About Last Night and I.P.O.D.

I was an audience member at the Central Library's Forum for Docents and Volunteers. It was a private event and they barely let me enter. The host looked me over skeptically questioning internally whether I was an invited guest. This near rejection, I believe, was due to my outfit: a Maktub shirt, well worn belt and dirty sneakers (that I wore in anticipation of my late night seven minutes in heaven with "Awesome"), or the fact that my eyes were fixed closely on the assortment of cheeses that were just inside the door. The goat cheese wrapped in basil was the best of the array. I had six servings - and a stomach ache by the time I reached Neumo's.

The purpose of the event was to thank us volunteers for our support and dedication. They did this by serving up good food and a meaty educational forum on “The New Downtown.” The moderator was C.R. Douglas, host on The Seattle Channel, and the panel included the following fine folks:

David Brewster, Founder of Seattle Weekly and Town Hal,l and the coiner of my new favorite acronym I.P.O.D. to which I dedicated the title of this post. It Stands for Intense Park Oriented Development. Hell yeah!

Deborah Jacobs, City Librarian, The Seattle Public Library, and a role model to me.

Peter Steinbrueck, Seattle City Councilmember, a personable politician, but I remain turned off by politic speak.

Diane Sugimura, Director, Department of Planning and Development, City of Seattle, another woman with a fabulous job of interest to me.

Deborah + Diane = a sisyphean dilemna. Will I ever stop waffling, urban planner vs. librarian?

Panel discussions like this inspire me to no end and make me want to remain a hometown girl, somehow contributing to it's vision. The outline of the talk is below:

Center City

Changing Demographics

Family Friendly

New Libraries

What's Missing?

Homelessness

Open / Green Space

Sustainability

Transportation

Planning

I could go into the details, but the post is already long and it'd be much more fun to talk about it in person. So, come pick me up sometime. Take me to McSushi's. I promise you an impassioned debate.

I left with a swelling feeling in my chest and bounded up the hill with my ipod in my ears blasting the sweet sounds of The Beatles (Revolver). I joined up with a dozen or so foxy friends and flitted through the evening, through the music, through the photobooth.

Thanks to Nico for assuring me that I am a VIP and for the big drink in the glass cup. Waldorf represent!

Confidential to the perfectas, damn you tequila!