Why I Ran

October 21, 2023 by

To the SE Examiner (March 5, 2023)

I wanted to share why and how I’m running for the upcoming Multnomah County Council District 3 Special Election Race coming up soon!

I first learned about the vacant seat on the Multnomah County Council through an article in the NYT featuring Ana Del Rocio who was the first candidate to declare in January. I have been thinking about running for public office in Portland for years, but this special election which has a very short time frame coincided for me with a time in my life when I am available for the time and effort to run a campaign. I always figured my first run would be for the Portland City Council, but when a door opens at the right time I figure it’s time to open it.
So, I paid the $50 filing fee, filled out the paperwork, and got started building albertkaufman.com in WordPress. I have been working for the past 15 years as a marketing professional, teaching small businesses and nonprofits how to use email marketing and social media. Given that this is a short-window campaign, I figured I would be able to lean on those skills and my name recognition in the region instead of paying people to do that work. I also feel that money is part of the problem in our political system so I have chosen not to take donations for this race. Friends who are politically savvy have advised me that this is a questionable move, but it has given me a lot of freedom to call the shots and not run my campaign by committee. Speaking of money, I next had to write and then file my voter’s pamphlet statement and pay $100 to have my 325 words printed and distributed! For a general or mid-term election, the cost for this is $300.
Next up has been reaching out to organizations for their endorsements. I had a great interview with the Oregon League for Conservation Voters (OLCV) where I learned about that important group’s priorities and I got to share my thoughts about the environment. It also brought forth a memory that I had somewhat forgotten about. When I first moved to Oregon in 2002 one of my first jobs (and a great way to learn the lay of the land) was as a canvasser for OLCV. I spent months walking through East Multnomah County sharing information and talking to voters.

I have interviews with the gray Panthers and the firefighters coming up this week, and I’m looking forward to talking and learning. That’s what this campaign has really taught me – about various perspectives. Depending on the organization, the priorities can really differ. Then there are my priorities. I’ve been a community organizer in Portland for years and I have started and worked on many campaigns. Some have been initiatives and some have been supporting candidates. Then there have been campaigns to plant more trees and ban gas-powered leaf blowers (qcpdx.org). I guess I love politics and organizing people to take action.

I thought it would be valuable for people to know what kinds of things are involved in running for office. I wish more people would take the step forward and throw their hats into the ring. This area has attracted some very smart and capable people. Our lives would be improved by having more people considering spending some years in public service.
Here’s to a better Portland – we can bring our region into a better future together. I just know it.
Sincerely,
Albert KaufmanAlbert Kaufman - Multnomah County Commissioner District 3 Candidate
Filed Under: Albert Kaufman Tagged With: , ,

Reviews

April 30, 2022 by

Albert’s CTCT Reviews

CTCT Marketplace reviews:

Albert is an Email Expert!

by PeteL77 on 07/06/2014

If you’re looking for friendly, expert help with your Constant Contact and other marketing needs, look no further. Albert has taught me many email marketing tricks and shared the down-low on many of Constant Contact’s special features, including Surveys, Segmenting, and Template design. Albert is willing to sit down and literally walk you through everything, step by step, at your own pace, and on your own time requirements. Highly recommended Constant Contact Expert!

 

Constant Contact is great!

by Downtown Boise Association on 07/21/2020

We use Constant Contact for all public and membership newsletters, surveys, and contact databases. Never any issues!

 

Grateful for working with Albert!

by SteveH730 on 07/10/2020

Albert has been a wonderful coach, advisor, and all-around champion for our organization for several years. He brings energy and enthusiasm to all of his work and provides thoughtful and encouraging advice when we need it most. We have been lucky to work with Albert over the years and recommend him highly for his creativity, excellent skills in marketing, and commitment to the community. Thanks, Albert!

