What Are You Going To Do About It?

In the lastest issue of Fast Company there's a cover line teasing to The 30 Fastest Cities – and the Five Slowest. It was with great trepidation and a nagging sense that I knew what I'd find that I checked the ToC and quickly flipped to page 90, a couple more quick flips past pages of 'fast cities' and there it was – two lines wedged between Budapest and New Orleans – St. Louis. F*ck.

Too normal for its own good. it ranks dead last on CityVitals'"Weirdness Index," a measure of passion and engagement.
[City Vitals ranks cities across a variety of criteria in four categories: Talented, Innovative, Connected, and Distintive. Download the very interesting City Vitals Report PDF. ]

Except for a brief bit in the piece's intro, putting Saint Louis at one end of a spectrum that has Fort Collins, CO [My birthplace. – Ed.] at the other, that's it. Hardly a resounding condemnation. More an offhanded character assasination. Those of us who live here – in the city in particular – know that this city is in the midst of a renaissance. Sure, there's work to be done, but... come on.

So, as you might imagine, my hackles are raised, my sensibilities offended, and my ass chapped. This is an issue that all of us here in the STL would be remiss in being anything but vigilant in our efforts to combat these perceptions of our city.

Stay tuned.