Tilting at Windmills: The Traffic Engineering Edition

Traffic can get weird on Summit and 4th streets, scary even. This is particularly true of those stretches between Hudson Avenue and the OSU campus. That's not entirely surprising given the easy access to OSU, the Fairgrounds/Expo Center, Mapfre Stadium, the Short North, and downtown. This geography ensures these corridors present a dangerous mix of young, aggressive drivers ("Check out my Challenger!"), impatient commuters ("I'll take Summit! It's quicker!), bewildered tourists ("Are the fairgrounds around here? Oh! Is this street one way?") and impaired drivers ("Dude, I said I was cool. Give me the keys!").

It should go without saying that any changes to these roads and the traffic they carry should be done carefully and thoughtfully. Unfortunately that has not been the case. As part of a project that involves adding bike lanes to Summit and 4th, the City of Columbus also plans to remove the traffic lights at the following intersections:

Summit and Maynard

4th and Wyandaotte

4th and 19th

Not surprisingly, the people who actually live in this neighborhood have pushed back, citing both the residential nature of the neighborhood and the need for more traffic calming, not less.

The City's not budging. Sure, the signs say the lights are "under study", but make no mistake, they're going away. Still, as a resident of the area myself, I felt it was important that my voice be heard. In that spirit, I wrote a letter to all of our City Council representatives and the lead traffic studies engineer. I knew nothing would come of it, but I'm getting to that age where I'm expected to start shaking my fist at things, and this seemed like as good a place as any to start:

July 22, 2015

Columbus City Council Members,

As an area resident and long-time homeowner near the intersection of Maynard and Summit I am writing to voice my concerns over the removal of the traffic signals at Summit & Maynard and Wyndotte & 4th.

When I moved here in 2000 Summit still had a traffic signal at Tompkins. That was removed when Medary School closed. With it went the traffic calming effect that it had on drivers entering Summit at Hudson.

Now the City proposes removing the only other calming influence on this stretch of road between Hudson and Lane. Maybe that's good traffic planning, and maybe that's good car planning, but it's absolutely awful neighborhood planning. While I understand the importance of traffic flow in the context of a car-centric city like Columbus, I also know that this area is, and remains, a largely residential neighborhood. Are the needs (and safety) of those residents to be compromised simply to help commuters get to campus or downtown a minute or two sooner? That seems neither reasonable nor fair.

Also, I'm curious to know how an intersection that was once deemed problematic enough that it was outfitted with the "added safety" of a red light camera, now doesn't warrant a signal at all. Similarly, do you think this light would be slated for removal if it were still generating revenue for the City? My hunch is no.

I know the City's response to all this has been to invoke federal standards and compliance and the like. The problem with that explanation (as has been pointed out by area residents who've done their homework) is that the City has NOT done all the studies it could have and the City HAS NOT explored means by which the lights can stay. From the sound of it, the City found the answer it was looking for, and then stopped looking.

It's hard for me to imagine Clintonville getting treated like this. I've not heard of any lights on Summit in Italian Village going away either. But North Campus? Well it's just a marginal neighborhood full transient students, absentee landlords, and a handful of voiceless and disenfranchised homeowners, right? Apparently that means drivers, developers, and commuters will get whatever they want. 

This whole episode is shameful. I strongly encourage City Council to re-examine this backward and regressive decision.

Sincerely,
Jeff Regensburger

I'll credit Council Member Shannon Hardin's office with replying. Everyone else? Crickets. And that's fine. As I mentioned, this is a done deal and the lights are going away. What surprised me though was that once I found my voice, I didn't want to stop using it.

Sadly, the high number of traffic accidents in our neighborhood have provided a lot of additional opportunities to correspond with this group. "If they want to study traffic" I thought, "Maybe I can help".

So, I sent them a few more letters:

August 25, 2015

Hey Everybody,

I wanted to share this picture from the corner of Clinton and Summit yesterday. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I'm pretty sure it involved a high rate of speed.

The fact is unreasonable speeds on Summit are the rule, not the exception. Yet, in spite of this, you want me to believe that removing the last traffic calming device in the residential neighborhood between Hudson and Lane is a safe and sane option.

But hey, I just live here. You all are the experts. Just let me know when we should expect our guardrails and noise barriers.

Best,
Jeff Regensbruger

This time? No response at all. Not even a thank you. I don't know about you, but if I was studying traffic, I'd want to know about this sort of thing. As it turns out the morning of August 30th provided additional material for the City's study.