 

Conversation With Albert

by LarryJ345 on 06/28/2020

As an entrepreneur I get to work, study, and teach all types of people oftentimes our personalities don’t match but sometimes they do. That’s the case with Albert he has a sort of soft-spoken way he shares information with his clients that allows them to relax and absorb his message. I had the privilege of interviewing Albert on one of my Zoom Interviews and since that time we’ve been able to share content back and forth in emails and I continue to learn from his many years of experience and wisdom.

 

A true marketing professional and coach

by US_Archive on 08/21/2019

Albert is a master at keeping things simple and understandable. I’m just getting going again with Constant Contact and his advice has been well taken. He has also helped to make me feel more comfortable about including some of my personal feelings about climate change, Puget Sound, etc., into my business messages. Why not…

 

CC demystified: Albert knows Constant Contact like the back of his hand

by kymbo1 on 07/30/2019

I’ve worked with Albert for over 4 years attending workshops, one on one with CC, and in a few different PDX communities. He has a very calming presence that is critical in learning something new and techy. Albert has helped me see how easy it is to use CC and he is very patient and empathetic with me, as I struggle with dyslexia as well. Thanks, Albert. I look forward to another session with you soon. Kim Gordon Cumbo

 

Working with Albert Kaufman

by MarkB952 on 01/23/2019

I’ve worked with Albert for years and he’s a great resource, teacher, and go-to guy for not only Constant Contact emails but for social media strategies in general. From a workshop on email marketing I attended in his living room years ago to the larger workshops he leads now, Albert always has helpful tips and shortcuts to take you to the next level, wherever you are. I highly recommend Albert…

 

Wow, what a jewel!

by Parrish_Books on 11/14/2018

I sent an email asking if I could hire Albert to help me with the newsletter I always struggle to create. I was prepared to pay for his time but he immediately jumped in and got me headed in the right direction with a free consultation I was not expecting. (I was wrapping a book order when he responded so quickly so I dropped everything and listened to what he had to say. And I am glad I did.) I think I am going to finagle some of his time to make other improvements in our business approach to media. Whatever he charges will be more than worth it. Thanks, Albert.

 

Charles Baldwin

by charlesb680 on 09/04/2018

Albert is the reason we subscribe to Constant Contact. He is a knowledgeable professional in all facets of online communication. He listens well, is able to pinpoint problems and recommend solutions, is always available when a need arises, and he is creative. I cannot think of enough superlatives to describe this man. Find time to meet him and he will not disappoint.

 

Terrific coach and champion

by SteveH730 on 09/04/2018

We have been blessed to work with Albert Kaufman as our email marketing coach and promoter. He has coached me over the years to produce newsletters with a growing readership and reminded me of features and new products that we could use to strengthen our message. Plus, he’s a real champion for our mission and programs. Special thanks to Albert for all his support and encouragement!

 

Fantastic!

by JenniferG27 on 09/01/2018

Albert was super fast and helpful! He gave us some great ideas for getting more opens and clicks and they worked. When we need email help, we call Albert!

 

genuinely helpful

by PaulL488 on 08/30/2018

Albert has always generously offered his support and insight in a way that is truly helpful to someone like me, who is not overly fluent in computer matters. Albert has an expanded sense of vision, in that he is very interested in supporting people and projects that will benefit the greater good.

 

Love working with Albert Kaufman

by StephenH067 on 08/22/2016

Albert is an excellent advisor on email marketing, surveys, and broader communications strategies. He listens well, provides sound advice, and genuinely cares about our success. He also provides recommendations on how we can enhance our outreach and communications, and he is willing to provide hands-on support. It’s been a true privilege working with Albert! Thanks! Steve Higgs SAGE Executive Director

 

Excellent Marketing Coach

by NigelL83 on 08/05/2016

Albert listened to my story when I first contacted him with great interest and has helped me understand the basics of email marketing. We are about to launch our first campaign. I could not have a better guide to assist me. Thanks, Albert.

