Late 80s/Early 90s Dance Party!

How’s your morning going?  Tough to come back after the weekend?  Got a case of the Mondays?  Then journey back with me to a simpler time, and get ready to groove along with some great late 80s/early 90s hip-hop/rap classics (the soundtrack of my 7th-9th grade years).  Warn your co-workers, ’cause you will be laughing/doing the Sprinkler/wondering who all the guys with the funny hair are.

(My apologies for the content in some of the videos, which really doesn’t fit in with what I’m trying to do with this site.  Turns out the soundtrack to my early adolescence wasn’t quite as wholesome as I remember it being.  Flip your mental content filters on, and just enjoy the grooves…)

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Baby, Don’t Forget My Number (Milli Vanilli) (OK, now if you enjoyed that first song, please leave now.  You’re not welcome at my site.  And you won’t enjoy the rest of the Dance Party…)

 

Jump Around (House of Pain)   Ah, that’s more like it.  Now, get out yo seat and jump around!

 

Bust a Move (Young MC) You got no money, and you got no car, you got no woman, and there you are. 

 

Warm It Up (Kriss Kross)  A tough call between this and “Jump,” but I chose to warm it up, cuz that’s what I was born to do.  (apologies for the lame video, the real one wouldn’t link)

 

Groove Is In the Heart (Dee Lite) I have just nothing to say about this one… 

 

Mama Said Knock You Out (LL Cool J)   Well, no.  My mom didn’t say that.  She says hi.

 

Just a Friend (Biz Markie)  A slower one, to give you a bit of a breather here.  Go get your Jolt Cola topped off, and get ready for the big finale.

 

Poison (Bell Biv Devoe)  Now we’re talking! A virtual museum of late 80s/early 90s hair and clothes.  Awesome.

 

(and accompanying clip from “Scrubs.”   (”He’s gonna be trouble.” “I know…but he’s so damn delicate.”)

 

Baby Got Book (Southpaw)  (Normally, any good 80s/90s dance party mix would have some Sir Mix-A-Lot.  But, you know, I’m trying to run a family site here, so we’ll go with something much, much better.  “And, if you’re Catholic, there’s even more…”)

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Alright, enough dancing.  Back to work.

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Phil’s Life Update 6/08

Here’s the slightly-longer version of my past few months (long enough to be too long for an email, short enough for me to crank out before falling asleep). 

Summer/Fall 2007: After completing my stint at Lynden Christian High School, I set forth on what I assumed would be the beginning of my youth ministry career’s next phase.  Turns out, God had other plans; while the process itself was tremendously valuable to learn from, none of my opportunities ended up being a good fit for both parties.  Though I had hoped to be beginning this new journey by fall, I’m quite content that no ministry job is better than the wrong ministry job.  So, the search continued…

But, first, I needed to make some cash.  After a long job search, a position opened up with the Lynden School District, working with elementary special-needs kids.  I’ve done this kind of thing before, and decided to take the job, and see what the year beheld. 

Winter/Spring 07/08: What did the school year behold?  Well, in a position I wasn’t expecting to take, God used many cute little kids to show me the value of setting your dreams aside, and staying where you’re needed most (a previous analogy to It’s a Wonderful Life was made on this blog, about the moment where George realizes he must forego his dreams of travel and adventure in order to stay back and save the family business.  My favorite scene from my favorite movie). 

My various roles had me working with a variety of students in a variety of settings, but one thread seemed to connect them all: kids need men in their lives, and too often don’t have them.  My building alone had about 40+ women and THREE men (me, plus two custodians).  Factor in the usual 50% divorce rate, and you have Mr. Davies being the only male a lot of kids talked to on any given day.  Sad, humbling, but definitely an honor to be able to help fill that tragic deficit. 

So much so, in fact, that it’s got me asking a lot of big questions.  How much impact can one steady male presence have in a kid’s life?  Has my youth ministry search not panned out for this reason?  Has God used this season as a detour (eventually leading back to my previously-felt call), or an off-ramp (heading in a new direction)? 

Coming up: As I shiver my way through an unusually-cold WA summer, performing odd jobs and casually searching for new job opportunities (ministry or otherwise, plus I’ve still got my low-paying school job waiting for me), I’ve come to the following decision.  My heart and passion still lie with serving adolescents & families in a church setting, and I will continue to search for the right professional opportunity to do this full-time (with a few interesting opportunities still floating out there).  I see many ways where the past 2-3 years have been an incredible time of rest and reflection, preparing me for the next phase of my efforts to help churches minister to their youth.  However, if nothing pans out during this season, I’ll be content to throw in the towel on that career quest, and begin the process of becoming certified to teach elementary/middle school.  Though not my Plan A, it’s definitely a Plan B (or C, or D…I’ve lost count) which I could see some great things happening through. 

