West Marginal Way?

This reading was difficult for me because I have no idea where the author/poet(?) is referring to. I understand that it's somewhere in West Seattle, but other than that, it's an area I am unfamiliar with. I definitely know what he means when he talks about the areas outside the city being rough, I've been through some of those myself. It's interesting to think that while those areas just outside the city are not the nicest of places, many of the people who live there work and spend most of their lives in the "nicer," downtown of Seattle. Just goes to show how our materialism can affect our judgement of places, in this case depending on how things look, while a lot of the people are the same people we may encounter on the streets and in the offices of downtown Seattle.

I just want to add how disturbing the rememberance of bloated dogs in the river during the depression was. I'm pretty much scarred for life by that image.

Fresh Fish

Tales of Old Seattle conjure up interesting memories. Somehow Bowing Hill seems to sound better than Highland Parkway. I feel like I'm walking on one of the dirt roads in White Center during the early thirties, with the scattered houses and probably low population that Seattle formerly had.It was interesting to hear Richard Hugo talk about the strong Greek fisherman who had killed a bear with his bare hands. It's hard to believe that someone could actually be that strong. I wonder if someone that strong exists today. As I read through Hugo's poems, I realize that there are many different kinds of people. It's interesting how there were roller rinks in the thirties. Seattle must have been a bit more untamed then. I would like to fish in a river like the one described in the Real West Marginal Way, a river brimming with fish- what could be more fun! And the star of the show was the cat that lived at the mill and the fantastic description of him diving into the slough to catch fish. I wonder what it would be like to explore the brick building mentioned. It might be nice to live by the river.

Oliver Phillips

Bill Evans Residency at Cornish

The Cornish College of the Arts Dance Department is pleased to present a three-week residency with master choreographer Bill Evans, September 24 - October 15, 2007. The residency will celebrate Evans' influence on modern dance in the Pacific Northwest and at Cornish College of the Arts. During his three-week residency, Evans will teach daily master classes to Cornish dance students and re-stage his dance Mixin' It Up for the Cornish Dance Theater, the department's undergraduate performing ensemble. The residency will include several community events.

Mixin' It Up was premiered in Seattle in 1979, and was Evans' second collaboration with the renowned jazz ensemble, the Bill Evans Trio. Mixin' It Up will be re-staged at Cornish College in collaboration with the Cornish Music Department.

Seattle Modern Dance: The Legacy of Bill EvansSymposium presented by On the Boards, Velocity Dance Center and Cornish College of the Arts

Sunday, September 30

1-4pm
On the Boards

100 West Roy Street

Free

This piece definitely had a lot to it. The reading for me was a bit much to take in and absorb. From it I got that we question who we are and why, where etc. Our world is transforming very quickly and the electronics are getting more advanced everyday, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you don’t fall behind. I agree with the piece in the end when it says that when you know a place you care about it more deeply and then take better of it. That is very true in my life.

Masturbatory Philosophy

I find it hard to tap into and really relate to a lot of texts in this style because very often I feel that they're unnecessarily dense, overdone, and well... masturbatory. That said, I didn't easily understand most of the points and issues that Thayler Jr. was trying to communicate.

The first paragraph starts out with the stereotypical questions of existance and purpose that are commonly discussed among philosophers and uses that as a theme and anchor to his subject, likely...

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I'm having the hardest time formulating and points about Jr.'s peice because I just didn't get it I guess. It may be from turning my self off to it because I felt he was a little too into himself, it may be from having to read it over a period of many days and in many peices and it definitely may be his supieror vocarbulary that far surpassed my own and left me daydreaming, zoning out and napping while I read.
I don't feel informed enough to really critique his ideas and theories.

Response to " Bioregional Thinking"

I thought Thayer's piece was interesting in how it pondered the crisis that practically every individual has, that is the question of one's own existence and significance in the world. The quote that most grabbed me near the beginning of the article was the statement that in recent years "we have all become, in certain ways, homeless." I was surprised at how this resonated with me and my own sense of confusion withy how I fit in with the rest of the world. This idea is even more true when observing the feelings of many other young people I know, regardless of how they react to them. Thayer goes on to describe how much of modern society has been taught to forget the idea of "home". I finished this article with the sense that with the advent of technology and all that it has done to make us feel as though we are making far-reaching impacts, we have actually familiarized ourself with a false notion that the physical world has become smaller as well. Because of this we revert back only to the people and places we want to "stay in touch" with, rather than taking the time to discover and care for the areas and people in between what is familiar. Thayer ends by posing the question of whether we can learn to achieve a far-reaching impact while maintaining the close networks that technology has established, and perhaps even rediscovering our sense of home along the way.

