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pcttrailsidereader · 2 years

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Iraq War veteran Will 'Akuna' Robinson is the trailblazing superstar of thru-hiking

By Matt Gallagher

It is unusual for ESPN to write a feature on hiking or backpacking. Their domain is typically everything from the NFL to college basketball to the PGA/LPGA. So I took note when I saw this story about Will 'Akuna' Robinson, a Triple-Crowner who also contributed a piece to our upcoming anthology, Crossing Paths: A Pacific Crest Trailside Reader. The profile Matt Gallagher has written touches on several important issues including the challenge of physical and mental healing after being in war and being a Black man on the trail. It is an important read!

Because this is a long piece, we have split the story into two halves the second of which will run in two days.

WILL 'AKUNA' ROBINSON, 40, strides with authority and speed on the trail. He learned long ago that if you're gonna do something, you do it right. After five years of avid thru-hiking, he still pauses to say hello to everyone he can. Some he knows from previous trails, when they shared miles and hardships. Some recognize him from Instagram, or as the first Black man to complete America's nearly 8,000-mile Triple Crown of Hiking in September of 2019, his visage in catalogs and strewn across web banners as a brand ambassador for Merrell footwear.

It's late August, that sleepy part of the calendar full of rich sun one moment and whispering with near-autumn chill the next. Akuna leads our squad of three -- the photographer Andy, a rangy outdoorsman from Wyoming, and myself, the standard idiot writer who overpacked, just glad to be keeping up -- along a section of the Pacific Crest Trail in southern Washington state through the Goat Rocks Wilderness, near White Pass. Mount Rainier looms to our north, Mount Adams to our south, and it's impossible to not let the scattered, echoing birdcalls into one's soul.

Back in the world, everything's on fire. The concepts of common purpose and unity seem as far-fetched as they ever have in a divided America. A new variant of COVID-19 has emerged, threatening the tenuous "return to normal" society's been creeping into. The same day we enter the trail, Kabul falls to the Taliban. Akuna and I are both veterans of the Iraq War. We both have friends who served in Afghanistan, and are having a very hard time with it all. And a tropical storm's forming in the Caribbean, causing meteorologists to wonder if it might make a play for the Gulf Coast ...

Point being, the sparse cell reception isn't the worst thing. These are dark days.

Akuna knows dark days from before. He experienced years' worth of them after returning home from Iraq, days when he felt a husk of a person, barricaded in his room under a hazy miasma of alcohol and painkillers, leaving only when he absolutely had to and sometimes not even then. The past kept him there, the relentless hold of memory refusing to abate. Possibilities, joy, even tomorrow, those were hopes tossed at his door. He existed to exist. Life, fulfillment, these words belonged to others.

And the nights? The darkness was at its strongest then. It bore no face nor shape, though it did smell: an acrid mélange of diesel fuel and manure he associated with Iraq. One night, he tried to escape. Medication prescribed by the local VA, handfuls of the stuff. Because of chance, God, whatever -- he vomited most of it up, saved by the same body he'd sought to destroy. His mother made him promise never to do it again, and such was the force of this woman, he hasn't.

He returned home to his beloved southeast Louisiana, the place that shaped him, a place teeming with resilience and cheer, and even it couldn't cure what ailed. He'd fought in an ugly war for his country and come back changed, stronger in some places and maybe not stronger in others. He understood this was an ancient tale, one older than even the country he'd fought for. Even so.

All this is from before the trail, before thru-hiking, before the accolades. Before he was saved by purpose, before he saved himself, before he found the trail.

He knows that as a southerner, as a Black man in America, as a veteran of war, the past endures. Darkness thrives at the periphery. There's no cure, but there are new beginnings, and for that, the man is grateful.

So, Akuna keeps moving. One more mile, one more campsite, one more trail town. His mother's gone now, so each new trailhead is a tribute to her for pulling him from the darkest days, for the promise she held him to: Begin again.

THE PACIFIC CREST Trail, PCT for short, is a roughly 2,650-mile stretch of land that runs from the desert outskirts of San Diego all the way to the Pasayten Wilderness in the North Cascades. It takes hikers through all the rugged beauties and dangers western North America has to offer: arid badlands, Sierra Nevada snowpacks, wild river passes, forest fires, lava fields. The Pacific Crest Trail Association recommends northbound thru-hikers begin in "mid-April thru early May." Start too early, the Sierra snows won't have melted enough to push through. Start too late, autumn cold in the Pacific Northwest will turn a human into a statistic.

At its most basic, thru-hiking is long-distance backpacking, weeks or months-long journeys solely focused on getting from one terminus to another, on your own feet, with your own pack. The PCT's drawn thru-hikers and day-hikers to its terrain since at least the early 1970s, when outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers decided to form a western version of the elder Appalachian Trail. It's since become arguably the most iconic trail in the world and Akuna's personal favorite, which is why we're here, in the land of mountain goats.

"Nothing against the other trails," he says as we crest a ridge, extending his arms toward a vast, vibrant sky. "But the PCT's got it all."

It's hard to dispute. The PCT is where Akuna earned his nickname, for one, an abbreviation of the Swahili phrase "Hakuna matata," popularized by a certain Disney movie and meaning "no worries." It's where on his first hike in 2016 he learned from an old-timer that thru-hiking was more experience than race, because "people who get to Canada first actually lose." It's where he met his girlfriend, fellow thru-hiker Dawn Potts, and where he learned he couldn't just keep up with the athletic hippies who populate the community, he could thrive among them.

"The trail," he muses, "has the right amount of strange on it."

Akuna travels light, less than 30 pounds in his pack, a combination of tent equipment, extra fuel and layers, batteries and baby wipes, formed over years of trial-and-error. He aims to carry five days' worth of food and two liters of water before entering a new section. He enjoys a couple Black & Mild cigars most days; everyone's got their vices, and he's kept worse before.

We camp on the shores of Shoe Lake, an idyllic setting off the main path that's shaped more like a deranged kidney than any shoe. In his deep Louisiana accent -- part Cajun, "part clusterf---," Akuna says -- he runs us through some particulars of thru-hiking culture.

"Dropping packed weight is the game now," he says. He even knows folks who cut their toothbrushes in half for it. Other hikers can smell the tourist on Andy and me -- literally. (It's the deodorant and detergent.) "Safety meeting" means "weed break," for those inclined. PUDs: Pointless ups and downs. "Blue-blazing" is taking a shortcut. "Yellow-blazing" is a shortcut by hardball road. "Pink-blazing" is chasing a girl you like on the trail. "Banana-blazing" is ... well, even I figured out that one.