What have I learned in this process? (which I hope not to have bored you to tears with, but am very appreciative to be able to share with you)  So many things, but nothing more than this: “…Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ …But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31-33, NIV).  Just keep your compass pointed in the right direction, and all the other stuff just falls into place.  So simple, yet so complicated.  Such is life…

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Thank you for the role that you’ve played in this journey with me.  I hope you’re doing well, and look forward to hearing how your respective journeys have been going since last we chatted.  Thanks for reading (that’s long enough, time for sleep now…).

Instant Productivity Killer (Just Add ADD)

From Time’s 50 Best Websites of 2008, a few of my personal favorites.  Enjoy (and my apologies on the wasted hour you’ll kill on these):

Howcast - A funnier, more practical version of WikiHow, where people submit video answers to pressing questions, such as “How To Tell If Someone’s Lying,” and “How To Act If You’re Stopped By the Police.” 

Psych Central - Learn. Share. Grow.  Find out just how crazy you really are (with the help of many helpful quizzes).

WikiTravel - User-submitted info on popular travel destinations.  I’ve only skimmed it, but it looks promising.

Afrigadget - Common-sense solutions to everyday needs of millions of Africans (like the $200 laptop, only stuff that people actually need).  Fascinating.

Rate My Professors - This is just sick and wrong…

Urban Dictionary - It’s basically just what it sounds like.  I need to go back and watch Juno while looking at this page.

Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project (UCSB) - Before mp3’s, before CD’s, before cassettes and vinyl, there were…tubes.  Edison’s phonograph cylinders, more specifically, and they recorded decades of music, culture, and valuable history that would otherwise disappear, if not for efforts like this.  Enjoy browsing through this extensive collection, and load up your iPod with these fascinating goodies (my favorites: the “Humorous Recitations,” a speech by Teddy Roosevelt, and the European ethnic humor section…nothing like a good Irishman joke to top off your day).

Life Checklist (137th Revision)

(As one who doesn’t do too well without structure in his life and work, I’ve fallen into the habit of “scheduling” certain major milestones into my life.  Though the first 32 yrs. haven’t necessarily gone according to plan, I’d certainly be OK seeing at least a few of these hurdles cleared in a timely, orderly fashion.  List subject to change, per my whims, circumstances, and the occasional reality check…)

By Age 34:

1. Either settled into a youth/family ministry position within a growing, passionate, missional church family, or well on my way in a teacher certification program (not Plan A, but a plan nonetheless - I could think of worse things than being the only male a lot of little kids talk to each day).
2. Spend a week camping, somewhere (possibilities include long-neglected Olympic National Forest, and a canoe trip that has been bantied about with a friend).
3. Trade in my Civic for a convertible (everybody hates Convertible Guy.  At least, until that first sunny day of the year.  Then Convertible Guy, mildew-y interior and all, has the last laugh…).

By Age 35:

1. Hike the West Coast Trail (a week of beach hiking on Vancouver Island, B.C., complete with waterfalls, shipwrecks, and amazing scenery along the way).  Will require a few months of training, and I’ll need 1-2 others in my party…any takers?
2. Write a book, or at least map out the framework for one.  I’ve got a few bouncing around my head, and just need to get my blood boiling enough to purge those words from my head.
3. Sign a mortgage on a house.  This buyer’s market has about 2-3 years left in it, my sources tell me, so I hope I can jump in the pool before everyone else decides to back in.
4. Take another exegetical seminary class (one that pieces apart a section of the Bible).  Such an enriching process (which makes you both want to rip your hair out, and know God more).
5. Reduce my total personal debt by 25% (100% would be nice, but I’m realistic).

