Keep Wimberley Weirder
Thank goodness, this photo was NOT taken in Wimberley. But it was taken in Kyle, just a few short miles away. Seems the steady growth of the Austin suburbs is getting frighteningly close to our beloved and quirky small town."Keep Wimberley Weirder" is a play on the "Keep Austin Weird" movement. KWW's aim is to help ensure that mass-market, cookie-cutter development does not happen in Wimberley. Development like this stunning example of crap housing.
I have nothing against modest housing. What makes me sad and even sick is to see development done in ignorance. Ignorance of the endless possibilities of designing with nature rather than obliterating it, ignorance of the delight that COULD have been achieved for the same money if only someone had tried harder. So, even if you are a right-winger who is against government control over what individuals or developers can do with their own property, take a second look at this photo. Ask yourself why we can't do better. Keep this crap out of Wimberley, and every other town for that matter. We can all take action by not buying crap. Crap housing, crap anything.
I'm going to take more direct action someday, and the more stuff like this I see, the sooner it will be. I'm going to develop some modest housing that is not crap, somewhere between five and fifty years from now. Need to think of a really clever name for my company like "No Crap Housing". I have no idea of the details or how I'll make it happen, but I'll work hard to ensure that it looks as little like this development as possible. Thought I should set my intention now and manifest it!
Fiona Apple was not talking about housing in these lyrics to her song "Please Please Please", but I think it applies:
Give us something familiar
Something similar
To what we know already
That will keep us steady
Steady
Steady going nowhere
posted by Chainsaw Yogi @ 2:16 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Daddy, won't you take me to the Wimberley Valley
Down by the green river where paradise lay
I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in askin'
Mr. Peabody's gold train has hauled it away
Borrowed from John Prine
Moved here 12 years ago. Back before traffic lights, cell phone towers, useless bypasses and other nuisances. What bothers me is big city cats that build a big house, then have to clear cut the hill so everybody can see it. When you find a world where the greedy developers don't always win, call me.
Greate quote Ben, thanks.
There actually are a few spots in the Austin area where developers are doing very green, sensitive homes. They may still be greedy, but at least their greed is focused in a more noble direction!
cs yogi
Some people buy crap houses...but it so their kids can have noncrap schools.
Lobster Hunters is right. But that's my point; cheap does not have to equal crap. One simple example: It costs ZERO more to orient a home properly so that minimal windows are exposed to the harsh west sun. In fact, it saves money through lower energy bills, and just might help leave the young-uns living on a planet where they can actually breath the air.
cs yogi
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