So work has been going well. I had some car problems last week but now everything is good and the car is driving better than ever.
With October already here I've been looking to the future a lot lately. Right now I am at my dream job. Every day I realize that almost everything I have ever wanted I have. While that feeling is one of amazement and pure joy there is also a nagging 'now what' that keeps tugging at my thoughts. My teaching contract expires in December and as of right now I have absolutely no idea where the future is taking me.
I've been toying around with the idea of going back to school. I am placing my hope that the economy rebounds sooner than later, but I did that same move in 2008 and ended up in a dead end job at a bankrupt company. That move is what caused me to realize it was time to get my M.A. So the same move again has me worried.
All in all though I am much more optimistic about the local economy than many other people seem to be. Orlando is building itself up to be able to weather these economic storms much stronger than it did before and the next year will be one of massive job creation in the region. With the Lake Nona Medical City finally coming online and the pre-recession hotel occupancy already back I am sure that 2012 will be a year of steady growth for the City Beautiful.
My concern though stems from finding where I fit into all this. I love Orlando. I use love only because there isn't a stronger word than that to describe my infatuation with this region. Some people find it odd that I am actually a fanboy of a city. But why not? There are plenty of trekkies, star wars has the 501st Legion, and this weeks Apple news only shows the obsession that many people have with this company. So if people can be fanboys of corporations and movies why not of cities?
Of course this lends itself to some difficulties in life. When one is obsessed with a city how does one look for career opportunities that are not within that region? As of right now the city I love seems to be giving not as much love back and that means even though I love it I may have to leave it.
Now one thing about obsessions though is that when someone has one they quickly become an expert on that topic. Just as a trekkie could be able to tell you all the planets visited in the original series I too am able to quickly reference numerous projects around the Central Florida region. This knowledge lends itself to a certain depth of understanding that I struggle to find in many others. And those that I do find it in seem to be as optimistic about Orlando as I am. Now this may be all of us denying the realities of the economy or may be that we truly see something deeper, something more powerful than what shows up on the radar of economist and politicians.
I don't know what the future holds but I am hopeful that in the end my optimistic, albeit possibly childish, beliefs in Orlando economic rebound beyond that of what any economist would openly discuss lends itself to allowing me to fall more deeply in love with this beautiful city, the City Beautiful.
Showing posts with label central florida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label central florida. Show all posts
Friday, October 7, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
The life, well at least one aspect of that life, that I dreamed about and got!
So the last few days I've been up at my parents place relaxing before the next survey kicks off in the research lab. I know once I start a full time job I won't have a lot of time to spend with my parents so I want to come home one last time before I get that job. That one last time has turned into like 4 visits now but you can't spend too much time with your parents...wait yes you can! lol. No I love my parents to death and as our dog Beethoven gets older I cherish every moment I get to spend with her. I was there when she was born in the living room of our old house just 3 days after Christmas in 1998 and we have a bond that few people seem to have with a pet.
While I do love the time with my parents in their new, well a little remodeled and extensively cleaned, beach-esqe cottage in Mt Dora the time I spend outside of their house makes me realize both how much I have changed since leaving Lake county in 2002 for college and how much I now take for granted. Every time I come here I am shocked by the lack of customer service, the huge amounts of old people EVERYWHERE, and how spread out every thing is. I love Mt.Dora, don't get me wrong, but I can't stand the idea of having to drive everywhere.
I now live in a type of neighborhood that all my life I've only dreamed of living in. Well let me give a quick run down and explanation here so you can understand where I am coming from. This is a rough summary and dont hold these dates to any level of exactness
6months old-5- Mt. Plymouth--A house in the woods, on a dirt road a few wooded lots from the paved road and golf course. My earliest memories are of my parents and I walking through the woods to our neighbors house, past an abandoned playground overtaken by the woods. Also memories of walking along the golf course (modeled after the St. Andrews course in Scotland )in the evenings with my parents. There was also a peacock who seemed as interested in me as I was in him. He even brought his lady friend over to our house one day as I messed around in the backyard. From there we moved to a rental property.
5-6yrs old- Mt Dora-- This was the most urban place I ever lived. We rented this house while building our house in Yalaha. It was a small house on a cul-de-sac. We lived next to my elementary school principle. Each day we would walk through the cemetery across the street and would feed the goats in the retention pond area nearby. It was a few blocks from downtown but still have a very suburban feel to it. From here we moved to the middle of nowhere in a place called Yalaha (yes the same Yalaha now made famous by the Yalaha Bakery).
