Creative Cities Speech in McPherson Kansas

Peter Kageyama spoke in McPherson, Kansas, about Creative Cities this morning. He has been there consulting and they had a meeting this morning and invited anyone to come, which I really appreciated.

In a nutshell, as he put it, "Creativity and Innovation are the natural resources of the 21st century." At other times it has been arable land, navigable waterways and oil but now it's creativity and innovation.

He encouraged people to, "think about where economies are being created," and that creativity is not a natural resource you have by luck or geography. He said the individual, the human capital, is an even stronger resource. "Your most important resource walks out the door every day and you hope they come back," he said.

Creativity and innovation are two words we hear a lot and often thing of them as the same thing, but they're different. Kageyama says he defines them as creativity being a divergent process, a shot gun approach, the brainstorming. Innovation, on the other hand, is a convergent process where you strip away ideas and focus with a laser-like intensity.



One of the great challenges is that he says, "People think of creativity and innovation as someone else's job." Everyone agrees they're important but no one feels a responsiblity to them. He said, "let us be the geniuses in our own communities" and that "someone should be leading the charge on this because talent is too important to leave to happenstance."

He said, "Talent is not just young people. Talent exists in every age group." He cited some research that young professionals wanted affordable housing, transportation options other than cars, interesting places to live and a sense of community. Other research indicates empty nesters and retirees want the same things.

He addressed the issue of brain drain, which is of great concern to cities - young people moving away. Richard Florida pointed out, "Brains don't drain, they circulate," meaning people often move "back home."

Kageyama talked about how the tools we use to attract people are outdated. Traditionally, companies would be courted. But what you really need now is to target the influencers within a company and the rest will follow.

He talked about young people and notes three things about them:
1. They're tribal
2. They don't believe advertising, although it does build awareness
3. They do believe each other and that's why social media is so important

Later someone asked him how to reach people who don't believe in advertising. Kageyama suggested using radio to build awareness and understanding that people will then go to google and figure it out on their own. So, put money toward awareness and what supports that when you catch their attention.

He said he thinks social media may be even more important than a traditional webpage. Although, of course, you must have a webpage. He referred to twitter as an "evolving artform" and told people they at least need to be playing with it. He said, "you've got to be part of the conversation."

Kageyama said, "Green is the new black," and that while it "used to be nice to have, it's now a must have."

He said cities should make their values "visible and persistent." He used Chicago's motto to be the greenest city in the US as an example and said when they planted a half million trees downtown alone, as well as flowers, they were making that idea very visible.

One of the comments I highlighted in my notes was when he quoted Pier Giorgio Dicicco who is the Poet Laureate for the city of Toronto and said, "Arts and culture are what make a city fall in love with itself." Kageyama talked about having a mix of arts opportunities, not just the traditional SOB - symphony, orchestra and ballet.

Another of my favorite parts was when he discussed a pyramid about building a creative city. It was similar to Maslow's hierarchy. If you've read here for any amount of time, you know I think Maslow had us all figured out in the 50s with his hiearchy of needs. At the bottom of this pyramid for cities is "functional," and above that "safe." Kageyama said many leaders think that's enough. But he said we need to demand more. Above "safe" is "comfortable." Above that "convivial," and at the top, "interesting."

The Mayor of McPherson has agreed to start tweeting by July. He said, "We need to refresh our vision." I was impressed with his willingness to jump in.

Creative Sisterhood

Tonight was Creative Sisterhood. I had picked the daffodils the other day when snow was predicted and once I put them on the table, it seemed I should go with a yellow theme - all spring-like.

That train of thought led to lemon curd, which I knew would be so pretty in a white dish. As Teresa said tonight, once you start imagining how it's going to look in a particular dish you might as well go to the kitchen, because you're making whatever it is. And I could see that lemon curd in that bright white dish on that deep green tablecloth. It looked just like I thought it would.



Creative Sisterhood was great. We laughed heartily tonight. I think some of it might have been at my expense, but all in good fun.

Cool... again

Greg and I have been to the new sandwich shop in the local train station a couple of times. It's called, "Cool Beans," and has a retro look.

It has caused us both to ponder the question of when does something become cool again. Is there a particular time frame? Who decides these things?



Maybe it means I'm getting old that I'm starting to see things come around for the second time.

I, however, have not felt the urge to take up latch hook rug making or terrariums - just in case you were wondering.

Historic Health Care Reform

Health Care Reform passed a few minutes ago. It looks like we will have some version of health care. This isn't all I wanted, but I'm thankful to see some movement to helping people

Most people who have relied on health insurance from their employer have no concept of how difficult it is to get insurance if you go to buy it on your own. A large part of the American public would be classifed as "uninsurable" and would have no where to turn if they lost their jobs. Most don't even know that because they've never had to buy their own insurance.

