This little light of mine...
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One thing I do know and can share is that I truly believe I have the best job in Canada. And maybe in the US too. We launched Project Porchlight in Vermont this past week and, after kicking off the BC campaign at Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in BC a week before, I can honestly say that there is universal truth. And here it is: People want to do stuff. They want to be part of something. They want to Believe again. And this little light bulb idea I had gives them that. I'm really proud of that.
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And another thing I now know: I will be living in the US within 2 years. I can feel it. Over the past 18 months I've traveled extensively, but I have never had such a profound experience of "I must live here" as I did this past week in Burlington, Vermont. Yep, Burlington. What occurred to me while there, and that sums up my feelings is that it's "PEI, all grown up." I love my home province dearly, but I don't think I could live there year round. It's still a little too isolated, to insecure, wanting to be progressive but still afraid to be. Too, well, how I've been a lot of my life. Burlington has a quiet, simple, progressive confidence that impresses me ... That I aspire to. That I am increasingly feeling in myself. I'm never going to be a big city guy. But I want to live in a small city that welcomes big thinkers.
The universal reaction I get to this "gotta live in Burlington" feeling is, "yeah, but it's the US."
Honestly, I think Burlington is more Canadian than a lot of Canada, including PEI. And CBC TV is among local channels. Montreal is 60 min north on I89. The cabin is 2 hours closer via Maine. Bye-bye Renous.
And, the US has hit rock bottom. Eight years of Bush and there's nowhere to go but up. Maybe it's time to buy some stock in America. I have a feeling things will be different in a year or two. They have to be. And Americans really seem to want it to be. Especially in Vermont.
The final sign that I should move my family to Vermont came when I learned about Burlington's mayor. People say he's from a new "third" party called the Progressives. I immediately thought, "My God, now I know where the P went when the Conservatives cut it in Canada ... "
I gotta move there ...


1 Comments:
and you'd be a lot closer to Ben and Jerry's! An upscale Cow's... Just returned from PEI and looking forward to summer.
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