If I had to pick a single Edmonton location to write about, I wouldn't write. I simply can't pick a single location.
Despite having lived here for more than 4 years now and not knowing much of the city, I don't think I can strip my experience of Edmonton down to one location. For me, there is no one location that in itself represents the city I have come to despise in the winters and enjoy in the summers.
I enjoy the River Valley for instance. It plays, at least as far as I am concerned, an important role in defining Edmonton.Yet green space like the River Valley is not unique to Edmonton. There are many similar spaces in the places where I have lived.
The University of Alberta has been the site of my intellectual growth. I am not sure if being at the U of A caused it or whether it was merely a coincident. Either way, a learned a great deal about my self and the world around me while here and perhaps even because of being here. Yet, the U of A alone does not in itself make Edmonton what it is for me.
There exists a space that is built of patches of all the places that I frequent in Edmonton, the University, the River Valley, the various bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants, and homes. It is this space within which I locate my own existence. If that space could be physically located, this post would have been dedicated to it. However it can not. It exists because I recognize it. I'll call it the 27th Dimension--just for fun.
So this place called 27th Dimension is where I exist. All of my activities take place within it. That may not necessarily be walking, talking, or eating and sleeping. Rather it may be me listening to The Economist podcast or reading the New Left Review in the ETS (very nerdy, I know). Or it may be that I am staring blankly into oblivion. So yeah, that's it!
Despite having lived here for more than 4 years now and not knowing much of the city, I don't think I can strip my experience of Edmonton down to one location. For me, there is no one location that in itself represents the city I have come to despise in the winters and enjoy in the summers.
I enjoy the River Valley for instance. It plays, at least as far as I am concerned, an important role in defining Edmonton.Yet green space like the River Valley is not unique to Edmonton. There are many similar spaces in the places where I have lived.
The University of Alberta has been the site of my intellectual growth. I am not sure if being at the U of A caused it or whether it was merely a coincident. Either way, a learned a great deal about my self and the world around me while here and perhaps even because of being here. Yet, the U of A alone does not in itself make Edmonton what it is for me.
There exists a space that is built of patches of all the places that I frequent in Edmonton, the University, the River Valley, the various bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants, and homes. It is this space within which I locate my own existence. If that space could be physically located, this post would have been dedicated to it. However it can not. It exists because I recognize it. I'll call it the 27th Dimension--just for fun.
So this place called 27th Dimension is where I exist. All of my activities take place within it. That may not necessarily be walking, talking, or eating and sleeping. Rather it may be me listening to The Economist podcast or reading the New Left Review in the ETS (very nerdy, I know). Or it may be that I am staring blankly into oblivion. So yeah, that's it!
oh, what i wouldn't give to sit next to somebody reading NLR on the bus!! love that image.
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ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that you and I have been living in the city of Edmonton for roughly the same amount of time. Contrary to your views, however, I could strip my experience with the city down to one single location. If I had to choose, I could define my experiences with Edmonton under the broader paradigm of the University. Not only is my education the catalyst in my travels north, but the university remains the most influential aspect of my existence within the city. Upon moving here I only looked at apartments that were within walking distance to the University. As it turned out, I ended up on the north side of the river, which meant I was to become well acquainted with the river valley. For that I am very thankful.
ReplyDeleteYet, as I write this response to your blog, I can only imagine that if I lived on the south side, the river valley wouldn’t have played as key a role in my experiences with Edmonton. I certainly wouldn’t cross it twice-a-day, as my location within the city would no longer necessitate it. My point, then, is that the university is the main aspect of my travels throughout the city of Edmonton. If, by chance, the university were to move to Sheerwood Park or Spruce Grove (an impossibility, I know), I would inevitably move with it solely on the basis that I am here to learn and finish my education. Once I am finished, I will leave the city...and that for me demonstrates the power of this single location.
Wow, this week’s blog response is proving to be much more difficult than I had initially anticipated. This will actually be the third time I have responded to your post, unfortunately each time something has gone awry, I subsequently lose everything and have to start again from scratch...but I digress. What I wanted to say was...
ReplyDelete...I find it very interesting that you and I have been living in the city of Edmonton, and arguably attending the U of A (of that I’m not entirely sure), for roughly the same amount of time. Contrary to your views, however, I am quite certain I can strip my experiences with the city down to one specific location. This location is responsible for my introduction to, and education of, the city of Edmonton; as such, I feel I owe it a great deal of appreciation.
