Random: final words on UPP! Blog 30

So, with the final post I just wanted to talk about some of the things I've learned from UPP202! I liked how class was very integrated with our readings but also taught us things that have to do with how and where we live. One of the most memorable things was the visit to the Hull House. I honestly have been at this school three years and never saw the inside of that place until our trip! It was nice to learn about the history of that place and Jane Addams.

In the beginning of the semester, I learned a lot about why 'cool' neighborhoods were so high in density and successful. It requires solid housing, an immigrant population, crime, and drugs (oh no!). Actually, these things remind me of why New York and Chicago are such popular cities. Starving artists and the post graduate crowd both look for cheap housing and an efficient transportation system along with creativity.

Aside from that, I remember the carbon footprint and how the United States produces so much extra CO2 waste. I remember an event in New York that gathered a bunch of famous musicians in the effort to acknowledge people in saving our environment. Live Earth was a huge hit and energy efficient lightbulbs flew off the shelves!

Either way, I learned tons of things aside from what I just blogged about, it's been a great semester and I know I'll take things with me that I never thought about before! :)

Random Rogers Park Blog 29

In my sociology class my group is focusing on Rogers Park. That part of town is located far north where the Loyola main campus is- the Red Line is off of Loyola to Howard. In class we are learning about different parts of Chicago, and I am focusing on the community organizations of Rogers Park. I found that we have something called "CAPS" (Chicago's Alternative Policing Strategy). It has police officers working with residents of Rogers Park in order to discuss trouble crime areas or current problems within their neighborhood. They meet in places such as schools, libraries or churches to discuss every so often.

Aside from their organizations, have any of you been to Rogers Park? I'm assuming you have if you have friends that go to Loyola or live in the city of Chicago. It's a big chunk of the northside, its not very far away from Evanston either! The interesting part of this city is that it is far enough away from the madness that is the loop, but close enough that it is possible to hop on the EL and get there. Some areas may seem a little bit sketchy at night, but that comes with the territory when we talk about Chicago as a whole.

Random: ryan adams. Blog 28

Ryan Adams has a song about Chicago. It is obviously metaphorical but I still think it relates to our great windy city.

Dear Chicago,
You'll never guess.
You know the girl you said I'd meet someday?
Well, I've got something to confess.
She picked me up on Friday.
Asked me if she reminded me of you.
I just laughed and lit a cigarette,
Said "that's impossible to do. "
My life's gotten simple since.
And it fluctuates so much.
Happy and sad and back again.
I'm not crying out to much.
Think about you all the time.
It's strange and hard to deal.
Think about you lying there.
And those blankets lie so still.
Nothing breathes here in the cold.
Nothing moves or even smiles.
I've been thinking some of suicide.
But there's bars out here for miles.
Sorry about the every kiss.
Every kiss you wasted {bad / back}.
I think the thing you said was true,
I'm going to die alone and sad.

The wind's feeling real these days.
Yeah, baby, it hurt's me some.
Never thought I'd feel so blue.
New York City, you're almost gone.
I think that I've fallen out of love,
I think I've fallen out of love... with you.

UIC development. Blog 27

I really enjoyed class today! It was funny the things students mentioned as being an issue at our school. I for one agree completely that the buildings are depressing, dreary and dark. Whenever I'm in a classroom, there are either no windows, or the windows are tinted and weirdly shaped so it always looks like there is bad weather outside. Aside from that, we have an excellent location. It is a short ride from the madness of the loop, and compact. All of our lecture classes are in really close proximity, and there are busses that will take us to the blue or red lines.

There are only a few things we COULD add or subtract from our school. We pretty much have no more room for expansion, so with changes, it would mostly be just appearance of our campus. At night, especially around south or east campus, there aren't enough lights so students feel safe to walk around. It is pretty nice around south campus though! We could also use a splash or two of color with art deco or brighter exteriors. If it were possible, it would be nice to have more food options and maybe retail shops that cater to the interests of students (cheap retail chains, not the exspensive ones we have now on south campus that many students aren't able to afford.)

Random Walking Blog 26

So as a side job I help an indie music magazine promote upcoming bands, movies, and certain products. I had received materials to go to random music stores, shoppes, and restaurants to distribute these stickers and posters. Today was a perfect day to go on what they call a field run. You see, I've been living in the city of Chicago for over three years. I take the Halsted bus (#8) from school to the N3200's and beyond. I am constantly on the EL or on different busses, and I thought I knew every part of the city inside and out. Boy was I wrong. I ended up around the clark and fullerton area and was trying to get back near halsted. I felt like such an idiot when I had to ask where halsted is and the man just told me a block east. It's funny because I walked for miles and miles and eventually just got lost. I thought everything there was had been seen already. Yet on today's walk I find more record shops and restaurants for me to enjoy. I passed near a crepe place actually... yum.

I love discovering new things in Chicago. It makes me like the city more and more!

Governing Magazine: State grades Blog 25

Illinois received a C+. We had a lot of negatives when it came to the people: the workforce stratgies, training, and development. We are currently going under "damage control" by budgeting and consolitdating agencies and departments into the Central Management Services Agency. Since we had started the early retirement plan, we also had a lack of 11,000 people in the workforce. That's a huge number!

Louisiana received a B. Governing magazine claimed that they had a ton of people living in poverty, but large amounts of money coming in at a rapid rate due to oil funds. They neglect the appearance of the state and workforce planning, but is very strong in contracting and purchasing. No one there wants to spend money on facilities and control.

For the amount of people in Illinois versus Louisiana (rank 5 vs. rank 22), I feel as those the grades aren't that accurate. With that many more people, it is harder to resolve some of the current problems that we already have.

Lisa's Blog 24

So in our assignment sheet, our second check has to include a post on another student's writings. This time around I took a look at Lisa's blog. I love her pictures! I don't know where she finds them all, but the ones that have to do with Chicago it seems like she took the pictures from my memory and stuck them onto her blog. Especially the ones from Little Italy, Metro, and the shopping in the loop. I read her entry on the suburbs and metra and fond it strikingly familiar to myself. You see, I went to high school in Schaumburg, and actually knew Lisa back in the day! It was in fact easier to get around with a car like she said, but for the most part, I don't like the Metra too much! Every time i'm on it going back to the suburbs, I run into some weird person who is talking non-stop or tries to read my palm or borrow my magazine. I never even have that problem on the EL! Aside from that, metra is gas saving on those long trips to and from the suburbs, and easy to avoid those nasty highways that are always congested!

She also seems to have a connection with a certain city: Denver. To me, the city I feel very attached to is Vancouver. I have some relatives there, but every time I go I find something esle that I like more about it. The last time I was there, I remember going to a crepe restaurant where I laid my hands on the best nutella banana crepe ever, alongside a delicious honey lager. I still think about it once in a while. Next time I'm there, my stomach is probably going to hate me!