drama at 2030
Saturday, October 3, 2015 by Wade Kwon
Toddler bedtime is
a mix of dancing, tears, light
bargaining and hugs.
• • •
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The Future of Birmingham: Cultural mining
Friday, October 2, 2015 by Contributor
Photo: bg5000 (CC)
Photo: Southern Foodways Alliance (CC)
While Birmingham landmark Pete’s Famous Hot Dogs no longer
operates, the Birmingham hot dog lives on at other
Greek-established restaurants. City history offers many
opportunities to attract outsiders.
•
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By Charles Buchanan
The future of Birmingham is in its past.
Birmingham has a lot riding on its ability to cultivate — and capitalize on — the people, places and history that give the metro area its unique personality. Developers and city planners would be wise to take a look around them. Often, those who figure out ways to incorporate elements of our local DNA are rewarded with an enthusiastic response.
Take Regions Field. Parts of its design echo the metal-casting sheds of Sloss Furnaces and the light towers of Rickwood Field. Visitors can relax in rocking chairs while eating Dreamland ribs. Since the Birmingham Barons moved to Regions Field, the team has experienced a boom in attendance.
It’s not nostalgia that’s powering such reactions from the public. Instead, I chalk it up to a growing feeling of pride in Birmingham from the people who live here, which dovetails nicely with the larger cultural emphasis on “local” in everything from vegetables to beer to art.
This homegrown enthusiasm also has the potential to help redefine Birmingham’s image across the country. I once met someone who traveled to Birmingham because he was a fan of native son Sun Ra, an innovative musician who took jazz into outer space and back. I don’t think he found much to memorialize the sonic pioneer, unfortunately. But it would be easy for Birmingham to create a music trail — along the lines of the Civil Rights Heritage Trail or even in the form of a smartphone app — to guide visitors to sites associated with the city’s rich history in jazz, R&B, rock, country, gospel and other genres.
Likewise, Birmingham could become a center for ecotourism — a sort of Asheville of the Deep South — capitalizing on its close proximity to scenic places such as the Sipsey Wilderness and the Cahaba River. Closer into town, Red Mountain Park, Ruffner Mountain, Oak Mountain and the emerging Red Rock trail system offer easy access to outdoor adventures.
In addition, no other place can lay claim to the Birmingham hot dog, the secret-sauce slathered staple invented by Greek immigrants and made famous by dozens of tiny lunch stands, including Pete’s Famous. Few of those stands remain today, but we can still champion the dog that once fueled the workers who powered Birmingham’s industries that, in turn, made America hum.
Or how about Birmingham’s Batman, Willie Perry? The good Samaritan who once rescued stranded motorists from his souped-up Batmobile is back in the civic spotlight. His car is slated for restoration, a documentary about him is in the works, and his life has inspired Willie Perry Day, a day of service to the community each Aug. 3. You won’t find many real-life superheroes out there, but we have one who remains a force for good.
These unique stories have the power to surprise people across the country who think they know all there is to know about Birmingham and Alabama. By mining our own history and culture, we can mold fresh, colorful images of the city, new symbols for an emerging metropolis.
• • •
Charles Buchanan is editor of UAB Magazine, author of “Fading Ads of Birmingham” [aff. link] and an artist.
• • •
The full version of this essay and many more are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
• • •
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dusty assets
Friday, October 2, 2015 by Wade Kwon
In their rush to build
a future, they forgot what
treasures the past held.
• • •
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The Future of Birmingham: Familiar
Thursday, October 1, 2015 by Contributor
Photo: Chris Happel (CC)
Coming to Birmingham from another part of the country can
induce culture shock, but Southern hospitality and smiles
can ease the transition.
•
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•
By Bertha Hidalgo
The future of Birmingham is evolving, and that’s exciting!
I am thrilled to experience its growth, to live in a city changing for the better. I have worked for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, one of the premier medical and public health institutions, since I arrived. UAB attracts top scientists from all over the world. I have been surrounded by other transplants since Day 1 who love our city as much as I do.
