It really sounds like you have got a lot of great ideas and might actually be making progress. I would like to hear how this develops. Also the NY meetup is intriguing. Where do you do this I might not be too far away.
I encourage EVERYONE to go to
http://bitcoin.meetup.com and sign up as "I am interested in a Bitcoin Meet-up in my area...
Our NYC Bitcoin Meet-up is held here at Ed & I's apartment, here in Midtown Manhattan... for now. As we outgrow our apartment, we'll most likely begin meeting at a local restaurant or coffee shop that accepts Bitcoin ( to support them ). Last night was only our 2nd monthly Meet-up.