I've not been one to have regrets, but of late, I find myself looking back and wishing that I'd done things a little differently.

One of those things was my decision not to run for the GNOME Foundation's board this year. A few board members encouraged me, unsolicited, to run, even going to far as to say that they'd endorse me if I did choose to run.

Why didn't I run? I wasn't afraid that I'd be a bad director - in fact, I'm sure that I'd be a good one. I wasn't afraid that I wouldn't have the time or energy for such a commitment. I was afraid that I'd lose. That I'd come in last place like I did last year. That I wasn't popular enough. And that's an awful reason not to run.

Barring some surprise decision on the part of the Foundation, it's too late to toss my hat into the ring now, and I'm not asking them to make an exception for me. I'd just like to let them know that if they think I could be helpful to them in the coming year (as I like to think I have over the past few months), all they have to do is ask.