When I read Bioregional Thinking there were just a few statements that really stood out to me that I would like to take notice to. One is the notion of "where one is is also to know who is one". yes, I agree that where we live affets sometimes how we act and the things we do, but I dont feel like our address can really change our persoality or who we are as induviduals! It could affect who we become occupationally, if you were to be born into a family trdition that your expected to carry out or even a certain religion can affect our education and career opportuities. Second statement is that we have "abandoned the notion of home". I see the point that the author is trying to make with this statement, but I dont agree with it. With the advancement of modern technology and worldly transportation, we are easily connected to people and places that we werent able to communicate so easily with before, which expands our world and opportunities. Often times this expansion causes people to move and not reside in the city where they grew up, but does that mean that we as a regional community we have disregrded the entire notion of home-life? I think that innately as human-beings, we want to feel like we belong and section off ourseles to a certain communtiy and we also want to have a safe place to live and raise a family. I have a hard time believing that the advancement of technology and expantion of the world has changed our primitive being that much.
"What am I supposed to do?" I believe that everyon has a passion and a purpose and that when you discover what that passion is, than you discover who you are! THAT is what youre supposed to do and should be one of your main goals in life; to discover that passion. Us Cornish students have been fortunate enough to kno ourselves and are lucky to have discovered our passions early which then allows us the time for us to make our passions into our careers! Others that are ot so fortunate end up getting into other professions and uncovering their true passions later in life, which inevitably turns their passions into more of a hobby. Lets all be thankful that we, as already becoming artists, will never have to settle for that.

Creation and Inspiration Cannot Appear in a Void: Thayer's Naive Views on the Concept of Bioregionalism

When I read the article Bioregional Thinking by Robert L. Thayer Jr., I was deeply offended and upset by the author's handling of the topic. While I find the concepts which drive him to write this piece incredibly interesting, I feel that Thayer does a poor job of conveying his ideas, due in part to his first humanistic theories in his introduction in which he attempts to disguise his own opinions about the human condition as fact by creating short, concise sentences that he refuses to fortify with any other opinions or commonly held facts. He also states that we, as humans, are currently struggling to answer fundamental questions about our own existence, but instead of saying that our current methods do not give us the insight we seek and then presenting us with a better solution, he decides to gain the respect of his readers by attacking modern psychology. He rudely proclaims that a modern psychological "approach has failed," without expanding on the reasons why this occurs (Seattle Arts Ecology, 27). In my opinion, if one cannot begin to answer these three questions after exploring sections of their life through someone else's eyes, which is the particular way Thayer criticizes, it is the fault of the individual for their inability to fully remove themselves from their experiences and certainly no fault of the method itself. Thayer further offends by pointedly referring to Descartes' thesis of Dualism, the belief in the mind and body existing as separate immaterial and material entities respectively, the "Cartesian assumption," and further insults by neglecting to produce his reasoning as to why he believes this to be untrue (SAC, 27). Considering the vast and extremely provable differences of understanding, perspective, and the concept of Self (or lack of) between creatures who are beings-in-themselves and beings-for-themselves, I thus far see no reason why the mind and body should not be considered separate entities, the mind of course being present when an organism becomes acutely aware of its own consciousness. Instead of swaying his readers or presumably trying to teach them the base ideas and origins of the concepts he plans to present in this article, Thayer makes brash statements about humankind, the government, transnational corporations, and the horrors of technology and globalization without ever explaining or offering irrefutable examples to lend credence to his beliefs. He decides instead to employ a poor analogy of our society as natives, willing to trade everything for worthless items of little consequence, simply because they are new to our eyes.

