Hallelujah Chorus Flash Mob

Almost nothing puts me in the Christmas Spirit like Handel's Messiah and especially the Hallelujah Chorus. I've been privileged to hear Messiah at the Washington National Cathedral twice while I lived there and can honestly tell you that no other performance compares.

Until now.

Today I heard about the Hallelujah Chorus performed by a flash mob at the Welland Seaway Mall food court.

You simply must watch the video below to the end. If it doesn't put you in the Christmas Spirit, then I don't know what will. As always, if you read Little Merry Sunshine via email, make sure you visit the blog to watch the video.

The March on Washington Can't Be Hijacked

Today is the 47th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and of Martin Luther King, Jr. standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial delivering his famous "I Have A Dream" speech, probably one of the greatest speeches ever given in the history of our country.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that a certain right wing propagandist is holding a rally today on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial claiming he's taking back Martin Luther King's dream. I won't link to this person because I don't want to draw traffic to him through my site. You can Google him yourself or turn on any 24/7 news channel.

While he holds his rally today, take a look back at Reverend King's words, and remember that his Dream still lives and that even though we've elected an African-American president, hate and bigotry based on skin color still exists. Yes, we've come a good distance in achieving Reverend King's Dream, but we haven't come far enough, as is evidenced by the non-stop claims that President Obama is a secret Muslim and is constitutionally ineligible to hold office because he wasn't born in the United States.

It's my wish that we, as a society, could rise above the race-baiting and hate and judge people only on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin (or who they sleep with for that matter).



Here's a great New York Times OpEd by Charles M. Blow called "I Had A Nightmare" that gives a great perspective on today's "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington."

Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias writes on the Daily Kos today about the rally. I LOVE this post and it's why I'm voting for Giannoulias for Senate. It's well worth a read. My favorite section is below:

I dream of an America that does not depend on foreign oil and ask, why not?

I dream of an America where the prairies of Illinois are filled with wind farms and solar panels and ask, why not?

I dream of a nation where no American ever dies because of a lack of health insurance, where two people who love each other can get married no matter their gender, and where policy is shaped by principle, not campaign contributions, and I ask, why not?

That's my dream, my vision for moving our country forward, and I think a lot of you share that dream. And the only thing standing between that vision of a brilliant, 21st century America isn't a few thousand conservatives rallying in D.C.

It's us, and our willingness to get engaged, stay engaged, to elect progressive leaders and hold them accountable.

I am fired up about this election, about moving this country forward, and about taking our message directly to voters today.

Happy 14th Birthday to Betsey & Ross!

Betsey (l) and Ross (r) in 2006 when they were 10.

As difficult as it is to believe, Betsey and Ross turn 14 on Sunday. That's right, they were born on the 4th of July and (for those of you who are new here) were born in Washington DC, which, of course, is how they got their names. Anyway, they're turning 14!

I say it's difficult to believe they're 14 because they still act like they're about 5. They run around the house chasing each other, fight with the feral cat outside (while remaining safely on this side of the sliding glass door), groom each other, love each other, jump all around playing with their toys, and with the exception of the last month, have had no major health problems. As you can see below, they're also both into politics and are big fans of President Obama. In fact, they Super Dele-CATS for (then candidate) Barack Obama and were featured on Cats for Obama.

The last month has been a bit traumatic with Betsey and worrying that she had cancer, but as of today, we know she's cancer free, has a beautiful clean bladder and excellent kidney and liver functioning. Her final diagnosis is cystitis and hyperthyroidism, both chronic and inexpensively treatable. The truth is that she's probably had both of these issues for years, but we just didn't know it because the cystitis sat dormant and we had no reason to run blood tests.

Betsey, Ross, and I have a lot of people to thank for their kindness over the last month including the great doctors at Animal ER and Veterinary Specialty Center, Dr. Jennifer Kinnavy at March Animal Hospital for never giving up on Betsey and keeping me (relatively) calm, vet tech extraordinaire (and my cousin) Andrea for dealing with my panic so well, Keefer's Pharmacy in Mt. Prospect for making up all the fabulous drug cocktails for Betsey, Dr. Donna Krochak at Alexandria Animal Hospital in Alexandria, VA for giving Betsey and Ross such outstanding care in Virginia to ensure their continued good health in Illinois, and our family and friends who have continually asked about how Betsey is doing.

Betsey and Ross appreciate that everyone takes the weekend to celebrate them by attending parades, festivals, backyard BBQs, fireworks, etc. They only ask that you act responsibly by not drinking and driving and also take a moment to remember that it's also our country's 234th birthday. The rest of the weekend you can celebrate Betsey and Ross.