 

Countless Helpful Suggestions!

by SteveB9336 on 08/04/2016

“I first met Albert at the Oregon Country Fair in 2015, and he immediately had some useful suggestions as to how to make my newsletters more small-screen friendly, and more appealing in general. Since that time, he has offered countless helpful suggestions that have led to more compelling communications and a happier and more vital list. He also reinforced the benefits of my own humorous “Daily Laughsitive” feature by doing one of his own, Song A Day. Steve Bhaerman Author, comedian www.wakeuplaughing.com

 

So helpful

by KellyA060 on 04/02/2021

I’ve been a Constant Contact customer for nine years and have been very pleased with all the services. I needed to take my marketing to the next level and I’m a one-woman show and not super tech savvy so tend to hesitate when it comes to learning how to navigate new things. I scheduled a consult with Albert and it was so helpful! Very hands-on and I not only better understand the systems I wanted to start using but also got several great little nuggets that he showed me. Really appreciate this service!

 

Filed Under: albertideation Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Podcasts

January 1, 2020 by

Artwork by Zen Achilles

Folk Singing, Podcasts, Interviews, and TV Appearances featuring Albert Kaufman

  1. August 2024 – Dating and the Interesting Man (podcast)
  2. May 2024 – Want to Hire me – here’s my Gigsalad profile. Or, just reach out!
  3. August 2023 – KenIsEmail’s Podcast appearance.
  4. May 11, 2023 – Birthday Folk Music Concert at The Oasis – LOTS MORE MUSIC DOWN BELOW
  5. April 22, 2023 (Earth Day!) – KBOO Community Radio Interview with Taj Baker about trees – My part starts when the number on the right is 39 minutes.
  6. March 2022 – E For All Presentation on Email Marketing.
  7. March 2021 – my brother Dan interviewed me for a project documenting the Habonim/Dror workshop experience. I spent the 1979-1980 year (after high school / before college) living in Israel on a kibbutz.
  8. 2.18.2021 – Annelise and I are featured toward the end of this episode of Dating While Gray.
  9. 12.16.2020 – I got a chance to speak to Gary Ware and Apryl Zarate Schlueter about How To Shape Your Social Sphere – it was an interesting conversation. Gary and Apryl run the Accountability Success Circle – which I have been participating in for a year. They use the Mighty Networks platform for people to connect with one another and it’s well-run and inspiring.
  10. Video interview with Larry D. James – 4.30.2020 – a talk about newsletters, email marketing, and life.
  11. A little music from the Prosperity Pie Shoppe – the music of Steve Goodman – a concert by Albert Kaufman
  12. Albert with Matt Burns from Beloved 2018 
  13. Interview with Matt Burns Video Summer 2019 (right after WDS) – Features me singing Ben Bochner Tune, post-WDS thoughts, etc.
  14. Guitar Lesson #1 – See below. 2019. Still very relevant.
  15. Roundpeg – Conversation with a Life-Long Networker – Albert Kaufman – 10.30.17
  16. The Urban Farm Podcast – Albert Kaufman from Farm My Yard – 5.19.16
  17. Then, there’s the musical side 🙂  Thanks, Cousin Dan for this one.
  18. 2009 TV panel discussion on Human Population Growth

Farm My Yard

If you’d like to have me on as a guest on digital marketing, urban farming, or other topics, I’d be happy to speak with you. Reach out @ albert@albertideation.com

Photos of me. Please ask before reusing.

———————————-

Music for You on 12.30.22 by Albert

Albert doing some Lullabies on 3.16.2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156695200915855/

Albert Afternoon concert on 3.25.2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156724647165855/

Albert’s sunset show on 3.26.2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156728401770855/

 

A couple of songs for a Friday afternoon 3.27 2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156731521910855/

 

Saturday Night Party 3.29.2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156735423585855/

 

Afternoon pre-hail show 3.31.2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156744073680855/

 

Albert and Dan Kaufman sharing James Taylor songs 4.1.2020

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156747493495855/

 

Same show on Youtube. Albert and Dan Kaufman sharing James Taylor songs 4.1.2020

https://youtu.be/2gFqAxwrijM

 

Old songs on 4.3.2020 – sing along!

