Snow, Again

The snow is back again, and seems to be more beautiful this time. With the temperature so cold the snow has the powdery consistency that we don't normally get around here. This allows the crystals to shine a little more brilliantly from the bright street light across the street. And with the temperatures so cold there won't be any melting to ruin my pictures tomorrow, or basically the next 10 days. And my camera is now back in perfect working condition, so I shouldn't have any problems there (always keep soda away from your camera, especially when it's sitting in your front seat and a cup happens to tip over). Hopefully I'll have some pics to post tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Update 2-2-07 12:57 am
Looks like I didn't have time to get any pics besides a few in front of my house and of the arena construction at SLU. If I see anything good I'll post, but I doubt there is anything noteworthy. Looks like we could get a major snowstorm in the next Friday- Saturday time frame. Hopefully I can get something good then.

Veronica O'Brien Has Got To Go

If you are somehow reading my resurrected blog but not reading Urban Review STL, there is something wrong with you. But in case you missed it, Steve Patterson has started a petition asking Veronica O'Brien to resign as President of the St. Louis School Board. Please sign the Petition if you care about the St. Louis Public Schools. I don't know what effect, if any, it will have, but at least it's another way for the voices against O'Brien and state takeover to be heard.

Built St. Louis

While I was checking out the update to the State hospital Page on Builtstlouis.net today I just so happened to spy a pic of myself on the first page. The photo contains my brother, best friend, and me sledding in Tilles Park after a snow in the winter of 1997. I can guarantee that it is us because the coats match what we would have been wearing at the time, and the sleds are exact matches to what we still own. And going on my incredibly good memory, I think I may even remember someone taking pics from below the hill that day.

Mullanphy Progress

As one of my tasks today I took some pics of the work now occurring to stabilize the Mullanphy Emigrant Home. The roof is now secured from collapse. The south wall is still completely exposed to the elements, and hopefully the workers can get that closed in soon.

Snow

If you have spent any appreciable amount of time with me, you will know that I am a weather nut. I came oh so close to majoring in meteorology at SLU instead of Urban Affairs. I find 70 degrees and sunny to be quite boring. I'll take extreme heat, cold, tornadoes, or ice storms any day. Besides St. Louis, this is most definitely my biggest passion. The near miss of the ice storm last week was quite painful to me. I can sit in front of my computer for hours uninterrupted and follow the progress of a storm. In fact, that's what I have done all tonight. I got off work at 9:00 pm after the precipitation had started, and as soon as I got home I planted myself right in front of the keyboard and started watching. And I had the bloggers on Chris Higgins Blog over at Myfoxstl.com to keep my company.

What does this have to do with a blog about the built environment of St. Louis, you ask? Well, I'm not sure if there is anything more beautiful than watching a fresh snow blanket the city. The gloom of the barren winter landscape slowly disappears as the snow accumulates inch by slow inch. The street lights provide a glow that is reflected off the fresh powder making it seem as bright as day. Auto Activity seems to come to a halt. Imperfections are slowly covered. The world seems to slow down briefly. Nature takes over what we think we have control of. And I get to take some different pictures from the normal scenes. I'll update tomorrow night with some of the pictures I took tonight and tomorrow.

Old North St. Louis

Yes, I am alive still. Between school, work, and obviously the Urban St. Louis Forums, I just haven't had time for the blog. But I thought I would share a little personal update with all of you out there. As part of my course work at SLU I am required to complete an internship. I met with Sean Thomas of the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group today, and I will be interning there starting Monday. So I finally get a practical application of what I have learned in the past 2.5 years, and I get to do it in one of my favorite neighborhoods. I'll keep everyone updated. Should be fun.