AlbertIdeation
the Eleven March/2010
daffodil & tulip edition
Wileyware and flowers Spring greetings and here's another issue of The Eleven - my effort to share what I'm up to, and ask for your assistance in changing the world.  It's been a busy time for me - I came out of a long bout of sickness in January and early February with a lot of energy and ideas.  I've been working with new clients lately to teach them how to make the best use of their social networking time to help their businesses and projects along.  The business I'm devoting the most time to is my friend Marcia Wiley's Wileyware, and we're planning an open house here on April 3rd and 4th to showcase her glassware and give people a chance to meet the artist.  I'll be sending out more information as we get closer to the date - I hope you'll take some time to stop by if you're in Portland then.  

Here is a bit of what I've been working on lately: 

I appeared on our local cable access TV station to talk about the Copenhagen conference on climate change and how that intersects with human population growth

I love the music of Michael Franti and Spearhead and would like to see him/them as the half-time show at an upcoming Superbowl.  Join me in this effort. 

I learned about Google's PowerMeter application and am making an attempt to bring that to Portland. Learn more 

Filmmaker Cathy Zheutlin created a short "commercial" for Wileyware.  It's the first time we've tried this out, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I'm loving our new Irvington home.  It's the best place I've lived in a while.  Roomy, centrally located, pretty, full of interesting early-20th century features (lots of wood) and in great shape.  I'm sharing the 1st floor with Dahra Perkins and Eecole Copen, and we're close friends with the folks upstairs.

Our House

The backyard is small, but big enough that last week I planted raspberries, peas, kale, radishes and collards.  The house also has lots of nice landscaping and we have daffodils and lilies of the valley popping up everywhere!

I'm also enjoying the abundance of my community.  I joined Our Sharing Network a while back and have been giving and receiving frequently.  I heard Robert Heinberg of the Post-Carbon Institute speak a couple weeks ago, and if his predictions and analyses are correct, our post-cheap fossil fuel energy future is going to look a lot different than our lives do today. Get comfortable biking :)  That said, I'm trying to create a model for working together that looks more like gifting than either barter or buying.  And that's been paying off in many ways.  Try it on for size - give away a good or service with no attachment to receiving anything in return, then do it again.  I know it's not easy, especially at first, but you may find that what returns to you is surprising and wonderful.  Let me know how it goes. 

Before I forget, here are some recommendations I've been saving that I think are worth some time.
RecommendationsWileyware and Coconut Bliss

Would you like to be on the Wileyware e-list?  if so, sign up here.

Want to learn to eat better? Here's an interview with Michael Pollan in the NYT on his new bookFood Rules: An Eater's Manual

A movie I've seen recently that I highly recommend - Who killed the Electric Car?  

Here's a book recommendation: The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century by James Howard Kunstler

and finally, an article recommendation: - The Songs We Don't Sing

Thank you

Open House I feel very lucky right now.  I have more ideas than time to complete them, and many of them tickle me.  For instance, I am putting together a proposal for the Portland Art Museum to host a show of art by local Burning Man participants (shooting for 2013).  I had an idea last night to ask the local jazz radio station KMHD to work with me to create a "dinner in Portland" evening where those who want to PARTICIPATE would tune in at a certain time, and the City would eat dinner together to the same set of music and possibly menu! 

Meanwhile on the political front there are a slew of new candidates in the Portland metro area due to the very recent untimely death of our State Treasurer, Ben Westlund.  I'm networking to find myself work with one of the campaigns where I can use my social networking, campaigning and gumption to get the strongest progressive elected.  The funny thing is that they're all pretty progressive.  Right now I'm focused on the Portland City Council election, and have endorsed and will work for Jesse Cornett.  An interesting aspect of this campaign is that we have publicly financed elections in Portland and Jesse has qualified for funding.  So, there is no further need to raise money!  Very unusual in politics at any level.  Jesse seems like a solid candidate and I look forward to getting to know him better.

Thanks for your encouragement and positive thoughts.  I hope you can make it to our open house in April, and please feel free to get in touch for any reason.

Peace,


Albert Kaufman
http://albertideation.com
Albertideation Medium
For laughs I've been enjoying the humorous website of David Thorne