Gnaw Bone, Indiana Superthread

[Axver]

Well, against the advice of almost everybody I have ever spoken to, I did indeed take a train across the Mississippi to East St Louis. I've been meaning to listen to "Heartland" while crossing the Mississippi since 2005 when a trip to Memphis never eventuated, so I did it today. Plus, morbid curiosity drove me on.

And holy fucking shit, that urban decay.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

I'll admit, I've only driven through East St Louis, never stopped or gotten out of the car. The two best photos I've gotten of the arch was the one I took while laying on the pavement about 15 feet from one of the legs and looking up, and one I took from a moving vehicle while exiting the city. I actually caught a perfect view of it from between the struts of the bridge as we crossed back over into Illinois.

Oddly enough, while unpacking some stuff that my boyfriend had in storage from his post-college days, I found a very small maraca reading "Against all the odds - East St Louis, Illinois", and I still haven't been told the story behind that little souvenir.

 

[Axver]

I didn't wander around the town, to be honest. I rode the train a few stops, got off, and swapped to one back the other way. A couple of the stations looked in really dodgy areas. Mine was OK. I note they all have permanent security guards. The view of the town you get from the train is quite revealing though. I would've liked to go down by the river to photograph the arch but I didn't have heaps of time even if it was safe, and later in the evening I got some good shots from the St Louis side.

 

[coolian2]

Well.....

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/cv---u2-live-at-lancaster-park-christchurch-1989

Didn't expect to find that.

 

[Axver]

Huh, that's cool. Even if the intro is fucking excruciating.

 

[coolian2]

Yeah I was jumping forward as fast as possible once I had the volume up.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

Ugh. That jacket though. Fringe makes me so uneasy. People don't so much wear it on jackets anymore, but it shows up on a lot of women's accessories, especially shoes. I don't want to see or touch the stuff.

 

[coolian2]

I see exactly zero appeal in fringe at any time. I feel like there's an assurance I'll get tangled up.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

I don't even like it when my hair touches me too much.

 

[coolian2]

That used to drive me crazy. Now I just don't care and keep it shorter so the greys show up.

 

[U2inUtah]

I didn't wander around the town, to be honest. I rode the train a few stops, got off, and swapped to one back the other way. A couple of the stations looked in really dodgy areas. Mine was OK. I note they all have permanent security guards. The view of the town you get from the train is quite revealing though. I would've liked to go down by the river to photograph the arch but I didn't have heaps of time even if it was safe, and later in the evening I got some good shots from the St Louis side.

Believe it or not I actually lived right in the middle of East St Louis for 6 months when I was 20. (doing the whole religious mission thing). I could go days without seeing another white person.

We knew of some great spots to get shots of the St Louis skyline across the river. You would have been fine going there. It's mostly just industrial and a casino along The riverfront.

I also lived on the north side of St Louis which I felt was much more dangerous. More dense, more people. Parts of it looked like a total war zone. We never went outside after dark.

From where I was in N. St Louis, we thought of Ferguson as the "nice area" because there were actually open store fronts and intact neighborhoods.

 

[Axver]

My first three Amtrak trips ran nicely to time. I'm now waiting for my fourth and final one and am experiencing that well known Amtrak lateness. I suppose 40 minutes is nothing compared to some delays I've heard of.

 

[Axver]

I don't even like it when my hair touches me too much.

Ha, while when I first grew out my hair I was excited when I could finally reach my mouth with the hairs of my fringe.

No dissing my fringe.

 

[Axver]

Believe it or not I actually lived right in the middle of East St Louis for 6 months when I was 20. (doing the whole religious mission thing). I could go days without seeing another white person.

We knew of some great spots to get shots of the St Louis skyline across the river. You would have been fine going there. It's mostly just industrial and a casino along The riverfront.

I also lived on the north side of St Louis which I felt was much more dangerous. More dense, more people. Parts of it looked like a total war zone. We never went outside after dark.

From where I was in N. St Louis, we thought of Ferguson as the "nice area" because there were actually open store fronts and intact neighborhoods.

I could've guessed the mission aspect from the "inUtah" part of your screen name.

