Still Here!

Rather scary how quickly time moves the more time we're on this Earth. The minutes slip into hours, hours into days and before we know it, the things we'd planned or hoped for have slipped away.

Since my little Baby left me, frankly, it's been one blankety-blank thing after another.  One life changing, rug pulled out from under me, World turned upside down lousy thing after another.  Lousy thing.

Then, I got an email.  It started out with "Congratulations and Thank you for serving..."

I sent a text message to a dear friend simply stating. "HELP!!  ARE YOU STILL IN TOWN?!!"

Now, how was I supposed to know that she was riding in the car while my other friend was driving and I rather spooked them with the scream for help?  (Seriously... if ever I needed real help, REAL help, I'd call 911 or call a friend rather than text!)

I think it took over a week for it to sink in that the email was real.

In September 2008, it was a fleeting wish that I stated in my What I did During Summer Break posting of this blog.  And it was as fleeting as pixy dust.

And in 20 days, that wish will be granted!  And I'll probably keep pinching myself all along to reassure myself that it's not a dream.

I have been appointed as a New York State At-Large Delegate to the Democratic National Committee Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  This Democratic, Central New York woman of South Asian heritage, Muslim, country music fan and Star Trek geek is going to the Convention!  

As it's said... the rest of the story...  Twenty years ago, I had completed my Masters degree and was job-searching.  Between resume mailing and interviewing, I still had time on my hand.  I'd spent some time visiting family friends that summer and we watched a lot of the 1992 DNC Convention.  Once home, I figured I'd go down to the local Democrats' office and stuff envelopes or answer the phone for the Come-Back-Kid from Arkansas.  The next day, I got a phone call asking if I'd be interested in managing the Phone Banks.  My reply, "What are phone banks?"

The following year, I got another call asking me to attend a meeting for a fellow who was running for District Attorney.  I went and served coffee and handed out donuts before I pulled out my trusty ol' steno pad to take notes for their meeting.  I remember that I stopped breathing when the realization dawned on me that this back room of political big-wigs had asked me to join their meeting.... not take notes for them or serve the coffee. 

And so it began...  An Amazing Adventure that truly epitomized my oft said statement of 'leave a little room in your plans for Life to happen because you never know."

I'll be posting here as well as on a public Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/MaimunNKhanDelegate ) as this latest chapter unfolds.  Stay tuned for what happens next!

First Democrat Re-Elected in 1934

Usually, Election Day comes and sometime after 9:00PM, we either celebrate or commiserate, might get home early or not, but the job is done, the big question of the night answered and the new campaign begins.

Not so this year. At least we didn't have to wait until Dec 12th for someone else to choose!

Two weeks after CNN, MSNBC and even Faux News did it, Hanna today accepted the fact that Congressman Arcuri will continue being our Congressman.

New York most always gets put in the blue column, but around here, its red.

As if Election Day 2008 wasn't exciting enough.
Maimun

The Party of Hope

"We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics who will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks to come. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. For when we have faced down impossible odds; when we’ve been told that we’re not ready, or that we shouldn’t try, or that we can’t, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people.

Yes we can."

-Obama