Here's a great soundtrack for the weekend thanks to NPR.

You probably also want to listen to the Declaration of Independence as read by the broadcasters at NPR. When was the last time you listened?

Who's Doing Cartwheels Tonight?

ME!!!!!!!

Why am I doing cartwheels?

Because as everyone knows, I'm a huge political geek. Or, as someone once said to me, "Jess, politics is your porn." Yep. Thinking back, I'm not sure that was a compliment, but I own it, nonetheless. It's true. I love politics.

Anyway, the supercool West Wing Report (and here on Twitter) is sending me a free t-shirt. That's right, I'm getting all excited over a t-shirt and I don't even know what it looks like.

You can go ahead and be jealous, it's okay.

And yes, I'll post pics of me in my West Wing Report t-shirt when it arrives.

Thanks West Wing Report!

Even Now Nana Continues to Surprise Me

I've never really been certain that Nana was proud of me, even though she always said she was. Growing up, all she wanted was for me to be a teacher. Although she'd been awarded a full college scholarship, Nana didn't go to college because she felt it was more important to go to work and help her family survive during the Depression. My mom's generation was the first in her family to go to college and all the women studied to become teachers, including my mom. Being was a teacher was the acceptable profession for a woman and most of my female cousins in my generation became teachers.

There's nothing wrong with being a teacher. In fact, I think it's one of the most noble and important professions in the world, but it wasn't what I wanted to do. My lifelong dream was to be a lawyer.

My dream of becoming a lawyer was the subject of many debates and tense conversations as I moved through high school and college. It intensified when I graduated without a job (it was 1993 and almost no one had a job upon graduation). Even after I was securely settled in Washington, DC and was studying for the LSAT, she would still encourage me to become a teacher.

Not only didn't I become a teacher, but I changed my mind and didn't become a lawyer either. Plus, she never saw me get married and give her great-grandchildren. I truly believed I'd failed in her eyes . . . until today.

As I was going through her things this afternoon, I came across two items that brought tears to my eyes. I found a clear plastic page protector filled with memorabilia - ticket stubs, Congressional passes, the playbill from "The Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theatre, brochures from Monticello, Mt. Vernon, and the White House, and the program from Christmas Eve services at the National Cathedral - from her visit to DC over Christmas 1995. That trip was one of my happiest memories of Nana. I had planned the whole trip to the minute and then had a wrench thrown in my plans when the Government shut down during a budet crisis, but we still had a great time, even without the highly anticipated trip to watch Congress in action. A few minutes later, I found an envelope from me with the Hogan & Hartson logo and address on it. Inside was a whole bunch of return address labels she'd cut off of letters I sent her from Hogan. My eyes welled up with tears and I was speechless.

It turns out I was wrong. Finding these items that aren't worth anything monetarily meant the world to me. I now know definitively that she was proud of me. Better late than never.

My Next Favorite Book: Heroes for My Son

It's no secret that I love Brad Meltzer books (and Brad himself) and that I plug them and him every opportunity I have. Well, it's time for Brad's new book to hit the shelves.

Heroes for my Son is Brad's first non-fiction book and contains "52 real-life heroes. 52 stories. 52 reminders that anything is possible." "Since the day my first son was born, I've been writing this book for him. It's a collection of heroes throughout history. Some are famous (Jim Henson, Rosa Parks, Mr. Rogers). Some you've never heard of. The result is this book - a gift to my sons. As I share it with them, I hope you'll share it with the heroes in your life." (both quotes from the promotional postcard for Heroes for My Son).

See the story behind the book below.






I'll be at my local bookstore on Tuesday getting my copy of Heroes for My Son. I'll probably have it read before I close my eyes. I can't wait. The world needs more heroes and I think Brad is a hero for reminding us that there is a hero in each of us.

Go buy Heroes for My Son. You'll love it. Trust me. And buy a copy for your favorite hero.

10 Years

Me, my friend Karen, and Karen's mom on my last day in DC. In the Press Room of the White House.

I kind of thought I would just skip today. Not skip it, skip it, but just not go there and think about the decision I made a decade ago that altered my life forever. But then I started to think about things I wish I'd said at various points in my life and that made me start to think about Washington. Yes, it's been kind of a melancholy week around here.

Ten years ago today, I left Washington, DC to return to Chicago.

I left my amazing, smart, funny, loyal, crazy friends and moved back to the Midwest. I remember crying all the way out of my cul-de-sac in Alexandria, VA, onto the Beltway, and all the way up I-70 through Maryland into Pennsylvania. At least the tears kept me awake (I had mono).