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156753497855855/

 

4.6.2020 – April 6th, Still no sight of land

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156761658440855/

 

4.7.2020 – Afternoon show

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156764734180855/

 

4.7.2020 – John Prine RIP Tribute

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156766225035855/

 

April 8th – The Beatles!

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156768541210855/

 

April 16th – Mid-day music time.

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156792846275855/

 

April 17th nighttime

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156798837345855/

 

April 25th – afternoon concert with crabapple blossoms & bees in the trees

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156826856945855/

 

May 1st – Happy Today

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156845619570855/

 

May 21st – Rainy Thursday in Portland

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156906337245855/

 

5.27.2020 – Musique in the morning

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156921911610855/

 

6.9.2020 – Ben Bochner belated birthday show.

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10156959345100855/

 

8.14.2020 – The Sun is Shining Brighter every day

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157119550815855/

 

9.14.2020 Smoketown USA short show

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157185541555855/

 

10.18.2020 Vote! music for the Deadheads out there.

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157258518305855/?__tn__=-U

 

10.18.2020 Vote! Short show for friends and family

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157258433455855/

 

10.21.2020 Vote!  Neil Young show.

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157261066775855/

 

10.28.2020 – Vote!

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157277957610855/

 

11.1.2020 – Rabbit Rabbit – vote!

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157286861185855/

 

12.22.20 Some Ben Tunes.

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157388812665855

 

12.26.2020 – Thinking about Georgia

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157396057660855

 

2.26.2021 Some tunes I know by heart

https://www.facebook.com/albertkaufman11/videos/10157528395785855

Filed Under: Albert Kaufman Tagged With: , , , ,

New and Good November 2019

November 21, 2019 by

What’s New and Good?Sunset in Newport Oregon

Hello from Lake Albert gone! I’m sitting in our sunny dining room on November 21st and it’s a fine morning. Coffee to my left, laptop to my front and a collection of house plants I’ve gathered over the years. I also like collecting glass orbs and have quite a few strewn around the living and dining room.

But that’s not why I’ve gathered you here. Mostly, it’s just to get in the habit of writing more. Less FB posts and one-off newsletters, and more writing writing 🙂  Yes, in preparation for January and February when I intend to do some longer pieces – namely my autobiography! Yes, it’s 11 chapters long and of course includes info about hitching across the country in 1981, a year living on a kibbutz in Israel and my involvement in Habonim which led up to that; 14 years of attending Burning Man into one chapter – we’ll see how that goes. Some of the chapters could probably be books of their own, but this will be an Albert taster. I’ve actually made a deal with myself that I will not attend Burning Man again until I can hand someone either a copy of the book or a thumbdrive of it or digital download code.  Or, the other thing that opens the gates to the playa would be me bringing a giant art piece I have in mind. But that’s a much bigger lift.  We’ll see which wins – but my current plan is to bring some form of the book forth next. I have the free time for this, and the stories – encouragement welcome!

Last night we hosted a Higher Thought Cannabis Game night here. Get your game today! It’s a really fun way to gather with people and share insights and thinking. All sorts of stuff gets discussed.  I’m constantly surprised at what comes up. You may remember my earlier mention of this game in my Cards blog post of last year. Since that time I’ve become part owner (15%) of Higher Thought and I’m also helping Aaron Trotter out with his empire of decks over at Illustrated Playing Cards. I really do think the decks in my post are possible ways for people to move themselves forward. I think it helps people when groups share knowledge. It almost reminds me of the days of yore when we’d sit around the campfire and tell stories. Perhaps it’s time to go back to that practice so that we can get our societies on better footing in preparation for dealing with climate change and other big challenges headed our way. That’s where my mind went to last night, at least.

