BlogHer - women - Comments

There's always a way

Jill Miller Zimon — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:21:23 -0600

Thanks so much, Kim. I know I thought campaigning was hard work and that my professional career has been dedicated to actual problem-solving professions (like ombuds and risk management). But before, during and since the campaign, the already "in" and established folks here, who aren't awful people or anything at all like that, continued to make choices that completely defied not only transparency, but what I consider to be the entire constituency's best interests.

However...

Yesterday, at my synagogue, they gave me "an honor." I was asked to say the prayer before someone read from the Torah for Shabbat. This is called an aliyah. Then, after I did the two prayers (one before and one after the reading), the senior rabbi stepped forward and blessed me and another member who was re-elected to a different community's city council - an all white male city council right next to my town! don't get me started ;). And he said very nice things about us etc.

A little later, I stepped out to go to the ladies room and while there, saw a good friend with whom I'd gone through a two-year leadership institute from 2006-2006. We were members of the first class. And while we were chatting and I was sharing with her a few war stories, she just started to laugh this hearty laugh, and she said, "They are messing with the WRONG BROAD!" And she said that she'd been thinking that all along and was so thrilled for me to have won.

I've already counselled myself that I'm going to be taking deep breaths very very often while I acclimate to them and they acclimate to me. But if, at the age of 47, I don't stick with and stand by these goals - transparency, zeal etc. - as the underlying reasons for pursuing what I pursue, then what was the point of everything I've done before now?

I have plenty to learn. I am 100% positive I will change my mind about things as I watch and learn from the other council members and listen to residents. And I'll get frustrated too. But the results for the community will always be more important than how any one decision impacts me. I have to remember that. I hope I can.

Jill Writes Like She Talks

I am so happy that you've shared your story, Jill

Kim Pearson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:53:55 -0600

Hey Jill,

You know I'm proud of you. (Or at least I hope you know.) It's a brave and noble thing you're doing - putting yourself out there, trying to be part of the solution instead of just pointing out the problems with government. I hope you govern with the same transparency and zeal with which you've executed your campaign, and I hope your story inspires others to get just as involved in their communities.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|KimPearson.net|

It doesn't surprise me

clueless newlywed — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:45:39 -0600

Ya know...It doesn't surprise me that single people have less sex...Think about it...They have to really work to have sex. My single girl friends have to get dolled up, and hit a bar that has other attractive, single men. (Half the battle right there!) And even if they do find a bar with attractive, single men, they then have to make eye contact and flirt and all that. All married ladies have to do is turn to their partner and say, "Are you in the mood?"

The Clueless Newlywed, Nikki Flores

Would love to hear/read more about the Mayor!

Jill Miller Zimon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:39:20 -0600

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave a comment on this post. I would love to read more about your friend who you helped and who became a mayor - that is fantastic. It's actually been hard to come up with words to adequately describe how it feels to have done what it takes. In the moment, it was much easier somehow!

Glad to know there are women interested in this kind of support and effort and goal. I think it's critical to a representative gov't but also, just to feeling like we matter. That's something I think most of us struggle with at one time or another.

Best to you too -

Jill Writes Like She Talks

Big smile

Jill Miller Zimon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:36:15 -0600

Thanks, Mata - that is an awesome photo! It's been a haul - I sometimes can't believe what I pushed myself to do! Great people, inspiration, all around tho. Thank you. :)

Jill Writes Like She Talks

Congratulations!

DebOwen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:29:49 -0600

This is the first post I've seen of yours, and I love it!

A friend of mine decided to run for mayor a couple of years ago, and so I (and a bunch of other people) said, "OK then! Let's do this thing!" It was an amazing experience. There were a lot of great 'lessons learned.'

And we experienced the "is it over yet?" feeling about two-three weeks before the election, followed by one last big push and then the -- "Um. Now what do we do?" feeling. (ha) Of course, she had to go be mayor so it was different for her.

Anyway, great job getting out the vote and for the 'your vote counts' message.

Congratulations!

I look forward to reading more from you in the future!

All the best!

deb

you rock !!!!

Mata H — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:08 -0600

This is great news!

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Being a luddite is relative I guess!

