My fiancé’s father’s wife (stepmother) is a fundraiser for the Democratic Party in Chicago and around the country as well.  One of her clients is Minnesota Senator Al Franken.  She hosted an event at a bar/restaurant in the Wrigleyville/Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago in which supporters paid to come meet Al and hear him speak.  This was during the long drawn out recount and subsequent legal battle for one of the U.S. senate seats in MN (vs. Norm Coleman).  There were drinks, apps, handshakes…a very nice and fun event all around.  I got to personally meet Al, shake his hand, and discuss the fact that not only am I a Democrat from Minnesota and hope that he wins, but also that my mom went to the same high school that he did at one point (St. Louis Park High School).  I also mentioned that I was born and raised in SLP.  He seemed to enjoy that.  We talked about the old neighborhood for a minute, he thanked me for my support, and then he moved on to the next person.  I remember thinking that politicians must not remember where there are sometimes given how they whisk from one city, one event, and one person to another shaking hands and making small talk over and over and over again.  Nice guy, very smart guy, and while he is now a U.S. Senator, I can’t help but still think of him as Stuart Smalley!  The picture is of me, my fiancé, and Al.