mad city

My over dependence on the sun has me conflicted on my days off. Monday I spent the day confirming my neighbours’ fears about me as I made platinotypes on the front lawn – moving the green plastic Adirondack chair to be in the sunny spots during the day.

I wanted to be out and about but was enjoying the relatively productive day as soon as the sun appeared sometime after 9AM. It was a bit frustrating when it started to cloud over and I had to guess compensate but all in all a great day.

So Tuesday, I had to decide whether I continue to hang around peasants pissoir or head out. I had planned on Madison for sometime and although I wanted to finish the project. I had to get our of the safeness of staying around the house.

Simply being out changed my demeanour. There is a well worn track to Madison via Janesville but thinking that I had plenty of time, decided to take the slower route through – well around Whitewater, the Fort and Cambridge. I even modified that by taking county trunk O through Heart Prairie.

Places to stop when the days become even shorter and the outings closer to home.

Did stop outside Cambridge - turned around I saw a small ballpark by a bowling alley in State Road 12 – made some snaps. The owner came out – curious – chatted about the mini replica of Fenway and the Green Monster in London - he scoffs it is used only once a year - and found out that this was a whiffle ball park.

Was determined not to go to the east side and the usual places – kicked myself for not bringing the bike – but I knew that turning back to get it would have had me rushing. Parked along Monona Bay and headed through Brittingham Park to Vilas.

You can have San Fran, being out and about in Madison is my tonic. People are actually visible on the streets, I worry more about the bike lanes than the cars. Where in Chicago it doesn’t matter what street I walk down as they are all the same. At each corner in Vilas I would fret on which way to go knowing full well than something would not be seen.

Chose the alleys – real alleys some not paved not cement blocked fortressed back gardens. Property delineated by shrubbery. Where in Chicago status is conferred by how many German engineered machines you have in the garage, here it was the quirks. Whereas in Chicago concrete seems to be the city mineral, in Madison, there were more bird feeders per house than I have seen anywhere this side of Britain.

The day passed with me zigzagging to Monroe Street. Stopped in to see what type of art was up at Edgewood College and entered without being stripped searched. More wanderings to Regent Street trying not to walk on the bike path.

General paranoia and fear of others is general trust and acceptance. Haven’t gone far but have made a far amount of snaps without falling into the rampant urban formalism that occurred in Balamer and San Fran. I was making snaps of things and situations. Neighbourhoods out commercial streets – Monroe to Regent back, noticed lofts beginning to take over by WORT but was more upset that the launderette had closed, a sure sign of gentrification.

A large Chai at Zoma in Atwood out in the back garden looking at the community gardens before choosing a different way back, thinking that I have fortified myself for the welcoming nurturing atmosphere of the greatest art school in the history of humankind.

My ex professor on whom I trained my secretive mailing runs when he lived in Beloit – the big O – says Balamer is good for my work wonder what he’d say about Madison.