7yrs old-Yalaha--We lived in a huge house (3 finished bedrooms with 4 partly unfinished ones upstairs), with 30 foot ceilings in the living room on top of one of the biggest hills in all of Central Florida. From my splattered painted bedroom I could see the fireworks at Disney every night. While our house was amazing it was in the middle of nowhere and after a year my parents driving back and forth to Mt Dora each and every day we moved.
Part of 7 and 8-Tavares--From Yalaha my parents bought some land in the middle of nowhere near Umatilla, Florida (close to Lake Dalhouise for my readers familiar with Lake county). While our next house was being built we rented an apartment in a small single story complex in Tavares. This was my only experience ever living in an apartment till I moved off to college. There were many kids in the neighborhood. I practiced basketball, would bike ride around the circle of the apartment complex, I would go explore the woods behind the apartment complex, climb under the fence to explore to orange grove. I went to friends house when his parents weren't home and we watched Disney Channel. It was the most people I ever lived around and I loved it. Then we moved back to the middle of nowhere.
8-17years old-Umatilla/Eustis--On Halloween weekend of 1993 we moved into our brand new house in the middle of nowhere between Mt. Dora, Eustis, and Umatilla. We had just started going to church in Umatilla and I was now going to a new school in Mt. Dora. We were about 3 and half miles from Umatilla, about 8 miles from downtown Mt Dora but around us was nothing but a few mansions (on the lake) and cows.
We lived about a quarter mile from the original retirement compound/castle of Dr Edgar James Banks, the early 20th century archeologist that Indian Jones is said to be based upon. While it was cool living near semi-famous people and former mafia owned mansions the idea of having the only kids in the neighborhood be the calves that I witnessed the birth of. There were a few kids in the neighborhood across the street but for whatever reason I never really met them or hung out. After moving much closer to my school my school moved far far away. It was originally close to our house but after the first year it moved to the other side of Leesburg, a good 45mins from the house. My mother would wake me up early each morning and I would do the drive. I tried a closer to school for about half a year but it just wasn't for me so back to the 45min drive. I did have friends from our new church (the very Willow Creek style church that was first church in Lake county to have a contemporary service) but most of them lived up in Umatilla. So whenever I wanted to hang out with them I would get on my bike and ride along the country roads past the orange groves and lakes around the tight curves up to the Umatilla. The school I went to was only 4 days a week so I usually would ride my bike up on Fridays and wait on my friends to get out of middle school.
By high school the 45 min drive and lack of local friends, along with some other reasons, convinced my parents and I that it would be best if I went to the high school in Umatilla. So for all of high school I went to Umatilla High, this was some of the best and worst times of my life, not to worry though I think there were more good than bad, I think. While I was bit, no a full fledged, religious nut at this point I still somehow managed to keep lots of friends and was well known by almost everyone in the school. I still felt like the new kid though and didn't ever really fit in to the country lifestyle of the school.
As soon as I started driving I would take one of my best friends, Big D, and together we would head out to Orlando. I spent many nights (many more than I told my parents about at least) driving I-Drive. We would met the coolest people and do the craziest stuff that seemed like a world away from Umatilla. We would eat at the tacky McDonald's, make fun of tourist, and do some celeb spotting. I helped Tiger Woods Christmas shop for his kids, sat beside N*Sync and O-Town at dinner, chat with PGA players, and shopped at Armani Exchange.
We would also explore The Villages, Daytona, and even a boring trip to Paltaka but somehow we would always end up back in downtown Orlando or on I-Dive. MY first true urban experiences weren't in a city CBD or in a time of trying to make it, they were along a road of fantasy and dreams. I fell in love with the city as I drove past countless putt putt golf courses and endless hotel towers.
As college come closer I wanted to stay near my family but wanted to escape the country life that had for whatever reason been all that I had really experienced my entire life. By this point I knew I was very different than these gun toting, animal killing, teeth missing, drama creating, rednecks that seemed to surround me. So I chose the school at the only other place I knew and loved. I chose a college on Hwy 192 in the heart of Kissimmee. At the age of 17 (yes I was 17 the first week of college) I started college on 192. I attempted to commute but after one semester I was so over the country lifestyle that I moved onto campus. I was now laying in bed at night just minutes from the bustle and international flair of the Orlando tourist scene and I loved it. I spent many nights eating at all the nice restaurants and I swear I have been in every gift shop in Orlando. I moved around some after leaving this college, Lakeland for another school, Tampa, and then to where I live now.