By Age 40:

1. Spend a month in Italy.  Like pretty much everyone who’s ever had the travel bug, Italy tops my “someday” list.  However, I’ve always wanted to save Italy for something special, potentially with someone special.  So, whether or not there’s a ring on my finger by then, I’m spending a month in the Tuscan hillsides, sipping fine chianti and touring historic cattedrales.  (*a friend observed that, if I’m married by 40, this is a win-win for my future spouse…for cryin’ out loud, who’s gonna say no to a pre-planned trip to Italy?)
2. Have another missions stint in the works, or under my belt.  Life is meant to be lived serving, learning, and worshipping, and this happens nowhere better than in a cross-cultural missions setting.  I imagine God will point me back in this direction before long, both for the work I could do in that country, and to refresh me for future pursuits.
3. Eliminate my non-house debt.  A wise counsel once told me that, if you wish to make yourself available to be used by God, you must first eliminate debt.  I would add sin to that list, but that’s another discussion for another day.  Let’s stick to the money thing…

By Age 50:

1. Hmm.  I’ve never thought about this one before.  I need to chew on this for awhile…
2. (I thought of one!)  Check another continent off the “need-to-visit” list.  I’m currently up to four, and can realistically get South America and/or Australia out of the way in the coming years.  Antarctica’s going to be tricky, but my geology creds might get me out there to see the penguins.  Yup, I expect that Bachelor of Arts degree will open some pretty big doors. 

 By Age 80:

1. I’m hoping just to make it this far.  I can’t think of any other men in my family that have in recent generations.  Everything after this will be gravy.

If I ever get engaged:

1. I’ve already got my elaborate proposal all mapped out.  She’s gonna be blown away, and my name will be spoken of in legend for years to come.  An amazing plan, yet beautiful in its simplicity.  We’ll fill in a few key details later (I imagine a name would be helpful). 

If I have children someday:

1. By their 10th birthday(s), my kids will have experienced authentic international travel in some form (missions trips or otherwise, not revolving around a hotel or resort).
2. By their 15th birthday(s), my kids will be able to independently negotiate their way through a foreign bus/train system (like a local).
3. By their 20th birthday(s), my kids will have planned and experienced their own international travels. 
4. By their 30th birthday(s), my kids will probably obsess over silly life lists like this one, driving their friends nuts!

When I die:

1. I want to be cremated, given a simple memorial service with lots of laughter, and have the ashes taken to Jerusalem and spread inside the Old City (where pilgrims from all corners of the world would pick me up on their shoes, and take me home with them).

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(Critique and suggestions welcomed, and most likely ignored.  How could you improve on the perfect plan?)

A Wanderluster’s Lament

(As the calendar slowly winds down on another school year, while the weather outside more closely resembles the doldrums of winter, my heart wanders.  My short life has given me opportunties to experience people & cultures most can only watch TV specials about, but all that has sadly left me spoiled to the day-to-day routine of real life.  The following is a journal entry from my Canadian Rockies trip last summer (which included the discovery of Felipe Beach).  *Sigh*…how many more days until summer?)

*Written from Shuswap Lake, B.C., on my 32nd birthday, the last day of a great trip:

“A beautiful morning, in a beautiful place, once again.  While the individual locations may grow a bit familiar from a tourist standpoint, being surrounded by grandeur and majestic natural beauty seems to defy the normal trappings of time.  You forget to look at your watch.  You don’t need to be “doing” anything.  It’s just enough to sit in a comfy chair, listen to a rushing waterfall, watch the stars try to peek out from behind the clouds, and let your brain sort out the past day, week, year.

“Why spend money I don’t have on a trip to the Rockies?  Why stay at strange hostels (which I write while sitting on a caboose step), with very unique people (many of whom snore)?  Because, when I start these adventures, the rush of excitement wears off quickly.  I find myself panicking over small setbacks, unwilling to experience new things and people, and generally longing to just have everything be stable and safe.  It gets a little harder to get off the ground each time I strike out to new territory, and that’s what scares me.  That’s why I keep stepping into illogical adventures; so that the safe, logical decisions of day-to-day life might possibly become little adventures themselves, not limited by my fears.

“As I strike out on unfolding of this year’s path, I am praying that my fears and “self-stabilizing” tendencies will become a think of the past.  Maybe that five-year scenario I laid out two years ago can kick itself into gear, and bring new daily adventures.”

Confessions of a Hyprocrite…

Every Christian I know is a hypocrite.

I am a Christian.  I, too, am a hypocrite. 

When you ask most non-religious types their main objection to having a personal faith in God through Jesus Christ, they will quite frankly admit that most Christians they know are hypocrites.  Telling others to act one way on Sunday, then going out and trampling those words during the week.  Made much worse by the proclamation (perceived or otherwise) that, once we get JC on our side, we’re perfect (unlike you, you dirty sinner).

