Day 166: The 34th Street Wall

Before today I had never seen nor heard of the 34th Street Wall. As far as I can tell (and I haven't actually questioned anyone about it), it's legal graffiti done by the students and residents of Gainseville. Over time the wall changes form, with old murals being painted over and new ones being displayed. They are always a snapshot of the times. One section of the wall, in big balloon letters, said "Vote Gillian Leytham". And then someone inescapably wrote "DON'T" in front of it.

As I walked along the wall I came across two girls who had parked their SUV on the side of the road and were about to start opening paint cans. They were dedicating an entire slab of wall to an homage to their favorite book, My Friend Leonard. I didn't know much about the book. They told me that it was about the friendship of two men who met in a rehab clinic and how the affected each other's lives. I looked it up later and it's actually that James Frey book that Oprah ripped into on her show for not being factually true (it was marketed as a memoir). But there's nothing wrong with fiction.

I must thank you
for this
for all you've done for me
And I cannot forget, it will be repaid

Song: "Burning in the Skies" by Linkin Park. Alternative. Linkin Park drew a lot of criticism for the artistic direction they took with their newest album, and at first I was among the detractors. But the more I listened to it, the more I got it. This is an atmospheric track layered with synths and industrial beats. Noticeably absent is a large presence of guitars, which Linkin Park has always been known for. But guitars aren't needed to make this song anthemic and expressive.

Day 165: Scootertown

The view from the back porch of David's apartment at The Estates. I'm not sure what UF's obsession with scooters is, but I can dig it. They seem to be everywhere and it's pretty chill. I think right after I snapped this pic I passed out on the couch. I was supposed to be sleeping on an air mattress in the living room, and I did so the night before, and promptly decided it was a one-time only experience. A few hours after I went to sleep on the air mattress I woke back up to find all the air had left the mattress and I was basically lying on the ground with vinyl rolling around beneath me. I had to respectfully decline the offer to repeat the experience on night 2.

Sorry for the lazy picture. Today was mainly spent hanging out with new friends, playing Mario Kart, and eating lots of Chipotle, so I didn't really have an opportunity to snap an inspired, Gainesville-centric picture.

It didn't take me long to figure out I was the frame
And you were the picture
In your eyes

Song: "Annie" by Mat Kearney. Adult alternative. Mat's got a great voice, which he sometimes uses to rap or do spoken word interludes. He (sadly) cut most of these gimmicks out for his second album, and so this piano track is mainly a backdrop for his soulful vocals and his signature hooo-oooh's. For some reason, a lot of Mat Kearney's music reminds me of Gainesville, even though I've only been there a handful of times. It also reminds me of up north, walking along the streets of Columbus. If you like this song be sure to check out his other work, you'll probably be impressed.