Urban Rebirth, Just In Time for Spring

Ah, Chicago in the springtime. Love is in the air, "Caution: Falling Ice" signs line the downtown streets, and the boys of summer very nearly throw out the first pitch on the South Side. It's a beautiful time to be alive, and I'm right here to witness it all.

Until recently, I had been working "up north," in a small town just outside of the city. There, the coming of spring is marked in more obvious ways, in the look and scent of the landscape, the re-emergence of robins, daffodils, and Crocs. Here, where the light off Lake Michigan pierces the gaunt giants of Mies Van Der Rohe and Sullivan, spring comes in the form of colorful silken scarves, damp sidewalks, and a sudden abundance of asparagus on lunch menus.

To me, though, the most palpable difference is in the attitudes of the people one passes on the street, on the L platform, even in the elevator. I am among the many who have developed a subtle spring in their step, but for me at least it's not just the weather.

About three weeks ago I started a new adventure at a new company, and what an adventure it has been. Flashpoint Academy in Chicago is by far the coolest place I've ever worked. As an English and History major from a traditional four year university with a passion for the 17th century, I never before envisioned myself fitting into such a mainstream and modern culture as the one they have at Flashpoint. Not only is this college physically along the major artery of business downtown, but the company's corporate and educational models are absolutely bleeding-edge. It's different than what I expected for myself, but as I come to love it a little more every day, I can't think of a better place to turn over a new leaf -- or whatever the digital equivalent of a leaf would be.

This blog is going to be a place for me to share my Adventures in Urban Living; to chronicle my experiences and share them with those interested in all of the things my job allows me to learn. My blog will touch upon all of Flashpoint's disciplines; film and broadcast, recording arts, animation, and game development; as well as events in Chicago, personal anecdotes, and some periodic bragging about Flashpoint, our faculty, our students, and our soon-to-be-alumni.

Thanks for stopping, and until we meet again, have a beautiful spring!