Holly Hughes

Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs.

Well I guess I dated my self with that old song title, but after yesterday that’s all I was thinking. I went to Holly Hughes Campaign Headquarters’ open house. Paula Simoni Holly’s campaign manager called me up and I attended a couple hours early and put together a couple hundred signs. Changed clothes and went to her cookout. It was nice, the weather was nice, the food was free and it wasn’t a fund raiser, and that was especially nice. All the local republican candidates and powers that be were there.

I would guess there were 50-100 people coming and going saying hi and eating hotdogs, and potato salad, beans all good stuff. The Brownies were to die for. Paula made some excellent sugar cookies. You guessed it they were in the shape of an elephant.

Politics at this level is really personal. We were trading campaign stories. How some of the Democrat signs were too big and on the terrace both illegal and were taken down because one of our people complained to the officials. We probably should of told the prosecutor but seeing how they were his signs we didn’t. lol. Needless to say I drove the speed limit home.

The two David’s were there running against each other in the primary for drain commissioner, Not much tension, just a nice summer picnic type atmosphere, there were even a couple kids running around.

My tip of the hat to Holly Hughes, she is running a professional campaign, getting volunteers, she fully seems to understand that elections are not all about money. Voters count too. Holly is running in the 91st district against Valentine and this is one race in which the Republicans seem to have an even chance to actually gain a seat in the State House. Let’s put out some signs. Stop by her office on 765 Norton or stop by her web site.
-----link to Holly-----
http://www.hollyhughes.com/
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The day started out at the Conservative Coffee at Carmen’s Jefferson and Clay downtown. I find in an email it is being called the Carmen Group now. Nice to know. I guess I should change the name in my side bar. Bob Scolnik, Jim and myself and Susie Hughes showed up. I think I’ll just call it the Mini Muskegon County Republican meeting. Lots of talk quite a think tank. Oh well. May be a good chance to make some suggestions for the Real Musk. County Republican Party.

Next I picked up an Annette Smedley for County Prosecutor sign to give to someone who really doesn’t like Tony Tague. He lives on Peck St. so it has high visibility. On top of that the location is a block and a half from the Muskegon County Democrat Headquarters. Big fun. Lol.

I just live around the corner. If I could get a couple people coming to the Sunday Morning Conservative Coffee at McDonalds, I would think it fun to start a City of Muskegon Conservative Republican party out of my home to challenge the Democrats up the street. Probably won’t ever happen but what the hey, you never know.

By the way if you want a sign or if you want to volunteer for something give me a call or email me, or post a comment at the end of the post. Bob Carr, glhotdogs@verizon.net 231-728-3455.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

PS Upcoming. Sat. morning 8:30 "adopt a highway" cleanup crew. call me 231-728-3455 and maybe we can car pool. Corner of Shaw Rd. and Apple

PSS Sunday Morning Conservative Coffee Ward 2 Muskegon. at 8:oo at McDonalds downtown. Look for the Red Wings hat on the table. That's me. See my side bar under calendar.

Baseball and Politics

Wow. If you watched the Tigers last night, you’re a happy camper this morning. What a come back. We were down 6-0 in the 6th inning. Got one back that inning, 6-1. Then a five run 7th tying it up. Scoreless 8th. Carlos Guillen our 3rd baseman had two spectacular defensive plays in the 9th to save a score. Pickled a guy between 3rd and home. Then with one on the mighty Cabrera strode to the plate and laced a line drive “walk off” homer to win the game. Wow what a game. These Tigers are getting a reputation as being a comeback team.

Shows what teamwork and focus can do. I would like to feel this feeling come November. Something in me is always rooting for the underdog. That part of me was happy to see Hillary give her victory speech after that primary win. I was happy she got her day in the sun.

While I’m not in a good position to make a big difference in the national election, with my other site I’m trying to put the race into perspective for the average voter. On “Bottom Up Politics” I’m doing what I can to try to get some people interested in the political process, by showing that every one can do some things that will make a difference. That difference may be small but a difference all the same.

Republicans have a chance to become the party of real “can do, get it done” type of change. I can help get that going myself right here, right now. By doing the small things, those things that make a small change people can connect to. I can put a friendly personal face on this election and politics in general. I hope people will again feel the community feeling politics used to generate.

