-->

I recently read a letter to the editor that described how the City of Council of Bloomington had failed to listen to the people of Bloomington and that they should be put out of office for that transgression. You hear a lot of that type of complaint today. “The People have spoken!” Sometimes it might even be in a City Council meeting where someone gets up and declares the City Council is not listening to the will of  its citizens.  It doesn’t matter if it is the City of Bloomington, Town of Normal, State or Federal Government, the feeling many people get is that elected officials will do whatever it is they want.

“Listening to the People”. That is tough concept to throw out there and expect someone can fully comprehend. In the case of the letter writer I wonder how he spoke for the “people of Bloomington”. All the people? Every last 75,000 or so of them? The entire “people of Bloomington”? You see, it is very difficult for anyone to claim they are speaking for everyone’s interest. Now, I know that the writer was generalizing here and making broad assumptions. The letter writer was taking license and perhaps hoping that some people, perhaps not all the people, would agree with what he was writing. His use of words, and that all it is,  is less a statement of fact and more of a tactic.

Here is my point: If every elected official or elected wannabe goes with “what the people say” then they are merely a walking-talking poll watching, finger-in-the-air looking puppet. The people don’t necessarily have all the information an elected official has at their disposal. They were elected to “lead” not just constantly stick their finger in the air and wonder what the electorate has to say. I get so angry when I see our elected officials use “my constituents said this or that” or their favorite “I got a lot of emails and phone calls about…” as their excuse for not voting on the tough decisions. Is it so wrong to say,  “I have heard what my constituents have to say, I have analyzed the data, I have asked the tough questions, and even though some people in my ward are not going to like the decision I am going to make, I have to vote for (fill in the blank).”

Let’s back to the letter. Dear letter writer, the Bloomington City Council can’t (or shouldn’t) kow-tow to every person who says that they are not being heard. You are being heard, its just that they have taken all the information they have and weighed against what the people have said and have decided to  make a decision that is hopefully informed and good for the entire city and not just your special issue. And to you your subject matter: You cannot ignore the parts of your City that are not doing well or as well as the rest of the community. Downtown is your example, and I dare you to ignore downtown. If one ignores downtown, one will cause great harm to the rest of the community.  Read Jane Jacobs book, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities”.

The following post has nothing to do (well, not much) with what I usually write about. However, I wanted to share my unique experience eating in Chicago several weeks ago. I enjoyed myself immensely and tried to capture the evening in the paragraphs below.

Recently I attended an “underground dinner” with a good friend in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. Put on by an entity called Sunday Dinner Club, it was a fabulous expression of local food that was stunning and yet very simple in its aesthetic and presentation. This post is merely a recounting of this event and looks somewhat like a restaurant review, but is not. It is a description in the best way I know how of a wonderful evening spent with absolutely no one I knew, except of course for my friend. She knew that I would revel in this experience and indeed I did. I loved it so much I want to experience it again and again, and am actually planning how I can replicate something similar in my own home sometime in the future.

Let’s start with the concept. Sunday Dinner started out as a community dining club trying to invoke the memory of the family Sunday dinner. It has grown into a catering and personal chef service that concentrates on serving the best of local food in the Chicago area and elsewhere. The two principles of Sunday Dinner, Joshua Kulp and Christine Cikowski say their philosophy is “earnest seasonal cuisine inspired by local farmers and artisan producers, crafted with care and served with fine dining finesse”. Today the Sunday Dinner club also offers these local dinners and my friend was lucky enough to get on the mailing list. We screamed up Interstate 57 a couple weeks ago just in time to get to the dinner and enjoy ourselves immensely.

Several weeks in advance I was looking forward to this event. The concept was unique and the idea was original; Invite people you don’t really know for dinner. Sign up about 20 of them, and treat your dining room and living room like a restaurant. The anticipation was great and once we got to our the destination which  looked like a thousand other brownstone type buildings in the City of Chicago I was feeling pretty good about the whole concept. But then I started getting a little anxiety as the cab approached the address. Where am I going again, and what am I doing? I am eating dinner in someone’s home, a home where I know no one, people I have never met? When Christine, one of the chefs for the evening answered the door and hugged my dining partner, I felt a little better and reaching into the “E” part of my Briggs-Meyers profile (I also often test out at “I”; I know it’s hard to believe) I quickly made friends with everyone at the table and proceeded to open one of the two bottles of wine we had brought to the dinner.