August 30, 2015
Hey Everyone,

I've got a couple other things to share as you continue to study the removal of last remaining traffic signals in our neighborhood.

First, please find attached a picture from an accident that occurred on Summit St, just north of Maynard at 3:00 AM Sunday August 30th 2015. While it's dark, and hard to tell at first, what you see is in fact a car flipped on its side in the middle of Summit. There was another car involved in the accident and a parked car was struck as well (an occurrence that's actually pretty common along Summit. Have you studied those records?).

Secondly, I'd call your attention to this SUV/motorcycle accident a block further south that happened at the beginning of July:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/06/02/motorcycle-crash-university-district.html
 

Honestly, I don't know how you calculate the value of unimpeded traffic, but it's hard to believe it's worth this kind of menace.

I know your collective contention is that restricting Summit to two lanes (and narrowing those lanes) will somehow calm traffic. While you are certainly welcome to your opinion, as a resident who's lived here and watched traffic fly by for the last 15 years, I'd like to offer a different perspective: it's going to take a lot more than that to calm traffic and reduce speeds on this stretch of road.

Removing these lights is a step backwards. You wouldn't stand for it your neighborhood. Why should we stand for it in ours?

Regards,

Jeff Regensburger

When it rains it pours, right? On the very next day I drove past an accident on 4th Street just north of a signal slated for removal. The scene there offered yet another chance to contribute to City's ongoing traffic study.

August 31, 2015

I hate to pester you folks, but I know you're studying the the traffic light at 4th and 19th too, so I thought I'd pass this along.

The attached pictures were taken around 4:30 PM on Monday, August 31, 2015 at the intersection of Northwood and N. 4th St (that's a few blocks north of 19th).

While it's impossible to know exactly what happened here, it's a safe bet that excessive speed played a role.

To that point, I remain mystified as to how removing the very elements that might help control speeds benefits anyone, save those individuals who would prefer drive as fast as possible regardless of the risks.

I'm really trying hard to avoid hyperbole, but it's getting difficult at this point. This plan is ill-conceived and unconscionable.

Jeff Regensburger

Needless to say, the City hasn't responded. And why would they? They've made up their minds, and that's that. Unless something unexpectedly miraculous or unexpectedly horrific happens, these lights are going away.

Still, I want this to end on a positive note. I want to be gracious and congratulate our winners.

First, a shout out to all the Clintonville residents who work downtown or in the near north. When you swing right on Summit from Hudson now, you can punch it and not have to worry about slowing down till Lane Avenue.

Second, congratulations to all the commuting OSU students and faculty who live north of the University. Your trip to and from campus will now be faster and more convenient.

Third, let's not forget the motorcycling friends who harbor an unquenchable thirst for speed. Open it up. Bless us all with the dulcet tones of your immaculately tuned pipes. On Summit and 4th streets, fifth gear is now yours. You just have to want it.

Finally, congratulations to everyone at City Hall and the Division of Traffic Management. You withstood the backlash. You weathered the storm. The lights are bagged. You win.   


  

Painting's Not Dead

Exhibit A: Circling by Nogah Engler, Oil on canvas, 59 x 79 in

Go ahead. Click on the image.

Spend some time with it.

I'd suggest going to see it in person, but I think today was your last chance. It was on view at the Pizzuti Collection as part of their This Just In exhibition (July 1-August 15).

Nordecke Misogynists F**k Off!

You know what's worse than watching the Crew SC blow a 3-0 lead to Toronto FC in the 89th minute?

Watching them blow that lead while goons in the Nordecke chant:

You're all a bunch of cunts!
You're all a bunch of cunts!
Fuck You Toronto!
You're all a bunch of cunts!

Seriously. People chanted this. In public. With enthusiasm.

This, right here:

You're all a bunch of cunts!
You're all a bunch of cunts!
Fuck You Toronto!
You're all a bunch of cunts!

And lest you think this was just an isolated case of gender specific insults conjured up by a toxic mixture of dollar beer night and fan frustration, I can assure you it's not. Gendered insults pop up in the Nordecke in a way that's as alarming as it is regular.

If an opposing player gets hurt or goes down, you can expect to hear this chanted ad nauseum:

She fell over!
She fell over!
She fell over!
She fell over!

Get it? Because girls can't take it. They're weak and stuff.

If that player stays down for too long, you'll be treated to this gem:

You're a pussy!
You're a pussy!
You're a pussy!
You're a pussy!

