As a candidate for State Representative I receive a lot more mail than usual. Most of the mail is questionnaires from Political Action Committees such as NARAL, Citizens for Limited Taxation, League of Environmental Voters, Mass. District Attorney's Office, Common Cause, etc. Then there are the questionnaires from Newpapers.

I've gotten them from The Telegram and Gazette and Fitchburg Sentinel and Boston.com. Some people think that running for office is just putting out a few lawn signs and having standouts at rotaries on Saturday mornings. There's more to it than that. We even have to fill out forms for expenses and receipts from contributors and report to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Before getting on the ballot I also had to complete a form with the Ethics Commission stating my financial interest in companies, whether I owned a home, had a mortgage and so on.

Of course, I also have to get the message out and have done so with participation in the Winchendon Solstice, the Gardner Sidewalk Festival and also marched in the 225th Parade last week.

Lots to do and now very little time left. But, I told the Gardner News that I was "going to have fun". It's been a wonderful experience and less than 25 days to go!