students spoke.
Smart girl of Syrian decent: We need to take a look at WHY these other countries are getting ahead of us. We need to get over our sense of entitlement. Okay, finally, somebody who gets it!
Not-so-smart girl of suburban KC decent: Like, where do I go to make contacts and stuff, because, like, the jobs need experience but I don't have any experience and stuff.
One man in a rather important community position I can't recall said something about our educational system being "broke" and I don't think he was trying to be ironic.
I'm still a card carrying liberal, but the rants of some of the typical liberal crowd seemed woefully uninformed. To be fair, we never really got to the real issue. We were talking about the top-end jobs and skill positions. The disparity of opportunity and gap between the rich and the poor is an issue bigger than what could be addressed at that discussion.
I was interested to hear my fearless leader a little more candidly, so I slid in to a discussion Ernst was having with a few people from the audience. I felt like the point he was trying to make about creating a vibrant city and trying to attract a vibrant workforce needed reinforced, so I shared the virtues of working for H&R Block and what investments in that kind of environment can do. Comparing it to Sprint's legacy location for legacy people, I told these critics what Block is accomplishing. Though I didn't officially meet Mark and, by the time I had joined the discussion I'm sure he was annoyed and ready to go home and get some sleep, I hope he appreciated my perspective.
The prize of the night goes to the lady complaining about tax incentives after the big show. She didn't like that tax incentives were given to the Village West development in Kansas City, KS, an admittedly ugly sprawling gaggle of chain crap and NASCAR but a new hope for a crumbling tax base. Her reasoning: she can still get a TV for cheaper at Wal-Mart than she can at Nebraska Furniture Mart.
Wow, the public REALLY doesn't get it.
Much to my chagrin, the discussion got off tangent. It seemed like they plopped the panel in front of a frustrated job fair, with most of the audience complaining about the difficulty in getting a job or some other pet problem.
The biggest frustration? The constant and off-topic complaints about tax incentives given to companies and developers. One retired school teacher lambasted Barnes (and Ernst and Patterson) for the incentives and their impact on the public schools. It made it perfectly clear that few people in the audience had a solid understanding of what tax increment financing is and how it works.
Besides, per pupil spending in the Kansas City, Missouri school district is already higher than many other districts that outperform it. The problem isn't funding, it is that the neighborhoods this district serves are crumbling, riddled with poverty and crime and lack the level of human investment needed to make them successful. Failure to be aggressive in attracting development will just drown urban neighborhoods deeper into dispair. No wealthy child left behind. Long term, the schools depend on the urban environment.
The CEO's were pretty darn honest too. Patterson: schools aren't giving us what we need, we have to go outside KC to get talent, etc. Patterson looked annoyed all night and wasn't particularly pleasant with his smug responses. I could certainly see the man who sent a scathing and threatening letter to his managers coming out in his comments and general attitude and I was glad I worked for the more pleasant guy.
So, Mark Ernst: Indians are cheaper and better. This provoked an old lady to say she is outraged with H&R Block. Well, I suppose Block should just decide not to be competitive in the marketplace, then. If Block doesn't take these steps, they can't grow and add jobs here at home and build new green buildings downtown.
Nevertheless, OUTRAGE. Nevermind that 1000 of Block's 130,000 employees are in India, and they aren't outsourced, they work for Block. OUTRAGE!
Ironically, that sense of entitlement that came up as one of the reasons for America falling behind was being slung up at the panel. Nobody was willing to wonder what we needed to do to get ahead. Nobody wanted to know how they could perform better than those in India. They just felt entitled to those jobs and shamed Ernst for taking advantage of the talent.
Then the students spoke.
Smart girl of Syrian decent: We need to take a look at WHY these other countries are getting ahead of us. We need to get over our sense of entitlement. Okay, finally, somebody who gets it!
Not-so-smart girl of suburban KC decent: Like, where do I go to make contacts and stuff, because, like, the jobs need experience but I don't have any experience and stuff.
One man in a rather important community position I can't recall said something about our educational system being "broke" and I don't think he was trying to be ironic.
I'm still a card carrying liberal, but the rants of some of the typical liberal crowd seemed woefully uninformed. To be fair, we never really got to the real issue. We were talking about the top-end jobs and skill positions. The disparity of opportunity and gap between the rich and the poor is an issue bigger than what could be addressed at that discussion.
