I think one of the reasons I don't write here as much as I'd like is because now that I'm an elected official, it would not be right to share specifics that might reveal who I am writing about. I've always had this restriction because I teach, but it is way worse now that I am a trustee. Hardly anyone reads this, but some do, and the risk is too great. Suffice to say, people can be extremely irritating.

Then there is another situation of a personal nature that has been going on for a few months now, and I can't write about that either! See the last sentence of the above paragraph.

Exciting Times

Yesterday, I read the most delightful thing Mimmie wrote - in 1972. What a treat. Have to type it up.

It's hard to believe it has been twenty-five years since she died. I wish I could have a cup of tea, piece of danish (heated up in the toaster oven, of course) and a visit with her, but my memories will have to do. Miss you, Mimmie! This year, I know Uncle Buddy is with you.

We had an election in the Village on Tuesday. Bob and I were running for our second terms. No one filed petitions to be on the ballot, so it was a big relief that it was an uncontested race. We didn't do a lot of campaigning as a result, although we did have 100 brochures printed and bought 100 buttons.

Then on Friday, we leaned that there was a secret write-in campaign for Mayor by the former mayor (whom Bob beat in 2016) going on. It's silly to think that a secret like that could be kept, and it wasn't. But the clock was ticking. The strategy was clearly low turn-out -- the only way he could win was if few people voted except his organized supporters, and it was a safe assumption that turn out would be low, as it always is in an uncontested year. I am not sure if he was aware the No Bob, No Gina - No Gina, No Bob policy was in force again (meaning I would have declined the seat if Bob didn't win). It is quite possible he didn't care, and hoped his strategy would knock us both off the board.

Some say his tactics were clever and smart. I say they may have been legal, but they were not moral or ethical. And they didn't work, of course. We got our strong network alerted, I printed 700 flyers on my marvelous printer, and Bob kicked his you know what. How did he think he could ever beat Bob? He must be living in an alternate galaxy.

What is appalling to me is not his vindictiveness, which comes as no surprise at all. It's that the people who did write in did not care that he has no platform. No plan. And did very little during the six years he was in office. I guess the supporters are either stupid, are comfortable with a decaying village, he made empty promises, or they share his bad character. Sad any way you slice it.

Final thought, why would you want to win that way? Our slumbering supporters would have been furious. He would have faced open revolt -- lucky for him he can now crawl back into a dark corner like all sneaky creatures.

I'm not a big fan of walking out of class at any time, and when college students have done it to demonstrate over an issue (usually rising tuition) I have not been pleased, but I do appreciate the political and speech aspect of protest and I like student initiative. If I was a guide for the walk out participants, I would have advised them to ask teachers to have a lesson related to the issue (varying based on subject) and organize a mass demonstration on the weekend or evening. I hate to be cynical, but I will. It's easier to ask students to join if academic time rather than personal time is being sacrificed.

I had the 16th anniversary of this blog last week.

So far this March really is coming in like a lion. Why is it when we are getting a nor'easter or have lost electricity, all the a-holes (many of whom have retired south with their public sector pensions that us northern tax payers funded) chime in on social media to gloat about the weather in Florida.

I have never seen a northerner make a snarky comment when they have a hurricane and their houses have been destroyed. I feel like writing this when I see their insensitive remarks, with a parting shot of "good riddance to you, please don't come back even for a visit" but of course I never would.

Uncle Buddy died! :-( Here is his obituary.

I made a campaign website.

Having a new computer is awesome, but getting everything to work the way it should (printer, software, passwords, etc.) is such a hassle!

My computer crashed on Wednesday. It wasn't completely unexpected, since it had been acting up for the past several weeks. It was six years old and didn't owe me anything. Because it was not working properly, I backed up my files in late November, so the data loss was not extreme. A new computer was delivered today! I have been working on my laptop, so it hasn't been a really big deal except that I don't like typing on the laptop keyboard, and I don't have my files readily available without swapping in and out flash drives. Also, programs work a little differently on the laptop, a slight learning curve but I don't feel like investing time to customize it or enter accounts.Waiting until I have set up my new computer for that!

In other news, the first Repair Cafe of 2018 is tomorrow!

I think I have never missed posting for an entire month before! Oh well...my first post of 2018. We dumped Spectrum because they wanted us to get a set-top box and pay $11.75 per month to rent it. When it came, hooking it up didn't work, and after hours on the phone, they wanted to send a technician. So instead we canceled, got a new Roku (the old one owed us nothing) and a digital antenna. Bye Spectrum! You suck! (A new annoyance from them -- they call all the time pitching something. Time Warner did too, but Spectrum ratchets it up by insisting you need a service call because there is a problem.)

I finished fall grades two days ago, but didn't enter the grades untul this morning. And then Winter session begins today! There are 10 students in my class. I already got one email with a student who is "confused," asking what is due today. Always funny, as blackboard reveals student has put in zero time exploring class, which of course has several documents that explain everything.

I had a memory today of Mimmie and her old house on Whispell Road. I have never written about it before. Upstairs there was a small bedroom where we slept when I stayed overnight. The toilet (there was no bathroom) was in the downstairs bedroom where Grandpa and eventually Uncle Bud slept. Mimmie had a chamberpot upstairs for us to use (for pee only, LOL) during the night. I wonder how many people my age have had this experience? I think I had this memory today because the bathroom in my old house is three flights down from my office and the bedroom. I was thinking how handy that chamberpot would be!

Don't really know what to say about this story. It's scary that someone would have no common sense. There should be a penalty for such absolute stupidity, but I'm not sure jail time is the appropriate choice.

I am amazed by the #metoo phenomenon. It's not that I am exactly surprised, especially by the appalling behavior of those in the media and politics. For years we gave Roman Polanski and Woody Allen a free pass, rather than shunning them for the creeps they are. What is more shocking is that it is so widespread everywhere. Personally, I can't say I have had this type of experience often, except on a couple of occasions, and it was not extreme or serious; it did not rise to the level of a #metoo. On the other hand, I have sometimes been targeted over my religion, and especially over my ethnicity -- or should I say, my half ethnicity. The latter happened to me all the time, and in every setting. It still happens on occasion. I can only shake my head.

On a completely different note -- my classes are over today. Yippee!!

Things are going incredibly well in the Village. I am so pleased. However, there is still occasional pushback from a few select individuals. It's like they are so comfortable with their dystopian reality -- a dead, crumbling Main Street -- that change and improvement are too threatening.

I am a yogurt enthusiast, and I have loved Chobani since the company first got started. I recently bought some Noosa brand yogurt at The Store, and it is incredibly delicious! I am not abandoning Chobani entirely (which luckily The Store sells as well), but I encourage you to try Noosa!

I don't understand the trend of tearing down buildings that have been the scene of violence. It's not that I think congregations or school communities don't have the "right" to do it, but do people think the tragedy will somehow be erased or that the building itself is responsible?