I wouldn’t want to join that team either.  My experience has been a fairly common church-kid one, having grown up in a stable Christian home, surrounded by pretty normal folks who had long-established personal relationships with Christ for their entire lives.  Not really much cause to doubt something that was backed up so well by so many solid examples of consistency.

Now that I’m an adult, I get it.  I see how easy it is to put forth a good show in a church setting, then walk out the door and carry on as if nothing had just happened back there.  And it’s even easier to talk with God and promise that I’ll be one kind of man, when in fact I know darn well that my promise will be broken faster than you can say “ungrateful.” 

So, in a post much shorter than this topic deserves, this hypocrite walks away with one thing: hope.  I hope you (the reader) get the chance to meet amazing people who both profess Christ’s power in their lives, and act like it.  I hope that, when you meet the other 99.9% of us out there, you’ll understand that we’re fragile, weak human beings just like anyone else out there.  And it’s not that we really think we’re ”perfect” or “better than you,” but we just know what we’ve found can lead to so, so much more in our lives and the lives of others (it can, but doesn’t always, because, remember, even though we’ve been forgiven in God’s eyes, we’re still too often hypocrites).

And I hold on to that hope that, just like He’s always done, God will continue to lead me and guide me towards being the man He can make me.  When Christ died on the cross, paying the debt for my failures and making it possible for me to know God personally, He knew what He was getting: all my dirtiness and hypocrisy were part of the deal, and He still decided I was worth it.  I don’t get it, but I’ll take it.  And, hopefully, my Inner Hypocrite will get the message someday, about how great a life in Christ can really be…

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly “3rd” movies

As Hollywood has expanded and bloated over the years, so have the number of long-running movie series it produces. A movie series, I have decided, is defined by having at least three movies:  by the third one, they are either trying to wrap up a storyline, or make a run at a cash-cow series.  It struck me recently that a lot of movie series either (a) never make it three installments, (b) make exactly three, but should have either stopped at two or gone to four, or (c) hit it out of the park with the third one. What follows, in no particular order, is my incomplete list of various “3rd” movies — this list is very incomplete, and your comments and contributions will no doubt better mankind.

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The Good (ones that got it right at three, or got it right and kept going)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (beautiful scenery, awesome soundtrack, and a final confrontation that defines “tension.”)

Trois Colours: Rouge (If you’ve never seen this landmark series, make a point of it.  Beautiful stuff.  Rouge is by far the most complex, but maybe the best)

Goldfinger (maybe the best of the bunch, and they got it on the third try.  Go figure…)

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (while not technically the third movie overall, it’s the original third, and that’s good enough for me.  This movie defined all that was cool in my 4th grade existence)

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (OK, here’s the true 3rd movie, which got way too much flack for how well it was done)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (very fun film)

Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King (the series got better and better)

Rocky III (”Clubber, what’s your prediction for the fight?”  “PAIN…”)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkiban (the first of the series to really turn dark)

Bourne Ultimatum (I haven’t seen it, but enough other people have vouched for it, so it’s in!)

Army of Darkness (the only one of the Evil Dead series I really enjoyed)

Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (not so much “good,” but I’m just glad they made it.  Two go in, one comes out!)

Spider-Man 3 (for its faults, which all mention later, it’s really a beautiful story of forgiveness.  Plus, Peter Parker doing pelvic thrusts was pretty darn funny)

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The Bad (it’s not so much that these are bad, they just could have been so much better…)

Spider-Man 3 (way too much movie crammed into 2 hours.  Should have been two separate movies)

Superman III (the scrapyard Clark v. Superman fight was pretty cool…the rest was painful to watch)

Godfather III (speaking of painful: Sofia Copalla’s acting.  Ouch.)

X-Men 3 (bit off way more than it could chew…)

Shrek the 3rd (recycled the same jokes from 1 & 2)

Maxtrix: Revolutions (I don’t remember a thing from this movie.  That’s usually a bad sign.)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (didn’t see it, but heard it wasn’t good)

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The Ugly (hardly worth the cyberspace it takes to mention them here…)

Back to the Future 3 (felt like a bad TV movie)

Rush Hour 3 (Justin told me it was terrible.  Go take your disagreements to him…)

Scary Movie 3 (many very satisfied 12-yr old boys after this one was made)

Austin Powers: Goldmember (again, those same 12-yr olds have reason to cheer)

Jaws 3-D (you know, there aren’t enough 3D movies anymore.  Maybe this is why)

Leprechaun 3 (this movie exists?)

