Shift Across America

It would be an awful lot easier if I weren't having major technical difficulties with the new Shift-Corder....hopefully these will work themselves out as I head along the path.  So please be patient as I'll be doing my best to get the content up....but I digress.

Today, I met with some amazing individuals who offered unique perspectives (some REALLY unique).

Portsmouth
-I couldn't meet with Karen from Seacoast Local because she was under the gun running her OTHER life, publishing The Wire (the indie alt weekly in Portsmouth).  If she wasn't so busy reshaping her board, participating in about 10 different committees, directing Seacoast Local and saving bridges (a story for another time) it wouldn't have been an issue :)

Karen is one of my strongest support structures in the movement, and a flippin rockstar.  We'll see her in Denver.

-I met Beth from Rolling Green Nursery.  She spoke about her role as an entrepreneur and the development of her heart-centered business over the years.  

-I met Daryl Zwicker from Lamprey Brothers in North Hampton (NH).  He told me how the business had, for 90 years, been connecting and building community.   How's this:  they're an oil company.  Today was Bike Day (as is every Friday), where they ask their employees to bike to work....they also make their parts deliveries by bike.  Oh, and their mission?  To help their friends and neighbors burn less oil....awesome.

Steve D'Agostino, coordinator for Worcester Local First, helped me meet with a few really interesting folks.  We'll see Steve again at the end of the tour.

-I met with Kate Toomey, City Councilor in Worcester and Mayoral Candidate.  She agreed to do the interview despite being sick.  Thanks Kate!

-I spoke to Sherry from Armsby Abbey, a fantastic GastroPub in Worcester.  She spoke about slow food, building consciousness in the community about where food and drink comes from and how she's taken a different path than her business school colleagues...and couldn't be happier with her choice.

-I met Dr. Gonzo from Dr. Gonzo's Uncommon Condiments....WHOA this dude is out there, hilarious and completely awesome....wait til you see the video!

I got a chance to hang out on the Hudson River for the first time in my life (interesting Art Deco bridge in Troy).  Hung out with the Board President of Capital District Local First, a professor from RPI who studies Localism and the movement, the artist behind Troy Night Out (a monthly art event that builds and strengthens community) and the Publisher of Metroland (the areas indie alt weekly) who also happens to be the Board President of their trade assocaition.  He seems to think this project is a great idea for a national alt weekly story....we can dig it.

....ok, so i may be missing some links here, but its been a long day and I need to crash so I have some semblance of a good start tomorrow.  Based on the tech difficulties, I may cut some time in the Capital District short and try to figure this out on my way to Buffalo.

~jG