Sure, I pop onto Twitter to dump 140 characters of what I’m doing at the moment and continue to read the NYTimes and Pitchfork daily. But the fact is, most of my media consumption over the past six months has been one way. With few exceptions, I haven’t been conversing and sharing and discussing with people that I know and love.  I also haven’t been going out, really at all, not even for events that I know are important or to support the Houston music, arts, tech community. I’m also no longer a regular at some of my favorite dive bars (namely, Poison Girl).

As someone who loves to be out at bars, at events, at concerts, with people, talking, drinking, listening, laughing, sharing, the effects of this seclusion have been…an adjustment. It’s been very difficult and not just because the fun of going out and carousing has given way to firm deadlines and responsibility. My personal relationships with acquaintances I used to see around town have dwindled to an acknowledging head nod when we see each other in public. My grasp of events going on around town have been late to arrive to my ears and I no longer am privy to the inner gossip about whosit-what (this has been fantastic). And I don’t feel like I’ve been supporting the wide community of people that I believe in and believe in me as well. I haven’t been joining others to show my support or providing manpower or helping to spread word of events and thrusts. It embarrasses me that I have been occupied with other things and felt unable to contribute to the vibrancy of Houston and other communities that we see flourishing and growing around us. This is not jealousy, this is sadness that I just haven’t been pulling my weight. This is also an apology to those that I haven’t ben albe to spend time with or haven’t seen in a long time or haven’t been able to help or worse, dropped the ball. This is an explanation and a bright statement that I’ll be able to poke my nose up much more often in the next year.

So, what I have been doing? I’ve been working on an incredible project that could pave the way to apply the knowledge learned by working with the Houston arts, music, film, and tech community into a multi-disciplinary program in a University setting. A six month update is in part two of this post.

The point of this post however, is to give some brief but incomplete thoughts on the thoughts on the role of a community member and second, to recognize some of my heroes.

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Building a healthy coworking space does not equal building a healthy community just the same as a failing coworking space may have a healthy community surrounding it. A healthy community is a mutually benefical organism, it supports, elevates and sustains itself. It requires equal investments from all its parts in the form of energy, time, guidance, committment and moral support. Its members are better off from inclusion, with the individual energy contributed increasing the overall level of energy, excitement and engagement of the whole. Those who demonstrate this interest in their community are rewarded with respect and cachet, those who demonstrate otherwise are treated with the same level of respect their actions project.

A real community is like a family, it works together and plays together. In coworking spaces, people agree to work together because they understand they have something to benefit from collaboration and surrounding themselves with other smart, motivated, driven people. What makes a coworking space a real community is the sharing between those coworkers outside of their normal workday, whether it be happy hour drinks, attending one another’s events or just sharing each other. Not by poking people or writing on walls or commenting on blogs. In real life. Real bonds between a community are formed during these times, opening up in the same way you would to family. Otherwise you’re just coworkers.

Over the past 6 years I have worked almost every day and gone out almost every night, my mantra being “every day is a work day, every night is a weekend.” I surrounded myself with exciting, exuberant, life-changing people who had a zest for life and a goal of changing the world. I participated in events, threw events and helped others make theirs a success. I was part of a community and a family and we all positively contributed to each other’s lives. Over the past six months, most of my work has been done in seclusion, at the Rice library, at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen or with coworkers. Successful execution of the last six month’s work aside, having to be away from the people and events that were missed was a sad state of affairs. Not contributing to people’s lives or sharing or respecting others means I was not part of a community, just a group of coworkers.

This was a needed transition that brought measure and structure to my life and provided a framework while launching a project I am as proud of as Caroline Collective. This post is an acknowledgement and the recognition that I have full respect for those who have jobs, families, real responsibility and duty. For the last six months it’s been nearly impossible to come home and think about drumming up the energy to go out. My heroes for the year are the people that I didn’t see at events or online who still f(i/ou)nd the time and the energy to support their community, friends and family outside of their immediate homes.

