30th October 2008

Election Time, Babies to Deliver, Economic, Environmental Changes - Oh My!

What an amazing time we live in - It’s 2 a.m., I have insomnia, partially induced by a doctor’s visit this afternoon, and some chocolate delivered by a colleague of mine and a little late nap, but it’s also motivated by changes that are upon us.  I’m writing some thoughts here - so forgive my lack of organization as it is 2 a.m. in the morning.

postscript - the main reason I can’t sleep is that I have to sleep sitting up now - I can only sleep for about 45 minutes on either side - so if you can sleep for seven hours sitting up with a big tank in your belly - without discomfort - well you have something I lack apparently  -i’ve always loved sleep - but 35 weeks pregnant - there is no more love affair with sleep - only frequent cat naps will do

 I have watched way too many hours of pre-election TV coverage in the past months, really since the conventions in August.  I’ve been nearly glued to the television and various networks to see what everyone is saying.  I’ve read the NYT, WSJ, and listened to others debate the issues.  I wonder what the next month will hold for all of us.

First of all, I’m going to deliver a baby - so, in less than one month, I’ll be home with my first child.  I’m one of those few people they debate about - the undecideds - on CNN.  I think people should be concerned that a week away, I’m still waffling over McCain/Palin versus Obama/Biden.  David Gergen on CNN is talking about the undecideds typically making their decision within the last three days of the campaign.

I have to admit - I’m energized by Obama’s intelligence - he knows how to run a smart campaign.  Truly.  He doesn’t follow all the rules - and yes, McCain can get upset about the way Obama raised money - but credit card donations can be followed within time and documented and exposed.  So, I’d get over it.  The fact is, that Obama knows how to motivate and inspire people - and for many, no, for millions it’s working.  His motivational 20-minute infomercial inspires me too - but reality is so much harder to endure, and to enforce change throughout that time.  But regardless of whether Obama inspires you - can he enforce change throughout Congress?  Can he limit taxes meanwhile improving healthcare?  Can he pull out of Iraq and maintain diplomacy in a broken country where damages are extremely high?  Can he threaten to chase after Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda and prevent nuclear war in Pakistan, or supplies falling into rogue hands, without spending the same amount of money as Bush has in Iraq?  Wars are expensive - regardless of how unpopular they are.  I’m not for Iraq - never have been - we should have been in Afghanistan -but we refuse to fight the way they do - I’m not sure we’ll ever win because we try to fight a traditional fight.  How can you cut taxes when governments state and local are broke? 

So enough about Obama - and what I’m not sure he can do, or for that matter, anyone can do in four years.  Regardless of what Obama promises, he is one intelligent person - and he knows how to persuade an audience.  What’s sad - is how easily it works for some people.  On the other hand - because of his intelligence - because of his persuasive capabilities - he just might be able to approach problems in a very different way than in previous years.  That encourages me, but it’s also a risk.  Will he really be able to deliver - because his rhetoric is over the top at times.

Now, compare my thoughts on Obama to McCain/Palin.  I always liked McCain - for years - not so much as a presidential candidate but as a senator.  I think Palin rocks when she’s able to - I imagine it’s hard to be all things to all people this late in the game - and give her credit for surviving thus far.  She’s had some hiccups - but they’ve all had them - and I can get past most of hers, even though I might disagree with her on a few things, like stop shooting wolves from planes, help the polar bears, and why exactly are we choosing to drill in a refuge?  But those things can be discussion points - I can hear both sides - but you’re going to have to do more than convince me as to why this will help more than hurt our planet?

What I have disliked most about the RNC and McCain/Palin is the negativity.  Stop assailing your opponents - we’re over the negativity, why can’t you be?  If Obama wins, as I suspect he just might, he has won mostly due to intelligence and inspiration.  In bad times, we all need a little inspiration.  Regardless of how much Obama’s critics might talk about his rhetoric, myself included, it works for people.  Many people have never led a team, an organization, a business, or an executive team.  Inspiration is key, as is delivery.  The latter part is what concerns me with Obama.  Will he be able to deliver?  There are many people who are 100% ignorant as to how difficult it is to deliver change at all levels, without pissing off many.  Will Obama come up short, as others have before him? 

