When I started nursing school in 1979, one of the first things I learned (after handwashing, and making beds), was a lesson in transparency and accountability:

There are exceptions, of course. Failing to document a problem doesn't make it go away, in fact mistakes in patient care require extraordinary levels of paperwork and notification. And some practices in nursing aren't documented because they are expected, routine. Handwashing and making the bed correctly are considered "standard of care" - the default is that it was done, unless otherwise noted. You may assume my campaign is making phone calls, planning outreach, organizing volunteers, etc., whether or not I take the time to blog about it. But for many aspects of patient care, for 29 years, my proof that a special task was done is the RN's note documenting that it was done.

So, here are my nurses campaign notes for the two weeks since the last time I summarized recent activities:

* I met with Northeast Portland's Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder, and with State Representatives Mike Schaufler and Carolyn Tomei, both serving districts partly in outer SE Portland, to discuss legislative priorities.

* I toured arts-related businesses near North Killingsworth with Jim Brunberg of Mississippi Studios, and sustainable development showcase the Mississippi Avenue Lofts condominiums, with developer Bill Jackson. It's exciting to see real-life evidence of how visionary business decisions translate into jobs and neighborhood vibrancy for Portlanders.

* I completed questionnaires and interviewed for several more endorsements from groups. I hope to post their names on our ever-expanding supporters page soon. The Teamsters gave me their endorsement last week, which gave me particular delight since I remember their support of the OHSU nurses' strike in 2001-2.

* I attended the farewell/good luck party for Sam Chase, leaving the Community Development Network to become Commissioner Nick Fish's chief-of-staff. Sam and I first worked together when he was covering school issues for Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury, and I was still immersed in the Markham Elementary School PTA. Then he became a community leader on affordable housing, and I served on the Planning Commission and the Tryon Creek Watershed Council, before we volunteered for three years concurrently on the board of the Coalition for A Livable Future.

* I attended the Portland Area Business Alliance lunch, and Business Association meetings in Multnomah, Lloyd District, Belmont, and Hawthorne.

* Another busy Saturday was filled participating in the Parkrose Cruise-In, the Fremont Fest and parade, a Bus Project voter registration drive on MLK Jr Boulevard, the opening day of a wonderful local artist's gallery show on SE Division, the Oregon Buddhist Temple's O Bon celebration, and the "How Oregon are you?" party in North Portland. Yes, all those activities were on one day.

* Portland Fire Fighters Association Local 43's annual picnic at Oaks Park was fun, and gave me opportunities to thank the Fire Fighters for both their service and their endorsement of my campaign. Fire Commissioner Nick Fish attended, and graciously encouraged me to meet-and-greet with him.

* On consecutive evenings, I was given tours of Centennial in Southeast Portland by Patty Hicks, and Hayden Island in North Portland with Ed Garren. Very different, both delightful neighborhoods where "affordable housing" still has meaning.

* I met with Planning Director Gil Kelley and Principal Planner Steve Dotterer, to discuss the Portland Plan. Mayor-elect Sam Adams has asked me to pay particular attention to this project in the transition period before he takes office in January - and hopefully I do, too. I sat in on the City Council hearing on the Work Plan for the project.

* On National Night Out, I attended neighborhood parties in Lents, Centennial, Argay, and Concordia, meeting old friends and making new ones at each location.

* I met with the interim executive director of a non-profit, with a faculty member from Portland State University, with a member of the Portland Business Alliance, and with two Portland Development Commissioners.

* I reviewed each week's City Council Agenda on my Next Up at City Council regular feature on my other blog site. I wonder if there has ever been a candidate for City Council, other than City Hall insiders, whose preparation has included analysis of the Council agenda every week for two years prior to taking office.

* At a meeting of the Partnership for Safety and Justice, I watched a video on some of the work of Central City Concern and the challenges of re-entry into society after incarceration. Other participants related their personal stories of the barriers to finding housing and work after serving time in prison.

* I gave a presentation on citizen involvement and parks advocacy in Portland, to a group of international and nationwide visitors participating in a conference.

* I attended the Bicycle Transportation Alliance/City of Portland celebration for the city's platinum designation for bicycling, at which Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Mayor-elect Sam Adams, and former Mayor Bud Clark spoke. I like being part of the crowd clapping and cheering, as well as being out in front of it.

* I listened to two hours of testimony on homelessness at Sisters of the Road Cafe, and another two at the SAFE Committee hearing at the First Unitarian Church.

* I spoke at the "Health Care Roundtable for Women & Families" forum organized by Oregonians for Health Security, giving my perspective as a health care provider in Portland for 22 years.

* I knocked on doors in the Hayhurst, Maplewood, Irvington, Hayden Island, Marshall Park, Markham, and University Park neighborhoods.

* I wore jeans and got messy (yay for both!) at the Hawthorne Graffiti cleanup (see post below), shopped while campaigning at the Hayden Island Patio Sale accompanied by Ed Garren, and enjoyed Pamela Plance's best-I-ever-had berry cobbler while meeting St. Johns neighbors at the Friends of Pier Park picnic. Campaigning can be fun! That was yet another busy Saturday. We have another packed agenda this coming weekend, August 16 and 17, so please call the office at 503-235-2295 if you can help - anywhere in the city, something is happening near you.

* I suddenly realized this past Sunday would be the last day before the election on November 4 that all five members of our family would be home. So we spent a happy couple of hours taking family photos, in case they're needed for campaign ads.

Those photographs document that we did indeed see each other for that day. But as you can infer from the list above, our family has not had time to be together very much more over the past two weeks. That's OK. From birth, our kids have been used to both their parents working nights and weekends in hospitals. They don't even ask to see the documentation on what I've been doing when not at home.... but here it is, for everyone else.