So I tell all of this to say now I live in an apartment building with shops on the front, a brick lined street out front with retail and restaurants, celebs are spotted walking past my apartment (well not big celebs but Carrot Top is at least kinda famous!).
While I do want an actual house it must be in a neighborhood like this one, never anything less urban than this. At night I take strolls past windows with Chihuly art on display, past windows of upscale restaurants and art studios. I now live in a community full of festivals, a block from a major bus line, a block from a weekly farmers market, two blocks from a Hagen Daaz (this could be dangerous) and even within walking distance of any fast food I could imagine!
Whenever I come home to my parents beach-esqe cottage home on a cul-de-sac on their half acre with their neighbors on each of their half acre lots. It is by far the most urban of any setting they have lived, except for the rental homes, but its suburban to its core. Strip malls, retail chains, and SUVs are all around. After a few days I miss my urban peace of mind. I love the idea that I can walk wherever I want. I now live in a place that my whole life I dreamed of. I rode my bike all the way to downtown Orlando before. Sometimes real late at night I get in my car, roll the windows down, and drive around the city. Its the most peaceful place I can find. I grew up in the country but somehow, for whatever reason I find the city much more peaceful. Albeit Winter Park is not the big city by any means but its the most urban I've experienced and its much more urban than what the average person ever gets to experience.
Sometimes I forget how much I love where my life has brought me but after a few days of riding around in an SUV going from strip mall to strip mall I miss my Winter Park lifestyle more than I ever missed the lifestyle I grew up around. Needless to say tomorrow I head back home.
While I do love the time with my parents in their new, well a little remodeled and extensively cleaned, beach-esqe cottage in Mt Dora the time I spend outside of their house makes me realize both how much I have changed since leaving Lake county in 2002 for college and how much I now take for granted. Every time I come here I am shocked by the lack of customer service, the huge amounts of old people EVERYWHERE, and how spread out every thing is. I love Mt.Dora, don't get me wrong, but I can't stand the idea of having to drive everywhere.
I now live in a type of neighborhood that all my life I've only dreamed of living in. Well let me give a quick run down and explanation here so you can understand where I am coming from. This is a rough summary and dont hold these dates to any level of exactness
6months old-5- Mt. Plymouth--A house in the woods, on a dirt road a few wooded lots from the paved road and golf course. My earliest memories are of my parents and I walking through the woods to our neighbors house, past an abandoned playground overtaken by the woods. Also memories of walking along the golf course (modeled after the St. Andrews course in Scotland )in the evenings with my parents. There was also a peacock who seemed as interested in me as I was in him. He even brought his lady friend over to our house one day as I messed around in the backyard. From there we moved to a rental property.
5-6yrs old- Mt Dora-- This was the most urban place I ever lived. We rented this house while building our house in Yalaha. It was a small house on a cul-de-sac. We lived next to my elementary school principle. Each day we would walk through the cemetery across the street and would feed the goats in the retention pond area nearby. It was a few blocks from downtown but still have a very suburban feel to it. From here we moved to the middle of nowhere in a place called Yalaha (yes the same Yalaha now made famous by the Yalaha Bakery).
7yrs old-Yalaha--We lived in a huge house (3 finished bedrooms with 4 partly unfinished ones upstairs), with 30 foot ceilings in the living room on top of one of the biggest hills in all of Central Florida. From my splattered painted bedroom I could see the fireworks at Disney every night. While our house was amazing it was in the middle of nowhere and after a year my parents driving back and forth to Mt Dora each and every day we moved.
Part of 7 and 8-Tavares--From Yalaha my parents bought some land in the middle of nowhere near Umatilla, Florida (close to Lake Dalhouise for my readers familiar with Lake county). While our next house was being built we rented an apartment in a small single story complex in Tavares. This was my only experience ever living in an apartment till I moved off to college. There were many kids in the neighborhood. I practiced basketball, would bike ride around the circle of the apartment complex, I would go explore the woods behind the apartment complex, climb under the fence to explore to orange grove. I went to friends house when his parents weren't home and we watched Disney Channel. It was the most people I ever lived around and I loved it. Then we moved back to the middle of nowhere.
