Okay, So Perhaps I Lied a Little

Yes, in my initial posting yesterday, and of course in the very name of this weblog, I've said that this site is about all things writing. The truth, however, is that I'll no doubt also be delving--more than occasionally--into my other enthusiasms. Many do center around words and writing. But I'll no doubt also be telling you about some very interesting folks, people I've known for decades or sometimes just days, some I've never known at all but merely admired from afar. Others of whom I find myself instantly collaborating with at the recommendation of a mutual friend. And I'll be talking about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship itself, because it's come to encompass so much of my work. Many of these wild, half-genius, full-octane mavericks have informed my work as I've written about them for years, and as they in turn have silently inspired me to do some of it myself. I had a single standard for whom to write about: anyone who was seeking coverage, who wanted to be written about, automatically was disqualified. Instead, I found that the best stories were invariably about people just too damn busy being good and breaking rules to achieve excellence to have the time to think about silly things like taking the time to talk to a writer. Their very disregard for publicity was in fact their best advertisement for themselves. And I'll let you know about events and sites and people you should know more about. I'll tell you about some young, energetic folks who are making things happen in communities about which I care, like Cleveland and the web universe. People like Jason Therrien and Gretchen Grubb. I'll talk about community-building veterans like Cindy Barber and her Beachland Ballroom. And I'll especially be sure to tell you about some long-suffering people who quietly do incredible work, away from the glare of the world's attention, people about whom the world should know more, if for no other reason than they deserve the patronage of that world. Lacking as we do in 21st century America the wonderful ducal patronage system underwritten by the Medici's in Renaissance Florence, we'll try to do our little part to bring to public attention some folks who we think deserve the community's support lest they're no longer able to support the environment which produces their work. Folks like my friend Anthony Scaravelli, who has one of Cleveland's coolest studio art galleries, Scaravilli Design and Studio Gallery in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood, where he hosts everything from blues singers to Irish-themed photo exhibits. A veteran of the local print design community, and then a San Francisco guy, he's certainly one of Cleveland's best-kept secret jewels, and I hope you'll check him out sometime when next you're in the neighborhood, or on the web if you're half a world away. His work is well worth your attention.
Till we get our technical act together, feel free to email your thoughts, opinions, reactions to jettorre@voyager.net. Be sure to enter two T's and two R's in that name. And thanks for coming back.
John Ettorre