But it was rough in the beginning.
I moved from Los Angeles to Birmingham in August 2007. I didn’t know anyone in town, aside from my husband. He had to work the day after we arrived, so I was left to discover the city alone. I recall leaving our apartment complex in Hoover and driving on Alabama 150. After about a mile, I pulled into an Arby’s parking lot and cried for an hour. Few things were familiar to me. My family, favorite stores, comfort food restaurants and weather … they were all missing. Everything was different.
Birmingham has changed, as has my opinion of it. Familiar stores and restaurants from L.A. are sprouting up around the city. Chipotle and Pinkberry were two eateries I missed the most. Not long after my arrival, they arrived as well. Nordstrom Rack also came and made this place feel more like home. The music and food scenes have also evolved significantly since 2007, receiving national recognition.
Some things about Birmingham — and the South — have impressed me significantly. People send handwritten notes and gifts. Strangers smile and say hello. Baggers take groceries out to the car. Life is slower in Birmingham, at least compared to Los Angeles. Time not spent in traffic driving 50 miles to work is extra time I dedicate to my family. The cost of living is incredibly lower in Birmingham than L.A., another major reason we continue to live here. In all, a more personal, higher-quality way of living — I really like that.
I have grown to love a few special things about Birmingham. I like experiencing four seasons, as mild as they may be. I really adore everyone’s passion for football, particularly because it means making and eating party food, or … shopping time. Malls and stores are ghost towns during the games. Score!
I discovered my love for the word “y’all” as well! Best. conjugation. ever.
So here I am, 8 years later, with roots in the ground and no immediate plans to leave. I’ve made great friends, many of whom I consider family. Birmingham is becoming more like the place I left and less like the place I came to in 2007.
I may never truly understand some things about Birmingham and its people. (Let’s just say I don’t get crawfish.) But it is a city that has shown me a lot of love, a place to start a family and ultimately, a place to live my life. Birmingham will forever have a place in my heart and remain a home away from home.
• • •
Bertha Hidalgo is an assistant professor in the epidemiology department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, an associate scientist at the UAB Nutrition and Obesity Research Center, faculty scholar at the Center for the Study of Community Health, chair of the Minority Affairs Committee for the American College of Epidemiology and blogger at Chic in Academia.
- Website | Facebook | Twitter @BerthaHidalgo | LinkedIn | Instagram
• • •
The full version of this essay and many more are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
• • •
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the 12 days of no mas
Thursday, October 1, 2015 by Wade Kwon
The station’s Christmas
music played from September
till … I burned it down.
• • •
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The Future of Birmingham: 5-7-5
Wednesday, September 30, 2015 by Wade Kwon
Photo: Patrick Cain (CC)
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•
The Two Ms. Davises
Wander block by block
to meet residents held back
by artlessness, fear.
The schools drive away
people. The politics drive
away people, too.
Only the stubborn
and the impoverished stay
behind, fate be damned.
They need their city
to be more than it is, to
be kinder, safer.
They need some steady
income, and a way to get
around easily.
The townsfolk campaign
for new leaders, not the crooks
who line their pockets.
Let Ms. Davis take
charge, they say. She’ll stand up for
our community.
Reluctantly, Ms.
Davis agrees, though her job
and kids rule her days.
“Mayor Davis Wins!”
the headlines read. City Hall
welcomes its new chief.
She fixes potholes,
fields complaints, cuts taxes and
works past 11.
The voters keep tabs
on the mayor, who always
looks out for their needs.
Her teen daughters and
little boy see her only
on TV at night.
The eldest stays with
a friend for weeks. The middle
child’s grades soon plummet.
And the youngest gets
into fights at school, so the
principal calls Mom.
The municipal
house is in order, barely.
Her house is a wreck.
“Mayor Davis Quits!”
the headlines read. City Hall
loses its old boss.
