Sometime when I wasn’t looking, politics took hold on a larger part of my life. Three days this week wound up being political in addition to work and other stuff.Monday night we had the Democratic Town Committee’s final meeting of the year and much of the district leaders’ meeting was devoted to the 2007 campaign and beyond. After all, we need to figure out who’s not running for re-election soon so we can begin canvassing to find people to fill the slate in addition to getting everything properly aligned by our July convention. Additionally, last month’s election changed the town charter so our top of the ticket candidates are now running for four year terms. That changes the nature of our fund raising and expenditures which is also complicated by new campaign finance laws that kick in January 1.One good thing that came out of it is that we’re all in agreement that this might free up the money we need for a permanent base of operations. We’re also in agreement that creating manuals for how the different aspects of the DTC works is long overdue (and it wasn’t even my idea.Tuesday night we met with our constituents in District 8. It was sparsely attended (okay, there were six plus a boy scout earning a badge), but those who came wanted information and we spent a healthy 90 minutes tackling a variety of issues. I thought it was a worthwhile expenditure of time and effort.Thursday, I bolted work a little early and made it to my first Leadership meeting. Essentially, the Committee chairs, the Moderator, the Majority and Deputy Majority leader all meet with the First Selectman to review the month’s RTM agenda. We are brought up to speed on what other bodies have done that before motions come before the body as well as find out who will be presenting on topics. Sure, we also cover some of the back room politics in town, but that’s a given. I found it interesting and hope I’ll be able to do this more in the future. It also gave me pause as I slowly come to the realization that I am being counted on more and more by my party and need to adjust some of my thinking and expectations to properly serve. All very fascinatingMeantime, it’s also been a productive week in other areas of my life. Leah Wilson, my kind editor at BenBella, gave me my final editorial notes on my Grey’s Anatomy essay and just today gave me the thumb’s up. She and I also began talking about an essay in a forthcoming collection so I need to think up new ideas. I also received word contracts were mailed out on my next Star Trek eBook project which is unusually efficient for Pocket Books. The revised outline for the project-that-can’t-be-discussed is with the publisher.That gives me the weekend to get back to researching for a proposal that has sat half-done for months and I really want to finish before the next big project eats into my time.Beyond that, there’s Christmas to reckon with and our trip to Cairo looms ever larger as we now have begun finalizing our itinerary and have begun figuring out what to pack (and Kate sends us lists of even more things we need to bring her.Hope the week has been good to you and the weekend is even better.