After the segment about this project aired (scroll down to the player) on 6abc a couple of weeks ago, I got a bunch of emails from folks who visited the blog because of it. One was from a Temple film student named Matt who made a short film about the Market during his freshman year and for whom the Market has become a place of relaxation and escape. Here’s some of his story, in his own words.

I was very quickly inspired by the terminal. I was there once before I started school for a big comic convention. My brother and I went for lunch on a busy Saturday and were completely overwhelmed by the variety of scents, sights, and sounds. After wandering for 45 minutes I finally settled on a roast beef sandwich from Di Nic’s (any of their sandwiches I are really great), and I was hooked.

For my freshman year I had to do a video project where we document a place in Philly that was important to us or that we think is unique, then shy why we love it. The terminal was the first thing that came to mind.

The resulting video, my first effort as a student went over well and I’m pretty happy with it. I think the character of the terminal really comes through. I tried to show the chaos of the terminal and compare it to that of the city. Then I wanted to express that despite its crazyness, the terminal still manages to draw people together.

You can check it out here.

Needless to say, what was once unbelievably overwhelming is now a place for me to go to relax. I go every week, sometimes multiple times a week for eating and shopping, and that is how it will be until I’m no longer in Philly or dead. Whichever comes first.

I also have to say that Fischer’s Pretzels are the best I’ve ever had anywhere, the same can be said for Bassett’s Ice Cream, Bee Natural got me hooked on honey, and what would honey be without some tea (co Tea Leaf).

Thanks Matt, for the email and the film!

I’ve gotten several emails in recent days, asking me why I haven’t written anything about the Rick’s Steak issue that’s been the talk of the Market recently. I’ve intentionally stayed away from that issue because I haven’t felt like it fit within the framework of the project I’ve set up for myself. I want to capture what makes the Market great, not focus on the fighting and dischord. I realize that in some senses this struggle is a vital part of the story of the space, but I feel like I need to give it time to settle before I write about it.

In other news, those of you who check on this blog are aware that I’ve haven’t been posting a whole lot lately, despite the appearance on 6abc news recently promoting this project. A couple of weeks ago I got a blogging gig that actually pays me to post, which has been a blessing and a frustration. While it’s fun to make money blogging, it also has a way of zapping the energy I have for other writing projects. However, there are still great stories out there, and I hope to find some more time to tell them. Thanks for your patience and understanding as I find the correct balance.