Not only does Thayer introduce his article with brash points with absolutely no evidence, such as “Governments and transnational corporations expect us to substitute a shallow awareness of the globe [for the places we call home,]" which is his personal opinion stated in manner factual enough so as not to provoke questions or arguments, and is solely intended to bias the reader from the beginning (Seattle Arts Ecology, 27). Though, as most of his introduction is spent criticizing modern psychology, the main message of his article does not even appear in whole until page three.

I also think that using his choice of the three integral questions of human condition in conjunction with the 'homelessness' of the post-modern man is somewhat naive. As evidenced by a number of historical texts, man has always felt out of place in his surroundings. Humankind's need for technological advancement has always progressed faster than our ability to incorporate and change with it. Most of our celebrated works of literature, such as Rand’s Anthem, Huxley’s Brave New World, and Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 explore the theme of the lone individual seeking to return to a Golden Age in which they believe that humans did not struggle with problems of their own invention or lie to their fellow man or fight among themselves in greed or hate. Though nostalgia for the past is a noble sentiment, both the authors who have expressed this desire as well as many of our literary icons naively believe these actions and emotions are a byproduct of the times they live in. Ironically, it's man's desire to achieve the impossible which fuels the need to progress at such a rapid pace, for if our progress destroyed our supposed ideal hunter gather existence, our technology must still be imperfect and so we continue to work towards an ideal life that we never actually had.

Also, as interesting as the concept of Bioregionalism is in terms of diversity of both environment and culture, as well as how these answers are key to ourselves as individuals and as a community, I feel that Thayer’s final statement that the answer to our cultural and environmental problems, not to mention our fundamental existential quandaries are best solved by connecting with and remaining rooted to one’s “reasonably scaled, naturally bounded, ecologically defined territory” and community (SAC, 30). While I believe that truly knowing and loving one’s surroundings is integral to one’s well being, the ideal, freethinking society of local businessesmen, ecologists, architects, environmentalists, farmers, sociologists, politicians, scientists and artists of all types, if confined and defined by a certain geographic and cultural area, would not be able to flourish and grow. Without the globalization that Thayer so obviously opposes throughout his writing, art, free thought, and scientific breakthrough among other things would come to a standstill. Without the sharing of knowledge and innovation that our now globally connected world provides, all creative thought would come to a stand still. Fundamentally speaking, if one yearns to return to a time when the rivers ran with milk and honey, this may sound ideal; however, we have tasted the forbidden fruit of professions and methods of thought which are not necessary to our immediate survival or even necessary once the community has stabilized. In fact, by essentially voluntarily isolating a Bioregion from the technological advances and ever widening scope of globalization, the creative members which previously defined the cultural aspect of the area and differentiated one Bioregion from the next, would disappear due to lack of inspiration from outside sources such as inspiration incensed by cultural unrest throughout the globe, or their professions would be rendered obsolete by sheer lack of necessity. Structured and confined Bioregional communities would take away the very reason we have developed our separate regional cultures in the first place! While ideal on paper, I believe that Thayer should have ended his work with how we need to maintain and encourage these differences as a community because tending to the needs of our homes and communities is the first step in learning how to take care of ourselves.

My rant on Thayer's Continual Stabs at the Corporate World and Why, in Reality, Local Corporations are the Solid Foundations that Define and Allow for the Rapid Growth of a Bioregional Culture

Without a community that is financially wealthy enough to provide the physical necessities we typically take for granted in urban American life (such as clean water and food, shelter, clean health practices, community, common courtesy, and the forty hour work day) there would be no time for a local citizen to involve oneself with what would, under those circumstances, be considered no more than trivial pursuits peripheral to survival, such as artistic movements or the revolutionizing of regional agriculture. Indeed, without the support of corporations like Microsoft or Boeing, whether knowingly or simply because of the wealth that streams through the city from their revenues, employees, or even their tourist draw, many of the local businesses, as well as liberal art communities, would not have the leisure time or the financial resources to concern themselves with anything except a constant paycheck. It is only societies and communities that are able to afford, and therefore look beyond, their basic needs that are at liberty to complain about the current system.

