It’s Been One Year Tonight
One year ago tonight I took the biggest risk of my life and left my career behind to run or Oregon Secretary of State. Wow, so much has changed in a year. I think many of us get locked into thinking that we are what we do. You don’t find out until you are willing to give it up that you are so much more. There is not a day goes by that I don’t thank God that I listened, walked away, and gave up the comfort and control of KEZI. For all those who ask “will you go back?” The answer is I have no regrets and don’t need that anymore. KEZI filled a void for me but that is no longer a need. I had some great years in the news industry and I’m still doing news but now I’m not constrained by those who can’t think outside the box\ Making money is not my goal it’s telling stories and getting people involved in the process. Freedom is a funny thing. Yes, it is costly and it means leaving comfortable things behind. (salary) But it also means you no longer have a string attached and that means you can do what you truly think is right. Risk: the best thing I have ever done….leaving.
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Rick, we’ve never had the opportunity to get to know each other well. In spite of that I am going to share a couple of thoughts. I am not sure what your plans are, but I am hoping that you find a way to create something out of your love and gift for story telling. You are good at it. I am not so sure being a politician is such a good idea, however. I might be wrong, but I have a sense that your contribution is elsewhere.
Just my humble thoughts. Hope we have the opportunity to get together sometime for coffee or perhaps a beer.
Warmest regards,
Chuck
Chuck, you are not far off. Not sure what God has planned either but telling the story of people, giving them a voice, is a big part of it. We’ll see where that leads me. Power is not in politics it’s in the hands of those of us on the outside. We’ll see what that means. Politics is not out but overrated at best. There, let the blogs do something with that huh?
It has been a crazy year indeed my friend. Crazy. We need to get together and compare notes. This Thursday will be one year since I started the business and the coincidence of you and I going on new ventures at the same time (like we believe in coincidence) is uncanny. I am proud of you for listening to God. Keep listening and walking.
My opinion is if we all do not become self appointed citizen-politicians the end is near. Extreme yes. I am not a moderate. When the leaders all line up for corporate Kool aid we must takeover their duties. You know this already though. The rate of speed in which the promised “change” is occuring is increasing. We are in a free fall. The “stimulus” is a butterfly net carefully designed to catch a mile wide meteor. Branding and news infomercials trick the weak minded and create a diversionary “conversation” that is a great threat. The storyteller named Rick is someone who might bring common sense back to public policy. The new economy/old economy leap has a chasm in between. Media is the one force that can send us spiraling down that chasm. Citizen media can make the difference in our destiny. It is pretty funny to see congress pushing back the expiration date for bigtv. Bigmedia will fail and we get to pick up what remains and rebuild our society. I do not like bigmedia but I do like Rick. I am glad he jumped off that sinking ship so it can go down and sleep with the fishes. Speaking of fish thanks for telling the story of the fishermen(at Wired Oregon). In about a week the county commissioners take up the marine reserves/sanctuary issue. I encourage anyone who cares about the plight of our fisherman to forward their thoughts to our Lane county commmissioners. If they recieve enough input they will hold many public forums along the coast and let the fishermen educate us all about what they need to survive and keep Oregon for the people (not just for eco-elite non profits and nerdy professors from Stanford).
Hey Rick,
It has been fun reading the blog this last year. I thank you for taking us along for the ride. You have stayed humble and kept your faith. Plus, you have been willing to present the big things in life, and, challenge us to look at them in, perhaps a new way. I loved that! Rick, I believe you are right where God wants you to be. It was his will that you ran for office,( I believe), and one reason was to show us the hidden people of Oregon. That was important. In doing that, you helped us revisit what is really important in life. Thanks Rick!
Susannah
Wow. That’s all I can say is Thank you and Wow.