8-17years old-Umatilla/Eustis--On Halloween weekend of 1993 we moved into our brand new house in the middle of nowhere between Mt. Dora, Eustis, and Umatilla. We had just started going to church in Umatilla and I was now going to a new school in Mt. Dora. We were about 3 and half miles from Umatilla, about 8 miles from downtown Mt Dora but around us was nothing but a few mansions (on the lake) and cows.
We lived about a quarter mile from the original retirement compound/castle of Dr Edgar James Banks, the early 20th century archeologist that Indian Jones is said to be based upon. While it was cool living near semi-famous people and former mafia owned mansions the idea of having the only kids in the neighborhood be the calves that I witnessed the birth of. There were a few kids in the neighborhood across the street but for whatever reason I never really met them or hung out. After moving much closer to my school my school moved far far away. It was originally close to our house but after the first year it moved to the other side of Leesburg, a good 45mins from the house. My mother would wake me up early each morning and I would do the drive. I tried a closer to school for about half a year but it just wasn't for me so back to the 45min drive. I did have friends from our new church (the very Willow Creek style church that was first church in Lake county to have a contemporary service) but most of them lived up in Umatilla. So whenever I wanted to hang out with them I would get on my bike and ride along the country roads past the orange groves and lakes around the tight curves up to the Umatilla. The school I went to was only 4 days a week so I usually would ride my bike up on Fridays and wait on my friends to get out of middle school.
By high school the 45 min drive and lack of local friends, along with some other reasons, convinced my parents and I that it would be best if I went to the high school in Umatilla. So for all of high school I went to Umatilla High, this was some of the best and worst times of my life, not to worry though I think there were more good than bad, I think. While I was bit, no a full fledged, religious nut at this point I still somehow managed to keep lots of friends and was well known by almost everyone in the school. I still felt like the new kid though and didn't ever really fit in to the country lifestyle of the school.
As soon as I started driving I would take one of my best friends, Big D, and together we would head out to Orlando. I spent many nights (many more than I told my parents about at least) driving I-Drive. We would met the coolest people and do the craziest stuff that seemed like a world away from Umatilla. We would eat at the tacky McDonald's, make fun of tourist, and do some celeb spotting. I helped Tiger Woods Christmas shop for his kids, sat beside N*Sync and O-Town at dinner, chat with PGA players, and shopped at Armani Exchange.
 |
| XS was were I spent many nights, 3 floors-1st was a restaurant, 2nd was huge arcade, and the 3rd was an indoor/outdoor club. now this great business and its cool building are long gone :-( |
We would also explore The Villages, Daytona, and even a boring trip to Paltaka but somehow we would always end up back in downtown Orlando or on I-Dive. MY first true urban experiences weren't in a city CBD or in a time of trying to make it, they were along a road of fantasy and dreams. I fell in love with the city as I drove past countless putt putt golf courses and endless hotel towers.
As college come closer I wanted to stay near my family but wanted to escape the country life that had for whatever reason been all that I had really experienced my entire life. By this point I knew I was very different than these gun toting, animal killing, teeth missing, drama creating, rednecks that seemed to surround me. So I chose the school at the only other place I knew and loved. I chose a college on Hwy 192 in the heart of Kissimmee. At the age of 17 (yes I was 17 the first week of college) I started college on 192. I attempted to commute but after one semester I was so over the country lifestyle that I moved onto campus. I was now laying in bed at night just minutes from the bustle and international flair of the Orlando tourist scene and I loved it. I spent many nights eating at all the nice restaurants and I swear I have been in every gift shop in Orlando. I moved around some after leaving this college, Lakeland for another school, Tampa, and then to where I live now.
So I tell all of this to say now I live in an apartment building with shops on the front, a brick lined street out front with retail and restaurants, celebs are spotted walking past my apartment (well not big celebs but Carrot Top is at least kinda famous!).
While I do want an actual house it must be in a neighborhood like this one, never anything less urban than this. At night I take strolls past windows with Chihuly art on display, past windows of upscale restaurants and art studios. I now live in a community full of festivals, a block from a major bus line, a block from a weekly farmers market, two blocks from a Hagen Daaz (this could be dangerous) and even within walking distance of any fast food I could imagine!
