If I Were the Boss: A City

If I could have my very own city, this is how it would go (rubbing hands menacingly). In Shenandoah, there would be no elementary or middle schools. 2 good reasons for small children not to be in my city, unless they’re tourists. I’d have high schools though, even though I don’t care for teenagers too, they are soo annoying, however I believe that they can be productive citizens (aka cheap labor) if guided correctly. There will be plenty jobs for teens and high school students in my city.

Community colleges and trade schools will be free, because I need my blue collar workers certified and feeling good about themselves as they work to beautify and keep Shenandoah running.

Central prison will have hard labor. I have public buildings that will need renovating and upkeep and I know the perfect group of folks to do it. There would have to be extreme security measures with having criminals working on buildings and such, but where there’s a will there’s a way. I’ll figure it out, or pay some one else to figure it out for me.

I’d have commercial free business zones (idea borrowed from the Bay area), where only small business owners would be able to set up shop at affordable mortgages.

I’d have a condo swap program for those who buy condos and then want to upgrade or get something bigger.

Shenandoah would be a walking city, with parks and places designated for walking and bike riding. You could bike to work if you felt that froggy. Eco friendly public transit, gotta keep my city air clean. 24/7 gym facilities for the gym bunnies who just cant get enough.

Teachers, Police, and city workers would b paid what they are worth. They deserve it.

This eerily sounds like an episode of the Simpsons...

If I were the Boss IV

Today’s business is a GYM!

I’ve had a recent experience that made me think about how I would want to run my gym. Last year I took some exercise classes at my job, which is mostly non-white. The class was run by an average sized sista, which means her size was over 10, who’s body shape wasn’t typical, no cola bottle, no apple shape, no brick house, she was just…hmmm well anyway, the sista didn’t fit into any stereotype of what “fit” is supposed to look like. She had some huge thighs, but they were solid muscle. My point is, she had some weight and size on her. I had so much fun in that class because very few people in the class were “fit”, there was no unreachable expectation of what being in shape was. It was a class full of working people (yes we had guys too) who had made a decision to get right. We bitched and moaned, but we had fun.

Recently I bought a pilates dvd. I call myself working out at home. I popped the tape in and got ready to stretch and strengthen my core and up popped these two skinny white girls on the screen. They were telling me how to lift and stretch and roll, and all I could think about was how easy it was for their lean bodies to roll and lift and how I was struggling because my thighs are bigger than they used to be, how my boobs and stomach and legs all squish together when I try to roll into myself and how I just didn’t think I was doing it right. I was NOT motivated to continue. I miss my own “real world” instructor (yes I know I’m going back to the class at work, sheesh).

SO if I had a gym, I would have “real world” instructors. I would get some girls with some meat on them, some instructors that reflect my target population to lead the classes. Yes I do have a target population, my people!

At the gym I pay for, we have a chiropractor. At my gym I’d have a dietitian.

At the gym I pay for, we have a juice bar. At my gym I’d have a mini grocery store stocked with the kinds of food we should be eating, the alternatives to the crap we crave. Often when we tell people to find healthy alternatives, they have no clue what you mean. I want to actually SHOW people what is meant by a healthy alternative. Education is a lifelong endeavor.

And maybe a free martial arts class for the kids while the parents are working out…

Maybe a collaborative effort between schools who can’t afford good gym equipment and training programs for athletes with potential. An Olympic training program for high school athletes maybe… *ok these guys aren't trying out for the olympics, but they could. just a little motivation disguised as eye candy. The City Gym Boys.

So far that’s all I have brewing for my “real world” gym targeted towards ethnic peoples.

How would you run your GYM?

If I were the Boss...

The recent economy crisis has prompted many of us to think about how we would do things different if we were running our own companies. I’m going to take it one step farther by opening this up to everyone in the blogosphere. I’m going to pick a business and open the forum up for suggestions.

Back in the day, during the times of when A Raisin in the Sun was written, it seemed pretty popular to own a laundry business. So I’m going to update that dream and say for today:

How would you run your Coffee Shop?

*The Rock - A Unique Events Venue & Coffee Shop in Papillion/Omaha, Nebraska

Alise and I have been kicking around this idea for awhile and have come up with some cool things. If I had a coffee shop it would probably be called The L___ M___ (my paranoia just kicked in).

-I’d want specialty coffee blends being created by the staff, so they feel like they are contributing to the business.

-I’d have a make shift stage for spoken word nights.

-I’d have a shelf or 2 of used books, staff favorite picks for people to peruse and buy.

-AND I’d have a listening station for music so people can hear local artists and bands and buy their music (I actually saw this in one of the most wonderful coffee shops here in the A called Urban Grind).

-And of course art work will be for sale on the walls done by local artists.

-And free wi-fi.
-I’d staff my shop with only those that I needed, maybe with college students who I would expect to rotate over the course of the semester.

And best of all NO LAYOFFS because a sista would be swift with the bomb budget.

So I ask again: How would you run your Coffee Shop?