Monthly Archives: September 2013

threshold

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threshold – noun : a level, point, or value above which something is true or will take place and below which it is not or will not

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threshold

“You didn’t know that each time you passed the Threshold you were saying good bye” City Limits by Colson Whitehead

This part of the passage meant that each time he went somewhere not knowing that it’ll close down was each a time that he missed a chance to say good bye. He did not know where the threshold was for how long the store will continue to be open for and therefore misses a chance to say good bye each time he goes to that store.

 

impediment

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impediment (noun) : an impairment (as a stutter or a lisp) that interferes with the proper articulation of speech

source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impediments

“It saw you steeling yourself for the job interview, slowly and walking home after the late date, tripping over nonexistent impediments on the sidewalk.” City Limits by Colson Whitehead

This sentence means that New York City saw him when he was very confident after a job interview or when he was walking home after a late date and tripping over nonexistent things that will stop him from walking smoothly on the sidewalk.

9/30 Homework

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The place I picked for my project is Brooklyn Technical High School. It is about a mile away from City Tech.To get to Brooklyn Tech, you leave City Tech from the Namm exit and walk to the right until you are in front of Polytechnic Institute of NYU. Walk through the long stretch of the NYU Poly campus until you end up in front of Chase Bank. You should be across the street from the stunning Toren building. Then, walk towards Dekalb avenue until you reach Applebee’s and during this time you will pass the Health Department of New York followed by the Long Island University’s campus. Once you reach Applebee’s, walk east a few streets and you will be at Brooklyn Technical High School.
“She is wrong, of course– when I look up there, I clearly see the gigantic letters spelling out Pan Am, don’t I?” Colson says that even though the building is no longer the Pan Am building, in his New York, it’ll always be Pan Am building. This is very true because to me, this colossus building known as Brooklyn Tech will always be Brooklyn Tech. Even if in the future this building were to become something other than Brooklyn Tech, it will still be Brooklyn Tech because it was here when I first built my New York.

“Our streets are calendars containing who we were and who we will be next.” This quote from City Limits by Colson Whitehead is extremely true. This building is standing proof of who I once was. It contains the memories of who I was during the teenage years of my life and it will always contain memories that will make me nostalgic. I will always be able to look back to this building and see myself. As long as Brooklyn Tech is standing in my version of New York, then the “me” from 13-18 will always be there.

http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Brooklyn_Tech_High_School.jpg

Group E City Limits Summary

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City Limits by Colson Whitehead starts off sarcastically saying that New York City is the best place ever and that it has ruined other towns and cities for him. However, Colson says that every single person in New York City has their own different version of New York City which results in over eight million different cities. People begin to build their own New York as soon as they lay eyes on it. With each new place and experience a person goes to is another “brick” in their version of New York.New York City is always changing but according to Whitehead, buildings that have been torn down and replaced by new ones will always be there because it was there when he built his New York. Just because the city changes doesn’t mean Colson’s New York will. New York City is always changing and it doesn’t wait for anyone and sometimes we don’t even notice that these buildings are gone before it’s too late. This means that many times, people do not get to say their proper goodbyes. Colson says that he wished he had the chance to say good bye to places he did not get a chance to bid farewell to, including his old apartments. New York City doesn’t wait for anyone and changes everything. Colson mentions in the end that the city doesn’t expect us to stay the same so we should give it the same courtesy.

Cumulative Summary For “City Limits”

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In the essay “City Limits” taken from The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead, Colson expresses his idea of New York City through out his writing. Starting by the first paragraph he tells us that he was born in NYC therefore, he was ruined for anywhere else. By This he means  that like his born in NYC it already ruined the chance of him  liking any other place. For him the city is that  great that he knows for a fact theres no other place like his.

He also says New York is always changing into new things and new places but whats important  to you is how NYC is at the moment you first lay your eyes on it. That’s why you shouldn’t believe what no one tells you about the history of new York because they just telling you was THEIR New York City like not what your is. We see things as they were in our experience while others see it as they remember from their experience. His love for New York makes him see his version of New York Even though NYC is always changing it would stay the same way to you but as new people come to NYC the new places would be  their different NYC. Colson Whitehead expresses his sorrow by telling us that when places change unexpectedly you don’t get to say goodbye to them because you don’t really know when is your last time sitting on that place. That’s why is very important to remember this places before they’re gone because they are   very   important to you and is part of what makes YOUR NYC so special.

9/30 Homework

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The place I chose for project 2 was the Fulton Ferry Landing. As I was walking around the neighborhood of City Tech I came up with this beautiful place were I was able to watch the Brooklyn Bridge and also a splendid view into Manhattan. To get to this place was very simple. When getting out of the main entrance of the Namm Building turn left and go straight staying in Jay street. Then you make a left going to Prospect Street. Lastly turn right to Cadman Plaza. From there you keep on walking straight and you get to Fulton Ferry Landing.

“One day the city we built will be gone, and when it goes, we go.” This quote from “City Limits”. Through out this project we learning about new places that exist in New York. theres going to be a time were this places are going to change to new places way different than what we saw the first time we looked at it. That’s why we should appreciate when the place we picked is still here because when is gone is would be like if a part of our life was erased.

‘You start building your New York, once you lay eyes on it”. This quote also from “City Limits” also relates to my writing because I think that  when I first saw Fulton Ferry Landing that was the starting point of my interest towards Fulton Ferry. Now I know this place and it became part of my life and the way I first saw this place is going to stay in my memory regardless of any changes it makes in the future.

