House Hunting

Lahmer had the ability to give a reader insider insight, Owens showed images of one looking in the community and now Hido explores an almost investigative journalism approach. The pictures beg the question of what is happening behind closed doors of these apparent and ideal flawless lives and homes. Hido makes a reader wonder what is happening when the lights turn out and personal sphere is brought to point. Together, the three views, seem to touch on the ideals, perceptions, and realities.

Bill Owens, Suburbia

Owens pictures are fantastic and truly capture a piece of the social fabric. One gets an impression that Owens felt as if the suburbanites had plenty of leisure time. Pictures do not show the working life, instead they choose to focus on the relaxed lifestyle. Lahmer gives a glimpse into the toper wear parties and Fourth of July celebrations. Showing you just enough to make you wonder and ask questions as to what else happens in suburbia.

Slowly, Calling the Burbs Home

Lahmer approaches the suburban lifestyle from a different perspective. Lahmer, once a city dweller, has a somewhat negative pessimistic view of the new lifestyle. Only thru time does Lahmer truly appreciate the finer subtleties of a life that has become to be. Events and regularities that were so unimportant have become direly needed to maintain the accepted life. The impression that I induce from the readings is Lahmer approaches from and insider position, while Owens approaches from and outsider looking in.

Loveable K'Mart

So many times it seems that the regularity of life can sway us from realizing the little, unimportant items that exist in front of our nose. The K-Mart that was described in the essay in so many ways hit home. My useful K-Mart in Santa Rosa is stashed away deep on Cleveland Avenue, an eternity away from a 24 Hour Fitness. The store appears desolate, but seems to have what the consumer needs, as even I find myself cruising around the isles, looking for the most random items. The story truly connects you into the way we find ourselves psychologically categorizing, creating pre-existing stigmas.
Flea Markets offer so much to learning about the complexity of the cultural landscape. The people within the market and the stories behind the items being sold, offer great opportunity to show light into unchartered worlds. The conversation that can begin with a simple negotiation can truly be enlightening. One can learn so much by socializing and conversing within such locations.

The Monument and the Bungalow

As I began to read the first few pages of Pierce Lewis’s, “The Monument and the Bungalow” the first idea or phrase that correlated was the concept of “street smarts”. To be honest, truly analyzing a landscape involves more than just “street smarts”, which to me only covers a portion of what is truly evident in the landscape spectrum. Street smarts fail to touch on association with history, definition, and context. To me street smarts, is the experience portion of landscaping but fails to reach into the history of what, and why it came to be. The essay was an amazing an eye opening experience, one in which makes you walk outside and look at objects with greater respect and perspective.

Lewis at the end of his essay speaks about the countless number of examples or “samples” as he puts it, in which exist all around us. With thoughts rambling thru my mind about other samples which held vast content, I came upon the importance of food in our landscape. Food has the ability to tell us so much more than what lies on the surface. If you obtain the right knowledge of a particular food one can tell everything from the origin to the political atmosphere that might have existed during that particular time. I find it amazing that the landscape can be as broad as outside landmarks or as refined personal items. The limits seem to be endless.

Introduction

Looking back I never thought that I would be on a five year community college plan. Nevertheless, I am 18 units, 6 classes, and roughly five months away from obtaining my A.A., majoring in Business Administration, transferring to San Francisco State in Fall of 2009. All in hope of achieving a degree in Finance. These last two years a sense of focus, urgency and motivation made me re prioritize my life. I am 23 years old and want to get ahead by using both my 7 years of related work experience and at the very least, a bachelor's degree. I have worked at a bank for nearly five years and did two years of bookkeeping for a private consultant. At the moment I am trying to do my best sponge impression and soak it all in.

Business aside, I am a normal college student that likes going to live concerts, hanging out with my friends, watching ESPN highlights, and working out. Love to play tennis, been playing over ten years and hope to try out for the SF State team. My other addiction is playing pool and have my own table at my house, always have to have a back up plan. Other than that, good food and drink, sounds like a good time...