If you've ever said, or if you've ever heard anyone say, "I keep this job for the insurance," it should be a clue there's a problem. This is one step to solving the problem.

I realize some people are vehemently opposed, but I hope this plan serves a need for you and your loved ones, too.

I wrote in September of 2009 about my own reasons for wanting health care reform. It's still available if you want to read it. Just in case you're wondering, yes, I'm still paying medical bills. And I'm very thankful I am alive to do it and have a job that makes it possible for me to do it.

Art and Music and Snow

I spent a little time in the studio tonight. That wasn't exactly what I had planned to do, but it seemed the best option because it's snowing here. Yes. Snowing. On my freshly bloomed daffodils. I doubt they will approve.

This morning I went to work with a long sleeved shirt and no coat. I didn't leave the building until about 5:30 and it was a shock to my system when I walked out into the cold wind.

Greg and I went to The W downtown for dinner, and were treated to music by Jon Dennis. Jon is an amazing guitarist.



At some point during dinner, Greg peeked out a window and noticed it was snowing. As it continued at a significant rate, we decided we'd best take off. I went to Sharon's to help her with a computer issue and then home, where I anticipate I may be staying most of the weekend. Fortunately, I have everything I need to hole up in my house and amuse myself.

Being able to amuse oneself is a terrific life skill. Thank goodness I learned it at a young age.

I'm Tired of the Whining

I live in a town in the middle of Kansas with about 50,000 other people. It's a nice enough town - has some good stuff, has some bad stuff, has some average stuff. Probably much like the town where you live.

But Hutchinson, Kansas, has some unusual things, too. We have two world class attractions in this burg that people come from all over the world - literally - to visit - and for good reason.

Something else unusual is that Hutchinson has a very active arts community, that continues to grow. It seems a good percentage of the people I know have an artistic bent - music, art or other endeavors. Every third Thursday of the month there's a downtown gathering with live music and art - all free - and you'd be amazed at what you see and hear.

Hutchinson boasts a world-class golf course, Prairie Dunes. I don't play golf, and don't care much about golf, but people come from all over to play the course. People also come to play softball. Every summer thousands play at the Fun Valley facility. In addition to various sporting events, the annual state fair brings many visitors for the fair and the big name entertainment.

Throughout the year you can attend any number of free arts events, courtesy of the Hutchinson/Reno Arts and Humanities Council. These might include lectures, art exhibits, theatre, concerts, festivals or any number of other things. There's a symphony orchestra, a Theatre Guild, and an art center. There's the state movie palace, the beautifully restored art deco Fox Theatre, which brings in a lot of entertainment, too. The Dillon Lecture series hosts speakers like author Daniel Pink and actor Henry Winkler - the cost is $5.

Recently, a new place opened downtown called "The W." It's an intimate venue with entertainment. You can eat dinner and watch great performers - music and comedy. Also downtown, a local businessman is trying to bring entertainment to Memorial Hall, a venue that hasn't been used extensively in recent years.

In the past eight days I've seen Emmy-award winning comedian Bob Nelson along with comedian Longhorn, who was great; a concert featuring Uncle Kracker, with opening act Rehab, with Scott Allan Knost from Wichita prior to them; seen artwork from six different artists; listened to Raging Sea, a Celtic Band and the Gazaway Mountain Boys, a bluegrass band; and attended a lecture by a doctor who just returned from helping victims in Haiti. This list doesn't include the lecture by the NBC News Space Consultant I heard this morning in my own workplace, but which was open to the public for free. The grand total for all of this entertainment was $15.

If I were a sports fan I could be taking advantage of the National Junior College Athletic Association basketball tournament being played in town. Or I could have visited our zoo with a nice collection of native animals - it's free. If I were a golfer I could have played the public course in Carey Park, or just enjoyed it or one of the other parks in town during this first taste of spring. I might have also walked or biked one of the trails, or hiked at Dillon Nature Center, which is a treasure. Those are free, too, in case you were wondering.

Many times I have to decide what I'm going to do on any given evening because there are at least a couple of things happening I'd like to attend. So, you'd think that would be the case for everyone in town, right?

Well, unfortunately, you'd be wrong. Because while some of us are out doing, others are sitting around complaining there's nothing to do. I am continually shocked how we can all be living in the same town and perceive it so differently. What is it that people want?