"You'll meet a lot of characters out here," he says, and we do. A ginger-bearded kid who goes by MacGyver hiking in rainbow foam clogs; an older guy named Minnesota Jocko who worked at the same casino in Reno I did, a few decades before me; an earthy, earnest father waiting to resupply his son at the top of a ridge, reminiscing about the era when he, too, could disappear into the woods for months on end. There's Sandman, Mumbles, Rubber Ball, All-Good, Yard Sale and a trail chef out there going by Gordon Ramsay, too. New names, new identities, new lives. Akuna says he'll find nicknames for the two of us. Can't force it, though.

Despite dropping in elevation to Shoe Lake, it's gotten colder. We've arrived on the fore of a rainstorm, so it's time to pitch our tents and crawl into our sacks. Tomorrow starts early along the trail.

I ask Akuna if he has any tips for someone new to this. I mean it pragmatically, but his answer bends philosophical.

"Take what Mother Nature gives you," he says. "Always."

Not long after Robinson returned from Iraq, Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana. Before she passed in 2012, Robinson -- overlooking the Goat Rocks Wilderness in Washington here -- promised his mother that, like his native New Orleans, he'd begin anew.

IN EARLY 2016, late at night at his home in Slidell, Louisiana, Akuna turned on the television and became transfixed by the Reese Witherspoon film, "Wild," based on the eponymous Cheryl Strayed memoir. "Wild" chronicles the 1995 trip a grief-stricken Strayed took along much of the PCT despite a distinct lack of hiking experience.

Akuna had returned home mired in depression and self-isolation. He felt in need of a life-altering event. His time in Iraq left him grappling with both physical and moral injury and nothing he'd tried had taken.

Akuna was deployed to Anbar Province in April 2003, an Apache Attack Helicopter Systems Repairer in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment who found himself doing a whole lot more than that in the chaos of invading a country.

Though his father was career Army, though his parents met on Fort Benning, though he'd been born on an army base in Germany, Akuna never thought he'd become a soldier. He wanted to do something -- anything -- else. But when he was 18, he was arrested for theft over $100 and the judge offered a deal: Enlist and your record is expunged.

"I got my fresh start," he says now, "and never looked back." He enjoyed soldiering, was good at it, the daily challenges and unit camaraderie the healthiest of rushes. He was stationed in Korea on 9/11 and knew straightaway all had changed. A couple years later, he found himself driving into Iraq from Kuwait on his 22nd birthday.

Like some veterans, he's reticent to talk specifics of his combat tour -- "I try to stay away from that area of thought," he says, "because it ends up making me go backwards in my progress" -- but six months into his deployment, he was medically evacuated to the same Germany he'd been born in. Post-traumatic stress and chronic, service-related injuries to his wrist and knees have dogged him ever since. His marriage to another soldier crumbled after his medical separation from the military.

One morning, he looked up and saw that he was driving a car with a disability placard hanging from the rear view mirror. He was 23.

"[It's] sad, man, the only time we're united is when we're at war." Will "Akuna" Robinson

Nothing seemed to be going right, so he moved home to be among family and old friends. He thought it would be a fresh start, but Hurricane Katrina arrived a few months after.

His great-grandmother, "Big Mama," died at the Superdome waiting to be evacuated to Houston. He says it took more than half a year for something like normalcy to return to Slidell, and by that he means consistent, city-generated power. In the meantime, matters were "very clannish ... we defended our neighborhood, relied on each other."

Akuna stayed in Slidell, helping Willie Senior with house repairs, their own and neighbors' and families' who'd suffered far more damage. This work proved a temporary reprieve from his despondency, and a job as an electronic technician didn't last. He tried computer science and college. That didn't take, either.

Akuna's mother Delores was a career educator. After his 2011 suicide attempt, when he promised her to never hurt himself again, he was listening, perhaps genuinely for the first time, to someone trying to help. A few months later, her cervical cancer recurred. She died in 2012 at the age of 54.

It was right as those dark days were threatening to become forever days that "Wild" came along, which felt like a lifeline to Akuna even in the moment. He made the decision to emulate Strayed's journey well before the credits rolled. Only a couple weeks later, Akuna arrived at a small, dusty hill in California, along the Mexican border, where a monument stood to mark the southern terminus of the PCT. His friends and family had reluctantly let him go, but insisted he bring a satellite navigation device so that they could check in and monitor his whereabouts.

"I just knew I had to be out there," he says now, laughing about his younger self lugging 60 pounds of military-lite equipment. "It was going to force me to do something, and if I went a hundred miles or a thousand, it'd be something."

He still went by will. Anxiety still clawed at him, and he didn't know what to make of gregarious fellow travelers, but he was moving forward. He didn't know what lay further down the trail. He'd never been there before.

Already, he thought, this is something.

Robinson returned from Iraq at 22 with chronic service-related injuries to his knees and wrist. Hiking saved him. "I just knew I had to be out there," says Robinson. "[If] I went a hundred miles or a thousand, it'd be something."

Nothing seemed to be going right, so he moved home to be among family and old friends. He thought it would be a fresh start, but Hurricane Katrina arrived a few months after.

Akuna's wary of comparisons between this natural disaster and what he saw and did abroad, but one parallel strikes him. "What made Katrina so bad is people couldn't leave, they didn't have the means to," he says. "A lot of regular Iraqis were stuck in the war like that, too."His great-grandmother, "Big Mama," died at the Superdome waiting to be evacuated to Houston. He says it took more than half a year for something like normalcy to return to Slidell, and by that he means consistent, city-generated power. In the meantime, matters were "very clannish ... we defended our neighborhood, relied on each other."

Already, he thought, this is something.

Part 2 will post in two days. Among the topics discussed: "I'm a unicorn in this world," notes Robinson. The issue of color (or lack of) on the trail.

#Will 'Akuna' Robinson #POC on the trail #Warrior Hikes #PTSD

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the-empress-7 · 4 years

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“Meghan wanted to be Diana 2.0 but I bet she also wanted to be the next Grace Kelly-an actress from Hollywood turned royal.”

This is true. From FF :

Meghan was now in a role that never had a hiatus. Like another American actress, Grace Kelly, who married Prince Rainier of Monaco, she had the potential to make the royal family more accessible to a wider swath of the public in the UK and abroad.

