Exposed
But enough about us; what does the News think about us? Fortunately, we were not asked to pose waiflike on a bed with a laptop cord. “Lame and small-town,” by the way, was just supposed to be a hyperbolic description of what was running through our mind soon after moving to Ann Arbor. A2 is definitely medium-town.
If that chick on the rumpled bed with the Amy Winehouse tattoos isn’t a snapshot of the lamest poseur element of Greenpoint/Williamsburg, I don’t know what is.
posted by (former) OFWinsurgent on May 23rd, 2008 at 8:07 pmWell, congratulations on finally getting out. Hell, I had a weblog *at* mlive.com and I didn’t get a feature. They just deleted it when I left.
posted by rjwhite on May 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 pmSpeaking of trashy photos: what is amazing is that I had thought this blog would turn out to be run by Miley Cyrus, but it ended up being whatsername instead.
With the bright, sunny, shallow, never-sarcastic air of this blog and its design, that “Hannah Montana” vibe always came through to a lot of us.
Maybe the “author” is just a beard and a decoy for Billy Ray Cyrus’ little girl. Time will tell, I guess.
posted by David Boyle on May 23rd, 2008 at 10:55 pmWas the Totter post the first time that you have been pictured on web? I seem to recall that in one of Mandrake’s farewell posts he mentioned making some friends in Ann Arbor and showed an anonymous picture of a twenty-something woman. If I recall correctly, that picture now seems like your totter photo. (Mandrake seems to have taken his blog down.)
posted by A Different Jon on May 23rd, 2008 at 11:10 pmI must extend my sincere thanks to you. This blog was like therapy to me in our early days as new residents of this fine land, when I felt like I was living inside the pages of The Emperor’s New Clothes in terms of Deuce hype versus Deuce reality.
I’m starting to get used to it, but not for the reasons everyone originally assured me I’d love it here…Nonetheless, I’ll take what I can get. Our home’s value has dropped $50k in three years so we ain’t going nowhere.
You’re very brave to out yourself, people are fiercly protective of and defensive about this town on so many levels it is scary.
Godspeed and best of luck to you in your return to the East Coast!
posted by Sarah on May 24th, 2008 at 8:25 amBloody Hell! We just moved here from Sydney, Australia. Now that’s a city that’s overrated - Take away the harbour, Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and there’s not much left. The traffic’s a nightmare and while there might be plenty of culture, it’s so hard to get to it all becomes too hard.
posted by Geoff on May 24th, 2008 at 9:24 amWe thought Ann Arbor would be a good compromise - houses and cars are a fraction of cost, (unfortunately so are the wages) and there’s plenty of free public lectures on any number of topics. We can walk to downtown in a few minutes, yet have enough land to grow vegetables and I can ride my bike to work in Dexter.
On the downside, it’s hard to get a good coffee, there isn’t a grocery store close by, public transport sucks, and you have to go to Chicago to buy clothes.
I’m looking forward to making the most of what Ann Arbor has to offer.
The Leopolds leaving, aaio leaving, this place won’t be the same.
posted by tom brandt on May 24th, 2008 at 9:41 amI don’t get all this. I think AAIOIO.
posted by nunya on May 24th, 2008 at 10:10 amWe are going to miss you my friend! Although I’ve not chatted here often, I’ve been lurking on the dark corners of your blog for a long time now. Thank you for the great conversations and debates. Maybe I’ll start the new blog and call it “As the World Turns Around Ann Arbor” or “Ann Arbor’s So Called Life”. Anyway… as Ivy Baker Priest once said “The world round and the place which might seem like the end, may also be the beginning.” All the best to you!
posted by MjC on May 24th, 2008 at 10:42 amDon’t let the door hit you on the way out. I’m betting in six monhs you’ll be admitting how much you miss it.
posted by Brenda on May 24th, 2008 at 10:54 amAnn Arbor has a door?
posted by HNG on May 24th, 2008 at 11:06 amThanks for the well wishes, everyone!
I seem to recall that in one of Mandrake’s farewell posts he mentioned making some friends in Ann Arbor and showed an anonymous picture of a twenty-something woman.
There does exist a picture of us somewhere.
I don’t get all this. I think AAIOIO.
I had that Scrabble rack too. Best move is to exchange AIIOO, or possibly to spell AALII if there’s an L.
Ann Arbor has a door?
