Oh yeah, there's an election...

Summary Paragraph: In which Menin shamelessly plugs his own Re-election efforts, and broadly hints at ways people can help. Seekers of subtlety be warned, you won't find any here.

Well, I can assure you that regardless of the outcome, there will be no Committee to Re-Elect Menin, no Treasurer, no fancy brochures. I got me some signs, and I would be delighted to loan them out to folks who are interested in posting them in somewhat conspicuous places. And to those of you have donated to my campaign, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And the kids at the new Molin Playground thank you as well. We are running this campaign on the cheap.

A story:

When Isadora Duncan toured the new Soviet Union just after the revolution, she was asked if she would join with the Russian people in this grand new experiment. Duncan, who was more pragmatic than she was given credit for, asked if she would be able to dance. It was, after all, her reason to live.

"What do you mean, dance? We're building a nation here. Who has time to dance?"

To which Duncan replied simply "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your Revolution."

The point of the story is this. I tend to be irreverent at times. Sometimes it works for others, sometimes it doesn't. But always gives me a moment where I can pause, step back from a problem, realize solutions are possible, and keep myself balanced. I believe over the past six years I've worked as hard as any other School Committee member; I've also decided that taking the issues seriously doesn't always mean that I have to take myself seriously. In fact, some of my best thinking occurs when I realize I don't have a solution.

If I can't laugh, I don't want to be part of the political dialogue.

I can't help it. There's a cultural basis for it; the tribe has a gene that links tears and laughter; sometimes you gotta laugh to stop from crying. It is what keeps you going when hope fades, and miracles are on back-order.

So if I offend anyone, please understand that it was mostly unintentional; and much of the humor comes at my own expense.

Oh yeah, the election.

I have signs. I've just designed a very cheesy brochure, listing the trials and triumphs of my first six years on the School Committee, and what I hope to see happen in the next four. I'll be handing these out on my Ward walks- I will be out in Ward 6 this week, working my way like Sherman on a march through Newburyport to the sea. My kids will join me on some of these jaunts, so if you have something, um, loud or vulgar to say, we can step out into the backyard.
And it is OK to slam doors in my face; I grew up in tenements and apartment houses where door-slamming was a competitive sport. I never won, but I never got my toes caught in one, either.

My goal is to listen, gather ideas, share ideas, explain and inform. In all six years, I have regrets about several votes I took, but only because I later discovered that information critical to particular issue didn't make it all the way around the table before the roll was called.

And I'll leave a cheesy brochure in you mailbox if you aren't home. A word of advice- don't let them sit out in the rain- the ink will run.

If anyone is interested in hosting a meet and greet, or a coffee at your house or in your neighbors driveway, I'd love to work them in as well. I am especially interested in speaking to people who have genuine concerns about the schools, or don't feel that they have a stake in the system. Although preaching to the converted is less stressful, my preference has always been to work with groups that hold different perspectives than mine.

Finally, I may also be doing some strategic visibility over the next month. My plan to do it at Walmart didn't work out when I realized it wasn't in Newburyport; but if I can round up the usual suspects, it might make for a fun morning. I'll provide the fixings for somors if someone brings a grill and a permit.