Grinders Island: OMG

Well now - THAT was the hardest job interview I have ever had.

I have not blogged for a few days as I was prepping for the big forum for City Council. All candidates received 16 questions of which each pair of candidates would be asked 4.

Of course the current City Council has a HUGE advantage because they've been working on the issues for years (and years and years in some cases). So us newbies had to fend for ourselves and investigate, interview and do our own due diligence all knowing that the current members would be sure to tell people that they were better because they knew the facts and we know nothing.

ANYWAY.

I had Monday off and spent the day prepping for the big "debate"/forum. I was feeling pretty confidant. . . . wait - actually I did have work to do as I had to order a few more prints from call-in customers (I'm really getting more and more people every week ordering prints .. but I digress) . . I was feeling SO good that I was wondering why I was not nervous. Was it confidence? or ignorance.

The 16 questions were all about city problems and six were good, I could cover those, four were awesome and I was worried about speaking too much and WANTED those. Three were problems but I could cover my butt and three were going to be a problem.

For instance - the Senior Center. How many of you have been to your towns senior center. Well - I spent an hour and a half at ours and looked at their budget, had a tour, talked to people and when I was done I really appreciated what they do and I knew the controversy surrounding it (half the seniors so not live in Columbus but many of those give LARGE amounts as donations, also many of our seniors go to other towns centers so it evens out - plus a few other things that I REALLY wanted to nip in the butt but . . . ).

Another question - The auditorium, BAM, I'M READY, bring it. The Library - talked to people and had some good ideas (although not as good as the the aldermen that answered it), The budget (love numbers) and so forth.

NOTE - just to show how the entire night was a blur I do have some of the facts - the DUDE was actually charging me in my intro.

WELL - my intro was pretty good but maybe a little fluffy but still, I had to introduce myself. I think that was fine. Still, pretty calm and collected but . . . . I was feeling myself starting spiral a little.

Once the intro was completed I said to myself "OK OK - I'm good, stay calm. Wait . . . did I say I was running for congressmen instead of COUNCILMEN or whatever"?

It's all good . . . I think.

First question for District 1 is the Library - damn it - wish I had that one. Question #2 goes to Rod Melotte - blah blah blah Gateway.

OK - here was a learning experience. I was so confidant in answering this question, heck I wrote an article about it I DIDN'T HAVE TO WRITE MY ANSWER DOWN!

I froze! I know I babbled something and was about to get coherent again and my tunnel vision was getting a little wider when this dude is lunging towards me grabbing my mic and my brain freezes. I guess I was a little to far away.

You see, I was going into my speaking mode where I lean back and talk to my friends, comfortably.

OK - that thought process is completely gone. babble babble and I start to relax again and lean back in my chair in comfy mode and I'm starting to pull it together and AGAIN BAM - this large blur is comes out of nowhere, was he suspended from the ceiling? Grabbing my mic.

It was about this point when I remember Paula (council chairmen) saying to us before the forum, "do not push this secret button as it's the panic button". WELL - what better time then now, this dude keeps attacking me, and once again my brain freezes up.

I believe I finished my questions with nothing but beeps, chirps and giggles.

I did finish the rest of the forum well (I think, I can't remember 90% of what I said) and by the 4th question my heart was no longer actually visible through my shirt and I was ready to begin. Too bad it was over except for my closing which I was told got the biggest laugh in a good way, or maybe that was when my opponent who was skyping in from Florida who lost connection and his head appeared on the screen behind me with a Zor Shriner hat on, I don't know, it was all a blur.

I think I need to buy a personal teleprompter. I also need to write my notes on the questions that I will crush. No more relying on my mammoth brain to work with me as it was off doing other things leaving me defenseless. I do know that the people in city council have more answers then we did. On the job training seems to have an advantage in these types of forums.

I'm going to have what amounts as a rebuttal on my MelotteforCityCouncil.org site sooner or later as some of the things said by council members were just wrong or I disagree with them.
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Switching topics

It's interesting what people want when they contact me with orders.

The Stellnovas have already used one photo for posters in a Pennsylvania Music fest and are considering another one for an Album cover. (not this one but . . )