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Oct
13
As I sit here in my sky blue fleece pajamas with clouds shaped like cows jumping over moons and thick red Isotoner-style socks with the no-skid white sticky bumps on the bottom, I can’t settle on one or two or even three items to write about. Because I have so many. I’d hoped that this blog would help me voice – primarily for myself – the ideas that intermingle in my mind. I like to think I know myself well, but in this, I misjudged: with me, ideas are like the Book of Genesis, they beget and beget and beget more ideas.
Likewise with questions. Which is why I know I must deal with this post on Brewed Fresh Daily that relates to the Red Room Revolution.
To recap: Two days ago, I asked questions in this post of mine as a result of listening to and participating in the Cleveland.com live chat with Cathy Panzica on the same day (check Henry Gomez’s Techlink for a link to the chat), and in these comments on BFD later that day. Nikki Di Filippo proffered me a draft response to the comment questions on BFD, but it arrived just a short time before I went on hiatus for the Jewish holiday. She called me and we spoke briefly and frankly. I then sent her a brief review of my impressions of her draft.
After those communications, I’d thought that I’d see her re-draft before she posted it anywhere, but she re-drafted and apparently sent her answer to my BFD comment questions to BFD. At least, that’s what I think transpired. Being Yom Kippur, I’ve not responded – as I told Nikki yesterday that I couldn’t because of the holiday.
As of now, I’ve received no response from RRR on that original blog post of mine (noted above) about my experience at the live chat with Cathy Panzica – which, btw, is what BFD references and Henry Gomez references.
I’ll respond tomorrow to Nikki’s response on BFD because, time after time, I’ve made mistakes when I try to be clear, at night. My brain functions much better in the morning (even without caffeine).
As an important aside, I had a one-on-one with God and nine Torahs earlier this evening, and I’d much rather blog about that. But the truth is, this convoluted way of having some sincere – and what I thought and a few others (who have commented and emailed me privately) thought were legit – questions answered has me twisted up. I’ve always been told I’m too sensitive. But I’ve also always failed to understand how it is that when I try my damnedest to be the best citizen I can – reading up, listening, asking questions, re-directing myself, trying to locate the people with answers – I feel like I get thumbed at.
No – I’m not saying anyone connected to RRR has thumbed me. But I do think that since I’m just a blogging writer and mom in a suburb without millions of dollars in venture capital and no tech industry connections or money or know-how, well…they want to answer me but they want to answer me in a way that is as global as possible.
Unfortunately, I’d like answers that are as specific as possible. I’m hoping we can meet in a place that is more between those two locations than I currently feel we exist.
I do not know either of these women, at all. And I swear, I’m not looking for a fight. But my internal dialogue goes something like this: I’m the same age as Cathy P, with kids and I live in a suburb and I’m a lawyer. She lives in a suburb, has kids and is a lawyer. I’d think she might relate as well as respond to me. What gives?
What gives? Well, as I alluded to before, I don’t rank much. And you know, that’s okay. I’m not looking to rank. But I would really like to know about the possibility of a PhD in tech. Because you know what? I do think I can contribute at least as much as displaced workers with no tech background.
Maybe more. Look how provocative just one blog entry became.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:08 pm October 13th, 2005 in Politics
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9 Responses to “Post-fast show (and a little something for RRR followers)”
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Jill, if you don’t live in the City of Cleveland, we should anyone representing that government body be accountable to you?
Sorry, Jill, there’s a typo above. That should read: why should anyone representing that government body be accountable to you?
Dear Anon –
Legit question. If you are serious about wanting me to answer you, why aren’t you indicating who you are?
Best – Jill
Jill, my name is Jim. I’m guilty of leaving comments anonymous comments. I did so today for convenience and more so because my question above is one we should all be asking ourselves. Another way of restating it is: why should the City of Cleveland be accountable to those who reside and work elsewhere?
The City needs to apply its limited focus on its citizens, on their challenges and opportunities. People who choose to live and work elsewhere aren’t part of the equation, just as someone who lives on E40th and Woodland is not part of any suburban equation.
If we want a seat at the table of opportunity, we need to also have ownership of the challenges. That’s what I’m struggling with.
So – are you saying, RRR IS a limb, trunk or other appendage of the Cleveland government body??