The price for Meghan, however, was that now every word uttered, every gesture made, every piece of clothing worn, would instantly be scrutinized and analyzed for subtext. She had to move with a level of decorum that no normal life demands.

The transition wasn’t just culture shock for Meghan. Kensington Palace’s royal courtiers also had a period of adjustment exacerbated by the relentless twenty-four-hour digital media cycle. Most of the team began work at the household after William married Kate in 2011, so they missed the early days of the couple’s relationship and the British tabloid’s incessant harassment of Kate, as they criticized her and her mother, Carole, digging up every trace of her and her family’s past.

“When Harry introduced Meghan as his girlfriend, a serious girlfriend, it was a new experience for everyone,” a former palace aide revealed. “When Harry formally introduced her to his team [in August 2016], he was already certain of their future. I think dealing with the extreme and sudden level of interest in Meghan and teaching her how to deal with it was something many of them had to learn on the job. There is no training you can do to prepare for that.”

Learning on the job inevitably involves making some mistakes or at least having some rocky moments. Meghan expressed frustration to friends over aides “flip-flopping” between decisions. Case in point were the numerous discussions Harry and Meghan had with staff about the right time and place to first be photographed as a couple. Taking her to an engagement was off- limits, as that would go against royal protocol. But perhaps Harry could bring Meghan to a sporting event as a guest spectator in the stands with him, so they could be seen together without appearing to court attention.

The goal of the photo was to softly introduce Meghan to the public while keeping the paparazzi at bay. Meghan had a good idea about how the pap game worked, but now she was in Harry’s “overwhelming and confusing” world and so deferred to him and his staff. “There was an element of ‘I’m just going to be quiet and see what everyone else thinks,’ ” a friend said of Meghan’s attitude.

As to the timing of their first photo together, Harry wanted to take a ”sooner the better” approach, and Meghan agreed. Heads nodded all around on one idea, only to have an aide at another household dismiss the entire plan as a bad idea the very next day.

If there was this much debate over a photo, what was going to happen if Meghan wanted to speak her mind about something? If she wanted to fully enter the royal sphere, she had to remain apolitical, which made her previous level of activism impossible. (She had previously spoken out against Brexit and called Donald Trump “misogynistic” and “divisive.”)

Silencing herself was no small sacrifice.

=====

Thank you for this.

Also, this made my day “She had to move with a level of decorum that no normal life demands.” Who knew good manners were so hard!!

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aethersmoke-and-ash · 5 years

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Prompt #6: First Steps

Characters: Emiyyah Lyehga and Milloux Allard (Another scene I have wanted to write for a long time. This takes place a good handful of years ago~ Aaaa so much to catch up on this weekend) Emiyyah was well aware of the impression she made to most that made it past the threshold of her establishment’s vices and diversions and into the courtyard. It was a space common to the homes of those well-off by Ul'dahn standards; a shaded garden ensconced on four sides by sandstone balcony and mosaic. Palm trees and Shroud roses alike thrived here, amidst a turquoise pond filled with fat golden fish - a cool defense against the relentless heat of Thanalan's high summer and the formidable damp of the rainier season alike. Quiet, private; exactly the sort of place she enjoyed holding court. All around, hints of other activities could be heard, but not seen. Laughter and sweet music, a few more...impassioned sounds besides. A few walls - and a world away - from the business being run from the manor.

Sanctuary.

There was something about the way she lounged in the chaise - relaxed yes, but in a very practiced and particular manner, betrayed only by the restless twitch and sway of her tail. She was a frothy confection in cascading pink curls and layers and layers of gauzy muslin, silk, and lace; each gesture accentuated by a glimmer of pearl or gold. To the unobservant she was the painted portrait of a frivolous, fanciful thing...at least until one met her gaze. Eyes as verdant as the hothouse flowers and vines that surrounded them - specially imported from the Shroud - watched the girl that sat across from her. Reedy, underfed and still caught in the extended adolescence that her sort seemed to be known for - a woman, but only just; all sharp angles and faded leathers. Emiyyah had wanted to believe the rumors had been false, this one seemed far too young to be what had been described to her, but there was a confidence underneath that air of quiet detachment. A surety one didn't find in an amateur.

It was a stark contrast to the refined, bordering on excessive display of the girl's newfound surroundings, and each self-conscious shift of her posture, each reach to refill her glass from the bottle of rum that had been so generously provided -- a bottle that no doubt had cost more gil than the girl had seen in half a turn's time -- but hadn't dared touch the food -- told more of a story than she was likely aware.

Emiyyah had seen it countless times before - that cagey and distrustful look - as though to even consider her situation was locking herself in a gilded cage... but not from those she hired on for the purpose she was considering. Frowning a little, she reached silently for one of the pastries that had been placed between them, and then finally pushed the tray in her direction. Normally, those she brought into her sanctum were more than pleased to boast and beat their chest as they crowed the list of their conquests and accomplishments. This one... ...It didn't match at all with what 'assistants' had told her of the girl, or of their suspicions as to who she was, truly. "I must admit, you are not at all what I was expecting," Emiyyah finally intoned,meeting the bright gaze that had barely left her. She smiled a little, encouraging - this too was an expression practiced and expected from the Proprietress of an establishment like this. Kind, but not too kind. Welcoming, but private. "This is not a bad thing, of course. I wonder, though.... 'Good Samaritan?’ This does not seem the sort of name one chooses for themselves, if I do say so."

A faintly exasperated sound escaped the girl, who shook her head. "I didn' choose that none. Asked 'em to quit it, too. Just saw some folks needin' a hand. Then there were more of 'em, an' more still," She cautiously reached out to take up one of the treats finally, settling on a canape topped with cheese and slivers of pate rather than one of the sweets. She used it as a way to gather her thoughts before continuing. Manners atrocious, but... that could perhaps be worked on. "There's a fuckin' lot of 'em these days, more 'an more by th' sennight. City folk don' seem to be doin' much. I came here for th' coin, aye?" The rose-colored miqote laughed, ears perking a little to the cadence of Limsan salt in her voice. "I do not believe that for a moment. If you cared only for the gil, you would have squeezed it as blood from a stone from these people in the villages. There are many who care little and less for the hardships around them."

The girl hmpfed - bluff called - and drained the liquid from her glass. She paused this time before refilling it. There was only a hint that she was at all tipsy, a glassiness to her gaze that hinted at the beginnings of inebriation and a hint of defensiveness. "An' you care? No offense bein’ meant, or none, but this is all some real fancy stuff for days like these, Miss." "We all have our indulgences, no? And I think you should eat more. If this is not to your liking..." She made a dismissive gesture as the girl shook her head. "No? Maybe later, then. I have reason to believe we are of a similar mind here - Milloux, yes? You do not mind if I call you this? You have skills, and an instinct I find myself having use of quite often." Her head tilting to the side a little as the other's posture seemed to shift, however subtly, towards the self-conscious. Hm.

