Skip to main content

Dense But Anonymous


 

First things first. For all the folks who read yesterday’s blog thinking I was legitimately going to reveal shocking truths - - my apologies. I say this because it got a healthy amount of clicks but absolutely zero comments, which usually means that readers have walked away thinking, “meh” or “aw, heck.”

For real and possiblly shocking weather, it sounds like today might be the real thing. And I sincerely hope not because I yet again find myself in a house without a basement.


*****

Have you seen this map lately?


Yes, it’s a WalletHub map. I have just about made my peace with their periodic announcements about where we live and my lack of confidence in what they are doing (and why.) But, as far as I can tell, they aren’t doing any significant harm. I don’t think any community has dropped off the map as a result of their endless surveys. 

We’ve probably all seen the online trolls who hate local leadership and respond to any positive rankings as proof positive that WalletHub is trash. This is, of course, right up there with scorning a food reviewer because they like vanilla ice cream and you don’t. 

My question is pretty much: if WalletHub didn’t exist, would the world be worse? Do they meet any legitimate need?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Anyway, the WalletHub topic du jour is happiness. Who are the happiest cities in America this time?

A conversation on Bluesky caught my eye. (You’ll note that Fremont, California comes in at number one.)

[boggles] How? Are the Fremont Tesla plant's repeated air and sewer discharge violations somehow medicating the population with lithium or something?

The next few responses:

  • Dammit, I'm going to have to click through to see how they measure this aren't I?

  • Methodology is so important.

  • Given that Columbia, MD also ranks highly it's based on a poll of people who are really into dense but anonymous suburbia.


Wait - - what?

Given that Columbia, MD also ranks highly it's based on a poll of people who are really into dense but anonymous suburbia.


Yes, Columbia made the list, at number 13. You can check out the write-up here:


But I can’t get that casual comment out of my head. “…people who are really into dense but anonymous suburbia.”

Would you say that’s an apt description? I live in a quadroplex community and we’ve never known many of our neighbors. Is that what we are? Dense but anonymous?

Do we need to make t-shirts?


Six am foolishness using Custom Ink website




I prefer to think we’re largely shy folks who live in a neighborhood we can afford. But I wondered what you would think. 

I’ve seen plenty of less than charitable characterizations of Columbia over the years, including “car-dependent suburban hellscape”. But this one made me think. I’d love your feedback.

Stay safe today.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more