My first blog ever...

Analyze this

1. "Think local. buy local. be local." My friend and Executive Director of this site, Chris Fowler asked me to help choose this leaf logo and font design from one of his designers a couple of years ago.  The quote says it all.

PBS Flick

2. Y!
When I was a little boy, I spent many days here at summer camp and after school. For the past 3 years I lived close to downtown, but never took the time to step foot in the building, though in my mind I had always meant to. One of the hottest summer days last July, I found myself on the same block, attending the unfortunate funeral of my high school friend's father. A relative of his asked me if I wouldn't mind going to her car to put coins in the meter. I was on a blind mission since she wasn't sure where she had parked. After locating the lost ark, I detoured into the YMCA, took the grand tour and wish I had done it years ago, considering I was moving out of the city in a couple of weeks. Seeing the swimming pool brought back memories The one memorable gymnasium was desolate and as dark as I had remembered. You could see the suns rays bouncing off dust particles. This gym was one of the first of its kind. High above the full-court basketball rims, was the the oval track, with the same chipped blue steel pipe railings standing as firm as ever. Anyways, I am always glad to support friends and I am glad took the time to go see my old stomping grounds before my dying day.

3. BBB 
I love this site! If you're not sure if a site or business is safe, check here, you may get your answer.


4. Education Station  Come one, come all! "BoostUp is about giving potential graduates at-risk of dropping out the support they need to stay in school and on-track for graduation. This site is full of great resources and ideas to help you make a difference in the lives of students. Click on the links to the right—or explore the information below—to get started." -Boostup.org

5.  My alarm clock when I was growing up. EVERY MORNING during my adolescence, you could find me with my pillow over my head as each day began. My bedroom was directly above our kitchen and since my parents are forever tuned into FM 88, the ever so memorable NPR greeting bells, ding dong ding dong, with our host Cokie Roberts and would pierce through the walls and ceilings of just my room. This is where I first learned about troubles in the Middle East, Iraq, Iran, Seria, Lebanon. I listened to the early public discussions of Aids, crack, the popularity of the Rubik's Cube (I think after this, I will google Rubick and Cokie Roberts). I was too young to recall President Jimmy Carter chatter, but if I were hypnotized you could get late 1970's news pertaining to him in office out of my suppressed memory.

Scrutiny in Seria, famine in Ethiopia, IBM, the MIR Space Station, the release of Thriller, the release of Pac Man, Pan Am flight bombed over Lockerbie Scotland, the Berlin Wall falls, the Tiananmen Square massacre Rebels in Romania, Vietnam, Gorillas in the Congo, Guerrillas in Honduras, the Persian Gulf War. the Exxon Valdez oil spill. I involuntarily heard over 2,000 mornings of Reagan, Reagan, Reagan babble, though I did pay attention when they talked about his far fetched Star Wars operation scare tactic. We followed that up by blah blah Bush talk for a couple of years, and as soon as humanly possible after high school graduation in 1991, I went off to my first attempt at college, I happily lived an NPR-free lifestyle. The crazy thing is, now when I wake up I tune into NPR all on my own. So thanks m+d!