Everyday Orinda – April 2023

    In 2009, my husband Guy and I found ourselves campaigning to raise our taxes. Yep, Raise Our Taxes In Orinda. The most insanely expensive place we’d ever lived. I blamed our kids.
    Parenthood changes identities and priorities. Denial begins the moment we first cradle our newborns, vowing to forever be that hip, cool, bestie soulmate, never losing our temper or repeating any mistakes of our parents. We fashioned our own, brand-new set of blunders. Before we knew it, we were adulting, choosing sleep over a night out with friends; comfort over fashion; bland pizza and Barney, all for the sake of the little ones.
    The subjugation happens in stages, gradually. My moment of realization hit in 2009. Orinda schools consumed my life. A newcomer with three school-aged children, my forehead was immediately inked with the cosmic “fresh meat” stamp, meaning I was quickly sucked-in to the Volunteer Vortex needed to keep our schools afloat.
    When I first heard “Orinda is known for excellent public schools,” I was foolish enough to believe this was a naturally occurring phenomenon. Orinda just happened to have outstanding schools, much like some humans are born artistic or athletic and others are not. Luck of the draw. I deserved my fate.
    I found myself co-president-elect of the Glorietta Parents Club. My volunteerism baffled my husband because I complained. A lot. “Why did you agree to this?” he asked, genuinely curious. “You know these people scare you.” For the record, Orindans did, and do, scare me. We can be an intense bunch, especially when it comes to our schools. The term “Imposter Syndrome” had not yet been coined, but I’m the poster child.
    “That’s not helping!” I snapped. “Quit your judging and get to work on a video that supports the parcel tax. Zero budget and it can’t embarrass the girls.”
    Fortunately, the man has a lifelong career as an advertising creative director. He generated an amazing, weep-worthy script; revealing, through the innocent and youthful faces of children, how they will soon reach maturity and take the wheel. Hence, it certainly behooves us if they are properly educated.
    After rounding up 19 local students to deliver the lines “on set,” AKA, the Glorietta playground, the video was enthusiastically circulated amongst voters in the days before common usage of social media. Measure B, the parcel tax initiative of 2009, passed, protecting our schools.
    I’m burying the lede here, but I want to leave you with a plea to watch our 2009 video here: bit.ly/3JHeuSk. See the list of all 19 students who participated below and learn “Where Are They Now?” Were the career predictions correct? Let’s just say Guy Bommarito is a better writer than psychic.
    Watch the video and read about where the students are now and it should make you feel good about our increased taxes after the recent Measure Z passage last month.
    For herein lies the absolute magic: Every one of the 19 random Orinda students went on to top-notch universities, many seeking additional advanced degrees. All grads are gainfully employed in a variety of impressive, cutting-edge occupations and all appear to be 
thriving.
    Bottom line, do right by our Orinda schools and our Orinda schools will do right by you.

Mimi Bommarito can be reached at editor@theorindanews.com.