Pure Michigan?

I guess I should be crawling out of my cave any day now since it's obvious I am not aware of what is going on in Michigan.

When we returned from our Christmas jaunt to the South and came back across the state line, we saw the welcoming sign which said "Pure Michigan." We looked at each other and neither one of us knew what it was all about and promptly forgot about it.

When we returned from Chicago a couple of weeks ago and saw the same message again, we still hadn't thought enough about it to check it out and promptly forgot about it once more. Of course we knew it had to be a tourism gimmick, but really couldn't put any obvious message with it.

And then the light dawned when it became a bragging point in the Governor's State of the State speech Wednesday night, so I googled it only to find that it was started way back in 2006, got a big boost in dollars in 2008 and a good return on investment. That's all well and good, but as I recall, it was a Canadian firm that did the study to find out all about the statistical data. Not a Michigan firm, not even a U. S. business, but a foreign country. Wonder why--

I can't help wondering why Michigan folks didn't get to see this national ad campaign just so we'd know enough to welcome all these tourists who would be coming into our state if we crossed paths. Better late than never? Or don't I watch enough television?

One other thing about that speech. She was spot on when she thanked her family for the sacrifices they made for her and presumably the state of Michigan. Whenever anyone has ever asked for my opinion of a tentative campaign we discuss all of the obvious needs from money to time to health. But before the conversation ends I have always made the point that they need to look very carefully at what they are asking of their children, their wife or husband, siblings and parents because they are not making a decision just for themselves, they are completely changing the lives of those closest to them. It is not easy being a public servant and from the swearing in to the end of a term, their lives do not belong to themselves. They are truly a public servant 24/7.

Have a good weekend--
Happy Super Bowl--
God bless...........