my daughter rowan. my wife stacy. my dogs. time spent with family and friends. a terrifically exciting presidential election. some good days of weather. a couple pleasant nights of sleep and several dreams. a number of well timed cocktails.
really, that's about it for what i liked in 2008.
the rest kind of sucked.
bye 2008.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
yes, i am a geek.
ok, i admit it, facebook is pretty cool. i'm a facegeek for sure.
as much as i rail against the dominance of electronic media as the basis of interaction, i also sing its praises as a fount of information. i am most definitely one of those disturbed souls hopelessly addicted to my iphone's ability to answer almost any question at any time.
but facebook isn't just information. it's faces. it's people the way they want the world to see them (except for the dreaded tag in someone else's photo). it's a way to keep up with folks in close to real time. it saves some of the painful small talk when 'real' interaction happens because we can go right to the specifics.
but facebook isn't really all that compelling for me with my close current friends. where it grabs me is that it's blasts from the past. in the past couple of weeks, i've found people i thought i lost forever over 20 years ago. julie carpenter was one of my dearest friends growing up. though i thought of her often, we hadn't communicated in decades. so terrific to know she's well.
jenny boyce was one of the select few i started school with at age 4, and was always one of my favorite classmates. now we've actually communicated 3 or 4 times in the last couple of weeks.
now that i'm older, i realize that i have a tendency to define myself by interactions and occurrences in the relatively recent past. the law of recency certainly applies to personal identity. facebook is cool not only because i get instant tidbits about my friends' lives ("blair is enraptured by rowan"), but even more so because it helps me regain the context for my identity.
i am the oldest williams boy. i am kickball in front of the carpenter's house. i am falling on the giant snow balls and breaking my front tooth. i am acorn fights. i am block parties. i am riding my bike to cumberland. i am going to the candy lady. i am miss jashaway's student. i am leaf forts at the braun's. i am fighting with ginny like she was my sister. i am a late bloomer. i am uncomfortable in high school. i am exeter. i am bucky badger. i am stacy's husband. i am rowan's dad.
but before i actively reflected on all those things as i reconnect with faces and friends from my past, i was many of those things only vaguely. like those memories were ghosts in my past. now, i find myself reminiscing actively. i find it's helping me stay grounded. it's firming my sense of self. it may be revisionist history, but it's mine. and it's who i am.
as much as i rail against the dominance of electronic media as the basis of interaction, i also sing its praises as a fount of information. i am most definitely one of those disturbed souls hopelessly addicted to my iphone's ability to answer almost any question at any time.
but facebook isn't just information. it's faces. it's people the way they want the world to see them (except for the dreaded tag in someone else's photo). it's a way to keep up with folks in close to real time. it saves some of the painful small talk when 'real' interaction happens because we can go right to the specifics.
but facebook isn't really all that compelling for me with my close current friends. where it grabs me is that it's blasts from the past. in the past couple of weeks, i've found people i thought i lost forever over 20 years ago. julie carpenter was one of my dearest friends growing up. though i thought of her often, we hadn't communicated in decades. so terrific to know she's well.
jenny boyce was one of the select few i started school with at age 4, and was always one of my favorite classmates. now we've actually communicated 3 or 4 times in the last couple of weeks.
now that i'm older, i realize that i have a tendency to define myself by interactions and occurrences in the relatively recent past. the law of recency certainly applies to personal identity. facebook is cool not only because i get instant tidbits about my friends' lives ("blair is enraptured by rowan"), but even more so because it helps me regain the context for my identity.
i am the oldest williams boy. i am kickball in front of the carpenter's house. i am falling on the giant snow balls and breaking my front tooth. i am acorn fights. i am block parties. i am riding my bike to cumberland. i am going to the candy lady. i am miss jashaway's student. i am leaf forts at the braun's. i am fighting with ginny like she was my sister. i am a late bloomer. i am uncomfortable in high school. i am exeter. i am bucky badger. i am stacy's husband. i am rowan's dad.
but before i actively reflected on all those things as i reconnect with faces and friends from my past, i was many of those things only vaguely. like those memories were ghosts in my past. now, i find myself reminiscing actively. i find it's helping me stay grounded. it's firming my sense of self. it may be revisionist history, but it's mine. and it's who i am.
Friday, November 28, 2008
thanksgiving
i absolutely love fall. as the weather gets crisper and the trees more colorful, i often find myself exuberantly nostalgic.
i remember raking until i had blisters. i remember soccer and touch football games. i remember acorn fights. i remember pumpkin carving. i remember losing traction on my bike tires and wiping out hard in a leaf pile on the way to school.
i remember the wonderland that was my friend's house. he was the youngest of five and i am the oldest of four. they hunted and fished and did all the things we didn't. i remember EPIC leaf forts his brothers made. i also remember the dandelion wine they made in the basement, the incredible beer can collection, and the shotgun shells they made themselves.
i love the smell of dead leaves. i love the smell of a fire. i love the crisp air and seeing my breath. i love when the lake steams. i love when it's too much weather to go outside, and a warm fire inside makes the world right. i love sweater weather. i love when it's just barely too cold for a sweater, and an arm around you is warm enough.
thanksgiving to me is the celebration of the end of fall. it is the culmination of my favorite season. it is a time to convene with family and to remember and acknowledge all the things for which we're thankful.
and it's a time for food. glorious food. and scotch. mmm. scotch.
at my mom's house, it's entropy at it's best. a veritable herd of dogs. four brothers and the wonderful women who let us into their lives. mom. dad. grandma. uncle bruce. nephew win. and, now, our beautiful daughter rowan - the first girl in clan williams.
we are a wondrously dysfunctional tribe. but we love each other deeply. i am profoundly thankful for my family.
i am thankful beyond expression for my wife stacy and our daughter rowan. i married way over my head, and she's given me a daughter for whom i thought i could only have dreamed.
i am thankful for my dear friends, some old and some new, who give me perspective and support and even the occasional kick in the ass.
i am thankful to have the opportunity to pursue this life, and give thanks to all the people who have strived to make it possible.
thanks.
