1/22/11

After spending four years in Potsdam, New York for my undergraduate degree I truly never thought that I would return to the North Country to live. I can say with total confidence that I had the classic college experience and when I packed my car up in 2008 (feeling very satisfied with my educational and social endeavors), I waved my final goodbye to this little town located only a stone's throw away from Canada. Little did I know that being in my early twenties would be a series of trial and errors - many of them painful but also enlightening; nonetheless, here I am, sitting in my kitchen in Potsdam, New York trying to figure out ways to keep myself entertained and occupied during the sleepy winter months.

Potsdam - like every other small town in America, has its charm but it also has a way of making one acutely aware of their solitude. After spending many unfulfilling nights out in "downtown" Potsdam, I decided that I could no longer waste my time and money on a few Labatt Blue Lights and the occasional laugh. One of my biggest passions in life is photography and cinematography but in the last year or two, I have neglected this interest. Since I now seem to have a large amount of free time after work and on the weekends, I have decided to dig out this old hobby and dust it off. Originally, I thought seriously about purchasing a new DSLR but cannot seem to justify doling out $400 dollars right now. Instead, I dug through a still unpacked box and found an older, digtial camera that my parent's bought me for Christmas a few years ago. Some cleaning and four new batteries seemed much more justifiable than a couple hundred dollars.

So, here I was with my old camera and no place to go. I have been toying with a few ideas for a blog series for a while now but as of this afternoon, I was not fully committed to one idea, yet. 

A few weeks ago, a friend told me that I should check out a place called The Birchbark Bookshop which is known for its collection of about 50,000 +, used books and so, off I went for my first weekend excursion in the rather cold weather  of Northern New York.

When I arrived at The Birchbark, I instantly knew that I was going to like this place.

Inside, the books are neatly lined on wooden shelves that are reinforced by birch trees. There is a large, wood stove glowing in the middle of the store and chairs nestled in the corners. The owner was great and when he found out my love for Southern Gothic writing, he recommended a few books and told me to come back soon so that he could show me some more. After I meandered through the store for about thirty minutes, I decided to buy a strange looking copy of Wuthering Heights and a Carson McCuller's book titled, "Clock Without Hands" which the owner assured me was an excellent read that could be returned to many years down the road.

So there I was with books in hand when I decided to drive around the outskirts of Potsdam for a bit and I found myself relaxed and happy by the calmness of my surroundings. At one point, I looked over at a seemingly dense wooded area and I caught the gaze of a large deer. I started to think about a Sociology professor I had at Potsdam State who had left a huge impression on me and how she always stressed the importance of capturing one's current experiences and thoughts for reference later. This reference can be used for a variety of purposes - one of them being for sociological narratives (a school of thought that I am very interested in exploring more). Either way, I feel as if I am back here to not only get some legitimate work experience on my resume but to also explore Potsdam, one last time.

I drove around for about twenty minutes and took a few pictures of the area but settled on the idea of creating this blog to not only keep myself occupied but to also document my experience up here. If I were living in a large city, I would not just sit inside every weekend - I would take advantage of what the city has to offer and I should really be doing the same here. If I am going to call Potsdam my home than I need to explore the North Country and be surprised by its unique social and cultural offerings.

It's time to go out and be content with my surroundings and to go on a  journey, even if it is by myself. 

We will see what next weekend brings.