Why does Thayer refuse to include local corporations into his assessment of bioregionalism? Throughout his article, he constantly vilifies large scale economic operations as mind numbing and equates them with the loss of identity and community. While I firmly believe that progress is regress and that corporations generally should be looked down upon, my mind was changed when I thought about the inner workings of Seattle and the force that drives our cultural and economic progress. For instance, the large companies throughout Seattle provide constant customers for local coffee shops and delis, the proprietors of which then, in turn, are guaranteed a baseline income. Therefore, as long as their product remains satisfactory, they will never hurt for money as long as the corporations remain. This surplus in income allows them to pay their local workers living wages perhaps or buy art to decorate the shop walls or allow them to sponsor free poetry readings at night. Even in this one example, it is easy to understand how even the company’s location alone has contributes to the city’s vibrant culture. However, it is largely in part due to the large amounts of money these companies pay their workers which allow much of the funding of the “alternative economics” to survive (SAC, 29). Once again, the surplus of the employee’s money will no doubt trickle through the economy of our city, whether they employee pays for a dinner out at a local restaurant or purchases tickets to a movie or a play. The large, highly paid population of these ‘consumerist’ workers funds the local culture of our city. Without the mass patronage of the workers that corporations finance, local venues and art communities would struggle to survive, however when the statement is reversed and these workers spend their hard earned money locally, the city, culture, and community flourishes.

I have found that much of the patronage of both the arts and sciences stems from private individuals who have earned their money through these corporations. No matter whether one decides to research the donor list in a theater, opera house, art collection, concert hall, or benefactor list in a public area, the support and involvement of the members and companies that Thayer so obviously despises is undeniable. The surplus of money they have earned over the years funnels directly into the funding and patronage of the artistic and scientific institutions and talented individuals in their cities. Without the surplus of money and free time (in which to learn about and support the various activities) these companies afford their workers, these groups and institutions would not have the financial support they currently maintain to grow or perhaps even survive.. While Thayer argues that we have been “homogenized by consumer culture,” I would counter with the fact these ‘promoters of consumer culture’ are one of the best advertisers of local and cultural events as well (SAC, 29). In such a close knit working environment, news of shows, gallery openings, auctions, restaurants, festivals, and performances are constantly being passed along by word of mouth. It only takes one employee to rave about a new show for the recommendation to be spread to hundreds, if not thousands of employees who are interested in attending. A community of well educated, financially stable, and locally interested people are exactly what the arts, sciences, and local companies need to provide the money, interest, and personal advertisement for their unique talents in any given Bioregion.

Also, many of the large corporations have generously decided to match all non-profit donations given by their employees in kind and without question. For example, should an employee donate 2,500 dollars to any given non-profit/arts related association, the company would also donate 2,500, doubling the original sum. This is not a requirement of being a corporation, it is a choice made by those in charge to fund local organizations which matter to the community and to their employees. In our bioregion, the companies truly care about our city. Many of the biggest ones, Microsoft, Boeing, and Starbucks, have strong roots in our city’s culture and realize that furthering arts, sciences, and humanities learning contributes to the well being of their workers, a better, increasingly supportive and grateful community, as well as a better educated and cultured new generation of Seattleites.

Many of these large business firms also support local artists and museum collections by borrowing or purchasing visual works to prominently display in their many buildings. Even in this way alone, they are able to impact thousands of local visual artists by providing a portion of their income, as well as encouraging a potential fan base by displaying the art where thousands of employees can admire it and perhaps decide to purchase or commission their own piece from the artist.

Funding of the arts and sciences aside, the companies here in Seattle rally around the community by organizing book, clothes, and food drives, charity events, community service days and activities which range from teaching ESL classes to coaching local sporting teams to spending time maintaining historical buildings around the city. As Thayer accurately points out, “people who take care of places, one place at a time are the key to the future of humanity” (SAC, 30).