"An' what skills d'you mean? A bodyguard for your girls? Y’ need someone warned off? Your lady, she wasn' inclined t' give me too much a' what you were interested in. I'm... not sure how much good someone like me can really do for someone like you otherwise, Miss. I can't heal folk, can't really help 'em like they need. I can hurt 'em, that's about all." To punctuate the statement she reached for another bite of food - betraying finally that she was, perhaps, hungrier than she wanted to admit.

"--The best we can do in this life is to try. To turn your blade on those that would cause others harm, or to use it to protect is an instinct that can be honed to their best use. If you are interested, I have a great need for that, Milloux," She smiled - and for the first time that evening it was a truly candid thing. "I believe you do, too." @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

#ffxivwrite2019 #milloux allard #emiyyah lyegha

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ironbullsmissingeye · 5 years

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For the angst prompt list thingie: 90. “Forget it” for Shok and your choice?

I did ShokWall, a continuation from my last prompt.

“No,” Blackwall said sternly, placing his hand in his lap and curling it into a fist. “I’m not leaving until we talk about this.” He looked into Shokrakar’s eyes, they were usually so bright and full of life, so gentle but now all they did was glare at him like an enemy. Shokrakar wasn’t someone Blackwall wanted as an enemy, he had seen Shokrakar’s darkest sides, had seen how he handled people he didn’t like, he wasn’t going to be on the receiving end of Shokrakar’s hate. “Please, just hear me out...then if you want me to go, I will go.” Blackwall was almost begging at this point. Any attempts at talking to Shokrakar were shut down, he had to bribe the guards to even get into his room, that was something that he’d have to bring up with Josephine later.

“Fine,” Shokrakar sighed heavily. Blackwall was relentless and stubborn, traits he used to admire but now they just irritated him. “Explain.” He leaned back against the headboard of his bed, picking up the basket of bread and placed it into his lap.

“I made a mistake, granted it’s a big one but it’s a mistake, I’m paying for my crimes if I had known…” Blackwall sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He avoided any eye contact with Shokrakar but he could feel the Qunari staring at him. “I never meant for it to get this far, I thought...I didn’t know I’d still be here, it felt like a quick escaped, the best way to right my wrongs, to...let you move on.”

“I can forgive the lie, the murder, your mistake,” Shokrakar felt tears forming in the corners of his eyes, a choke in his throat. “But lying to me? For this long? I can’t...I loved you, I never thought I’d love again and yet you gave me hope,” Shokrakar moved from his spot and sat next to Blackwall. “I wish I could forgive you, I still love you, I probably always will but I can’t see a way past this.”

“I still love you too!” Blackwall took hold of Shokrakar’s hands and squeezed them tightly. “I can’t apologise enough for this but if you let me I can start to make it up to you! Please Shokrakar, don’t let what we had go to waste.”

“Bla-Thom…” Shokrakar slowly pulled his hands away from Blackwall’s. “The best thing for both of us is to just…forget it, forget what we had and what we were going to have.”

“I can’t…” Blackwall muttered. “I could never forget you, the way I feel about you, Shokrakar...I am begging you.”

“Stop begging, Thom Rainier, and start living your life without me.”

#ShokWall #Shokrakar/Blackwall #prompts #my fics #angst #avaquetv2

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pattatie · 2 years

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Mount Rainier National Park | The Stark Truth by NatureNan2018 I shot this image a week after my grim visit – see my previous post. Today, I breathed MRNP’s clear air, replenishing my lungs from the relentless wildfire smoke east of the park. Maybe it was because clear air had become so precious that I was super aware of MRNP’s signature scents and fragances -- they’re deliciously sweet and dreamy. As I sat in my car eating my picnic dinner, I gazed out at the scene of Mount Rainier towering above Reflection Lake. Wonderful dappled clouds quilted the sky – their pattern began unraveling about an hour before sunset. I was able to capture this image when the light, color and placement of clouds were still appealing. This part of Reflection Lake has a boggy and fragile shoreline and reflected the clouds nicely – I was set up on the carpark walkway. A family of ducks were enjoying their evening swim, and there was a heron seemed poised for some serious fishing. As you can see in this image, majestic Mount Rainier is alarmingly stark with shrinking glaciers and short-lived critical annual snowpack. Is this the inevitable and undeniable truth of climate change? In his closing remarks in a live interview on Mount Rainier National Park’s Facebook page on September 13th, recently arrived park superintendent Greg Dudgeon said that he can’t imagine any challenge more relevant to our time and our day than climate change, and that he sees a role and a responsibility both as park staff and as stakeholders, to make certain that as people come to enjoy the park, they’re also understanding and appreciating the challenges ahead. Thank you Ranger Greg Dudgeon! Flickr Explore 4nov21 https://flic.kr/p/2mGii77

#IFTTT #Flickr #mountrainiernationalpark #mountrainier #nationalpark #park #reflectionlake #lake #ref

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violet-moonstone · 7 months

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My boy Rainier whomst I love dearly

Dagur and Mala's son

Sometimes called Dagurson (which he dislikes), often called Rainier the Relentless (which he won't admit that he really likes).

He tries to be like his mother as much as possible. But there are some parts of him he clearly gets from his father (his red hair, his nose, his eyebrows, his anger...)

He used to idolize his father when he was young and naive, but that was before he knew about his past. That was before the accident...

Now he wants nothing to do with him.

But Mala is frequently busy and can be somewhat distant. So he spends a lot of time with his aunt Heather when he can. She's the closest he has to a friend. Peers his age are either too childish or unruly or else shy away from him because of his position.

At just fifteen, he has so much weight on his shoulders. He is the only child of two powerful leaders. His existence unites their tribes. He cannot afford to be wreckless or selfish. He has to be intelligent, strong, and brave. He has to be perfect. He hopes that one day he will be.

