There's a doing's a transpiring...in West Chester!

You know, I had to look up my own reference, has that happened to you?  I knew when it popped into my head, the title of today's blog, I just knew it couldn't have been an original thought, so where did it come from?

My first thought was that it came from a cherished Warner Brothers Bugs Bunny Cartoon, the one where he's traveling through the Ozarks, and runs afoul of these two hillbillies, Curt and Pumpkinhead Martin, and the subsequent savage beating they give each other in the course of a hyper-violent square dance called by Bugs himself.  Now I know political correctness has it's place, but I wonder what with the some of the more distasteful by today's standards cartoons having been swept under the nation's rug for their shiver inducing racism in the way that some ethnic minorities in the 20's 30's 40's and 50's were portrayed, the fact that the two main characters are white, (and southern redneck to boot) the uber violence is somehow ok, SINCE it is happening TO them.

Ok maybe I'm reading too much into that.  It just bothers me that I can't find decent copies on the internet of the Speedy Gonzalez cartoons where he has a cousin by the name of "Slowpoke Rodriguez"  because as a slow running fat kid named Rodriguez, I was some how saved from further mockery because we all watched on Saturday mornings when Speedy would give the ever sage advice that, "don't mess with Slowpoke, he carry a gun!"

Anyway, believe it or not, this is not what this blog is about, it's about what's happening in town.  And that is, not much, really.  Well, let's cover a few things.

Brownfield of Dreams, or the West Chester Minor League Stadium.

If they build it, will we pay?

I'm still forming my opinion on it, but I lean towards positive, because I do recall having a very pleasant day at a Minor League ball park in Salt Lake City, and to have a venue of this size that is walkable from downtown, I have to say I like it adding to my quality of life, especially if there were outdoor concerts and such being given there.  Now of course as my quality of life goes up, perhaps someone living next to it their quality of life goes down, so it all remains to be seen, there are so many things that have to happen before they break ground, I doubt I'll see anything presented to me at the planning commission anytime soon.

Demolition by neglect.

Photo Credit @ddragger

You learn a lot being on the Planning Commission, so the whole backstory on this property is fascinating, of course I won't get into it here, but suffice to say, the owners of the property probably prayed for this to happen so they wouldn't have to pay out of pocket for it's upkeep, given the building is in the Historic District and the requirements on building upkeep that go with that.  So, with the borough's hands tied and a property owner who was too broke to bother, another bit of history is lost.  It's bad enough when mother nature and fires take their toll, it's another thing when we destroy things on purpose which would bring me to talking about the First Presbyterian Church and their desire to expand their church by demolishing two 19th Century residences (that they do own by the way) but since that's been forwarded on to Borough Council for decision, I won't say much more about that.

So finally, filed under the category of "Why didn't I think of that", West Chester is getting it's first Hookah and Cigar Bar with free Wi-Fi. I don't get how they get around the clean air act stuff that has all but eliminated smoking from most bars and restaurants, but the idea of being able to sip tea, coffee, or wine, while smoking cherry flavored tobacco, while working on that screenplay of yours, wow, that's all I can say.  It'll empty out the Starbucks in town for sure as every bearded, ironic t-shirt wearing hipster in town and every horn-rimmed glasses wearing babe who scribbles away in her Moleskin journal will flock to the place.  Oh and you can bet I'll be there.  I just wish I had a velvet jacket and a Fez.

OH I almost forgot.

It was The Simpsons, when Bart and the Gang had to go to Shelbyville to recover the stolen Lemon tree, the impound lot manager who sounded a lot like Walter Mathau, he was the one who said it. "There's a doing's a transpiring!"

God please shoot me....