So, I’m moving. At the end of the year I’m renting a friend’s house for 2 months (Jan and Feb. 2020!) and then I’m not sure what comes after that.  Very likely more Portland. I’ve had this thought lately of starting a “we’re staying” club. No matter how bad the traffic gets. No matter how many noobs from elsewhere come and move in – we’re staying!  We could have buttons and patches. I think there’s a value when we decide to stick it out and not do the typically American thing of moving when things get challenging. We’ll see how that goes. I’ve been here 18 years and there’s also something to be said for more sunshine 🙂  And warmth.  That’s partly what drew me to the PNW – warmth – so I wouldn’t have to brave the East Coast winters. But today’s very unusual sunshine is reminding me that more of that certainly would be nice.

To perturb my life I’m going to fly back East for Thanksgiving (that is the sweet part) and then drive back to Portland via points non-snow-covered in early December. That’s the perturbing part. I did this drive about 20 years ago and I’m excited to give it another whirl. I hope to visit friends in Chicago, Austin, Santa Fe and possibly California.  I definitely want to visit Summer Lake hot springs, too in Eastern Oregon. We’ll see what the weather and various visits have to say about all of this as I get underway around December 2nd.  If you living the middle of the country somewhere and would like a visit, please get in touch!

K, that feels good. Off she goes.  An Albert update!

Filed Under: Albert Kaufman Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Eleven – July 2018

July 18, 2018 by

You Bet Your Sweet Bippy – The Eleven – July 2018

Here’s the Eleven for July 2018 – We find ourselves at a crossroads right now. We have an opportunity to make good decisions and save ourselves and future generations (and other species) from living in a complete hot mess or we can choose to move further toward the BBQ. I suggest we take simple and drastic actions to move towards the light and a future of life and comfort. Here are a few thoughts;
Trees: Trees are the lifeblood for us – we should have a worldwide moratorium on any further cutting of any trees – particularly native ones that haven’t been cut or burned in a long time. This especially includes urban trees. How about a worldwide pact that no urban trees are cut moving forward and we attempt to work around them and treasure them as they provide us oxygen without which we cannot live? They also do a lot of other good besides being beautiful to look at – shade, taking in carbon dioxide, and water management – all are big pluses in the tree category. Let’s not cut another one down – the simple action is for you to cut no more trees; plant new ones and work on keeping trees standing. Join our effort by clicking here. Thank you.
Second. There are way too many people on this planet. This is the truth. There are simple actions we can all take to ensure a planet with fewer people on it. Making sex ed available to all ages and making it a priority – will not only give us more intelligent people but will also lead to people choosing smaller families and thinking about when to procreate rather than being mindless about it. Along these lines – making sure that contraception is free and easily available will go a long way in making healthier societies – it also honors women and will make childbirth less dangerous around the world as we invest heavily in reproductive health across the board. Some have suggested that no one have children at all for a while – which in 5 years would shrink us naturally by one billion people. That would be incredible – imagine a less crowded world. Let’s work towards that.
Between these two issues – prioritizing trees and working towards a smaller population will lead humanity (and perhaps other species) towards a future where the air is still breathable and the planet is still habitable! What small action can you take today to make this happen? And what larger, global actions can we also accelerate? Thanks for playing your part.
Have a great Summer – Albert
PS – Here are some great pics from this year’s Breitenbush Summer Solstice Healing Retreat by Jef Murphy
PPS – see my write up from WDS 2018 and info about my gig on 7.25 in Portland