Now, having said that, sometimes Republicans and their way of thinking or approaching a problem reminds me of true governmental ‘intelligence’.   And as I was talking to a friend the other day, there are alot of people in government who are not the “smartest” people in the world, or the most accomplished.   We need a new way of thinking, but we can’t forget our history and what we’ve learned thus far.  I salute smart people, who accomplish a long list of tasks, who have energy to keep moving when times are hard, and make good decisions.  When they don’t make the right decision or the best decision, they have to be able to recover quickly and keep going.  I think Obama can do this.  I think Palin can do this.  I think McCain has done this, but going forward will he and his Republican colleagues be able to continue at such a pace?

Clinton, Powell - - do they really believe in Obama or do they know it’s a career-guarantee?  Few are behind McCain.  Palin has a love/hate relationship with Americans.  Women either hate her or love her, the former out of ignorance in my opinion.   Now here’s a consideration - don’t kick me on this one - What if it was Obama/Palin?  Forget party lines for a second.  Forget liberalism versus conservatism?  People have jumped party lines before.  I like new thinkers - and people who enforce change at all levels, regardless of popularity.  Regardless of the assaults made by either party - both Obama and Palin inspire change at many levels - but I’m not sure what Obama has really done in his senatorial past, or before that.  I still don’t feel I know what he’s accomplished.  I know what the Clintons did in office.  I know what McCain has done before.  I am learning what Palin has done. 

We can’t just expect change to occur within the executive governmental staff?  It has to occur within the Senate, within the House, within society, in fact, really within society.  It trickles down to change at your and my level.  What are we willing to do differently?  You can not blame all problems on executive leadership.  Well, you can point the finger there, but turn the mirror on yourself.  Banking, regulations, healthcare, housing crisis - there are so many problems because we are not personally and professionally managing our finances as well as we could be.  We want more than we can have.  And that is the driving force in economics and politics. 

So as long as we want more than we can have, as human nature demands, and we’re constantly chasing the cheese on the rat wheel, our society is in peril.  We can hope for better leadership, but truly we have to change the way we work, the way we act, the things we want.

I too suffer from this problem - I want the fancy career.  I am already missing running around with my colleagues who hop from conference to conference, to client to client, all around the world - something I did for 12 years.  But at the end of the day, at the end of the conference, I lacked going home to a family - I lacked having a child to inspire me back, I lacked some of the basic fundamental hope outside of my business world.  I have to now balance having a child (or more) with running a business, and sometimes it scares me.  Can I do it?  Am I capable? 

It’s not so bad to be inspired by a lifetime change, a lifetime decision that will be about more than just me.  In one month, I will be home with a daughter who will change my life.  As she is active in my tummy right now (my stretched out uterus that is up in my heart’s real estate and rib cage by now), as I write tonight, while I’m scared about the unknown, scared about the economy, life’s changes as a woman trying to solve problems for both clients, employees, students, and vendors - as well as herself, and her new child - I can stop worrying and feeling fear - and I can start doing something.

I met with my doctor again today - only two more visits before I deliver Melina.  I see women in childbirth class, or prenatal yoga who are preparing to deliver - and realize I’m next on the dive platform.   I see them dive off the platform and know it’s my turn next.  I can only hope and pray and begin to visualize something good post c-section date.  I’ve made it this far, now it’s time to make it a little further - and come home with my little child.  I can then look forward to the Christmas holidays and ending this year with a “family”.  It won’t just be about me.  It’ll be including her in everything.  I have chosen her to inspire me. 

So next week, I will vote on who will lead our country at both executive government and state government levels.  I will vote on numerous issues.  But regardless of whom I vote for, I know that it’s up to me to bring about change in my small world.  I can’t expect a bailout.  I love it when I get help, but I can’t wait for a bailout - and I can’t expect one person to change every part of my life and make it easier for me. 

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