12/14/06

A matter of pride

I've noticed that for some unknown reason, the general working-class population of Roanoke likes to walk around in their work attire.



Which is not altogether a bad thing. What puzzles me, and of course being someone who wears both a jacket and apron, and hat as my uniform - why would you ever walk out of work wearing all of it?



It's one thing to wear your jacket if you are jumping in your car and heading home, but to keep your apron on..



I am proud of who I am and what I do, but I am not a paid billboard for who I do it for. (exception being the forgotten-roanoke.com jacket...) Nor do I want to look like I have stepped through a portal in space and appeared suddenly on the street, in full uniform.



To me, it's a matter of pride to show I am an individual, one with a job - sure, but an individual first. One who takes pride in who I am and how I look..



Ok, yes - if you are a doctor or hospital worker running out to get some lunch - that's one thing.. but if you work for the cafeteria at the hospital, take off the hairnet and scrubs when you leave. You look silly.



But thats one thing.. the other is a lot larger of an issue.



It's pride in Roanoke itself.



When you look at downtown Roanoke, what do you see? Do you see the past - slightly cleaned up? Do you see the destruction of things you knew and loved in the past? Do you see a city that does not care what you want? A city that is unable to figure out what it's doing wrong?



Or do you see the future: cold and empty, populated by the elderly and the poor folks? Failed ventures lining the streets, a city without a generations worth of citizens - who all moved out because - well, because.



Or do you see the future: a city of possibilities. With a cutting edge downtown life, remarkable selection of shops and restaurants, little avoidable loss in terms of buildings, a viable and self-sustaining nightlife, miles of wifi and fiber optic being used to it's fullest potential. Not only the Star City, but the Crown Jewel of all of Virginia. A place where government remodels itself to be flexible, and more responsive, and perhaps even a little more savvy when it comes to it's own business.



The question really is: do you see the limitations, or do you see the options? The potential, or the potential for disaster?







Are you going to let the poor blind lady with the wheel on her foot down?

1 comment:

Adam said...

hahaha it looks like she's trying to huge everyone while balancing on that strange wheel.

why is she in blue and everything else is in black and yellow.

who picked that kinda ugly color scheme.

and oh yeah, i would rather be caught dead than be seen in public wearing my uniform outside of work. i go to elaborate lengths to ensure that. i likes me being an individual, not the slave of some corporate entity.