As this year draws to a close, please recognize and join your respective communities. It can get lonely out in the cold.

The fact remains: Overplaying your local audience is not the way to improve your performance skills or increase your income. It IS however a good way to exhaust your audience and decrease your popularity. Bands who are looking to improve their performance skills and expand their audience reach should be playing regularly outside of their local community. Playing in different markets in your surrounding geographical area will expose new audiences to their music and can create an additional revenue stream.

While most bands acknowledge the importance of playing outside their town there seems to be a lack of the practical knowledge on exactly how to secure shows in a region where they have no contacts. Until those contacts are secured and cultured, one tried and true manner of securing a show is contacting venues or other bands. This month we’ll tackle the first method in a way that will not just teach bands how to do it but show them.

Bandcamp: BOOKING PARTY will be a workshop where bands will work together to contact venues to book gigs in cities within a four hour drive of Houston.

Here’s how Bandcamp: BOOKING PARTY will work: We’ll start with a brief overview talk about how to contact a venue about a show, what information to include, what to say, persistence vs. annoyance, and tips to keep in mind. A whiteboard will be gridded out with a list of Houston’s major surrounding cities and dates that bands will select from. Bands will then be given a form email to fill out that helps to describe their sound, their accolades and what they’re asking for. Then bands will be given a printout of venues that match their city for them to email. They will then contact all the relevant venues in that date range and ask for show availability to secure themselves a show. Later in the week, using the to-do list for contacting venues, they’ll follow up via email or contact the venues by phone to further contact between the venue/venue booker and the artist.

WHAT: Bandcamp: BOOKING PARTY
WHEN: July 12, 2009, 2-4pm
WHERE: Caroline Collective, 4820 Caroline, Houston TX 77004
WHY: Book your band to play in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and more
HOW MUCH: Bandcamp sessions are now $5/person, $8/band

Things bands will need:
a tentative list of dates that you are available to play
a laptop (notify us if you don’t have one)
a press kit (not a dealbreaker, can be constructed at the workshop)

Bands will be given:
A mad-libs style form email to tailor to their band
A printout of venues for the city that corresponds to their block on the grid
A to-do list for contacting venues to get a show at that venue.

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Regular BandCamp sessions are (mostly) held on the First Sunday of every month at Caroline Collective sometime between the hours of 1pm and 5pm. Please mark your calendar accordingly for future events where we’ll all educate specific skills to musical artists such as, online/offline promotion, tour booking, financials, and recording. Please speak about this event to your colleagues, band members and other interested members of the Houston Music Community.

This weekend is Biocamp, an informal community participatory unconference addressing biotechnology in Houston. Leading up to Biocamp over the course of the week several events bring together the members of the biotechnology, medical device, and chemical therapeutic communities. Warm up over the week by meeting some of these people in a relaxing atmosphere and end your week with the main event.

Biocamp is focused on Houston’s biotech sphere and all the shapes and sizes that make up that community. This is a monumental event for Houston to be holding one of the first Biocamps in the nation and we are looking forward to such a transformative event. Biocamp is a different conference than any other science conference because the primary goals are transparency, communication, openness and sharing between the community. Instead of being focused on delivering the current research progress in a specfic thrust, this conference is a state of the union sort, being a better forum for a review presentation on the state of research in a particular vein or an overview of the climate of biotechnology in light of the recent economic situation. To help maximize your Biocamp experience, here are some tips for attending the conference.

How to speak at Biocamp

This is the easiest part. no abstract submissions, no review panel. Simply arrive at the conference in the morning. Check out the presentation board which will have a grid with rooms and times. Put your name and presentation title into any open slot. Note, if you do not arrive early you may not have the opportunity to speak on a given topic. Remember that your topic should be accessible to the general public which in itself should exercise your communication skills.

