Joel F

The world needs sun. The hood needs funds.

Two Red Bull spokegirls came into work yesterday offering up free classic RB, as well as the new RB cola. I, in my wise and sage-like ways, grabbed a classic, took a few gulps and proceeded to get extremely jazzed up. I know Red Bull gives you wings, but I was shocked at how much energy it gave me. When I need the occasional-to-semi-often caffeine boost I grab 20 ounces of Coke. Always a delicious treat. But drinking Red Bull at midday puts a super-charge into you, like Iron man’s pure-energy core or Scooby Doo’s Scooby Snacks.

I exchanged a couple lines of dialogue with the RB babies, then dove into my work headfirst. I did four interviews over the next two hours. I had been a little down on my new job the last day or two, but I realized I will get what I put into it. The Red Bull somehow motivated me to conduct high quality interviews with conversations that went somewhere.

Three of the interviews included discussion about something called “The Donut Effect.” My beat four days a week in the p.m. looks at people taking an interest in their community. In terms of a city or neighborhood, the Donut Effect describes what happens when the life origin – or core – begins to disintegrate. Most cities start off with a downtown and continue to grow outward. But once the outward growth reaches a certain capacity the core can’t sustain and begins to suffer. It’s the same theory that explains why life is hard in the inner city. Infrastructure collapses. The environment becomes toxic. And the life, the history and the culture that started it all dies.

My interviews yesterday were about Council Bluffs, and according to the people I talked to their downtown has already died. In an effort toward rebirth, people are organizing neighborhood associations and cultural events. Businessmen and artists are acting as partners. Families are being sought after. Walking plays a key role.

February 13th, I’m invited to downtown CB. There will be 40 artists displaying their work and wines from five vineyards. But I probably won’t go until I can get someone to go with. So come on! Restore the core. I can get us into a private party with special snacks.