Commodification of Things

Day 2

Chicago Board of Trade , which does not follow the grid.

Left Chicago, visited the Indiana dunes. First, I was not excited, because of the wind from the lake. (Lake Michigan). Then I climbed the massive immersive dunes (it is like 30 ft tall, with a gentle slope). It is hard to believe that the small hill I am climbing is actually a sand dune. After I reached the top, I rested and contemplated for a moment.

Then, I descended to the middle of the bare sand dune, and sat on the sand under the sun, and contemplated. I thought, "Oh, the sand is really soft and comfortable, wouldn't it be great to commodify it? Put the sand into small glass jars, and sell it...it will make a fortune..." Immediately after this idea, I became angry at myself, because I was trying to capture the intangible thing. And, wouldn't it be more satisfying to think that human is part of the system, and we shall not confine sand into a monetary value.

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After that, we stopped by for coffee. Hit the road, going 80/miles, documenting fields, fields, and fields. Some is corn, some is soy. Some is bare, some has funny factory looking building on it. This particular building strikes me, for it reminds me of Edward Hopper's paintings. Just like the one below, which was taken on the ferris wheel, I find it compelling to look at loneliness in places, cities or rural areas, they are the same.