What's on My Mind

        So I got to go home this weekend. It was great; I haven't been home in over a month because I've been traveling and cycling all the time. The stress of school was starting to get to me. This weekend at home was much needed. I was able to focus up and get school work done. I also got to see my parents and brother who I miss everyday. I went for a little walk around the block when I got home. I took the usual route that I used to run. 

        Have you seen the video "If Money Were No Object." If you haven't you should really watch it here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siu6JYqOZ0g . I thought about this video as I went on my walk. I contemplated the education I was pursuing at UNR. Is biochemistry really right for me. If money were no object I would go into the ski industry and pursue a film career. That's what I really love. So what am I doing here? Money must be an object for me. I want to just go and do what I want to do so badly but money has created such a barrier for me. 

        This video has an important message for everyone. Follow your dreams. The problem is people need to start doing this before anybody will actually take it seriously. I'm not helping the cause. Today I looked up film school on google. I made the first step, but will I continue to pursue my passion? Only time will tell if money is an object to me. 

Mapes Hotel

So my historical site is the old Mapes hotel. It was located on Virginia St. next to the Truckee River. Well what once was the Mapes hotel. This historic land mark struck my interest because it was featured in the book A Doubtful River by Robert Dawson, Peter Goin, and Mary Webb. The hotel's history goes way back. It was one of the first skyscrapers built after WWII in the west coast. It represents the rise of casinos Vegas style in Reno. To me this was a good thing for Reno at the time. Reno was a bumping place to be and this got the whole casino thing going.

            What now remains are the sleazy remnants of what the Mapes hotel influenced. All the casinos on Virginia Street are not classy, but rather a novelty and nothing else. The Mapes may have started out the casino scene in Reno classier, but the casino scene has since deteriorated. As I walk down Virginia Street I take it all in. What was once so grand is beginning to wear out. Things seem cheap. The whole street could use an uplift. The river does, however, provide a nicer area on Virginia Street.

            I feel as if the Mapes hotel was something that tainted the river. The river is such a bringer of life and something so unnatural and unneeded was built right next to it. The Doubtful River seems to try and get across the point that we need to think of water and the river more highly. Clearly back then we didn't care. When it was destroyed Mary Webb reported that it sent junk flying into the river. To me this symbolizes that the river has reached the point of no return and we will pay for the consequences of misuse soon.

Architecture

As I walk through Reno's beautiful campus. Yes, beautiful. Surprisingly beautiful when compared with the rest of Reno. Reno, especially downtown ,is ugly to me. Lake Tahoe is what makes Reno worthwhile as well as the mountains. Anyways back on topic. The campus is beautiful because some of the architecture. All the old buildings down by the quad are super cool looking and have such an old flare. They give that old school east coast college feel which is a very academic yet inviting feel. The quad is by far the coolest place on campus. The vast columns and brick buildings make it have character.

            The next best architecture on campus is all the modern buildings such as the Joe, the Knowledge Center, and the Davidson Math and Science buildings. There modern flare and style reflect UNR's newer side well. They point towards the campus being scientific and researchy. Yes, I just made that word up. The university is in fact very sciencey and researchy. Also these buildings offer modern appeal that makes it look really cool to younger people.

            The worst architecture on campus is those buildings that were built in that awkward period of time like the 70's and 80's. For example the, Leifson physics building or the Cain hall. The architecture they have has once modern age, but has since lost its appeal. It's like cars. When cars are really old they are cool. When cars are really new they are cool. When cars are from the late 80's they are not cool yet. I honestly don't know if these buildings will ever become neat looking for future generations. They have this pasty off white color that is just hideous.

            Overall the universities architecture is reflective of an institution of learning. A few ugly building here and there are counter balanced by the modern flare of some buildings and old style college buildings.