Next time I think I'll pay the $425.00!!

In Ypsi, probably just as everywhere and everyone else, I get a bundle of local shoppers adds in the mailbox, I think, on Tuesdays. Along with the various grocery store fliers are little cards roughly measuring 4x8 inches that advertise several local businesses, carpet cleaning, auto service specials etc.... And one guy puts out a flyer-card for his outdoor deck care/power washing service.

That's the one that caught my eye last month, because along with my weedy yard that I mentioned in my last post, my outdoor deck had really discolored and 'grayed' to a dull dingy hue... So a spring cleaning was in order. Yet, I, being always of the do-it-yourself stripe and a cheapskate to boot, balked at this guys listed prices for servicing decks. He ran a list/column of approximate deck sizes and a corresponding price affixed next to them. Although my exact deck dimensions weren't listed, I could extrapolate that servicing my deck would be around 425 dollars to clean and reseal. Ouch. Too much I thought. I'll just borrow the power washer from work, buy some deck cleaner and do it myself.

Well........ This was all fine and good, but even working in an efficient manner-- Let's just say I started this project Saturday around 1pm, and finally after 4 gallons of bleaching agent and 3 gas-ups of the power washing machine, I blasted the last stretch of decking just after 8pm. Yikes. My back was sore, my shoulder and neck developed a "kink" from holding the spray wand "just so" and........ In another 3 or 4 years when I do this again, and I'm feeling not so cheap, I'll painfully crack open my wallet and give that deck cleaning dude a call.... Of course, this year I still have a couple of hours spraying waterproofer atop everything I've cleaned (sigh).

Gardening...

After last year's crazy and hectic pace of work and marriage stuff, it seemed as though I didn't have any time to spare for work around the house. The thing that suffered the most from neglect were my gardens, which to my shame, resembled nothing more than weed patches with a smattering of color for the majority of last summer-- I didn't even set up my outdoor furniture or plant my flower boxes last year, so basically, I sum up my efforts last year as: Sad.

This year will be different-- I perceive that there will be more time for yard work and such, if for no other reason than I've no nuptial planning this year as well as the fact my company's work load seems to be following Michigan's statewide slide into the economic doldrums, at least to start... So if I do in fact, have more free time for myself this season, if you drive by my south side homestead this June, I hope to provide you with a tasteful display of color and foliage as you motor by. Now excuse me... I've a nice load of manure to unload this fine day!

I didn't realize just how big "Ann Arbor" actually is...

Was I sleeping? How come I didn't notice that Ann Arbor incorporated a small portion of Ypsilanti Township? I guess I gotta pay less attention to "American Idol" or the latest Anna Nicole news... Then I won't be clueless about an new "Ann Arbor" Business opening up-- Or at least just how far the "Ann Arbor area" (as many Realtors refer to Ypsi ) has actually expanded.

Seriously, this sort of thing irks me, (if you aren't able to tell, ;) )-- This is the sort of snubbing our area has long endured, and the most disturbing thing is that it is likely unrealized or unintentional on this entrepreneur's part. It's as if this area doesn't exist or "don't" matter. Let me put it this way: First off, (and my main 'bone' of contention) I'll assume this business owner meant nothing more than to associate his business which deals in the always hip, uber cool, and Italian fashion statement, The Vespa Scooter-- Where in our area, the market IS Ann Arbor, for such an item. They have the "wealth" to pursue these hip fads of the day. Now I get that. I truly do. What bothers me though, isn't that he named his business "Ann Arbor Vespa", but that he (she?) named it such, despite its located a good 8 miles or more east of where such a name fits best. Truthfully, being strictly area specific, "Ypsi-Canton Vespa" would be a better name, geographically. What bothers me, (ranting baby, ranting!) its as if the area where he placed his business hasn't any meaning at all-- To be ignored. "Ann Arbor" trumps all. "Ann Arbor Vespa" is in most likelihood here, because lets face it-- The rent on E. Michigan Ave is surely cheaper than anything that could be found on Stadium Blvd., back in Ann Arbor proper, where that name would fit right in. Here's my idea: Why not consider "Ypsilanti Vespa"? I can't believe that there is all that many Vespa dealers in the area, that he needed to hang "Ann Arbor" on it, as far as I know there isn't an "Ypsilanti Vespa" to cause confusion in the first place-- Name aside, since he built it, wouldn't they still come? To Ann Arbor or wherever for their "Vespa" needs? Of course, the owner could have just dubbed the place after his own moniker-- Thus stealing all the wind from my lil' ol' rant here, before I could even think of getting it off the ground.

