Although the group that first tapped me to run for office, the Mendocino
Women's Political Coalition, didn't endorse me, nor did my own
political party, the Democrats, I garnered 25% of the vote. And
although I was still in debt the day of the election, by the end of the
month, donations rolled in that paid all the campaign $8000 monetary
expenses and enough left over for postage stamps for the thank you
notes. The final cost to me was in stress, a touch of PTSD, and the return of my
childhood bruxism habit that I once again must train myself to quit! My
gain was in "political capital." I'm not sure what that is or in which
bank it is kept, but people look at me in a new way, now.
I used to be a vocal citizen that the politicians pandered to by smiling, listening and nodding. Now I see the politicians glance at me from the corner of their eye and start calculating, what's my next move? are they for or against? The faces of ordinary people shine when they look at me. I've developed some new friendships. For sure, although I seem to know an astounding number of people all over the county, and in 3 counties, and I am sought after for radio interviews, I'm not sure I have a woman friend, someone I could be totally myself and disclose my inner secrets. But through this social justice work, I am happy to say that I may now have several new female friends with whom I maintain a close relationship. I used to be such a solitary rhino in the wild, and now people are massing up beside me. I guess that may be part of the political capital. I'm not sure....
Anyway, I didn't get the $100,000+/yr job as County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder. If I had, I could have afforded all the dental transplants after I had ground my teeth down from the stress of the political office. Instead, I have returned to being a plump old school nurse eking out a tiny impoverished living supporting myself and my adult son and feeling blessed each day that I have one more precious day of life to make this world a better place.
I used to be a vocal citizen that the politicians pandered to by smiling, listening and nodding. Now I see the politicians glance at me from the corner of their eye and start calculating, what's my next move? are they for or against? The faces of ordinary people shine when they look at me. I've developed some new friendships. For sure, although I seem to know an astounding number of people all over the county, and in 3 counties, and I am sought after for radio interviews, I'm not sure I have a woman friend, someone I could be totally myself and disclose my inner secrets. But through this social justice work, I am happy to say that I may now have several new female friends with whom I maintain a close relationship. I used to be such a solitary rhino in the wild, and now people are massing up beside me. I guess that may be part of the political capital. I'm not sure....
Anyway, I didn't get the $100,000+/yr job as County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder. If I had, I could have afforded all the dental transplants after I had ground my teeth down from the stress of the political office. Instead, I have returned to being a plump old school nurse eking out a tiny impoverished living supporting myself and my adult son and feeling blessed each day that I have one more precious day of life to make this world a better place.
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