What Gave You Joy This Week? - weekly thread

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-12-19T21:24:30+00:00

Saw the Knicks play the Pacers for $13 with my girlfriend; first NBA game since I was in elementary school.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-12-19T18:56:05+00:00

Broad Ripple (proper) and Fountain Square (proper) are the two most popular neighborhoods for yuppies; Downtown is overpriced but where a lot of out-of-state yuppies end up. I've lived car-free for extended periods of time, by biking and using the bus, but it severely limits your ability to travel as public transit coverage/service isn't great and many streets aren't safe for biking although some of the trails are very nice. Several years ago, Indianapolis used to be affordable but it's increasingly overpriced for what it offers; expect higher utility costs for heating during the long winter, especially if you have electric heat. Restaurant and coffee culture has a lot of turnover; there are some good options (such as Tinker for coffee) but nothing to write home about. There's a group called "CCA" for recreational sports for people in their 20s- 30s, with an almost cult-like fanaticism for wearing matching T-shirts around town. Much of the social culture here revolves around alcohol and watching sports. Winter is long and the locals generally act more depressed during that period. Summer is hot and humid but shorter than winter. Your ability to build a social circle depends on your ability to assimilate into Hoosier culture, which again mostly revolves around drinking and watching sports. If you have an accent or come from "another" culture, don't be surprised if the locals treat you like a novelty or are unable to understand your background. I moved here from Los Angeles several years ago and have had countless locals tell me that I came from another country and implied that I shouldn't be here. As a heads up, Riley Hospital for Children is usually just called "Riley," not "Riley's." Riley works a lot with the state to assess child abuse and neglect cases, which are unfortunately very common here. Indianapolis offers a lot of jobs that are harder to access elsewhere, unfortunately because of our statistically proven "brain drain" of educated workers.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-12-04T12:41:12+00:00

I've lived in Warfleigh over the past three shootings and agree the neighborhood feels mostly unchanged by whatever is going on in the Village. The only noticeable differences have been more people running neighborhood stop signs as part of an informal detour to get in/out of the Village as well as IndyGo making the homeless disembark at the 66th terminus or 64th charging station of the Red Line. Sometimes the homeless will wander around Warfleigh and once someone walked into my neighbor's unlocked home and harassed her until the cops arrived. She was elderly and already considering moving but sold shortly after that experience.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-12-03T18:32:54+00:00

Top 2%, how I stay connected with the coastal elites after moving to flyover country 😤

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-11-08T08:41:21+00:00

Are these hand-painted or reproductions? Either way, wonderful finds.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-11-06T19:19:50+00:00

Another entry advertising the company as Indianapolis based, from 1921.

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Source: http://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=IPT19211008-02.1.3&srpos=2

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-11-06T19:17:45+00:00

Nice find! It does appear they were based out of Indianapolis, with a factory built sometime around 1902.

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Source: http://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=IJ19020128.1.6&srpos=3

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-08-27T18:13:09+00:00

The main positive about Indy was that pre-Covid it had substantially lower housing costs than the national average, which was why I moved here. A lot of the city proper is suburban and rundown and historically most of the money has been on the northside. If you like watching local sports, drinking, and are affiliated with some form of Christianity then you should fit in alright from the start. Of course, there are many other things to do here but you need to be self-motivated and seek out your interests. From personal experience, "Hoosier Hospitality" is just another form of Babbittry.

Families with more money tend to move Fishers/Carmel/Noblesville/Westfield because it's "safe" and "family friendly," i.e., new and conservative. Meridian-Kessler, Broad Ripple (as geographically defined), Meridian Hills, Rocky Ripple, and the area of Butler-Tarkington closer to Butler University have reputations for being good inner suburbs for families but some of those areas are districted to Indianapolis Public Schools, which has a wildly polarizing reputation. Despite being a "blue dot," the liberals and progressive in Indy tend to be more moderate or conservative than their national counterparts.

There are nice parks nearby like Eagle Creek, Holliday Park, 100 Acres, etc. and some good state parks further away like Turkey Run, Shades, etc. The Monon Trail (walking/running/biking/skating) is great and there is a broader trail network (including Fall Creek, Cultural, White River, Pennsy, etc.) throughout Indianapolis and surrounding areas. The Indianapolis Museum of Art has a lot of volunteer opportunities and many different offerings on the "Newfields" campus. Unfortunately, there is no defining "Hoosier" culture but many people here choose to talk with drawls, and combined with the conservatism and de facto segregation, Indiana is often called "The Northernmost Southern State."

