Out of my comfort zone

Greenlights is hosting its 3rd Nonny Awards next week - a funky offbeat celebration of all things nonprofit in Austin. This year the team is ramping up from low-key to high-octane. And fundraising goals are high.

The theme is magic, and we've got ventriloquist, palm readers, and a magician - all ready to entertain during an evening of awards and humour. It will be terrific....but there's an odd twist that's caught me by surprise.

A few months back the event committee proudly announced that the magician for the Nonny's was prepared to cut me in half. Now this is not really my idea of a good time - so I threw the committee an alternative. I said, come up with a slate of candidates to be "cut down to size" - and let's get funds by charging $10 a vote. The person with the most votes gets cut in half at the show.

They were happy with this idea, but demanded that I be in the race. So I said yes, and now I find myself campaigning for votes and shivering in my shoes about the prospect that I might win.

I asked a few staff to give me a pep talk explaining my apparent fear of being part of a magic act. They were no nonsense - "get outside your comfort zone" they said.

Good point. And good message for me in general. As I look at turning the corner in the coming months, I need to remember that it's not so hard to get outside my comfort zone. I just need to remember where I am!

PS - If you want to vote (or watch the voting) - cast your $10 ballot online at
http://www.greenlights.org/nonny_awards/election.asp