Summer in the city...

Well it's been awhile. Last week my friend Leslie and I explored the area of KC known as Midtown and had a pretty good time. There are so many cool places off of 39th St in particular, near KU Med Center. I've fallen in love with used bookstores (or would the proper way of saying that be used book stores?). We went to Prosperos, which hit national news recently (CNN.com, AP I think, and the Colbert Report last night) for burning books as a statement that our society doesn't care about reading anymore. I really enjoyed it.

I miss urban living, I really do. Kansas City is pushing towards light rail and possibly commuter trains (a milestone for this area) and I plan to attend a meeting on this soon. I want to be involved with this, civically. We need mass transit in the metro, because the Jo isn't doing it. It has basically a one-way route into the city and out, from 5-7am and 5-7pm. I can't say much about the bus system in KC but I've heard it's not that great.

But anyways. I'm sure you've heard about Kelsey Smith on the news...this is really awful. It's hard to believe that this happened in Kansas, let alone near the mall I was alone at last Thursday. I just am shocked that it all happened in broad daylight. And the guy they've got arrested is from Olathe. He lives within 20 minutes of my house.

What is also sad is how there was a similar disappearance in Missouri (in the KC metro area, I forget where from) but that girl's ordeal was just a blip on the radar screen when it came to media attention. This is received national attention. I watched the press conference last night at 11:30 and it was interesting listening to the reporters...you could tell who the bigwig was in the room. or at least who sounded the most like they'd be a big city-national correspondant type person.

still. pray for the Smith family/friends. I can't even imagine the grief they are going through right now.

in other news, I may have found a part time or freelancing position with a very local newspaper in the small town I went to high school in! I'm meeting with the managing editor for lunch next week. we'll see what happens! I've not heard anything from the Star after submitting examples of work and other important info to get a freelancing contract set up.