The old year is winding down and I’m way behind schedule on posting my blogs for the newly created Petaluma360 site with thoughts and reflections about this and that. I’m still in a holiday mood of wishing everybody a Merry Christmas – but, with something that goes beyond buy-buy-buy. Not because “giving” isn’t the spirit of this holiday season, but giving what?
We all know that the universal message for this time of year is “Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All Mankind.” With the current state of world affairs, however, that appears idealistic and naïve; however, it is still worth putting on my “Wish List” for 2007. It might be more practical to think about what I might actual do in my community for other people, as well as in my own neighborhood. Something tangible. Perhaps my blogs can become another “place” to spread this holiday message by reporting and reflecting on local community needs and concerns.
Our Petaluma: Since our local newspapers cannot report all the news that is fit to print about our “river town,” perhaps I might assume the role of an e-journalist and share information about events and activities that reveal Petaluma’s “sense of community.”
Our CyberPlace: Since PetalumaNet was created over a decade ago to promote greater use of technology and telecommunications, this blog topic will continue to report about new ways that ICT (Information & Communication Technology) can help “Our Community” – “Our CyberPlace” – become a better place to live, work, play and learn.
Emergency Preparedness: Although 2006 was a most successful year in which Petaluma’s CERT-NERT-ALERT-STAR initiatives got up and running, there is still much to be done to help neighborhoods to “Be Ready” and to “Be Prepared” in order to help family, friends and neighbors when a disaster strikes.
Remembering Bill Soberanes: As we approach Petaluma’s 150th Anniversary as a City, we must not forget out historical heritage. One former citizen that used our local newspaper (the Argus-Courier) to do that for 49 years, through his various columns and photographs, was Petaluma’s “biggest booster,” Bill Sobreanes. Maybe 2007 will be the year that we get the words peopleology and peopleologist in a dictionary. The least we can do is revive and expand the Bill Soberanes website.
Then & Now: Since all our historical references may not fit under Bill Soberanes, we’ll continue to use Then & Now” as the category to comment on our community’s Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2008. Start now to pronounce that fancy word, correctly, and impress your friends: ses-qui-cen-ten-ni-al.
All the other topics – Environmental (OurWeb-of-Life) – Educational (Saber-Tooth Curriculum) – and my multi-theme blog (GLOB) will appear periodically. Hopefully, Hammerhead will “hit the nail on the head.” It looks like I started the new site with a GLOB. Wasn’t that the way I closed out the old site. Some things never change; do they” Stay tuned! 2007 is almost here, and my holiday wish hasn’t changed.
P.S. I almost forgot, maybe 2007 will also be the year that I clean out the garage. Don’t hold your breath – it’s a maybe. Happy New Year!