#Httyd #How to train your dragon #httyd fan art #Httyd fanart #Httyd oc #Rtte #Race to the edge #Thw rewrite #I love him so much #Cant wait to show you all the pain and suffering he has in store #dagur httyd #dagur the deranged #Rainier dagurson #Rainier the relentless #my art

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bposnerpublishing · 2 years

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Pacific Northwest landscape photographer

The Pacific Northwest region referred to in this guide encompasses all of Washington, Oregon, and southwestern British Columbia. Known for its beautiful scenery and outdoor culture, this vast area is paradise for the landscape photographer. Nearly every month is optimal for photographing at least one type of landscape. Indeed, the diversity of natural sites can leave enthusiastic travelers restless. The focus of this multipart guide is the western part of the Pacific Northwest from the ocean to the Cascade Range. Here, there are four major landscapes of note: mountains, coast, forests, and waterfalls. Together, these make up the natural character of the Pacific Northwest and its endless beauty.

Profiled in this gallery are the two major mountain ranges of the Pacific Northwest: the Olympic Mountains of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington; and the Cascade Range, which extends from British Columbia to northern California. The Olympics are not particularly tall, with some of its highest peaks reaching 7,000 feet but they are home to approximately 60 glaciers, beautiful alpine tundra, and some of best old growth forests in the world. The much larger and taller Cascades lie about 100 to 150 inland from the Pacific Ocean and are both volcanic and non-volcanic in makeup. The former are some of the Pacific Northwest landscape photographer famous stratovolcanos, including Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in Washington and Mount Hood in Oregon - also known as the High Cascades. This gallery highlights a sample of the endless trails, vistas, and wilderness areas from both mountain ranges.

A significant stretch of the Oregon and Washington coast is wild and untamed due to the rocky nature of the landscape. The coast has long experienced the powerful erosive power of the ocean as the tide ebbs and flows, battering the land in the process. Over millennia, this constant erosion has slowly produced sea stacks, perhaps the Northwest’s coast most iconic feature. These giant rock monoliths vary in size, shape, and density but they are primarily the remains of ancient headlands formerly attached to the mainland. They remain standing after the land around them fell to the power of the relentless waves, particularly during storm season. This guide focuses on the beaches and coastline populated by these beautiful, immense, and occasionally eerie coastal features.

#Pacific Northwest landscape photographer

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marketingadvisorvietnam · 5 years

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Bí mật phía sau các thương hiệu Google, Amazon, Adidas, Nike

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://cuocsongso24h.com/bi-mat-phia-sau-cac-thuong-hieu-google-amazon-adidas-nike/

Bí mật phía sau các thương hiệu Google, Amazon, Adidas, Nike

Google ra đời do lỗi đánh máy

Nếu tra trong từ điển thì từ Google là… vô nghĩa. Cái tên này được sáng tạo từ một hoàn cảnh trớ trêu. "Googoplex" là tên mà nhà sáng lập Larry Page và các bạn tại Đại học Standford mất thời gian khá dài để nghĩ ra. Cuối cùng, lỗi đánh vần sai của một sinh viên trong nhóm mà Google đã ra đời. Có lẽ, đây cũng là điều may mắn vì người dùng trở nên quen thuộc, dễ đọc và dễ nhớ trang tìm kiếm này hơn.

Pepsi là thuật ngữ chuyên ngành 'tiêu hóa'

Nhà sáng lập Caleb Davis Bradham do hoàn cảnh gia đình khó khăn đã phải tạm biệt giấc mơ trở thành bác sĩ để làm dược sĩ. Xuất thân y khoa đã khiến ông phát minh ra thứ đồ uống mà ông tin là "tốt cho dạ dày", và đặt tên là Pepsi-Cola, thuật ngữ trong y khoa mang nghĩa là "chứng khó tiêu".

Amazon – Dòng sông lớn nhất thế giới

Lần đầu ra mắt vào năm 1995, Jeff Bezos chọn tên là Cadabra, nhưng trợ lý của ông cho rằng nó nghe hao hao từ “xác chết” (Cadaver). Sau đó Jeff vẫn khá ưu tiên cho cái tên Relentless (tàn nhẫn). Business Insider cho hay nếu bạn vào trang Relentless.com thì vẫn sẽ được chuyển hướng tự động sang trang mua sắm Amazon. Cuối cùng, ý tưởng đặt tên công ty theo cảm hứng từ dòng sông lớn nhất thế giới đã được chọn, và nó hiện diện trên logo đầu tiên của hãng mua sắm trực tuyến khổng lồ này.

Adidas không phải là "All Day I Dream About Soccer"

Khá nhiều người vẫn nhầm lẫn rằng Adidas có nghĩa là "All day I dream about Soccer" (Cả ngày tôi chỉ mơ về bóng đá).

Thực tế, theo LA Times, Adidas vốn được đặt theo tên của người sáng lập Adolf Dassler, một cựu binh thế chiến I. Trở về, ông đã sáng tạo nên những đôi giày thể thao của riêng mình. Adidas đơn giản là từ kết hợp biệt danh của ông, Adi và thêm 3 chữ cái đầu của từ thứ hai trong tên ông.

IKEA khai sinh ở Thụy Điển, nhưng vô nghĩa trong từ điển nước này

Người sáng lập Ingvar Kamprad đã đặt tên cho cửa hàng của mình bằng cách kết hợp tên viết tắt của ông, IK với chữ cái đầu của trang trại và ngôi làng mà ông lớn lên ở Nam Thụy Điển: Elmtaryd và Agunnaryd. Cái tên IKEA ra đời như vậy.

ASOS ban đầu chính là AsSeenOnScreen

Trang trực tuyến bán lẻ của Anh được thành lập với tên ban đầu là AsSeenOnScreen vào năm 1999, mang ý nghĩa khách hàng có thể mua mọi thứ như trên màn hình. Trang asseenonscreen.com cũng ra đời sau đó. Tuy nhiên, từ viết tắt ASOS dễ đọc, dễ nhớ nhanh chóng lan truyền, gây được sự chú ý hơn. Do đó, trang web cũng rút gọn lại thành asos.com mang ý nghĩa nhận diện thương hiệu.

Gap ám chỉ khoảng cách các thế hệ

hằm cung cấp sản phẩm Jeans có chất lượng, ngay từ ban đầu cửa hàng đặt tên là Gap, nghĩa đen và bóng đều là ám chỉ sự cách biệt về phong cách, thời trang và tư tưởng của giới trẻ hiện đại với các bậc phụ huynh, những người đi trước.