Get it? Because being like a girl is like the worst thing you can say about someone, amirite?

And who can forget this brilliant bit of commentary that was trotted out when Sacha Kljestan and the New York Red Bulls were in town:

Sacha is a girl's name!
Sacha is a girl's name!
Sacha is a girl's name!
Sacha is a girl's name!

Ignore for a second the fact that the steakheads chanting this didn't recognize what is a fairly well known unisex name (Sacha Baron Cohen anyone?), the intent was as above: female = worthy of ridicule.

What's ironic about this kind of choreographed misogyny is that at each and every match fans are treated to a highly polished video urging us "Don't Cross the Line". It's the MLS campaign designed to foster unity, inclusion, and respect. Per their site, "Major League Soccer is committed to supporting the communities where we live and play our games, and to providing an environment in which our staff, clubs, players, partners and supporters are treated with dignity and respect. We will not tolerate discrimination, bias, prejudice or harassment of any kind."

That's just great. Props to all of us for not busting out some snappy f**got chant when Robbie Rogers and the LA Galaxy come to town. Let's pat ourselves on the back because we don't call African players monkeys or n**gers.

But BITCH? PUSSY? CUNT? "Hey, that's just good fun..."

No.

No, it's not.

It's abusive and it's wrong. It creates an environment that's hostile and unwelcoming.

It crosses the line.

It needs to stop.







 

While in Zanesville...

Make sure you check out the Zanesville Museum of Art.

I visited recently to see their 71st Annual Ohio Exhibition. As the title suggests, this show is a juried event that features work by artists who presently live in (or have previously lived in) the state of Ohio. Taken in tandem with the State Fair's Fine Arts Exhibition the Zanesville exhibit offers a great opportunity to see some of the best work by Ohio artists.

Like previous shows, this one was another winner. Thanks to either a liberal photography policy or the fact that no one noticed me, I snapped a few pics of some of things that caught my eye.

Here are my highlights:

Moon Rabbit

Anita Dawson

I'm not sure if I'm sold on the collage elements, but the rabbit and the sky and the palette and the whole almost creepy storybook vibe just knocked me out. I looked at this one for a while, never entirely sure if I should pet the rabbit or run away from it.

If this intrigues you the way it does me, know that Anita will have a solo show at Sharon Weiss Gallery in Columbus in August. To see more of Anita's work, make with the clicky here: http://anita-dawson.squarespace.com/

Distraction

Barbara McGonagle 

I know, right? I review one show on fiber art, and now I think I'm some sort of expert. Seriously though, this bit of embroidery struck three of my nerves; the one that watched mom and grandma do needlework the entire time I was growing up, the one that appreciates graphic data visualization, and the one that lights up any time it sees something that even hints at the obsessive. Cherry. Cherry. Cherry.

Barb is from Oxford Ohio. If she has a web presence I couldn't find it. And really, good for her. The lack of an online footprint serves to reinforce the resolutely analog nature of her work. 

The Collection

Fred Fochtman

Fred Fochtman remains a favorite painter of mine. This still life/interior is a bit of a departure in that he's probably best known for his landscapes. Also, he's stretching the palette a bit with some colors you won't see in many of his other paintings. Not surprisingly, Fred won an award for this one. On the one hand, he deserves every award he gets, on the other, maybe he'd like to take a break and give some other painters a chance.

Fred is represented in Columbus by the Sharon Weiss Gallery: http://www.sharonweissgallery.com/fredrick-fochtman.html His personal web site remains comically incomplete: http://www.fredfochtman.com/

Remembrance

Si-Yun Chang 

Re: Fiber Art (see above). This is just a fantastic piece and a good example of fiber art shining in a way that other mediums don't. Yes it's a (mostly) flat wall hanging that's more or less an exploration in two-dimensional design. The fact is though, you can't pull this off with anything else. Oil can't offer the subtle variances. Ink can't capture the texture. Watercolor can't define the flow. Hang this in my home and I'd probably take up meditation. Srsly.

Si-Yun has no discernible web presence. Artists!

Barn Under Blue Moon

Alice Carpenter 

GWTP (Great Work, Terrible Picture). You have to take my word on this one. It's lovely and rich and intimate. It's like a tiny Whistler nocturne, but instead of boats and bridges it has barns and weeds. 

Again...no real web site to direct folks to. Sorry. 

