The D

Hmmm let's see what I can rant about today. Well the weather as of late sucks. It's kinda like a reflection of Detroit lol. Don't get me wrong I love my city, born and raised here but things are looking pretty dim for the Motorcity/Motown. I don't know if either nickname is appropriate for the city. I haven't seen the true Motown except for in history and the building (which I believe is on Grand Blvd). Outside of that Detroit is no longer the epicenter of music like it once was. It is a thing of the past which can be recalled through listening to old albums of the number one hits. And Motorcity. The only positive thing about that name nowadays is the casino on Grand River. The Big Three are no longer so big, all trying to survive this recession and the end of the Industrial Age. These car companies employed thousands of people and seemed to hold the very fabric of Michigan's economy together and with its absence we can see how well things are turning out.

In addition to white flight, the brain drain and an absence of retailers and quality education Detroit is looking pretty glum. The only thing it seems to be doing well in is unemployment, violence and terrible schooling. BUT even with its flaws I must point out the positive because the city and the people are honestly great. If you've made a trip to Downtown lately you'll notice how things have changed within the last 5 years. It is actually looking like a downtown rather than a bunch of abandoned buildings. The museums seems to be flourishing and the schools in the area seem to be doing well (Wayne State, Creative Studies school, of course Cass Tech [lol] and a new school for the arts is being built down there). I love driving around downtown. You see the Fox and the sports arenas . Then you go down a little further and you're passing the People Mover and on both sides there a new stores surrounding you. And on top of those are lofts and condos for people who have faith in the city and want to be in the midst of it. You pass more clubs, stores and restaurants until you hit a dead end. Cobo is to your right and if you make a left you'll be riding alongside the river with the newly renovated riverfront. You can see the Windsor skyline in the distance and Belle Isle is a few miles down.

The city has potential and lots of it. There is beauty in Detroit, you just have to know where to look.