McDonald's đặt theo tên hai anh em bán bánh burger

Người sáng lập của McDonald, Raymond Kroc, xuất thân là một người bán máy làm sữa. Ông gặp và ấn tượng với hai anh em Dick và Mac McDonald ngay lần đầu gặp mặt. Khi đó, anh em nhà McDonald có một cửa hàng burger tại California. Thích thú nhà hàng này, Raymond quyết định trở thành đại lý cho họ, thành lập nên chuỗi cửa hàng nhượng quyền thương mại trên khắp nước Mỹ, và nhanh chóng bành trướng khắp thế giới. Raymond sau đó cũng mua bản quyền với cái tên McDonald.

Starbucks đặt theo tên nhân vật của Moby-Dick

Đồng sáng lập Starbucks là Gordon Bowker từng kể câu chuyện đi tìm cái tên cho thương hiệu của mình trong một cuộc phỏng vấn. Ông muốn nó bắt đầu bằng “st”, trong từ sức mạnh (strength). Tình cờ, ông nhìn trên một bản đồ vùng Cascades và Mount Rainier có một thị trấn cũ tên là Starbo. Hầu như ngay lập tức, nó khiến ông liên tưởng ngay đến người yêu đầu tiên của Melville có tên là Starbuck trong phim Moby-Dic. Thế là chúng ta có thương hiệu đồ uống quen thuộc ngày nay.

Zara ban đầu có tên là Zorba

Ấn tượng với bộ phim “Zobra the Greek” đã khiến Amancio Ortega đặt tên Zorba cho thương hiệu thời trang của mình. Tuy nhiên, trớ trêu là cửa hàng đầu tiên mở tại La Coruña vào năm 1975 đặt cạnh 2 quán bar tên là Zorba. Cuối cùng, Ortega phải sắp xếp lại các chữ cái, và Zara là từ tương đồng nhất và dễ nhớ nhất được tạo ra.

Nike là nữ thần chiến thắng trong thần thoại Hy Lạp

Nike được thành lập vào năm 1964 với tên Blue Ribbon Sports. Sau đó người đồng sáng lập Bill Bowerman và Phil Knigh vốn xuất thân là vận động viên đã muốn chọn cái tên là “Dimension 6” (Cỡ 6). Cuối cùng, cái tên Nike được đề xuất do chính nhân viên đầu tiên của hãng, Jeff Johnson. Nike là tên riêng của nữ thần chiến thắng trong thần thoại Hy Lạp, sở hữu sức mạnh tốc độ. Logo của Nike cũng thể hiện đôi cánh đang dang rộng nhằm ý nghĩa này.

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brownambitionpodcast · 6 years

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Ep. 124 — Enduring the Unimaginable: NBC Senior Correspondent Sharon Epperson On Surviving a Life-Threatening Brain Aneurysm

In September 2016, Sharon Epperson was at the gym when she felt a relentless, migraine-like pain shoot through her head and neck. One S.O.S. call to her husband and several hours in the hospital later, she learned she was one of 30,000 people in the U.S. who suffer a brain aneurysm rupture each year. Two in five die instantly and African Americans are twice as likely as white people to suffer from one.

Sharon, who is the senior personal finance correspondent at CNBC, was one of the lucky ones. On today’s show, she calls the experience one of the great blessings of her life and shares her story with Mandi, including:

Her early days in rehabilitation when she had to relearn everyday tasks.

“That road had so much pain on it. There were people in those rooms who I know probably wouldn't make it...I remember thinking I just have to look at the door straight ahead. If I look in these rooms I’m going to fall down.”

What it was like to return the air at CNBC after 13 months of rehabilitation.

“I am recovered in that I can do that job but I’m doing it differently and better than I’ve ever done it before.”

The financial choices she made that protected her family’s finances during her recovery and time off from work.

“There couldn't have been a rainier day for my rainy day fund. The fact that I had an emergency fund was key. It meant I didn't have to do what many people may have to do which is dip into a 401(k) or their retirement savings to pay for a medical bill.”

The key steps Sharon says everyone should take to protect their families if they become disabled

—Build an emergency fund

—Sign up for disability insurance

—Secure a power of attorney

Learn more about brain aneurysm research here: bafound.org

Follow Sharon on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out this episode!

#podcast #business #career #money

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rainiervolunteersnps · 6 years

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Greetings, volunteers! I’m pleased to share with you that we’ve just learned that Chip Jenkins, currently finishing up a term as Acting Superintendent of Yosemite National Park, will next be coming to Mount Rainier to serve as our new Superintendent! He’ll be arriving sometime in the latter half of March, and will take over from Acting Superintendent Tracy Swartout, who will return to her role as Deputy Superintendent. Chip has previously served as a Deputy Regional Director in the Pacific West Regional Office, and as Superintendent of North Cascades National Park Complex.

The above photo is of Chip presenting a plaque to outgoing Mount Rainier Superintendent Randy King at Randy’s retirement party on January 13. Here’s a message we received this morning from Chip, introducing himself to our staff:

Greetings colleagues at Mount Rainier;

I am honored to have been offered the chance to work with you as the new Superintendent. I am anxious to return to the Pacific Northwest, to reconnect with colleagues I have worked with before and, to meet those of you who I have not yet had the chance to work with.

While I have had the pleasure to visit Mount Rainier, for work and fun, I have much to learn about this iconic place and the people who work as its stewards. I look forward to getting to know the park better by hearing from you, seeing you in action and, working alongside you.

Generations of people from the Pacific Northwest and around the world are drawn to Mount Rainier. You all deserve the public’s thanks for the stewardship and service that you provide each and every day. I have seen the results of your service at Mount Rainier and in the other parks that you support in the North Coast and Cascades Network. I will always be indebted when MORA people came to the rescue for the Fort Clatsop Rebuild at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. I am humbled by the breadth and depth of talent, skills, knowledge and passion that you bring to your public service. I am excited that I get to learn from you and will do the best I can to try to serve and support you.

Among my top priorities is to be relentless in focusing on Mount Rainier employees. This includes continuing the work you have started in making Mount Rainier one of the best places to work. Yes, we have challenges. To face these I expect you to join me at the table, tailgate, trailhead or wherever we need a team to; gather to set a common direction; debate then decide on priorities and; work together to make these priorities happen.

I want to thank Tracy Swartout for stepping up as the Acting Superintendent during this transition. I have been fortunate to work with Tracy over the years I have benefitted from her sage council, care for employees and role model as a park professional. One of many things I am looking forward to is the chance to work as a partner with Tracy and, to work closely with the management team, to serve you.