Arrow

Sophie Knee

I love Sophie's monoprints. They're gestural, economical, and always capture the essence of the subject. A testament to their power is the fact that they can turn someone like me (who's not really an animal person), into an animal person!

Sophie's another Sharon Weiss artist: http://www.sharonweissgallery.com/sophie-knee.html  

If the Ohio Exhibition weren't enough of an enticement the Zanesville Museum of Art also offers a lovely collection of American art pottery, American painting, and a current exhibiton of botanical prints. If you're looking for a day trip from Columbus, take 70 east and enjoy a visit.

How to Become a Rockstar Librarian in 10 Simple Steps

So, I guess for all my admonitions to "just be cool", it turns out I can be pretty caustic and pretty cynical myself. By way of proof, I offer up the list, "How to Become a Rockstar Librarian in 10 Simple Steps".

See, the term (and archetype) Rockstar Librarian has become a sort of short-hand in our profession for those thought leaders, innovators, and agents of change who manage to become well-known in the profession. These Rockstar Librarians typically pen columns, present at conferences, write influential blogs, end up on various "best and brightest" lists, and deliver keynote addresses. The truth is, many Rockstar Librarians are lovely people. They sincerely want the profession to grow, to flourish and to remain relevant. They want libraries to improve and they want the lives of library users to improve as well.

That said, there are a number of pretty unflattering behaviors associated with the Rockstar Librarian type. These include an inflated sense of self-importance, a conviction that they and they alone know what's right for the profession and a rigorously pedantic approach to addressing the issues facing libraries. It was with those Rockstar Librarians in mind that I wrote this list. (I should also mention that there's something a bit unnerving in the hierarchical aspect of the Rockstar Librarian. We are, after all, a profession that values both diversity of thought and the process of examining issues from all points of view. By elevating the beliefs of individuals who may have no more experiences than the rest of us to the level of experts seems to undermine those principles).

Keen observers will note that the "steps" I prescribe amount to a classic strawman fallacy laid out in the form of a listicle. I've created an impossibly awful Rockstar Librarian (a caricature if you will) and proffered it up for mockery and attack. Keen observers will also note that I'm actually engaging in some of the exact behaviors that I ridicule (i.e. picking fights, mocking stereotypes, arguing from personal experience, etc.). To that I say, "Guilty, guilty and guilty". Realistically though, if I waited around for some flawless and blameless version of myself to materialize and publish this, it would never get posted. In the end I suppose I'm willing to answer charges of hypocrisy and sour grapes for the sake of a few laughs and maybe a larger conversation.

At the end of the day, I really do want us to "just be cool". This is a big profession after all. We're a diverse group and we serve an even more diverse public. We have a lot to teach each other, and a lot to learn from one another. I'd like to think we can do that in a way that's respectful and considered. I'd also like to think that we can encourage one another to make a difference regardless of which path we choose and what work we do. In that sense, I'll join the thebossladywrites and hope that perhaps we'll soon see the end of the Rockstar Librarian.

Until then, and if you still insist on becoming one yourself, I present:

How to Become a Rockstar Librarian in 10 Simple Steps

1. Refute Conventional Wisdom. Always. No matter what. Even if conventional wisdom is actually right, refute it. You'll look all the more visionary!

2. Develop a Set of Perfectly True yet Somehow Vague and Unactionable Pronouncements. "We need to invent the future of libraries", "We are in a partnership with our users", "Our task is to align our outcomes with our community's needs".

3. Mock Library Stereotypes. Do this relentlessly. Remember, the more condescending and mean-spirited your mockery is, the more more knowing you'll appear.

4. Pick Fights on Twitter.

5. Engage in Relentless Self-Promotion. Remember, you can't create a library based on your personal preferences unless you put yourself, your opinions and your worldview at the center of it. Build a strong personal brand and promote it without shame. Others will follow.

6. Accessorize and Individualize. A fashion forward image is critical. No Rockstar Librarian ever showed up to work in a brown suit or off the rack career separates.

7. Pick more Fights on Twitter. This time with strangers. (Pro Tip: Make people feel bad for caring about things that don't matter to you).

8. Declare the Death of Things. Consider these, "Print is dead",  "Physical formats are dead", "Reference is dead", "The catalog is dead", and even "The library is dead".

9. Embrace Solipsism. Know that your Rockstar Librarian credentials come from personal experience, not empirical data. As such, make sure you relate to others in a way that focuses attention on you. The following are some great sentence starters, "At my library...", "When I was in charge...", "It is my belief...", "In my experience...", "What I did was...". Can you think of more?

