Michael K. McIntyre's Tipoff
Cleveland's story has been told many times by many people. Sometimes it's flattering and many times it's not. Sometimes it's fair and many times it's not. Cleveland may not really be the best location in the nation, but isn't "mistake on the lake" a little harsh?
Sometimes the story is told by people who have no idea what it means to be a Clevelander. (Ahem, editors of Forbes.) They just don't get Cleveland.

But we do.

Cleveland Public Library, in conjunction with LAND studio, is in the process of putting together a Cleveland book (your intrepid Tipoff columnist is writing the introduction) and the publishers want you to tell Cleveland's story.

Who better to tell it than those who live here?

It's going to be a "smash book" full of whatever you come up with: Photographs that tell Cleveland's story. Memories. Anecdotes. Scenes. One-liners. Tweets. Love letters. Hate mail. Memorabilia. Even -- and I can't believe I'm going to say this -- a comment from the Tipoff blog.

No doubt some of the thoughts shared during a "Who We Are" discussion at the library earlier this year with comedian Dave Hill, Modern Family Executive Producer Dan O'Shannon and actress Yvette Nicole Brown -- Clevelanders all -- will be included.

If you are from Cleveland -- and by Cleveland we mean Greater Cleveland, the region that has the mother city at its center -- you know that the relationship with that mother city can be complicated. There's love and a lot of loss. Moments of pain and perhaps despair. But there is, too, a resilience to us. A cutting sense of humor. Self deprecation mixed with pride and served in a pint glass with pretzels or, better yet, pierogis on the side.

Who are we? What is our story? What does it mean to be a Clevelander and what does Cleveland mean to you?

Click here to share your submission. Or send it to: LAND studio, attn: Who We Are, 1939 W. 25th St., Suite 200, Cleveland, Ohio, 44113. Or send e-mail to LAND studio. 

And if you're thinking of waiting 'til next year, which is so Cleveland, don't. Submissions are due this August 5.

Original Article