The issue of where to put the proposed museum to eliminate Central Park was not discussed Thursday night, nor will it be today, Saturday, 1/20/18 at 1PM in the Central Library in Glendale, California. There was no image of the proposed architecture on hand. That seemed odd to me. (Addendum: Today, Saturday, I brought a photo of the proposed museum and left it for attedees to see.)
After being strongly challenged by enthusiastic young women Thursday night over my opinions published recently here and, then, having had a very enlightening discussion with the leader of their group.. I went to a source that is often helpful to me. This advice came up randomly and I'm taking it to heart.
(Addendum: I met the more vocal of the young women mentioned above today and discussed that it's not nice to call people names, which I did in the heat of the moment on Thursday. It felt like we were basically okay and I asked her to deliver a gift that I'd made for the president of their group: a peace offering.)**
(Addendum: I met the more vocal of the young women mentioned above today and discussed that it's not nice to call people names, which I did in the heat of the moment on Thursday. It felt like we were basically okay and I asked her to deliver a gift that I'd made for the president of their group: a peace offering.)**
Chapter Twenty Two:
via Brian Browne Walker.. with thanks.
"Allow yourself to yield, and you can stay centered.
Allow yourself to
bend, and you will stay straight.
Allow yourself to be empty, and
you’ll get filled up.
Allow yourself to be exhausted, and you’ll be
renewed.
Having little, you can receive much.
Having little, you can receive much.
Having much, you’ll just
become confused.
Therefore the sage embraces the oneness
and becomes a pattern for the whole world.
She doesn’t display herself, so she becomes illuminated.
She doesn’t
justify herself, so she becomes distinguished.
She doesn’t boast, so she
is recognized.
She doesn’t claim credit, so she advances and endures.
She doesn’t contend, so no one can contend with her.
'Yield and you can stay centered'
Is this saying meaningless?
Stay whole, and all things return to you."
Tao Te Ching / Laotzu
///
January 20, 2018
**
The second meeting regarding the idea to build a museum on Central Park was a repeat of the 'sales pitch' that the planner who spoke on Thursday presented. I brought along a photo of the proposed edifice and had time to ask a few people what they thought. The most interesting chat was with an attractive woman in her fifties. Her response to my showing her the rendering of the museum was borderline hostile. She was the woman who spoke up on Thursday to compliment the planner who gave the pitch regarding the $80Million project to totally change the Central Park area to accommodate the museum.
The vibes emanating from this woman were unlike any that I've ever felt before. I did my best to just ask questions. However, the feeling was that she'd quickly determined that I was totally wrong and as soon as she could excuse herself, she did.
I've learned so much from 'tone.' Tone of voice? Demeanor? Intelligence? Education? Charity? Love? The desire and ability to listen and engage in useful conversation?
The 'tone' that spews. and I use the term specifically.. spews.. from the president of the United States.. is so vile and off putting that I can't stand to hear his name and turn the radio and TV off when he is featured. A similar feeling exuded from this woman, probably because I had been so very vocal and critical of the way the meeting was held on Thursday. It made me sad.
We all have a specific persona that radiates from us, regardless of the situation. I'm sure my tone on Thursday was pretty hostile! After reading and re-reading Chapter 22 of The Tao Te Ching (above) and making an effort to put that advice into practice.. I did my best to present the rendering neutrally. The meeting was salted with City employees and supporters and to a person, no one would give the rendering a total thumbs up.
One of the members of the planning team, a young woman who studied landscape architecture and planning (I think) at Cal Poly Pomona, was totally engaging. Other than that she was enjoined from really having specific opinions, carried on a cogent and meaningful discussion with me.
To reiterate: the second contact with the young woman who was so upset by my former comments here, was cordial. She promised to deliver my gift to her friend.. whose name still escapes me. Darn it.
If the community really doesn't care about this entire restructuring of this simple plot of grass, it's a shame that few others have risen to the battlements to question... (getting dramatic here!) and, at least made a comment in public. It is vital to involve the community in an open forum dedicated to a discussion. The meetings on Thursday and today were sales pitches that presumed that it's simply a very good idea to eliminate Central Park and spend tens of millions of dollars when our current situation serves our City in a simple and efficient way.
Central Park is... simply... just a meadow open to the sky.
It is enough.
Let's find an alternative location for the museum project and Save Central Park's green grass and blue skies. An enclosed space is walled in and open to the sun for a very limited time, as I noted driving up the burgeioning urban canyon of Brand Boulevard where the shadows of the afternoon fell over the street. Construction on Central Avenue creates similar shadows with the new high rise apartments rising there.