The bad news is that I haven't been back since the day I left. The good news is that thanks to Facebook, my friends and I stay in pretty close contact. So even though I'm not there for so many milestones, I still get to be part of it all from afar.

To my wonderful lifetime DC friends, I love and miss each of you. I'm so grateful you're all still in my life a decade later.

Kelly and me hanging out with our good friend Jimmy Smits at a 1997 Inaugural Ball.

I must get more of my DC pics scanned. I will make that my mission this year.

Cherry Blossom Festival

When I lived in Washington, DC, this was my favorite time of the year. Not simply because it's Spring and the temperature was typically in the upper 50s to lower 70s and without the humidity that DC is famous for in the Summer. But because the city turned green and came alive again after the winter.

Washington is a town with a lot of green space - Rock Creek Park, The Mall, George Washington Parkway, and much more. My favorite apartment at Park Fairfax in Alexandria, VA was surrounded with huge lush trees and fragrant azalea bushes making me believe I lived in the middle of the world's finest gardens.

But what made this particular time of the year so extra special was the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin. A gift from the city of Tokyo, the first Cherry Blossom tree was planted at the Tidal Basin exactly 98 years ago on March 27, 1912, by First Lady Helen Taft.

This year, the Cherry Blossom Festival spans March 27 - April 11 with events all over DC and the suburbs. Click here for a wonderful photo gallery. Click here for a video of the 2009 Cherry Blossom Festival.

One year my friend Christopher came to DC in time for the Cherry Blossom Festival and we spent a fantastic day playing tourist. Oh, and we took what to this day is one of my absolute favorite pictures.

Enjoy the rest of my pictures from that wonderful day!
Now will someone please remind me why I left Washington?

The Day a Naked Man Danced for Me in Public

In 1994, when I was about 6 months into my job at Hogan, I received an odd request from a partner. It seemed he was meeting with a client over the weekend and they were conducting some interviews for a high-level position the client was hiring for. The two people being interviewed were coming to our offices on a Saturday afternoon, when we were closed, and I was asked if I could meet the prospects in the lobby and keep them there until it was time for their interview.

It seemed like an easy way to score a couple of hours of overtime pay. I lived about 6 blocks away, this wasn't unduly burdensome, so I said yes.

As I was instructed, I kept the first interviewee in the lobby until the partner came down. Everything was uneventful and went smoothly.

The second man arrived about an hour later and decided that since he had to wait, he wanted to have a cigarette and wanted to know if we could go outside. I agreed and we went and sat on the benches outside of our 13th Street entrance. Now anyone who knows the building knows that there's kind of an alcove at that entrance where everyone used to gather to smoke during the week and it's almost completely hidden from public view . . . unless you happen to be sitting in a certain spot on the benches by the street.

We sat down on the bench with me facing the entrance to the building, so I could watch for the partner. From this position, I could also see straight into the alcove. In retrospect, this alcove must have not been very visible from inside the building either given what happened next.

As we're talking, I saw a tall, gangly, man walk into the alcove and assumed he was going to relieve himself. If only I'd been that lucky.

The next thing I know, the man is 100% naked, but for his cowboy boots and cowboy hat and he's dancing to music that evidently only he could hear. Now mind you, he's in the alcove, so I'm the only person who is privileged enough to see the show. He continued to dance for a few minutes and as much as I tried not to react, because I was mortified sitting there with a man I didn't know having another man I didn't know dance naked for me in the middle of the street in front of my office building, I must have reacted because the man I was speaking to finally turns around and sees the naked dancing man.

I'll never forget the look on his face. He asked me if this kind of thing happened often and we had a good laugh. Eventually, the naked dancing man got dressed and left.

Although I never told anyone of the incident (what could they do?), first thing Monday morning, the partner paid me a visit. Unaccustomed to law firm partners knowing me, much less visit my office, at that point in my career, I thought I was in trouble for not following instructions exactly with the second interviewee. Instead the partner said he'd heard about the incident, wanted to apologize for it (even though clearly it wasn't anything he could have controlled) and hoped I wasn't upset.

Nope, I wasn't upset. Embarrassed, yes. Upset, no.

A Washington DC Christmas

Some of my favorite Christmases as an adult have been spent in Washington DC. I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas parties, baking for friends, touring Mt. Vernon at night all decorated for Christmas as they did in the 1700s, the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse (click here to watch the 2009 ceremony), attending a performance of Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral, Christmas Eve services at the National Cathedral and so much more.

