Central Corridor

Metro living on the grid plan...

Phoenix is like many western cities and streets are built on a square mile grid plan with a planned number design. The entire state as a matter of fact was laid out by the General Land Office under the Public Land Survey System with a system originally proposed by Thomas Jefferson. The system in integral to American history and lore including railroad line grants, use of the metric system, land grant schools and the phrase "forty acres and a mule." The grid street plan makes for easy traversing across and around the city. The Phoenix Light Rail System works its way around the plan primarily the Central and Camelback Corridors, Washington-Jefferson Street Corridor and Apache Boulevard as well as 19th Avenue until it is expanded.

The Phoenix metropolitan area is laid out based on an arterial grid with section lines using a meridian and baseline (hence Baseline Road) and is divided north and south by Washington Street and east and west by Central Avenue, known as the Central Corridor. The street numbering plan to a newcomer can be confusing at first until it's fixed in the mind that numbered streets (such as 24th Street) are east of Central Avenue and primary streets are even numbered while numbered avenues (for examples 19th Avenue) are on the west side of Central Avenue and the main avenues are odd numbered.

There are variations on the theme due to irregularities in terrain, surveying, historical and practical matters such as freeways and the canal system that provides water within the central portion of the original Phoenix metro and nearby outlying communities. Many of the east to west primary roads have become miles long corridors in their own right. Most of my life has been spent in the Camelback Corridor intersecting with either 32nd Street or the Central Corridor. The Valley of the Sun would be snarled like some east coast city if it wasn't for simple navigation with the application of grid blocks in the urban landscape.

Standing In Line At USPS

Taking number 83 next...

Black and White Make Gray

Not necessarily a blue mood...

Admittedly I would not like to live in a place that rains a lot, gray clouds are the norm and the landscape seemingly bleak. We've experienced gray clouds and rather stark skies this past weekend for desert country that is usually bright and clear. Some would say that the desert is austere and monochromatic but since I know where and how to look for the beauty and color I think not.

Therefore I tend to view a gray and bare day as a rare opportunity to explore how to make it have a life of its own and discover the hidden beauty in it. I'm supposing that people who live in that type of climate all the time and like it do the same thing as those of us who enjoy the desert do. As a matter of fact I've come to think that the real art in living and creative endeavors is not what strikes you right away. It is that which is subtle and the allure takes time to absorb its values that make it attractive.

In reality whether urban or rural the aesthetic must be sought since it rarely makes itself obvious immediately. Taking photographs in color is wonderful because color bursts out at you and makes itself known right away to be worked with. Working in black and white or with sepia and other forms of monochromatic pictures is another application of art of itself. Both are satisfying but the challenge is enhancing the beauty that is not quite so evident. The education is that this is a case of art imitating how to live life.

Grand Canal

Reflecting on the pedestrian bridge...

Squaw Peak In Relief

Cruising toward Phoenix landmark on Northern Ave...

Musical Aspirations On A Hook

Instruments in abeyance...

Waiting to be plugged in and fill the air with music.

At one time played by someone these four and five bass string guitars were pawned for one reason or another. Perhaps the owner lost interest, discovered they weren't very good at playing, were a trade in or worse needed the money and had to sacrifice a beloved instrument for cold hard cash. They hang waiting in silence to be become alive again and fill the air with their back beat sound to enrapture the player either alone, with a small group of family and friends or perhaps even in public performance. No matter the skill and ability of someone who might want to play one of these guitars, it is almost shameful they're in a landfill of silent musical equipment.

Ray Charles said: "I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me-like food or water."

All creative people feel that way I think, I don't remember a time I didn't want to create something and was fortunate who had parents and family that encouraged it. They endured my learning to play piano and guitar and learning to sing. They praised my writing, drawing, painting and photography efforts while offering kind and helpful suggestion on how to improve. Whether creativity is in the arts, in thinking and philosophy or sciences, whether the skill is small, level or great it should be encouraged to develop the mind and soul. It is a seed to enrich life and should be planted, cultivated and grown to its fullest potential if only to satisfy the individuals own essence to give it courage and enrich the spirit.

Reflections Of Spurned Economy

Baby Daddy Do You Wrong?
Sell His Gold At Central Pawn....

In Phoenix the sun always comes out tomorrow after dawn.

I Woke Up Friday the 13th

Driving the wrong way down a one way street...

Camelback Mountain

Sentinel palms keeping surveillance...

From Dusk To Dawn

Sunset, Full Moon Night, Sunrise...

Sleeping and Waking: The nocturnal habits of a productive night owl.

As a night person I'm somewhat forced into a life of days but luckily not completely. Due to my work arrangement I can adjust my hours to accommodate my productive hours between 17:00 in the evening through 02:00 the next morning. Fortunately my circadian rhythms allow me to sleep in two shifts, a good sleep of five to six hours that is all I usually need, with a two hour nap later. On the three-four mornings I may have to be up by 05:00 I generally try not to stay up later than midnight for common sense reasons.

This means I usually have the opportunity to see the beautiful sunsets we have in Arizona. Also I enjoy the moon and since it usually rains in the urban desert during the night the joy of it and rumbling thunder is mine. At dawn I indulge in the elegant sunrises we are privileged to experience in the Valley of the Sun. After hours are my hours although I do spend time during daylight to absorb the waking world and natural light.

These three photographs were taken within a 72 hour period this past week and are a sampling of what we experience on a regular basis in this urban landscape and include a night of a full moon. Living in a desert city has its rewards and is full of environmental splendor of weather, sky, unique vegetation and wildlife.