Escape from the Planet of the Apes (the first one without Charleton Heston, thus marking its transition to silly self-parody)

Pokemon 3 (God help us…)

Jason, Freddy, Michael, or other bad 80s horror series

Anything in the torture porn genre (Saw III, and an advance rejection of Hostel 3, which I read about online)

Any terrible semi-pornographic series (Porky’s and American Pie come to mind)

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Your thoughts?

The Golden Age of Cinema

Having just watched An American in Paris, my mind is drawn to another time in our culture’s history…

In the early 50’s, America was still coming off it’s V-Day high: the sun was shining bright, and things looked nothing but good for the days ahead.  Most families didn’t have a TV (or, if they did, they still only had 2-3 channels), and hence children were forced to do things like play outside or be creative.  The U.S. economy was pretty stable, with new job growth, and a president (Truman) who was widely respected.  Gas cost $0.20/gal.; stamps cost 3 cents. 

…and the world was reaping the benefits of the Golden Age of Cinema (generally considered to be during the ’30s and ’40s, but I’ll throw in the early ’50s, too).  This was a time when studios produced grand pictures with lavish sets, beautiful soundtracks, and (get this) multitalented stars.  People would actually dress up to go to the cinema and, when they got there, they were met with plush seats, huge screens, and an organist who warmed up the crowd.  Moviegoing was an event, and crowds knew they would be treated to a show that dazzled their senses and made them feel better about the world than they did before they entered that fantasy world…

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As I write this, I’ve just watched an SNL skit where people laughed at a man being beaten to a pulp.  Minutes later, I overheard news reports about kidnappings, rapes, and rising gas prices.  Last night, I saw a movie which was preceded by multiple previews, most containing a scene from a strip club. 

Though ours was not a perfect world in the 1950s, I think I was born 40 years too late…

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(and, btw, An American in Paris is a great film.  Gene Kelly just has a way of putting a smile on your face, and Gershwin soundtracks alone are worth a watching.  You will enjoy yourself while watching this charming, beautiful film…)

Junk Drawer… (3/25/08)

A random airing of random thoughts; while each is not demanding a great deal of cyberspace to discuss, the world is most certainly a better place for having heard them. 

1)  Among my reading conquests of the past few years has been my adulthood re-reading of The Chronicles of Narnia series.  These “kids books” are easy to read (great travel reading), yet pack a punch.  Each of the seven stories carries with it stories of adventure, gallantry, falls from grace, and redemption at the hand of a loving higher being.  C.S. Lewis once described the character of Aslan not as a artistic rendering of Christ, but as an imaginative wondering of how He might reveal Himself to other created worlds.  One of my favorite moments was reading the The Last Battle (where Aslan ends the existence of Narnia, and leads the “Friends of Narnia” to an eternal paradise) at the same time as I read Lewis’ The Great Divorce (a separate novel rendering the author’s vision of Heaven).  Further up and further in!

2)  This week, my rental house has gone on the “For Sale” market.  Which meant that, last week, the place was professionally staged and photographed.  A strange experience, to give two aesthetically-focused women free run of a bachelor pad, and see what ensues (turns out, we had all the right stuff in all the wrong places).  Anytime I’ve watched redecorating TV shows (read: a RARE occurance), I’ve always imagined that, minutes after the cameras leave, the residents spend the next hour moving everything back to where it was before.  That’s pretty much what I did…

3) I seriously do not get women.  I know what they say they want, but what do they want?  More specifically, what are they waiting for, that they’re not thinking they’re going to get from me or other non-”Mr. Darcy’s” I know? 

(Mr. Darcy = mysteriously charming, effortlessly handsome, both forceful and tender at the same time.  Jane Austen-driven emotional porn for generations of sighing women…)

4) Easter services at my church are really funny.  Being a high-profile congregation, we always draw a huge crowd on holidays.  We don’t really do anything different, either; none of the Lenten fanfare you might come to expect from your local church.  Leading up to the big day, I always go through the same cycle: hearing about Lent somewhere; wondering if I should make a Lenten pledge; forgetting about it; remembering other Holy Week services I used to attend, and wishing my current congregation did something like that; wondering if I should skip church to go visit other services.  Then, at the last minute, God shows up and lets us all know why Jesus came to Earth, why He died, and why He conquered death once and for all. 

Our Easter service was elbow-to-elbow, with the same hands-in-the-air rock praise we do pretty much every week.  I was starting to get a little grumbly, wishing we would toss a little fanfare in there.  Then, the Spirit of God starts to move.  We all know God’s up to something.  And when the pastor leads us in a prayer for those wishing to receive Christ’s gift for the first time, the cluster of folks making that bold first step, reminds us of why we have church in the first place.