She gathers her brood
into a sweeping hug and
holds on for dear life.
Madame Mayor goes
back to humble matriarch,
putting kids to bed.
Her civic progress
was quickly undone. All the
neighbors wailed and moaned.
Ms. Davis served out
her real term to her three-child
constituency.
• • •
Essays from other contributors are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
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The Future of Birmingham: An unwritten verse
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 by Contributor
Photo: Lee Burchfield (CC)
St. Paul and the Broken Bones is just one of the many
Birmingham bands of late to attract a national following.
•
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By Kenn McCracken
The future is constantly changing, fluid and shifting with no guarantees.
Perspective changes your view of the future; your place and standing in the macrocosm, your priorities and interests and experiences — those will draw your focus of where we’re headed. As someone who has worn many hats over my four-plus decades, my perspective incorporates culture in Birmingham, both as creator and audience.
Had you asked me 5 or 10 years ago about the future of Birmingham’s music scene, I would have given you a different answer than I would today. Then, the city was less known for Verbena, Remy Zero or Azure Ray (all enjoying varying levels of success on the national scene) than for Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. Local bands of all genres might draw audiences, but couldn’t draw the same level of support as cover bands like the Velcro Pygmies or the Cheesebrokers.
Even with venues like Five Points Music Hall and the Nick (not to mention the pre-corporate Oak Mountain Amphitheatre or Sloss Furnaces), seeing a rising national act required a trip to Nashville or Atlanta. The general consensus among my friends — both fans and musicians — was that Birmingham was a musical dead end.
Fast-forward to 2015, and the outlook as a city that supports music is much brighter. Venues like Iron City, Tin Roof and Saturn bring in many acts that I never would have imagined we’d see in Birmingham, and crowds come out to support those shows. (RIP Bottletree Cafe.) Birmingham Mountain Radio, which started as an Internet-only station in 2010, has expanded to the FM airwaves not only locally but also in Tuscaloosa.
I’ve lost count of local bands gone national, including Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires, Azure Ray, Duquette Johnson and A.A. Bondy (both previously in Verbena), the Great Book of John and St. Paul and the Broken Bones. This year saw the first SlossFest and the third Cask and Drum festival. And, speaking purely from someone who favors rock, Birmingham’s other genres — country, jazz and blues — all continue to thrive.
The entire time, we’ve had musicians who stayed in Birmingham despite better opportunities elsewhere. We’ve had venue managers who continued to support local music, and entrepreneurs who started venues and radio stations to provide sustenance to hungry listeners. Most importantly, we’ve had a shift in the audience, not just in tastes but also in willingness to support those bands and businesses.
All of them chose to stay, determined to change the future to suit themselves. And their efforts paid off: In the short span of 10 years, the future of Birmingham inverted itself in the musical sense.
As with so many songs, the future of Birmingham is unwritten. We the lifelong residents, we the childhood transplants, we the adult immigrants … we are the authors. If your inner musician is determined enough, positive enough and willing to smile in the face of failure, the future of Birmingham is yours to write, and to tell, and to play.
• • •
Kenn McCracken is the co-host and curator of the weekly show “(The Show With No Name)” on Birmingham Mountain Radio, bassist for the Exhibit(s) and master of his own liver.
- Website | Facebook | Twitter @insomniactive | LinkedIn | Instagram
• • •
The full version of this essay and many more are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
• • •
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life in the future
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 by Wade Kwon
Phones without backups
and stolen identities
and dead batteries.
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The Future of Birmingham: Slow and steady
Monday, September 28, 2015 by Contributor
Photo: Curtis Fockele (CC)
The Drive-By Truckers perform at Iron City on Southside.
The venue has not only brought in bands from the South
but also from across the nation.
•
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Details at the end.
•
By Jackie Lo
Those of us who love Birmingham are slowly nurturing and hand-feeding this beautiful city with our passion and adoration. Naysayers have moved from and come back to a very different city. Outsiders have taken notice, written articles, shared our secrets. But, eventually the surprise will leave their tone and will be replaced with respect and their own adoration.