The planner tried to sell this museum/"rennovation" idea with examples of Pershing Square (in the canyons of Los Angeless) and Rockefeller Center in NYC! It's a shame.
The view from the upper floor of the Library, to the south, across the Park. is a pastoral scene .. the attractive woman with silver hair pointed out Colorado Street and the parking lot for the Elks' Club!.. Of course, with the museum there might fulfill the idea currently being considered for Central Park.
Will the City of Glendale have truly open forums to provide for folks in South Glendale the opportunity to have a voice, as it did for the residents up in North Glendale where the idea was rejected? I truly hope so.
Has anyone approached the National Guard regarding their corner at Louise and Colorado? It's huge! (to coin a phrase..)
1/20/18
**
The second meeting regarding the idea to build a museum on Central Park was a repeat of the 'sales pitch' that the planner who spoke on Thursday presented. I brought along a photo of the proposed edifice and had time to ask a few people what they thought. The most interesting chat was with an attractive woman in her fifties. Her response to my showing her the rendering of the museum was borderline hostile. She was the woman who spoke up on Thursday to compliment the planner who gave the pitch regarding the $80Million project to totally change the Central Park area to accommodate the museum.
The vibes emanating from this woman were unlike any that I've ever felt before. I did my best to just ask questions. However, the feeling was that she'd quickly determined that I was totally wrong and as soon as she could excuse herself, she did.
I've learned so much from 'tone.' Tone of voice? Demeanor? Intelligence? Education? Charity? Love? The desire and ability to listen and engage in useful conversation?
The 'tone' that spews. and I use the term specifically.. spews.. from the president of the United States.. is so vile and off putting that I can't stand to hear his name and turn the radio and TV off when he is featured. A similar feeling exuded from this woman, probably because I had been so very vocal and critical of the way the meeting was held on Thursday. It made me sad.
We all have a specific persona that radiates from us, regardless of the situation. I'm sure my tone on Thursday was pretty hostile! After reading and re-reading Chapter 22 of The Tao Te Ching (above) and making an effort to put that advice into practice.. I did my best to present the rendering neutrally. The meeting was salted with City employees and supporters and to a person, no one would give the rendering a total thumbs up.
One of the members of the planning team, a young woman who studied landscape architecture and planning (I think) at Cal Poly Pomona, was totally engaging. Other than that she was enjoined from really having specific opinions, carried on a cogent and meaningful discussion with me.
To reiterate: the second contact with the young woman who was so upset by my former comments here, was cordial. She promised to deliver my gift to her friend.. whose name still escapes me. Darn it.
If the community really doesn't care about this entire restructuring of this simple plot of grass, it's a shame that few others have risen to the battlements to question... (getting dramatic here!) and, at least made a comment in public. It is vital to involve the community in an open forum dedicated to a discussion. The meetings on Thursday and today were sales pitches that presumed that it's simply a very good idea to eliminate Central Park and spend tens of millions of dollars when our current situation serves our City in a simple and efficient way.
Central Park is... simply... just a meadow open to the sky.
It is enough.
Let's find an alternative location for the museum project and Save Central Park's green grass and blue skies. An enclosed space is walled in and open to the sun for a very limited time, as I noted driving up the burgeioning urban canyon of Brand Boulevard where the shadows of the afternoon fell over the street. Construction on Central Avenue creates similar shadows with the new high rise apartments rising there.
The planner tried to sell this museum/"rennovation" idea with examples of Pershing Square (in the canyons of Los Angeless) and Rockefeller Center in NYC! It's a shame.
The view from the upper floor of the Library, to the south, across the Park. is a pastoral scene .. the attractive woman with silver hair pointed out Colorado Street and the parking lot for the Elks' Club!.. Of course, with the museum there might fulfill the idea currently being considered for Central Park.
Will the City of Glendale have truly open forums to provide for folks in South Glendale the opportunity to have a voice, as it did for the residents up in North Glendale where the idea was rejected? I truly hope so.
Has anyone approached the National Guard regarding their corner at Louise and Colorado? It's huge! (to coin a phrase..)
1/20/18
Work obligations kept me from attending either of these "meetings". What is the plan to fight the erection of this build at the park? What can I and other residents do?
ReplyDeleteHi Michael! I'm the person you spoke with during the Thursday evening presentation. My name is Naz! I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with me, explain your views, attentively listen to mine, and reflect on our conversation. I really appreciate it, and love the gift as well! I hope we can continue to have productive dialogue about the future of this little city that we all love. p.s. I'm not the president of any group, just a really active citizen :)
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