Monday, November 24, 2008
nice talk
texting, e-mailing, blogging, facebooking, twittering, live chatting and talking. of those, which is your preferred form of communication? as i sit here and blog i realize that my credibility may be strained, but i am concerned about the role of conversation in the way we run our businesses and lives.
we've become a culture built on real-time. our politicians poll in the morning so they can provide sound bites in the afternoon. we text because we can hear back quickly - even when the other person is in a meeting or somewhere they can't talk. we blog to express ourselves in a monologue. we email because we can cut and paste and make our point without interruption. we chat because it is faceless. To all of these we add emoticons to lend some semblance of emotion. but emoticons aren't honest. if you can't see me, can you tell if i am really :) or :( ?
not many things are as satisfying as a good book. they can make us see worlds and feel emotions that we don't otherwise experience in our lives. but the author isn't there to see our tears or our laughter. it isn't a conversation. and,when the book is done it's done. unless the author recaptures that magic in another offering, the newness is gone.
conversation, whether face-to-face or remote, should remain the cornerstone of human communication. in many respects, it is our ability to use language in all its forms that makes us unique. but the written word is unilateral. it's individual. it's two dimensional. coupled with vocal inflection and body language, conversation is communication in three dimensions.
as much as we may like to believe it, humans are not simply rational beasts. we are emotional. we are complicated. we need conversation and the breadth of the three dimensions of that interaction to really communicate.
i have a business relationship with someone who has expressly removed conversation from his/her communication toolbox. s/he send texts by the hundreds. s/he uses e-mail exhaustively. despite repeated requests to call, s/he refuses. while we all have relationships that can happily exist at that written level, there are many relationships that simply must have the nourishment that comes from conversation.
this relationship has become adversarial in ways that it needn't. a simple conversation on a regular basis could help to ensure that wires don't get crossed. it could iron out bumps that accrete negativity and become boulders. but, with zero verbal communication, the lack of nourishment is killing any prospect for mutual success. it's making me angry and resentful.
so now i sit in a coffee shop and rant in a monologue. i'm not talking to anyone. i have my headphones on as i cut and paste my thoughts into a relatively pointless unilateral discourse. believe me when i say i see the paradox. but, with no one to talk to, i still feel the need to communicate. of course, no one may ever read this entry. but i do feel better.
thanks for the chat. ;-)
we've become a culture built on real-time. our politicians poll in the morning so they can provide sound bites in the afternoon. we text because we can hear back quickly - even when the other person is in a meeting or somewhere they can't talk. we blog to express ourselves in a monologue. we email because we can cut and paste and make our point without interruption. we chat because it is faceless. To all of these we add emoticons to lend some semblance of emotion. but emoticons aren't honest. if you can't see me, can you tell if i am really :) or :( ?
not many things are as satisfying as a good book. they can make us see worlds and feel emotions that we don't otherwise experience in our lives. but the author isn't there to see our tears or our laughter. it isn't a conversation. and,when the book is done it's done. unless the author recaptures that magic in another offering, the newness is gone.
conversation, whether face-to-face or remote, should remain the cornerstone of human communication. in many respects, it is our ability to use language in all its forms that makes us unique. but the written word is unilateral. it's individual. it's two dimensional. coupled with vocal inflection and body language, conversation is communication in three dimensions.
as much as we may like to believe it, humans are not simply rational beasts. we are emotional. we are complicated. we need conversation and the breadth of the three dimensions of that interaction to really communicate.
i have a business relationship with someone who has expressly removed conversation from his/her communication toolbox. s/he send texts by the hundreds. s/he uses e-mail exhaustively. despite repeated requests to call, s/he refuses. while we all have relationships that can happily exist at that written level, there are many relationships that simply must have the nourishment that comes from conversation.
this relationship has become adversarial in ways that it needn't. a simple conversation on a regular basis could help to ensure that wires don't get crossed. it could iron out bumps that accrete negativity and become boulders. but, with zero verbal communication, the lack of nourishment is killing any prospect for mutual success. it's making me angry and resentful.
so now i sit in a coffee shop and rant in a monologue. i'm not talking to anyone. i have my headphones on as i cut and paste my thoughts into a relatively pointless unilateral discourse. believe me when i say i see the paradox. but, with no one to talk to, i still feel the need to communicate. of course, no one may ever read this entry. but i do feel better.
thanks for the chat. ;-)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
henny penny
The sun is going down. Just like last night, and all the others before it. In fact, that is kind of the definition for "night". Tomorrow the sun will come up. In fact, I'm planning on it. I'd set my alarm if I didn't have a 11-week old who makes my schedule for me.
What if the sun doesn't come up? What then? I'm not sure it matters. We'll all be frozen in place soon enough.
Today the DJIA closed at 7,552. Over a decade of growth wiped out. The Dow first opened over 7,500 on June 10, 1997. The sky is falling. The sun is setting. The world is ending.
But it's not.
I happen to believe the economy doesn't make us. We make it. Don't get me wrong, it's a WHOLE lot bigger than any of us. But our aggregate power is profound. After all without us there is no economy. But it all seems so complicated. And so dangerous. And so dramatic.
In it's simplest pieces, economics isn't so complicated.
