I am a passionate Google Maps user and reviewer for a simple reason: I love information. The more information I have at my fingertips, the better a decision I can make during my many spontaneous outings. I view my contribution as a “pay it forward” situation, particularly when it comes to local and small businesses in my neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA, USA.
I get excited about the new spots that open up and want the places with good service and good product (i.e. food, merchandise, etc.) to succeed. The better they do, the more job opportunities, and the better my local economy does. Entrepreneurship is the heart and soul of good economies, so the more I can do to support mom’n’pop shops, the better. The more I can do to provide useful insight, the more I feel as if I am doing my part as a citizen of my community.
After all, I have a unique lens given (1) several dietary restrictions, (2) small children, (3) non-local roots, (4) many out-of-town and international visitors, (5) my day job as a researcher, and (6) my desire to help with business efficiency. I also enjoy taking photos anywhere and everywhere, and find that enriching a local place’s description through visual medium extremely important. A picture is worth a thousand words, and I have seen how viral my photos have gone in an age when fewer and fewer people read.