I was interested to hear my fearless leader a little more candidly, so I slid in to a discussion Ernst was having with a few people from the audience. I felt like the point he was trying to make about creating a vibrant city and trying to attract a vibrant workforce needed reinforced, so I shared the virtues of working for H&R Block and what investments in that kind of environment can do. Comparing it to Sprint's legacy location for legacy people, I told these critics what Block is accomplishing. Though I didn't officially meet Mark and, by the time I had joined the discussion I'm sure he was annoyed and ready to go home and get some sleep, I hope he appreciated my perspective.
The prize of the night goes to the lady complaining about tax incentives after the big show. She didn't like that tax incentives were given to the Village West development in Kansas City, KS, an admittedly ugly sprawling gaggle of chain crap and NASCAR but a new hope for a crumbling tax base. Her reasoning: she can still get a TV for cheaper at Wal-Mart than she can at Nebraska Furniture Mart.
Wow, the public REALLY doesn't get it.
Friday, November 11, 2005
I Heart the BBC
Nothing beats the BBC World Service for hard-hitting, balanced news coverage with an accent. I try to make the BBC part of my regular radio listening "shed-ule." Being a hopeless romantic for the past, I get most of my news through that "traditional" medium instead of the TV or the Internet.
However, with all of their other quirky features and subtle humor sprinkled in, I was convinced that our English friends were pulling a fast one when I heard a segment reported by Lucy Hooker. Lucy Hooker? Come on, that is too funny for real life.
Turns out she is real. Whether the name is a clever reporter's inside joke radio name or a result of very mean parents is unclear.
If that latter is true, Mr. and Mrs. Hooker should be very proud of their daughter.
However, with all of their other quirky features and subtle humor sprinkled in, I was convinced that our English friends were pulling a fast one when I heard a segment reported by Lucy Hooker. Lucy Hooker? Come on, that is too funny for real life.
Turns out she is real. Whether the name is a clever reporter's inside joke radio name or a result of very mean parents is unclear.
If that latter is true, Mr. and Mrs. Hooker should be very proud of their daughter.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Do You Have a Bike Handy?
I have written several times about my affinity for giving people directions and being afforded opportunities to show my hospitality in general. This morning I had another opportunity as an obviously lost lady from the hinterlands of Kansas trolled my street.
"Excuse me, can you tell me how to get..."
Yes! Directions! Positive interaction with outsiders!
"Kemper Arena," she finished.
Crap.
Instantly, my navigation by car atrophy was painfully apparent. My mind invisioned the route. "Okay, hop on the bike, down under the bridge to Woodsweather... crap, she has a car..."
It seems my abandonment of driving had diluted my navigation to "by feel" or "take the such and such bus."
Do I need to drive so I can remember how to do it?
"Well, yeah, it is kinda hard to get to. Are you interested in hearing the story of that mistake and about our new arena?"
No, I won't drive. We'll just fix the city.
"Grand is right there. Take a right and it is a straight shot."
"Excuse me, can you tell me how to get..."
Yes! Directions! Positive interaction with outsiders!
"Kemper Arena," she finished.
Crap.
Instantly, my navigation by car atrophy was painfully apparent. My mind invisioned the route. "Okay, hop on the bike, down under the bridge to Woodsweather... crap, she has a car..."
It seems my abandonment of driving had diluted my navigation to "by feel" or "take the such and such bus."
Do I need to drive so I can remember how to do it?
"Well, yeah, it is kinda hard to get to. Are you interested in hearing the story of that mistake and about our new arena?"
No, I won't drive. We'll just fix the city.
"Grand is right there. Take a right and it is a straight shot."
Monday, November 07, 2005
Fall in the Market
I'm very lucky to have moved during the most wonderful time in KC: fall. KC's fall's are off the charts. Weather remains in the 70's well into November, with nights dropping into the 50's. The late season rains and slow temperature drop-off extend the colorful season, with the trees and flowers holding out to enjoy the weather with the rest of us.
