So let's start with something pleasant, the impending snow. Not a lot of snow, just enough to close schools and make things look pretty.
Let's all think about that for a moment.. clean fresh snow..
Alright, got that?
Now onto other things...
Re: City Council V. Board of Education - this is what property taxes are for. Roads, schools, infrastructure. Schools. You know, those places where you pack your kids 1500 at a time and hope for the best? Need I mention that the city has LESS high schools than are acceptable to those from outside the area? Now I'm not suggesting the City take on a burden of immense proportions to build, but the addition of one more high school - in the southeastern section would alleviate much crowding, reduce the number of school buses, and relieve the burden on the physical structures and staff. But regardless, the issue is not building an entirely new school system - it's replacing an existing school.
This sets a bad precedence and example for the children of Roanoke, and those looking at Roanoke. It also shows how disastrous the inter-agency workings are here.
But again.. think of the clean, pure snow and breathe...
In other news, the city is set to launch a new website at 11am today. MyRetailRoanoke.com is slated for a press-conference announcement held at Valley View over by JC Penney's. From what my inside sources have told me, the website is going to be a new tool, or lure if you will, to attract retailers to Roanoke. Now, I am curious to see how a website called "MY retail Roanoke" will attract retailers from outside the Roanoke area. But I guess thats what the press conference is for. I will have a review later on, rest assured.
In other news, the group that I wrote about yesterday - Valley Forward does have a website, and I was remiss in finding it. ValleyForward.net looks and reads very "in the box" to me, but thats just me - decide for yourself.
I think thats probably one of my biggest problems with any "group" such as NewVaConnects, Valley Forward, the once-glorious Jaycees: They are using outmoded structures for the groups themselves. Mission Statements, Position Papers, Committees... outmoded models that are no longer relevant to the conversation. You want something different - then you have to be different.
For example - theres a group here that is just getting it's start, Chefapalooza.
What is it? Well, its a community of cooks and people who love to cook.. but more than that, what it will become is far more than that simple. It's crux is to become a fundraising event or events, far more than any festival or cook-off this town has seen yet. How do I know? I'm a member.. Will we have committees? On paper, but as defined groups assigned one task - most likely not. Leaving it flexible creates a greater gene pool for ideas. And like anything else - apply some heat and pressure, the petri dish starts a bubblin'.
The #1 killer of motivation is stagnation, and the breeding ground for stagnation (as we saw with the Victory S****** debacle) is whats been done before. Spend time debating the way things were done, realize all your doing is continuing the problem. Acknowledge that things were done wrong in the past, regroup and move forward.. thats progress.
And one final question for you all out there.
I am a cook, certified chef if you will. This is my career, my profession. I am 31. Does this make me a young professional? Or is my white collar too dingy? I read all the information for the young professional groups, and they seem like they are targeting the 9-5 office crowds. So what is the definition of young professional?
Snow.. so clean.. ahhhh.. more later
Let's all think about that for a moment.. clean fresh snow..
Alright, got that?
Now onto other things...
Re: City Council V. Board of Education - this is what property taxes are for. Roads, schools, infrastructure. Schools. You know, those places where you pack your kids 1500 at a time and hope for the best? Need I mention that the city has LESS high schools than are acceptable to those from outside the area? Now I'm not suggesting the City take on a burden of immense proportions to build, but the addition of one more high school - in the southeastern section would alleviate much crowding, reduce the number of school buses, and relieve the burden on the physical structures and staff. But regardless, the issue is not building an entirely new school system - it's replacing an existing school.
This sets a bad precedence and example for the children of Roanoke, and those looking at Roanoke. It also shows how disastrous the inter-agency workings are here.
But again.. think of the clean, pure snow and breathe...
In other news, the city is set to launch a new website at 11am today. MyRetailRoanoke.com is slated for a press-conference announcement held at Valley View over by JC Penney's. From what my inside sources have told me, the website is going to be a new tool, or lure if you will, to attract retailers to Roanoke. Now, I am curious to see how a website called "MY retail Roanoke" will attract retailers from outside the Roanoke area. But I guess thats what the press conference is for. I will have a review later on, rest assured.
In other news, the group that I wrote about yesterday - Valley Forward does have a website, and I was remiss in finding it. ValleyForward.net looks and reads very "in the box" to me, but thats just me - decide for yourself.
I think thats probably one of my biggest problems with any "group" such as NewVaConnects, Valley Forward, the once-glorious Jaycees: They are using outmoded structures for the groups themselves. Mission Statements, Position Papers, Committees... outmoded models that are no longer relevant to the conversation. You want something different - then you have to be different.
For example - theres a group here that is just getting it's start, Chefapalooza.
What is it? Well, its a community of cooks and people who love to cook.. but more than that, what it will become is far more than that simple. It's crux is to become a fundraising event or events, far more than any festival or cook-off this town has seen yet. How do I know? I'm a member.. Will we have committees? On paper, but as defined groups assigned one task - most likely not. Leaving it flexible creates a greater gene pool for ideas. And like anything else - apply some heat and pressure, the petri dish starts a bubblin'.
The #1 killer of motivation is stagnation, and the breeding ground for stagnation (as we saw with the Victory S****** debacle) is whats been done before. Spend time debating the way things were done, realize all your doing is continuing the problem. Acknowledge that things were done wrong in the past, regroup and move forward.. thats progress.
And one final question for you all out there.
I am a cook, certified chef if you will. This is my career, my profession. I am 31. Does this make me a young professional? Or is my white collar too dingy? I read all the information for the young professional groups, and they seem like they are targeting the 9-5 office crowds. So what is the definition of young professional?
Snow.. so clean.. ahhhh.. more later
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