Huh, yeah I'd heard the north side of St Louis is quite dangerous but I definitely thought East was where trouble really lived. Though my god, it felt like NOBODY lived in large swathes I saw from the train. Abandoned buildings or just no buildings, large stretches of scrubby urban forest, and barely a soul driving or walking around. I can barely believe a city can decay like this so fast.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

Ha, while when I first grew out my hair I was excited when I could finally reach my mouth with the hairs of my fringe.

No dissing my fringe.

I have fringe right now too (though we use the term BANGS for some reason), out of necessity since I cut my hair really short at the beginning of the year, but I keep them pinned to the side most of the time. They've grown out enough now that they seem to perpetually poke me in the eye when they're not pinned.

 

[Axver]

I have fringe right now too (though we use the term BANGS for some reason), out of necessity since I cut my hair really short at the beginning of the year, but I keep them pinned to the side most of the time. They've grown out enough now that they seem to perpetually poke me in the eye when they're not pinned.

"Bangs" is such a weird term.

The only problem with my fringe is the direction I comb it. It's the direction I find natural, and I struggle to comb it with a part on the other side. But I really should learn, because this way sometimes obscures my stronger eye.

 

[coolian2]

I don't mind growing my hair out a bit now, although it causes dandruff havoc unless I use separate conditioner instead of the 2-in-1 I use normally.

I used to keep it short all the time when I worked in a call centre as I got sick of ripping my hair out anytime I took off or adjusted my headset. Didn't really change what happened.

I think the only time my hair has been combed/brushed in the last three years is when it's been getting cut.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

My first three Amtrak trips ran nicely to time. I'm now waiting for my fourth and final one and am experiencing that well known Amtrak lateness. I suppose 40 minutes is nothing compared to some delays I've heard of.

oh yeah, take it from someone who knows, i've seen delays of anywhere like four or eight hours, sometimes longer. basically, don't take the line that goes from washington state to chicago, the ones in and around california, and a lot of the ones in the northeast, but just the long-distance ones.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

also, on the subject of fringe/bangs, i keep mine kinda long, but then it grows too long and gets in my eyes. it'd look cool and goth if i didn't wear glasses, but i do so instead it just gets in the way. it looks nice when i get it cut for about a month, then it gets too long, but i don't want to pay for another haircut just for my bangs, so i just swat them out of my face in frustration for two more months, sometimes trimming them, probably pissing off my hairdresser.

 

[Axver]

I don't mind growing my hair out a bit now, although it causes dandruff havoc unless I use separate conditioner instead of the 2-in-1 I use normally.

I used to keep it short all the time when I worked in a call centre as I got sick of ripping my hair out anytime I took off or adjusted my headset. Didn't really change what happened.

I think the only time my hair has been combed/brushed in the last three years is when it's been getting cut.

Good lord I remember when I was so stingy I used a 2-in-1. Bad days.

The only problem I've ever had with my hair and headsets is when I had the 'fro and my headphone band would leave a distinct flattened rut through my hair.

 

[Axver]

oh yeah, take it from someone who knows, i've seen delays of anywhere like four or eight hours, sometimes longer. basically, don't take the line that goes from washington state to chicago, the ones in and around california, and a lot of the ones in the northeast, but just the long-distance ones.

I love how even Amtrak's own advice to passengers is not to book flights for the day you arrive somewhere. Christ on a bike, guys. Imagine the uproar there would be if a European railway pulled that shit.

Looks like I'll be into Chicago about an hour late after a bunch of mystery stops. One day I will do a transcontinental run, probably San Fran to Chicago, and I'll expect it to take about three weeks.

What's crazy is that I was reading earlier today about historic services between St Louis and Chicago and by the 1930s they were well faster than what we've got today.

 

[Axver]

also, on the subject of fringe/bangs, i keep mine kinda long, but then it grows too long and gets in my eyes. it'd look cool and goth if i didn't wear glasses, but i do so instead it just gets in the way. it looks nice when i get it cut for about a month, then it gets too long, but i don't want to pay for another haircut just for my bangs, so i just swat them out of my face in frustration for two more months, sometimes trimming them, probably pissing off my hairdresser.

My hairdresser will trim my fringe for free if I need it.

I had been going every three months, but now I'm going every two, once for the full treatment and once to thin it down. In the long run it actually works out cheaper. It's mad how fast my hair grows.

 

[coolian2]

Good lord I remember when I was so stingy I used a 2-in-1. Bad days.

