My beach reading list
Now that I’ve finally finished the two books I was reading, I can move on to my beach list. In the past, I’ve read some rather not beachy books on vacation, but this year I will have a heckuva lot more responsibilities. I’m actually going light this year. So, without further ado, my beach reading list:
I think I’ll only have time for the two books, but I’m going to bring a few more in case. I’m generally not a fast read, but I generally don’t read fast read books.
Walk score
My neighborhood has a walk score of 55.
And I think it really should be higher, especially for the area.
How does your neighborhood score?
Free food, free music, no people
Last night, as Katie mentioned, my friend Amy and I went to Barley’s for some free food and music. We ended up leaving before the live music because Amy was really cold and the bands didn’t seem to be in any hurry (why do bands always have to come on so late? Who can stay up that late on Monday night?), but we did have fun.
But I was left wondering where all the people were. Granted, it was Monday night. But that meant $2 drafts at Barley’s. So I had good music, Barley’s pizza, and a couple of beers and only spent $4 plus tips. You can’t beat that. And there couldn’t have been twenty people there.
…
Incidentally, I have the most difficulty with “Barley’s” vs “Barely’s.” Heh.
Looking for families with kids in downtown area
Since moving to our new house last September, my children have not had the chance to meet very many other kids/parents in our neighborhood. My kids attend private schools in West Knoxville, so they also haven’t met friends through the neighborhood schools.
I would really like for my kids to have some similar-age friends within walking distance. I’d also like to get to know other parents in the neighborhoods in and near Downtown Knoxville.
For this reason, I am starting an informal group for parents and kids in Old North Knoxville, 4th and Gill, Parkridge, and the other neighborhoods in and near Downtown Knoxville. I am envisioning get-togethers every month or so, as well as networking on the best neighborhood parks, babysitters, pediatricians, activities, etc.
If you would like to join the group, you can subscribe to our e-mail list here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DowntownKnoxParents/
No one can subscribe without my approval, and I hope this will keep the e-mail discussion list spam-free and family-focused. When you subscribe, please share your name (first name only if you are more comfortable that way) and the first names and ages of your children.
Let me know if you have any questions, and feel free to forward this message to other parents whom you think might be interested in our group.
Thanks-
Katie
The incredible shrinking downtown
Well, they’re right now tearing down the remnants of the warehouses that burned Wednesday. The next time I go to town – a half mile away – the landscape will be changed.
Knoxville’s downtown area is tiny as it is. You can walk from one side to the other in probably twenty minutes. It is bordered geographically by the river and artificially by Henley Street (441) and James White Parkway. The warehouses were on the fourth side of what’s generally considered downtown.
And now that they’re gone, downtown just got a bit smaller. Sure, it didn’t actually shrink any. But with the big warehouses gone, the skyline – such as it is – starts a little bit further in. And while they weren’t much to look at recently, what they could have been is gone. The reasons (and potential reasons) to walk from one side of town to that spot have gone away. They might build something there in their place, but it won’t be a replacement.
How sad.
Déjà Vu in the internet world
Katie and I live in a neighborhood with thriving email lists. Combined with city-wide email lists and local blogs, I sometimes get multiple notices about the same thing.
This week, I’ve heard all about the community forum for replacing term-limited officeholders. I’ve seen identical updates on
- The Fourth and Gill email list
- The Old North Knoxville list
- The 37917 list
- K2K, and
- KnoxViews
And sometimes the identical email or post will be rehashed in the news, too. It gets a bit repetitive.
One funny thing, incidentally, is the membership of the various lists. Fourth and Gill has 106 subscribers, ONK has 97, the 37917 list has 508, and K2K has 1134, but K2K by far has the fewest posts.
Do you know a great Christmas story?
Apparently the recent term limits decision means it’s Christmas time for the News Sentinel.
I just got this email:
Mike Silence and the rest of the News Sentinel staff are looking for help in keeping track of who’s in the running and who’s backing whom for the dozen county political posts being vacated by the term-limited officeholders.
If you have inside knowledge, notice a compelling report, hear a credible rumor, spot a suspicious rendezvous or just want to voice your opinion, go to the No Silence Here blog, http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/silence/.
Help us build a vibrant community forum as the Commission prepares to shape Knox County’s political landscape for years to come.
with this subject line:
Do you know a great Christmas story?
Edit: they just emailed to correct the goof. New title: “Tell us who’s ahead in the Knox County poltiical jockeying” with the apology “ (Sorry, we resending with a correct subject line.)”
heh.
I wanna be that guy
The new Hall of Fame Drive opened today in Knoxville. I only care because I’ve been using a detour to go to work for as long as we’ve lived in our house, and the new road should shorten my drive.
And I love the description in the local newspaper about the opening:
Knoxville’s newest road — Hall of Fame Drive — officially opened to traffic at 10:55 a.m. today
The first cars turned from Summit Hill Drive onto the new, five-lane road, including one sports utility vehicle that drove north in the southbound lanes. The driver of the white SUV made it safely to the next traffic light at Magnolia without a mishap and corrected course.
I’m with him
I nearly hit a car in West Knoxville last week because the driver slammed on his brakes the instant the light turned yellow, despite having plenty of room to make it through the light.
To the .gov: Despite the fact that studies concluded that red light cameras either increased accidents or had no effect on accidents, you you voted to install them any way. I guess the pocketbook is more important than the lives of your constituents, who hopefully vote your sorry asses out soon.
I definitely feel safer.