Prior to beginning my education at the University of Alberta, I never imagined I would become a resident of the city of Edmonton. In this respect, I attribute my education as being the sole catalyst in my journey north on the Queen Elizabeth II. When I was initially seeking out residence in the city, apartments that were within walking distance to the U of A were crucial. As it turned out, I ended up on the north side of the river, which meant that I would soon gain an intimate knowledge of the river valley. For that I am very thankful. Yet as I write this blog response (again, and again, and again...) I can’t help but imagine that my experiences with the city of Edmonton would have been quite different if I ended up on the south side. I know for a fact I wouldn’t have crossed the river twice-a-day five times a week. This realization, moreover, made me realize that my entire experience with the city of Edmonton has been based, more or less, on the university lifestyle. The people I know, parties I attend, and locations I frequent all relate to the university in one way or another.
It is my reason for being in Edmonton, the reason I have stayed in Edmonton and eventually the reason I will leave Edmonton.
Wow, this week’s blog response is proving to be much more difficult than I had initially anticipated. This will actually be the third time I have responded to your post, unfortunately each time something has gone awry, I subsequently lose everything and have to start again from scratch...but I digress. What I wanted to say was...
ReplyDelete...I find it very interesting that you and I have been living in the city of Edmonton, and arguably attending the U of A (of that I’m not entirely sure), for roughly the same amount of time. Contrary to your views, however, I am quite certain I can strip my experiences with the city down to one specific location. This location is responsible for my introduction to, and education of, the city of Edmonton; as such, I feel I owe it a great deal of appreciation.
Prior to beginning my education at the University of Alberta, I never imagined I would become a resident of the city of Edmonton. In this respect, I attribute my education as being the sole catalyst in my journey north on the Queen Elizabeth II. When I was initially seeking out residence in the city, apartments that were within walking distance to the U of A were crucial. As it turned out, I ended up on the north side of the river, which meant that I would soon gain an intimate knowledge of the river valley. For that I am very thankful. Yet as I write this blog response (again, and again, and again...) I can’t help but imagine that my experiences with the city of Edmonton would have been quite different if I ended up on the south side. I know for a fact I wouldn’t have crossed the river twice-a-day five times a week. This realization, moreover, made me realize that my entire experience with the city of Edmonton has been based, more or less, on the university lifestyle. The people I know, parties I attend, and locations I frequent all relate to the university in one way or another.
It is my reason for being in Edmonton, the reason I have stayed in Edmonton and eventually the reason I will leave Edmonton.
Wow, this week’s blog response is proving to be much more difficult than I had initially anticipated. This will actually be the third time I have responded to your post, unfortunately each time something has gone awry, I subsequently lose everything and have to start again from scratch...but I digress. What I wanted to say was...
ReplyDelete...I find it very interesting that you and I have been living in the city of Edmonton, and arguably attending the U of A (of that I’m not entirely sure), for roughly the same amount of time. Contrary to your views, however, I am quite certain I can strip my experiences with the city down to one specific location. This location is responsible for my introduction to, and education of, the city of Edmonton; as such, I feel I owe it a great deal of appreciation.
Prior to beginning my education at the University of Alberta, I never imagined I would become a resident of the city of Edmonton. In this respect, I attribute my education as being the sole catalyst in my journey north on the Queen Elizabeth II. When I was initially seeking out residence in the city, apartments that were within walking distance to the U of A were crucial. As it turned out, I ended up on the north side of the river, which meant that I would soon gain an intimate knowledge of the river valley. For that I am very thankful. Yet as I write this blog response (again, and again, and again...) I can’t help but imagine that my experiences with the city of Edmonton would have been quite different if I ended up on the south side. I know for a fact I wouldn’t have crossed the river twice-a-day five times a week. This realization, moreover, made me realize that my entire experience with the city of Edmonton has been based, more or less, on the university lifestyle. The people I know, parties I attend, and locations I frequent all relate to the university in one way or another.
It is my reason for being in Edmonton, the reason I have stayed in Edmonton and eventually the reason I will leave Edmonton.
I really enjoy how you created the 27th Dimension! Lol. No really, I would have to agree with you that no single location in the city could embody my vision of Edmonton...
ReplyDeleteI love my home, it gives me comfort.
The River Valley is breath-taking, but I only enjoy it in the summer when I'm not freezing to death.
Despite my love for it, the Art Gallery is a new addition to the city --- How could it stand for the whole? If I made such a claim, Edmonton wouldn't have been whole before it opened its doors.
I've always been a fan of the Winspear, and the arts plays an important role in defining myself as well as Edmonton... but I'm also science-oriented.
I think it's very interested that you talk about this one space - the 27th Dimension - that embodies numerous places within Edmonton that you frequent. Are you a solitary inhabitant of this dimension, or do you share it with others?