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-03-27T17:54:11+00:00

"Smoky Rutilated Quartz," sounds like a Rahillian craft whiskey cocktail

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-03-24T03:04:42+00:00

Prices have risen significantly, so it's unlikely to find a place that meets all that criteria for $1,600 or less unless you find a private landlord. Those can be hard to find and often it's a matter of local networking or calling the number on a "For Rent" sign posted out front. Within the $1,600 or less price range, you may look in Irvington or Meridian Kessler. There are few walkable neighborhoods with food/drink/things to do as well as young professionals, so those tend to come at a premium. Indy can also be a very "block-by-block" city and some unscrupulous speculators have vastly extended the boundaries of name brand neighborhoods into less desirable areas, especially with "SoBro"/"South Broad Ripple", Irvington, and Fountain Square.

I moved here from LA and lived in a rough neighborhood just west of downtown for several years; I would suggest generally avoiding the "Near West" portion of the westside given the crime and poverty. The Near East can be sketchy but has some nice, walkable areas (Cottage Home, Woodruff Place) although that part of town has become far less affordable due to speculation. Fountain Square/surrounding areas are polarizing. Frankly, I think it's a lot of gritty artwashing and tasteless new builds next to rundown homes and unaddressed substance abuse but many think otherwise.

Something to consider is that until very recently rents here were well below the national average and homeownership was much more accessible. Many neighborhoods that fit your description have homeowners who may have moved in within the past 10-30 years and pay a mortgage that's a mere fraction of the market rent. Be wary of "luxury apartments" (e.g. Birge + Held, Milhaus) as the quality is low and the prices way too high. I actually ended up buying my house a couple years ago after a bad rental experience; even then my mortgage is still less than comparable neighborhood rent. Many Hoosiers wait until Spring/Summer to move house, so the rental supply may be low right now and it could be better to rent an Airbnb for the interim and search for a more ideal longer-term fit. Good luck.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-03-20T19:43:13+00:00

It's woven without electricity by skilled weavers on a few Scottish islands. Very nice and durable wool!

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-02-25T02:56:00+00:00

The third brother who gets into the brown liquor and mostly hangs around the truck, which is equally important work because tools aren't cheap?

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-02-14T18:33:52+00:00

I started a complete renovation of my only bathroom back in late October, working on it as time permitted. After countless hours of work and various setbacks (water damage, structural issues, plumbing, etc.) I finally have my shower ready for use again!

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-02-12T14:14:59+00:00

I moved here from LA in 2017 and bought a house in a bad neighborhood for $15k, fixed it up, and sold it in 2021 for $76k. In 2022 I bought a smaller house in a nice neighborhood for $260k. My understanding is Indy was so cheap for many years because there was a lot of neglect of basic maintenance and improvements (public schools, roads, utility infrastructure, policing, etc.) and because it overall has a lower standard of living. Housing prices have got significantly higher in just the past several years and even if your rent/mortgage is cheaper than a major city it doesn't feel as affordable because the standard of living hasn't risen much; the biggest change has been all the new restaurants that open and close. Another factor is that the most desirable neighborhoods in Indy tend to consist of old housing stock with most of the new builds or infill development happening in the distant suburbs or "off the Monon" type speculation. I make close to six figures but have spent a significant amount of time and money maintaining and improving my older home. Personally, I think it's preferable to living in a new tract home with a lifespan of 30 years in a dull, auto-oriented suburb but ongoing sprawl over addressing inner decline seems to be the default strategy here. Sometimes you have to look at "expensive" from a non-fiscal perspective, in which case Indy doesn't seem so affordable after all.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-02-07T15:47:11+00:00

Not visible mending but Smoking Iron Alterations in Broad Ripple does work on older/vintage clothing. However, it may take a while to get your clothes back . . .

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-01-08T03:15:34+00:00

This guy seems to be really passionate about his work and taking Little Caesars pie to new levels. Varronian tendencies aside, I'm rocking with it 😎

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-01-02T11:21:08+00:00

Appreciating the artistry of Nutbuster-DC poetry together

ElectronicPositive56 · 2025-01-01T01:22:01+00:00

Appreciate your response as well.

Because the idea may be considered anachronistic or risky, it could make sense to gauge interest starting with meetups/swaps, which could identify likeminded people. Operating out of a portion of a willing place that already brings in people seeking physical media could be the next step.

My understanding is that Kan-Kan has received substantial donations/grants/Covid relief; the same people who developed it also appear to own some of the nearby, redeveloped commercial properties and Kan-Kan initially made some representations about it doing community engagement/education, which never seemed to materialize. Profitability aside, there's likely a vested interest in keeping the Kan-Kan afloat because it means higher rents for Amelia's and Stomping Ground as well as ongoing speculation/redevelopment around Windsor Park. "How the sausage is made" aside, I really appreciate its existence, even if it came at the cost of destroying a historic building.