What to expect at Biocamp

The attendees of the conference should be people in the biotech industry, academics, students, venture capitalists, angel investors, and science enthusiasts. While the talks at regular science conferences are usually hyper-specific, these talks will probably be bigger picture and survey the state of a field rather than dissect a current study. Expect the equivalent of a review paper in presentation form for the conference. Look for investors to give talks about what they’re promoting right now and what they’re looking for in the future.

What this conference could do for your career

If a standard career parth is starting to make you nervous, this conference is a good step towards an alternate path. Community members who usually attend unconferences of this sort are usually more open to change, welcome especially in a firm discipline such as science. Meeting people in your community who think alike could be the first step to launch a company, start a science non-profit, explore your educator interests, or meet people who are doing things that you might think are cool and innovative.

The Goals of Biocamp

Unconferences of this sort are a great way to discuss the arc or direction that a particular community is moving towards. With respect to the Houston biotech community, a meeting of the minds and sharing session will help everyone to discover the state of the community and unique challenges that we face in Houston and elsewhere.

Meetings of this sort can share knowledge that would otherwise be locked up in specific institutions, laboratories or with individuals. Those with a trend of openness and sharing will come away with great returns and those with an open mind will come away with a great deal learned about the community in general and the people who make up the community itself.

The full list of Bioweekend activities:

• Houston Startup Happy Hour and BioWeekend Kick-off Party the BioWeekend festivities kickoff at Saute Bistro with the help of Startup Houston and the Houston Technology Center. April 2, 2009 from 6pm to 9pm at Saute Bistro, 2303 Richmond Ave.
• 6th Annual BioHouston Chili Cook-Off The BioHouston Chili Cook-Off is more than just chili – it brings the life science community together. BioHouston invites you to join us on April 3rd for the 6th annual day of fun in the sun, full of prizes and everyone’s favorite–CHILI! April 3, 2009 from 12pm to 5pmat BioHouston, 2555 Holly Hall St., Ste. 100
• BioCamp The main event. BioCamp Houston ’09 is an informal, participatory, unconference BarCamp event to bring college/graduate students, postgraduate trainees, junior academic faculty, entrepreneurs, would be entrepreneurs and inventors as well as, technology champions from the Greater Houston area together to learn and network. April 4, 2009 from 9am to 4pm at Keck Hall on Rice Campus, 6100 Main Street
• BioWeekend Closing Reception Immediately following BioCamp Houston ’09, the after party is at Vallhala right next door to the conference. Join us for a few drinks and a final adieu. April 4, 2009 from 4pm til 9pm at Vahalla in Keck Hall on Rice Campus

This has been a delightful month to grow a mustache, raise money for education, then wear sweaters and raise awareness and money for an organization contributing to the improvement of Houston. Despite DavidTong ‘s repeated threats to set me on fire if he caught me in a sweater, mirth and happiness was brought to people everywhere.

All told, $183 was raised for Houston Goodwill and hundreds of people were made aware of the great programs and services that Houston Goodwill provides.

I would like to personally thank the many people who made this Christmas Sweater experiment a joy to carry out. First, Terry Seufert (@houstongoodwill) of Houston Goodwill who not only brokered this partnership between Christmas Sweaters and Houston Goodwill but also obtained 9 sweaters from her friends to be used over the month. Second, Alison Cook (@alisoncook) for writing a highly entertaining article in the Houston Chronicle. You should read her regular pieces on food and restaurant reviews at chron.com. Third, Philip Beck for being the original inspiration for such a large undertaking. Fourth, the peole whose eyes are really burning, the picture takers: Ned Dodington, Danielle Eley, Mandy Graessle and Grace Rodriguez. Finally, the kind people who took a second and made a financial donation to Goodwill.

What better way to celebrate the end of a month of sweaters than with a Gala:

The 2009 Goodwill Gala

March 28, 2009

River Oaks Country Club

7 p.m. – Midnight

Live, from River Oaks, it’s Saturday Night! This SNL-themed event will feature silent and live auctions with “mahvelous” items up for bid, a delicious sit-down dinner with a selection of wines, live music to dance the night away and a wonderful time by all.