It does the job perfectly for me! Plus less faffing around in the shower and not sometimes having "fuck it, didn't get all the conditioner out" days.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

I stopped using conditioner years ago and have never looked back. I'll only use it now the first time after dying, but I haven't dyed it in almost a year now.


Also on a U2 note, I heard Staring at the Sun at the grocery store today, and my brother said he'd heard Numb playing the other day at the same store.

 

[U2inUtah]

And why did nobody tell me that Kansas City has such a cool downtown?

Yeah its actually quite stunning to drive in from the west the way it sits above the Missouri river like that. Similar to driving into St. Louis from the east. Some cool Art-deco buildings downtown too.

Huh, yeah I'd heard the north side of St Louis is quite dangerous but I definitely thought East was where trouble really lived. Though my god, it felt like NOBODY lived in large swathes I saw from the train. Abandoned buildings or just no buildings, large stretches of scrubby urban forest, and barely a soul driving or walking around. I can barely believe a city can decay like this so fast.

The urban decay is fascinating. I always tried to imagine how those areas might have been 50 or 100 years ago. My experiences there are part of the reason I studied urban planning in college. It was so extremely different to where I had grown up.

In my experience, East STL wasn't as dangerous because its so abandoned and spread out, and like you said, tons of urban forest/fields. It only has a population of like 30k now.

Hope you enjoy Chicago. Its fantastic.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Good lord I remember when I was so stingy I used a 2-in-1. Bad days.

seriously, i think i finally got my boyfriend (who as you saw has curly hair) to realise that no, it's not dandruff*, it's just that 2-in-1 isn't very moisturising. i got him some separate shampoo and conditioner made especially for curly hair and amazingly his curls are now tamed and defined, just as he said they'd have to be in order for him to grow out his hair a little.

it's kinda like they make products for specific hair types. i think it's cute though how clueless a lot of guys are about beauty products. whenever i explain anything about hair stuff to him like styling stuff or hair dye (he asks!), he's amazed that i know this stuff, even after i tell him this is the kind of stuff cosmo writes about.

*i know dandruff exists and is a thing, but i could tell he just had a dry, flaky scalp and not dandruff.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I love how even Amtrak's own advice to passengers is not to book flights for the day you arrive somewhere. Christ on a bike, guys. Imagine the uproar there would be if a European railway pulled that shit.

Looks like I'll be into Chicago about an hour late after a bunch of mystery stops. One day I will do a transcontinental run, probably San Fran to Chicago, and I'll expect it to take about three weeks.

What's crazy is that I was reading earlier today about historic services between St Louis and Chicago and by the 1930s they were well faster than what we've got today.

ha, yep! it's sad. it just shows how defunded it is and how low ridership is here in america compared to other countries. a train being delayed for that long in western or central europe would have to be for a damn good reason.

 

[coolian2]

Reminds me, maybe I should turn off the Auckland Transport train text alerts.

Then again I love their reasons:

"The 7:54 Eastern Line service to Manukau is delayed by 10 minutes at Sylvia Park due to a freight train"

"The 21:38 Southern Line service to Britomart is delayed by 10 minutes at Middlemore due to a customer service issue" (I was on the train before this, and I saw the number of aggressive dolts trying to ride for free....I laughed when I got that text)

My personal favourite:

"The 17:14 Southern Line service to Papakura is cancelled"

Five minutes later:

"The 17:14 Southern Line service to Papakura is cancelled running at reduced seating capacity".

 

[Mack_Again]

I'll be in school pretty soon and moving into a new place in a week or so. wow that's exciting and frightening at the same time

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

My boyfriend doesn't understand what it means to be a U2 fan. He doesn't understand that most of us don't hero worship the band, and we're the first to cut them down at the knees when they act like twats.

Anyway, so he and I were talking wedding stuff, because we're probably going to basically elope instead of having a big thing. And we were talking about who would officiate, because I'd rather have it be someone we know and care about, rather than some random we've hired. And the boyfriend thought he was going to tease me and goes "oh, we can have Bono do it, you'd love that", and I'm like "OH HELL NO. Bono is a petulant manchild. If anybody in U2 is going to perform my wedding it's going to be Adam Clayton. Adam is the only one I would trust to not fuck it up. Adam is DISTINGUISHED". And then the boyfriend kind of looked at me like this