So When's The LO Bowling Party? The Picnic? ANYTHING!

[Gary Rice]

OK Jimmy,

You're the publisher. Our fearless leader....

You are being CALLED OUT!!

We've squabbled enough around here!

The City Government would quite possibly like to see me run out of town wearing one of those 96 gallon dumpsters on my head.

The pretty downtown sign people might just want to tell you where you can put your own sign ideas.

The Lefties are at mega-war with the Righties around here.

The school planning discussions have ceased to be discussions, and are sounding more like screeches from those Chicken Hawks that are eating my squirrels.

We need a kumbayah moment.

All of us.

YOU can SAVE us, Jimmy.

We need a Lakewood Observer PICNIC! Or BOWLING PARTY.

Where the dumpsters lie down with the trash.
Where Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, graze peacefully together once again.
Where Lakewood skies become blue once again.
Where people will sit on the ground at Kaufman Park, or Lakewood Park, or Madison Park, peacefully caressing the dandelion flowers.

You can UNIFY us, Jimmy.

C'mon people, lets have a PARTY!!!!!!

[Gary Rice]

Wow.

Just checked back here.

It's been over 4 hours since I posted.

The silence is deafening.

For those who do not know me, I was not being scarcastic or flippant here.

I honestly do think we need a picnic, or some "team-building" event pretty soon.

What really scares me....

Is the conjecture that maybe, just maybe....

nobody else does.

[Gary Rice]

OK, OK, a bit less than four hours.

I can count.

Really.

[Heather Ramsey]

LOL

Actually I almost brought up this subject, too, Gary, because there was a thread about it months ago and, as far as I know, nothing ever came of it...

[Christopher Bindel]

I love the idea, sign me up!

[Gary Rice]

Thanks for the support, you two.

You know,

I think I just made a point without even realizing it.

Just by my feeling the need to make a second posting explaining that I had no ulterior motives... that says what exactly, about where trust and interchange are- right now on the 'deck?

Wow.

I think we do need that party.

At least, I do.

[sharon kinsella]

Jimmy, where are you?

[Charlie Page]

I think we do need that party.

I do too. I think "need" is the correct word.

With all due respect to the affected parties, we don't need Jim to get this thing going...do we?

The weather has been constantly good (warmer anyways)...how about a cookout on a saturday afternoon at Lakewood Park?

I'd love to meet some of the other regular Deck participants....even lurkers.

[Charlie Page]

With all due respect to the affected parties, we don't need Jim to get this thing going...do we?

Before this gets misunderstood....yes, Jim is the publisher but I'm sure he is very busy with all his projects going on. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if this was coordinated without him having to do much except say that he'll attend.

[Gary Rice]

Charlie,

Let's face it. There's been a lot of what we used to call down South "Bad Blood" going around town lately.

That kind of stuff gets real poisonous, real quick; like the bad apple in the barrel.

Most people, I would like to think, want nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Life's too short.

One thing to disagree, another to throw stones.

Add to that, in Jim's particular case, the fact that he's developed something here that while a beautiful thing certainly, has got to be exhausting to keep up with. I think, and I've told him so, that he really needs to try and step back two steps, and just let things flow.

And yes you are right, In spite of what I teasingly wrote above, it is not Jimmy's job to keep us together, make us happy, or whatever. Jimmy got this community interchange ball a' rollin'. If he did nothing more than that, it would be a good thing. It's up to the rest of us to keep pushin' it along.

The tension around here has been palpable lately. Too many words are being thrown around, too carelessly. People get in front of a screen and it's like they've had two shots and a beer. (and maybe they have!)

Ought'a be a crime...Decking while drunk, only how would you catch it?

Anyway, enough of all that.

It is indeed time for Lakewood's people of good will to get together and not be overcome by the doom-and-gloomers.

Time for a party.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Charlie/Gary/All

If it is time for a party then let's party. However we do have a couple very large parties coming up, that I am not at liberty to go into at this time.

I have been incredibly busy with a couple new projects that have taken me away from Lakewood, but my heart and home is and will always be here. I love this city, and I love the residents. It is very disheartening how many groups are starting out only because of the hate they have for this city, and the fear of open discussion about the city we all live in.

Gary, you and I have spoken on this many times, and I really see 99.9% of the discussions on the Deck nothing more than heated discussion between adults that have a deep rooted love for their side of a story or project. This is normal, this is healthy, this is what the Observation Deck was designed for. However the Lakewood Observer in print was designed to make residents aware of information in and around Lakewood. So while connected at the hip different told for a city that needs to know itself better than any city has ever known itself.

To that end, we have found many exciting things, we also have found some other points that need to be addressed and talk about more in depth. We have found ourselves with a mayor that has proven himself in cutting the budget and making the city solvent, no small task, but we still have many more problems popping up, that need to be vented publicly for all. Then we have the very disappointing move by politicians and civic groups that have found new ways to express themselves while working to make themselves unaccountable to answer public questions that by law they need to address.

So a party? Sure, but maybe we should be planning these other two parties, the 4th of July parade and nar-b-que, and digging in to enlarge the circle of Observers, for who knows what comes next to Lakewood.

I would also love to restart the monthly parties we used to have at blea dubby, the WestEnd, Phoenix, etc. And I am always willing to underwrite those. Yesterday I spoke with the Lakewood Observer's new editor, and she said she was willing to get these going again. Is anyone interested in helping with those?

So yes friends, let's party on, let's continue the discussions, let them get heated and passionate, but in the end lets all realize, we are neighbors, and friends in a wonderful city that we all call home.

Damn I love this city!
Really love this project, and all that take part.

peace


.

[Corey Rossen]

If there is a party, I can chip in with the usage of my new garbage can. It's mobile!
Corey

[Jim O'Bryan]

If there is a party, I can chip in with the usage of my new garbage can. It's mobile!
Corey

I am not getting in!

Well not unless someone gives some money to the Jordan Family Foundation.


.

[Corey Rossen]

If there is a party, I can chip in with the usage of my new garbage can. It's mobile!
Corey

Well not unless someone gives some money to the Jordan Family Foundation.


.

Thanks, Jim. I'm also proud to say that Jordan's Family Foundation was just accepted as a United Way Charities member - we've just gone national.

[sharon kinsella]

That's great news Corey.