Field Notes on Strong Citizenship

In the spirit of moving from an awareness-building organization to a movement-building organization, Strong Towns has a fun new corner of the website for me. This year, I'll be sharing field notes on my journey/research into Strong Citizenship. In this regular column, you'll get pieces of my life as a friendly neighbour in a quintessential Little City that Feels Like a Big Town.

Here's the background file for you. I moved here late 2013 and made friends quick through gushing flattery:

My part-time day job for much of the past year and a half has been designing, launching, and facilitating an experiential learning program for aspiring business owners. Our goal is to help people create livelihoods that last in places they care about. Our first year was awesome:

With my remaining hours, I run my own business of sorts. I freelance out everything from copywriting to research, to video production, seeking "projects for places we love." That's my yardstick for taking on contracts - "Is it a project that creates new life in a place that people love?" Like this:

The Front Doors website needs a major update (guilty) but the spirit continues. In fact, in the coming months I'll have lots to share on the next steps with that.

So let's pick it up from there. Here's what's on the agenda in Fredericton this week:

Thumbnail from my sketchbook

• Big worm sale. Need to pack up a few bags for one Ms. M.L. who contacted me via Kijiji. Yes, I am the town worm dealer. You should consider vermicomposting if you love little creatures and gardening OR if you hate smelly garbage cans full of rotting food.
• Talking to my MLA (my representative in our provincial legislature) about walkability in the city and how the provincial highways cutting through downtown are a major nuisance.
• Filming a TV interview with a local community organizer on walkability and incremental neighbourhood action. He's a good guy. Met him while spray-chalking!
• Continuing to learn to draw. I'm taking up lettering these days because I enjoy it and it has tons of handy and practical uses in my world of urbanism art (posters, street art, chalking, etc.). I've got a long way to go...
• Maybe another go at the bouldering wall with our downstairs neighbours.

Talk to you next week! Keep doing what you can to build Strong Towns, good people.

G