Buf-fa-lo!! Buf-fa-lo!!

So I am going to attempt to write a quick summary on what I have been doing in Buffalo for the past month & a half. I have not found time to post in a while because I have been busy.

As far as the fun stuff goes I have been doing the normal stuff I like to do like potlucks, yoga, clothing swaps, bike rides (there are a couple non-athletic local ones that happen on a weekly basis), and music.

Most of the stuff I have found through the Buffalo Barn Raisers calender, which I talked about in a previous blog post. One place that hosts many communal events and potlucks is the Nickel City Housing Co-Op.
There are two co-op houses under that name and they both have weekly potlucks and  there is even a beer brewing night!

There is a fantastic radical book store called Burning Books.
I saw Cindy Crabb there, the writer of the feminist, story telling series of zines called:  Doris. She read sections of her new book.
I went there and saw a documentary which ended up being one I had already seen before, but it is a good one. Future of Food. If you care about food, you should watch it!!

A new documentary that I did not see at Burning Books, but was really good was Vanishing of the Bees

I finally got to see Defiance, Ohio a folk punk band I have liked since highschool. I saw that they were coming to D.C. while I was there, but I missed them. So I ended up seeing them at a house show/ huge venue space called the Funeral Home in north buffalo. This is a good song:

Another one of my favorite songs is "Chad's favorite song".

A saw some awesome local bands at Finger Tapping Festival 2011!!
There were four bands, all which were different in style, but they each incorporated finger tapping.
The last two bands were the best!!You have to check them out:
 Left Hand of Darkness

All Them Witches

In addition to the fun I have been having in Buffalo, I must talk about the quality people I have met while here. Starting with Megan's family. I started doing work exchange for Megan at her wood shop while living in here house. I never knew that this would mean that I would become involved with her family off the bat.

The first week I was in Buffalo, her parents had a neighborhood talent show in the suburbs. They let me come do a split in front of everyone and show them my creepy eye tricks. Other folks shared songs, played instruments, showed off family  antique collections, and even electrocuted a pickle! Megan's relatives are fun and outgoing people.
The following week, Megan's mom, Mrs. McNally set up a Crohns and Colitis fundraiser in a  Frank Loyd Wright building. Here is a photo of me doing group painting for the raffle.Megans Aunt Judy is a blast to be around!. I have spent time with Judy at her cottage in Canada and had a board game night which was great!
So Megan's family have taken me in, in ways.

Here are my roomates.
Both of them build things.

 

Megan & Andrea

This is the kitchen
where we spend most of our time
when we are home.

                               Megan has an artistic bathroom:

 Here is the warehouse I work at:
It is a 3minute walk from where I stay.

http://www.reuseaction.com

 Megan in her wood shop:

vases made out of reclaimed base boards

an old plainer

 At the bottom of the stairs before the offices, there is a wall that I mud, sanded and painted. I noticed some moldy patches at the bottom corner. So I cut out the drywall and filled it with random wood scraps. We did not have any material for the corners of the wall yet, so I continued the wood pieces all the way up.

In addition to my hours each week at the warehouse, I have been doing studies at University of Buffalo for cash. I also got a job for a fine dining restaurant doing catering. I didnt want to do the same stuff again, but the money is good!! And I need extra cash  All of the events are off premises, and the staff is friendly.


An awesome fact about Buffalo, is that everything is:

 You can find the best things on the side of the road. There are a lot of elderly people here having estate sales and throwing away durable, beautiful, useful, and vintage things.

Here are some random chatchkeys I found
and put on display in my room: 

someone threw away the presidents!!

FYI

This is going to be my last "traveltime" blog post for a while. Partly to due to the fact that I am no longer traveling at the moment and mostly to do with me buying a house.

When?: October 3rd
Where?: Annual foreclosure auction
How$?: 1k & the help of good folks who know about houses/ have their own/ build things.

It needs some repair, of course. But nothing more than I am willing to handle. I am thrilled that I am currently in the perfect situation because of the work trade I am doing. I have access to tools and I am surrounded by the knowledgeable people who can assist me. I am also part of a group called East Side House works. Everyone in the group spends a few days a month on eachothers houses!! The best part, once it is live able, all of my friends can come stay/live.


If you feel froggy and wan to come help me tear down some walls, install some windows or just salvage some gems off the side of the street you are more than welcome too. Though I wont be doing a whole bunch of work until it gets a little warmer out. Right now I am just cleaning up the debris and fixing up the major issues in order to secure the house over time as well as make it live able.

I did not purchase the house with the intention of making money off of it in the future, because I wont. Once I put money into it in order to fix it up, it will most likely amount to what I would be able to squeeze out of it. (This is partially because of the area it is in, and due to Buffalo being a dying city) No cash value!!
 I guess the appeal to me was being able to own something and have a place that I can do what I want with. As well as gaining hands on learning experience, and having an awesome place in the North East of America for people, as well as me, to stay/visit. There are many benefits of owning a house. And with a couple roomates I dont have to worry about property tax or user fees. Which wont even come to 1k a year anyway.

Thank you for reading my "traveltime" blog. I will most certainly be doing more traveling this summer.
Check out "HouseWork" for posts on the process of my house from start to finish!
The blog will be up soon. I will post the link here: http://www.norashomEwork.blogspot.com