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9/29/03: A Detroit dispatch

After ten months of finally having a weblog get off the ground and stay rather consistent and even turn into something I quite enjoy, last night was the first time I've really ever hung out with people that pretty consistently read what I put here - notably, Paul of What would Koffi Anan do?, Dennis from the Life and Times of Deckie Holmes, and Jesse with his great self-titled blog. Although the above three and the rest of the group are all old friends and incredible people, I couldn't help imagining strange Twilight Zone scenario where everything I said was already scripted beforehand.

So far there's little surprise in this particular Detroit visit but fun to add to my long list of the city's auto-centric idosyncracies. The bar I was at last night had more parking spaces in its lot than barstools inside. The city layout still makes it impossible to remember where anything is even though I lived here for 8 years (an amusing exchange in the car - "Should I take the road on the left or the right?" "It doesn't matter, they still go to the same place."). And I was quite amused by a friend, who lives downtown near Wayne State University, that he goes "into town" to a neighbouring suburb to get groceries.

I suppose its rude to complain so much about a place since people live and get by and stay happy just fine here, but I'm always bored and edgy here. My Brazil anxiety is almost boiling over and I still have three more days to kill. Three things I hope to accomplish that involve this site - finally write my Brazilian music top ten, write up web pages for the last empty part of my photography portfolio, and inaugurate a fotolog. Stay tuned...

A cool few...

Some fabulous new flaneur writing - Rules for wandering and how city planners can best accomodate this urban magic.
The 50 most common used CDs [via chicha]. Having quite recently gutted about half of my CD collection for a quick $250, I can now recommend that you needn't bother blowing the dust off of any Beastie Boys, old Radiohead, or Parliament. Use 'em as coasters or hand mirrors or something. There's also no rebate available for your drum n' bass phase.
Significant incidents of political violence against Americans[.pdf].
Found erotica [via aberrant.]