Being a lifelong resident of Northern Nevada who now lives in the southern region of the state, I get an interesting perspective on the things taking place in the Sparks-Reno area whenever I visit home. Distance allows you to see subtle changes and realize things that the folks who are always around can't see.
I would like to now rant and ramble about some of the things I noticed over the recent nine days I spent in Sparks-Reno. Why, you ask? The therapist recommended sharing, and said it would make me feel better.
So, here I go.
-- I was one of the biggest critics of the downtown Reno movie theater, aka the Century Riverside 12, when it first opened. And it's time for me to eat a little crow.
The theater would bomb, I thought for sure, based on the lack of non-garage parking and the fact that theaters in that spot previously failed. It also got off to a miserable start, with poor crowds and an immediate sale by Regal, which opened the theater but quickly turned it over to Century, therefore allowing Century to keep its monopoly.
Well, I went to the movies there twice while home, and I must admit that the theater was buzzing with business both times. It appears the theater is a success -- something that makes me truly happy, seeing as downtown needs the help.
I still don't think it was a wise move to put a closed movie theater along a scenic river like that, and I fear the consequences when the next inevitable flood comes along (which could be any day now, considering that El Nino seems to be walloping Reno this winter). But the theater is doing well, and I must concede that I was wrong.
I still like the Sparks theater better, though.
-- This doesn't qualify as a change, because it's always been a problem in Northern Nevada, but it's on my nerves so let me say: IF YOU HAVE A DOG, DO NOT LET YOUR HIM/HER/IT RUN FREE WHERE MOVING VEHICLES ARE PRESENT.
I can't count how many dogs I saw wandering the streets of Reno and the outlying areas. It's wrong. Owners who let dogs roam like this are risking the life of their dog and the safety and sanity of drivers who may have to swerve radically or deal with the emotions of hitting a dog. I truly believe that dog owners who purposefully allow their pets to run amok should be tried on animal cruelty charges. It makes me want to open a serious can of whupass.
-- Eating burritos from a 7-Eleven makes for a very odd Christmas dinner.
This really happened to me. Nothing was wrong, and I'll explain by saying that my whole family did its big, traditional Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, and the portion of the family I was hanging out with on Christmas day wanted to stay in and eat take out, for whatever insane reason. We didn't have access to leftovers. And not many takeout joints are open on Christmas day.
It was so weird, I can guarantee that I'll never forget that Christmas dinner. It was memorable, not in terms of food quality -- but certainly in terms of its oddity.
-- I don't know how else to say this, so I'll just say it: California drivers are cretins.
I saw a number of acts of driving idiocy in Reno, and without fail, every one of them was performed by a goober in a vehicle with California plates.
Am I saying that all Californians have the driving skills of Steve Wonder on Quaaludes? No, I am not. There are a number of good drivers that reside in our neighbor state to the west. I am sure of it, despite visual evidence to the contrary. And it's true that many of the California visitors drove nicely while they were in Reno, I am sure, although I never saw them.
But it's undeniable that there was a strong correlation between California plates and highway lunacy.
Well, at least these California drivers won't be as much of a concern after the Indian casinos really hit their stride.
Oh, wait ...
Jimmy Boegle is a fifth-generation Nevadan who thinks downtown Reno should give up on the casino thing and run with the arts thing. Jimmy's column appears here Tuesdays, and a column archive may be viewed at www.jimmyboegle.com.