"5A Group# 1"

"909"
by Percival Everett

Everett writes about southern California life and the contrast between the Los Angeles city resident and the country rancher who, although dwindling, has a very contrasted lifestyle as well as outlook on life and his/her surroundings. He speaks of different areas by their area code, since to many of the "beautiful people" of Los Angeles, what their area code is, is of the utmost significance. His area, near Riverside is wide open country with sagebrush and rattle snakes. Riverside was a playground for the rich and famous until Palm Springs was discovered. Now, it's somewhat forgotten except by the BMW's speeding past on the freeways headed for Palm Springs or Los Angeles. He and his mule Monk, seem pretty content to watch it all go by.

"...Now, on Sunday afternoons, the freeway is jammed with automobiles, platinum blondes in BMWs, SUVs pulling jet skis, Jeeps with three-inch lift kits, sporty purple cars with spoilers and decals of Calvin peeing on someone or thing. The traffic backs up like a bad septic system and does not move. I don't leave the ranch during these hours. I have come to believe that the highway must be their destination. All of those people have left home to be there, on the 60 , in 909. I can see them now, in their air-conditioned boxes from where I sit on Monk. They are little specks, and that's how I like it. For them, 909 is the 60 or the 10. For me, it's these rugged hills. Hills that defy human occupation. Hills that are not on the way to anywhere. Hills that will let you know if you're welcome. 909"
Pages 124,125
I feel that this partial paragraph sums up the entire attitude conveyed in the reading, and although I don't share his love of the terrain, I do share his attitude of being away from the rush to nowhere, that seems to prevail, and not just in Los Angeles.

The reading made me think of my own experience, to a smaller degree, with Santa Rosa. I left the area in 1977 when Coddingtown was open-air, and barely more than a strip mall, and Railroad Square was a seedy mess. Rohnert Park was little more than 101 and open space. Coming back in 1999 was a shock with the population tripled and backed-up traffic on 101 that has convinced me to stay on alternate roads. I, too, avoid rush hour. Unfortunately, apartment living doesn't give me the opportunity to get away as the author does. But, it doesn't make me wish any less for Monk and the escape of the hills.
As a former telephone company employee, I also appreciated his description in area codes...I know them well.

My knowledge of southern California is limited outside of the 714 (Anaheim area). Although my husband is from Riverside and has told me bits and pieces of growing up there, I didn't know that it was once a get-away for the rich and famous, with it's Mission Inn. I also didn't know that it was in between Los Angeles and Palm Springs. I have never been to either Palm Springs or downtown L.A.,but I'll save that for the next author. I've heard mixed reviews on Riverside. the Mission Inn has a chair that they had especially made for William Taft..extra large..which insulted him. I enjoyed the reference to Riverside possibly trying to fit in with the big boys by accomodating their oversized posteriors.

"THE LINE"
by Ruben Martinez

The journalist tells a story of the migrant crossings from Mexico to the U.S. He writes of the border area being very quiet by day, but by sunset it becomes a veritable migrant fiesta. Years ago, this was more possible, and he describes the varied people, from elderly to tots in mother's arms all awaiting their chance to cross over into San Diego. There were vendors, sellers, music, all around.
It was often possible to make it over on your first try back then. If not the first, your second attempt was a guaranteed success. There were just too many for the border patrol. This was the case until in the 90's, when big business, Pete Wilson and a California recession caused more severe measures to prevent the crossings, including concrete walls, lights and border patrol with M16 weapons. How they hated Gov. Wilson and penned him "Pito" to illustrate their dislike. Now, the crossing is much more difficult to make.

"After years of lobbying Washington to help the Golden State beat back the illegals, the federal government obliged with the new fence at Tijuana. To cross into California today, you have to go east of the fence. You have to hike in total darkness, through mountains that block out the beacon of city-light from San Diego. You take a long walk in the dark."
Pgs. 130,131
"Goooooooooaaaaaaaallll!" Where there's a will, there's a way.

The reading gave me a lot of insight as to what these people have to go through to try for a better life. It also made me aware that if the determination is there, no fence or legislation will be too big an obstacle in a person's efforts.

I was very surprised to learn that in addition to people from Mexico and other Central American countries, there were people from China, Iran and Pakistan that would come in through the Mexico/U.S boarders. This was a complete surprise to me.