More traveling bands will put a pin in Birmingham on their tour maps. More people will attend local venues. Record shops will flourish, and underground radio will thrive and shake up the quality of music that hits our airwaves. Local bands playing at home will really mean something to everyone involved.
Women will make as much money as men do at the same job. They will be free to make their own choices about their bodies and not have to worry about what the politicians at the Capital have to say about it or if their rights or clinics will be shut down. Contraceptives will be affordable, and sex education will be available to everyone.
Gay marriage will be accepted in all counties in the state, and we will look back on that day outside the courthouse and realize we saw history happen in our city. A city that helped lead civil rights for race equality has now made strides for sexual equality. LGBT couples will be able to have all of the same rights that straight couples enjoy.
Drunk driving will be greatly reduced as ridesharing options such as Uber and Lyft will be available to our city. Waiting 45 minutes for a taxi will be a thing of the past. Public transportation will be easier and available in more places. Bike sharing will be a huge success as bike lanes and walking paths will spread throughout the city.
Marijuana will be legalized. We will be one of the last states to implement it, but when we do, we will realize it isn’t the terrible monster it’s made out to be. The war on drugs and violence within our city will have one less component, and our jails won’t stay at capacity because of it.
We will have a lottery that properly funds our education system to increase the quality of schools citywide. Our kids will be smarter than we ever were and “Alabama jokes” won’t hold the same weight they once did.
We will take pride in our amazing food and drinks, and more outstanding and award-winning restaurants and bars will open and be successful. We will have more places downtown that stay open at night and more late night options as well. “Locally Sourced” and “Locally Made” will be on every new menu.
Construction will continue to boom downtown, and we will keep moving into renovated old structures that once were abandoned and in shambles. New construction will continue to be thoughtful and add interest to our skyline, and everyone will see downtown as the place I’ve always loved.
Progress. That is what the future of Birmingham holds. We’ve seen it happening. It might be slow, but that’s our brand of progress, a slow and steady growth. We have pride, and we know how to fight. Wanting more and never being quite satisfied is what sets us apart. We always appreciate what we have to work for instead of what is simply given to us.
• • •
Jackie Lo (a k a Jacklyn Loquidis Hamric) is editor in chief of the blog I Am the F-Bomb, DJ for the weekly “Jackie Lo Show” on Substrate Radio, interior designer at Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds and a musician.
- Website | Facebook | Twitter @TheJackieLoShow | LinkedIn | Instagram
• • •
The full version of this essay and many more are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
• • •
Read more essays in our special 10th anniversary series, The Future of Birmingham.
The Birmingham channel: Flights of fancy
Monday, September 28, 2015 by Wade Kwon
A look at Birmingham in videos …
Visiting the African Village in America display in the Woodland Park neighborhood. From Komodosnow.
•
Flying to Birmingham for a fun outing. From David Granberry.
•
Taking the Tour de Hops brewery bike tour on Sept. 5. From Nathania Nhouyvanisvong.
•
A nighttime trip to Vulcan. From Spa Guy.
•
Basketball workout at Samford’s gym. From Derrick Jones.
•
Birmingham-Southern College cross country season opener in September. From Sharks Soccer.
•
Britain’s Oxford Pharmaceuticals breaks ground in Birmingham on its U.S. headquarters. From Alabama NewsCenter.
•
Chicago singer-songwriter Jennifer Hall sings “Baby, It’s You” in August at the Nick on Southside. From JennHallMusic.
•
California norteño band Los Tigres del Norte performs at Rancho el Centenario in Mt. Olive. From tdb313.
•
“What Do You Think of the Fountain?” asks people about Frank Fleming’s sculpture the Storyteller in Five Points South. From AlexanderSoundsLike.
•
Atlanta singer-songwriter Liz Brasher performs “Old Bones” at Renaissance Records in Five Points South (our vertical video of the week). From Liz Brasher.