People who choose to live and work elsewhere aren’t part of that equation
Horse hockey. The companies that R3 attract to Cleveland will hire the best and brightest in their fields, and don’t care if they live in Tremont, Pepper Pike, or Avon Lake. If you work in IT in this region, you should at least have a passing interest in R3 because if successful, it will increase the opportunities for your own growth in the field, and will let you continue to live in the city you want to live in.
I’m not here to defend Jill, but at the same time, why isn’t she allowed to ask questions about R3 just because she doesn’t live in Cleveland? I don’t see any indication she’s asking for accountability out of Jane or Cathy Panzica, but is just curious about a civic initiative that might benefit from her participation, and is somewhat short on specifics right now.
I don’t know Scott and I didn’t pay him, but GOD BLESS YOU! Yes – I’m working on a post that says pretty much what you say. This is a region. Where the hell do you think the owners and the innovators are going to live and spend money? In Cleveland at some points for sure but let me tell you something: my hubby works in Cleveland and has since 1991 – his taxes go there. I worked in Cleveland for years, I paid taxes there.
There’s a County Commission that includes…Cleveland as one of it’s cities.
I’ve posted it before, I’ll reference it again later, it’s been picked up by other area bloggers: YOU CANNOT JUST SAY SUBURBS SUCK, THEY DON’T VOTE IN CLEVELAND when Cleveland is a METRO area. It is, it is, it is. As a city, it is DECLINING in population. This is NOT news – it’s been happening since the 1950s.
And another thing, I moved here in 1988 for graduate school. ALL my family is on the East Coast. Everything I knew was there – all my connections.
I CHOSE CLEVELAND over many other places, to go to grad school, NOT KNOWING A SOUL except one family of second cousins. THAT WAS IT.
I met my husband here – all HIS family is on the East Coast. HE CHOSE TO STAY HERE after grad school.
Aren’t we the kind of people you want to attract and keep?
People with a future looking for a place that offers a future.
We saw that, we still believe that. And we are the kind of people constantly grazing, browsing and hoping to find ideas and people that keep us engaged.
If I thought that wouldn’t happen here, I PROMISE you, I’d have left a long time ago.
Jill, I said I struggle with this issue and, based on the postings from you and Scott, I see that I’m not alone.
I’m sorry to learn that expressing my struggles to you, someone who I view as thoughtful and compassionate, based on your writing, and someone who is also conflicted about the denigration of areas outside your influence, places me in some suburban-hating militant crowd. I’m simply trying to recognize the inherent conflict and posed questions that help explore it, as I view this conflict as major barrier to unleashing the best brainpower on Cleveland’s challenges and opportunities.
A benefit of living outside of Cleveland is that people get out from under a self-serving bureaucracy. However, a consequence to living outside of Cleveland proper is sacrificing influence to affect change.
There’s no argument that the RRR can cause an economic tide that raises all boats in the region. But how high and when will be determined by those who work and represent the City of Cleveland. They were elected, paid or nominated to do this by their constituents.
It’s unfortunate that we as a region have organized our governments as fiefdoms, which means they aren’t working for the region’s collective good and thus fail to provide representation at a table such as RRR. It’s simply aggravating, regardless of where you live.
Last, Jill, you need not justify your passion and concern for Cleveland. You are entitled to it without giving your personal history. Cleveland is a part of all us who reside in NEO. I hope that all us in NEO recognize the impact Cleveland’s condition has on each of us. Change will require sacrifice from all of us. Please keep provoking us. You’re inspiring good.
God, I wish I’d written that, Jim. Thank you.
Well, it’s tough to add to what you’ve written. Everything you say is on point and echoes my sentiments. Perhaps I’m a bit stuck in the frustration stage, as in, I’m frustrated in getting up to speed on where my time and effort should be spent to help make that difference. I’m horribly into researching ideas before I follow through on them and that gets me bogged down.
Though I will say in that in the case of figuring out what steps I’d like to take that move me and others away from complaining and closer to doing, this blogging stuff has been critical. As has the commenting part of blogging.
I apologize for coming on so strongly – I could always blame overeating after fasting, right? You have no idea how cranky I was during my fast yesterday.
Ok – TMI. Sorry.
Thank you for reading and thank you for commenting. I feel so lucky to know that people who write and think as eloquently and as open-mindedly (re: conversing)as you do read my blog. I hope you will continue to do so – even if I rant.