Let the games begin!

I LOVE politics. I eat, sleep, and breathe it, especially in a Presidential election year. This year I am especially excited because I feel this thrilling current of electricity running through people I meet. It was evident last night, when traffic was backed up for a mile or more on the way to my caucus site. (Californians, I know a mile of traffic backup is not a big deal, but in Minnesota in a town of 100,000 on a sleepy city street this is a BIG deal.) I had to park several blocks away from the caucus and walk. Not that I minded because it was the first indication that MAN! people are fired up!

My old friend Mark was at the door to the caucus room for my precinct. I ran a campaign for him in 2000. He was a Democrat with no budget running in a county that ALWAYS voted Republican against an 18 year Republican incumbent. In addition, the county organization had no budget. Lest you think I am joking, let me tell you that our headquarters was in a former automotive garage with the worst oil stains covered by donated rugs. My boys (ages 3 and 18 months) played on those rugs (and all over the floor) and came home daily with grimy, oily pants and fingers. It was all worth it. Mark got a respectable 48% of the vote. I like to think that the work he and I and the rest of his incredible team helped the county Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party get to where it is today -- a respected organization with enough clout to pull in national candidates, a proven record of electing Democrats at the state and national levels, and a brand new headquarters in a real office building, with multiple phone lines, computers, and big screen TVs. And carpet. LOL

Immediately Mark asked if I would be willing to run for Precinct Chair. Now, I knew this was going to happen, as Mark and I had an incredible working relationship and we have tremendous respect for each other. We are a great team. So when his wife nominated me for Chair, I took a deep breath, said I wasn't willing to do it unless he was the Associate Chair, and said yes. Five minutes later I was the Precinct Chair.

It is gonna be a long year. I have decided that I will NOT be knocking on doors this fall in the bitter cold or the freezing rain. My penchant for bronchitis is not to be trifled with. But I will work all summer, I will canvass the neighborhood, I will host neighborhood get-togethers, I will organize and fold mailings and write letters to the editor and encourage everyone I know who is interested to come out and see how they can contribute ... because I believe this is possibly the most important election I will see in my lifetime. The decisions we're making are momentous, the power to change our nation and the world is in our hands ... and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

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And in other news, I picked up the framed art this morning. It looks wonderful. And I lied -- it is a 14x18 inch frame, not 16x20. But it is exactly what I had in mind for that spot on the wall.



The print is a watercolor by artist Judy Welsh and unfortunately the gorgeous colors are muted in this photo. It truly does not do it justice. I love the painting, which is of our old neighborhood, Almaden, in the shadow of Mount Umunhum. I am so pleased with it!

Now if I could just find curtains .....