Coverage of Rural Indiana in the Star

Anecdotally, so many people in Indianapolis seem to have migrated from small towns. And yet so little coverage in the Star pertains to rural Indiana and its various distresses, linked to job losses, CAFOs, the meth and teen pregnancy crises, etc.

The Web and Sense of Place

It goes without saying that the web provides a staggering, breathtaking, mind-blowing, awe-inspiring volume of information. It humbles you to recognize how little you know through casual surfing. It can teach you so much.

But that infinity of knowledge can leave one pursuing a wholly atomized approach to living - where you just learn what you want to learn, and build relationships only with people that you want to build relationships with, not your neighbors. It can create an indifference to your immediate surroundings. I think about how few people know each other in my building. How anonymous it feels (though less so compared to my previous city). I think about how little the urban papers cover rural affairs - the proliferation of CAFOs, the teen pregnancy and meth crises, the slow elimination of small family farms, the distress of manufacturing losses.

Is civic life harmed, on net, by the web?

Indiana's Greens

I'm coming to learn firsthand that there are multiple segments of Indiana's population that care about the condition of the environment, though certainly have different motivations, views on policy approaches, sense of priorities, etc.

Here are my observations of the Indiana Greens:

1. Small, tight knit, with a view that environmental protection is their whole life
2. Concentrated in Bloomington and Indy but actually pretty dispersed
3. Composed of disparate groups, not all of whom would call themselves green
4. Angry about degradation in their immediate world, and having an attuneness to assaults on the environment from a state, national and international perspective
5. Distrustful of large corporations, and people/organizations affiliated with such institutions

Rocky Ripple

A treat to visit a place so removed from the commerical monotony that unfortunately scars much of Indianapolis. Rocky Ripple, adjacent to the White River, is a pleasure to visit. People seem in love with this neighborhood, and they feel like one family. I think my impression is colored by the specific composition of the party that I went to in Rocky Ripple, who seemed so uninhibited but good-natured.

Chicago- with all of its green innovations -- never gave me that sense of place, in part because it is so large. Indianapolis has so much promise to be a city that feels like a 'home'town!

On the CICP

The driving force behind the Super Bowl. Made of the most powerful titans in all of Central Indiana. Committed to "getting things done" and a great focus on economic development, private sector development (a la Daniels). In wonderment over their next steps to deal with public transit in Indiana, a space that seems so astonishingly barren. As with the IMA, how can non-profit groups try to tap into the energies that drive men and women to foresake the quiet life and family life to reach a grand vision of landing the Super Bowl? Perhaps aim for something more tangible, and frame the effort to built commuter rail in Central Indiana as a competition with other cities to reach metropolitan greatness?

Some views:

*Chamber-
-legislative deference
-pessimism about funding options at state and federal level

*Environment
-sprawl
-livability over sustainability
-air quality
-hunting/fishing interests

On the Indiana Museum of Art

Here is a cultural institution in a medium-size Midwestern town aspiring for greatness, and apparently having the patron love and funds to make that happen. Where does the energy and drive for the abstract (e.g. contemporary art) come from in a state that seems so down home and practical? How can public interest groups and non-profits understand the energies that underpin the IMA tap into it, for advancing the greater good?

The practical side of my own self wonders about the seemingly profound opportunity cost of investing in contemporary art over poverty alleviation. But that I struggle in trying to answer that question makes me understand why people always tell me that art "challenges" them.

What key things can Indianapolis do to make this town attractive to top talent?

1. Easier, more modern transit
a. more running trails
b. more bike trails
c. public transit

2. Great schools
a. higher graduation rate
b. more investment in top faculty

3. More livable city
a. more canals
b. more parks

Understanding the Hoosier Identity

Politics: moderate, little direct confrontation in the State House

Religion: deeply religious, with churches dotting the landscape

Race: rarely a topic of open conversation

Schooling: clear tracking of kids to different trajectories of high school (e.g. Cathedral), college (e.g. Wabash)

On IUPUI's Bantz

Chancellor Bantz is a soft-spoken man (a Midwestern man?), with a delight for story-telling, observations, and academic citations.

He is someone also keen to make IUPUI come to its own, with an identity distinct from Purdue and IU, emerging as a great urban-based university. He speaks of helping to consolidate its various schools, build up its graduate schools, and develop a focus on economic development-related departments.

The Changing Makeup of Indianapolis

I've begun to learn about Indianapolis's changing racial make-up: its growing Latino population, and growing population of other ethnic groups, some here as refugees. The coming years will be fascinating to watch: how that new ethnic mix will shape our politics, and our priorities.

What gives the downtown character?

