Thursday, November 1, 2007

I will give it a shot.

After watching Nej post. And Post. And post. And post last year, I wondered, what would it be like to watch my voice evolve over a month of posting and take part in the NaBloPoMo challenge.

So, here it is. After fighting with that badge to make it link back to their website, I am rolling over and have decided to let it stand as is - a badge.

Last night was cool - Brandon was an elephant and we did the big family tour instead of the hallowe'ening around the 'hood. Out net connection at home is on the fritz, so I haven't been able to upload any recent pics, or ones of the cool pumpkins we did the other night. I love the great pumpkin holiday - the different smells in the air, people out and about in costume, the fireworks (the loot in a few years), and in a quiet moment after everything is said and done, remembering our dead but not forgotten on this eve where they say the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. I think it sucks that so many municipalities have banned the sale of fireworks, yes, I know it gets out of hand sometimes, but come'on. There are so many other ways to hurt ourselves, why don't you give most of us the agency to continue to make that choice for ourselves. Oh yes. Big Brother is watching. Must protect the masses from themselves. Insert an eye roll here.

It was a quiet night around our place - a few bursts of sound, a few kids, but all in all, we have an older neighborhood. Then again, if Brandon was a little older, I may be tempted to take him in to one of those new neighborhoods of condos - I bet that is where a lot of the kids end up! Why spend an hour walking around a big neighborhood to hit 50 houses when you can hit 50 houses in 5 minutes???? Or even the mall??? Honestly, both these options seem wrong to me (for different reasons, see below) especially going to the mall. Perhaps that is my own bias because I am not a mall rat and don't really want to go there unless I absolutely have to.

*PS* I should qualify here - I guess I find the mall wrong, well, just because it is a little too much of a sterile environment and the commercial aspects of it all (plus, apparently their candy sucks)... and about taking your kids to a neighborhood with lots of houses, I am all for that, what gets me here on the west coast is how all of the new development that is happening is blocks of condos, and really dense housing with very little space between folks, very little green space, and so uniform I can't help but react to it. Even though our space isn't that big, we have green space around us, we can't see our neighbors, and we have privacy, things I really value. We are close enough to everything without being in people's pockets. I was a city kid in my early 20s when I wanted to party and be where the action was, now, I would rather be halfway out and in the burbs.

*PSS* I talked to my mom and they only got 12 kids... I think it is more fun on Halloween to go where the crowds are, feel the vibe, check out every one else's costumes.. etc. It is a great night for every sized kid

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, I admit it. I used to take my kids to other neighborhoods to trick or treat. In my defense, we lived in the country and it would have taken 5 days to walk to 50 houses and I just don't have that kind of time.

Also, the malls always have sucky candy.

Kazzy said...

Thanks for affirming about the mall candy!! I think I will make a small amendment to the original post - more wrong about how close those houses together.. I like my green space around me...

:D

Anonymous said...

We had about 80-100 kids last night. It was busy busy! But we live in an area of "starter homes", so it's packed with kids. Jonah was also an elephant, of course. Not sure if you remember how much Paul loves elephants!

Wendy

Anonymous said...

Hey - just a thought - but perhaps high density housing is a more sustainable option to live for the future, combined with community parks and green spaces. The planet couldn't handle what we North Americans describe as the norm. Especially like places in the lower mainland where housing development are ever so fast spreading up the mountainside valleys. It's also a great way to ,gasp, get to know your neighbours, ie. their names!
Happy writing for the badge.....

Kazzy said...

There are a lot of positives to say about high density housing and reducing our overall ecological footprint, what I would love to see with all the development are more walking communities - what is happening in Surrey is awful - so much green space is being lost for all those developments and the city planners don't seem to be concerned with more parks, better use of the space, and creating those walking communities that get people out of their cars and interacting. I think we do need to make more spaces that get people out talking, and interacting, because we are too isolated (ironically enough considering how many people are here on the coast)... and how things are going in NW... so many high rises but no infrastructure to support the influx of more people. Why is it such a fight to get transit systems in place that work??? Like the fight for the Pinetree line.. I guess I don't see that the balance has been struck yet and the high density stuff that has been happening is just block after block of it, and then the big box strip malls...not always planned out for people to be able to get out of their cars within their own community and get what they need.. look at Vancouver's west end - a lot of folks live there, and people can and do get out of their cars and get most of what they need in a close proximity, I know lots of folks who live there who don't need the 2 cars (if at all one)...

thanks for getting me thinking and articulating anon! Because I also think it is important to know your neighbors and be involved with your community.

I think this is one you can debate and talk about for a long time. Just like I hate the monster homes - how much space is enough?? Why do folks figure that you need 3000 square feet for 2 people?? and maybe a dog?? The excess can be staggering. Nothing wrong with keeping it simple....

Refinnej said...

I'm VERY impressed. NaBloPoMo! Woo!

We go into town for T&T every year. Too dark here, and nobody comes to the houses.