Holly Hughes in Muskegon is trying to do that, in her way with an open house at her headquarters on Norton across from Meijers, You’ll see her banner out front today between 5-7pm. See my side bar under “calendar of events” This is what I’d like to talk up with the Muskegon County Republican Party. Perhaps do it on my own some how. I’m thinking a picnic type of thing. If you have any ideas, comment on any of my posts, or come to one of the early morning coffees listed in the side bar under “Calendar of Events”. I realize this is naïve and a bit fanciful, but if others will join me perhaps it will seem a little less naïve and less of a fantasy.

Perhaps with 2 out in the 9th we can slam a walk off homer and win the upset of the Century.

Ever optimistic, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

REMINDER…
Holly Hughes
Campaign Headquarters
Open House
TODAY
Thursday, July 10, 2008
5-7pm
765 W. Norton Ave.
Muskegon, MI 49441
(231) 733-0303
Free Cookout No Charge
Everyone is welcome!
Bring a friend!
Headquarters: (231) 733-0303
Paula Simoni, Campaign Manager Cell: (231) 740-1658
Check out our new website: www.hollyhughes.com
Paid for by Friends of Holly Hughes 8801 Lehman, Montague, MI 49437 (231) 894-5956

Local stuff.

Well hope you all had a nice Fourth.
Things are getting back to normal now for me finally.

Reflections.

Volunteering makes me feel good. Marion's summer celebration parking was profitable for the Nelson Community Association Food Pantry. He sends a big Thanks. I only worked one night I'd like to give a thanks to those who helped out. Especially to Matt who was there the whole time. Every night. He did a yoeman's job.

The Muskegon County Republican Party is having it's own clean up party this
Saturday morning, I'll fill you in on the exact time and location, as it becomes available. What they are doing is cleaning up the area of road that they adopted. We can use any volunteers we can get out there. The job really only needs 4 people to get it done. But if we have 20 we can make a party out of it, and have fun, draw some attention and make the job quick and easy. Call me at 728-3455 I'll fill you in. PS I screen my calls so please listen to the message and start to leave a message and if I'm there I'll pick up. thanks.

I really am out of time. Will blog more later.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Whitehall 4th of July Parade. The Buie Bunch

July 4th Parade In Whitehall/Montague

Big parade lots of fun. Bands, floats, clowns, politicians. Lots and lots of people and things in the parade. Fire engines, old cars. I of course enjoyed the play between the politicians and the people. Lord there were lots of people. We went form the Whitehall city hall all the way down and over the bridge and thru Montague proper. The whole way was jammed with people and lots and lots of kids. I was with “The Buie Bunch” as we’re starting to call ourselves. I’ll bet we gave out 50lbs of candy. Karen was tireless crossing back and forth shaking hands and hugging people. Karen’s mom too was tireless refilling our candy buckets from the car. I saw my oldest and best friend Jim Kienke with his wife Janet. They were marching with Holly Hughes. Holly had a large contingent with her as well. We need Holly to beat Valentine and get our 91st district back. Annette Smedley was there she is running for county prosecutor. Jerry Van Woerkom led up the politicians. Lots of politicking going on. Lots of kids with bags like at holloween. Big fun. At the end of the parade there was the Montague library which was having a book sale. I left with plenty of good fiction to last me for awhile at 50 cents a book. I still have my political reading listed on my side bar to finish.

Tonight is my time to help Marion at his Summer Celebration Parking lot for the Nelson Community Association to fund his Food Pantry. See my side bar in blue at top. Bring a blanket and lay on the grassy hill by your car and watch the fireworks. Best view in town. The money will go to some people who need the food.

Have a great 4th
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

MIA & GRACE BAKERY & BISTRO

Great news. I drove past Mia & Grace Bakery and Bistro on Third between Monroe and Houston; and saw the door open. I parked and they indeed were open for business !! Jamie and Jeremy the two chefs were in the back doing what they do so well. Cooking and Baking. The place looked great. precisely elegant. From the local art on the walls to the local sculptor pieces in the front window, to the white table cloths the to fully well dressed waiter, to the coffee press. The place wasn’t just great, elegant is a better fit. I could see that the extra time they had taken before opening was done for a reason. Every where I looked it was obvious. The wait was worth it, their creative efforts bore evidence to their reason.

