Friday

It's almost all over but for the shouting. It's been an exciting ride. I'd do it again and again.

But now here we are - mid morning on Friday. My guy (Jim Routledge) is knocking on doors. I'm excited that Chief Doug White supports the Bridge to Newcastle Island.

I know that a lot of people (me included) thought "Huh?" the first time they heard Jim talk about a foot bridge to Newcastle. "But it's not an election issue!" I said to him. Not that Jim isn't on top of all the issues - but he had this vision.

It took me a while to get behind it. But I get it now. I get that the leader of the city has to be a visionary. I really got that when I saw that lengthy economic development strategy yesterday. Yes, we need those strategies but more than that, we need vision and we need someone to hold a vision.

The most important thing to know before you start on a journey - do you know what it is? Most people will immediately say, "Well, you need to know where you're going."

Yes, that's important. But even more so is to know where you are. If you don't know where you are, no map on earth will help you. So this is the task: know where we are in this city right now - tell the truth. Know where we are going (Vision!!) and then get moving.

It's not enough to trudge along doing the same old things over and over. That strategy keeps our heads above water at best. If we keep doing the same things, we'll keep getting the same results.

So the last thing I have to say is, please vote. I honestly can't understand people who don't exercise this precious right and privilege. If the snow was two feet high tomorrow, I'd walk to my polling station if I had to - and believe, that's quite a walk - I live in the country. I have never entered a polling station without tears in my eyes. This is an amazing thing that we do together.

It takes so little time - and makes such a difference.

Please vote!