Whenever I come home to my parents beach-esqe cottage home on a cul-de-sac on their half acre with their neighbors on each of their half acre lots. It is by far the most urban of any setting they have lived, except for the rental homes, but its suburban to its core. Strip malls, retail chains, and SUVs are all around. After a few days I miss my urban peace of mind. I love the idea that I can walk wherever I want. I now live in a place that my whole life I dreamed of. I rode my bike all the way to downtown Orlando before. Sometimes real late at night I get in my car, roll the windows down, and drive around the city. Its the most peaceful place I can find. I grew up in the country but somehow, for whatever reason I find the city much more peaceful. Albeit Winter Park is not the big city by any means but its the most urban I've experienced and its much more urban than what the average person ever gets to experience.
Sometimes I forget how much I love where my life has brought me but after a few days of riding around in an SUV going from strip mall to strip mall I miss my Winter Park lifestyle more than I ever missed the lifestyle I grew up around. Needless to say tomorrow I head back home.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Catching up with old and new
5 weeks till graduation. Time to start blogging again. Last week I found out that I passed my comprehensive exit exam for the department, so its official; I'm graduating on May 7th. The last two years while in the grad school has been such a roller coaster of emotions, challenges and desires.
Now I am at a new place. The last year I've transitioned from being engaged to single, from being in school to almost being done with school, now I'm focused on career, the future, finding someone to be with, and hoping for a future with the perfect spouse, perfect job, and wonderful kids. For now though I am just beginning that journey, just now preparing for the career, just now getting back into the dating scene, just now waking up to the realization that adulthood has hit me at last.
The last few weeks I've began applying to numerous jobs all across the country but mostly jobs here in Central Florida. I love this area, though I have been craving a change lately. Miami or St Petersburg, Florida do seem to be more my style but I love the urban feel of Orlando. Miami is so expensive and St Pete seems to be ghetto.
I must admit the first year in grad school I went out almost every night, making up for the time I missed clubbing while in Christian college. Last semester I did some partying but not nearly as much. This semester I began the year with going to clubs but I feel old there anymore. I went in saying I need to get the clubbing out of me, now I think I have. I do still enjoy a good time but the nightly club outings just aren't in the cards for me anymore. Instead I am fostering friendships, focusing on being involved in the community. I've began going to the monthly TEDxOrlando meetings, volunteering twice a month with children, and being more involved with my church. They say that 26 is when one starts going back to church, when one begins that next phase of their life. I hate being part of anything normal but this is me. The desires for finding a church family, for wanting to settle down some and begin that next chapter. That seems to be what fuels me anymore.
My new roommate, Brian, only 19, causes me to reflect upon where I was at his age. I was denying myself what I wanted in life. I never partied, never did anything crazy and only went to a few clubs. I've only dated one person really in my life, while another I did call it dating it was long distance and only lasted a few months, so I don't believe that really counts. Once I graduated with my Bachelors I began realizing how much of life I had missed out on, I then due not being able to find a job went back to college. It was a re-do if you will. It ended up being much more than that though, as once I began trying new things, meeting new people, and going new places caused me to see the world in a new way. I'm now coming out of grad school with a whole new mindset, a whole new world view, but this time it feels right. For the first time in a very very long time life feels right.
I can't wait for this journey to begin, thanks for being along for it!
Now I am at a new place. The last year I've transitioned from being engaged to single, from being in school to almost being done with school, now I'm focused on career, the future, finding someone to be with, and hoping for a future with the perfect spouse, perfect job, and wonderful kids. For now though I am just beginning that journey, just now preparing for the career, just now getting back into the dating scene, just now waking up to the realization that adulthood has hit me at last.
The last few weeks I've began applying to numerous jobs all across the country but mostly jobs here in Central Florida. I love this area, though I have been craving a change lately. Miami or St Petersburg, Florida do seem to be more my style but I love the urban feel of Orlando. Miami is so expensive and St Pete seems to be ghetto.
I must admit the first year in grad school I went out almost every night, making up for the time I missed clubbing while in Christian college. Last semester I did some partying but not nearly as much. This semester I began the year with going to clubs but I feel old there anymore. I went in saying I need to get the clubbing out of me, now I think I have. I do still enjoy a good time but the nightly club outings just aren't in the cards for me anymore. Instead I am fostering friendships, focusing on being involved in the community. I've began going to the monthly TEDxOrlando meetings, volunteering twice a month with children, and being more involved with my church. They say that 26 is when one starts going back to church, when one begins that next phase of their life. I hate being part of anything normal but this is me. The desires for finding a church family, for wanting to settle down some and begin that next chapter. That seems to be what fuels me anymore.