Proceeds from this event will ensure that our programs and services will continue to be available for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. The public is welcome to attend this signature night of comedy for charity.

There’s still time to donate through the end of 2008 (hours). Donate $5.00 to the end of the Christmas Sweater Advent Calendar by clicking the Chipin widget to the right or click below. Thank you.

How many of you say you’d like to make a contribution to Houston community but don’t know how? You can start by visiting Goodwill’s volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

Spring Cleaning on the docket for this weekend? Donate your extra goods to Goodwill. Visit this page for donations.

Christmas Sweater #28 is the real deal. TWO types of Christmas trees plus Christmas bling in the form of sequins and beads. The fabric is thick and rugged to keep you warm even though it looks like just a simple vest. Perfect with any undershirt or none at all (pictured with shirt).

Goodwill’s Plans for Expansion into 2013

Goodwill is working hard to raise millions of dollars through it’s Power of Work Campaign. As of 2008 they are already 68% of their goal of 15 million. Through this an other campaigns, by the end of 2013, Goodwill will increase their impact in the community by 50 percent by adding 25 new retail stores. Each new Goodwill store, once built, can generate more than $1 million each year in earned revenue and provide training and employment opportunities for disadvantaged and disabled men and women who would otherwise not be able to develop job skills or find employment.

Help Goodwill reach their goal of 25 new stores open by 2013 by donating $5.00 now. You can make a financial contribution to Houston Goodwill click the Chipin widget to the right or click below. Thank you.

Don’t have money? That’s alright, you can volunteer your time. Start by visiting Goodwill’s volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

Too much stuff? Visit this page for donations.

Christmas Sweater #27 is perplexing. First of all, it’s very simple and contains no shoulder pads although the reverse buttoning clearly marks it as a women’s sweater. Second, the sweater is that it’s not quite sure whether it wants to be in the Alpine Sweater category or the Christmas Sweater category. The pine trees and the deer on the front argue Alpine but the blinding varieties of red scream Christmas. Decide for yourself. Pictured with double helix scarf.

Goodwill’s Homeless Veteran’s Reintegration Program

Goodwill provides veterans with job readiness vocational training and placement by partnering with the United States Veterans Initiative-Houston. By finding veterans stable employment, Goodwill helps to break the cycle of homelessness for many veterans and successfully reintegrate them back into mainstream society.

For more information about this program, check out America’s Heroes at Work.

Now that we’re into the 12 Days of Christmas, think about making one of those days the day you give to Goodwill. You can make a financial contribution to Houston Goodwill click the Chipin widget to the right or click below. Thank you.

Why not make your New Year’s Resolution to volunteer more often? You can start by visiting Goodwill’s volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

On your to-do list: Remember to regift to Goodwill instead. Visit this page for donations.

It’s not over yet, we’re just cresting the hill of extra content. Think of the next week as the second disc of your Fight Club DVD where you can watch the film an additional four different ways with commentary by everyone involved in the film, including the set designer. If anyone is interested in guest commenting on these sweaters, please to put them in the comments, I’ll add them to the post.

Christmas Sweater #26, one of the sweaters rented by Terry Seufert of Houston Goodwill (@houstongoodwill) is all about science, including double helices, hearts and what I’m sure is the quarternary binding structure of rhodopsin. It is also a calm meditation on what happens when you take three or four other sweaters, cut them up and put them back together incorrectly.

Goodwill’s Employment Programs

Goodwill offers several employment programs for the Houston citizens they service. The first is through their Contract Services Division, the second is part of their Vocational Rehabilitational Services.

Through Goodwill Houston’s Contract Services Division, businesses haved saved money, time, and valuable resources since 1986. At the Charles R. Swain Memorial Contracts Center, located at 10795 Hammerly Blvd., the specialization is collating, assembly, packaging, quality control, shrink wrapping and other services for business and institutional customers on a contract basis [1]. You can watch a video about how Houston Goodwill’s Contract Services can save your company time and money.

