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You’re the type who always hears about stuff after it’s
happened and if it’s not edible or smoke-able, you rarely
try new things. However, soon as the weekend rolls back
around and you realize you do have a few extra bucks to
spend… you kick that same old dry refrain:
“Maan, it ain’t nothing to do here” and then continue with
your same usual routine.
My thoughts:
You are one of those people who couldn’t find a good time no
matter what city you’re in.
You work. You handle family business. You run errands. You
attend church.
And all your other time is spent complaining from the couch
about not finding anything to do when all you really like
to do is stay home, sip or smoke and watch the world go by.
So part of it is just you. But, if you decide to put some
space between you and those couch cushions I’m sure you can
find something around here you might enjoy!
You’ve given up on your city.
You actually do like to have fun, but your thoughts about a
night out in Toledo are jaded.
You spend so much time in Detroit, Columbus, and Cleveland
that you should pay taxes there. To you, a night out in
Toledo is somewhat beneath you. Your favorite artist can
come to the 419 and you will spend more money and wait in
longer lines just to see the same show in Detroit. When
people tell you about a fun night they had somewhere here in
the city, you match every story they tell with a story of
your own that happened in an even bigger city. You work
here, live here, but kick it everywhere else BUT here.
My thoughts:
The city has changed and evolved and you haven’t noticed.
It’s people like you who are exactly who we need to keep the
fun we do have going strong. Get off that high horse and let
someone show you a few of the new spots and at least try to
appreciate the growth.
You have limited interests
You do actually go out to have fun in Toledo, but you keep
seeing the same people at the same kinds of functions and
it’s making you sick to your stomach.
You only like kicking it with certain groups. You only feel
comfortable in certain environments. Because you’re so
narrow in what appeals to you, you’ve already exhausted all
this city has to offer so now you just complain or stop
going out entirely.
My Thoughts:
Toledo is a lot bigger when you have broad interests.
I’ve been in after-hour raves in some random warehouse on
the same nights I’ve attended networking events or local rap
shows. The wine-tasting crowd needs to mix with the Fat Fish
Blue crowd. The progressive art, political activist crowd
needs to mix with the black professional crowd. The
community theatre crowd needs to mix with the skating and
hustling crowd. You don’t have to keep going to the same
places each weekend hoping it will somehow defy the laws of
physics and give you some entirely new vibe.
Make it a point to kick it with people who feel foreign to
you at first, and keep attending events and getting involved
until that cagey feeling wears off.
You will find a whole new set of friends and opportunities,
trust me.
Summary
Do you realize June is just half over?
All this month I’ve been meeting people from all over the
United States who just happen to be here for some event and
they absolutely love Toledo.
I’m serious. Someone from northern California and someone
else from North Carolina have been able to come here and see
some redeemable qualities.
June is only half over and already you’ve had carnivals and
comedy shows, Strawberry Festival and Old West End Festival,
chart-topping country artists and chart-topping rap artists,
Latino Fest and the Art Hop – all happen right here in your
backyard!
The Art Gallery/Glass Hop event for example, was an event
like most cities never offer.
You tour the various art galleries of the downtown area on a
free shuttle that has so many destinations it has to have a
red loop and a blue loop. There’s food and music at almost
every stop, you meet people from all across the country
because there’s a convention in town, and you see some of
the most innovative art work imaginable.
Then, you walk in another building and find a new restaurant
in downtown Toledo that’s not even a month old. I mean, if
you don’t find anything to do here it’s simply your own
fault.
I’ll be the first to admit, we’ve got a long way to go
before we are as progressively exciting as Columbus or
Pittsburgh. But our biggest hurdles should the logistics
involved in pulling off the events that make a city a fun
city. Our biggest hurdle should NOT be the low self esteem
so many Toledoans have about Toledo that keeps them from
supporting the various activities. Oh yeah, shout out to
C.C. on opening her new hair salon AND spoken word venue
this past weekend too.
Look at that. C.C.
Someone I knew when I used to run my own open mic night back
in college.
We had live jazz and spoken word every week downtown in the
early 2000’s.
Onstage, sometimes I would lead my audience in a simple call
and response:
“Toledo … has…. Culture… DAMNIT!”
I still want to move to NYC one day.
My affinity for my hometown isn’t so delusional that I
overlook what we lack or over-estimate the potential.
All I know is, I saw a shirt last year in Bozarts art
gallery that read:
Boring People Hate Toledo, and I understood at that point
how fashion can communicate thoughtful expression because I
concur.
Let’s have a safe, fulfilling and enormously fun summer,
Toledo.
Email
ugemusic@gmail.com
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