Stand Behind Your Product

Opinions are the product of our individual selves.  The seeds are sown in youth by our families, nurtured in our teens by our friendships and ripened in our adulthood by our experiences.  They are colored by emotion - by passion - by experience - by life.  In case you hadn't figured it out yet, I'm a bit outspoken.  I have no problem telling it like I see it and letting people know that it’s me saying it.  I began blogging in April 2010 as a means of sharing my Unique Perspective.  From my first blog Sharing is Good  to Lessons Lost to Life's Too Short , I’m proud of every blog I’ve written. Each blog is the product of my opinion on a particular subject and I stand behind my product.

Besides blogging, I’ve written for TRIP’s bi-weekly Troy Treasures column in The Record, which have been well received.  It’s a great opportunity for me to write about my favorite subject – the history of Troy, my beloved hometown.  Whether writing about neighborhood kids getting together for a reunion, Troy's baseball history, or our Bintz pool at Prospect Park  the history I share comes with my personal take on it and I stand behind my product.

It may sound twisted but I actually like standing behind my product.  If I’m still collecting data on a subject, I wouldn’t declare my opinion.  Why?  It hasn’t been formed yet.  That’s one of the reasons I’ve remained generally silent on the voter fraud debacle.  I read the latest blog entry by Tina Urzan and, boy, I couldn't agree more. If I'm speaking out on something or writing about a subject, the data has been collected and my opinion thus formulated.   I, like Tina, always identify myself when commenting on a digital article at The Record.  Who at this point does not know that The Dartlady is Peggy Kownack? 

I do the same when posting comments on fb pages like Troy NY Memories, Restore Troy NY’s Uptown Neighborhoods, Troy Neighborhoods Action Council or North Central Neighborhood Assn.   In my mind, those that comment without putting their name to it don't feel that they can stand behind their product.  Perhaps they shouldn't be trying to sell it.  My grandmother taught me not to say anything if I had nothing nice to say.  Here's a modern day translation: If you can't sign your name to it perhaps you shouldn't write it.  I stand behind my product.

Keeping Faith in the Mission

On November 21st, Oakwood Avenue Presbyterian Church held its final worship service. An aged and dwindling congregation recognized its inability to continue supporting the little white church on the corner on its own. These dedicated and spirited members also understood how vital their services and missions were to the community. They vowed to keep the building operating as a community center and reached out to the community for support.

This isn’t the first time the congregants of OAPC have fought to save their church. When the Oakwood and Liberty congregations merged in 1963, they formed the first inter-racial congregation in the country. Then again when their steadfast refusal to concede their church building for construction of the Collar City Bridge. A glowing example of active historic preservation! Thanks to them that bridge doesn’t go all the way up to 15th.

It was through Linda O’Malley’s outreach to TRIP that The Uptown Initiative learned of their need. That little white church is at the gateway of Uptown and serves as our southeast anchoring landmark. Several of our members have volunteered and are serving on the committee that organized this evening’s concert. Tickets are $10 for adults and will be available at the door. Oh, and bring the kids ‘cause children under 12 are FREE. Won’t you join us for Songs of the Season?

Please take a few moments and vote to Revitalize Uptown Troy and those of our CDC Partners: Albany Jewish Community Center, Project Hope/Fort Edward, WSW Art Farm, Encore Theater, Palace Performing Arts Center and Hannah’s Hope.

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