My new roommate, Brian, only 19, causes me to reflect upon where I was at his age. I was denying myself what I wanted in life. I never partied, never did anything crazy and only went to a few clubs. I've only dated one person really in my life, while another I did call it dating it was long distance and only lasted a few months, so I don't believe that really counts. Once I graduated with my Bachelors I began realizing how much of life I had missed out on, I then due not being able to find a job went back to college. It was a re-do if you will. It ended up being much more than that though, as once I began trying new things, meeting new people, and going new places caused me to see the world in a new way. I'm now coming out of grad school with a whole new mindset, a whole new world view, but this time it feels right. For the first time in a very very long time life feels right.
I can't wait for this journey to begin, thanks for being along for it!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Happy MLK Day!
I will get back to my decade in review but today I wanted to show some pictures from yesterdays Heritage Festival here in Hannibal Square.
As most of you know the area of Winter Park I live in is the old black community. The area is now in the midst gentrification and the original residents are slowly being forced out. It was nice to see the festival yesterday celebrating the original history of the community and keeping in place aspects of that history.
As most of you know the area of Winter Park I live in is the old black community. The area is now in the midst gentrification and the original residents are slowly being forced out. It was nice to see the festival yesterday celebrating the original history of the community and keeping in place aspects of that history.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Millionaires trying to be hip with homeless teens
About a month ago I was invited to attend and contribute to a brainstorming session on the issues surrounding local LGBT homeless teens.
Within the Orlando area there is a major problem with homeless LGBT teenagers. Many of them are kicked out of their families houses because of the sexual idenity, they then are forced to drop out of school, and many resort to selling themselves on the streets to make due. Often times older men in the area will bring them in as quasi-sex slaves and will provide them with drugs. Most of the programs that helps homeless teens in Central Florida are through religious organizations where the teenager will not feel comfortable to come out about their true identity. There are programs that help LGBT teens but many of them require the teens to go to a specific location, something difficult when they lack transportation. Also many of these programs are for all LGBT teens and so its usually filled with those of middle class families, somewhere that a homeless teen may feel uncomfortable open up at.
For whatever reason this group of people think that I actually know something about teenagers. I seem have been getting this a lot lately, its nice that people think I know something, I don't really think I know that much about teenagers. I mean it all seems pretty much like common sense to me but I guess to out of touch older people I am a little bit more in touch. Oh well, I love the idea of helping teenagers. I personally think its one of the most marketed to yet one of the most silent about their well being groups in western society so any type I can help teenagers improve their own well being I jump on it.
So I was invited to this brainstorming session about local homeless GBLT teenagers.
I agreed and was soon put on the list. Then I began getting the information about where it was. It held at the Isleworth County Club, one of central Florida's most prestigious neighborhoods. A community where millionaires move in to impress each other.
So here I was in a multi-million dollar clubhouse with a lunch served by a one of the top 70 chef's in the country.
Here I was sitting amongst millionaires, dining on some of the freshest and best food served in America, in a room that rivals that of European cathedrals I have visited and the discussion is on homelessness. I was sitting there just after driving past some of the largest homes in all of Florida, sitting with people that live in those homes and other homes like them and we're discussing homelessness.
Sure not all of the people in attendance lived in Isleworth, or even Windermere for that matter, but many of them did. I have nothing wrong with where a person lives or even how extravagant they may live. But what rub me wrong was here were people that have devoted their life to helping the less privileged in Central Florida and yet they each have a personal assistant, they all seem to live in this upper middle class or even upper class life and yet they claim to know how homeless teenagers live.
There wasn't any homeless teens there. A person brought this up during the discussion and it seemed to be quickly dismissed. The ruling train of thought was of the mindset that these people knew what a homeless LGBT teen would need more than the teen themselves because these people have the research, the education, the titles that it takes to know what to do. The answers in the room ranged from starting a twitter account to inform homeless teens where help is offered. Twitter for homeless people, um I wont even touch that. (though it could have good effects also, just I don't see it with teenagers, from my own observations teens have yet to adopt twitter like many people have believed they have. if you don't believe just do a online search about it and the results show teens dont use twitter. )
Other ideas were websites, myspace pages, in school information sessions, and family counseling. All of these ideas are good (I guess, it just showed how out of touch with technology and teenagers this group was) but in and of themselves these ideas don't do a lot of help.