Goodwill Houston’s Vocational Rehabilitational Services lead to supported employment for individuals who have most significant disabilities and for whom competitive employment has occurred, or has been interrupted or intermittant as a result of a significant disability. These services require a referral from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) [1]:

• Client and family orientation
• Transportation training
• Job placement
• Job skills training
• Job stabilization services that may include
  • On-the-job training
  • Job coaching

Happy Boxing Day! Those items that you took back today for cold hard cash? Why not share $5 worth for Goodwill of Houston. You can make a financial contribution to Houston Goodwill click the Chipin widget to the right or click below. Thank you.

Got nothing to do for the rest of the year? Take a half day and donate some time to Goodwill. To volunteer with Houston Goodwill please visit their volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

re: Boxing Day. Instead of returning those goods, why not just donate to Goodwill? Visit this page for donations.

1. http://goodwillhouston.org/contract.htm

Christmas Sweater #25 is the real deal. Donated by Renee Davis of The Center for Hearing and Speech, who recently held their uber successful Via Colori festival. It’s long, even on me. Renee mentioned she used to wear green tights with the sweater, sadly mine were at the tailor getting some runs repaired. Santa’s beard is three-dimensional with some sort of knit material running across the whole thing. The brim of Santa’s hat used to be fuzzy but years of festive wearing has rubbed it all off. And then there’s the tassles….

Goodwill Success Stories

The Houston Goodwill site includes four success stories of members of the Houston community who have personally grown and found jobs as a result of the education, training and job placement services. I personally feel that there should be a weekly success story as Goodwill helps so many people in the city of Houston and they all have unique and inspiring stories. Here’s one of these stories:

Derrick Williams

The pulsing heart of Goodwill’s resale operations can be found in the warehouse and loading dock on the “backside” of the Hammerly location. There, the donations that are the lifeblood of the stores flow in and out by means of Goodwill’s fleet of blue and white trucks, staffed by drivers and truck helpers. One of those helpers, Derrick Williams, has a story to tell that demonstrates just how Goodwill changes lives.

Derrick came to Goodwill about six years ago, referred by a friend. He started out in the Personal Social Adjustment—Work Adjustment Training (PSAWAT) program, where he received mentoring and a job at the same time. Operations Director Jim Thompson recalls that things weren’t always easy for Derrick, or for Derrick’s supervisors. He had difficulties with anger management, and at times it was uncertain whether he would be able to continue working for Goodwill, but the staff were not willing to give up on him easily.

Things began to turn around for Derrick when he was paired with driver Gary Holloway, who made a personal commitment to helping him succeed. With this help, and with the strength of his own determination, Derrick made a remarkable transformation and has become an excellent employee. Jim Thompson says, “We’ve often remarked how much we enjoy the ‘new Derrick’… and he’s been ‘new’ for a couple of years now!”

Derrick recognizes Jim, Gary, Anthony Loville, and Charles Canton as the mentors who have enabled him to succeed at Goodwill. He enjoys his work, which allows him to be physically active and to move around while earning support for his two-year-old twin sons. Derrick continues to serve as a reminder to his co-workers and supervisors of what can be accomplished through persistence and the desire to succeed.

Check out three more success stories from Goodwill’s Houston chapter here.

Please, in the spirit of Christmas, make a small (even $5 helps) to Houston Goodwill so that they can continue to provide the services and training so that people like Derrick can obtain secure jobs and in turn make a contribution back to Houston. Make a financial contribution to Houston Goodwill by clicking the Chipin widget to the right or below. Thank you.

Derrick was able to receive the job training and counseling he needed as a result of Goodwill’s services and training. If you have valuable expertise to share you should call Goodwill to arrange a time to volunteer. To volunteer with Houston Goodwill please visit their volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

You know all those gifts you received today that you don’t want or need? Someone does. Visit this page to donate good to Goodwill.

