One of these days, I’m going to write a long blog post about buying a house. It was a gut-wrenching decision and I had doubts and fears. I still do. But my brother said something to me in one of our conversations about local economies and I keep coming back to it whenever I have a doubtful moment about my decision to buy a big old house on a hill. I’m paraphrasing, but he said something like:
“By deciding to buy a house in Lisbon Falls, you’ve made a decision to invest in the town.”
We’ll have more conversations about how to be a local investor on this blog, for sure. My brother writes about it a lot, too. His latest piece for the Portland Phoenix is all about the paradigm shift needed when we think about “local.”
For now, let’s just say it’s time to get the show on the road and start moving into my new “local investment”.
We are all economic development directors now.
Julie-Ann Baumer 
Thanks for the kind words on the article in the Phoenix. I love, “we are all economic development directors now.” Indeed we are.
Since I’m working to get a new book out the door, I’m reminded how much DIY publishing means to me, Likewise, let’s think about this kind of local, “boots on the ground” economic development as the DIY version, no longer accepting the dead-ends and boondoggles offered by the professionals.
To local matters!!
Parties…also part of economic development! To book release parties for the JBE. The JAB is back in the party-giving bidness!