As I said above, we in the Ypsilanti area are maybe a little to sensitive about perceived "snubs" to our area-- And our citizens for that matter-- I can't count the number of times our police blotter has fed the Ann Arbor news to titillate their readers with sordid tales of crime around here... In this vein of heightened sensibility, we've a local blogger who picks up on these bits of bias and posts them with a playful avatar featuring the water tower as an "YPSI ATTACK" his posts along this venue are mostly tongue-in-cheek-- But to a true Ypsilantian, there's some underlying pain too, with this negative snubbing; personal, politcal, commercial-- What have you.

We've seen it all: From St. Joseph's Hospital maintaining an Ann Arbor P.O. box (yes they're closer to Ypsi, technically Superior TWP.) so they wouldn't have their letterhead reflect where the hospital actually is; to that new Hyundai research facility also being "placed" in Ann Arbor-- Never mind the fact it is located east of Superior Rd in Superior Township, the nearest bit of Ann Arbor (actually being Ann Arbor Township)-- Would be a nice stiff, and long walk to the west, from the Hyundai grounds, which would land you in the Radrick Farms golf course-- But you'll probably need your whole lunch hour to do make that sort of hike...

Okay, to belabor my point ( "Beat on 'er some more Clem-- I ain't sure they git it yet!" ), a plea to business owners, present and future: Accept where you're located. Show local pride. Hire local people. Become part of this community at large, hell, consider living here-- And realize that naming something "Ann Arbor this" or "Ann Arbor that" far to the east of where such a name makes any actual sense, can be perceived as a slap to the face of the community that already exists here-- An area that has been settled a longer time historically (the euro-centric view, anyway), than that metropolis to Ypsilanti's immediate west. Those early Ann Arbor settlers had to come through here first, if you didn't know....

Sometimes I hate being "right"

Recently I posted about the weather damage and/or suspected (on my part) vandalism of the revamped fountain adjacent to the Library's downtown branch. Weather, indeed, did play apart in the loss of some of the decorative tiles, not surprisingly, as we had that three week stretch where we didn't get above the freezing mark. As to vandalism? Alas, that seems to have occurred as well, as this email sent to me from Jill Morey seems to sadly concur with my original suspicions:


Dear Robert,

Your email message was forwarded to me. On Friday, I met with our landscape architect regarding the disappointing loose tiles on YDL’s Park Plaza fountain and “river of life.” We had experienced occasional tile loss on the “river” earlier and asked our contractor to work on the joints. This has not helped and we are brainstorming another solution to try when warmer weather arrives. The loss of tile on the fountain is even more troublesome, since it is the work of vandals. We will make necessary repairs in the spring and are considering what additional “weather resistant” methods can be used. Sadly, we have also adjusted our exterior security cameras to track the fountain area. I’m pleased to hear you are enjoying our mini-park. It’s a wonderful venue for expanded library programs (from concerts to Harriet Tubman re-enactments to ice sculpting).
Thank you for your interest in YDL.
Jill Morey, Library Director

Damn my spider-sense premonitional fore and hindsight! I'd rather be disappointed over weather or workmanship issues. Seeing that vandalism is to blame (at least in part), just pisses me off, and saddens me as well. After all, what's more sad than a public library needing to worry about security cameras in the first place? Sad enough that in this day and age, one needs to mention "Library and security camera" in a sentence to begin with.

PS. Thanks to Jill for responding to me so quickly-- I don't think even 48 hours had passed between my questioning email, and her answering one.

Old Ninja Dudes...

This past tuesday I was walking about downtown, just like many other folks, enjoying the nice weather. Shortly after I turned the corner from Michigan avenue and headed northbound on Huron street, I espied an old gentleman stumble, slip and fall to one knee, sending his cane flying, as he prepared to cross Huron street. I quickened my pace to see if I could be of any assistance, as he was slow to get up.

He grunted as he waved off my aid, mumbling something I didn't quite catch and preceded to gather up his cane from where it had fallen. I couldn't help but notice the glint of steel as he shoved his cane "back together" as apparently it was a "sword cane" and had come apart slightly when it hit the concrete. Yipes. That's one old dude that I shant mess with (not that I'm in the habit of doing so) out on the streets of Ypsilanti! Shades of colonial Bombay, what-what?

That old Ypsi one-two act...