Between now and mid-March, when I arrive at the park, I need to complete my assignment in Yosemite but I will be working with the Tracy on a transition plan. This transition plan will focus on my first 180 days in the park and will layout the “to do list” to help accelerate my learning of the park and help us form as a new team. If you have suggestions about people I should meet, topics to address, things I should read or any other ideas please let Tracy and I know.

Please know that I welcome hearing from you, at any time, about any hopes, concerns, thoughts, ideas or issues. You can send me an email or call me on the phone – my phone numbers are always at the bottom of my emails so they are easy for you to find. As we move into spring and summer I will be looking for invitations to join you in your work so I can learn how I can better support how you go about caring for the amazing place that is Mount Rainier

Thank you for everything you do to support each other, care for the park and, welcome millions of visitors to become lifelong fans of America’s public lands. I am very honored to get to join you.

Sincerely,

Chip

Chip Jenkins Acting Superintendent Yosemite National Park

#Chip Jenkins #Superintendent #Randy King

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brandsmagazinepakistan-blog · 7 years

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Brands Magazine

http://monthlybrands.com.pk/heres-popular-brand-names-really-mean/

Here's what most popular brand names really mean

One can never have thought the mind-map behind tracing and building a brand name that would claim to stand so strong and leave a memorizing impact on the consumers. Hence, here are some popular brand names with their actual meanings:

Pepsi was named after the medical term for indigestion

The inventor of Pepsi, Caleb Davis Bradham, originally wanted to be a doctor, but a family crisis meant that he left medical school and became a pharmacist instead, according to the company website.

His original invention, known as “Brad’s Drink,” was made from a mix of sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, and nutmeg. Three years later, Bradham renamed his drink, which he believed aided digestion, to “Pepsi-Cola,” taken from the word dyspepsia, meaning indigestion.

Google owes its name to a typo

Google logo adorns entrance of Google Germany headquarters in HamburgThomson Reuters

Google’s name emerged from a brainstorming session at Stanford University. Founder Larry Page was coming up with ideas for a massive data-index website with other graduate students.

One of the suggestions was “googolplex” one of the largest describable numbers. The name ‘Google’ came about after one of the students accidentally spelled it wrong. Page then registered his company with this name.

McDonald’s is named after two brothers who ran a burger restaurant

Raymond Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, was a milkshake machine salesman when he first met brothers Dick and Mac McDonald, who ran a burger restaurant in San Bernardino, California.

The McDonald brothers bought several of his Kroc’s Multimixers and he was so impressed by their burger restaurant that he became their agent and set up franchises around the US. Years later, he bought rights to the McDonald’s name.

Adidas isn’t an acronym for “All Day I Dream About Soccer”

If you, like me, thought Adidas stood for “All Day I Dream About Soccer,” you’re wrong. It turns out the athletics-apparel brand is named after its founder, Adolf Dassler, who started making sport shoes when he came back from serving in World War I, according to a state-run publication. The name combines his nickname, Adi, and the first three letters of his last name.

“A genie whispered ‘Rolex,'” in the founder’s ear

Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, wanted a brand name that could be said in any language.

“I tried combining the letters of the alphabet in every possible way,” said Wilsdorf, according to Rolex. “This gave me some hundred names, but none of them felt quite right. One morning, while riding on the upper deck of a horse-drawn omnibus along Cheapside in the City of London, a genie whispered ‘Rolex’ in my ear.”

Zara came from Zorba, it’s original name

Zara founder Amancio Ortega originally named his company after the 1964 film, “Zorba the Greek.” But this didn’t last long.

The first store, which opened in La Coruña in 1975, happened to be two blocks down from a bar called Zorba, reported a state-run publication. Ortega had already made the mold for the letters of his sign when the bar owner told him that it was too confusing for them to have the same name.

In the end, Ortega ended up rearranging the letters to make the closest word he could come up with — hence Zara.

IKEA isn’t actually a Swedish word

IKEA isn’t a Swedish word that you don’t understand.

Founder Ingvar Kamprad chose the brand name by combining the initials of his own name, IK, with the first letters of the farm and village, where grew up in southern Sweden: Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd.

Starbucks is named after a character in Moby-Dick

In an interview, Starbucks co-founder Gordon Bowker told the story of how they arrived at the name. At first, they were going through a list of words beginning with “st” because they thought those were powerful.

“Somebody somehow came up with an old mining map of the Cascades and Mount Rainier, and there was an old mining town called Starbo,” he said. “As soon as I saw Starbo, I, of course, jumped to Melville’s first mate [named Starbuck] in Moby-Dick.”

Gap refers to the generation gap between adults and kids

The first Gap store opened in 1969 with the goal of selling good jeans. The name referred to the generation gap between adults and kids.

Nike is the Greek goddess of victory

Amazon was named after the world’s biggest river

Thomson Reuters

When Amazon first launched in 1995, founder Jeff Bezos had a different idea for his brand name.

Bezos wanted to call his online bookstore Cadabra, according to a book about the company. But Amazon’s first lawyer, Todd Tarbert, managed to convince him that the name sounded too similar to “Cadaver.”

Bezos is also said to have favored the name Relentless, and if you visit Relentless.com today, you’ll be redirected to Amazon’s website, Business Insider reported.

Bezos finally settled on Amazon, named after the largest river in the world, and incorporated an image of the river in the company’s first logo.

Verizon stems from the latin word Veritas, meaning “truth”

Verizon was the product of a merger between Bell Atlantic and GTE, both telecommunications companies. The name is a mix between the latin word “veritas” meaning “truth,” and horizon, which is meant to signify that the brand is forward-looking.

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nofomoartworld · 7 years

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POV: Young Artists Fight an Uphill Battle in Seattle | #50StatesofArt

As part of 50 States of Art, Creators is inviting artists to contribute first person accounts of what it is like to live and create in their communities. Julia Greenway is the Director of Interstitial, a "space between the studio and the commercial gallery for artists to explore ideas related to the creation and consumption of new media," in Seattle, WA.

Five years ago, I relocated to Seattle from Michigan. I was a painter back then, and feeling that my creative practice needed to change. I hated sitting in my studio all alone; it absolutely wasn't for me. I felt curation allowed more room for personal experimentation and gave me the opportunity to be socially connected with my community. At the time, there were no dedicated spaces for new media art in the city. Local artists did not have exhibition outlets for their work, and our arts community didn't really know how to engage with video and new media art. It was clear that there was a void to be filled.

