Welp, That Was Unexpected. 🤔😁

I'm writing this up as a blog post because otherwise I would be typing a very long text messages to some of you telling you the story anyway. Be reassured, nothing bad has happened. No new bones broken.

This afternoon was the annual Upper Monroe Neighborhood Association meeting. Our neighborhood association is a wonderful group of folks, and Buds and I have attended any of the meetings we've been able to in the 3 1/2 years we've lived here. Today's meeting was held a three block walk from our house, and Buds couldn't attend, so I headed over there on my own.

That's how all the best horror movies start, right? Our beautiful hero wanders off alone.

I left home early enough to get to the meeting place about 10 minutes early. Kelly, the person checking people in, is a new potential friend we met two weeks ago at a political gathering at her home. I had texted her and then bumped into her on my walk to work on Friday. So, several recent connections.

"Oh, Ginnie, the community connector position for your area of the neighborhood is open. You should do that. I'm doing it for my area."

"Interesting," I said. "I'll read up on that and think about it."

"Okay, great!! I'll tell Rome."

Rome is the very enthusiastic, charismatic president of our association. My volunteer spidey senses began to tingle.

I went to sit down and told some other new friends I met at the political house meeting that I thought things might be spiraling out of my control. Right as I said that, Rome appeared in front of me with a huge grin.

"Ginnie, thank you so much. I'm so glad to hear you'll be joining us. We'll add you to the slate and have a vote at the beginning of the meeting."

You can imagine how this went from here.

Before the meeting began, Rome said a few words about knowing that hard times are ahead and we may not be pleased about the federal level, but we can make a difference right here in our own community. That was the final clarion call that sealed my fate.

So, let me introduce myself to you as the community connector for my zone of influence:

I'm not exactly sure what this role entails, but it gives me a good excuse to knock on people's doors and introduce myself rather than just dropping off a loaf of bread with a note, which is what I had been doing. 😁

Buddie laughed when I told him what had happened. I think he's just glad I went nearly four years without getting too involved already. That's a new record for me.

As you probably realize, if you know me at all, I'm excited at this opportunity to meet new people and really connect. We love this city and this neighborhood and this is a chance to demonstrate that through action. Community and love are the things that will save us in the dark weeks and months to come.