HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I'm not going to get into the whole PC thing. I celebrate Christmas and some of my friends don't and if I'm looking at you I'll wish you the appropriate thing but on my blog we're an all-inclusive kind of group so Happy December Solstice Celebration of Your Choice and I look forward to hearing what you're thinking in 2007.

There has been an OUTCRY from people all over the country to want to support our latest endeavor, at attempt at representing the citizens of the First Berkshire District. We won't know when the special election is until January, and everyone's chomping at the bit to go out in a blizzard and collect signatures but you'll just have to wait. Eat and drink as much as possible for the next two weeks because life will be VERY busy. Bob and I are perfecting soup recipes so that volunteers will stay warm during winter canvassing parties. Yes, you are allowed to make calls from inside your house. Not to worry.

And for those looking for an address to send their best wishes to, it is:

THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT MARGARET WARE P O BOX 976 NORTH ADAMS MA 01247

This was once the P. O. Box of a famous politician so we will see what it's karma holds. Many thanks to the wonderful people at the North Adams P. O. who made opening a P.O. Box such a great experience! I'll never think of the number 616 again without howling with laughter.

The Ware clan is off to Alexandria VA for the holidays. First married Christmas for David and Jenny, and if Jenny's surprise party for her mom is any indication, we will be wined and dined in glorious fashion and a good time will be had by all. We are going "light" on Christmas this year. Some years it's been a joke in the family, but this year we are contributing to CHABHA, appreciating the work Annie has done around the house to make it more liveable and acknowledging that a year in which you run for office is going to be a year when you've already bought yourself all the presents you could use -- things like radio spots and billboards and campaign managers and office space.

It was quite a ride. We're ready to gun the engine again. But starting today at noon, we're taking a deep breath, saying our prayers that we get to and from Virginia safely, and that all our family and friends have a wonderful break from the hustle and bustle of real life.

Peace.

A SECOND CHANCE

One of my friends observed yesterday, "One doesn't often get a second chance in life. You may be one of the exceptions."

We'll see.

Yes, I am running for Dan Bosley's seat. The first call from a reporter, the amazing Carrie Saldo, came at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, before I'd even told anyone in my office.
But I had had the opportunity to have a good night's sleep.

And my family even wants me to do it. In fact my son couldn't figure out why I wasn't on the phone to the news media at 10PM on Sunday.

But one of the biggest inspirations was a woman named Deborah Blumer. She died of a heart attack a number of weeks ago. A State Representative from Framingham, she used her position to work for prison reform and a variety of other very unsexy issues in an effort to make the Commonwealth a better place to live and work. I had heard of her, knew she was a "good guy" but didn't know much past that.

As I read about her work, I realized that there are a lot of really good people doing good things, and yet most of them never get recognized. WE realize how terrific Dan is, but the average voter in other parts of the state has probably never heard of him. He's smart, thoughtful, wise and has a great sense of humor to boot. You don't often find that.

The good people on Beacon Hill need allies. Dan will still be there for them, but in another capacity. I want to attempt to have an opportunity to augment their efforts and buckle down to the work that needs to get done, in partnership with someone who will be a most exciting Governor.

And thank you to those who want to sign on early. The Post Office Box number will be forthcoming shortly.

I have a campaign manager, a campaign office, a seasoned corps of volunteers and the first planning meeting scheduled. Now I need the faith, trust and support of the citizens of the First Berkshire District. That's a tall order. I hope I deserve it.

Happy Holidays to one and all!

CONGRATULATIONS DAN BOSLEY!!!!

Western MA, and especially North Berkshire, is very lucky that this bright and capable public service will be steering the economic revitalization of the Commonwealth.

We all KNEW DP was smart......

Oh, and I guess there will be a special election, do ya think?

EXCUUUUUSE ME!

The name of the book I'm writing is "Don't Get Me Started" and I have the feeling that I'm about to get started....

One almost doesn't know where to begin.

The people who are holding a death watch over Senator Johnson, caring more about who's in charge than whether the man recovers? There's a message from the Universe or a Supreme Being when a country that is divided right down the middle has governance hanging by a brain vessel. We're supposed to get along people. I have now put a moratorium on gloating over the election. We're all in this together.

And then there is the Brouhaha over the inaugural balls. George Bachrach has got it EXACTLY RIGHT in the Globe today. Talk about focusing on the negative and same old same old from the press. Republicans can have inaugural balls and we can't? Do they sell their tickets over the internet for anyone and everyone to come? GIVE ME A BREAK. I'm so mad I could spit.

A MONTH'S VACATION.....

from blogging, the only kind of vacation I'll get for a while. But you have to admit that it's my blog and I shouldn't feel COMPELLED to write. Besides, my life now is pretty mundane, not that this blog started out as the story of my life. It's original intent was to comment on the political situation. But then I became a candidate, and I was, shall we say, "constrained."

Then, having been defeated, I was, shall we say, "chastened," and it was hard to be honest about all the conflicting emotions swirling around in my brain. But then my team won, and I was, shall we say, "exhuberant." But then it was time for back to work and Medicare D and all the other mundane parts of life.

So the fast forward is that we had an awesome party for the campaign volunteers on November 17th, with lots to celebrate given that the Democrats took everything that wasn't nailed down, both statewide and nationally. (My apologies to my daughter-in-law....I try to keep my glee hidden from the family at times...)Mom came up for Thanksgiving, which at age 91 3/4 is quite the accomplishment, and we had a wonderful time and my friend Bill surprised me with a birthday party on November 20 since my aging process was going to be lost in the shuffle of returning Mom to Philadelphia.

And so I thought the excitement was over. At my age, you can't take too much. And I have a rotten cold so I'm not making a lot of extra effort.

So what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a call from Leary, who said "get on your gear. We need some Selectmen to fill out our list, so come gallop to Boston and help Local Government Transist."

Now, if someone left YOU a message out of the blue asking you to be on a Transition Team Working Group, would you think it was a hoax or what? I returned his call with a page, so the poor guy sees a number pop up and calls and says "To whom am I speaking?" Understandable since he probably had 130 outstanding calls. After saying yes, I then wondered if this was real. But the next day, sure enough, come emails from Mayor Menino's office and today a Fedex package from the Mass Municipal Association. My employers are being very supportive of my great good fortune -- Councils on Aging are part of local government -- and I am a very fortunate person.

So I will say THIS about THAT. The swirlings and postings going around in the Patrickspere this week and last have been quite intense. Especially about education, both higher ed and K-12, but also about openess in government in general. The cynics among us would say "This is exactly what happens when you let the grassroots loose...." (I think that's a mixed metaphor, but I have a cold, so I have a good excuse for not being up to my usual literary standards....)

At the risk of hearing "easy for you to say" I will opine that while no process is perfect, this governor has probably gone farther than anyone else in history in trying to keep everyone in the tent. I think he is well aware of the failures of the first Dukakis administration (and I adore Michael D) when we were just a bit too holier than thou (Michael was also a relatively young man) and we eschewed relationships. Having diverse opinions and connected people involved in not necessarily a bad thing. Just because you aren't a true believer doesn't mean you don't have sound observations to make on complex issues.

And at the risk of being called a right wing nutcase, I think that Deval and Tim and everyone in the Commonwealth who is working to make this the very best kind of society that we can imagine, needs our thoughts and prayers and moral support. I have said repeatedly that my worst fear is, having put DP on a pedestal, the human impulse is to knock him off if he doesn't turn water into wine in one hundred days.

As those of us in healthcare know, change is difficult. It takes dialogue, discussion, dissension and disagreement. But at the end of the day, listening to a variety of views can actually lead to consensus. Who knew?

Peace.