Wow, linkage from Becky McCray! Thanks much. Becky’s post had some great advice too (and definitely some stuff for me to think about!).

Coming here wondering “who the heck is this Chris Van Patten fellow”? For some info on me, click over to http://chrisvanpatten.com/ - there is some good stuff there, as well as links off to several social networks where you can find more. Unfortunately in terms of my professional work, you caught me in the midst of a business transition (leaving one partnership to start another), and my new business’ website is not quite ready yet (a few more finishing details and some copy to write), but you can see a selected portfolio on my personal homepage and find all my contact details there to get more information. On request, I can provide you with access to my full website design portfolio. I also use Final Cut Studio 2, and can provide full media production services.

Someday this will be extended into a full biography/about me post. Thanks Becky for getting me started on that path, and thank you for taking the time to click on over to my site!

I wrote this letter to my local newspaper today.

Central New York, and the city of Utica in particular, is incredibly fortunate to have a downtown anchor with the Stanley Theatre. With the new expansion nearing its completion, there are now talks of the future, with the theatre serving as a precursor to the success of a revitalized downtown Utica. And it should; Central New York badly needs a central arts, commerce, and culture hub, and Utica’s downtown is perfectly suited to provide this function.

Unfortunately, the dysfunctional state of politics in Central New York routinely prove that such lofty goals can be more difficult than they sound. Whether it is partisan fighting, secretive decision making, confusing backtracking, placing local responsibilities on the state, an ignorance of suburban sprawl (and to some degree, and embrace of this sprawl: see the lack of a Utica Chamber of Commerce in favor of a Mohawk Valley Chamber), or our local leaders’ ultimate lack of foresight and vision, we are routinely denied the economic center that we need to sustain and build successful, white-collar jobs in the future.

So let this serve as a petition to local leaders: please, seize on the opportunity we have with the rebirth of the Stanley Theatre. Utica has been given an incredible chance to recreate itself as a thriving, exciting metropolis. We have an opportunity to attract businesses to the downtown area, to build jobs, to increase the presents of arts and culture in our community. And the restoration of Utica can be only of great benefit to all other local communities: the presence of an anchor in this area will serve to attract young families and will help to combat the exodus of our young people. But it can only happen with an unprecedented level of cooperation in our local government at all levels. Let us enter a new era in Central New York and restore our crown jewel, Utica, to the grandeur it once held.

I’ll be posting soon. I’ve been busy with a pretty big project… so check here for more.

From an email forward:

An Upscale Bar

A ‘C’ an ‘E-flat’ and a ‘G’ walk into a bar. The bartender said, “Sorry, I don’t serve minors”. The E-flat left and the C and G had an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth was diminished and the G was out flat.

An F entered and tried to augment the situation but was not sharp enough. A D entered and excused himself to the bathroom, saying, “I’ll just be a second”. An A entered but the bartender wasn’t convinced this relative of C was not a minor.

Then the bartender noticed a B-flat hiding at the end of the bar. “Get out, right now!” he exclaimed. “You’re the seventh minor I’ve found in this bar tonight”.

The next night the E-flat returned to the bar in a 3-piece suit. The bartender said, “You’re looking sharp tonight. This could be a major development”. This was the case, when the E-flat took off the suit and everything else to stand there au natural. Eventually, the C sobered up and realized in horror that he was under a rest. He was brought to trial, found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and was sentenced to ten years of D.S. without the possibility of a Coda.

On appeal, he was found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, because the accusation was bassless.

The bartender decided he needed a rest - and closed the bar.

Jacob put together a kick-ass terminal cheat sheet for FOSSwire. Take a look, and digg it if you wish.

I’ve been having an excellent time with the Grasshoppers, a networking group started by Chris Brogan. Grasshoppers asks the question “how can I help?” and gets you motivated to help others out (and ask for help if you need it). There are a bunch of great people in the community, it’s an excellent group.

One of this week’s goals was to “Donate up to $10USD (or whatever your currency equivalent is) to someone who needs it more than you.” I met this goal before Chris (brogan) posted his message (like 2 days before) so I’m considering myself set for this week on that front.

This post will fulfill parts 4 and 5 of the weekly goals. I’m inviting my readers (all 4 or 5 of you… hah!) to join Grasshoppers and get into the community. There are a lot of great networking opportunities that shouldn’t be missed.

Oh - if you do join, be sure to add me as a friend.

Chris

Hey readers:

anyone going to be in NYC around Aug. 25? I’m going to be in the area to see Spring Awakening and it’d be cool to have a meet up or something.