The Betwixter

If you were figuratively given the keys to your city and all the resources you’d need to help make an impact, what would you do?  What issue would you tackle?  What does your city need?

For all intents and purposes, I’ve been given that opportunity.  I wrote several weeks ago about my selection to participate in the Forum of Global Shapers, a local Atlanta chapter of global hubs within the World Economic Forum, hoping to promote regional and global development through the power of young leaders.

Our chapter begins with 10 members, all under 30. We’re working along with a coordinating board who includes Atlanta political icons, VP of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Founder of Operation Hope, and President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (to name a few).

To be given access to these people, to their mentorship, to their contacts and resources is nothing short of incredible. The fact alone that they’ve entrusted we 20-somethings with their time, as well as that they’d put their name on something in which we participate is incredible, as well as precisely how I hope to be able to spend my time later in my career.

So, all that to say, we’ve been given the opportunity to really do something that matters.  We have the man-power, support, and opportunity. Now we need to decide what to do, and do it.  Likely much more of a challenge than it sounds.  So, I earnestly ask: given this opportunity, what would you do?

VD: The overly used term at a dinner of 12 single friends for Valentine’s Day as ‘slang’ for the holiday.  Sitting amongst the couple-less on this couple-centric day, naturally the topic of terrible and/or weird dates came up.  It was comforting to hear how many others (male and female) had been on some rough ones as well as just plain strange.  A couple things that stood out to me (which are appropriate to share) include:

-One friend was asked out at a friend’s party by a guy who was earlier hitting on a married friend, and as should have been the result, found no success.  Feeling generous, she accepted his invitation which later turned into a legitimate invite for dinner at Chik-fil-A.  To make matters worse, she later found out that had she accepted the venue (they went somewhere else), he was going to have her pay for her dinner and offer her a coupon, just in case.  This came up in conversation (naturally), because he awkwardly asked her during dinner why she didn’t want to go there for their first date.  Fast-forward to the end of the evening when she was antsy to leave and offered to split the tab (which is generally part of the polite maneuver we make to offer, knowing they won’t accept), but he did accept.  Ready to get out of there, she said ‘goodbye’, followed by, ‘thanks for the half glass of wine’.

Note:  There is nothing wrong with not wanting to spend a lot on a date. BUT, there are plenty of ways to do it in a nicer environment (think trendy pizza place or something similar).

- One story included being duped into a Valentine’s date which included a driver, roses, ‘love mix’ CD, and all you can eat dinner.  I can’t say more in order to protect the identity of the participants

-Scene: dinner and drinks on date one.  Your date orders several drinks over the course of the evening, so you do as well.  Check arrives, he takes a look….and eyes bug out of his head as he exclaims, ‘What were you drinking?!’ He subsequently continues to overreact and make his date uncomfortable about the cost of her house wine.  End scene.

-Another included a 40 year-old man who recently was baptised.  Each time he goes out with the girl, he invites himself over, and then as things progress, he tells her to stop and that he can’t let things go any further due to ‘his recent (3 years ago) baptism’.  This was all good and well, according to the girl, but she couldn’t understand why he continued to invite her over and continue down this path, always leaving her feeling confused and some times rejected.

Note: We all know the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results…

-Last story involved a suitor who couldn’t seem to get it through his head that wooing a girl doesn’t include texting her ‘hey girl’ several times a week with no follow up, call, or date suggestion.  The closest thing to it was a follow up text saying, ‘how about I come over later?’.  Sounds precisely like the recipient’s intentions when she doesn’t even answer to ‘hey girl’.

Time to go back out and do some informal research on great first dates, if only for the sake of balance.

I get pumped when I come across other youngsters (ie Betwixters), who are making moves.  By moves I mean taking action.  One of my biggest pet peeves is when people complain about their circumstances but do nothing to better them.  Therefore, the opposite is also true.  I absolutely love to see when people take what could be a negative scenario, and find ways to improve it.

I was fortunate enough to be introduced a couple years back to a fellow Emory alum who had found some success as an entrepreneur in a few different fields.  Bright-eyed and bushy tailed at the time (still bright and bushy, just with a little more wear these days), I loved hearing about his endeavors.  As often happens, much time passed without any communication.  Until, as the networking world would have it, a contact of his told me he’d recently published a book!  Because a. that’s fantastic, b. it was a complete surprise to me, and c. I’m also publishing a book, I wanted to reach back out to him.

I contacted Dave that night and learned of his book I Can Fix America: 52 Common Sense Ways YOU can make the US Great Again.  In hearing his story of growing up in Flint, Michigan, a once flourishing city, to seeing the ruins it’s in now, sparking his mission to show Americans that we can do very small things to make our country great again (or, if you disagree and think we’re still great: to keep it great).

The book is a quick read, but chock-full of simple, every-day things you can do that don’t require waiting for other people’s actions.  Topics cover everything from housing, money, mindset, education, unemployment, government, and community.  For $17.76 (clever…and marked down about half on Amazon), you should buy this book as a gift or for yourself.

This may sound like a sales pitch, but I have no vested interest in this.  Nothing more than recognizing that I should support someone who is working hard to try to help others, when he could have easily sat on his hands and lived for himself.  I also realize that our Betwixter community is full of young people who have the time and energy to care about our future.  My Magic 8 Ball is telling me that we can’t go on like we are today, assuming that someone will fix the issues we’re facing, as well as those we’re creating. ‘Outlook not so good’.  Get acting.

It wouldn’t feel like the Betwixter if I didn’t shamelessly plug myself now-and-again.  If you’re looking for ways to make the most of your time, check out this post by the International Association of Women Entrepreneur’s Online (female and/or entrepreneurial or not, there are some valuable tid-bits).  I’m number 27.