•
Downtown dancing. From Wally Chung.
•
Hoop for Fitness holds a September Flow Fusion event at Veterans Park in Hoover. From Carron Bullard.
•
The first round of the Magic City Mega Bowl disc golf tournament in June at the Inverness Disc Golf Course in Hoover. From the Disc Golf Channel.
•
Chris Brown performs “Take You Down” in September at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham. From Chris Brown.
•
Staring down Satchel Paige from the plate at the Negro Southern League Museum. From Alabama NewsCenter.
•
Nashville Americana band Runaway Home performs “Dreams” in August as part of the Small Stages concert series. From Runaway Home Band.
•
A 10-mile bike ride through downtown Birmingham. From Katie Boyd.
•
Welcome to fall, inside the car (our square video of the week). From Otis Bridges.
•
Cars and Coffee at Brookwood Village (our other vertical video of the week). From ZachPlaysPC.
•
Drone footage of Railroad Park. From Paul Cammarata.
•
The Brickyard: “Lester Kasai and Jim Gray were in town for a Gotcha street demo (in 1988) at a local mall, and we took them out to the ramp afterwards.” From Andrew Birdwell.
•
Birmingham city council member Steven Hoyt criticizes al.com community coverage. From citycouncilbham.
•
A look at the civil rights movement called “Battle for Birmingham.” From Christopher Carmody.
•
New York singer-songwriter Prince Royce opens for Ariana Grande last week at Legacy Arena. From Maria Avellaneda.
•
Chimney swifts downtown. From Ray Howze.
•
Promo for the Slay the Runway Total Look Competition fund-raiser for Pathways in November at Boutwell Auditorium. From Mimi Luvshair.
•
A slice of life, including a trip to the top of the Children’s of Alabama parking deck. From allGODbuddy LLC.
•
Birthday party, complete with DJ and dancing. From Bill Prince.
•
Hanging out at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. From Mindless Reviews.
•
Promo for Saturday’s Fiesta. From Orlando Rosa.
•
Music video for “Patient Time” from Birmingham alt-rock band Nat B. and the Boys. From Kilzo Films.
• • •
Send us links to your videos. | More videos on the Birmingham channel.
Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 36
Monday, September 28, 2015 by Wade Kwon
[Share on Twitter]
- rehearsals, day 17
He would speak into
the remote for hours. The
dog was not impressed. - just another day in the walmart parking lot
Wrong-way Willie went
barreling up the one-way
lane dodging shoppers. - the reset button
Push it and start all
over. Push it and wipe those
cares away. Push it. - the alpha and the part that comes after alpha
That half of the year
went by so quickly that this
half will surely drag. - after solving the artist royalties problem
Taylor Swift fixed my
iPhone at the Genius Bar
while singing “Bad Blood.” - driving to fun park usa
Junior and Little
Miss stare at the streaming flick
while Mom stays alert. - magic in the library
Each shelf held the key
to worlds unexplored and dreams
and nightmares and frogs. - missing mutt
He felt a dog-sized
hole in his life with an ache
for a wagging tail. - l-o-v-e in the u-s-a
No court, no law can
stop the force of love as it
spreads from heart to heart. - dear brutus
The fault lies not in
our stars but in ourselves, that
we are underlings. - the middle is always chaos
The start looks like fun,
and the end looks perfect but
far off. Keep going. - this is going to be the best half-year ever
Lose 10 pounds, join a
book club, eat healthier, watch
“Game of Thrones,” try meth. - the prison explosion
Time to figure out
who we’re mad at and who we’re
really afraid of. - firecracker follies
Bang! Pop! Rat-a-tat-
tat! Up and down the street boom
the sounds of freedom. - this land is our land
America smokes
pot, marries anyone and
plays so much soccer. - littlest victories
Odometer rolls
and the 12th free sandwich and
palindromic times. - flying fingers
The violinist
practiced to make performing
look so effortless. - from cradle to bigger cradle
Helicopter mom
and dad kept Junior tethered
long past puberty. - back of the industrial park
Freight slipped onto docks
unnoticed, cargo bound for
here or overseas. - lost in the grind
I can crunch numbers
or test theories, but my best
side is creative. - the stash
Frozen balls of dough
turn any sad day into
fresh-baked cookie time. - a state of limbo
A life that is full
and empty, blessed with friends but