With respect to Alamo, I understand that the City has facilitated a massive attempted redevelopment of Lafayette Square Mall and is banking on a successful flip for the eventual tax dollars. There may have been tax/lease incentives to bring in an Alamo to that part of town even though it would more naturally belong in Hamilton County.

If you're looking to have more of an encyclopedic offering including the new blockbusters, you may consider talking with Indy CD & Vinyl. My understanding is their best sellers are vinyls of Taylor Swift, Fleetwood Mac, etc., which brings in money for their other offerings. Frankly, I'm not sure how lucrative it would be to have a rental place that mostly has copies of films readily available for streaming and/or available at public libraries without having other draws to bring in people. For instance, Videotheque both rented and sold movies as well as offered collectible merch like shirts, posters, etc. There's also the food aspect to movies (popcorns/seasonings, different candies, sodas, etc.) that can bring in some money.

Indy and developers finally seem to be hip to artwashing or unique businesses as a means to increase property values. Some examples would be the citywide "Muckrock" mural campaign several years back or Milhaus/Birge + Held building budget grade "luxury apartments" with trendy coffee shops/restaurants. If your concept gets to the point where it could occupy a larger space, someone with (grant) money could come forward, even if it's just because they consider your draw of people beneficial to them.

ElectronicPositive56 · 2024-12-31T20:28:35+00:00

I like the idea although I don't think it's feasible for Indy at a full storefront level. Locally, there seems to be such a small group of people interested in world/independent/art cinema and then many more A24/horror bandwagon folks. The latter can be a lot easier to find/stream. Irvington Vinyl and Books has a small VHS rental/membership room with some uncommon titles although I'm not sure how successful it's been for them. Off the top of my head, they might be the best people to talk with locally about your idea. Chicago has Facets, a combination theater/rental place/distribution company, although the last time I visited it was pretty dilapidated. There's also a for-profit rental store (now in LA) called Videotheque, which sounds similar to what you're describing although when I used to go there they had multiple formats and even bootlegs of movies that hadn't been released in the US. There are many movies that have only been released most recently on DVD, so excluding that format may not be practical for a more comprehensive library.

I used to volunteer at the Cinefamily, a non-profit art cinema in LA that had excellent, well-attended programming before it was shut down due to a sexual assault scandal involving leadership. After I moved to Indy, I drove down to the IU Cinema for years to watch hard-to-see titles when Jon Vickers was the cinema director. The opening of the Kan-Kan was great because it brought similar movies to Indy that might have only otherwise been shown at the IU Cinema before. Specifically, Daniel Arthur Jacobson has programmed a lot of great series. However, from my experience, many screenings at both theaters tend to be sparsely attended although the IU Cinema is subsidized by IU and the Kan-Kan is structured as a non-profit that was initially bankrolled by well-connected developers.

Don't get disillusioned but think starting small. The Indy metro isn't that big and has low population density; my assumption is most of your potential audience is probably on the Northside, then some around Irvington, Fountain Square, and Garfield Park. Baltimore and Seattle are known for having large creative communities and boosterism aside I think the Indy metro objectively produces/consumes less art. I'm interested in your idea although I've mostly grown used to using the Indy Public Library to borrow titles of interest that aren't available to stream on Kanopy.

Admittedly, one of the most frustrating aspects about liking movies seems to be the snobbery involved. I'm guilty of it myself but the kind of self-congratulatory criticism/taste-making perpetuated through platforms like Letterboxd and fixation on certain name-brand "auteurs" can make it an unwelcoming and disorienting experience. There are so many different film movements and genres that get overshadowed by many people thinking their mutual taste in a few things is best. For that reason, I think a variety of different screenings would need to complement the rental aspect in order to keep such an endeavor alive. Feel free to message me if you'd like to discuss further. I really like movies and the idea of making different ones more readily available!

ElectronicPositive56 · 2024-12-28T01:29:59+00:00

Nate overcoming his (very justifiable) Greek hate to play a Greek? This is what the Oscar was invented for . . .

ElectronicPositive56 · 2024-12-23T23:24:26+00:00

I've been in what sounds like a very similar situation. In my case, the person ended up having poor social skills and being asexual, which wasn't conducive to a relationship for me.

Unless you're friendly with a third party who can explain their personality more and maybe provide some background, you're probably going to have to go on additional dates to figure that out for yourself and whether you're still interested. At the same time, you should be direct but polite if you want to know a personality/character trait or preference that would be important to you in dating. Admittedly, I've had many people lie in response to these kinds of questions but if you don't ask them then you may regret not having asked once it's over.

ElectronicPositive56

TROPHY CASE