Up front Andy the (Maitre D) met me. He remembered me from my previous interview. I really wasn’t there to eat and told him so. He was still pleasant and accommodating. He introduced me to a nice young man, Jake who would of been my waiter were I staying. Behind the counter was a striking woman who introduced herself as Jeremy’s mother Pam. She was busy pressing some coffee. Andy and Pam explained that Jamie and Jeremy were doing what they called a “soft” opening. I had heard Carmen of “Carmen’s” use that same term explaining how they had opened. Andy and Pam explained that it was a way for the public and themselves to get used to each other. A chance also for the crew to adjust the menu and the hundred other things that I can only guess at which go into running a quality restaurant.

As I related in my previous blog, Jamie and Jeremy have been creating Mia & Grace for two years. They are not in a hurry. They are and have been willing to take the time necessary to open when they are happy with what they have created, when they are comfortable with it. In the days of fast Mc Burgers, and in this town; I’m sure I’ll find in Mia & Grace a welcome oasis. I'm sure others will join me in this pleasure.

Just for starters, there were home made fresh cookies, banana bread, and I saw other breads, plus fresh cinnamon rolls, to name just a few of the fresh baked goods from the back room. Please forgive my ignorance of the terminology dealing with bakerys and restaurants. I did see an apple filled -- (donut?). I was told that this was just a beginning of what they will offer. Please remember that Mia & Grace will use fresh local grown food whenever possible. The apple thing was local. The menu I didn’t have the time to really look at. It too was said to be in the process of being formed. I can’t wait. I talked with Karen Buie later about spreading the word to her colleagues at the County Building and she thought it might be a good place for a “meet and greet”. I’m not sure how those work but I’ll let you know the when and what if it comes to pass. A little free publicity wouldn’t hurt either party. I’m talking through my head now though. But I’ll see what can be done between the two of them, and let you know.

My boy is in from Boston and I’ll see if I can take him and his friend there for lunch before he leaves. They're used to this style of food.

It’s 8pm and I haven’t fixed my dinner yet. Like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Writing about a great (elegant) restaurant when your hungry is shear torture. Lol

Regards, Have a Happy Fourth, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
God Bless our Troops and keep them safe,
They are the one's really living dangerously.
Compared to the danger they're facing, my little play on words seems silly, but I hope not insulting. God Bless Them.

PS Our Thursday morning Conservative coffee went well. An hour of wide ranging and lively political discussion. Feel free to join us. Any Thursday at 8 am. See side bar under calendar. Everyones welcome to all events.

Just Personal Stuff

Politics is personal. We’ve all heard that before. I’ve always thought of that from the perspective of voters and why they vote for a certain candidate and not the other. I find it applies to candidates as well. Candidates also have distinct personalities. That is obvious. (think Hillary and Obama). Locally that is just as true. What isn’t so obvious to me is that I have a distinct personality as well. It is harder for me to look at myself from a distance. All the stuff that makes up my “personalness” well it’s just hard to figure out. I must realize that I am looking at others from a distance and drawing conclusions. But they are just as complicated up close as I am. If I can’t figure myself out totally, perhaps I should cut others at least the same amount of slack as I cut myself. Mixing all those personalities with mine is what politics is all about. This is an art that I have a hard time mastering. That like any art can take a life time to learn.

With “Bottom Up Politics” I have been trying to get my part of the Republican party involved more with the local goings on with the personal lives of people in my precinct. My precinct voted 5-1 Democrat last general election. I come face to face with people who do not believe in the conservative idea of things. Talking doesn’t accomplish much unless people are willing to listen and most I talk with aren’t. I am trying to come up with conservative based solutions to problems to show as an example what I mean. I find that I come into conflict with other people in my own party at times, it starts to get personal. I too start to take it personal. I’m starting to realize that I must do the same things with the people in my own party. I have to come up with solutions that work that are conservative in principle to convince my own party that the solutions work. I think there are times when I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and forget that I’m just a small cog in the machinery of politics. I believe in the concept of “Build It and They Will Come” . I have to remember though that the “Build It” part makes the assumption that what I build is good sturdy and true. My job is to make it so. Make that something I build a place “they” will decide to come to. Only then will they come.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

PS. From the email I got this morning, it looks like Senior day in Hackley park yesterday was good. Luckily Karen showed up to interview people for “Inside Story” her TV show. So she did make it and enjoyed some campaigning. From the pics Bob Scolnik sent me, I see Holly Hughes, Annette Smedley and Bob were there. For the executive committee members only. Karen Buie was at the Parade.