Lexington = center of the world?

Ok so that’s a bit of an overstatement but I’m telling you people, things and event seem oddly connected to this place. I mean sure you have the whole Revolutionary War stuff, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

In the 1950s-70s, probably even still, Lexington was the East Coast equivalent of Silicon Valley. We’re talking this high school had computers when my dad went. Now I find myself about to attend Amanda Palmer’s (Dresden Dolls fame) play at the high school. Yeah this is the woman that Neil Gaiman has been publicizing like crazy on his blog. Originally he was going to be there too, but now he’s off doing signings in London. Don’t get me started on the irony of him arriving in London just after I left.

Total side note, I finally read The Graveyard Book, it’s really good- check it out!

Also Lexington was the hometown of Scott McCloud writer and artist of the comic Zot! Ok seriously you would never guess that these really cool indie playwrights/musicians/writers/comic book artists would have ever come from here.

Lexington, and I say this with love Grandma and Grandpa, is essentially a color version of Pleasantville. Unless there’s some secret hangout for garage bands and normal rebellious teen spirit I’m missing. However assuming there’s not, it seems that everything kids do here is aimed at one thing – getting into that dream college. Essentially these kids are being cultured to death.

I mean I went to the public library, which has an amazing comic/graphic novel collection- and there were a lot of kids there. More than I have seen really in a non-college library. I don’t get it. How do they not act out?

Ok so maybe I’m the pot calling the kettle black in some ways. I mean I never partied or did anything truly rebellious beyond starting my own website with Ezi. I went to school, went to whatever sport I had afterwards and went home to do homework and read. But I still went out, saw bands and at least went through that shameful poser-punk stage where my mother was evil for not letting me dye my hair. It was temporary dye too!

Still that being said if I ever ended up living here, here’s my plan. First abandon publishing/journalism. Then buy or start a coffee shop. This shop would be like a cross between The Blue Fugue and The Aritsan. Think dim orange lighting and lots of couches. And free wireless with a purchase. Basically it’s a place I want kids to loiter in. I’d have a pool table and a fusball table. I’d also have books, lots of used books.

While during the day I’d just have music playing from some CD/Mix/iTunes sort of thing at night I’d want to book local bands. I would want my coffee house for kids to just come and not have to be worried about if this activity would help them get into college. They get that enough everywhere else.

This place I hope would also attract a few of the college age crowd from nearby schools and older siblings visiting home. So for them yes I’d have a few alcoholic mixes on the menu. Of course to get away with all of this I’d need to be most likely involved with the Friends of the Library and at least one church community just so they wouldn’t automatically kick me out for corrupting the youth. Being burned at a stake I hear is fairly unpleasant.

Seriously though, I think I could make a killing with such a place.