When I think about how our economy pieces together in all its profound intricacies (think sub-prime mortgage crisis and the derivatives of derivatives), I can't get past one fundamental truth: how we act as individuals defines the market. It's all about individual action. And we all act based on our personal confidence.
I play golf. Maybe too much. I'm pretty good. The ball often goes where I want it to. But here's what I know: if I tell myself what not to do, I almost always do it. When I lack confidence, my performance always suffers.
Right now, in our economy, we are assuredly in the midst of a recession. Now there's talk of deflation and there's talk of a depression or even a Depression. But the only thing I see for certain is that we're in the midst of a profound national psychological economic depression. The overwhelming majority of us have never felt this way before. It's scary and it hurts. We have lost ALL our confidence.
Many kids are scared of the dark. Monsters in closets or under the bed. Mysterious noises. Lying alone with nothing but vivid imagination and no concrete sensory input. At night, in bed, the answer is sleep. Wake up in the morning and sun is up.
In our economy, though, we can't afford a national slumber. No napping through the scary parts. The sky isn't falling. It's just night-time. Our economy cycles, and while policy can certainly impact the amplitude of the cycle, it's always going to cycle.
The economic sun will come up. We will hit a bottom. We will see growth return. Our retirement accounts will re-fill.
So what do we do in the meantime? Let's act the way that makes things best. Be brave. Take a flashlight under the covers and do what you can to improve.
Why act like that now?
What if the sun doesn't come up? What then? I'm not sure it matters. We'll all be frozen in place soon enough.
Today the DJIA closed at 7,552. Over a decade of growth wiped out. The Dow first opened over 7,500 on June 10, 1997. The sky is falling. The sun is setting. The world is ending.
But it's not.
I happen to believe the economy doesn't make us. We make it. Don't get me wrong, it's a WHOLE lot bigger than any of us. But our aggregate power is profound. After all without us there is no economy. But it all seems so complicated. And so dangerous. And so dramatic.
In it's simplest pieces, economics isn't so complicated.
- I want something you have and we negotiate a price. A bunch of us want it and you have the only one, you'll get more for it. I want one and you and a bunch of other people have them, I'll pay less. Extrapolate from there.
- A dollar today is worth more to me than a dollar tomorrow. Extrapolate from there.
- I know how to combine things into a new thing. That new thing may be worth more to someone than it cost me to make. Extrapolate from there.
When I think about how our economy pieces together in all its profound intricacies (think sub-prime mortgage crisis and the derivatives of derivatives), I can't get past one fundamental truth: how we act as individuals defines the market. It's all about individual action. And we all act based on our personal confidence.
I play golf. Maybe too much. I'm pretty good. The ball often goes where I want it to. But here's what I know: if I tell myself what not to do, I almost always do it. When I lack confidence, my performance always suffers.
Right now, in our economy, we are assuredly in the midst of a recession. Now there's talk of deflation and there's talk of a depression or even a Depression. But the only thing I see for certain is that we're in the midst of a profound national psychological economic depression. The overwhelming majority of us have never felt this way before. It's scary and it hurts. We have lost ALL our confidence.
Many kids are scared of the dark. Monsters in closets or under the bed. Mysterious noises. Lying alone with nothing but vivid imagination and no concrete sensory input. At night, in bed, the answer is sleep. Wake up in the morning and sun is up.
In our economy, though, we can't afford a national slumber. No napping through the scary parts. The sky isn't falling. It's just night-time. Our economy cycles, and while policy can certainly impact the amplitude of the cycle, it's always going to cycle.
The economic sun will come up. We will hit a bottom. We will see growth return. Our retirement accounts will re-fill.
So what do we do in the meantime? Let's act the way that makes things best. Be brave. Take a flashlight under the covers and do what you can to improve.
- Spend more time with family and friends
- Spend more time improving your community
- Don't stop spending all together - stop spending poorly
- Support local businesses
- Give time instead of presents
Why act like that now?
Where were you June 10, 1997?
Green Bay Packers Superbowl, Titanic, Men in Black, Chris Farley dies, Merv Albert is a pervert, Wyclef Jean, Beanie Babies. Doesn't that seem like a long time ago?
It was - it was 1997.
The DJIA first closed over 7,500 on June 10, 1997 and closed at 7,539. Today, it closed at 7,552. Welcome to 1997.
It was - it was 1997.
The DJIA first closed over 7,500 on June 10, 1997 and closed at 7,539. Today, it closed at 7,552. Welcome to 1997.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
enough already
every election i can remember has boiled down to one fundamental economic issue: what direction should the tax rate move? i'm tired of that conversation. enough already. it's barely relevant. why doesn't the conversation ever get around to what matters: how much money do we need?
i want someone, anyone, to run on the following platform:
for the next four years we will not raise taxes. we will not lower taxes. our problem is not the tax rate. our problem is how we use the money we raise through taxation. so, we will freeze taxes. we vow to move as far as possible to a balanced budget. how will we do that? we will have increased revenues only if the economy performs better. therefore, we will endeavor in every case to improve the economy. short of an improving economy, we will only have increasing net income if we improve the efficiency of the bureaucracy. so, we will strive to manage the red tape more tightly.
in short: as your government we dedicate ourselves to providing you, our shareholders, with the highest possible return on investment. we will provide services to improve your lives and your community in meaningful ways. we will provide support where support is needed, incentive where incentive is needed, and protection where protection is needed. we will create fair and open markets. we will facilitate and encourage your investment in our communal economy and in your personal well being.
the beauty of this idea is that both parties can support it. nearly everyone would agree that taxes themelves aren't the problem. it's what each individual gets in return that's the problem. under my theory, we would stop asking the question about how much to tax and would instead focus on what to spend where. hopefully, in 4 years, we would have a better sense of the real question:
how much money do we really need?
