Also (and I've just heard this said, so take with a grain of salt) is that the primary issue facing it is the aging population and not a lot of replacing generations to keep it up. Lakeside, my sister community, compares itself a lot to Ashburton (the AfAm middle class community established itself there because proximity to Morgan) and one of the big tensions is between older homeowners and crappy landlords who come in as older established residents move out/die. Being Morgan is so close, turns into college housing and a whole other ball of fusses.

Well I love the house I linked to and then this semi-detached has the whole basement thing I want as a studio apt. [link]

Oh hahaha I was thinking of the houses around FEDERAL HILL park, not DRUID HILL park. So not AT ALL the same.

Oh yeah, no. Federal Hill is late gentrification yuppie/wypipl central.

Honestly, wish I'd gotten to know Ashburton better when I lived near, but it's all residential and off my routes. Ten Hills is another place that was near me I'd never heard of.

Until the schools get unfucked up, not sure how some of these inburbs will flourish. They're built for families, but even at those prices, schools are such a crapshoot, if you have barely the money, people take the county over the private tuition and uncertainty of the city.

(Been reading a lot that make me angry and hopeless and still buoyed by Baltimore resilience, but Christ, for how long? I'm staying because my calculus is easy and not daily trampled. That's privilege.)

The neighborhoods with struggling schools are perfect for me to buy in, stability, tax revenue, and no kids. I think that is where retirees and near retirees should look to live to stabilize at risk neighborhoods.

I'm also still mad I couldn't formulate a response to the racist old bat in the y locker room. All I could manage was Jesus fucking Christ and a hand flapping. And I've encountered her before. Uhg.

Jesse, I'm sorry. May it be peaceful.

I'm really sorry, Jesse.

I bought an antique Windsor chair for $20 at a yard sale. It's in excellent condition and looks great in my living room. That's my news of the day.

Wishing you and your family peace, Jesse.

In the last two days I've wandered through two independent bookstores in San Francisco which are slated for closing. And while shopping there listened to the clerks/owners talk about all the bookstores which have closed in the City and Berkeley. It was a sad litany.

But I did find some cool mysteries including a Lovejoy book (I'm only dimly aware of the series on TV) and a non-Ripley Patricia Highsmith. Also a writer who Neil Gaiman always trumpets, Brian Aldiss, who I've never read.

Also, I saw Blade Runner which put me in a weird mood as I walked around a very busy Mission on a Saturday night. So many young techsters on the loose in the streets.

I'm sorry, Jesse.

Jesse, if it would be a welcome distraction, you should get ridiculous cat toys for the new guy and see what he likes.

I bought a fidget spinner for my cats that seems to have gone over well. My downstairs neighbor might not love it.

I just offered to send a copy of the constitution to the White House twitter feed. It could be entertaining to see if that attracts any trolls.

It rained enough in Chicago today that the river is flowing toward the lake instead of away. I hope that doesn't thwart Asian Carp control efforts.