Starting a new series of posts on "Urban Expansion", recapping some of the better adventures, communities, events, and finds I've come across since moving to Indianapolis after 8 years away in a nice college town in Southern Indiana, a few years in Spain, and, most recently, two years living on a ranch in beautiful, but VERY rural, Colorado.
In moving back to more of an urban context, I was hoping to get back connected with the diversity of the human narrative -- bumping into people who look, think, and act differently than I do, having a variety of events and places available to me, remembering what it's like to connect with strangers or try to form community when most people you see are not people you already recognize, and feeling the sense of personal expansion that comes with participating in a variety of different events, activities, and roles.
First post about this sort of Urban Expansion in the series is on Trade School Indy, which has been an ongoing January-March learning experience that's kept me sane and curious through the never-ending series of not-quite-enough-snow-to-ski cold fronts that hit, and depressed, Indy and most of its residents this year.
A barter based series of single session classes on anything imaginable. I've attended about 7 different classes this "semester" and am sad to say that I only have one left to go before a month hiatis waiting for the summer classes to be announced.
I've always been fascinated by bartering. Why should money be the only form of exchange if people already have an end product in mind that another person might have?
And education. How do you continue learning new skills, finding new information and passions, and connecting with other learners while working 40 hours or more weekly, surrounded by people who might not be as driven toward continual learning and growth, and outside of a formal educational system?
Some teachers ask for items for their personal use while others collect barter items on behalf of a non-profit organization they resonate with. And to find spaces in Indianapolis willing to host the class, I've learned about and made a point of visiting certain places around the city that I may not have discovered. And places I'd been procrastinating on getting to because I don't always have someone to explore them with.
New Day Meadery. Big Car. The Red Door. Indy Reads Books.
The types of places that host trade school classes tend to be places that I am drawn to.
I've met some fascinating people, some odd ducks, some inspiring people, and plenty who combine 2 or all 3 of those traits.
I have a basic understanding of topics ranging from HTML to EFT and NLP to Native Pollinators that keep my curiosity bubbling and my conversations interesting.
I've gotten connected with more classes on container gardening with Slow Food Indy and learned about a new orangutan exhibit coming to the zoo soon.
And all while giving funny items to knowledgeable people in exchange for their expertise.
Spring semester summary and barter items
In moving back to more of an urban context, I was hoping to get back connected with the diversity of the human narrative -- bumping into people who look, think, and act differently than I do, having a variety of events and places available to me, remembering what it's like to connect with strangers or try to form community when most people you see are not people you already recognize, and feeling the sense of personal expansion that comes with participating in a variety of different events, activities, and roles.
First post about this sort of Urban Expansion in the series is on Trade School Indy, which has been an ongoing January-March learning experience that's kept me sane and curious through the never-ending series of not-quite-enough-snow-to-ski cold fronts that hit, and depressed, Indy and most of its residents this year.
A barter based series of single session classes on anything imaginable. I've attended about 7 different classes this "semester" and am sad to say that I only have one left to go before a month hiatis waiting for the summer classes to be announced.
I've always been fascinated by bartering. Why should money be the only form of exchange if people already have an end product in mind that another person might have?
And education. How do you continue learning new skills, finding new information and passions, and connecting with other learners while working 40 hours or more weekly, surrounded by people who might not be as driven toward continual learning and growth, and outside of a formal educational system?
Some teachers ask for items for their personal use while others collect barter items on behalf of a non-profit organization they resonate with. And to find spaces in Indianapolis willing to host the class, I've learned about and made a point of visiting certain places around the city that I may not have discovered. And places I'd been procrastinating on getting to because I don't always have someone to explore them with.
New Day Meadery. Big Car. The Red Door. Indy Reads Books.
The types of places that host trade school classes tend to be places that I am drawn to.
I've met some fascinating people, some odd ducks, some inspiring people, and plenty who combine 2 or all 3 of those traits.
I have a basic understanding of topics ranging from HTML to EFT and NLP to Native Pollinators that keep my curiosity bubbling and my conversations interesting.
I've gotten connected with more classes on container gardening with Slow Food Indy and learned about a new orangutan exhibit coming to the zoo soon.
And all while giving funny items to knowledgeable people in exchange for their expertise.
Spring semester summary and barter items
- HTML basics for coloring books
- Emotional Balancing Techniques for size 3-4 diapers
- NLP for sketchbooks
- Credit and Insurance for playing cards
- Eating Seasonally and Locally for Traders Point yogurt
- Native Pollinators for markers
- How to Play Go for craft beer