i want someone, anyone, to run on the following platform:
for the next four years we will not raise taxes. we will not lower taxes. our problem is not the tax rate. our problem is how we use the money we raise through taxation. so, we will freeze taxes. we vow to move as far as possible to a balanced budget. how will we do that? we will have increased revenues only if the economy performs better. therefore, we will endeavor in every case to improve the economy. short of an improving economy, we will only have increasing net income if we improve the efficiency of the bureaucracy. so, we will strive to manage the red tape more tightly.
in short: as your government we dedicate ourselves to providing you, our shareholders, with the highest possible return on investment. we will provide services to improve your lives and your community in meaningful ways. we will provide support where support is needed, incentive where incentive is needed, and protection where protection is needed. we will create fair and open markets. we will facilitate and encourage your investment in our communal economy and in your personal well being.
the beauty of this idea is that both parties can support it. nearly everyone would agree that taxes themelves aren't the problem. it's what each individual gets in return that's the problem. under my theory, we would stop asking the question about how much to tax and would instead focus on what to spend where. hopefully, in 4 years, we would have a better sense of the real question:
how much money do we really need?
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
mctenement anyone?
Terrific article in The Atlantic this month. "The Next Slum" examines how cul de sac suburbs across the country are facing a pretty unexpected but well-deserved set of issues. From the 50's through the 80's, suburban residential development was all about the backyard - not the front patio. Sidewalks gave way to rolled curbs and sprawling yards. Walking gave way to driving. Engagement gave way to complacency.
Today, property values in those once idealistic communities are falling while more "urban" communities in those same locations have been seeing value increases. While the outcome surprises many residents, the reasons aren't too surprising. The communal environment in those neighborhoods simply isn't compelling.
These were really just latter-day communes. People just like you raising children just like yours in houses just like yours. But the houses turned their backs on each other and put up fences. We didn't engage with our neighbors. While turning our backs on each other, we also turned our backs on ourselves.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Building Social Capital
I love this list. It comes from a terrific site at http://www.bettertogether.org. These are things you can do to engage in your community and build "social capital".
| what to do: 150 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO BUILD SOCIAL CAPITAL Social capital is built through hundreds of little and big actions we take every day. We've gotten you started with a list of nearly 150 ideas, drawn from suggestions made by many people and groups. Try some of these or try your own. We need to grow this list. If you have other ideas, email us. [A printer-friendly version is available here.] |  | ||
1. Organize a social gathering to welcome a new neighbor | 75. Volunteer at the library 76. Form or join a bowling team 77. Return a lost wallet or appointment book 78. Use public transportation and start talking with those you regularly see 79. Ask neighbors for help and reciprocate 80. Go to a local folk or crafts festival 81. Call an old friend 82. Sign up for a class and meet your classmates 83. Accept or extend an invitation 84. Talk to your kids or parents about their day 85. Say hello to strangers 86. Log off and go to the park 87. Ask a new person to join a group for a dinner or an evening 88. Host a pot luck meal or participate in them 89. Volunteer to drive someone 90. Say hello when you spot an acquaintance in a store 91. Host a movie night 92. Exercise together or take walks with friends or family 93. Assist with or create your town or neighborhood's newsletter 94. Organize a neighborhood pick-up – with lawn games afterwards 95. Collect oral histories from older town residents 96. Join a book club discussion or get the group to discuss local issues 97. Volunteer to deliver Meals-on-Wheels in your neighborhood 98. Start a children’s story hour at your local library 99. Be real. Be humble. Acknowledge others' self-worth 100. Tell friends and family about social capital and why it matters 101. Greet people 102. Cut back on television 103. Join in to help carry something heavy 104. Plan a reunion of family, friends, or those with whom you had a special connection 105. Take in the programs at your local library 106. Read the local news faithfully 107. Buy a grill and invite others over for a meal 108. Fix it even if you didn’t break it 109. Pick it up even if you didn’t drop it 110. Attend a public meeting 111. Go with friends or colleagues to a ball game (and root, root, root for the home team!) 112. Help scrape ice off a neighbor’s car, put chains on the tires or shovel it out 113. Hire young people for odd jobs 114. Start a tradition 115. Share your snow blower 116. Help jump-start someone’s car 117. Join a project that includes people from all walks of life 118. Sit on your stoop 119. Be nice when you drive 120. Make gifts of time 121. Buy a big hot tub 122. Volunteer at your local neighborhood school 123. Offer to help out at your local recycling center 124. Send a “thank you” letter to the Editor about a person or event that helped build community 125. Raise funds for a new town clock or new town library 126. When inspired, write personal notes to friends and neighbors 127. Attend gallery openings 128. Organize a town-wide yard sale 129. Invite friends or colleagues to help with a home renovation or home building project 130. Join or start a local mall-walking group and have coffee together afterwards 131. Build a neighborhood playground 132. Become a story-reader or baby-rocker at a local childcare center or neighborhood pre-school 133. Contra dance or two-step 134. Help kids on your street construct a lemonade stand 135. Open the door for someone who has his or her hands full 136. Say hi to those in elevators 137. Invite friends to go snowshoeing, hiking, or cross-country skiing 138. Offer to watch your neighbor’s home or apartment while they are away 139. Organize a fitness/health group with your friends or co-workers 140. Hang out at the town dump and chat with your neighbors as you sort your trash at the Recycling Center 141. Take pottery classes with your children or parent(s) 142. See if your neighbor needs anything when you run to the store 143. Ask to see a friend’s family photos 144. Join groups (e.g., arts, sports, religion) likely to lead to making new friends of different race or ethnicity, different social class or bridging across other dimensions | ||
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Snowing again...
