Results tagged “Davis Square” from SPRG09JR608 Interactive News Kathleen Leonard

Pigeons: The Urban Seagulls

By
Kathleen Leonard
on March 4, 2009 11:16 AM |
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This post is not about a strange human dweller of Davis Square, but rather an entire species that has set up shop in my neighborhood: PIGEONS. They've taken over the streets!

Those who know me best know that I really don't like birds of prey (i.e. pigeons, seagulls), the prey being me and anything I'm trying to eat. It's bad enough that birds invade my leisure time at the beach, but to raid my routine life? Give me a break. 

Pigeons are, in my opinion, flying disease bags. And for some reason, the birds of the particular variety that occupy Davis Square are the fattest and shed the most feathers. 

Maybe this is a cultural thing. In Spain, pigeons are caught and sold at markets. Whether they are sold as pets or food, I'm not sure, but why would I pay for a pigeon when I could either A) catch one in the street for free, or B) stick myself with a dirty needle?

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                                                 Captive pigeon in Spain 

Regardless, here in the U.S., the pigeon gets a bad rap and I'd say rightfully so. Who said it was okay for an animal to just lounge around and mooch off of other animals? They just feed on bread crumbs and scraps! If pigeons were people, I'd tell them to get a job. 

The video below is from NBC's 30 Rock and features Tracy Morgan (as Tracy Jordan) giving some life advice to a pigeon eating from the garbage. 

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Streetcar Serenade

By
Kathleen Leonard
on March 3, 2009 10:35 AM |

There's a street musician that I often see at the Davis Square T station. Unlike that guy at Park Street that just moans along to a cassette tape, the Davis Square crooner has people smiling, and not tuning in to their Ipods to drown him out.

His voice is downright angelic. Usually there in the morning, he eases people into their days with a repetoire that includes hits from Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, and even some of the score from Disney's Aladdin. Today, he had attracted an enthusiastic crowd of young students, and in front of such a lively audience, he was really shining.

Often, I hear him play The Beatles' "In My Life," which you may remember was the theme song to the show "Providence" which was on NBC at the turn of the century (I love being able to use that phrase here). The show was on when I was making my decision to attend Providence College. "Blackbird" is another favorite of his, and so it was for my roommate freshman year. His performances invoke memories of my four glorious years at PC, and I can't help but feel happily nostalgic when I listen to this guy.

There's real talent in this guy, and in lots of other street performers. Check out this link to see what I mean. It's a feature story written by Gene Weingarten of The Washington Post, and it won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize.  

Also, check out this video below of a young boy street drumming in Chicago. Pretty impressive.  

 

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I think you forgot the words...

By
Kathleen Leonard
on February 25, 2009 11:34 AM |
So many weird things happen at the Davis Square T station. I guess the same could be said for most stations. 

Screaming isn't out of the ordinary, really. Even though I hear someone shouting obscenities or yelling to themselves quite frequently, it still startles me. 

To my pleasant surprise, last week the screaming was song lyrics. Yes, they were slurred a little bit and definitely incorrect, but it was a nice departure from curse words and derogatory racial slings. 

(Side note: If you yourself are confused by song lyrics, or often find yourself singing the wrong ones, click here to cross-reference).

The performer was a young girl who was listening to an MP3 player and singing loudly along to N.O.R.E.'s "Oye Mi Canto," a rap song that was popular on the radio a few years ago. I won't claim to be a fluent scholar of Spanish, but my Spanish minor gave me enough insight to realize that "Boooooricua, manana, arrrrriiivicaadooooo, aruuminaaado" wasn't right. 

I give this girl credit. She had no idea what was going on but decided to let her heart sing out anyway. That's more that most people can say. When we don't know the lyrics, we just kind of hum and look around awkwardly, hoping no one noticed.

Despite the blatant objectification of women in this video, I am including it for educational purposes only. And there's a beach in it, and I think I might have Seasonal Affective Disorder, so that helps a bit. 

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So, I Have to Write a Blog

By
Kathleen Leonard
on February 16, 2009 11:12 PM |

This semester I'm immersing myself in the urban jungle that is Somerville, MA. As an unpaid, overworked beat reporter, I'll be shedding light on the stories of the city I call home for little or no recognition. Grad school... ouch.

 

As a journalist who is tirelessly pursuing objectivity, I really can't inject myself into the stories I'm covering. But this is a blog, so I can do whatever I want, right?

 

I've decided to share some stories of the strange but endearing people who have chosen to introduce themselves into my life here in Davis Square. Inexplicably, I attract unusualness. Or maybe I'm just really observant and pick up on things others don't. I feel it's a gift rather than a burden.

 

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I'm happy to share with you the story of...

 

The Couple That is Having an Affair in Front of My House


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I first spotted these two when I was sans internet and TV. Having just moved in to the apartment, I was limited on entertainment and took to getting to know my new digs. Or, as this post might have you believe, spying on my neighbors.

 

I saw the couple, hand-in-hand, walking up and down the sidewalk... in front of my house. Just in front of my house. The only variation on their 100 feet long route was to stop and chat by a tree at one end of the neighbor's driveway. Other than that, they paced in front of 59 Winslow Ave, seemingly unaware that they were on the cracked and uneven sidewalk of a working-class city and not the countryside of Southern France, or some equally romantic destination.  

 

In a disturbing, "Rear Window" way, I felt as though I'd seen something I shouldn't have. I shrugged it off as a one-time, strange occurrence and went back to wishing I had DVR.

 

Then they came back. Who are these people? I'm guessing they didn't pick my building for its aesthetic value. It's old, the backyard borders a Rite Aid parking lot, and the wrought iron porch is literally hanging off the stoop. They haven't shown any blatant signs of mental illness (that might explain the pacing), and judging by their dress, these are two professionals. They seem capable of carrying on a conversation and they obviously have the means to get to the square (they're great at walking) - how about going to a coffee shop?

 

I guess I can see why these two have chosen the street itself to have a secret love affair (because I've deemed this an elicit scandal and not a legitimate relationship). Winslow Avenue is extremely quiet, and half of it is a one-way. It's also within walking distance to a train and bus station, all favorable factors in case they get caught and need a quick get-away.

 

Though their motives for picking my house are unclear and their actions suggest a real lack in the social life department, I guess the sidewalk in front of my house is a safe and inconspicuous spot for them to take a stroll. I feel almost protective of them now, like I'm harboring two innocent fugitives. I bet they're being persecuted for their choices of life partner. Is there a better explanation? I doubt it.

 

I'd share a picture of them, but A) I don't have one, B) I don't want to give them away and, C) That would be even creepier than the fact that I've just written a blog post about them.




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