The Adventures of Stalking Houseless People and Meeting "Thug Nasty" (Walking Journal #10)

Diana and I left the LLC at around 4:30 in the afternoon, completely unaware of our future encounters. No sooner had we passed Sierra Hall on foot, when a slight African-American fellow approached us from a gas station introducing himself as "Thug Nasty". He was waving a handful of CD's and asking us if we were 18; when we said no, he nodded and continued to walk ahead of us. Moments later, Thug said something that was ironically relevant to this journal prompt: "A man who don't work, don't eat." Diana and I murmured our agreement as he ventured off toward a motel to peddle his goods.

Reaching the main casino district, we weren't seeing any houseless individuals, so we riskily decided to tour Fourth Street and make a trip to the shelter where Diana volunteers her time. We saw several houseless people, particularly near the bus station, and I apologize for my photographs being awkward, as it was somewhat awkward attempting to take a picture of someone without them noticing.



In regards to Jim Burklo's view on homelessness vs. houselessness, I never realized it, but I completely agree with him. Many well-off individuals do not know a thing about their community; yes, they go grocery-shopping and take the kids to school, but they are not truly immersed in the environment of their community as a person without a house may be. I cannot speak from experience, but it would make sense to say that a person who is forced to endure the elements of their city/town day-in and day-out, would know a thing or two about the city's inner workings and be in sync with these workings.

So the next time you happen to come across an individual who may look a little rough around the edges, he/she may not be without a sense of community rhythm and awareness, but merely, without a house.

What Happens in Reno...Ends Up on My Blog (Walking Journal 9)

(Beginning note: I went for the walk down to the casino district, but I did not bring my cellular device so the pictures you see here are courtesy of Google Images!)

Walking past Circus Circus and continuing toward the Silver Legacy, I observed the advertisements for each and reflected on my walk down by the river. Though the two areas were in close proximity to each other, they were nothing alike as they stressed two very different recreational aspects of Reno: gambling and the environment. As far as values are concerned, one could be considered very admirable and the other not so much, depending on one's point of view.



However, there is a distinguishable similarity in that these two completely different regions of Reno attract people to the area; these groups of individuals may not be anything like each other (or they very well could be) but these areas are receiving ample amounts of attention nonetheless.

Why is it that the city of Reno feels that it needs to capitalize on both gambling promotion and environmental awareness?

We know which district brings in the most revenue, but why do people choose to visit a certain area over others?

I believe that Reno seems to feel as if it needs to compensate for being the smaller version of Sin City down in the south. We see that we have the opportunity to be environmentally-aesthetic and we take advantage of that. The same could be said for the artistic regions of Reno.

In some obvious ways, parts of the casino district are still off-limits to university students simply because many of us have not reached 21 yet, however, one rarely notices this nowadays as we can freely walk through the casino without so much as a second glance by casino authorities. I doubt this would be the case a few decades ago.

A River Runs Through It (Walking Journal 8)

Taking a stroll down the Reno strip with a throng of fellow classmates, I observed the usual people who wandered in the downtown area: a few tourists, a few teenagers, and several middle-aged/elderly individuals. I honestly had no idea where we were going; I knew we had to go see the Riverwalk, but I am thankful I had people to go with, otherwise I would have been completely SCUH-REWED.

When we came upon this Riverwalk, I was initially surprised that I had never seen this before in my life: it was quite sight. Across the river, there was an area for eating outside and a waterfall that cascaded from it into the river. Walking down the path beside the river, we saw a very relaxed group of teenagers huddled together and one of the guys was playing a ukelele.



As far as the cost of the project, I personally believe that it was worth it because it takes an old, somewhat run-down metropolitan district and highlights its natural qualities through this Riverwalk. The aesthetic theme to this attraction definitely enhances the reputation of our city and it symbolizes the delighted unexpectedness that many tourists and visitors experience when they come to Reno.

Regarding the city as a whole, I believe that we all have our own special roles in maintaining certain social, environmental, and cultural aspects. Personally, my role is to recycle anything and everything I can and attend as many cultural/artistic events as possible so I can help to enhance these particular areas of interest. This is different for everyone though, and we all play extremely important parts of being a citizen of the Reno/Sparks region.