It’s only one day from the best Christmas Sweater of them all. Get the bubbly chilled but don’t break it out just yet. Christmas Sweater #24 depicts the triumphant return of Santa’s sleigh to the North Pole following a whirlwhind trip around the earth. This begs to question, with a workshop that can literally produce any product on earth, what does one get the man who has everything? And haven’t the reindeer done enough? You’d think they’d want to be stabled for the night to sleep off their ultra-marathon. But no, the festivities have just begun for them and it’s time to hang their own stockings and decorate their individual trees because as everyone knows, Christmas for Santa is on the 26th.

Trashy styling of the picture and the button left open to scratch my belly as a nod to one particular night at the Proletariat last year. And as a thanks to Monica, Denise Ramos and all of the members of The Proletariat, without whom, 2007 would have been much healthier and MUCH less fun.

Goodwill’s Educational Programs

Goodwill Houston’s Academy of Career Development (DARS, Worksource Solution approved) is a self-paced program focusing on career development. Licensed by the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges, Goodwill Houston’s Academy of Career Development’s instructors help you prepare for work in the clerical, financial services and customer service fields. Courses are available in general office skills, Microsoft Office, customer service, and accounting and bookkeeping. The best part: Scholarships are available [1]. For more information, check out Houston Goodwill’s Job Connection page or call 713-699-6320.

With the holiday season upon us, contributing to local non-profits is always a good idea. Think about making a contribution in the name of a member of your family. You can make a financial contribution to Houston Goodwill click the Chipin widget to the right or click below. Thank you.

If you’re reading this blog, you already have the skills that the Goodwill education centers are teaching. Think about volunteering to share some of your knowledge for the greater good. Remember, “We’re all in it together kid” [2]. To volunteer with Houston Goodwill please visit their volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

Instead of having a garage sale, why not make it painless and donate your goods to Goodwill? Visit this page for donations.

1. http://goodwillhouston.org/jobconnection.htm

2. Harry Tuttle, Brazil

Christmas Sweater #23 is all about the love that we experience during this holiday season. Shown here is Santa giving Mrs. Claus an eskimo kiss (it’s cold up there, no?) before he heads out to spread cheer among all the naughty and nice children of the earth. Mrs. Claus is holding a baby reindeer answering the age old question: are the reindeer immortal too? Answer: no, that’s Dasher the VI. The train motif continues on the back just below the shoulders (inset below), letting you know that Tom Hanks wasn’t kidding about the Polar Express.

Goodwill’s Training Programs

Goodwill has several training programs designed to teach individuals to enter the workplace prepared to take a full time job in many industries. These training programs are offered through their Job Connection Centers, located at (1) Midtown Terrace, 4640 Main St., Houston, TX 77002 and (2) Jackson Hinds Gardens at Independence Heights SRO, 650 Thornton Rd., Houston, TX 77018.

These training centers provide assessment and instruction in business skills, computer skills, customer service, interview preparation and job readiness. The centers have computer and Internet access, telephones and fax machines, providing clients the resources they need for job success.

These training programs are also matched with the Mental Health Association, the Houston SRO (Single Room Occupancy) Housing Corporation, the City of Houston and more than 13 other agencies in a wide-ranging service model program to solve the issue of homelessness. These projects demonstrate a multi-faceted approach to addressing homelessness that pairs housing with comprehensive support services [1].

Small contributions are the easiest this Holiday season.  Why not donate $5 to Goodwill, and you can feel like you’ve positively contributed to Houston’s homeless population. To make a financial contribution to Houston Goodwill click the Chipin widget to the right or click below. Thank you.

If you’d like to make a direct and personal impact like Jason Armstrong (@elegantmachines), why not arrange to volunteer? To volunteer with Houston Goodwill please visit their volunteer page here or call: 713-699-6338

How about all those things that are just taking up space? Why not call Goodwill and donate them? Visit this page for donations.

1. http://goodwillhouston.org/jobconnection.htm