Here’s my Summer Schedule – I’d love your company

  1. July 11-15 – Oregon Country Fair, yes, of course 🙂 For OCF, I’ll be part of Booth L12, Wileyware
  2. July 19-22 – Northwest String Summit – I’d love company for this 🙂 (I have tix) – I really think this is going to be a fun time this year. Many who would normally attend will be shaking their tushes off at the Gorge (Phish) – so, I anticipate a smaller crowd and the lineup is spectacular. Come and camp with me!
  3. July 25th – Come Sing Along with me at the Tiny Caravan Hotel on Alberta Street – I’ll be doing some songs by Ben Bochner and there will be s’mores!
  4. Picnic & Singalong with Albert @ Taborspace – Wednesday night August 1st – 6-8
  5. Pickathon – August 3-5 – Maybe (up for company!)
  6. Beloved, August 10-13 – yes! Year 11 – how could I not? – I have tickets, come!
  7. Singing Alive – August 24-27 (very likely)
if anything above strikes you and you’re interested in joining me – please write and let me know!
Albert @ SSHR 2018
Summer Solstice Healing Retreat this year at Breitenbush. Such a lovely time with family and friends! Photo by Jef Murphy. This is a picture of me facing the setting sun on the summer solstice!

Making More Music
After years of attending PSGW I’m finally feeling the umph to organize an Oregon Guitar Camp. And, one in Maui, too. If you’d like to get alerts as these are organized (or better yet, help organize them with me 🙂 Click here.
I’m convinced that playing music together is one of the best ways to change the world. I hardly ever feel as optimistic and moved as when music is involved. Join me!
Maui Beach

 

Filed Under: The Eleven Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

15 Years in Portland

May 15, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I moved to Portland, Oregon 15 years ago in 2002 – right after Folklife and around the time of the Breitenbush Summer Solstice Healing Retreat – SSHR – which I’ve been attending serially since 1995 (thank you, Shelley Glendenning).
Aloha!
Yes, it’s true, I’m back on Maui! I’ve taken to highlighting sections on my calendar where there are open spaces – this time the invitation by my friend Jenny to return to Maui was offered and I decided to come back for another round. This trip has been very different from my time here in March – more reading/beach and less touring/social/business – oriented. I needed to find this book on happiness, for instance.
The lanai
Speaking of Maui, Jenny’s place is for rent 6.1-26 – comes with a car – click here for more info.

Birthday Wish
The birthday wishes on FB are sweet, but so impermanent. If you’d like to take a moment and leave a review either on Yelp! or my Albertideation  Facebook page – I’ll be able to keep them forever! Thank you!