Jill Miller Zimon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:02:19 -0600

Thanks so much, Virginia. I really want to try as many different things as I could in terms of reaching out, but making sure that I didn't over-rely on methods that simply would never penetrate more than a certain percentage of voters in my town was really important. I do hope to write at length about how I went about what I did - and what worked, what didn't.

Thanks for being an inspiration and for the support. :)

Jill Writes Like She Talks

Governs like she blogs

Jill Miller Zimon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:00:37 -0600

That's one suggestion someone has made for a blog name! We'll see. I need to learn the rules about what is and isn't public and so on. I'm sure I'm going to have a more expansive idea of what to share than some others in the city but that's never deterred me before from testing driving a little something. ;)

Thanks for the support Maria - you've been there from the start. Thank you.

Jill Writes Like She Talks

Political Voices of Women - let's set a goal??

Jill Miller Zimon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:58:55 -0600

Maybe we need to start setting goals, like "drives" or something to get us motivated and see how many people we can recruit and attract to taking the plunge into different levels of leading a political life. Because it really can lead to running and winning in office. We have got to keep trying.

Thanks for all the support, Catherine. Really hope to see you and many other BlogHers next summer in NYC - thinking about it already!!

Jill Writes Like She Talks

Betty Represents A Whole Generation

Megan Smith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:43:40 -0600

Hi Jory,

Like you say, Bets represents the thoughts and feelings of so many who lived through the assassination of JFK.

And how could you forget about the bathroom quickie!?

Baby Draper may not be Don's kid at all. Oh, the drama!

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

My Personal Entertainment Blog: Megan's Minute

Twitter:@MeganSmith

Love Starved Sally

Megan Smith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:11:26 -0600

Nothing against Sally's outfits because they are cute, and I guess she's kind of love starved. Has there ever been a scene where Betty even hugged her?

But admit it, the child is scary, skulking around the house with those scary stares. The little girl who plays Sally is very good. I think if she we're an adult, critics would say she gives a restrained yet memorable performance.

As far as Henry and Betty, yeah I guess so but if she thinks Francis is going to be more truthful or faithful I think she's deluding herself. He is a politician after all.

And I miss Connor!

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

My Personal Entertainment Blog: Megan's Minute

Twitter:@MeganSmith

The loss of innocence

Jory Des Jardins — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:41:47 -0600

Not to get too clliche, but JFK's assassination is often referred to as the loss of innocence in America (guess they forgot the civil slaughter of the century before). Betty is a microcosmic example of how the country was confronted with truth.

OMG: I forgot about the quickie in the bathroom!

Jory Des Jardins writes on business and career topics at BlogHer, and on her personal blog Pause

Say, Wait a Minute on the Sally Slams

TheBlackTortoise — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:34:30 -0600

Sally is my favorite character because so much of what she wears reminds me of my own childhood. The behavior is also exactly what was expected of me as a child; except instead of "go watch TV" we were told "go outside and play."

I was watching TV with my mom when Oswald was shot and her reaction was much like Betty's, something like "They didn't want him to testify. Now we'll never know." I'm looking forward to Betty's reaction to the funeral. Jackie placed her own wedding ring on her dead husband's finger. My mom's reaction? "Jackie's saying to him 'I'm free from you at last.'"

Betty is dealing with her own dad's death, her husband's deception, and the assassination of the President. Divorce rates are on the rise, but her dad's lawyer already pointed out that she will have no resources if she divorces. She doesn't want a fling, that's taudry. She wants someone who will take care of her. Who better than an older, wiser Don.

(In our house, we don't expect much of Pete; he's the spawn of two vampires ala Angel, ya know.)

Adela www.theblacktortoise.com

Love That Ad!

Megan Smith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:25:24 -0600

Yeah, let's see what Don has to say in the season finale coming up. Should be very interesting.

And the little girl who plays Sally Draper should get a guest spot as an alien lizard child on "V." She'd be great.

Love that Kraft cocoa ad! One of my great "Mad Men" mysteries has now been put to rest. Thank you.

Though Chris, a commenter on Megan's Minute added a little more history with this link:

According to this site: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2105/, instant hot cocoa was invented by Carnation in 1935.

Going off to have some cocoa now.

Megan
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/Online Video

My Personal Entertainment Blog: Megan's Minute

Twitter:@MeganSmith