5)  We found out a few weeks ago that my sister has lymphoma.  She’s healthy, energetic, caring, and way too young for the battle that lies ahead.  You never know when everything could get turned around at the drop of a hat, and you won’t get as many chances as you’d like to tell the people you love what they mean to you.  I hate cancer.

Let’s Get Small! (2008 Edition)

This is an open appeal, to friends, well-wishers, and anyone else who has found there way to this blog.  I will try to keep it short, and I hope you can read through to the end.  But, first, a little story… 

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This weekend, I bid farewell to an old friend.  Kendrick’s Billiards in Bellingham closed its doors.  Unfortunately, it seems the packed house they had every Fri./Sat. night wasn’t enough to keep the place in the black, so the owners were forced to shut down a classy, creative, popular, locally-minded business.

As we’ve done many times over the years, my friend Brian and I went to Kendrick’s for Pool Night (only this time, merging fun with sadness).  Somewhat angry and somewhat depressed, we decided to make it a Small Business Night, where we would only patronize the Little Guy: locally-owned places that have not only been around forever, but have genuinely become a part of people’s lives in the process. 

 This mini-rebellion was partially fueled by news earlier in the day that Grant’s Drive In was being torn down to make way for a behemoth shopping center (a move which will take with it the old Big Scoop building, where my parents used to take us to every Sunday after visiting Grandma).

Our drive first led us to Lee’s Drive In, long-time home to Bellingham’s greasiest chicken and surliest waitresses.  Countless local seniors congregate here daily, to connect with friends and keep tabs on the neighborhood.  Here is the conversation that ensued between Brian and me:

P:  “Hey, there’s Lee’s.  Have you ever been there?”

B: “No.  But I hear they’re tearing it down to build a Starbucks…”

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Every town has a few of those places.  You know the ones.  They’ve been there for ages, owned by people who live in the community, go to the local parks, and send their kids to the local schools.  Everyone knows that those restaurants have the best service, those shops have the best toys, and those mechanics will back up their work, no matter what.  They’re not just businesses: they are community fixtures, part of the character of your town. 

And, regretably, every town has stories like mine.  The old “(insert name of owner)’s” on (insert name of downtown street), torn down to make way for a (insert name of nationally-managed chain store).  One just like (insert name of any other town in America) has.   “Time marches on,” some say.  “Gotta make way for progress.”

Progress?  Is it progressive to trade uniqueness for convenience?  Local ownership for number-crunchers somewhere, looking for a new profitable venue?  Is that all your town is, a profitable venue?

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Here is my appeal:  You have the power to change this, by supporting the Little Guy.  Your community is healthier with locally-owned small businesses as its economic core (all the reasons “why” that you’d want, available here and here).  Although the “big guys” do employ local people, and do provide an economic boost to local economies, it’s fairly indisputable that locally-owned businesses (small or large) spend more dollars locally, make more community-friendly planning decisions, and, more often than not, provide better pay (link opens as PDF) for local families.

As we’ve learned, the Little Guy is easily crushed by Progress (usually aided by corporately-funded real estate, legal, and advertising machinery).  However, you, the consumer, have power.  Your choices of where to shop, eat, or otherwise spend money, have the power to make or break a business.  Simple, everyday shopping trips (when multiplied by several hundred or thousand), can make the difference between that little place you thought of earlier clearing its expenses this month or not. 

Like any good rebellion, “getting small” requires some sacrifice: a little time, and a little money.  You might have to make two stops instead of one, and you might end up spending a few more dollars a week.  But, think about this:  You drink coffee.  Your office’s breakroom has coffee (technically).  And, yet, how much out of your way do you drive, and how much more do you spend, to get really good coffee?  Quality of life takes a little work to get to, but is always worth it in the end…

Please, take a second before you pull into the Wal-Mart or mall parking lot.  Could these same products/services be purchased somewhere else?  Could I actually make a difference in my community with this minor purchase?  More often than not, the answer is “yes.”  And, if this occasional behavior starts becoming habit, you will be playing a small-but-vital role in keeping your community healthy, unique, and locally-minded.  That’s worth an extra stop to me.

 ** Additional reading: if reading this got your blood going as much as mine did writing it, you’ll enjoy reading Big Box Swindle, and perusing the Sustainable Connections website.  Enjoy getting small!