urban planning, eh...?

funny you should mention urban planning, keegan. every day i think of a new reason that i want to go into urban planning, and should transfer into the architecture school to take advantage of the fantastic urban planning program there. like the other day i was talking to someone about how obese americans are, and i was talking about how the french are thin, and i think it's becaues they eat fresh food. which got me thinking that i should get involved in urban planning and work to bring community gardens, hydroponics, and even truck farming back into urban areas to bring fresh produce to people who may have never even left the city.

or today, when i was in williamsburg, a neighborhood in brooklyn, to attend an amazing street festival called the dancing of the statues. in this very old sicilian community, a giant tower and a boat are constructed and paraded down the streets by dozens of men carrying these immense floats (with people and instruments blaring aboard) on their shoulders. it's an amazing sight to see, and the streets are jam-packed with italian-americans eating and rejoicing. it's really wonderful. and that got me thinking how important it is to help advance planning in the city to maintain neighborhood character and traditions, and community above all else.

i am thinking about how going into academics might be something that i really want to do. that way, i could teach what i know (which i feel is extremely important) and i could also continue my own learning through research and writing. but i think also that it is very important, especially in a field such as sociology (and all the more so urban planning) to try to apply what you believe and study and teach. so, in short, i'm not sure excatly what i want to do.

oh yeah, i also compose music and play piano. why is life so busy? can't i just do everything?

-- Alex