Even though we thought we were fashionably late we waited for about the ten other guests to arrive. The dining area was simply two big tables in the dining room of  a home with a lot o f pretty candles and soft white string of lights in the window. Joshua and Christine came out to give us a briefing on the menu. It was also written out in cursive on nice paper underneath our salad plates. As Josh gave us a history of Sunday Dinner Club and started to describe the evening’s activities, I thought how lucky we are to have the opportunity to take part in these type so activities. I really enjoy the ability we have in Central Illinois to quickly “pop” into Chicago. Good companionship, new people to meet, interesting local food, and chefs to prepare it for us, was too great to behold. Indeed, I was a very happy camper!

Let’s start with the first course: Green Garlic Soup with Fried Farm Egg. This luscious soup was a clean soft chicken broth accented ever so slightly be green garlic. Josh had given a long description of green garlic and it’s significance in the soup’s flavor, but truthfully I lost track as tried to suppress the saliva forming in the back of my mouth. Forget the description, just bring me my the damn soup! Upon arrival the soup had small chopped pieces of kale or some type of green leafy vegetable floating in it. While I saw no green garlic I was going to take Josh’s word for it. The prize however was the fried sunny-side egg floating on top waiting to be be cut into pieces and it’s yoke spilled into the hot broth, thickening, flavoring and coloring  it with its soft and delicate hue.  I was light, delicate and had the right balance between garlic, soft green leaves of kale and egg. I couldn’t wait for more.

Second course: Pizza, with local Goat Cheese (Prairie Fruits Farm), Asparagus (Harmony Valley), Ramps (Bare Knuckle Farms), and Market Greens. Using Wheat flour from another local farm (I think they said in Wisconsin),  this pizza was just right. I already had the goat cheese from Prairie Fruits farm in my refrigerator back home and knew what I was I was in for. My mother says she dislikes goat cheese because it tastes like a goat. Although I can’t remember her ever serving goat growing up, she obviously has a dislike for perhaps the gamy taste some goat cheese has. She has not tasted the goat cheese form Prairie Fruits as it is light, soft and provides the right taste and consistency in your mouth whether on crackers (which is how I like to eat it at home), or on his light crusted wheat pizza I was experiencing at that very moment. The asparagus was tender and ramps and market greens added a hint of bitterness that offset the slightly sweet and tangy cheese.

I was very happy at this point. No need to go further…Oh wait there is more. At this point Josh came out and describe the next course, which was the main course: Crispy Duck Leg (Gunthorp Farms) with Chicories and plumped dried cherries (Ellis Farm). Josh’s description of the Duck leg we were about to eat got a little confusing. All I really heard was “cooking in duck fat” and I was pretty satisfied. Then when I heard that duck fat was been used to infuse the salad dressing that was accompany the greens I was doubly satisfied.  The one thing I do remember was that the duck was rubbed with a five-spice rub. This was evident as the duck leg was brought out and was a beautiful amber color. In fact, I am pretty sure when we walked in that evening it was the duck I could smell cooking, as  it was presented to me simply and with vivid aroma. I spent the next several minutes just breathing in the rich deep redolence of the five space rub. There was no need to eat the leg, the smelling of the damn thing was quite enough.

I have to admit, that while I will eat just about anything (except olives, never feed me olives), a duck leg represented a challenge for me. Admittedly I am carnivore, but my general rule of thumb has always been to refuse to “work” for my food. In other words you won’t see me gnawing on turkey legs, ribs, chicken wings, crab legs, etc. Anything that requires me to exert more effort than merely using a knife and fork will result in me foregoing the option of eating. But since I was in a different state of mind, indeed I did the best I could to cut into and obtain as much meat as I could off the bone with out doing the caveman thing and pick it up to  gnaw.

Next and last up: Doughnuts with Rhubarb Jam, Buttermilk ice cream, and  maple pecans. I’m not sure where any of the ingredients came from, but I was satisfied with the simple confession by Chrisitine that she loves doughnuts. That was good enough for me. Doughnuts with stuff on top of it made the evening perfect and put a perfect punctuation mark on the whole event.

Upon completion, I wanted to start again, and even though we had a lot of different food, I did not feel overly stuffed like one does leaving a chain restaurant. The portions were just perfect, the heart and love for cooking with local ingredients  shone through by Josh and Christine. I was quick to sign up for the email list and want to come back for more.

This experience was fun yet simple. What was most interesting was the local (regional) ingredients they used and the seasonality of the food that was cooked. Local food and its interesting preparation made one evening in Chicago sublime and stupendous. Can we do these types of things in our neighborhoods and communities? Sure we can. Eat your local food. It is easier and easier to do. Farmer’s markets, local health food stores all sell local produce, eggs and meats. If you frequent them you are helping to support a local economy, and that is economic development.

I found this video this morning and found it beautiful and amazing at the same time. Technology provides us so many things, among them an opportunity to be creative.  Latvian tradition in music is steeped in choral music. Every four years Latvians have a huge choir festival where literally thousands get together young and old and sing the songs that define their culture and generate respect for their common history. Watching the video below reminded me of the that tradition.