These individuals obviously work in large scale technological and financial epicenters with thousands of peers and a tendency to support globalization (as Thayer so constantly reminds us), but I do not understand why this is an adequate reason to overlook the completely voluntary and charitable contributions of the corporations as a whole or the time, money and energy donated by the individuals who work there. It is they who have been the catalyst for the rapid growth of all the types of cultural, artistic, architectural, and agricultural programs that Thayer strongly promotes in his article. Unfortunately, Thayer is blind to the contributions of the stereotypical cultural/community nemesis and goes on to conclude that the vast Bioregional growth of culture and community is occurring “in reaction to a globally shallow, consumer-driven, technologically saturated world […] where the Bioregion offers a predisposition to a graceful human life on earth” (SAC, 29). While these people and companies do promote their own product, just as any business, local or global, must do in order to survive financially, these corporations have done everything to promote the city, its people, and its culture to an enormous and typically unconventional degree. Here in Seattle, these companies are not brainwashing us or blinding us to the true soul of our city; they are the very heart of our Bioregion, pushing the cultural boundaries through hard work, dedication, patronage, volunteering, and community building, and I am appalled that Thayer does not give them the credit they deserve for everything they have done and continue to do to define and nurture our community.

9/11/07 Conceptuality

I found Bioregional Thinking by Robert L. Thayer to be an interesting article. It was the first time I was introduced to the concept of bioregional thinking. WriterRobert L. Thayer seems to have a unique view all his own on the subjects he covers:Such topics as individuality in a consumer driven society, and the desire for us to come to realization of the question "Where are we"? Thayer says that in the process of becoming post modern we have abandoned the notion of home. I find that to be true in some ways, as in the instance of people moving away from their family to faraway states, (when in the past families would often live near each other and likely be doing things more often together). In some places thefamilies live in one dwelling, and although there are pluses and minuses for either scenario, I rather like idea of being close to ones family. It's funny how faraway fromeach other many relatives live. When Thayer brings up the Sacramento valley I am reminded of how little I know of the businesses surrounding my area and how interesting they would be to visit. It would be a fun field trip to go to a large factory and see how they do things. That would be quite a memorable learning experience. If the gas works on the hill are interesting,Phillips 2why not a genuine functioning factory? There must be thousands of such places inSeattle; Each with completely different methods of production, and amazing backdrops.Later Thayer mentions relocalization, It was interesting to read the different concepts presented.Thayer addresses many issues in his article in a provocative manor. Whether or not the idea of bioregional thinking will be successful in its goals, time will tell.

from Oliver Phillips

bioregional thinking

After reading the bioregional thinking thinking article. I really like the authors points especially how we take are existence for granted and how we should notice more of what’s surrounds the consumed in our on existence. The one think i strongly disagree with is how the author views technology as a bad thing when with out technology her writing would have never been put on the paper. I really liked this article and it made me think of how we can think of ourselves as extreme importunes but when we are a mere pebble in a large pile.


Emp for above, I dont see a guitar
Cal Anderson Park

bioregional thinking

It's late.. past my bed-time... but i'm still going to do my best!!! Last year, an article I wrote for our school newspaper got published in the Wenatchee World (Wenatchee's newspaper)... who cares... right? Well, the article I wrote happened to be on how technology can make us neglect our lives. I spent a lot of time thinking about the different ways this is true and I sure did come up with a gigantic list!!! The one that stands out to me right now is that when we were in elementary school (well at least me), I pretty much walked everywhere... since I didn't have a car. Now that I have one... I rely on it to take me 1 block down the street to visit a friend. But when I was younger... why not walk? Even though one block seems like a very short distance, alot could happen in those two minutes. It could be as big as just taking in the environment that surrounds us or as little as noticing the new flowers your neighbors just planted... to be continued tomorrow sometime before class... I'm tired!!!! Goodnight.

