Getting it done

We’ve all experienced someone telling us we ought to do something we’re already in the middle of doing, or that we ought to do it a certain way when we already know perfectly well how to get it done. Might be the new person at work who already knows everything, or it could be the relative surprised you’re roasting sweet potatoes with herbs and spices instead of fixing that dreadful casserole with the little marshmallows on top.

George Bernard Shaw wrote, “People who say it cannot be done ought not interrupt those who are doing it.” I ran across that recently and have been thinking about all the folks in Globe and Miami who are just flat doing the things others say cannot be done. It’s quite a list.

Some caveats before the shout-outs. First, this is by no means a comprehensive list. There are loads of people I’m forgetting and others I’ve never met who daily make life better for all of us. Second, I’m deliberately focusing on folks who made my life – personally and professionally – more pleasant while living and working in Globe, Miami and San Carlos. Third, anyone who’s ever done pretty much anything knows it takes a team, a village, so take the individuals here as avatars for all the folks who’ve played their parts in something good.

My first entry is a sad one because we recently lost Tom Foster, founding member and executive director of Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum. Tom threw himself into the community, always present, always happy, always excited about what was going on at Bullion and around town, and always anxious to learn more about the dozens of things that interested him. A hundred people or more have given time and labor to turn the old school into a museum, but Tom was the sine qua non, the one without whom it might never have come together. 

It’s a strange thing but loving to cook somehow makes good restaurants even more important, so it was exciting when an Asian fusion joint opened on Broad Street. The food was great, the service crisp and the guy doing most of the cooking also managed to make you feel welcome. Then John Wong took over the building next door and started talking about Neapolitan pizza and an outside dining area and we all crossed our fingers for lightning to strike twice. It struck. Two restaurants that would succeed anyplace now anchor downtown Globe. “Going to see John” became our Thursday evening mantra, either to dine in or take out. 

Music enriches our existence and live music is about a million times more impactful than even the best stereo setup. The Globe Miami Community Band under Nolan Frost’s leadership performs at a range of events, hosts fabulous swing nights, and provides opportunities to dance the evenings away. These are talented musicians and extraordinarily nice people who make life in the community just that much nicer. The whole group – but for me, especially Nolan and Kathleen, Sue, Paul, and Linda and Keith – have added luster to our lives.

I’m an economics teacher by trade and annually help students learn the difference between needs and wants. The easy definition of needs would include breathable air, food, water, shelter and a handful of other basics. But that doesn’t make everything else just a want, and the items on this list all fall into the category of things we need to live rather than simply exist. Sarah Bernstein’s shop, Simply Sarah, is chockful of things that meet this definition. Just as our lives are bettered by the Community Band’s music, John’s food and the discoveries awaiting us at Bullion Plaza, Simply Sarah is where you find great clothes, gorgeous table linens, amazing chocolates, the jam you didn’t know you needed but now cannot live without, and incredible jewelry, along with a wide-ranging and soul-heartening chat with Sarah. The visit will make your day and whatever you purchase is like a souvenir of a fabulous encounter.

We’re lucky to have all of these people, but we still need a place to chat about them. Not an online place, but a spot where we relax and see each other face-to-face, where we arrange to meet people and then run into additional friends. That’s where Desi Baker’s Vida e Caffe comes into play. A welcoming staff, handcrafted coffees, Jordan’s incredible baked goods and bacon breakfast croissants, all in a setting that would be successful anywhere. Whether you just need a few quiet moments staring into your chai or you’re hoping to grab a table and invite people to join you, it’s a slice of cultured home.

I was traveling around Arizona the past few days while figuring out how to edit this column and realized how important these things are not just to the people living in town, but to the town’s draw to visitors and tourists. I had an amazing omelet and home fries at Matt’s Big Breakfast in Phoenix, the Raven burger with sweet potato fries and a stout at Café Raven in Prescott, and coffee twice at Macy’s in Flagstaff. Those places are touchstones for me when on the road, reasons to drive out of my way, and John and Desi and Sarah have created those reliable spaces.

If you’ve read this far, you’re wondering why I didn’t include someone who’s made your life and the community better. I’ll refer you to the caveats above but, better than that, let those folks know how they improve your day, how much all their effort and hard work are appreciated. Because no matter the reasons people told them it couldn’t be done, they are flat out doing it.