It’s Gonna be one of those posts…..
As many of you know, I’ve been involved in local politics seriously since 2014. I became a local democratic zone leader in 2022. It’s been a big job, but it’s largely akin to running the PTO, but with more far-ranging consequences. You’ve got planning for events, wrangling volunteers, and keeping…
Guide to Gift Giving
It’s close to Christmas, and as we finish up our shopping, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of gifts in the first place. I read an article this am about how millenial parents are frustrated that their Boomer parents are showering their kids with useless stuff that just ends up…
FFS
We’re living in interesting times. The lead candidate for the republican nomination for presidency just wants everyone to give up and anoint him their candidate now, despite finally starting to face the consequences of years of fraud and treating the legal system as a cudgel to use against anyone he…
AI is Going to Change Everything
Working in digital marketing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it can and should be used for is all the rage right now. If you want to understand AI better, the best source is really Chris Penn– who has an excellent set of videos and regularly explains what’s happening in AI…
Podcamp 2023
A small group of us, die hards from Podcamp Philly and Podcamp East, came together this past weekend for Podcamp 2023 in Philadelphia. There were amazing sessions talking about how AI and Chat GPT will pose challenges to those of us who are involved in digital marketing, or looking to…
Glad to Leave Office? I get it.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is getting into trouble because he spoke his truth, saying he’s looking forward to a time when he’s not mayor. As someone who was a Township Supervisor for 6 years, I understand this sentiment perhaps as much as anyone. Being a local elected official may look…
Almost 80 Best Movies of the 80’s
Rolling Stone just put out a post of the 100 best movies of the 1980’s- and there are a lot of obscure movies that as a teenager/college student during the 80’s I never heard of. As a child of divorced parents, I spent a ridiculous amount of time at the…
Losing but not Lost
I lost my bid for re-election as a Township Supervisor. Elections are like the world’s longest job interview. I knocked 946 doors, speaking with friends and neighbors; sending mail out to people about what I stood for, and what I believed. I chose not to attack my opponent, even though…
Running for Office
I am a local Township Supervisor in Pennsylvania, running for re-election this year. Supervisor is a part-time position, and comes with a statutory stipend of $2,500.00 a year. that equates to about $5.20 or less an hour of meeting time, and other work we put in to help guide the…
Dementia
My mother-in-law has dementia. She had been pretty good at hiding her slow cognitive decline for a long time, but gradually, not even those of us who would have preferred to be in denial could avoid the truth. We needed to move Nancy out of her home and into a…
What is A Quality Education Option?
StudentsFirst.org just sent me an email with the following text: "Students, parents and community leaders are gathering in front of City Hall on Wednesday and I hope you will join us! Our message -- Pennsylvania students need more quality school options. There are too...
Getting Back in the Swing
Memorial Day weekend is billed as the beginning of summer. The break makes the last few weeks of school and impending exams the most tedious of the year for our family- worse than the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are events non-stop through May,...
It’s Gotta be About More Than Ads
Facebook is getting ready for its Initial Public Offering, and GM has just decided to remove all its advertising from Facebook. (Ford thinks GM is just doing it wrong and sees better results.) This brings to light a couple of big questions- Are we about to...
What are Reunions all about?
This past weekend, and last minute, I went to my 25th College Reunion. It seems really hard to believe it's been that long, despite the fact I have a son who is currently looking at colleges himself. In contrast to attending a high school reunion a few years ago,...
Chris Guillebeau- The $100 dollar start-up
Chris Guillebeau is an amazing guy. When he was doing a tour for his prior book, The Art of Non-Conformity, he thought he would head to Delaware, find a Starbucks and have a meet-up. Unfortunately, Wilmington's Starbucks are more suburban, so I emailed him and we...
Sharing Books and Finding a Voice
One of my favorite friends, Beth Harte, introduced me to one of my all-time favorite authors, Jen Lancaster. I started out with Bitter is the New Black and have worked my way through her books, gobbling up each one as it comes out, with both a sense of "I NEED IT...
Things I’ve Learned This Week
Sometimes, I find I've had a stretch where several important lessons have been emphasized over and over again, and it's time to simply write them down. I thought I'd share them with you, since it's been a heck of a week here. 1. Life rewards action. When you take...
Choice
The Women Wars are already in full swing this political season, and the "big" election isn't even until November. So far we've seen: The Working Moms v. Stay at Home Moms, courtesy of Hillary Rosen and Ann Romney, Reproductive rights framed in terms of Personhood...
Solving Problems- the Social Autopsy
We've run into a few problems recently. A friend of mine once said "There really aren't any problems, just unresolved opportunities." Most of the time, I try to buy that line, and look at the inevitable bumps in the road as life giving me a lesson to learn. It...
The Buying of the Electorate
The money in politics this year is getting ridiculous, and we haven't even gotten to the general election. Frankly, I'm a little nervous, since I live in PA and the robocalls and assault ads will be starting soon, I fear. After yesterday's primary in Illinois, where...