Stacy + Pig = :D

One of the Seattle Pigs

Bioregional Thinking

When I first read the article, I didn't understand it. Then I realized my vocabulary is lacking in a lot of places, which made me sad for about two seconds, BUT THEN I realized, heck, I can still share my thoughts on this subject, ONCE I understand it. So I read the article again, and now my brain's wheels are beginning to spin. What I got from this article is that often in life people think that to discover themselves, they have to leave thier home and travel abroad. I also got the idea that in this day and age, people are belonging less to the land they inhabit, and just merely existing upon it instead of living IN it, or WITH it. When I lived in South Pasadena, I felt like I never really invested myself in the town I lived in. I walked the streets, admired the tree's and the quaint old houses that my little town was so famous for, but I never really felt like I took more interest in my town past admiring the scenery. I did have my favorite places, like Buster's, which was a local coffee shop, but besides that, I felt like there was so much more to the town that I let pass me by. I also felt like I didn't know the state I lived in very well either. In California, I visited the beaches, but I only stayed in Southern California, so I judged the state harshly, thinking it was all brown and smog ridden like L.A. was. When I took the train to Seattle, I saw all of the beautiful parts of California I had never seen before, and I was sad that I was leaving California for the first time.
Living in Seattle has been a whole new experience for me. I thought I would find a new self here, which is partly true. I have found a new Stacy here, but the Stacy that grew up in sunny California is still with me. I have been trying to really get to know Seattle, because after I left California, I vowed to put down roots in Seattle and reallly undertsand the culture and surroundings of the new place I was living in. So far I have been doing pretty well. There is only one thing I wish was different. The apartment building that I'm living in now was recently built, and this past week they put these stupid trendy marketing stickers all over the bottom floor of the building. The stickers urge people to live in the new apartments, saying that "It's the place for trend setters!" I really hate it because it looks like marketing threw up all over the building. One thing I love about Seattle is all though it is a growing city, it still hangs on to mom and pop stores, and awesome old places like Pike Place. I also love that there are so many projects going on around the city that embrace the original Seattle and it's beauty. Sculpture park is one of those examples. One thing I know for sure is, I am definately taking advantage of the awesomness around me. Next weekend I think I'll take a ferry to one of the islands across the bay. I've never been.

$10 tickets available to see THE NORTH ARCADE this weekend

$10 tickets are available to see THE NORTH ARCADE: THE MARKET MUSICAL at the Market Theatre (1428 Post Alley, in Pike Place Market, next to the gum wall) this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night at 8PM. When you reserve your ticket(s), tell them you're there because of Joanne Klein. (She's a cast member and a friend of mine.)

Bioregional Thinking

I thought this article presented a very interesting and refreshing angle. We hear so much in the media these days about our environment and its deterioration, most of it from the angle that we should take action because if we don't, our planet is screwed. However, this article approaches the issue much more personally.
Thayer tells us that we are a product of our environment, and that we will never know who we are, or our purpose in life if we don't delve into out surroundings and establish a deep-seeded love of our home. It's a warning: understanding yourself is understanding your environment, and as more and more people stray from biophilia, the natural environment of our homes if falling apart. If there is nothing left for us to attach to and love, we will never reach our full potential as human beings.

See... The monster was eating the space needle!!! haha

Pam Keeley

Pam Keeley (1950, Springfield, Illinois)
Education: 1972 RN, St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, Illinois; 1988, BFA, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA; 1992, MFA, with Distinction, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Keeley exhibits frequently in Seattle and on the West Coast and was a featured artist in New American Paintings, January 2003. Over the past 12 years she has taught drawing and studio art classes at Cornish College of the Arts and the University of Washington, Tacoma.

This is exactly what it said on http://www.thelastjudgmentproject.com/bio1.htm#keeley.

Kind of mysterious!!! She went to Cornish... and teaches... or taught. hmmm...

pig

Why Pigs?
In 1971, the citizens of Seattle voted to save the Market from the wrecking ball and also to ensure vital social services for low-income people. The Market Foundation thought a piggy bank could help raise money for these services. Georgia Gerber, a local sculptor, designed Rachel, the Market’s piggy bank.

What Is the Market Foundation?
The Market Foundation was established in 1982 to support Pike Place Market’s services for low-income people, including the Pike Market Medical Clinic, Pike Market Senior Center, Pike Market, Downtown Food Bank and Pike Market Child Care & Preschool. The Foundation also supports the Market’s heritage programs, public improvements and repairs to the Market’s historic buildings, development of new low-income housing in the Market, and programs that assist the Market’s farmers.

Pigs on Parade

Apparently Chris was correct! The pigs are there to raise money for Pike's Place Market and to celebrate its centennial!

www.pigsonparade.org

Also, most of the questions that were asked during class can be answered here

Bioregional Thinking

When I read this article, Seattle was evident in my mind. It seems like Seattlites think very bioregionaly. This is clearly evident after a trip to the Pike Place Market, where things local people make/catch/etc. are put on display and sold. Bioregionalism is also evident in Seattlites love for Starbucks and SBC and their encouragement of these once local mom-and-pop operated coffeeshops to their now nation-wide and global ventures.

