Sarx

Had a totally awesome interview yesterday – actually two interviews – with a company that would be amazing to work for. I looked at their website before I went in and confirmed my suspicions about them during the conversation.

Why are you in Buffalo? Given my own situation, where else could I go? But why Buffalo? What I told ‘em (not these exact words, of course…):

Buffalo has something that only a certain sort of decaying city has: like Hamilton, Ontario, like San Francisco was and NYC was in the 1980s. It’s a heart. There is a crew of people committed here, to not just “living in Buffalo” but to LIFE in Buffalo. There are artists, and foodies, and musicians here that want to make Buffalo into the cool place it was supposed to be – before industrial greed and political corruption took over and then abandoned us.

Like what I’ve learned about Hamilton, ON: there was a strong industrial presence here that economically gutted the place and, once done, just up and left. Now, one person leaves western NY every 30 seconds.

But what can be done? Jobs, yes, money, sure… but culture – and not just more Wal*Marts and suburbs – is the answer. How do you stop slumification? With heart.

Anyway…

I think I’ve found one of those companies…. and when I went in with my talk of heart and culture – they answered right back with their own! And as of this AM I’ve got a second interview on Tuesday with the boss and owner. Your continued prayers and good thoughts would be most welcomed.

Asheville had the potential – but developers took over and, yes there is still art and what all, but the heart is gone. I mean that: stretched over a bucket of money (like in SF, now) is this cute little Mountain Metropolis Facade. It’s suffering from the same things that have ruined SF: a desire to Stay Exactly The Same and Get Rich At the Same Time. A Fear of Change coupled with Greed. We want to keep Our Small Town Centre, and so we’re forcing suburban sprawl up the mountainsides. Look at the over-developed hillsides of quaint, Victorian San Francisco, 1950s Oakland, and the South Bay – tiny little houses on tiny little lots right next to each other, eating up every bit of green for thousands of square miles: there is the future of Asheville, the Blue Ridge Housing Sprawl.

Where’s Buffalo going?

Well, let’s find out!