Pangaea Archival Network (and other shenanigans)

All my trekking back and forth between California and the Pacific Northwest has begun to pay off.
Through some slight-of-internet I was able to help network together a disparate bunch of friends and friends-of-friends who now comprise the aggregated group known as the Pangaea Archival Network. We're putting together a 501c3 to fund our hit-the-road adventures assembling documentary films and archival databases about the effects of corporate globalization on indigenous peoples. And probably spin it off into a dozen other creative projects in the process. My friend who's spearheading the project is a get-things-done type of guy, which is a always a plus. I've got maps of different places on Earth all over the walls of my apartment, so clearly travel has been on my mind and I'm really exciting to have a reliable group of people putting together a funding and publicity infrastructure to support people going to lots of different locations and doing worthwhile projects in the process. Sure to be more updates on this endeavor in the future.

I attended a great potluck for the local chapter of Bill McKibben's 350 organization, "350" being the target parts-per-million of carbon in the atmosphere needed to ensure the continuation of life as we know on the planet. It's currently at 392.40, which is quite high considering that the pre- Industrial Revolution numbers are more like around 280. The local group seems to have some good momentum, they have regular monthly social/organizing mixers, and have multiple projects under way. I got networked with some folks working on community gardens, and was excited to learn about Urban Garden Share, which is using social networking web tools to facilitate collaboration around creating urban gardens. The pilot project started in my home town of Seattle, and now Santa Cruz is one of the first cities (along with Louisville, Atlanta and Boise) outside of the Pacific Northwest to give the idea a try. The website had cute fliers with tongue-in-check references to flirting with your neighbors, with is great. Some of my neighbors are really hot.

Been renting office co-working space at Cruzio, which is a great place to meet motivated professionals and the complimentary tea and high speed internet isn't half bad either. Plus it's near the library(!) and a local small business that totally rocks - Pure Pleasure, who do great work to keep Santa Cruz sex-positive with their many classes and events, also they're just a good place to buy toys. Voted best Adult Store in Santa Cruz County in this year's Good Times poll, it's quite the feisty little dildo store - be sure to read co-owner Amy's blog!

Becoming more active in Community Television, and looking forward to the upcoming Santa Cruz Film Festival, which is consistently excellent. Look for me taking your tickets. And I'm going to start making my very own Kombucha soon (thanks Andrea!). Good things brewing.