It’s a little fairy door!
posted by ann arbor is overrated on May 24th, 2008 at 11:46 amMaryland, eh? Boy, if you think AA is overrated, wait til Maryland hits you in the face. Full of residents who continue to think the Confederacy was a great idea, atmosphere like a swamp, giant bugs, crappy economy outside Ground Zero beltway. Been there, lived with them, got the hell out.
posted by passing thru on May 24th, 2008 at 12:33 pmMaryland, eh? Boy, if you think AA is overrated, wait til Maryland hits you in the face. Full of residents who continue to think the Confederacy was a great idea, atmosphere like a swamp, giant bugs, crappy economy outside Ground Zero beltway.
That is true and the reason that AAIO so accurately observed before that Maryland is correctly rated. However, Takoma Park, MD provides A2’s yuppie vibe along with the overratedness, if AAIO wants to duplicate the A2 experience.
posted by Constantine on May 24th, 2008 at 9:01 pmTakoma Park = Ann Arbor ??? In order to make that work you have to double house prices and the crime rate on the right side of that equation.
posted by Oak Park Dave on May 25th, 2008 at 2:07 amI always thought aaio had aa pegged just right. Ann Arbor is a mom and pop place that got an inflated sense of self. It is physical nice, not fantastic, nice summers, long, grey winters and far from where a lot of students come from. Still, I have been here a long time,and have gotten used to it, and it is a place where you can carve out your own life.
posted by emilia on May 25th, 2008 at 10:20 amEnjoy your next ‘hood, aaio. It is a lot what you make of things.
OP Dave — check your math: you forgot to quadruple the number of interesting things to do and the transit access.
posted by Dale on May 25th, 2008 at 11:54 am“I always thought aaio had aa pegged just right. Ann Arbor is a mom and pop place that got an inflated sense of self.”
AAIO has AA exactly right: We’re the very best thing in our own small minds — but don’t call us small-minded, because we’re smart and green and hip, insofar as we read the New York Times, drive a Prius and can name-drop obscure musicians/writers/travel spots.
Good luck on the next part of your life back East. How you’ll survive in the wilderness that is anything more than walking distance from the Michigan Theatre we don’t know.
posted by Young Westside on May 25th, 2008 at 12:25 pmcheese whiz is overrated
posted by peter honeyman on May 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pmBender-
The D.C. area is GREAT if you love museums. Sadly, beyond the esteemed cultural institutions, there is just not much of an arts “scene” there. I like museums, but I can’t see myself actually hanging out at the Smithsonian twice a week. Maybe you can. The lack of a scene is particularly glaring considering the cost of living. I mean, parts of Maryland have house prices nearly equal to metro New York.
posted by Oak Park Dave on May 25th, 2008 at 3:57 pmThe potential for abuse of celebrity has so increased for the next few months. What can we expect to see? Stint in rehab? Endorsement for Le-Squirrel-on-Le-Stick?
posted by A Different Jon on May 25th, 2008 at 4:04 pmAAIO has AA exactly right: We’re the very best thing in our own small minds — but don’t call us small-minded, because we’re smart and green and hip, insofar as we read the New York Times, drive a Prius and can name-drop obscure musicians/writers/travel spots.
This is particular to Ann Arbor? Given ‘What White People Like’ it seems like there’s larger epidemic of the ‘Ann Arbor’ disease.
I’ve liked aaio’s rants even though I also like it here a lot. (”What White People Like” is pretty funny most of the time, too) But how many city neighborhoods have a hike as nice as the Arb nearby and, say, a Dominick’s and a Michigan Theater within walking distance, and are compact enough that in 10 minutes you can be pedaling your bike through the countryside? If you care about being able to get out of an urban environment quickly, then the big cities are out. And if you care about at least a quasi-urban cultural landscape, then you’re looking at a college town — and at that point it’s a relatively short list.
posted by mw on May 26th, 2008 at 3:42 pmSad to see AAIO go. It was great to hear an accurate opinion of A2 from a non-townie. A2 townies, sad people.
posted by waitingtoleaveA2 on May 28th, 2008 at 1:47 pmWhich is better? ArborUpdate or AAIO?
posted by Kaptain Krunch on May 30th, 2008 at 5:41 pmI saw one website that records and reports “traffic” on websites and it disclosed AAIO had about 2,000 “unique hits” per month, compared to about 5,000 for AU. The number of hits were about 4,000 per month for AU until the advent of the police/court building when traffic increased to 5,000 per month. Quite an amazing volume when you consider that many users review these two sites on a daily basis.
posted by John Dory on July 15th, 2008 at 7:16 pm