trans•par•ent  | tran'spe(ə)rənt; -'spar- |
adjective
(of a material or article) allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen : transparent blue water.
• easy to perceive or detect : the residents will see through any transparent attempt to buy their votes | the meaning of the poem is by no means transparent.
• having thoughts, feelings, or motives that are easily perceived : you'd be no good at poker—you're too transparent.
• (of an organization or its activities) open to public scrutiny : if you had transparent government procurement, corruption would go away.
• Physics transmitting heat or other electromagnetic rays without distortion.
• Computing (of a process or interface) functioning without the user being aware of its presence.

    I've provided the precise definition above so that we might share a true appreciation for the meaning of the word transparent and understand the importance of applying it to the business of living.

    There are few things I believe in so wholeheartedly as the necessity for us to abandon the old idea that who we are as individuals and what we do for a living should continue to be two separate and distinct realms of our being. It's precisely the sort of self-entitlement embraced by individuals who seek justification for intentions that knowingly seek to avoid responsibility, accountability and, financial liability.

     While we can't change the fact that there will always be greedy and selfish human beings on this planet, we can deconstruct the foundations of their old paradigm by which they have been reliably able seek comfort from their guilt and assuage themselves of any regret or remorse having resulted from the consequences of their own actions. This hidden agenda has been tearing at the fabric of our families, our communities and our civilization for centuries and, like so many other archaic ways of thinking, our society cannot continue to sustain itself with such intentions. Its time to embrace the change for ourselves.

    Can we individually usher in a new era of collective transparency? What do you think?

     Over the past several months I've spent immeasurable hours discovering, uncovering, editing, publishing and showcasing the unique stories of some truly incredible small businesses here in Greater Victoria. Never before have I been surrounded by so much youthful, hopeful and contagious positivity. I can safely say that's certainly rubbed off on me. My radar has become focused like a laser beam; a red-hot laser beam of local-loving intensity. I've entered a new hyper-reality where my neighbourhood is my backyard and my city is my universe. Sure I love certain things about other countries and other towns but nothing holds a candle to this town - my town. At least not as far as I'm concerned. 

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     I've really come into my own since I moved back home to Greater Victoria in 2008 after a decade spent doggedly pursuing my creative path in Vancouver. When I left I certainly never felt the joy, pride and inspiration I do today about what this great city means, it's deep personality and it's endless future potential. Although we grew apart in my youth we've since come together much more intimately than I could ever have imagined. The truth is that, like so many of you, there is absolutely no other place on earth that I would rather live.

There's No Place Like Home

     There's so much to love about the nearly 100 distinct neighbourhoods that make up the thirteen municipalities of the Capital Regional District we call home. You don't need me to convince you of this by providing cute or quirky little aspects of each; if you live here you most certainly know exactly what I'm talking about. We have enough historic civic landmarks and big-ticket cultural events every year to keep the social calendar full all year long, not to mention the rich and innovative lifestyle being passionately enjoyed by the nearly 370,000 men, women and children who fill my local-loving heart with pride. Surely some of us have our differences from time to time and we're certainly not without our own fair share of socio-economic and civic challenges but all-in-all I think it's pretty fair to say that this town, our town, kicks some serious ass.

Think Locally, Act Locally

     The collective pride we share is inspiringly reflected in the intense local support for independent business, farmers, artisans and the like. We wear our support like a badge of honour and it shows in the unique personalities of the wide selection of locally owned and operated shops, stores, restaurants, bars and markets that nurture our city streets and rural neighbourhoods. In the grand scheme of things, Victoria has really embraced the phrase "think globally, act locally." So much so in fact that I believe we are now on the cutting edge of the hyperlocal movement and consequently on the brink of making our shared Victoria experience even greater.

     Thinking globally really boils down to informing and inspiring action within your our small manageable communities and here, in Greater Victoria, we take those ideas to heart. We're on our way to greatness but there's always room for improvement and that takes sharing the inspiration of our dreams. Whether those ambitions and goals ultimately result in incredible success or failure, the most important aspect of community building and growth, in my modest opinion, is to follow those dreams with intelligent and innovative passion. These are the risks that bear the possibility of our greatest collective reward - a vibrant community that champions and supports its own citizens in the pursuits of their own dreams.

When The Going Gets Tough...

     These have been incredibly tough times for so many, particularly local independent small businesses. One look at any of the "For Lease" signs that adorn the vacant windows of countless shops and offices throughout our neighbourhoods paints a fairly troubling picture. One such small business struggling to stay afloat has developed an innovative way to seek community support to stay in business, but their store is unique in the service and care it gives to families in Greater Victoria and thus it's no wonder that so many passionate local lovers have heard their cry for help and rallied behind them. I sincerely hope they will meet they rapidly approaching deadline and find the subscribers they need. (Please follow this link for more information on how you can help!) Unfortunately, not every business is as lucky to have a caring audience to call upon as are the wonderful young family that owns and operates Tall Tales Books.

     I'm hoping that in the months and years ahead as I bravely forge ahead with my vision for Greater Victoria that more and more locally owned and operated small businesses are also able to identify, build and nurture such powerful and intimate connections to their neighbours. But I'm realistic. I realize we can't always find what we need or want from a local source but I do feel that we're pretty damn lucky to have the unique and vibrant local businesses that are such a large part of what gives our beautiful city its special feel. What I have in mind is a truly unique online and mobile experience for citizens and visitors of our city to enjoy - a way to learn the stories and inspirations behind our incredible local businesses and keep more of the money we earn and spend in our community in our community.

     While I seek the investment I need to help bring my dream to light, I proudly encourage everyone to continue to explore, uncover, share and support our neighbours who are actively and bravely following their own dreams, providing our communities with the products, services and experiences we all need to make our Greater Victoria even greater!

     If you share a strong local love and are interested in being the first to know about the incredible online experience I am developing, please subscribe to my Hyperloco mailing list and be the first to know the whole local story. If you are interested in investment or partnership opportunities for this powerful new start-up idea, please contact me directly (connect at hyperloco.ca)

 

 

 

  I've deemed the so-called "experts" of "proper social media engagement" #Gatekeepers on Twitter but they exist across the Web. You'll know them by the arrogant manner with which they abuse these amazing new communication networks to bully newbies while at the same time propagating and proliferating the same old, antiquated, out-dated and quite frankly piss-poor ideas that have existed from the days of stone-tablets and hieroglyphs. They have a vested interest in making their voice the loudest, even if they're saying nothing. To put it in simple Star Wars terms, if the humanization and personalization of Web 2.0 is "The Force" then they are the #EvilEmpire spreading cultural despair and intellectual destruction throughout the social galaxy.

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Hello Victoria.

I'm looking forward to sharing insights, information and inspiration with you and hope you'll feel encouraged to do the same as this blog finds its legs in the weeks, months and (hopefully!) years ahead.

I have a strong vision for our community; one that empowers us as individuals with a respected voice, unique outlook and shared passion for building success across all of our varied passions.

I look forward to connecting and exchanging ideas with you all.

Scott_Valentine
Creative Director
Designs 20/20