The day progressed with the normal lame team building activities and brainstorming sessions with rules like 'if money wasn't an issue what would you do?' then when money was brought up it was quickly 'fixed' by the simple idea of applying for more government funding.
Here was a room filled with the who's who of central Florida homeless and teen non-profits, all of which have had cuts because of the recession and the answer they agreed upon to help people is asking for more money. Even as their budgets are slashed and they are forced to turn away people they actually think that the answer to their problem is asking for more money.
I dont have all the answers but I do know that if a group is cutting the amount they give you asking for more isn't going to work. Instead I prefer organizations that are focused on becoming self supporting. Of course the best why to do this is continue to focus on growing an endowment for the organization. (Rollins, the liberal arts college a few blocks from my apartment, has an endowment that is well over $350million. That helps them continue to improve the school and not have as much of a focus on bringing in money, instead they can focus on keeping the school competitive.) if it works for colleges and art galleries it can work for homeless non-profits.
There are many ways to raise funds for programs that don't tap into the infamously loop filled money the government offers. I for one don't want a person in Washington, DC deciding how we should spend our money on reaching the homeless population in our city. Instead it should be our money in our city.
A friend of mine worked with homeless people in Portland. He had the homeless people do art work (the supplies were gently used items from local schools and galleries) that was then displayed in local restaurants and was sold there, the money from the art work then went back into local homeless programs (the artist was able to choice what program they thought was best for the money to go towards, a great way to help the programs that the homeless see doing the best work). (Here is a similar program also in Portland).
Why can't we focus on more than one local problem? Why not let the local LGBT homeless teens work in galleries where their art is displayed? Why not create a magazine or books about their stories and then sell them to raise money for the programs? Why not open shops selling goods made by the homeless and then provide the jobs in the shop to the homeless? (I'm imagining a Ten Thousand Villages style shop but it could be anything) I would love to help write and produce a musical or play based upon the story of a local homeless LGBT teen, then through the ticket sales provide money for the local programs (I am really trying to work on this, making it a dinner theater with local foods, local foods, local story, and keeping the money raised locally. I'm hoping to have this vision realized by next fall, I'll keep you guys updated on this side project)
I was surronded by millionaires at this country club and yet they seem to completely forget their business knowledge because now we're talking about a non-profit, why? Why can't a non-profit be self sustained? I hope to see the day where our local homeless programs are not only meeting the needs of the local homeless population but also spreading the idea that a homeless non-profit doesn't have to be in a continual reactive relationship with the government.
We have people who are out of touch with the homeless population being the decision makers for them. Why not put homeless people on the boards? Why not create the jobs instead of just educated the homeless population on where to find jobs? Why not realize the government funding isn't a guarantee and if you want a service to be improving it takes more than asking for more money and then tweeting about it.
Within the Orlando area there is a major problem with homeless LGBT teenagers. Many of them are kicked out of their families houses because of the sexual idenity, they then are forced to drop out of school, and many resort to selling themselves on the streets to make due. Often times older men in the area will bring them in as quasi-sex slaves and will provide them with drugs. Most of the programs that helps homeless teens in Central Florida are through religious organizations where the teenager will not feel comfortable to come out about their true identity. There are programs that help LGBT teens but many of them require the teens to go to a specific location, something difficult when they lack transportation. Also many of these programs are for all LGBT teens and so its usually filled with those of middle class families, somewhere that a homeless teen may feel uncomfortable open up at.
For whatever reason this group of people think that I actually know something about teenagers. I seem have been getting this a lot lately, its nice that people think I know something, I don't really think I know that much about teenagers. I mean it all seems pretty much like common sense to me but I guess to out of touch older people I am a little bit more in touch. Oh well, I love the idea of helping teenagers. I personally think its one of the most marketed to yet one of the most silent about their well being groups in western society so any type I can help teenagers improve their own well being I jump on it.
So I was invited to this brainstorming session about local homeless GBLT teenagers.
I agreed and was soon put on the list. Then I began getting the information about where it was. It held at the Isleworth County Club, one of central Florida's most prestigious neighborhoods. A community where millionaires move in to impress each other.
