Here’s a note from Volume One reader Jerry Lund. He’s commenting on our interview with a great lady named Jackie Dotseth, a long-time Menomonie resident and business owner, published in the August 26th issue. He points out that, when asked What frustrates you about the Chippewa Valley?, Jackie responds, “Oftentimes small business owners are encouraged to come here, but all too often they are forgotten for various reasons or even discouraged by the red tape.”

Then, later on, when asked What local store do you find yourself frequenting most often and why?, Jackie says, “Wal-Mart, for convenience when in a hurry. It’s near us.”

Jerry comments, “I can’t be the only person to notice this particular sad and humorous irony.” The irony is that Jackie owns three local businesses.

Now, we’re not highlighting this note because we want to put Jackie down, nor do we want this to eclipse the rest of her interview. Jackie is awesome, kinda sassy, and a tremendous asset to the community. We’re talking about this because Jackie is far, far, far from alone in the ironic combo of her personal stances and daily habits. Most of us are just like Jackie to some degree or another.

Personally, I’d spend an entire Thanksgiving dinner telling my extended family not to shop at Wal-Mart, and then stroll into Target a few days later to buy toilet paper, spaghetti sauce, a lamp, and new sandals. I love talking about cool local shops, but do I find a way to work them into my everyday shopping habits? Well, um, gosh, I really think, well, um ..

What about you?