It's snowing again. Hurray, dammit. I love snow. I hate moving it.
There's nothing like being up high in the mountains, in steep trees, with nothing but the near noiseless peace of a heavy snow. Heart pounding, thighs burning. Facies as I make turn after turn down the steeps.
So many incredible winter memories. Falling in love with my wife in Utah. Helicopter skiing in British Columbia. Waist deep skiing in Whistler, and Snowbird, and Alta, and Brighton and Solitude. Stuck in the canyon. Incredible Jackson Hole.
Canyon roads carved, not plowed. Cars completely buried. Windshield wipers can't keep up.
So much snow I can't breathe when I ski because so much is in my face.
But somehow, there's nothing like a snow day when I was a kid. Bliss. Insta-vacation. King of the mountain. Heaven. Snow Day!
There's nothing like being up high in the mountains, in steep trees, with nothing but the near noiseless peace of a heavy snow. Heart pounding, thighs burning. Facies as I make turn after turn down the steeps.
So many incredible winter memories. Falling in love with my wife in Utah. Helicopter skiing in British Columbia. Waist deep skiing in Whistler, and Snowbird, and Alta, and Brighton and Solitude. Stuck in the canyon. Incredible Jackson Hole.
Canyon roads carved, not plowed. Cars completely buried. Windshield wipers can't keep up.
So much snow I can't breathe when I ski because so much is in my face.
But somehow, there's nothing like a snow day when I was a kid. Bliss. Insta-vacation. King of the mountain. Heaven. Snow Day!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Inspiration
Regardless of your political foundation and regardless of where your vote will fall, I encourage you to watch this video.
We are in the midst of an election cycle unlike any we’ve ever seen. We have diverse candidates, and are down to clear two-person races in each party. What I find most interesting is that the candidates really are different from each other.
We have technology we’ve never had before. Candidates have myspace pages. They use youtube. Information is now.
I found this video compelling for a number of reasons. Above all, it’s just different. This is a new political expression. This wasn’t funded by a campaign. These are talented and committed people getting together for a compelling reason: they are positively INSPIRED.
For the last several election cycles, I’ve found myself negatively inspired. That is to say, I voted against someone. Politics are tainted for me. No candidate inspired me. No candidate was my leader. No candidate excited my sensibilities and my passion.
Obama may not be your guy. But that’s not why I’m posting this. Regardless of your vote, I hope you can feel inspired by the process and by your candidate. As a community, Americans should take back politics. We should demand that our candidates inspire us. At the very least, we must demand that they be inspired.
We are in the midst of an election cycle unlike any we’ve ever seen. We have diverse candidates, and are down to clear two-person races in each party. What I find most interesting is that the candidates really are different from each other.
We have technology we’ve never had before. Candidates have myspace pages. They use youtube. Information is now.
I found this video compelling for a number of reasons. Above all, it’s just different. This is a new political expression. This wasn’t funded by a campaign. These are talented and committed people getting together for a compelling reason: they are positively INSPIRED.
For the last several election cycles, I’ve found myself negatively inspired. That is to say, I voted against someone. Politics are tainted for me. No candidate inspired me. No candidate was my leader. No candidate excited my sensibilities and my passion.
Obama may not be your guy. But that’s not why I’m posting this. Regardless of your vote, I hope you can feel inspired by the process and by your candidate. As a community, Americans should take back politics. We should demand that our candidates inspire us. At the very least, we must demand that they be inspired.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Celebrity Politics
When John Edwards announced he was withdrawing from his presidential bid, a spokesperson indicated that Edwards fell prey to the superior position of "celebrity" candidates. To be sure, Edwards' boyish good looks couldn't keep up with Obama's skin color and charisma or Hillary's polarizing personality and electrifying husband.
We speak of politicians using first names when they are unique enough ("Hilary" and "Mitt), or simply their last when needed ("McCain" or "Edwards"). We asume a casual familiarity nearly identical to that which we assume with celebrities like Britney or Jessica. But these aren't our friends, or simple entertainers. At least, they're not supposed to be. Somehow, I don't think voters used to speak about Abraham or George (of course, Teddy was an incredible persona and they did like Ike - but they were exceptions).
So what's changed? Almost assuredly, it's the information age and our ready ability to see the candidates all the time. To hear the sound bites in near real time. It's that near instant transfer of information, and our mindless lapping at the bowl of group think, that pushes our candidates to change their positions to match our perceived moods. And we cry foul when they flip-flop. But they flip when we flop. It's now no more than a well-choreographed dance.
As I talk about politics with friends, colleagues and mere acquaintances I am struck by the role the national races place in that conversation. Like "Lost" or "24", these elections result in sound bite conversations, speculative pronouncement and personal invective. The only real difference is that no one network has a contract for the show, and the writer strike doesn't leave us pining for fresh material.
But these national races are about what is nearly our largest community, and the one that in many ways impacts us least. It is regional and local politics that shape our lives and our community. Do you have kids? Do you know who's running for school board? Who's going to be your next mayor? What are their plans for economic development? Who's going to win your next aldermanic election? What do they think about safety in your neighborhood or the development plans for that eyesore on the corner?
We get one vote in an ocean of votes for the national elections. Don't get me wrong, we have not only a civic duty but also a social duty to cast that vote. It is profoundly important. But the vote you casually don't cast for school board or alderman or judge may be more important.