Bioregional Thinking

As I read through this article a lot of things he points out are very true. They are things that we all know are happening but choose to ignore because its our new and easy way of living. The thoughts that came to mind for me is the way we have adapted the new technological world and how it seems normal for us now. I am from Montana and this really hit home when he was talking about the new adaptations that we experience take us away from the real beauty of the world we live in. Cell phones, computers, cars, ect...they all are taking us away from really realizing what is going on around us. Being from a small rural town in Montana, I have grown up to appreciate the land around me...because it's the only form of entertainment we have :) My dad has always been the outdoors type so i was dragged to every possible hiking trip and camping escapade. I hated it at the time, but now living in such a large community I take it for granted. Seattle is great and has SO many oppurtunities for many people, it is a large growing commerce and supplies many people with great jobs. I think people just need to really sit back and forget about all the conveniences to just take in the wonderful atmosphere we live in. Its hard to do that when we are in such an advanced technological period, i think if you try to not give in to so many easy ways of doing things you will be able to enjoy what this world has to offer you.

Bioregional Thinking

Reading the introduction into this article, I couldn't help but immediately think of another essential - at least, essential to me - question in addition to the three already given: How are we here? Scientifically, this question can be answered quiet easily by using the well known Big Bang theory and then the empirical data of human evolution from ape to man. Or, God creating Adam and Eve; the work of intelligent design. On an individual sense, "How am I here?" can just as easily be answered with an explanation of the union of man and woman. However, personally, as a young adult in knowledge of the possible answers given above, I somehow feel that the answer to my existence, and others, to be so foreign, vast and overwhelming that there never will be one or two answers to explain it all. The thought of my own existence leaves me dumbfounded and in awe of life itself.

Having lived in a small town and a home surrounded by wilderness then experiencing a new life in the fast-paced city of Seattle, I very much agree with most everything that this article has thrown at me. I agree that technology, even though it has made communication and transportation faster, has also helped us forget, ignore and become increasingly distant to the more earthly ways of connecting to another human being and Mother Nature. Most of us don't take the time to appreciate our surroundings, but living life in this modern day and age has also made it difficult to do so. To get anywhere, the majority of people jump in a car and pump the gas peddle; everyone is in a hurry to get nowhere. Once you're at the wheel, you don't have the time to gaze at the sunrise or sunsets, at the majestic mountains, or at the birds riding thermals in the blue sky. You're far too busy avoiding an accident moving at a rate of 30 to 70, sometimes 85, miles per hour. Cell phones provide us with communication at it's fastest and therefore half of our conversations are done by hearing a voice transfered from a line through technology; it doesn't help that cell phones are now equipped with mp3 players, internet, msn, and games to further neglectfulness to our surrounding place.
The last paragraph is definitely rings true, "people who care about a place are more likely to take better care of it. And people who take care of places, one place at a time are the key to the future of humanity and all living creatures.

Biophilia

My overall reaction to "Bioregional Thinking" is that I agree with mostly everything in the exerpt/article. The idea of a bioregional approach to rebuild communities and help our understanding of "place" is something I've definately never thought about before.

The first section, or couple of pages, is where I had the most thought or reaction. When talking about location and the question "Where are we?" and all the intricacies of the answer to the question, I thought about how every individual is obviously in a different specific place at every moment and no one person is in the exact location as another and can not therefore be answered generally as "we". "Yet how deeply do any of us really know where we are?" As far as geography, we have an accurate analysis of where we are, but as far as emotionally or the "Where am I in this stage of my life?" can never truely be answered because even all of that is changing. Every day is a new day and we don't stay in one place for a long period of time. The questions in the following paragraph as sub-sections of the question "What am I supposed to do?" was good food for thought on the topic of what a certain city, country, etc. means to a person and what we can do to make it better.

Technology is always advancing and "making life easier" with easy access to information and making places and shopping among other things more accessible. The nature of technology is just that: to make life easier. But I agree that it has helped to isolate humans from each other as well as help communication between us faster. So I think I'm torn on the issue of technology because of what it helps and how it works in a community.

I like the idea, though, of biophilia, or at least what I think it is. I may not be so clear on the concept...