without constant love. - melt into the sidewalk
The dog just ambles
and pants, dragging the leash and
human in the heat. - the power of nerds
Postmodern culture,
a mashup of comic books
and highbrow humor. - box office heroes of summer 2015
Dinosaurs, Mad Max,
the Avengers, Minions and
a girl’s emotions. - less comprehension in less time
Words flash faster and
faster, books and novels speed
by the keen reader. - writer’s blech
What is the term for
trying to write but held back
by lack of talent? - even majorities are minorities
Everyone’s a vic-
tim, everyone else is to
blame, martyrs for life. - the anxious mind
A churn of worries
that never comes to pass in
a state of alarm. - follicle frolic
Hair grows so subtly
you can barely feel it ooze
out of your scalp holes. - armed with popcorn and candy
The kids scrambled to
their seats to escape the heat
with movie magic. - citations no extra charge
Inspiration comes
from the unlikeliest spots,
like term paper sites. - make room for hashtags, too
The Library of
Congress must build shelves to store
tweets and emoji. - not hot enough for that
The gluten-free ice
cream truck circled round the block
with zero takers. - fast asleep in the urban jungle
Car alarm at 2
a.m.: Let me sing you the
song of my people. - little girl lost
A voice, distinct and
true, silenced too soon by a
misguided lifestyle. - friday evening downpour
Skies darken, thunder
erupts and sheets of rain wash
the earth thoroughly. - among the charlatans
A sense of purpose
may never ring true yet can
guide us to safety. - the neighborhood crank
A loner with an
agenda finds almost no
support for changes. - concrete rain
Bits of freeway fell
in storms of debris as cars
shook the bridges loose. - the pizza accords
First party agrees
to extra cheese, while second
party requests ham. - the meltening
The molecular
structure of all things breaks down
in this goddamn heat. - shuffle off this mortal coil? check.
The to-do list will
never be done. The good news
is we’ll all be dead. - the longest con
Living a robust
perpetual denial
about growing old. - annual assigned reading 3-day cram session
IfIhurryI-
canreadallmysummerbooks-
beforeschoolstartsback. - a town without a watchdog
Graft flowed to outstretched
hands, while the downtrodden fought
for their measly crumbs. - early onset adulthood
When spouses become
singles. When daughters become
caretakers. And on. - beyond needs fulfilled
What gives you pleasure?
Is it intellectual,
physical or more? - settling in by the pool
A tall iced tea and
a glossy magazine was
all she required. - as seen on body cams everywhere
The thin blue line is
spattered with blood red streaks and
black-and-blue lesions. - the poison of nostalgia
Living in the past
seems to be the drug of choice
among lost people. - the skim
Each dawn brings a fresh
opportunity to fleece
everybody else. - liquid butter cut-off
Summer ends when we
run out of blockbuster flicks
to watch with popcorn. - not quite ready for the bell
Reluctant pupils
enter the classroom with heads
full of fireflies. - long after graduation
The gossip girls shared
conspiratorial laughs
in the locker room. - stillness along the ocean
She looked out onto
the gulf one last time, ready
for the next voyage. - a good mom
Nothing would keep her
from scolding, feeding, reading
to, raising her girls. - the festival of fall approaches
A carnival of
colorful trees and hazy
nights heads for our block. - every saturday over coffee and carburetors
The parking lot filled
with classic hot rods, gearheads
and fans of sweet rides. - sensation of singing
The lyrics rolled by
on monitors for us to
belt out tipsily. - fourth wave feminism
Ladies choose to be
objectors, objectified,
their bodies their selves. - emoji nation
We started out with
Shakespeare and ended with a
suggestive eggplant. - chores, then domination
I’ll be ready to
conquer the world as soon as
I wash the dishes. - the most awkward sales pitch ever
It comes with something …
let me ask my manager
and not call you back. - a reasonable exit strategy
Put down the empty
glass and slip out the back door
with hoarded brownies. - the cost of fame
He made a deal with
the devil, then acted shocked
at the devil’s scam. - misanthropic awakening
The more you get to
know people, the more you want
to crawl back in bed. - jersey sore
The coach yells at the
team. The players run their drills.