Just because you don't see the ads on TV and don't feel comfortable enough to call a candidate by their first name doesn't mean you should drop out of the process. To the contrary, that lack of celebrity is evidence of the striking realness, the humanity, of the candidate. They are more like you than unlike you, and the decisions they make will shape your life, your family's life and life in your community. Get engaged. Learn the candidates and vote.
We speak of politicians using first names when they are unique enough ("Hilary" and "Mitt), or simply their last when needed ("McCain" or "Edwards"). We asume a casual familiarity nearly identical to that which we assume with celebrities like Britney or Jessica. But these aren't our friends, or simple entertainers. At least, they're not supposed to be. Somehow, I don't think voters used to speak about Abraham or George (of course, Teddy was an incredible persona and they did like Ike - but they were exceptions).
So what's changed? Almost assuredly, it's the information age and our ready ability to see the candidates all the time. To hear the sound bites in near real time. It's that near instant transfer of information, and our mindless lapping at the bowl of group think, that pushes our candidates to change their positions to match our perceived moods. And we cry foul when they flip-flop. But they flip when we flop. It's now no more than a well-choreographed dance.
As I talk about politics with friends, colleagues and mere acquaintances I am struck by the role the national races place in that conversation. Like "Lost" or "24", these elections result in sound bite conversations, speculative pronouncement and personal invective. The only real difference is that no one network has a contract for the show, and the writer strike doesn't leave us pining for fresh material.
But these national races are about what is nearly our largest community, and the one that in many ways impacts us least. It is regional and local politics that shape our lives and our community. Do you have kids? Do you know who's running for school board? Who's going to be your next mayor? What are their plans for economic development? Who's going to win your next aldermanic election? What do they think about safety in your neighborhood or the development plans for that eyesore on the corner?
We get one vote in an ocean of votes for the national elections. Don't get me wrong, we have not only a civic duty but also a social duty to cast that vote. It is profoundly important. But the vote you casually don't cast for school board or alderman or judge may be more important.
Just because you don't see the ads on TV and don't feel comfortable enough to call a candidate by their first name doesn't mean you should drop out of the process. To the contrary, that lack of celebrity is evidence of the striking realness, the humanity, of the candidate. They are more like you than unlike you, and the decisions they make will shape your life, your family's life and life in your community. Get engaged. Learn the candidates and vote.
Downer Avenue
Nearly everyone agrees that Downer Avenue could be Milwaukee’s finest retail district and that it has not realized its potential. Most agree that significant development and investment activity is required to improve Downer’s prospects. Despite that consensus, few developments in Milwaukee have been as polarizing as the current redevelopment of Downer.
Many neighbors are vocal for dynamic change and have favored the development, and others have and continue to oppose it vigorously. As a neighbor, I’ve encountered the passion firsthand. As a real estate developer, I haven’t seen a development face such profound public scrutiny.
The substantial investment being made through this redevelopment brings the promise of sunny days to Downer merchants. But the current lawsuit and recent ruling cast long shadows. Uncertainty threatens to cast a pall on the profound progress already made with additions like Café Hollander. It seems some may have lost sight of what matters most for Downer.
Our merchants need the shadow lifted. As neighbors, we must encourage and support the businesses on Downer. They need certainty of plan, and they require the infrastructure being built. They require progress now. It’s time to step past vitriolic argument and to pull together to develop a better community.
Many neighbors are vocal for dynamic change and have favored the development, and others have and continue to oppose it vigorously. As a neighbor, I’ve encountered the passion firsthand. As a real estate developer, I haven’t seen a development face such profound public scrutiny.
The substantial investment being made through this redevelopment brings the promise of sunny days to Downer merchants. But the current lawsuit and recent ruling cast long shadows. Uncertainty threatens to cast a pall on the profound progress already made with additions like Café Hollander. It seems some may have lost sight of what matters most for Downer.
Our merchants need the shadow lifted. As neighbors, we must encourage and support the businesses on Downer. They need certainty of plan, and they require the infrastructure being built. They require progress now. It’s time to step past vitriolic argument and to pull together to develop a better community.
Monday, January 28, 2008
What Are You Lookin' At?
Here’s a quick exercise. Count how many people you actually engaged face-to-face today who are not your family, not your co-workers, and not regular (everyday) work related folks. Now, be really honest. By engagement, by the way, I don’t mean mindless small talk about the weather. So how many is it? I feel confident that a meaningful number of us can honestly say “zero.”
Engagement. It’s a funny word. It can be a date, or an excuse not to go on one (“sorry, I have a previous engagement”). You can engage gears. You can engage someone in conversation. It can be the period prior to marriage. Someone charismatic is often described as “engaging.” You can engage the enemy.
So what’s my deal with engagement? I exalt involvement over complacency. I would ask us to look closely at our community and to identify our role in it. In short, I ask us all to become engaged.
Try this: when you get your coffee in the morning, or see a stranger at the gas station or in the parking lot, or ride up the elevator with someone, look them right in the eye and smile. A real smile. Then pay attention. How do they react? When they smile (and they will, if they don’t think you’re psychotic), how does it make you feel? Watch them as they walk away.
That is engagement at its barest level. You share a simple moment of clear communication. Is that engagement enough? I believe that interaction provokes social intimacy and that social intimacy inspires a sense of community. I hold that sense of community at the highest level, and I strongly believe that we need to cultivate it. Do I think a smile cultivates community? I do think a smile helps build a sense of community.
But that smile is really just the start. What we all really need to do is actively participate in our communal lives. I know we’re all busy. We all face pressures. I know how tired I feel when I get home lots of nights. At the same time, every day offers opportunities for pain-free, energy-free engagement. So if we’re so tired and busy and stressed, how can we fill our days with anything else? How can we engage?