MAKING PROGRESS
I moved to Portland, Oregon in 2002 about this time of year. That makes it my 15th year anniversary. During that time I’ve been involved in so many projects and ideas. I was thinking it might be fun to take a gander at these in a free-style gonzo-journalism approach and see what I come up with.  Here goes.
Farm My Yard – my DIY project for bringing together urban farmers and people with yards they wish to farm. That got started 5 years ago – about the same time as The Birthday Garden – a community garden a bunch of us started 5 years ago at 3rd and Hancock, NE. Well, The Birthday Garden transitioned into home for a few tiny houses and many of us who were involved moved away from the area – so, that’s no longer a community garden. Farm My Yard? It’s got an email list of 450 people/a website/a FB and Twitter presence. I still get asked about it a lot – and it still remains a place where people come for information about how to connect with their neighbors – overall, I think it’s been a good thing, but I’ve never really pushed it forward in the way I had envisioned – by buying a bunch of signs and handing them out at farmers’ markets and helping it to happen big time in a neighborhood – and then repeating that if it worked. So, I feel a little frustrated about this one.
Freecycle: I gave the Freecycle Network a push in 2003 after coming back from my 3rd Burning Man and starting Freecycle Portland (and then many Freecycle groups around the world). That seems to be going very well, these days, and I’m not involved at all. I did get a free t-shirt, but it was an XL and I’m not wearing those anymore, so I think I passed it along!
Progressive politics. Well, that’s a big one. I still feel that I’m participating in bringing forth progressive policies and candidates. It’s hard to really feel that positive about this during the time of impending impeachment at the national level, but in the last many years we’ve managed to do a lot of great work at the state and local level – preventing fluoridation of Portland’s water; legalizing cannabis in Oregon; preventing LNG/Oil/Coal terminals in the area – pushing back against many of these, successfully. And there have been lots of losses, too – I’m sure I’m not the only one that wishes measure 97 had passed – this would have forced OR state corporations to pay more of their fair share of taxes – it was close but we lost. Then, there’s GMO-labeling – which also was close – but we were outspent by Monsanto and friends, heavily, and that effort seems stalled at the moment.
Then there’s Bernie. Like many of my progressive friends, I really wanted Bernie to win the nomination. At least it would have been a good thing had he been put on the ticket as VP – I’m still not sure why Hillary and Co. didn’t think of/do that. Anyway, now we’ve got the hand that we were dealt on the national level and my main hope is that we will all focus on making sure people all over the country have the right and easy access to vote. If everyone could vote by mail like we do in Oregon, this country would get on a better track, quickly. I’m sure of it.
Population issues. We’re at 7.5 billion people. More than double when I was born in 1961. We add 75 million people a year. In my reading of the situation everything related to climate change comes back to our human numbers increasing. I keep trying to add that commentary into every conversation I have with people about climate change. Here on Maui I just heard a great talk by a guy who studies climate science – and learned a new phrase – nuisance flooding. That nagging flooding that comes once in a while – it doesn’t wipe everything out, but it sure is a nuisance. There are a lot of great people working on climate change and I wish they would all start mentioning the elephant in the room – population growth.  If we could bring our numbers down we’d have a chance (as would other species). If not, I don’t think all the windmills and solar panels in the world will do enough because we’ll keep needing more and more of everything. Feel free to join me – and learn about and donate to Population Connection in DC – doing the great work of lobbying Congress and informing people about this issue since it was called ZPG (Zero Population Growth) many years ago. Through PopConnect I’ve traveled to DC many times to lobby my congresspeople. Luckily, these days, the Oregon delegation is fantastic on the issues minus the Republican schmuck, Greg Walden, from Eastern Oregon.
Then there are some local things I’ve been working on:
  • Organizing a group of tree enthusiasts who are trying to adjust the Portland tree code to save more tall old trees as they are threatened by development. This has led to an email list and FB group for organizing.
  • A neighborhood effort to find a grocery store replacement for Zupan’s which moved out of their Belmont Street location
  • Trying to encourage the fabulous social media site, Nextdoor.com to add a ride share category to their site – this would be such a huge and excellent addition to their site. On a side note – I’ve joined Nextdoor.com here in Maui and I’m trying to encourage local folks to use it. I imagine the impact in a spread out local community like Ha’aiku could be incredible.
  • Supporting artists/musicians/friends – I have a bunch of friends who’ve been raising money to support their music and I’ve been mentoring some to use various tools and approaches that I’ve learned over the years.

So, that’s a random sampling of some of the things I’ve been up to in the 15 years of living in Portland (heavily weighted to recent times). Plus throwing a few great parties at Hollywood Vintage; helping a bunch of trees get planted; etc. One of the reasons I’m listing all of this is that I’m going through a thought process right now trying to figure out my personal direction(s) for the future. I recognize that I’m a bit spread thin and this is leading me to have a huge network but perhaps not as much depth as I’d like. It’s kind of how my social life is built, too, and I want to change that. I’ve recently found myself deleting myself as an admin on various FB pages where I don’t have a major role (BRCPO, you may be next!) and I’ll probably continue down this path of tidying until I get to the point where when I pick something up I’m either feeling joy, or discarding!

Being in Maui has been great for my mood. And now I’m feeling ready to be back on the mainland and I’m looking forward to a great Summer filled with connection; gardening; some awesome client work; and further refining what I’m doing with my time.

I hope life/work/love is treating you perfectly.

Mahalo (thank you) for being my friend and ally,

Albert
Filed Under: Albert Kaufman Tagged With: , , ,
Next Page »