Bulgarians in Pittsburgh

Pavel, Other Pavel, Joro, and Rado with Roberto Clemente

on Roberto Clemente Bridge

walking by the Allegheny River

Me and Rado pose for a picture

to the Point

I know I said I'd post about my trip to Bulgaria, and I still plan to, but here is Bulgaria's trip to me! haha. The brother of Rado's sister-in-law was in Redding, PA for training and came with two other Bulgarian coworkers to visit us for a few hours... We had a blast and tried to compact the surrouding area into a few hours with success. We left on a walk from N. Side and travelled by Pirates (PNC) Stadium, went across Roberto Clemente bridge, walked along the river to the point, went to PPG Square and Market Square, ate at Primantis (A Pittsburgh Original). Then we continued our walk across Smithfield St. Bridge to Station Square, rode the incline to Mt. Washington and enjoyed the view, and walked them back to their rental car before heading off to a concert in Highland Park. What a Pittsburgh day! If they get to come longer next time we'll show them more of our lovely city, but they were very impressed by the city and said they enjoyed it more than Philadelphia or New York. That's right folks! Pittsburgh rules.

Beauty

found: Eloise Street, North Side, Pittsburgh


the text:
Beauty
must be defined as
what we are,
or else the concept itself
is our enemy

To see beauty is
simply to learn the
private language of
meaning which is
another's life--
to recognize and
relish
what is.

Why languish in the shadows of a standard
We cannot personify and ideal we live

Weather Almanac in Pictures

For some reason on the warmest day this winter and also on what felt like the coldest thus far, I decided to go for a walk. Now the warm day, most people can understand. The cold one, well I later met two others who went for a walk or bike ride that day just for pleasure and not to get anywhere, but on my walk, I didn't see anyone else who wasn't out there for necessity. According to historical weather data, the warm day January 8, 2008, was in fact the record warmest temperature for that date. Coming in at 69 degrees F, it beat the previous record holder by 3 degrees and 71 years (1937).
The pictures from Jan 8 are from Allegheny Commons and outside the Children's Museum in the North Side, and downtown.


The cold day was well below the average for that day, January 20th, 2008, but didn't get the record.

Jan 20 08 actual minimum temp: 5 F/ =15 C, Average min for Jan 20s: 19 F/ -7 C Record min for Jan 20s: -18 F/ -27 C in 1985. Hopefully I will be smart enough not to go out if it gets that cold this year!
The pictures from that day are from the old St. Nicholas R.C. Croatian Church. It was build in 1900-01, and closed in 2004. The Mary statue remains, but there were spaces where others used to be and I think they got rid of some of the stained glass and murals. Still interested architecture to look at, though.

Sarah and the Geese

(No, this does not end up like Leda and the Swan, thank goodness)

Geese and I are not on as friendly of terms as pigeons and I, but...here we are.

On Thin Ice

Geese standing on thin ice on a pond at Allegheny Commons Park, North Side, Pittsburgh.

Morning Walk in Allegheny Commons

This morning I was diverted from work to a walk in the Allegheny Commons park in the North Side. This is why I love that the spanish word "divertido" means "fun." Because when I get diverted from what I intended to do, the diversion often ends up being quite fun, and probably more fun than what I intended to do... Anyways, I got a little turned around in the park as I was probably too busy looking at everything, so it took me much longer than it should have to make my way through. However, the fruit of this is I have some neat pictures to share with you. I took them on my cell phone, so they are not the best quality, but I just really loved the yellow yellow leaves on the ground and the wrought iron fencing above the railroad tracks. I also liked all the juxtapositions of old buildings with newer downtown buildings in the distance and natural elements like the trees. Without further ado...

First Snow of the Season in Pittsburgh

park in the north side from north ave this am as the first snow fell, 16 november 2007

Letter Writing

It's like Tom Brokaw said. Was it Tom Brokaw? Well, lots of people have said it anyways: Letter writing is a lost art. I mean, when's the last time you sat down and wrote a letter? I mean a pen and paper kind of letter. The kind of letter that goes on to backs of pages and more pages and you lick the envelope to seal it and put a stamp on it and physically walk it to a mail receptacle.....? I had been in the habit of writing letters to various pen pals throughout my life. There was Niall, my friend in N. Ireland, but that communication has evolved to e-mail. I kind of miss those Aerograms. Then there was my San Juan Pueblo, NM friend, whom I wrote to in NM and when he was with the Army Reserves in Iraq, but he stopped writing real letters to, and succumbed to the e-mail trend. Now I am trying to write letters to my friend, also named Sarah. She is basically me, so I think she enjoys this process as well.

I went to a letter writing event at Beleza Community Coffeehouse in the North Side (mex war streets part) of Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon. I didn't write any super long letters, but I did make this card for my friend Sarah. I hope she'll like it!

Finally, as a bonus for reading all of these posts tonight (ha, I'm in da zone or something) here is an interesting and related link to how a letter took 64 years to be delivered:

Japanese Soldier's Postcard Reaches Friend After 64 Years - Yahoo! News

The Dream Nest

I had an awe-inspiring surreal experience yesterday on a visit to the "House Poem" by Huang Xiang. Located on Sampsonia Way in the North Side of Pittsburgh, this is the home of Huang Xiang and his wife Zhang Ling. The house is covered in calligraphy of his poetry. This is an amazing attestment because Mr. Huang's work was banned in China, and when he lived there, he had been imprisoned altogether over ten years of his life. He and his wife came here in 2004 as refugees with the help of the City of Asylum Pittsburgh.

Huang Xiang reading

I suggested this venue for part of a Literacy*AmeriCorps Pittsburgh training day, and was thrilled when City of Asylum via Henry Reese helped to coordinate this. Huang Xiang was very gracious and thrilled us by reading seven poems and taking questions and comments. I am planning to blog more about this soon, but for now, here are some pictures from the event. I was asked to read the English translations of Mr. Huang's poetry before he read each poem in Chinese. Josh Cohen and Steve Thomas, also AmeriCorps members each read a poem as well.

Me reading English translations with Huang Xiang looking on.

Steve Thomas reading with Huang Xiang

The House Poem