Admittedly, a community of 50,000 is not likely to attract entertainment like Billy Joel/Elton John's Face to Face Tour. Friends and I drove the 45 minutes to Wichita to see them a couple of weeks ago. Even if you lived in a major city, you could easily spend more time than that getting to a concert venue. So, there's access to that, even though it's not in our town.

I am growing suspicious that people simply want to complain. It's easy to sit back and whine after the fact that things weren't exactly as you wanted them to be. Why not, just this once, participate in something and maybe get a feel for how complex it is to create such events? Consider that someone is taking a risk to give you the option of seeing art or hearing a lecture or listening to music - it may be financial or time or energy or pride they're risking - and it's most likely all of them.

I'm not a native, I'm not a member of the chamber of commerce, I'm not even a "booster" of the community. I'm just putting out the facts. I'm fed up with the whining and complaining that there's nothing to do in Hutchinson. There's more to do than I can manage to do in the average week. Even though we may not have the same tastes, I think my fellow residents, with the slightest bit of effort on their parts, could find things that appeal to them.

And effort is the key. Do people knock on my door to tell me about cool things I might want to attend? No. They do not. I regularly check online calendars and sign up for newsletters that tell me what's happening. I connect with people and organizations through Facebook and other sources that let me know what's going on. None of these things costs anything, and they're available to most folks. If you don't have a computer at home the local library has free computers you can use - and free classes to teach you how to use them if you don't know.

I'm tired of the whining. Devote that energy to participating in the community - maybe even creating something yourself. You might see it differently from the other side.

Home

I've lived in Kansas more years than Kentucky, where I spent my first couple of decades. But it's still Kentucky that I consider home. I own a house in Kansas, but Kentucky is "home." Kansas is where I live, but if someone asks me where I'm from, I answer, "Kentucky." I will always be a southern girl. Always.

Rebecca Ryan asked the question of our group last year - "What do you long to come home to?" I've been thinking about that ever since and I still don't have an answer. Or, maybe I do have an answer, and it's just too inconvenient to accept, so I'm unwilling to give it voice. Regardless, I'm still pondering that question.

Maybe "home" is always where we spend our formative years because we understand they impact our entire lives, shape who we are at our cores, and influence every decision we make long after those years are over. Perhaps designating that place, that space, as "home" is our way of giving due to how critical those years are.

Regardless of the reason, I know Kentucky will always be "home," regardless of where I live.

Things are Hopping

Things are hopping our little burg. The NJCAA tournament is held in Hutchinson each year and teams come to Kansas from all over the place to vie for the title. It's just as exciting for those in the National JUNIOR College Athletic Association tournament as it is for those in the NCAA.

Speaking of that, I don't really keep up on basketball since I left college, but I did catch the last few moments when my beloved Kentucky Wildcats won their game Sunday afternooon. I'd love to see them win the tournament, and will be rooting for them, even though I've lived in Kansas longer than Kentucky. But UK is my alma mater and that's where my loyalty lies. If, heaven forbid, they are out of it, then I'll root for Kansas - whichever team it is.

At work we're very busy, preparing for a big event in April, and also because this week we have many visitors. Some are folks who are here for the tournament and others who are out of school because it is Wichita's spring break. It's very fun to have the whole place full of people.

Thursday morning is our monthly "Coffee at the Cosmo" and we have a guest speaker this month - James Oberg who's the NBC News Space Consultant and formerly worked with NASA. We have a different topic each month, and serve coffee and pastries to those who come - all free. I think it's such a cool thing. I always enjoy them.

I decided this month I was going to bake a coffee cake to share. We'll still have donuts and the usual goodies but I wanted to add some extras. I tried a new recipe and tested it out. I definitely recommend it.




Coffee Cake

3/4 white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus enough milk to make 1 cup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

Cream sugar and butter. Add dry ingredients alternately with egg and milk mixture. Mix well. Pour into greased 9 by 13 pan. The batter will not be thick in the pan, but will rise as it bakes.

Mix topping by cutting butter into dry ingredients. Spread on top of cake mixture and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Ch-ch-ch-changes... of time

Today was the first work day after daylight savings time. I just don't care for this foolishness at all. I want it to be whatever time it really is - you know, when the sun is directly overhead at noon. Why can't it just be the right time?

When you think about it, it's all rather foolish. We're so tied to the clock that we can collectively decide to "change the clocks" but we're still slaves to them.

It's laughable to me that only Americans would think we're so important that we can change the time. The time. But, we do it every year.

I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Benjamin Franklin, but I don't think this is one of his better ideas. Maybe I'll feel differently when I've had a full night's sleep.

Pi Day Pie

This is my pi day pie. It's coconut. Just like Mama made. Well, at least it's her recipe. I can't say it tastes the same.