So here I was in a multi-million dollar clubhouse with a lunch served by a one of the top 70 chef's in the country.
Here I was sitting amongst millionaires, dining on some of the freshest and best food served in America, in a room that rivals that of European cathedrals I have visited and the discussion is on homelessness. I was sitting there just after driving past some of the largest homes in all of Florida, sitting with people that live in those homes and other homes like them and we're discussing homelessness.
Sure not all of the people in attendance lived in Isleworth, or even Windermere for that matter, but many of them did. I have nothing wrong with where a person lives or even how extravagant they may live. But what rub me wrong was here were people that have devoted their life to helping the less privileged in Central Florida and yet they each have a personal assistant, they all seem to live in this upper middle class or even upper class life and yet they claim to know how homeless teenagers live.
There wasn't any homeless teens there. A person brought this up during the discussion and it seemed to be quickly dismissed. The ruling train of thought was of the mindset that these people knew what a homeless LGBT teen would need more than the teen themselves because these people have the research, the education, the titles that it takes to know what to do. The answers in the room ranged from starting a twitter account to inform homeless teens where help is offered. Twitter for homeless people, um I wont even touch that. (though it could have good effects also, just I don't see it with teenagers, from my own observations teens have yet to adopt twitter like many people have believed they have. if you don't believe just do a online search about it and the results show teens dont use twitter. )
Other ideas were websites, myspace pages, in school information sessions, and family counseling. All of these ideas are good (I guess, it just showed how out of touch with technology and teenagers this group was) but in and of themselves these ideas don't do a lot of help.
The day progressed with the normal lame team building activities and brainstorming sessions with rules like 'if money wasn't an issue what would you do?' then when money was brought up it was quickly 'fixed' by the simple idea of applying for more government funding.
Here was a room filled with the who's who of central Florida homeless and teen non-profits, all of which have had cuts because of the recession and the answer they agreed upon to help people is asking for more money. Even as their budgets are slashed and they are forced to turn away people they actually think that the answer to their problem is asking for more money.
I dont have all the answers but I do know that if a group is cutting the amount they give you asking for more isn't going to work. Instead I prefer organizations that are focused on becoming self supporting. Of course the best why to do this is continue to focus on growing an endowment for the organization. (Rollins, the liberal arts college a few blocks from my apartment, has an endowment that is well over $350million. That helps them continue to improve the school and not have as much of a focus on bringing in money, instead they can focus on keeping the school competitive.) if it works for colleges and art galleries it can work for homeless non-profits.
There are many ways to raise funds for programs that don't tap into the infamously loop filled money the government offers. I for one don't want a person in Washington, DC deciding how we should spend our money on reaching the homeless population in our city. Instead it should be our money in our city.
A friend of mine worked with homeless people in Portland. He had the homeless people do art work (the supplies were gently used items from local schools and galleries) that was then displayed in local restaurants and was sold there, the money from the art work then went back into local homeless programs (the artist was able to choice what program they thought was best for the money to go towards, a great way to help the programs that the homeless see doing the best work). (Here is a similar program also in Portland).
Why can't we focus on more than one local problem? Why not let the local LGBT homeless teens work in galleries where their art is displayed? Why not create a magazine or books about their stories and then sell them to raise money for the programs? Why not open shops selling goods made by the homeless and then provide the jobs in the shop to the homeless? (I'm imagining a Ten Thousand Villages style shop but it could be anything) I would love to help write and produce a musical or play based upon the story of a local homeless LGBT teen, then through the ticket sales provide money for the local programs (I am really trying to work on this, making it a dinner theater with local foods, local foods, local story, and keeping the money raised locally. I'm hoping to have this vision realized by next fall, I'll keep you guys updated on this side project)
I was surronded by millionaires at this country club and yet they seem to completely forget their business knowledge because now we're talking about a non-profit, why? Why can't a non-profit be self sustained? I hope to see the day where our local homeless programs are not only meeting the needs of the local homeless population but also spreading the idea that a homeless non-profit doesn't have to be in a continual reactive relationship with the government.
We have people who are out of touch with the homeless population being the decision makers for them. Why not put homeless people on the boards? Why not create the jobs instead of just educated the homeless population on where to find jobs? Why not realize the government funding isn't a guarantee and if you want a service to be improving it takes more than asking for more money and then tweeting about it.
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