One answer is simple: “Be Present”. That clear look in the eye. That smile. That’s active engagement. But, that’s just the start. That’s the baseline. That’s the bare minimum.
We all need to push just a little harder. If we could find one or two hours a week of time, we could make a real difference somewhere. That’s less than 5% of a typical work week. It’s 10-20 minutes a day. We just need to take time.
There are a lot of things we can do with that time. We could volunteer at our kids’ schools, at church, at a senior living home. We could tutor kids. We could help a neighbor do some work in their yard. We could help at a neighborhood group.
To me, the most important part of that kind of engagement isn’t the work accomplished, it’s the ties created. You will get to know more people. You will have more community context. You may start to wonder how the people you meet are doing. When they’re well, you’ll revel in their happiness. When they’re down, you’ll be concerned. In short, you’ll become more socially engaged.
Community is about where we live. It’s also about how we define the web of social networks around us. It’s about how we think of the world outside of a simple address. It’s a combination of simple geography and complex social interactions. At its heart, community is mutable. That is, community is inherently changeable. What we must avoid is complacency. We must not let community happen to us, we must create it for ourselves. And, we must see that we are a part of other people’s community.
So really, the question isn’t “What are you lookin’ at?” The question is: “What do you see?”
Engagement. It’s a funny word. It can be a date, or an excuse not to go on one (“sorry, I have a previous engagement”). You can engage gears. You can engage someone in conversation. It can be the period prior to marriage. Someone charismatic is often described as “engaging.” You can engage the enemy.
So what’s my deal with engagement? I exalt involvement over complacency. I would ask us to look closely at our community and to identify our role in it. In short, I ask us all to become engaged.
Try this: when you get your coffee in the morning, or see a stranger at the gas station or in the parking lot, or ride up the elevator with someone, look them right in the eye and smile. A real smile. Then pay attention. How do they react? When they smile (and they will, if they don’t think you’re psychotic), how does it make you feel? Watch them as they walk away.
That is engagement at its barest level. You share a simple moment of clear communication. Is that engagement enough? I believe that interaction provokes social intimacy and that social intimacy inspires a sense of community. I hold that sense of community at the highest level, and I strongly believe that we need to cultivate it. Do I think a smile cultivates community? I do think a smile helps build a sense of community.
But that smile is really just the start. What we all really need to do is actively participate in our communal lives. I know we’re all busy. We all face pressures. I know how tired I feel when I get home lots of nights. At the same time, every day offers opportunities for pain-free, energy-free engagement. So if we’re so tired and busy and stressed, how can we fill our days with anything else? How can we engage?
One answer is simple: “Be Present”. That clear look in the eye. That smile. That’s active engagement. But, that’s just the start. That’s the baseline. That’s the bare minimum.
We all need to push just a little harder. If we could find one or two hours a week of time, we could make a real difference somewhere. That’s less than 5% of a typical work week. It’s 10-20 minutes a day. We just need to take time.
There are a lot of things we can do with that time. We could volunteer at our kids’ schools, at church, at a senior living home. We could tutor kids. We could help a neighbor do some work in their yard. We could help at a neighborhood group.
To me, the most important part of that kind of engagement isn’t the work accomplished, it’s the ties created. You will get to know more people. You will have more community context. You may start to wonder how the people you meet are doing. When they’re well, you’ll revel in their happiness. When they’re down, you’ll be concerned. In short, you’ll become more socially engaged.
Community is about where we live. It’s also about how we define the web of social networks around us. It’s about how we think of the world outside of a simple address. It’s a combination of simple geography and complex social interactions. At its heart, community is mutable. That is, community is inherently changeable. What we must avoid is complacency. We must not let community happen to us, we must create it for ourselves. And, we must see that we are a part of other people’s community.
So really, the question isn’t “What are you lookin’ at?” The question is: “What do you see?”
Where Do You Live?
"Where do you live?" I don't know when it started, but I realize I ask that question of virtually every person I meet. Obsessively (or is it compulsively?). In any case, I feel a need to know that little bit of information about someone. Somehow the answer means a lot. I don't mean where they actually live. I'm not a stalker, though some people look at me like I might be when I ask that question. What I mean is: how someone answers the question reveals a lot about how they view where they live.
Here's what I find interesting: we all share some common parts of our address. I live at 1234 N. Main Street, the East Side, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, North America, Western Hemisphere, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe. Here, we share everything after Milwaukee. It's the stuff before it that defines us. But what answers do I get? And, what do I think they suggest?
Over the course of the last 50 years or so, American community has changed in lots of profound ways. I have all kinds of theories about those changes (if you're interested, there's also a great book called Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam who is smart and actually credible). Changing demographics, automobiles, television, other advancing technology, economic changes and any other number of factors have deeply influenced the ways we contemplate our communities. Arguments abound as to what caused the changes, but there's no denying that we've changed.
How have we changed? There's one example I always go back to: front porches became back patios. Not only is that physically true, but it's also a metaphor for our communities: in many ways we have turned our backs on our immediate neighborhoods and instead have concentrated on smaller and smaller community elements. Downtown Milwaukee once had lots of people. But people fled the cities starting in the 1930's looking for the suburban ideal. Now, look at our suburbs. If you live in them, where can you walk? In some of Milwaukee’s suburbs you have to walk on the street because there aren't even sidewalks. Now, I recognize that's not true everywhere. Most suburbs have an urbanized area that fosters walking and a more communal environment. I also recognize that walking isn't the ideal for everyone. But, I do believe that walking creates a different type of interaction with our neighborhood.
