My Hobart's Top 10 Movers & Shakers

Well - it's taken so much agonising over this list that I'm now well and truly over it! Maybe I approached this with far too much emphasis on credibility? I don't know, but I could only go to 10 people I felt were worthy of my accolade.

In no particular order they are:

1. Les Winspear. As previously mentioned, a great guy; original adaptor of all those plays in the Botanical Gardens every year (eg Aladdin, Wind in the Willows etc); wonderful composer of songs & music. Has a great sense of humour, a characteristic which gets more important as you age. Les is not a guy to push himself forward, and claim credit for possessing any particular talent for these things.
2. John Honey. Author of brilliant books. Ex-ABC TV presenter many years ago. Collector of art works. Fervent interest in and love of all things edible and drinkable. A true thinking man.
3. Hobart Restaurant Bitch (HRB). I don't know her personally, but sheerly for having the nouse to be the original Hobart food blog commentator earns her very high marks on the Rita-richterscale. What a breath of fresh air after the very rarified atmosphere of GP's observations in every Wednesday's Mercury!
4. Geoff Dyer. Geoff doesn't bullshit. Some would say he was full of bullshit. Geoff lets it all hang out. Geoff's art comes before everything else in the world, and you've gotta admire dedication like that. Yes - he has many personal faults and foibles, but he's hung in there, and has remained true to his version of his art. He loves good food, and even a small tipple occasionally! I exaggerate - he has been known to get mega pissed often, but that's not important here. He is to be saluted for his dedication to his work, and his talent and skill.
5. Alex Gillis. Head chef at Customs House Hotel. An extremely quiet but hugely talented and thoughtful achiever. Alex is passionate about his craft and his food. I respect this in him immensely. He has had a reasonably rough passage to get to where he is now. It's time he got to see something back for his dedication to his work.
6. Mary Donaldson. Just this once I have to agree with The Merc. Mary really is a great girl, and a Mover & Shaker. She is everything she appears to be in the media - well-groomed, polite, well- dressed, great friendly warm personality, athletic and fit, healthy and happy. She has both feet firmly on the ground, and hasn't forgotten those who have always been in her life pre-princessdom. There is no getting away from the fact that she really is, in all senses of the word, a truly NICE person!
7. David Schnitzer. The man behind the Lesley Black products. Schnitz is another hard and talented worker in the world of cookery. He works his butt off, and makes sure the rest of his family do the same in his business!
8. Kate Domeney. Kate is the woman who has driven the Save the Children fund (along with partner Marcus Badcock) for many years. She also has her own training company called The Training Response, which turned 10 a few months ago. She has tremendous talent for understanding all manner of human beings and their motivations, which gives her the insight to be the extremely talented trainer she is.
9. Ron Bugg. Ron is the Education Officer at the Minerals Council of Tasmania, and also a well known yachtie on the Derwent. He would have to rate as THE most passionate human I have ever met about his work, especially for a bloke his age (which, coincidentally, is the same as mine - 57). His love of geology and Tasmania is all-encompassing, and he exudes it from every pore & orifice!
10. Belinda (BJ) Hook. Belinda is the epitome of worthwhile Youth Workers. At the ripe old age of 34, she has assisted and saved countless young people in the most credible and empathetic way ever observed. No words I could ever use can describe the care, love and devotion BJ lavishes in the most unassuming way on her clients. She is a queen amongst that general group of do-gooders!

Well - that's my list. These are 10 people I take my hat off to. My selection criteria were quite high, with respect for these people being the main pre-requisite.