this land was made for you and me.

So on one of my many photography trips, we got in trouble with the police for being in an old building in a sketchy part of town. Usually they let you off with a warning if they see you mean no harm but the powers that be evidently don't look favorably upon what they perceive to be an interracial couple hanging out in a seedy part of town "taking pictures," because of course that can't be all it is. Thus, I'll be generating more revenue for the city, and have a whole lot of hassle in the coming months.

Ironic that my friend's dance company did a photo shoot in another abandoned place in the same neighborhood and the cops came by and said nothing and that there's an exhibit of photos just like the ones we took at the Akron Art Museum showcasing the past glory of Detroit.

Unlike the object of my previously frustrated post, my proverbial and evidently literal partner in crime isn't mad at me for complicating his life and we're still hanging out and taking photos, if anything more inspired by the frustration. We were sorely tempted by the abandoned coast guard station and walked all the way down the rocks past the marina to where it was just stones and water. It was beautiful and perfect out there.



The light was so beautiful and we were just soaking in the glow and the sound of the waves and amused by the people watching before going back to the apartment to meet up with another friend and sit out on the deck all night drinking Lazizas and Jamaican sodas while the little girl next door kept popping her head over the fence to talk to us.



Saturday I hung out with my mom in the morning, went to the art museum again and a carnival with Lindsay, developed photos at Walgreens and then drove around taking pictures of bridges and weird purple clouds as the storm rolled in over the lake. I love the way it looks.



Drove out to the International Folk Festival at Wade Oval to watch Polish dancing that I don't know how to do, and traditional Liberian and Chinese performances.





We developed a lot of pictures to defend ourselves with and went to Angelo's for pizza since everywhere else was closed. Since it's across the street I stopped by to see Charles at My Mind's Eye and he hooked us up with tickets for Sharon Jones, which is awesome. Definitely looking forward to that. I played a bunch of her songs tonight and found that I'd never really listened to the lyrics of "This Land is Your Land" no matter how many times my dad played it when I was growing up.



THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
words and music by Woody Guthrie

Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no trespassin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.