Why do I think that kind of interaction is important? When you pass your neighbor and give a friendly wave, you've engaged them. When they tell you about their son or daughter or dog or parent, you've gotten to know them a little. When you know them even a little, you become at least partially invested in their well-being. Generally, I believe that interaction provokes social intimacy and that social intimacy inspires a sense of community. I hold that sense of community at the highest level, and strongly believe that we need to cultivate it.
So, this brings me back to the answers I get to my question: "Where do you live?" For this, let's assume they live at 123 E. Main St., Apt. 409 (Main Street Lofts). If I ask, and the person tells me their full address I think a couple things. First, I realize they must not think I'm a sociopathic lunatic. Second, I think that they very narrowly define their community. They feel insulated. What about when they say "Main Street Lofts"? Then, I think that they have developed a communal sense for Main Street Lofts, and that they feel some broader sense of community (of course, it could also be that they simply think I would recognize the name, but that's no fun for this exercise). What about when they say "The Third Ward"? Now their community extends beyond their apartment, beyond their building and into the world around them. I like this. But, what about when they say "Milwaukee"? Now I find it harder to interpret. Since I'm from Milwaukee, I don't let that answer stand. I ask again. My compulsion hasn't been satisfied.
But why do I find this interesting? I think that our personal perception of community is overwhelmingly important. Because as a real estate developer, I don't want to lose sight of my professional responsibility. Developers have a pretty mixed reputation. In the end, though, we create, manage and take care of people's homes. We build their communities, or at least a profoundly important component of them.
So I’m passionate about community. In this blog, I will exalt involvement over complacency. I'm going to ask each of us to consider where we live and who we are. I'm going to ask us to examine critically how we get involved. In the end, I'm going to ask that we each actively consider our community, and that we become active in it. So, let's start with a quick question: Where do you live?
Here's what I find interesting: we all share some common parts of our address. I live at 1234 N. Main Street, the East Side, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, North America, Western Hemisphere, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe. Here, we share everything after Milwaukee. It's the stuff before it that defines us. But what answers do I get? And, what do I think they suggest?
Over the course of the last 50 years or so, American community has changed in lots of profound ways. I have all kinds of theories about those changes (if you're interested, there's also a great book called Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam who is smart and actually credible). Changing demographics, automobiles, television, other advancing technology, economic changes and any other number of factors have deeply influenced the ways we contemplate our communities. Arguments abound as to what caused the changes, but there's no denying that we've changed.
How have we changed? There's one example I always go back to: front porches became back patios. Not only is that physically true, but it's also a metaphor for our communities: in many ways we have turned our backs on our immediate neighborhoods and instead have concentrated on smaller and smaller community elements. Downtown Milwaukee once had lots of people. But people fled the cities starting in the 1930's looking for the suburban ideal. Now, look at our suburbs. If you live in them, where can you walk? In some of Milwaukee’s suburbs you have to walk on the street because there aren't even sidewalks. Now, I recognize that's not true everywhere. Most suburbs have an urbanized area that fosters walking and a more communal environment. I also recognize that walking isn't the ideal for everyone. But, I do believe that walking creates a different type of interaction with our neighborhood.
Why do I think that kind of interaction is important? When you pass your neighbor and give a friendly wave, you've engaged them. When they tell you about their son or daughter or dog or parent, you've gotten to know them a little. When you know them even a little, you become at least partially invested in their well-being. Generally, I believe that interaction provokes social intimacy and that social intimacy inspires a sense of community. I hold that sense of community at the highest level, and strongly believe that we need to cultivate it.
So, this brings me back to the answers I get to my question: "Where do you live?" For this, let's assume they live at 123 E. Main St., Apt. 409 (Main Street Lofts). If I ask, and the person tells me their full address I think a couple things. First, I realize they must not think I'm a sociopathic lunatic. Second, I think that they very narrowly define their community. They feel insulated. What about when they say "Main Street Lofts"? Then, I think that they have developed a communal sense for Main Street Lofts, and that they feel some broader sense of community (of course, it could also be that they simply think I would recognize the name, but that's no fun for this exercise). What about when they say "The Third Ward"? Now their community extends beyond their apartment, beyond their building and into the world around them. I like this. But, what about when they say "Milwaukee"? Now I find it harder to interpret. Since I'm from Milwaukee, I don't let that answer stand. I ask again. My compulsion hasn't been satisfied.
But why do I find this interesting? I think that our personal perception of community is overwhelmingly important. Because as a real estate developer, I don't want to lose sight of my professional responsibility. Developers have a pretty mixed reputation. In the end, though, we create, manage and take care of people's homes. We build their communities, or at least a profoundly important component of them.
So I’m passionate about community. In this blog, I will exalt involvement over complacency. I'm going to ask each of us to consider where we live and who we are. I'm going to ask us to examine critically how we get involved. In the end, I'm going to ask that we each actively consider our community, and that we become active in it. So, let's start with a quick question: Where do you live?
Well, for now it may just be me...
Welcome to my blog. I've never been able to say that before. Now I've said it and I realize it's not a very good opening line. Drat.
This blog springs from my passion for community. I believe that people can achieve at their highest level when in groups. Individual effort is leveraged by communal endeavor. Alone, we are just that.
I am a real estate developer by profession and by passion. I am not a New Urbanist. I am an URBANIST. I appreciate what the CNU aspires to. I believe they are driven by ideals consistent with my hopes for our built environment. But I find myself drawn inexorably to nostalgic reflections on what cities were as I contemplate what our communities should be. These are not new ideas. They are as old as the first society.
In this blog, I will consider any and all topics. They won't all be about real estate, and they won't all be about cities. But they will almost all involve the way people interact with each other, their environment and they community. After all, most of us draw a significant portion of our identity from our social context. It's what matters.
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