Good Evening, RVA: Welp, part 3

It continues! Man, will this week never END?

June 8, 2016; 4:39 PM • by Susan Howson

Photo by: DaKodachrome Photography

It was a seriously beautiful day in RVA.

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Families! And Amanda Gibson!

So, Valerie Catrow wrote her final 5 Things for Families. You can read more thoughts about Val here. I’m instead going to use this space (sorry Val) to talk about Amanda Gibson, who doesn’t have a piece scheduled this week, but is a very important family writer for us. Amanda used to work at the Federal Reserve and is one of those people who naturally understands money and how to save it, plan with it, and write for not a lot of it. Getting to know Amanda is SO MUCH FUN–she’s a great listener, tells good stories, and has a only a very thin filter, which I love in a person. She’s been the most encouraging and cheerful freelancer I think I’ve ever worked with. And that’s saying something because they are all pretty dang encouraging and cheerful. I met with Amanda yesterday to wrap up some loose ends, and left feeling like I was not going to barf for the first time all week. Amanda! I applaud you and your restorative abilities–you’re like a financially-savvy balm to my soul.

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Elizabeth Ferris! And some other people!

We don’t know Elizabeth well–this piece on what it takes to put on a Richmond festival was her very first with us–but I knew when I met her that she would be a good fit. And dang, was she ever! How good is that article? I’d also like to re-give you Lindsay Lerman’s intense interview with Dom Flemons. Lindsay was another new addition, and I’m so sorry we won’t be doing more with her, as she clearly knows what she’s doing.

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Bikes! And transportation!

Bike share info was released today by the City, and the funniest thing about it was that it was sent to Ross Catrow directly, with the words “Ross, I know you have been sort of following this issue.” One issue we have tackled (and when I say we I really don’t mean me at all, even though I wrote the aforelinked piece today) is public transportation in and around the City. We’ve worked closely with Max Hepp-Buchanan at Bike Walk RVA, who has been a great source of information as well as a super fun hangout. It’ll be fascinating to see where Richmond’s efforts go, with or without what we internally refer to as Ross’s Transportation Blog Dot Com (that doesn’t exist as of yet, so don’t get too excited).

I guess I have to say a thing about Ross since he is mentioned here, but I kind of just don’t want to. Not because he yelled at me to shut up earlier today, and not because it’s not an upsetting situation (because it is, very), but because I don’t really believe we will be able to stop ourselves from working on a project together sometime soon. I can’t really believe that without wanting to keel over. He understands how to bring out the best stuff in me and has been making an investment in me since the first post on the site. I think because we joke about murdering each other every day, that keeps us from actually wanting to murder each other. So there’s a tip you can use for your own workplace. Murder jokes!

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Jen Maciulewicz and all of our theatre and performing arts contacts

First of all, I spelled Jen’s last name right on THE FIRST TRY, which has gotta mean something. Oh shit, I just realized I accidentally typed “Jan.” It is now fixed, but rest assured, that dumb typo was there. Sorry, Jen/Jan. Anyway, Jen came to us from another publication, and she was totally ready and willing to explore her own voice. It’s not that easy to do! She asked for help, even though she didn’t need much, and the whole experience was a great one. I’ve personally seen plays based on her recommendation, and I hope you have too. She won’t be idle long, as I know the theatre community will want her to be reviewing their shows. Let’s hope where she lands lets her makes jokes about those shows, because jokes make everything more fun.

Speaking of theatre, here’s my Twelfth Night review, which I did whatever I wanted with! Jan Powell has been one of my favorite people to interview (as was Molly Hood, their 2015 Hamlet), and when I see them in passing, I yell to them so enthusiastically they physically recoil a little bit. Sorry, guys, I have trouble containing enthusiasm. It is just my way.

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Fake Richmonder!

This Fake Richmonder has been my favorite, and I think it’s because people actually typed out words “Is this a joke?” and then decided “Yes, I will hit ‘Submit’ and commit those words to the internet.”

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June 8, 2016 4:39 PM 0