10. Practice Effective Time Management: If you find yourself spending more time serving others than promoting your agenda, you're doing it wrong.



 

Buzzword Backlash

Perhaps the only thing more tired than business buzzwords is the backlash against business buzzwords.

Maybe it's the circles I run in, but it seems that barely a week goes by without at least someone I know sharing an article about buzzwords that are overused, buzzwords I should stop using or buzzwords I should avoid immediately. The teasers all sound very knowing and very ominous. Typical are headlines like, "Most Annoying Buzzwords", "Buzzwords Gone Bad, and "Office Jargon: Six Tired Buzzwords to Avoid". Inevitably I'll click the link and find - much to my dismay - a bunch of words, phrases, and sayings that I either use myself, or find pretty much innocuous.

Heck, I'll go one step further. Most of the buzzwords people spend their time decrying are actually useful; useful in that they do what good language is supposed to do; they convey the desired meaning in a manner that's both economical and easy to understand. Further, they almost always strike me (cliched or not) as more interesting than any "plain language" alternative that's offered.

Take "wheelhouse" for example. In this article offering 30 Business Buzzwords You Should Stop Using, the author suggests that the term has been "around a long time and has become a bit of a cliche". Sure. Fine. It's a cliche. Still, if I'm sitting in a meeting and I have the choice between hearing someone say, "That's right in her wheelhouse" or "That's an assignment that matches her strengths. I expect she can handle it easily", I'll choose the former over the latter every day.

The same thing applies to the much-maligned term "scalable". Would you rather hear someone ask "Is it scalable?" or ask instead "Is it the case that this process can handle a growing amount of work in a capable manner?" Given those alternatives, I'm pretty OK with scalable.

Even when the brevity and clarity of buzzwords can be equaled, the results are often inferior. One article suggested dropping "ducks in a row" (as in, "We need to get our ducks in a row.") for "make a plan" (as in "We need to make a plan."). Unless one favors the embarrassingly prosaic, I don't see how this is an improvement. Is the expectation that the language we adopt be wholly literal? Are we to abandon metaphors, analogies, and figures of speech altogether?  Who on earth would wish for that?

Maybe that's what rankles me the most about buzzword backlash. When it comes to language I'm very much in the "language is a living and growing thing" camp. As such, I resist the admonitions of those who would prescribe when, how and what we should say. It's a form of cultural elitism that I've never been comfortable with.

If you want to teach people how to use language effectively, have at it. If you've got ideas for how to improve communication or increase its effectiveness, I'm all ears. If, on the other hand, you just want to tell people what words you think they should or shouldn't use, well, good luck with that. You'll never convince me it's a good idea, and frankly, you'd have better luck trying to boil the ocean.

Moveable Type: Igloo Letterpress Plans Move and Expansion

There's a temptation to simply think of Igloo Letterpress as "the little shop that could"; the plucky, niche printing upstart swimming against the tide of digital image processing and online print orders. I suppose in a way they are that, what with their homespun origins and old-timey printing ways. The problem is, that narrative glosses over a set of pretty solid business fundamentals that have lead to both an impressive client list and expansion plans.

Igloo loves Ohio!

Not to get all MBA here, but businesses don't succeed and grow because they're cute. Businesses succeed and grow because they meet a need and do top-quality work. They succeed because they build authentic relationships; the kind of relationships that foster goodwill and ensure enthusiastic word of mouth marketing. They succeed because they provide value for their customers and their community. By these measures, "the little shop that could" has been putting on a clinic since re-locating from Minnesota to the central Ohio in 2008.

Igloo has a library! Books include "Books Without Paste or Glue" and "How to Fold"

As evidence of their success, Igloo will be moving from the cozy (cramped?) confines of 39 West New England in Worthington to a space that's four times larger and includes a High Street store front. The expansion will provide space for retail shopping and a visitor experience unlike any other. To strengthen their connection to the community, Igloo has launched a Kickstarter campaign in conjunction with the move. A successful campaign will give Igloo the chance to offer expanded community classes and take on additional public projects.
 

 One of Igloo's presses in action

I had the chance to go behind the scenes recently at Igloo, and can attest to all of the above. This is a business the that does top quality work, cares about its customers, and adds value to the community. The fact that they're plucky upstarts doing some serious niche work is just icing on the cake.

2T 4EVA!

