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
Running for Office again!
Dear Neighbors: While elections may be popularity contests, governing is about doing the hard work required, every day, that our community demands and deserves. To me, part of my job is to be available- that’s why I answer your questions on Facebook, NextDoor Now, email, phone, at the grocery, and
New Beginnings
It's coming up on the start of the school year here in PA. I have always loved getting ready for the new school year- the smell of new crayons, choosing out a perfect backpack, everything being about hopes and expectations. This year, my son is returning to school...
The Size of Government
When I'm out talking to people and knocking doors to meet voters, I'm often asked how I feel about the size of government. There are a lot of problems with how we frame this question, because I think no one has a really good sense of what "big" or "little" or even...
Women and Politics
Today, I had the great pleasure of getting to meet and speak with Governor Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire. She told us about how she got into politics at the local level, and how it has propelled her to be the only female sitting Democratic Governor in the...
What Do You Really Mean?
Social Media and the internet are reinventing and repurposing language. The most obvious example is that when you say "Joe is my friend", we no longer know what sort of relationship that is. Are you Twitter friends? Are you Facebook friends? Would you allow Joe to...
Partisanship
One of the hardest things about running for public office is dealing with partisanship, no matter what party you identify with politically. There are "fundamentalists" on each side of the political spectrum. The truth, however, is that most of us cluster in the...
Sometimes, the Old Way is Better
I love technology. I love the internet. It makes so much of what I do faster and easier. However, when it goes down and is not working, I realize that the "old fashioned" way has its appeal, especially in its ability to have a bit of redundance built into the...
The Biggest Day So Far
Yesterday was Primary Day in Pennsylvania, and as a first time candidate, it was a great opportunity to go to every single polling place in the District, meet the volunteers, and talk with folks on both sides about what's important to them. It was the best way to get...
Bosom Buddies
Moms tend to put themselves last on the list of things that need to be taken care of and maintained. Too many women put off regular health screenings as a result, but that can put you at even greater risk for more serious problems. For example, if breast cancers are...
What Do We Want From Government?
Before I decided to run for office, I was pretty content sitting on the sidelines, complaining about the various decisions made by governmental officials at every level. Politics was a sport, and I viewed it mostly from the cheap seats, although when the elections...
Contacting the Campaign
Running for office is like starting a new business. You need a new website. You need business cards, head shots, and more. And you need to define your business and what makes it great. We're working on making all of these things happen as soon as possible. My...