Practice never ends. - dare defend
Fields of cotton, lush
forests, manmade lakes, kind hearts
in Alabama. - shop and chop
The big dinner needs
sliced and diced vegetables and
meats at the ready. - proration 2015
It’s the second week
of school, and they’re already
out of chalk and milk. - dinner party achievement unlocked
The satisfaction
from a well-cooked gourmet meal,
but mostly fullness. - scattered but not forgotten
Refugees from the
storm found new homes far from the
shores of destruction. - the wandering governor
He flew across the
land with his wife sometimes and
his mistress sometimes. - twisted mobility
The scooter helped her
up and down the hall, if not
back on her own feet. - harvest of shame
The biggest garden
foe was not cat nor bunny
but incompetence. - electoral collage
They rigged the ballot
so only predetermined
elites could win votes. - the farm’s last stand
The last jar of peach
preserves and basket of plump
tomatoes has sold. - and don’t forget thursdays
Friday night is for
football, as is Saturday,
Sunday and Monday. - work-life balance
First comes work, then comes
life, and bringing up the rear
is balance. Then … death. - shells
The exterior
hides everything — joy, sadness,
pain — within ourselves. - mired in perceptions
Paranoia bears
a strong resemblance to a
nonstop awareness. - left to our own devices
We can do almost
anything we put our minds
to, except focus. - a post-9/11 world
More patriotic,
more alert, more fearful, more
wary, more grateful. - smiles for meters
Is happiness a
constant? A pool that slowly
drains? A deep, deep font? - the strain of babysitting pupils
Fights stopped: Around 5.
Phones confiscated: 13.
Lessons taught: 0. - before you know it it’s mlk day
It’s time for Hallo
weenThanksgivingVeterans
DayChristmasNewYear’s. - the sweetest orchard
Harvesting from the
candied apple tree, wearing
gloves and sneaking bites. - digital scrapbooking
My jukebox: YouTube.
My photo album: Facebook.
My memory: Shot. - golden ghouls
The grandmas on the
block like to dress scarily
for shakes and giggles. - the real bogeymen
We act out of fear
to protect ourselves and our
kin, which breeds more fear. - sidewalk campaigning
Cleanup and paving
crews show up every 4 years
before elections. - a time of falling leaves and pumpkin spice and christmas sales
When does fall start? Ask
a weather forecaster, a
poet and a child. - introvert’s paradise
Coffee and good books,
jazz and blueberry pancakes.
Not a soul for miles. - the funniest person online is a pickpocket
Authorship is dead.
Digital miscreants take
anything for fun. - strength in numbness
My superpowers
are procrastination and
working on deadline. - stork 2.0
A drone came to my
front door to deliver a
newborn and cigars. - the decimal decimation
If we scrimp and save
and hold off on paying some
bills, we can eat soon. - a crowded field
Fall TV endures
as a launch point and graveyard
of few sparks, quick ends. - it’s a quiet afternoon at the taco truck
The cook preps his stuff,
while another fixes the
awning. A third drinks. - desperate men call for desperate measures
The mass of men lead
lives of quiet despera-
tion, As they deserve.
• • •
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Photo: Steve Johnson (CC)
The Future of Birmingham: Big ideas
Sunday, September 27, 2015 by Contributor
Photos: Hugh Hunter. Reprinted with permission.
