Blog Catch Up - Would you like Fries with that?

A lot has happened since I started my Blog Hiatus... so a quick update is in order.

Rocking in the free world...

Happy Blogiversary to Summer's Daydreams, which turned 5 years old on Feb 18th! 5 years ago I started this blog for my random thoughts, petty complaints and various political opinions - but more importantly as a journal, recording events and experiences as they happen to me. I don't know if I planned for the blog to still be alive 5 years later, but it is very interesting to see the evolution of me over those years. I have to admit now the blog has become an important part of my life.

Election Central in Meadowlark

I was appointed Returning Officer in Edmonton Meadowlark which proved to be an amazing experience. I started very late in the process due to the resignation of the previous RO and almost immediately found the challenges I faced to be very unique. I had to hire and train enumerators for a partial enumeration and assess the constituency growth areas (I even created a new polling area), all before Feb 1. Then I had to hire two full time office staff (and find said office) and proceed to hiring almost 200 people to work on election day. Reading that back, it doesn't seem so hard, but consider that all election officers have to be eligible electors and live within Meadowlark (in this job market) and that I wasn't legally able to sign a lease until writ drop yet we legally had to be open for business by day two. Once the writ period actually started we were so busy that it went by at an incredible pace - candidate nominations, training (I ran five training sessions), arranging for ballots and polls on election day, etc. If it wasn't for my amazing office staff I'm not sure it would have been so rewarding - but I really did enjoy it. Working as an RO allowed me to be part of the democratic process in a way I've never considered before and has given me a greater appreciation of the process and everything that goes into running an election.

Another year older, another hole in my head!

I had a birthday in March... and turned... well, it's not really a secret. I'm 36 years old. I had a lot of fun and was spoiled terribly which is always good in my books. I also died my hair dark and had three new piercings done.