On Thursday, the first of March, while stopping in for a quick coffee at Bombadill's I noticed that several dozen tiles had been pried off ( I might post pics, stay tuned) the newly revamped fountain next to the library by someone(s).
Typical low-life bastard sort of thing, that is a little too common 'round here. Frankly I'm surprised that the Winnie-the-Pooh ice sculpture is still standing too, though of course, in a much melted form now-- But then again, that one had "video protection" along with a warning sign about the same, posted on the chain barrier protecting his Poohness. Apparently the more permanent fountain needed the same, though one would think being in full view of busy Michigan Ave would be enough. I guess not. It only takes one asshole to ruin something- We all know this, and we see this shit-ass behavior a little too much as I said above.
I remember some patrons in Bombadills shortly after the little mini-park opened, scoffing that this cutesy park was too akin to Ann Arbor- styled gentrification. So what. I've posted and even smirked at some of Ann Arbor's quirky fads myself, like the Chocolate and Oxygen bars for example-- And still do. Silly Manhattan wannabees, or LA copycatting if you ask me.
My point (if there is one) is that while Ann Arbor has an over-abundance of cutesy-gentrified thingamabobs scattered around the city, and really don't need anymore, I feel Ypsi, at any rate, could well do with more-- Much more. Especially in and around Michigan Ave. Now there's been some nice progress here and there around this old town (the cheese-grater's gone, Yay!), especially over by Depot Town, where the biker gangs who once tossed their empty liquor bottles at our family station wagon as we passed by, are now, thankfully, long gone themselves ('sides it takes really $$$ to own a hog these days-- Low-lifes are hard pressed to live up to that bad-boy image, now!). Frankly the Depot area could be plopped anywhere downtown A-Squared and it would fit right in, no problem.
Yet with the local economics being the way they are right now-- I don't see much 'new' progress happening for a while, with the Water Street mess looming over us all, and such, so that's why this bone-headed vandalism of the fountain pisses me off-- The typical one step forward, two back -- Been Ypsi's song for far too long-- Sad.
Now, for the asshat that thought it cute to pry off those tiles: Grow up. Show some pride, first in yourself, then your community-- Or as my neighbor says, "Push on down the Ave., to Inkster!" (With apologies to Inkster-- It really is what my neighbor says! :) )

Oh, Al!

Al Gore.
After winning his Oscar for "An Inconvenient Truth," A conservative think-tank, managed to dig up his utility bills- Apparently the Gore mansion in Nashville uses nearly 30,000 dollars worth of electricity and gas every year. Ouch. Of course the newsies are having a field day right now, and the blog world is also astir with this topic. For the record, I'm with ol' Al on most things-- Should be in the White House, as most of us know. Yet, even setting aside this conservative watch-dog groups hidden agenda (don't be fooled- there is one, why else would this story 'break' right after he won that Oscar?) they do have a point in their statement that Al Gore should walk the walk, if he's gonna talk the talk. The numbers show that Al's 20 room house (8 bathrooms!) uses over 20 times the power needs of the average American home-- Not exactly the sort of numbers I'd expect from a poster child of the 'live greener' camp. To say that I'm a little disappointed, is mild at best. So Al-- The next time you chide us into installing some compact-fluorescent bulbs-- Make sure all twenty rooms of that family manse of yours has them first, AND turn off those damned showy gas lamps that light your driveway while you're at it. Wasteful.
Of course, his staff is in full damage control mode now-- And they should be. One of his staffer's put out that he's buying blocks of 'clean air chits' to offset the big house's power needs. I'm sorry, but that really just amounts to a rich man's guilt-relief, so is his paying into the TVA's version of green initiated power-- There isn't a 'separate' power line running wind energy up to his house. He's on the same coal-fired nuclear-boosted grid like everyone else in Nashville, no matter what 'feel-good' monies he throws out there.
So Al, take the hits, wipe the egg off, and get more in line with what you preach-- Then regroup and go after the real bastards that are ruining this planet-- You'll find a bunch of us behind you.

UPDATE: Some friends and whatnot, have called me with the news that this conservative "Think Tank" is a sham, and a recently created monster by various Neo-Cons like the American Taxpayer Party and others-- Well, I've heard that news too, and thought of deleting this post, but I decided not to, even knowing that a bunch of boobs are behind this 'stunt'-- Without dredging up too much more on this topic, I still think that Gore needs to live smaller-- I'm not saying he should be living in a sod hut on the prairie with only solar or wind power, but if he's going to take the lead on mainstream environmental issues, he's got to live the part more then he currently is. 'Nough said.