For years and up until 1991 the choir and song festival was held outside the United States. Today it has had an opportunity to go back to Latvia. I wonder if the internet had been around in the years of occupation by the Soviets if their form of totalitarianism would have had a prayer. Imagine the Latvian Choir one could assemble via the internet!

Eric Whitacre is a new musical genius and phenom. It’s great to see the classical music traditions and genres reach younger people. He has assembled this electronic choir to sing a piece he wrote. It’s a great way to start your day.

Have an inspirational day!

Everybody has usually good things to say about their mother. I feel bad for those who don’t have a good relationship with their parents or have had parents that haven’t acted like parents. We know there are people in our own lives who treat Mother’s Day like any other day, trying to forget the pain of their estanged relationship or the parents that never were.

I have reason to celebrate Mother’s Day. I have a Mother that I think can best be described as courageous. Not “super-hero” courageous, but brave. You see, it is all relative and even from people like my mother you can draw inspiration. My mother who turned 80 years old in March shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, she just had her second knee-replacement surgery in twelve months to guarantee herself the quality of life she so richly deserves.

So here is her story. Imagine waking up as a 10 year old and find tanks and troops marching down your street and your government in turmoil on the verge of collapse (and not by choice).  That was what my mother woke up to in the middle of June of 1940. A Soviet occupation of Latvia her birth country had begun. The Soviets called it “mutual aid”. Most Latvians called it an occupation. For a ten year old it didn’t mean much as life was still fairly normal. However as WWII wore on it became increasingly clear to my Mothers family that staying  in Riga, the Latvian capital was not an option. Over 30,000 of their neighbors and friends had already been sent away to be “re-educated” or more likely shot. My parents family fled to the West hoping for a better life or at least a respite until the end of the war.

Between 1944 and 1950 my mother and her family spent their lives on boats, on foot, on rail cars, and trucks carrying their belongings across Europe, not knowing where they would end up. In the end they ended up in the United States having to learn a new culture,  a new life, a new language. For a teenager it might sound like an adventure, but even so, it took great resilience on her part to survive this.

My mother long ago has spent most of her life in the United States. She is as American as anybody. She raised my sisters and I with the just the right amount of repsect and knowledge of the “old country”, but as full Americans. I get discouraged when I hear people complain about their lot in life, particularly when I consider what my Mom went through to get here. I left out a lot of detail about her journey, and perhaps one day I will share that, and undoubtedly there are thousands of stories out here similiar to hers, but she is my mother and it is her story, our story, my story.

Bravery comes in many different packages and shapes. It wasn’t easy to spend your high school years in a “displaced persons” (refugee) camp waiting to see what country would be willing to take you. It isn’t easy hiding in a barn for days on end because you made a wrong turn and ended up behind Soviet lines hoping the Soviet soldiers wouldn’t rape you. It isn’t easy traveling across Europe carrying only what you could grab on your way out the door. It isn’t easy witnessing the liberation of a Jewish camp and seeing the mass of humanity descend upon you and your belongings, knowing what they have gone through, yet defending your own property. It isn’t easy moving to a completely strange place and learning local customs, local culture, a new language, and perhaps being taken advantage of. It isn’t easy trying to blend in. Imagine doing all that in the first 20 to 30 years of your life.

Today, when her knees are fully healed Mom likes to go to the “club” three days a week to exercise with her friends( I know never to call her on MWF mornings), go shopping, I think just so she can return things (she does that a lot), watch “Wheel of Fortune” while riding her exercise bike, travel back to Latvia to see our many relatives, read, do the Tribune crossword puzzle every Sunday, go out to eat at TGIF which she claims to have the best bourbon Manhattans. I think she would say that she had some pretty good years.

Her life wasn’t always easy. The first 20 years were the toughest, but it made it her into the women, mother, grandmother she is today. She wouldn’t admit it, but she is an inspiration to many. Her grandchildren adore her, her frends go to her, she has a quiet ability to help people in need without making much about it, she is stubborn as hell (old Latvian tradition), and she is my Mom.

Mom, you are the bravest person I know, and you are my inspiration.

Note: my Mom still has not mastered the internet, so she is likely not going to read this. Someone will have to print it off for her.