 

 

A walk in Brooklyn

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Me and Film Director Spike Lee share one thing in common and that is a love of basketball. We both love watching the New York Knicks. So I decided to take myself on a mini trip of my own to 180 Washington Park where Spike used to reside. It is quite the home, it has many floors and the inside is quite magnificent. One of the reasons I am so fond of it is because of who previously owned it. Spike Lee is a mogul in his neighborhood and iconic in the world of film. Just seeing that house would give someone goosebumps as you gazed and wondered “this is where greatness was in the works”.

Some of the places I noticed in the surrounding area was LIU campus not too far. I also discovered many places of worship like the French Speaking Bapist Church of Brooklyn, Institutional church of god in Christ and The church of Michael and St.Edward. You can infer from all these places that the people of the area practice many different religions and are serious about them too. On my back I also saw Prison ship Martyrs Monuement. That landmark signifies the 11,500 american prisoners who were captured by british ships and eventually were all killed. It’s said that even the remains of some captives lay at the base of this glorious tower. This really fasinated me and had me thinking about how important Brooklyn really is. It is a lively area full of culture at every corner of its streets. Spike Lee realized that and decided to strive off of them.

Homework Sept. 30

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IMG_4763[1]  Brooklyn War Memorial, Two Statues on each side. In the center the inscription reads “THIS MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO THE HEROIC MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN WHO FOUGHT FOR LIBERTY IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1941-1945 AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO SUFFERED AND DIED MAY THEIR SACRIFICE INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS AND LEAD TO UNIVERSAL PEACE.” Steps and field of grass and trees surround this memorial.

The location i chose for project 2 is Brooklyn War Memorial, located in Cadman Plaza Park. I will use this location to depict the juxtaposition of celebrated and forgotten. The walking process from City Tech is simple. Begin at the entrance to the Namm building of City Tech. Make your way to the corner of Johnson street then make right and walk along Tech Place. Once you’ve reached that corner turn right onto Cadman street and walk about 450 feet until you get to the corner. Then make a left onto Tillary street and walk 50 feet. Cross the street and enter Cadman Plaza Park and make your way to the center of the park where you will see the main attraction of the park and that is the Brooklyn War Memorial.

Colson Whitehead states in City Limits “They are a part of the city we carry around”. This relates to my juxtaposition of celebrated and forgotten because at one point my location was celebrated and looked up as something huge for the city. As the years went by it wasn’t celebrated as much but whatever person that witnessed this memorial and spent time analyzing what it represent would surely carry this part of the city with them. Now a days you don’t really see people celebrating this memorial as much as when it was once celebrated. At times when you’re at this location, you still witness some people admiring it and others just bluntly ignoring it. This is where the celebrated and forgotten comes in play because although it’s still standing not everyone celebrates it or forgets it.

Whitehead also states “Seek ourselves in this city each time we reminisce about what was there fifteen, ten, forty years ago, because all our old places are proof that we were here.” This relates to my location because this memorial was dedicated 62 years ago in 1951. Some people who once celebrated this memorial can probably still seek themselves in this monument because they were present at one point which is proof that they were a part of this city. Others who probably weren’t present when this monument was a big deal probably don’t reminisce as much as other people would because although they might have seen it in the past, they don’t care about it as much. This is what brings out the celebrated and forgotten.

Homework-9/30

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photo

To get to where I came upon these overlapping buildings, You must first make your way out of the school Namn building. Next you should make a right on to Jay street. Then you must cross the street and you will arrive at Johnson ave. After arriving on Jay street on Johnson avenue, Look up diagonally from the street signs and you will find your self looking at the two buildings that are describing the juxtaposition effect.

“Our buildings still stand because we saw them, moved in and out of there long shadows, we are lucky enough to know them for a time. they are a part of the city we carry around. it is hard to imagine that something will take there place, but at this very moment the people with the right credentials are considering how to fill the craters. the cement trucks will roll up and spin there bellies, the jackhammers will rattle, and after a while the postcards of the new skyline will be available for purchase.”  “The quote is from the story City limits” from The colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead.This quote stood out to me because i feel like it describes the area of where these buildings are located. I feel that way because a lot of buildings around here are being remolded and that one red building that is being remolded stands out the most because of the tall grey building next to it.

“One day the city we built will be gone, and when it goes, we go. When the buildings fall, we topple, too.” The quote is from the story “City limits” from The colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead. The quote relates to my essay because instead of breaking down the red building and erasing all of its significant values, they are working on renovating the building to maintain not only historical values but to add modern day twist to the pre-existing building. Where as the other building in bodies this quote by representing  the new city life that will come with the existence of pre-existing/ renovating building such as the red building.

Walk In New York

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I was born in New York and lived here all my life. I started in Queens then moved to Brooklyn at the beginning of first grade. I’ve been to many the many known tourist attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, Museum of Natural History, Rockefeller Center and Etc…, but I have never been to Downtown Brooklyn, Jay Street Metro-tech until I was enrolled in City Tech. At Jay Street, it is always crowded, many people going to school and work, people sitting around, everyone is busy doing something on Jay Street, On Jay Street there are many important buildings such as the Supreme Court 320, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, The MTA building and many more. Jay Street Metro-tech is an area that looks and feels very modern with all the famous buildings, the Brooklyn Bridge and a fast food chain ranging from Wendy’s to Shack Shack on every corner of the neighborhood. If you were to stand on Jay Street and look straight up you would see nothing more than towering skyscrapers closing in on you. This was an adventure that I know I will never forget because I only go on walks for rare occasions.