"Flirting With Urbanismo"
by Patt Morrison

"Flirting With Urbanismo" is a collection of affections of Los Angeles. this author also uses area codes as descriptives, which I think is amusing. If anyone has ever said that they have not seen downtown L.A., the author is quick to point out that you have, you just didn't know it was L.A.,... speaking of the movie industry. City Hall was the Daily Planet building in "Superman", or the capitol in "West Wing", or even the Vatican in "The Thornbirds". Yes, downtown L.A. has been filmed a plenty. He refers to it as a plastic model in that it can and has been remolded over and over again. He speaks of the gold standard of the real estate market and that being the reason that there are so few public parks in the area. Why not sell it if you can, over making it public use. The people have lived in downtown, they have migrated to suburbs and worked in downtown, and migrated back. There is so much history and architecture in the area, and so much diversity in just one street to another next to it. He lists the Biltmore Hotel, Alexandria, the Bradbury building, Oviatt, and the L.A. Conservatory. He speaks of the design of the Oscar being scratched out on a napkin at the Biltmore. The Beatles being flown in to the Biltmore as their only hope of refuge for a night's sleep. So much history, architecture in a city that seems so "shaky".

"Live downtown? In an apartment? You think I traveled all this way by wagon/ship/train to reach this glorious sunshine to cram myself into some dark, little flat? Sure, downtown's a nice place to work, but who'd want to live there?" pg 136
"Oh, we had a little flirtation with urbanismo, and we're having one again. The Loft people have moved into downtown; they walk their dogs and sip coffee pavement-side." pg 137

I was a little confused with this reading, feeling that it was filled with nice details of the city, but didn't really make me think of anything other than the fact that I wouldn't want to try living there. Sure, there's a lot of history and architecture, but I think I would still save it as a tourist attraction rather than a place to live.

I knew there is many things about this city related to the movie industry and people, but I didn't stop to think of things like the Oscar design being shaped on a dinner napkin at a famous hotel in L.A. That same design has been synonymous with movie makers and actors for many years. My daughter wants me to see the Getty Museum, but, if I'm able to visit L.A. I now have many more buildings to add to my list. I would like to know more about things other than movies related themes of the city.

"Waters of Tranquility"
by Carolyn See

The Lake Shrine of the Self-Realization Fellowship is on Sunset Blvd., not far from the beach. It was made over 50 yrs. ago, by Paramahansa Yogananda as a shrine to world peace. It has, among other things, monuments to the Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Judaism religions. There's a lake with a small waterfall with a statue of Krishna over it, and a statue of Christ over a bigger fall. There are buildings and benches and a gravel walkway around the lake. Many go there for the quiet and seclusion, but it is almost difficult to find. The author's partner was apparently terminally ill, and, although an atheist, enjoyed his walks around the lake. Wanting to die at home, he had many good-intentioned relatives who would cause grief by intruding on their wishes. The author found the peace of this lake when she would be so very anxious, and angry at these well-intentioned relatives. She saw perspective in the smallness of the monuments, and was able to ponder life and death as significant although minute in the scheme of things.

"In the scheme of things where a major religion only rates a four-foot monument, a single human death may be no more than a fall of one flower, one tweaked leaf. There are so many more! And life itself may be no more than a play toy, a few Burma-Shave signs in the universe. But blazing, amazing for all that. You can see that at the Lake Shrine. I know I did."
pg. 145

The description of this area, made me think of a place in Maine that I would always want to go to for complete refreshing and rejuvenation. It was on a high rocky area descending to the water, and had a lighthouse on the top, which was no longer in operation. Not many people knew of this area, and so there was peace and solitude which I also find just by being at the ocean's edge. I could go there very stressed and find total relaxation. Even when my father died, this was the first place I could think of to get away and reflect.

Before I read this, I didn't know that this shrine existed. I believe there is still a group that meet there as a Fellowship. I am impressed that one man had this inspiration and followed through on it for the benefit of so many.

Assignment 4c

REFLECTION
Choose any 1 classmate of project 3 that wrote about your same topic in any one component (a World Cities, b Beaches, c Inland Areas) and briefly compare/contrast their choices using the following format in a blog post. Make sure this choice is a different category or component than what you chose in 4b:

1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?

My classmate, Sheena chose to write about Bodega Bay beaches.

2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?

Sheena and I both focused on the local, quieter B&B atmosphere of this beach over those of central and southern California. We also both noted easily, the cold that is usually indicative of this coastal area.

3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?

One major point that I appreciated was the fact that the population of Bodega has increased in a major way over the years. On the warm days, there isn't the secluded atmosphere since more and more families are flocking to the area.

4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?
I feel that no matter what our impressions are, we don't see the entire picture unless we do share this dialogue with others. Much of my impressions of Bodega may perhaps be from my initial visits to the area several years ago, even though I continue to visit Bodega and Doran Beach today. Just seeing it from someone else's eye gives us more information...a more complete assessment of a topic.
Yes, it's true that the summer and the campgrounds bring more families, more laughter, more screaming kids. The businesses now cater more to tourists than fishermen. By sharing thoughts and ideas, we get the much bigger picture, than the perspective of just one person telling others what they should know about a subject.

Thank you, Sheena