Happy Pi Day... it comes around every year on 3.14... make a note for next year!

Things I Learned Today

Every day is a learning experience and today was no execption.

Today I learned:
1. if you suddenly get the urge to see how calligrapher's ink works on tissue paper, it's best to use disposable gloves - I'm not telling you how to live your life, and you certainly don't have to use gloves, but I plan to make use of them during this process in the future
2. if your calligrapher's ink is too thick to give the desired effect, a small glass jar that pimento came in is perfect for thinning the ink with some with water
3. this will likely make you want pimento cheese sandwiches for lunch
4. if you don't have any pimento in the house, or even if you do and don't want to mix it up, a grilled cheese sandwich is a fine substitute

Happy Pi Day

It's 3.14 - Pi Day. I may have to bake a pie. Happy Pi Day!

Comedy at The W in Downtown Hutchinson Kansas

Commedian Bob Nelson played at The W in downtown Hutchinson Kansas tonight. He is from New York, but now works in Branson. He did some of his famous bits tonight.



Nelson has worked with many names you'd recognize - Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, Eddie Murphy and more. He won an Emmy and has appeared in movies like, "Kindergarten Cop."



Opening for him was Longhorn the Commedian, who I really enjoyed too.





The W is bringing in some great acts. Between them, the ongoing Third Thursday art events, the Hutch Hall productions and all the Arts and Humanities Council does, Hutchinson is becoming quite an active arts community. Very cool.

Jon Bon Jovi in Wichita

Greg and I went to see Bon Jovi in Wichita Thursday night.



The stage was crescent shaped, and he played to the whole audience, which was great for us because we were sitting behind the stage.



Of course, as I mentioned to Greg, some would argue that gave us a great view of Jon Bon Jovi's best side.



I was not unhappy with the seats.



He was totally into it the whole show - very energetic - definitely giving people their money's worth.



I guess that might depend on how much you paid, but I can't think of anything else he, or the other guys, could have done to give a better show.



He knows his audience. At one point he was talking and said, "Well, I'm going to stop talking. You didn't pay to hear me talk. You paid to hear music and watch me shake my ass."



And shake it he did.



And Richie Sambora played guitar like only he can do.



I was really struck by how they were all very much a "band," instead of Jon Bon Jovi's backup group. Credit all around for that. It's amazing for any group to stay together like they have - largely the same group for more than 25 years.

Catching Up

I just got in from a Bon Jovi concert. We were sitting behind the stage, but some might say that gave us a great view of Jon Bon Jovi's best side. Photos to follow.

Prepared for Anything

I was in Wichita today delivering camp brochures to schools. This was my fourth day doing it, and I've got one more day to go. But I'll be able to finish later this week.

I've decided a great way to learn any city is to visit all the schools. I've seen parts of Wichita I didn't even know existed. In the process I've found homes I'd like to live in, neighborhoods I'll enjoy driving again, and details I probably never would have noticed.



Today I turned a corner going to a school and was struck by this assemblage of flower pots on a porch. I stopped to take a photo because it felt so much like spring. Tonight when I looked at the photos I noticed they had a snow shovel on the other side of the door. I guess they're hedging their bets. Maybe it's the porch equivelent of "knocking on wood." No need to tempt fate or Mother Nature.

I had lunch with Martha today, which was very nice. The other days I've been eating something really quickly, and one day waited until after three when I couldn't deliver anymore to have lunch, but today I took time to visit with Martha and it was great. Whenever I have a conversation with her I leave with something to think about. I'm blessed to have a few friends who gift me with new thoughts on a regular basis, and she is one of them.

Today she mentioned that as people get older they start to realize time is not limitless, and choices have to be made about what they'll do with their time. Of course, for me, time has always felt in short supply - I've felt like it was scarce since I was a child. We were talking about this and I asked, "So do most people think time is unlimited?" She said, "I think so." Out of my mouth came something that made me laugh internally. I said, "That's not very logical."

The reason that made me laugh at myself is that "logical" is not one of the top 10 or 20 or 50 words I would guess someone would use to describe me. Yet, there it was, popping out of my mouth as if it were the most natural - dare I say "logical" - thing imagineable. That caused me to think about the other things I view in logical terms. There are some. I may have to make a list and see what the common thread is.

I came home a little earlier than usual tonight. I've been heading to Wichita early, so I could start delivering there around 8 a.m. and then staying on it until 4:30 or 5 when the last school closed before coming home. They've been some long days, and some definite effort involved, but this is very targeted marketing. Today I did the last school at 4:45, so I got home tonight in time to do a new piece of art.