KC Skyscrapers forumer Tosspot, a powerhouse at capturing the essence of urban neighborhoods in photos and a kindred spirit in the hatred of everything suburban-esque, came back from a walk around my neighborhood with a collection of photos that makes me feel incredibly fortune to live where I do.
KC Skyscrapers forumer Tosspot, a powerhouse at capturing the essence of urban neighborhoods in photos and a kindred spirit in the hatred of everything suburban-esque, came back from a walk around my neighborhood with a collection of photos that makes me feel incredibly fortune to live where I do.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Riding for fun
Well, it is over. Who would have thought that the season of mountain bike racing, my first as an expert, would be so dramatic -- especially for little old me.
If I had any idea how close things would be at the end, I might have done something differently. I lost by one point. Any of the races where I let a space slip or didn't show up as prepared as I should could have made the difference.
Maybe if I would have skipped the 6 hour race the day before the race in Neosho, or opted out of the epic experience of Ride the Rockies so I wouldn't have to race the day after crossing the Continental Divide for the last time on the last day of the ride.
No, I'm glad I did that stuff. I need to remember that I ride my bike for fun. Having too much of a focus on being competitive will ruin it for me. As I pre-rode the course last Sunday at a leisure pace, I was reminded of just how much fun mountain biking is. The course rose above a lake and weaved through the rocks and trees and it was FUN! I'll have to do more of that.
As for the series, it was a miserable way to lose. I had my conflicts, bad luck and tough races that would have made the difference earlier in the year, but it came down to the race in Manhattan. I needed to beat the points leader. I was feeling good and was ready to roll.
He didn't race.
There is a rule in the series that allows a racer to take the average of his top 5 scores in place of a race if he volunteers to help score and marshall the race. Using this option bagged my opponent 22 points (further exacerbating the damage done by my surrendering of a 2 man race earlier in the season), meaning I had to win the race to get the 1 point I needed. I got second by 50 seconds. I had some pedal problems which are really a matter of me being underprepared. I guess I just didn't want it enough. I didn't give it enough focus and I didn't prepare, so I didn't get it.
So, now it is back to riding for fun. I will give that a ton of focus. I can't wait to get back on the streets of KC and not worry about stopping for a beer or whether I'm driving a decent pace or if I've climbed enough hills. Riding in the city is fun, and I'm all about the fun.
As for next year? I'm not worried about it. I might train for it, I might let it slip. I'm giving myself a break from thinking about that too. In the meantime, drop me a note if you feel like going for a bike ride.
If I had any idea how close things would be at the end, I might have done something differently. I lost by one point. Any of the races where I let a space slip or didn't show up as prepared as I should could have made the difference.
Maybe if I would have skipped the 6 hour race the day before the race in Neosho, or opted out of the epic experience of Ride the Rockies so I wouldn't have to race the day after crossing the Continental Divide for the last time on the last day of the ride.
No, I'm glad I did that stuff. I need to remember that I ride my bike for fun. Having too much of a focus on being competitive will ruin it for me. As I pre-rode the course last Sunday at a leisure pace, I was reminded of just how much fun mountain biking is. The course rose above a lake and weaved through the rocks and trees and it was FUN! I'll have to do more of that.
As for the series, it was a miserable way to lose. I had my conflicts, bad luck and tough races that would have made the difference earlier in the year, but it came down to the race in Manhattan. I needed to beat the points leader. I was feeling good and was ready to roll.
He didn't race.
There is a rule in the series that allows a racer to take the average of his top 5 scores in place of a race if he volunteers to help score and marshall the race. Using this option bagged my opponent 22 points (further exacerbating the damage done by my surrendering of a 2 man race earlier in the season), meaning I had to win the race to get the 1 point I needed. I got second by 50 seconds. I had some pedal problems which are really a matter of me being underprepared. I guess I just didn't want it enough. I didn't give it enough focus and I didn't prepare, so I didn't get it.
So, now it is back to riding for fun. I will give that a ton of focus. I can't wait to get back on the streets of KC and not worry about stopping for a beer or whether I'm driving a decent pace or if I've climbed enough hills. Riding in the city is fun, and I'm all about the fun.
As for next year? I'm not worried about it. I might train for it, I might let it slip. I'm giving myself a break from thinking about that too. In the meantime, drop me a note if you feel like going for a bike ride.
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