It's a Blur...

people, neighbors, homes, houses, neighborhoods, towns, cities, states, countries, THE WORLD!!! Honestly, I hoped my thoughts on all of these would be easier to express. There are many views and I just don't know which is mine. I figure things like that will come with age and time (almost the same thing ha!), but also will find a place in you when YOU becomes you. I know it sounds deep and maybe it doesn't even make sense. Anyway, as a kid it seems we are fed pictures. I don't mean this to sound cynical because I, personally, liked these pictures. The ones of city life, college life, work life, love life, home life, fun life and even family life. These all sound seperate but in reality they can all coexist. Ok you might be asking, why is she stating the obvious? It's a thought process and my goal is too find a solution to the confusion...eventually. (Although part of me is wondering whether or not there is a solution).

Neighborhoods aren't like the movies thats for sure. I must admit the Suburbs of the early 60's were tempting. The houses close together, your best friend next door and the cute boy down the street were the highlights of being a kid back then. I think the focus of the Suburbs were on the people. Suburbs were a good intention although maybe not perfect. Relating to some of the works we have read I would like to choose the more positive side. As Americans, we are always searching for a way to make things better. We discussed the "American Dream" in class and decided it was determined by the person and what they wanted most. I agree with this to a certain extent. I believe everyone dreams of a home. It can be with several people, one other person or by themselves. It can be a five story mansion, or a four bedroom house, or a country cottage, or a city apartment, or a city condo what is so great about a HOME is that it could even be on the road. I associate happiness with the word Home. In my case, home also involves the people in my life. To move on, I believe the focus needs to be more on the people. What I noticed most about Guterson's research and analysis of Green Valley was the nine-year old who he spoke to. I'm a firm believer in listening to kids. They seem to notice what we don't see or don't want to see. We also discussed Home Owner's Associations and how they control neighborhoods. I understand that a house found in one of those neighborhoods is supposedly good for your child because its controlled, sheltered, and safe. But I have to say, if the kid isn't happy then you have a problem. I saw this in the little boy Guterson talked about. He chose to find fun somewhere other than his home and when he went home there were no friends. I'm not saying you should stay away from Home Owner's Associations and kids know the best homes. Instead, I'm sending out the warning that when kids are over protected and live in a place where everything is the same and they are held back from other environments, they rebel and find excitement other places. The best example I give can is around my home. A well known community similar to Green Valley, in many ways, is Spring Valley Lake. When I was younger, it was a place I always wanted to live because it had nice, big homes and it seemed like a happy place. Now, a lot of people know (well at least the people my age) that the kids from Spring Valley Lake aren't very good kids morals wise. Again, I'm only sharing what I know and I do not apply this to every person or neighborhood. It is obviously circumstantial. This is only a small portion of what we are discussing in this class and I hope to explore all of it. Hopefully, this wasn't too long and boring....