Bridgewater Soccer Mom's view of the world

Is that the fat lady singing????  If you haven't figured it out from Wagner's ladies, I lost. It wasn't even close. But more than 1100 people voted for me, and I would call that pretty amazing. The vote was split among 5 candidates and the incumbents were both popular and powerful, and the two other candidates had (informal but strong) support of a large union and had lived here most of their lives, meeting many registered voters along the way. Nevertheless 1100 people thought I was the best choice. It was a long shot that fell somewhat short. The last month or so, I felt like I lost my voice. Constantly scrutinizing what I said- or even thought- was excruciating. I felt victimized, just from the lack of being able to express myself. "You just can't say that when you are running for office!" Now I have my little blog back, and with it my freedom of speech. That feels much better. But I shouldn't have worried - plenty of people didn't lose th...

"Keep your friends close but your enemies closer" is an expression I hear almost weekly in New Jersey. Maybe there is a bit of Sopranos in all of us who live in the Garden State? But after running for the BOE, I've decided that my motto is "Keep your friends close... everyone else can go to Hell!" My Sample ballot arrived today. Normally I shred it. I feel like framing this one. Despite the fact that this is an uphill battle and practically everyone says that I haven't got a prayer, I am very proud that I am trying to do something I've wanted to try for a long time. Lots of people like to complain about the state of our schools. I do too. There are only 5 people who dared to run this year. And maybe I will lose... but maybe, just maybe, I will win! I am proud that I haven't gone around and said nasty things about people. I could call one of the incumbents unethical, and if you want to read about the women and their backing, you can in all the loc...

I've been feeling like my plate was full for several weeks - or maybe more like several months. Running in a contentious election for BOE and all which that entails (today I put out signs and filled in late forms) Getting my son ready for his black belt test (he did great, btw). Having 2 families visit, plus Cracker, the wonder dog?!! And everything else I have been blogging about for months... but today I thought my plate just needed one more thing: a job. I went to a job interview and walked out with an immediate start job - as in I started working DURING the interview. No reference checks, no "let me think about it and get back to you" - just a to do list in red ink and a boss with a lot of ambition and high expectations. So I took notes and started working.... ... um about that 2 week pile of laundry on the sofa? And the to do list in red at our house? Oh, and my son needing his mom to organize stuff to do during Spring break? Move over broccoli. There's ...

"And all I really want is some patience A way to calm the angry voice And all I really want is deliverance Do I wear you out You must wonder why I'm so relentless and all strung out I'm consumed by the chill of solitary?" Ok, so you've waited in the longest line in the world to get on. Your belt is tight, although not as tight as you'd like. A teenager recites the safety rules for the 400th time that day.... and off you go, you look up, the ride just starting in front of you. And whooosh.... up and down and around and you are praying to Jesus or Mohammad or Eddie Van Halen or even to that tree below, please, if there is a God let me get through this.... oh, and please God, don't let me puke in front of anyone Oh and BY THE WAY, LET ME OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF............. But soon enough the ride is over and you get off. Your friends want another turn, but you offer to watch everyone's stuff instead, letting others slip in line to...

The past few days I've been sucking into the vortex of this election, losing part of my sanity with each day. After spending a while working on the website I decided that I am taking a few hours break from the election. I'm going to do what I should have been doing all along: dishes, laundry and KNITTING. I realize how much knitting calms me because when I don't knit, I feel the difference. Exercise helps too... but I'm not motivated today to do anything special. Normal? Well as I was writing this, poor Diego-Doggie-Doo just threw up all over the kitchen. So now we have a clean floor in the kitchen. Check one more thing off the list. Actually I am relieved to be doing something non-election related. Dishes, then knitting. Aahhhh.... :-)

I am treading water. Some days I am actively swimming, some days I am trying to keep afloat. This is a big challenge for me and much more stressful that I had admitted to myself. I will start blogging again soon. It isn't that I don't want to blog, it is that when I am at the computer, I feel that I need to be doing other things: tweaking my website (that will be active soon, my first name and last name (not maiden name) dot com. If you know these things, you can access it. The site is pretty much ready. It's like a take home test that I am afraid to hand in because instead of one teacher grading it, all of the world can look at it, i.e. look at me, and scrutinize: The content (ie what I think), the concept (ie my educational philosophy) and what I have omitted, either on purpose or by accident.  The reader (and critic) have a lot of fodder for personal attack. And who knows - maybe I am wrong! Maybe my ideas, my hopes and my plans aren't what people want. If that...