Details on Igloo's Kickstarter campaign can be found here, Move Our Igloo. If you think central Ohio needs more of this, then back them any way you can. And if you can't make a financial commitment then feel free to tweet, retweet and share the hashtag #moveourigloo Every little bit helps.

Columbus Street Art, I'm Calling You Out

This has gone on long enough.

Seriously.

Listen, I'm no expert on street art, and I'm not usually one to call out deficiencies in the central Ohio arts scene, but enough is enough. If Columbus intends to establish itself as a world-class city capable of supporting and advancing the visual arts, we really need to step up our game when it comes to street art, murals, and graffiti, because we clearly aren't world-class in this area yet.

Yes, I know we can all point to any number of individual successes, "What about the Short North murals? What about the Mini-Murals? What about Aminah Robinson? What about Urban Scrawl? Jeff Abraxes? Vinchen? Those count for something, don't they?" I suppose they do at some level, but I can't be the only one who browses sites like Unurth and StreetArtUtopia and sees a noticeable gap in quality between what's produced locally and what's happening further afield.

Part2ism, Opium Wars, London

And really, beyond those efforts listed above, who are the locals creating graffiti or street art that's of visual, emotional or intellectual interest? (Note: This is not a rhetorical question. If you know of someone, please school me now! Stephanie Rond and John Stommel are the only ones I can think of, and I believe John left town, taking his considerable talents with him). Is the problem documentation? Maybe great work is being done and I'm just not seeing it. I've maintained all along that someone invested in the local street art scene ought to start a blog and do the hard work of documentation.

Vinchen, Highly Desirable Luxury Object Retailer, Columbus

Maybe the issue is an inadequate support system. What systems do we have in place to develop really great street art? Where are public/private partnerships? What funding is available? What are the schools doing? Does CCAD still support it's Campus Mural Program? Could they expand it? What about Ohio State or Campus Partners? What about the GCAC, the OAC or the Cultural Arts Center? Does anyone even teach street art classes? Why not?

Jon Stommel, River Recreation Mural, Vancouver BC

I know the Short North is taking steps to encourage street art, and so is the Franklinton Arts District. A few years ago I highlighted some of my neighborhood's street art in an article for Columbus Underground (Counter Offensive: Street Art Gains Ground in Old North Columbus). While those initiatives were worth documenting, they were, by and large, modest efforts of an individual nature. Nothing noted in that piece was indicative of either systemic support or a larger cultural investment. Individuals saw a need to create and acted accordingly. That's great as far as it goes, but imagine how much more we could do if there were a coordinated effort to increase the quality, visibility and ricnhess of street art in Columbus.

2015 Resolutions: Something Old, Something New

I took stock of 2014's resolutions and came away with a solid C.

That means the 2015 resolutions will include some unfinished business from 2014 as well as some new entries.

So, here then is what's on tap for the new year:

• Read 52 Books
• Paint 52 Paintings
• Watch 52 TED Talks
• Exercise Every Day
• Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
• Write at Least Eight Art Reviews for Columbus Underground
• Keep Up With My Social Medias
• Record With Jim Diamond in Detroit (2014 carryover)
• Take a Class in Painting or Drawing (2014 carryover)
• Attend either OAL's Sunday Life Drawing Sessions or Wild Goose Creative's Wednesday Life Drawing Sessions.
• Restore My 1977 Rally 200 Scooter (This will actually be outsourced to Jim at ScooterSource Inc, still I'd like to get it done.)
• Rake Leaves (2014 Carryover. Seriously, I haven't raked leaves in two years. Hmm, maybe I don't need too...).
• Paint the Living Room Dining Room, Stairwell and Hallway (2014 carryover)
• Remodel the Kitchen (!!!!!)
• Enroll in a Krav Maga Self-Defense Class (2014 carryover)
• Listen to More (New) Music
• Buy More Local Music
• Take My Lovely Wife Out More
• Take Some Sort of Vacation and Travel Somewhere! (Maybe not Europe (see Kitchen Remodel and Scooter Restoration above), but somewhere!)
• Develop and Grow Professionally (Library-wise and Art-wise)
• Submit Entries to at least Five Art Exhibitions
• Arrange at least one Solo Show for 2015-2016
• Acknowledge Birthdays and Anniversaries as Appropriate (You know, like adults do).
• Send out Christmas Cards (You know, like adults do).
• Listen More
• Be More Patient
• Be More Understanding
• Ask More Questions
• Ask Better Questions
• Leave Things Better Than I Found Them

 Wish me luck!