Delusional Mandala by Lu Yang, Jun 11 - Aug 7, 2016

Interstitial, the gallery where I am director and curator, was founded in 2010 by Kira Burge and Julia Bruk. I was brought on in 2011 and began curating pop-up exhibitions at various established venues within the region before opening a brick and mortar space in 2015. The gallery, located in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood, exists as a platform for artists to realize personal, large-scale, interdisciplinary work that would not otherwise fit within commercial galleries.

Watch Yourself Rot by Jennifer Mehigan, Nov 12 - Dec 17, 2016

Holding space for ephemeral new media experiences in Seattle is both rewarding and complex. Like many cities across the country, ours is changing at an incredible rate. We have international tech corporations based here, causing huge bursts of development and gentrification.The city already has a reputation for being a white, upper-middle class monoculture. As a result many Seattleites, even those who haven't lived here for long, experience a sense of loss and placelessness. With the relentless focus on corporate media and technology, our art community often feels stagnant and left behind.

Rage Wave by Sam Vernon, Sept 10 - Oct 23, 2016

Detail of Rage Wave by Sam Vernon, Sept 10 - Oct 23, 2016

This is not from lack of talent. We have amazing younger artists working in digital mediums. The University of Washington and Cornish College of Art have a rigorous instruction in photomedia and other tech-based programs. Yet there are only so many exhibition outlets for an early-career artist in Seattle. You can show with me at Interstitial or maybe you'll get an opportunity with Glass Box or SOIL art collective, and possibly a few other venues. But a commercial gallery isn't likely to pick you up. Unless you're a massive success elsewhere, larger institutions aren't going to give a shit about you; and then that's it. Young talented artists that have been fostered in Seattle are moving to LA or New York, where there are so many more opportunities to flourish.

(in)compatible, a group exhibition presented in collaboration with I Want You Studios. Pictured work from left to right by Dylan Neuwirth and Carla Gannis, Jan 14 - Feb 25, 2017

Nested Transmuter Cycle by MSHR, March 18 - May 27, 2017

I recognize that this isn't the most positive narrative, and it's not all negative. I'm fortunate to share a building with two other innovative, politically engaged galleries: Bridge Productions and The Alice Gallery. I'm grateful to have these strong supportive colleagues around me to fight that good fight. At the end of the day it's about the cultivation of a younger, more diversified community of artists and curators who can guide the future of our arts culture in Seattle. I'm here, doing the best work I know how to do. And I'll continue to be here sitting at Interstitial during gallery hours, probably overdressed, and willing to hand you a can of Rainier and and talk to you about why this work matters.

Click here to visit Interstitial's website.

All year, we're highlighting 50 States of Art projects around the United States. This month, we're covering Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Tennessee, and Delaware. To learn more, click here.

Seattle's Underrepresented Artists Get Showcased at Vignettes | #50StatesofArt

How Artists Are Remembering David Bowie, One Year Later

Meet the Woman Behind These Hysterical U-Haul, Purell, and Crocs-Inspired Makeup Tutorials

from creators http://ift.tt/2oN1sak via IFTTT

#IFTTT #creators

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theurbanologist · 7 years

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My Favorite Blocks, Revealed

A few weeks back I asked you to tell me about your favorite city block.

You did not disappoint me as I received replies that included detailed musings on land use, retail mix, the width of sidewalks, and sidewalk vendors.

I have many favorite city blocks strewn around the country, assembled through several decades of serendipitous encounters, residences, and in some cases, extended stays via employment and education.

At its essence, a good city block for me is one that has varied land uses, shade trees, well-maintained sidewalks, and a mix of users, day and night. Contemporary urban zoning practices don’t make these types of blocks easy to develop de novo, so you’ll note that most of my blocks tend to be delightful segments of the past.

I’ll also note that several of these avenues extend for several blocks because I just don’t believe in limiting myself that way.

You feel likewise, undoubtedly.

The 2200 block of 2nd Avenue, Seattle.

This was the first block my family lived in when we moved to Seattle when I was little. Thirty years ago our building (The Humphrey) was one of the last buildings in the Emerald City with Murphy beds. The action started out front, as George’s Convenience store sold Night Train and other popular fortified wines starting at 8AM, in clear violation of Washington state law. The block had three social service agencies, two forlorn buildings covered with upcoming concert announcements, and an empty lot covered with Rainier beer bottles, condoms, and tobacco wrapping papers.

The street was always busy and to me it didn’t seem dangerous due to the fact that there were always people about. Today the block bustles in a refined manner, as the legendary Crocodile Cafe still holds down the corner opposite my building and there are no less than three tony cocktail bars in the block.

As for George’s?

It’s an upscale tapas restaurant.

Bay State Road from Beacon Street to University Road, Boston.

Where there was once a farm, there is now a long stretch of row houses built primarily at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century for well-to-do Bostonians. The cadence of the street can be best felt in early fall when students at Boston University return to start their academic commitments.

As most of the wealthy denizens have moved on, the older buildings now serve as Boston University outposts for language-focused residence halls, fraternities, and other bits of educational matters. It’s a rather peaceful street most of the year and it’s a welcome relief from walking on Commonwealth Avenue, on which the traffic is relentless.

The 1100 block of East 58th Street, Chicago.

I’ve spent over twenty years walking this block during my long and fruitful association with the University of Chicago. There have been times when I’m walked into the Oriental Institute on the south side of the block feeling blue and left refreshed and invigorated after wandering through a collection of Assyrian artifacts. Other times, I’ve sat in the small landscaped southeast corner of this block just watching Hyde Park characters pass by on their way to wherever.

Perhaps the most compelling thing about this block in recent years is that it was vehicular traffic was abolished. It was a win-win as it opened up space for a bike path, new seating, a refreshed way finding kiosk, and other bits and pieces of street furniture.

A refreshing change, indeed.

Related resources:

My profile of State & Madison, or “The World’s Busiest Corner”

While it may no longer be the “World’s Busiest Corner”, the intersection of State & Madison in Chicago’s Loop is still a compelling place to stop and contemplate one’s surroundings. Here’s my profile of this corner for the American Institute of Architects Chicago’s outpost.

A Record of the Streets, Alleys, Places, etc. in the City of Boston

Well, this 1910 municipal document is exactly as described. The highlight here is the wonkish introduction that delineates some of the street naming conventions throughout the Hub and also the ways in which street names changed over time. Fellow urbanologists, you’re welcome.

Chicago: The City to See in ’63

This short film was created as a send-up of bland travel films to encourage Photographic Society of America members to attend that year’s conference. The stentorian narration has curiously louche overtones and the images of vastly transformed locales such as Rush and Randolph Streets are revealing.

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