I bought a 1942 magazine at the flea market Sunday and used some bits from it in this.

Tomorrow I'm in the office and will try to get caught up on some things. I have no doubt that new things have popped up while I've been on the road the last couple of days, and I already had a long list of things on my agenda. I guess I'd best get some sleep so I can be fresh in the morning.

Home is Where You Get Your Start

I saw a note recently that said, "Home is Where You Get Your Start."

Those are very true words, in more ways than one. Home is where we learn to walk, speak and function. It's where we learn the ways of the world, at least the part of it we'll be working within for the first few years of our lives.

Home is where we learn the basic building blocks we'll need to eventually make a home of our own. What we learn at home, in those early years, impacts us through our entire lives. Children in lower socio-economic homes tend to have lower vocabularies, and research shows this negatively affects them throughout life. So, yes, home is where we get our start.

But it isn't where we finish. At least it doesn't have to be. We can take all the good of home, of those formative years, and add to it. Or we can become mired in whatever was negative about those years and hold it tightly so it's an anchor we never move beyond.

I've thought about this before with regard to racism. If you teach your child racism, they will never be able to move beyond your world where that's accepted. They'll remain in your world, which may be your desire anyway. It just seems cruel to handicap a child in this way. Obviously, racism is far more complex than this, but I've just thought about how limiting it is for a child to learn that behavior.

Home is where we get our start, and depending on who is in that home with us, and how they see the world, we can flourish or flounder. Even children in lower socio-economic situations, with parents who use fewer words each day than their more well-to-do counterparts, can grow beyond that.

But, it's much harder for those children, who grow up to be adults who are still working hard to achieve. I always wonder what they would be or do if they had a different start. What if they had gotten a start that didn't require them to work extra hard to function at a basic level? What if they had come from a home where the basic needs were taken care of and all they had to do was learn? What if?

Of course, that's always the difficulty -the what if. We are all a mix of nature and nurture and we can't ever separate one from the other. So that start we get at home is just that - a start - the beginning.

Chocolate Cupcakes

It may not look that good, but trust me, it tastes good.

You know I wouldn't hold out on the recipe, so here it is!

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Cream sugar and butter. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 18 cupcakes.

I used my new favorite chocolate frosting, but you can use whatever you prefer.

Frosting
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
5 tbsp. butter
1 c. chocolate chips

Mix sugar, milk and butter in saucepan and boil for one minute, stirring continuously. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Po

You can dip the cupcake into it upside down when it's freshly made. Or let it cool a bit and then frost as normal.

Studio

I spent about six hours in the studio today. I lose track of time when I'm in there. This is the latest thing I'm working on. It includes paint, watercolors, pastels, fabric dye, and more. I love the process and getting to mix the colors and create the patterns.

Earlier in the day I went to Home Depot to have them cut more boards for me to paint on. They were very pleasant, even though I know it's a pain to cut all those smaller pieces.

Last night a young man named, Brant, was incredibly helpful. Then I went over to the paint department and the young lady there was great.Today a man named, Bryce, happily cut a 4 by 8 sheet for me. All very pleasant to deal with and very helpful.

There are so many things I need to be doing around the house, none of which I accomplished today, but I enjoyed playing in the studio.

Paint Samples

Last night I went to Home Depot to scope out some board to have cut to paint on. I couldn't help visitng the paint sample area, which is not a place I need to go. I always have the urge to paint a room. Of the things I need to do in my house, painting rooms is not the most pressing.

But look at all those pretty colors... all the pretty colors...

I resisted.

Today I had some board cut to paint on. Hopefully I will be able to satisy those urges to play with color with small amounts of paint in the studio instead of gallons of paint on the walls.

Elton John and Billy Joel in Concert in Wichita

Wednesday night Greg, Mia, Sharon and I went to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert at the new Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita. The concert was great.



The pianos rise from under the stage and they do a few numbers together. Then, Elton John does a set by himself, then he leaves the stage and Billy Joel does a set by himself. They finish with a few more songs together. Ending, of course, with "Piano Man."



Billy Joel is much chattier with the audience, and is very expressive.





He got the audience laughing and gave us a range of emotions.





He also did a number playing the guitar. I didn't even know he played the guitar, but I saw it with my own two eyes. He gave us some of that more typical rock and roll persona than being behind the keyboard all the time.



Naturally, watching both of them play the piano was wonderful. Billy Joel's piano rotates a couple of times so everyone gets a chance to see his fingers on the keys.



Elton John seems to be much more about playing and singing - more serious and focused.





Both of them were great.





The lights play a part in the show too, accentuating various songs.





I really recommend the show. They were fabulous individually and together.