[Sosfbay-discuss] Paul Robeson performance

[Palm Haven Handyman]

Howdy, you Green folks out there!

Just a report back from my adventures trying out for the San Jose Planning
Commission.

It was pretty cool.  It was on the 20th, and first we watched the Obama
inauguration on the big screen in the Council Chamber, then we went to a
meeting room and us Candidates got interviewed.  I was *not *selected for
the open position.

BUT it was a great experience, and on my first try out I came within reach
of an important City Commission.  Now that I have done it, I think my
chances will be *much* better next time.

While waiting to be interviewed, we Candidates were all put into a sequester
room.  I took it upon myself to meet all of the others, and I "interviewed"
them all while the City Council was interviewing each in the other room.
(NOTE - A little bit of leadership goes a long way, I have discovered.
Being a Sergeant in the Marines when I was a pup has turned out to be
helpful all though my life... ) Anyways, I am pretty sure that I made a good
leadership impression on all of the other candidates, for whatever that is
worth down the road...

The result of this backroom pre-interview schmoozing told me that I was with
a pretty remarkable group, and it was a bit amazing that I was even there.
Two of them had Masters Degrees in planning, for instance, and I got the
idea that I was the least qualified person in the group.  So my original
plan was out the window, I realized that I was probably not going to get
selected, and what I should do instead was make a good impression on the
City Council to lay a framework for a future effort.

So I did.  When it was my turn, I made an effort to be light and fun and I
got them all laughing.  I tried to let my personality shine through, and not
try too hard and be stiff.  I was actually pretty relaxed, and it came
across well.  I told them straight out that other of the candidates were
better qualified than me, and I just wanted to get on their radar for when
they get around to creating a Sustainability Commission.

An interesting side note - one of my old environmental friends, Peter
Drekmeier, just a few weeks ago became the new Mayor of Palo Alto.  He was
one of my two references, so that may have helped get me to the finalist
group...  Anyway, while waiting to go in to be interviewed, I got a call
from Peter, he was apologetic that he had never done the letter of
recommendation (I had written it and emailed it to him, but he did not get
it until the last minute - but it was too late, and I said never mind)  It
turns out that he had missed the Inauguration; he and his wife had been to
do an ultrasound.  Right away I knew what that meant, but I teased him
anyway - "Well Peter, what did you need an ultrasound for?"  Ha, ha, it was
for his new wife and she is pregnant, and congratulations!  Cool, I told him
he will be a great dad, and I meant it, and I was the first to hear about
the Mayor of Palo Alto having a bun in the oven... So that was kinda kool
thing to happen while waiting to get interviewed by the City Council.

So it was a neat thing, and I think I did well, you can listen to the
transcript at
http://sanjose.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2
I think you can also watch, but my UBUNTU operating system does not have the
requisite plugins and I never bothered.  You microsoft users out there might
be able to watch it...

Another interesting thing happened later that day.  I was at the San Jose
Swim and Racquet Club (our gym) and I was in the hot tub, and an older lady
got into the hot tub with me; it turns out she knows my wife.  Me being who
I am, I struck up a conversation with her, and I told her about my exciting
morning.  She was fun to talk to, and a very sympathetic ear to the "green"
agenda that I am interested in promoting, and it turns out that SHE used to
be on the Planning Commission, and SHE had been on the City Council, and had
served on two different commissions with Mayor Reed long ago.  She was
great, she had great advice, and she urged me to pursue what I had started
that day.  Her name is Pat Dando, and she said I could use her name when I
write to the mayor.  I plan on talking to her some more...

It was a pretty neat day for me, and I learned a lot, I got noticed, and it
encourages me to pursue it.  I have decided to start my own "Citizens
Council on Sustainability"  (until someone comes up with a better name), and
try to get the greenest, most respectable folks I can find to populate it.
We will start meeting once a month and try to be a really serious council;
who knows, one day the City Council might co-opt us into being a real City
Commission.  Or some of us might get selected if the City decides to create
a something similar.  At the very least, I personally will be able to put on
my resume that I was the founder of a Sustainability Commission (or
council).  At the least, it will be fun, and an opportunity for a group of
"greenies" to get together once a month to talk serious issues and vote on
them.  At first it might be silly, but eventually it will be much, much more
- we shall see...

So that's my report.  I stuck my neck out there and it did NOT get chopped
off.  In fact, I got motivated, and am excited to pursue it further.  My
next step is to write a letter to all of the City Council members and say
"Hey, remember me, you interviewed me after the Obama Inauguration last
week.  Remember I urged you folks to create a Sustainability Commission?
Well, I have decided to go ahead and get it started as a grass-roots
effort.  Are you interested in helping, do you have a recommendation for who
might be interested in being on it? Can I come to your office one day and
have a half an hour of your time?  Whaddaya say?   (Well, not exactly in
those words...)

Anybody out there in GreenPartyland interested in being part of this?  Know
of anyone who would?

Oh, I would like to come to the next GP monthly meeting and give a pitch for
this.  How do I get on the agenda?

That's enough for now.  I love you guys.  Let's make it happen!
Peace, out.

Roy Nordblom III
-- 
Greenbuilder
CA General Contractor B #756438
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