Good luck and God bless, Sherman. Also, an introduction to me and this internet diary.

Well, Sherman, good luck in the big time with Hillary. We're all wishing you luck you back here.

Sherman did a nice job introducing me. For those that missed it, my name is Chick Cavalcanti, and I was 3rd Ward councilman from 1975 to 1979. I've been asked by Mayor Underdahl to fulfill this role once again, a charge I enthusiastically accepted.

As far as whether I plan on continuing to keep writing in this internet diary, I don't know yet. That Marisha they assigned me thinks it would be a good idea, but I'm still not totally sure how it all works. The guys at my bar, Chick's, on Stanton Avenue, talked about it once in awhile and I was never totally clear what he was trying to accomplish with it. But we'll keep it going for the time being and try to make it relevant. I asked the guys at the bar, some of my steady guys like Hank and Steve, if they read any online diaries. They sent me emails with a couple suggestions, but I looked at them and thought they were junk. I don't know how those guys got so damn conservative. Used to be solid, lunch-pail liberal union guys back in my day.

I asked that Marisha they assigned me what she thought I should write in the diary for today, and she had a few ideas, a lot of which were sort of good. I might just let write it if she wants to. She seems to be pretty hip to this stuff. Sherman was always having her write about rock bands, which seems like sort of a waste of a pretty sharp mind. I don't know what the hell is so interesting about rock bands. Do people write a lot about rock bands on these diaries? I guess I'll have to look at a few and see what's going on with them. If you know of any good ones, you can send them. But that Marisha they assigned me is pretty sharp.

I asked my grandkids Skippy, Charlie III and Madison what I ought to put in the diary and they sent me a bunch of photographs of talking cats. I don't really know how to get them out of the email, but they sure sent a bunch of them. I guess I could describe them instead of putting them up here. There's this cat, and he's looking at his feet because he's on his back, and he's saying "oh hey, are you my feet?" except it's all misspelled. So I guess the cat is supposed to be trying to speak cat language or something. I guess I don't get it.

Well, good luck out there. We'll talk soon.

A bittersweet day!

Today I have some very, very bittersweet news for all of you, my faithful readers.

Effective immediately, I am resigning my position as your councilman representing the 3rd Ward in order to take a position in Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for President.

Hillary and Hillary's campaign organization have asked me to join her Youth Are Our Future Now Hillary '08 Youth Advisory Subcommittee as co-chairman, and it is an honor I am deeply grateful to accept.

It's something I am reluctant to do. I am taking a $20,000 cut in pay, but how can you put a price on our future? Is getting the vote of just one more on-the-fence urban designer worth $20,000? Building a better future for the children of this nation by securing the support of a noise-rock band? Or an independent coffee shop? Or the clientele of a cult film video rental store that the other guys might have overlooked? I say yes, it is worth $20,000. It's worth more.

I love working with youth, and anyone that knows this neighborhood I have represented was made great by the youthful energy of its many late-teens, twentysomethings and very early non-homeowner thirtysomethings. These were the guys and gals that made us the envy of every non-Brooklyn, non-Bay Area urban neighborhood in America -- and we were even catching up with them, I know it. It's these talented, insightful, hard-working young folks that will decide who our next president will be, and it is my task to help them make the right decision. And the right decision is Hillary Clinton. She's not as young as her main rival, but she's got that "moxie" that I've seen in other great young leaders, and I'm so excited to help get the message out about her.

It's a time of transition here in the Heights. My assistant Marisha, too, is going through some professional changes. I would love her to come with me and work with on Hillary's campaign, but her future lies elsewhere -- in fact, not even in this country! She's taking a position in London this spring as a publicist for

My position will be filled by Mayor Underdahl's appointee, a man who is himself no stranger to the world of local politics, former Democratic 3rd Ward Councilman Charlie "Chick" Cavalcanti, Sr. As many of you recall, Chick served in this post from 1975 to 1979 before going on to also serve on the city's Recession Czar from 1980 until 1983, and then going into the private sector throughout the 1980s and 1990s (you may recall the short-lived 1985 CBS sitcom based loosely on his exploits as a tavern-keeper and former local politician, C'mere A Minute). He has come out of retirement to fill this position, and is excited about serving until a special election is called later this year. Here's hoping he brings the most interesting parts of the spirit of the old 1970s Armitage Heights to our modern-day neighborhood! Of course, Councilman Cavalcanti will be welcome to continue this blog as he sees fit. It is my hope that he does.

I will be maintaining a new blog called The Kids Are All Hillary!, which you'll be able to find at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/blogs/thekids. I hope to see some of you there -- and then in Washington in 2009!

So with my best wishes to all of you, I remain yours in service,