What is truly value-added about the choices of architects and urban planners in the city?

What's not:
a. the skyscrapers - pretty, but nothing earth-shattering
b. the chain retailers and restaurants
c. the masses of parking lots

What does:
1. War Memorial and Monument Circle

2. The green spaces, especially White River State Park and the canal

3. The Cultural Trail

The Merits of City Living

I feel fortunate to live in the downtown area, which is a window to so many realms of Hoosier life:

*Corporate Indiana: Lilly, Wellpoint

*Government Indiana: the State House, the district court

*Religious Indiana: Wheeler Mission, Redeemer

*Sports Indiana: Lucas Oil, RCA Dome

*Agriculture Indiana: Farm Bureau

*Struggling Indiana: the homeless, the mentally ill

Greening the Southern Part of Indianapolis?

People who learn that I've just moved to Indianapolis love to remark about the progress that Indianapolis has made in redeveloping its downtown in a short period of time. I hear that it took an oligarchy to do that -- then Mayor Dick Lugar, along with city business leaders like Eli Lilly, who made big-time momentous decisions: tearing down ugly buildings, creating green space, and using newly created funds from Unigov to fund public works projects. As I've remarked before, there are many beautiful spots in the vicinity of Monument Circle that seem to be the fruit of what was seemingly an authoritarian process.

I wonder what the development plan is for southern Indianapolis? So many abandoned lots. So much dilapidating housing stock. Could this be the second phase of the Renaissance of downtown - perhaps largely green in nature?

Learning about the festivals of Indianapolis

*Circle City Fair

*Indianapolis State Fair

*Indy Fringe Festival
http://www.indyfringe.org/

The University World of Indianapolis

*Butler University
Came to learn about

*Marian College
Know the head of the Eco Lab

*Indiana Wesleyan
Met an admissions counselor from there

*Ivy Tech College
Several legislators have links

*Martin University
Had an interesting environmental science program

*University of Indianapolis
The home of the Lugar Scholars program

Indianapolis-Based Non-Profits that I'm Learning About

Noble of Indiana:
http://www.nobleofindiana.org/

Christel House
http://www.christelhouse.org/

Ambassadors for Children
http://www.ambassadorsforchildren.org/www2/

Impressions of Indianapolis

Pros:
*Graspable
Sufficiently small to "get to know it all" but sufficiently big for there to be diversity

*Solid cultural institutions:
a. art museum
b. zoo
c. theatre(s)
d. symphony
e. opera

*Some very visually appealing areas--
1. War Memorial area
2. Monument Circle
3. State House environs

*Seemingly good race relations

Cons:
*Too many:
-allergens in the air
-parking lots
-jay walkers
-people who've eaten way too much

*Too little racial/cultural diversity

*Dominated by local titans
Anthem to the east, Lucas Oil to the south, Lilly to the southeast, Clarian to the Northwest

*Takeover of retail by chains
-This is especially true outside of downtown - metro Indy could be anywhere USA

Impressions of People in Indianapolis

-Hoosiers:
nice
somewhat serious
very sports focused (basketball, Colts, racing)
like low-density living (Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, Moresville, Lawrence)
grounded in a "dominion"-view of man, reflected by lack of sustainable living qualities

-Young professionals
mostly married

-Men:
buzz cuts
serious

-Women:
very short hair

Some Interesting Groups to Meet People

*Hoosier Canoe Club
http://www.hoosiercanoeclub.org/

*Indy Runners
http://www.indyrunners.org/

*Amnesty International
http://www.indypeaceandjustice.org/

*Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
http://www.kibi.org/

*Fred Astaire Dance School of Indianapolis
Apparently lots of college-age people, and very good instructors
http://www.indyballroom.com/

*Riola Dance
http://riolodance.com/default.aspx

*Indy Dancers
http://www.indydancers.com/id.htm#Indy%20Dancers

*Brickyard Boogie Dancers
http://www.brickyardboogiedancers.org/

Random Ways to Meet Young Professionals

*Attend First Fridays
http://www.idada.org/

*Go to galas, awards luncheons
Here are a few examples:
http://www.goodwill-indy.org/luncheon/default.asp
http://www.japanindiana.org/

Other Neighborhoods I've Become Aware Of

*Broad Ripple
-Three Sisters Cafe: good food!