Today I want to promote some blogs I read for Follow Friday.  The Urbanophile is an excellent blog for those interested in urban issues. Ok, I admit, there are probably not of you out there. It is a bit limited in terms of general interest, but Mr. Renn has some interesting things to say about how we deal with our urban core. His most recent post about Cities using the position of “Creative Director” to move the perception barometer forward on some our larger urban areas is thought provoking and interesting. Follow Aaron Renn or read his blogs:

Blog post: The Urbanophile

Twitter:  @Urbnaophile

Facebook: Here

Here is another Blog, and of course this person has many followers and if you aren’t already following you should. Anyone interested in ideas, and our techno culture should be looking at Seth Godin’s blogs. They are short and easy to read. He doesn’t necessarily post tweets with content, but uses Twitter to point to his blog, which is a smart thing to do. In addition, his Facebook page is merely a replication of his blog.

Blog: Seth Godin’s Blog

Twitter:  @ThisIsSethsBlog

Facebook: Here

Watching the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico reminds me of the Valdez and the damage it made off of the pristine Alaskan coast so many years ago. Whether these oil spills are a result of faulty equipment or in the case of the Valdez an inebriated ship captain, they are both based on our thirst and hunger for fossil fuel. It is sad that this has occurred, but we have to remember that we can be doing so much more to get ourselves off the fossil fuel habit and obtain our energy elsewhere. The current disaster is less of a disaster than the one we will have if we don’t thinking more about a policy to fix our entire energy consumption issues. Isn’t our own security as a people and culture rely on a sound energy policy? Doesn’t our competitiveness and quality of life depend upon a better way of powering our economy? With over 40% of our trade deficit due to oil imports, I would say yes. But are we prepared for it?

Let’s look more closely  at energy. One of the concerns going into the future regarding our economy is the future of the workforce in the areas of energy. Are there enough people with the skills, education and ability to accomplish what needs to be done? Everyone talks about the new energy industry, sustainability and other “smart” industries, but there is a lot of evidence that perhaps we aren’t educating our children in areas where we will need workers.  Baby-boomers are retiring in faster number than ever before, and it looks as though we need a bigger pipeline to provide new employees to these industries.

• Over half of all electrical power workers will retire in the next five to ten years.
• Oil and Gas workforce averages 50 years in age.
• No new nuclear power plants have been built in the last 30 years which has led to poor skills, loss of technicians and fewer students in nuclear engineering in the United States. This lack of knowledge may be an issue for our security as well due to our nuclear powered Navy.

There are going to be many opportunities for jobs in the energy portfolio. They are not here yet, but they will be here. As a country we are not synchronized to develop these educated workers. There is no federal policy on workforce to meet the needs of the new industry.

In a 2010 publication, the Council on Competiveness a Washington DC based non-partisan and non-governmental group made up of private business leaders, university presidents, and labor leaders that work to ensure U.S. prosperity, published a paper called “Mobilizing a World-Class Energy Workforce” which calls for bridging the skill gap and building of talent in these areas. The Council recommended:

• The U.S. Government offer full scholarships to U.S. graduates who commit to a minimum period of service in an energy related career in the governmental, academic, or non-profit sectors.
• Congress establish a CompetePass program that will allow eligible participants to redeem the passes at U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) one-stop training centers.
• The U.S. Government grant green cards to foreign students receiving undergraduate and advanced degrees in scientific and engineering disciplines from U.S. institutions.

Can we change? Our way of life depends on it. It may not stop another oil spill, but it may reduce the opportunity of these type of terrible disasters from occurring.

On Friday  (4/30) I was at a Cub game watching my boys win, and didn’t have a chance to participate in Twitter’s “Follow Friday” activity. Here are some people I like working with in the Social Media World here in the Bloomington Normal area, which we affectionately refer to as #BloNo. You should follow them, work with their companies and be darn social:

Mark DeKeersgieter — Vice President of Sales at Integrity Technology Solutions. Mark is a super sharp guy who is enthusiastic about what he does and is becoming a social media expert in his own right. He has recently gotten into running and regularly talks about it on his Facebook page. He is one of the people I meet with regularly once a month to talk about Social Media in Bloomington Normal. He also is known for his ability to utter the words “Kapooow” without anyone laughing at him.

Twitter Handle: @Mark_DeK

Facebook Fanpage: Here

Erik Anderson — Infinity Print Group. Erik is part of a family business that does excellent work. He is very interested in how social media can help his business and grow his community. His company also likes to take on college interns and pass along their knowledge.

Blog Post: http://infinitypg.wordpress.com/

Twitter handle : @infinintypg

Facebook Fanpage: Here

Matt Edward — State Farm Insurance. Matt is a diversified guy. He works at State Farm and is involved in their social media effort, he has his own podcast that he does with his wife, and is part of a family owned business, the Copy Shop in downtown Bloomington. Sounds pretty busy, doesn’t he?

Podcast Page: http://www.redboypodcast.com/

Twitter Handle: @redboypodcast

Copy Shop Website: Here

Copy Shop Facebook: Here

Check out these local characters and learn from their wisdom…