After our perspectives class on Wednesday, September 28th, many of our classmates got together to discuss the second part of the midterm that is due this upcoming Wednesday. We had just completed and turned in our 10 page paper, but now we have to complete 4 out of 8 long answer questions. During our meet up in the honors college  we wrote out the main ideas or points that we could use to help answer the questions, and therefore ended up creating our own outline for the midterm. Someone typed up all of our notes on a google doc to share with the class, as we are allowed to collaborate on this assignment. It was really helpful for all of us to start brainstorming and get started a little early on this project. We now have something to base our work upon, and it is beneficial for not only those who were there for the original meet up, but anyone can see the google doc and edit it if they desire.

This is a picture of the skate park I found while walking the Beltline. There were a lot of little kids on it, which I found very surprising. Not only were they seemingly alone, but the area seemed dominated by boys younger than 15. Granted, it was hard to see because of the glaring sun, but I think I only saw a couple of adults. One of my thoughts is that I should bring my own skateboard and practice, since I’m not very good. The skate park itself seemed fun, without looking too daunting. The area to the right that is not photographed had a lot of adults playing on a grassy field. It looked like they were playing soccer, but I am not certain what it was.

This was by far my favorite thing about the Beltline. Upon the entrance to the Beltline near Krog Street Market, my friend pointed out this “neighborhood library”. I had heard about these but have never seen them, and being an avid reader, this delighted me. I immediately clambered off my bike and went to investigate, and took a book with me upon my journey home. I am so excited about this, I can’t wait to bring all my books and let someone else have a chance to enjoy them.

The first time around I did not notice this, but on our way back I saw this out of the corner of my eye and stopped to take a picture. In case it isn’t legible, the sign says “WATER FOR DOGS”. I thought this was a perfect example of how the Beltline considers the greater purpose of its creation. The Beltline was created for people, and accommodates to suit their needs and others traveling with them.

This is my friend Brianna playing on a piano found along the Beltline. There are a couple of these apparently, and we were both delighted to find this one in tune. We played a bit together, and then continued on our way. These pianos are called “Pianos for Peace” and I noticed peace was a theme repeated quite a bit along this part of the Beltline. Maybe that was because we passed the Martin Luther King District on our way there? Either way, it was fun to mess around with a piano, it’s not everyday that most people come across one.

Along the trail, there were multiple little granite stones announcing what kind of tree is growing there. This a part of the arboretum on the Atlanta Beltline, an effort towards a healthier atmosphere (as I learned in my mapping class). I did not stop this time to look at every tree, but I really find it inspiring that so many different kinds of trees can be found in one place. Not only does this contribute to health, but it also helps the aesthetic along the Beltline, creating a diverse and beautiful environment. I personally love being around a lot of trees, so it was really nice for me to be in a place of nature within the city. If one did not exit the Beltline, they would never know they were in the city at all!

On my first trip to the Beltline, I was escorted by the always-charming Ali. We walked along the Eastside Trail and photographed various objects. As you can see above, Ali was trying to get the perfect shot of the Trail, so I decided to take a picture of her. We  had a good time being outside. We walked along a couple lesser traveled trails, and participated in the art around us (like Thad’s shadow, and a giant chalkboard). It was really nice exploring with someone else, for safety and for fun. We had to leave before it got too dark, but I think we will be back soon to explore more.

The entrance into the Eastside Trail on the Beltline! The upper picture displays a list of all the rules of the trail, and the companies and groups that help make the Beltline possible. It’s right by the entrance to a rather obscure trail, with lots of kudzu and trees around. The smell of honeysuckle was in the air, and Piedmont park was right around the corner.  The Beltline, at least this portion of it, was not paved, and did not have any big, attention-grabbing signs that announced its presence. There were a couple people walking, but for the most part it was a long trail with no lights or technology.  The absence of technology would make it hard to get in touch with someone should an emergency happen. These facts alerted me to my surroundings so that we would be safe on the Beltline. As we walked later, it became very obvious that one could walk quite a bit of distance quite alone, which is not very comforting. 

So this fellow is named Thad’s Shadow, and Ali and I found him along the Beltline near Piedmont park. I’m not sure how to classify him, whether or not he’s a sculpture or something else, because he does move. You cannot see it in the picture, but there is a seat that the art piece is attached to that resembles a bicycle in the fact that it has pedals. When the pedals are pushed, the hands and legs swing back and forth and hit the chime seen in the photo. It is honestly really creepy to watch, due to it’s dark countenance and the silver eyes that stare out from it’s face. It also moves very jauntily and jerkily, and that also contributes to it’s strangeness. This piece is found in the middle of the woods, which is unnerving on its own. Ali recorded me “playing” the art piece, and after about 10 minutes we moved on. If I were to come across this when it was darker, and alone, I would not spend as much time due to its unsettling demeanor.

On September 12, 2016, a couple of my classmates and I got together to study for the cluster inside the commons building. We were trying to figure out how to do the annotated bibliographies, and were discussing good sources to use. We also made sure that we were not annotating the same articles (those of us that were within the same group). Some people were struggling in accessing Galileo, and fortunately Max was there to save the day and instruct us on how to do it. We dispersed rather quickly, but it was helpful for us to collaborate and get some of our questions answered. I accidentally took someone’s keys with me when I left, but I noticed it before the person needed to leave, so the situation was not as bad as it could have been.