Human Nature.....and some Natural Nature, as well. (Walking Journal 7)

Taking a stroll around campus, the earthly nature I witness is vastly more aesthetic than the "nature" I had back home in Silver Springs. There are trees! And leaves and grass! There is also a lot more concrete, but that is not always necessarily a bad thing. While walking, the only thing that distracted me was the occasional random whiff of poop that I seem to walk through every day, but hey, it grabbed my attention and gave me something to write about.



As far as the nature of the hustle and bustle (or not) of the city itself, everything is relatively relaxing for the most part, especially on campus. No one is in a really big hurry like many seem to be in parts of the East Coast (I visited there and t'was nuts), but things still get accomplished.

Thinking about the habits of mind process, I shall make an inquiry. Is it the nature of Reno itself that keeps people visiting or even living here? Or, rather, is it the nature and recreation that surround us like the beauty of nearby Lake Tahoe and the rugged wilderness of the Nevada desert that serve as the main attractions?

Hmmmmm.....*strokes goatee*

Leisurely Stroll in the Dark (Walking Journal #6)

On an average weekday, I take a stroll down the hub of campus by the Knowledge Center and the Joe Crowley Student Union between classes and last night I went during the night for the sake of this Walking Journal.......and to go to a Winter Sports meeting!



Naturally, everything was much more eerie but, to me, it was even more visually appealing because of all the lights that I didn't see coming from a small town.

There weren't very many people around; a few quiet studiers coming from the Knowledge Center and late-night runners soaking up the free range of campus. The stars were also plainly visible, which is definitely one of the perks of being in Reno and not a bigger, more condensed metropolitan area.

All in all, I knew I would enjoy the walk because the nighttime is my favorite part of the day, but you never realize how many gosh dang lights there are on campus and how awesome they look when you can actually see them.

I'm not paying that electric bill.

Walking....Journal.....Number............5 (Legs are Fantastic Transportation Mechanisms)

Transportation in the Reno and University of Nevada area is actually quite unique in comparison to other major metropolitan regions. Many commuters use bikes and other man-powered devices to help conserve on gas emissions and keep the city smog-free. Personally, I use my legs to get around campus and it definitely helps out my cardio. I don't normally have any obstacles when I use this method, other than the occasional spell of laziness and the danger of getting creamed in the crosswalk by a construction truck.

There are many forms of public transportation available to me on campus such as the escort service (not that kind) and the shuttle buses, but in all honesty, I haven't used a damn one of them. It's not that I don't appreciate them, I just enjoy walking and getting the fresh air.

I think that the public transportation system in the major parts of Reno is actually a step above average. There is, for instance, the "Tipsy Tow" for intoxicated individuals during the New Years celebrations and I constantly see different shuttle buses and hear the train going by at numerous times during the day. If there isn't transportation to a certain area, everything is basically within bike-riding or walking distance.



Transportation in the Reno/Sparks region could always use improvement though, and I think that there should be more shuttles going to the ski resorts during the winter time; not only would this make things more convenient for the enthusiasts, but it would attract more vacationers to the area and enhance the social atmosphere.

Walking Journal Numero 4 (All of Reno is a Dang Advertisement)

Throughout Reno, Nevada, the obvious advertisements are those of gambling/casino activities and in the downtown area, one might see advertisements for artistic and cultural events. Walking down Virginia Street, I saw the all-too-famous taxi cab with The Penthouse Club picture on the roof and the words University of Nevada on the bridge crossing over the street. In a sense, every name of a location or event is an advertisement in its own, whether it be the entrance for Circus Circus or the infamous Reno archway depicting the "The Biggest Little City in the World".

I would like to say that some of these advertisements do not reflect the true values behind our community and this is true to an extent, however, Reno has many stereotypes attached to it and it was a relief to see the posters/flyers advertising the artistic culture of the area.



Many of these ads' sole purposes are too entice the consumer, primarily the ones regarding gambling, while there are a select few others that promote environmental and artistic interests. Many of the casino signs and billboards are hard to pass by without noticing because of flashing lights and the whole works, so those that are more discreet usually receive less attention.