The GOOD Guide to Better Neighborhoods: Create a Neighborhood Clubhouse
From 2004 to 2007, the artists Ted Purves and Susanne Cockrell ran a store in their Oakland, California, neighborhood that sold nothing. Instead, the Reading Room was filled with loaner books about the area’s rich history, and—because that rich history included the planting of abundant orchards—it was also a place people could stop by to…
From 2004 to 2007, the artists Ted Purves and Susanne Cockrell ran a store in their Oakland, California, neighborhood that sold nothing. Instead, the Reading Room was filled with loaner books about the area’s rich history, and—because that rich history included the planting of abundant orchards—it was also a place people could stop by to get some fruit, gratis. Before long, it was a bona fide local clubhouse. Purves gives advice for those who’d like to do the same.
Pick your vibe. “We wanted to create a convivial, public place that was open and equal—where there were no expectations of having to be a customer or a participant in some kind of art project,” says Purves.
Have a purpose. Because the Reading Room sold nothing, people would wonder if there was a catch. “It was important to be clear about our goal,” says Purves, “which was to share information and start a discussion about the neighborhood’s history. A fairly simple message, really.”
Make it inviting. Free food is always nice, but so are less tangible things like workshops, movie days, and a conversation-friendly layout. “Often people would come by and we wouldn’t even have to talk to them because they would start talking to each other,” says Purves. “I think having a dinner table in the middle steered them into that rather than into private experiences, as a cafe does.”
Have a bathroom people can use. “You can’t underestimate the importance of a bathroom in the city,” says Purves.
Tap other people’s talents. “When people would bring forward their interests we were quick to ask them to contribute,” says Purveys. “When someone brought up an idea for a group walk, for example, or a seed-exchange board, we’d say do it and we’d put some money into it.”
Learn more: Read up on The Reading Room and other projects by Purves and Cockrell at fieldfaring.org.
Illustration by Trevor Burks.
This article first appeared in The GOOD Guide to Better Neighborhoods. You can read more of the guide here, or you can read more of the GOOD Neighborhoods Issue here.
Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.
“A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”
His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.
Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.
So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”
The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.
Any chance your wife is pregnant?
ZZBC | Reddit
The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!
“The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”
Redditors responded with similar experiences.
Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.
realityisworse | Reddit
So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?
Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”
The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