*Castleton
The location of two women that I greatly respect

*Chatham Arch
Where an aquaintance of mine lives

*Crown Hill
Preserved by city-minded activists

*Fountain Square -The 50s-ish theatre dominates the identity of this area

*Geist
Where Governor Daniels apparently lives

*Fletcher's Place
-Great restaurants like The Milano Inn, The Bosphors, and Nick Iaria's

*IUPUI
Wonderfully new, modern buildings. Great soccer field, and cool student center

*Irvington
A few friends live here, but I haven't been. Apparently a great pizza place

*Lockerbie -traditional rowhouses -backdrop is the skyline - but also parking lots

*Mass Ave -Easy walk from restaurant to restaurant -Indianapolis Cultural Trail gives this area a European feel -theatres abound, including Murat (never been) and Phoenix Theatre

*Meridian Hills
"remains a wooded residential enclave for the wealthy and upper-middle class," as they say on Wikipedia

*So Bro -Beautiful old homes with lots of trees

*White River State Park
-Eiteljorg: impressive Western art
-Indiana State Museum: beautiful atrium

Finding Groups for Young Professionals

*Indianapolis Sports and Social Club
http://indy.playcoed.com/market_about.php

*Indy Indoor Sports
http://www.indyindoor.net/

*Off the Wall Sports
http://www.offthewallsports.net/

*Sportzone
http://www.sportzoneindy.com/index.php

*Indy Hub
http://www.indyhub.org/

*Redeemer Presbyterian http://www.redeemindy.org/
Has a reputation of having lots of young professionals

*Smaller Indiana
http://www.smallerindiana.org

Churches, and other places of worship

*St. Lukes
Very welcoming congregation. Massive sanctuary. Lots of older people.
Apparently a good environmental ministry.

*Christ Church in downtown
Beautiful, intimate. Half full.

*Second Presbyterian
Very neat architecture. People seem kind of serious.

*Redeemer Presbyterian
Very talented young musicians. Traditional architecture. Mix of modern music and traditional forms (e.g. catechism element). Lots of new parents and young married couples. Sermon dragged on forever, and didn't seem too cogent.

*Roberts Park United Methodist
Dominated by older people.

*St. Mary's Catholic Church
'Rebuilding congregation,' lots of young families; good percentage of Latinos.

I'd love to see a great gospel choir. Please let me know if you know of one!

Finding things to do: concerts, lectures, get-togethers

*Christian Theological Seminary
http://www.cts.edu/Programs/Index.cfm?NavID=8&PageID=98
The Faith Learning Initiative offers courses throughout the year

*Indy Parks
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPR/Programs/Fun+Guide.htm
An amazing array of inexpensive, taught arts classes (e.g. dance), but age range will be very wide, from 18 on up

*Indy.com
http://www.indy.com/events
Impressively comprehensive

*Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association
http://www.indy.org/

*Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Office of Catholic Education
http://www.archindy.org/oce/index.asp?action=program_news&id=2
Their young adult page is unfortunately barren!

*NUVO
http://www.nuvo.net/
Very heavy on the music and art scene, less so on interesting lectures and presentations

*Provocate
http://www.provocate.org/
Good pulse on interesting lectures in the city

*Indy Downtown
http://www.indydt.com/
Good for tracking ongoing activities. The search engine doesn't seem as strong at tracking events on any given day

*IUPUI Events Calendar
http://events.iupui.edu/
Skeletal calendar, alas.

*The Entertainment Guide
http://indianapolis.entertainment.com/discount/siteguide.shtml
Good for generating ideas for places to go in Indianapolis

Action-oriented activities that I'm exploring

*Dance:
East Coast Swing (Fountain Square): http://www.fountainsquareindy.com/
Comments:
-very cool live 'Big Band' music
-the ambience, like a puppet theatre
-the acoustics are bad
-lots of college-age kids, few young professionals

Starlite Ballroom http://www.starlitedanceindy.com/
Comments:
-the site of several dance clubs
-near Lafayette Square

*Voice
-St. Luke's: very nice choir director. Seemingly few young professionals in the choir, though.

Neighborhood Explorations: Downtown

Downtown:

Here are some things that I like about downtown:

*The War Memorial
-Majestic with amazing symmetry

*Chase Tower
-A symbol that while downtown is very walkable, it has some big city nuggets

*Favorite Restaurants
Pizza: Bazbeaux, Palomino
Pancakes: Le Peep

A Newcomer to Indianapolis and Indiana

I am new to Indianapolis and in Indiana. I thought I'd create a blog to narrate some of my efforts at meeting people like me. I hope that some of what I learn will be helpful to others who are new to the city, or are seeking to broaden their community.

Who am I?
*A straight, 30 something single professional male with a broad array of interests.
-Faith: a blend of two faiths, reflecting my heritage and my philosophical love
-Music: international, classical
-Dance: west coast swing, rumba
-Food: Thai, Chinese, Italian, gourmet pizza, organic food
-Politics: centrist, respecting the merits of a variety of political traditions