Regions Field shows how big ideas in Birmingham come to life
through civic partnership and determination.
•
Get the full version of this photo essay in our free ebook.
Details at the end.
•
By Hugh Hunter
Birmingham has had big ideas in its past, from the original Vulcan statue created in 1903 and its recent renovation, through the rise of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, to Railroad Park and Regions Field.
Our recent success is driven more by individual entrepreneurial vision and passion. What we lack is a community partnership of business and government that seizes on visionary opportunities like the rerouting of I-20/59 through downtown, below, and makes it happen.
Or as David Sher blows against the coarse wind of naysayers by lobbying for some sort of regional government in his blog, ComebackTown.
Roald Hazelhoff, director of the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern College, started the Darter Festival at Railroad Park and wanted to reposition us as the Gateway to Nature, dropping the old dated Magic City moniker. [Editor’s note: Hugh Hunter served on the center’s board of trustees since 1995.]
The Southern Environmental Center is a co-manager of
the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.
And my friend and Mr. Birmingham Tom Cosby, below, is championing one of my favorite big ideas: extending the Appalachian Trail to Alabama. He has shown me where the trailhead will start at Flagg Mountain, about 20 miles south of Sylacauga.
So, let’s think big, Birmingham!
• • •
Hugh Hunter is owner of Hunter Photography and partner in Hunter Films, both based in Birmingham.
- Website | Facebook | Twitter @hughbudhunter | LinkedIn
• • •
The full version of this photo essay and many more are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
• • •
Read more essays in our special 10th anniversary series, The Future of Birmingham.
#sundayread for Sept. 27, 2015
Sunday, September 27, 2015 by Wade Kwon
Photo: Ze’ev Barkan (CC)
My picks for #sundayread for Sept. 27, 2015:
- The Future of Birmingham: Big ideas, photo essay by @hughbudhunter #futureofbham #bham
- A Humble Pope @Pontifex, Challenging the World, by @JimBYardley (via @aneebsharif)
- How Are Great-Grandkids of Richest Gilded-Age Americans Faring? By @shorterstory (RT @vsisson13)
- Y’all Connect: Laura Creekmore on building better content
- Interview with a founder of Bottletree & artist Merrilee Challiss, by @BDMccarley1
- Stop and seize: Aggressive police take hundreds of millions from motorists not charged w/ crimes
- The Future of Birmingham: A media wasteland #futureofbham #bham
- The Myth of Authentic Travel, by David Sze @Davadin (RT @AfrikaReads)
- Flashback: From 3 years ago, review of the biography “Steve Jobs”
- What your future employees need to know about blogging
- Network TV’s Ultimate Survivor Les Moonves, by Joe Adalian @TVMoJoe
- From 2010, Blueprint Birmingham: A look at the City of 2015
- 12 cognitive biases preventing you from being rational by George @Dvorsky (RT @SMTuffy)
- I love the Victorian era. So I decided to live in it. By Sarah A. Chrisman (RT @pinxy)
•
Don’t miss our new 26-part series:
★ The Future of Birmingham ★
•
More posts from Wade this week:
The latest #sundayread tweets
- More #sundayread recommendations from me
it’s a quiet afternoon at the taco truck
Sunday, September 27, 2015 by Wade Kwon
The cook preps his stuff,
while another fixes the
awning. A third drinks.
• • •
Read more haiku.
Subscribe via RSS to Wade’s Daily Haiku. Or have it delivered daily by e-mail.
The Future of Birmingham: Crowdsourced responses
Saturday, September 26, 2015 by Wade Kwon
• • •
Essays from other contributors are available in the free ebook, “The Future of Birmingham.”
All you need to do is fill out this simple form. We’ll email you a link to download the book. (And, at no extra charge, we’ll add you to the mailing list for the free Y’all Connect newsletter.)
• • •
Read more essays in our special 10th anniversary series, The Future of Birmingham.