2009 National Christmas Tree from the National Park Foundation Flickr page

One of my favorite DC Christmas memories is from 1995, when my friend Sarah scored an invitation for me to tour the White House all decorated for Christmas. This was not the typical public tour that occurred in the mornings. Instead, it took place at 1:45pm, was only for invited guests and your name had to be on the list. The theme of the decorations that year was "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and all the decorations were spectacular. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed, as was the rule throughout the building.

The Official White House Christmas Ornament that year paid homage to President Zachary Taylor. Click here for the official White House Historical Association Brochure and history of this ornament.

1995 Official White House Christmas Ornament from WhiteHouseHistory.org

You probably don't recall that the 1995 Official White House Christmas Tree (pictured below) was filled with a bit of controversy. That year, the ornaments were made by architecture students from across the country to go along with the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" theme. Rene Spineto created an ornament with two stockings featuring the names "Bill" and "Newt." Newt referred to then Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. President Clinton's stocking was filled with candy and other treats, but Speaker Gingrich's stocking was filled with coal. Despite this, the ornament was hung uncensored.

1995 Blue Room Christmas Tree from Wikipedia.

The Obama's have added their special touches to the White House Christmas decorations this year by recycling ornaments from years past and having community groups from all over the country update them to reflect their state. You can watch a brief tour of the 2009 White House Christmas decorations below.

It's A Wonderful Life, Little Merry Sunshine!

I remember at one point in August as I was in full-mourning for Nana, my stress level was sky-high, I couldn't figure out how to deal with the weight of the world on my shoulders, and famous people who had an impact on my life were dropping like flies, I turned to a friend and said, "I just can't wait for the Summer to be over and Fall to arrive." I honestly believed that with the change of seasons, my life would get better, the joy I usually feel would return, and fun would pop up here and there. I even wrote about it.

Boy, was I right!

This weekend was all about trips down memory lane. I had expected this given that it was Homecoming & Reunion Weekend at Lake Forest College and the Class of 1994 was celebrating their 15th reunion (I was a RA in the freshman dorm that year and I had quite a few friends in that class) and it was my own 20th high school reunion. What I did not expect was that I would also reunite with one of my dearest friends from Washington DC, Karen Hardwick.

Karen emailed me through Facebook on Friday morning saying she knew it was the last second, but she and her boyfriend were coming to Chicago for 24 hours and wanted to know if I could have coffee. Without even knowing when or where she wanted to meet, I replied, "YES! YES! YES!" All I knew was that I'd drive any distance at any time to see Karen. 9 1/2 years since I'd last seen her were 9 1/2 years too many.

The weekend was a whirlwind of activity taking me from Arlington Heights to Lake Forest to Palatine to Chicago, with very little sleep. I saw friends I've known since Kindergarten; the first boy I ever had a crush on; my first husband; my debate partner; friends I sang in the church choir with; friends who had the misfortune good fortune to have me as their freshman year RA in Deerpath; friends I experienced Washington DC with for the first time in 1985; and a mentor and friend who found Betsey and Ross for me, never let me settle for less than perfect, gave me a West Wing tour, and will always be connected to me because of all that we survived in the wee hours of the morning at Hogan that no one else will ever understand (I don't think it was physically possible to work more hours than we did).

The last few months have been Hell. I actually had moments where I wondered it if was all worth it and if the gut-wrenching emotional and physical pain I felt would ever end. I couldn't see any light in the tunnel, but this weekend, in less than 72 hours, I found the light shining brightly as I revisited just about each of my 38 years. I was reminded just how blessed I am and how much my life has had an impact on others. I learned how I have far more fans of Little Merry Sunshine than I ever imagined. In each friend, I saw moments that shaped my life, made me the woman I am today, and heard stories I never knew about. In short, I lived my own Frank Capra movie.

As the wise angel Clarence wrote to George Bailey, "no man is a failure who has friends." And I've got friends in spades.

Mrs. Paulk Goes to Washington

About 10:30 this morning, I received one of those dreaded phone calls. It was from my mom and she was calling to tell me that something happened with Nana last night and she wasn't expected to live through the week. My mom gave me the details of what happened with Nana, but all I heard was "Nana is dying," so I can't explain to you what my mom told me.

Many of you know about my Nana and know about the long ordeal we've had with her over the last 7 years. Newer readers of LMS probably don't know about my Nana. Frances Paulk is my maternal grandmother, my heroine, and my rock and it breaks my heart into 10 million pieces seeing her suffer. You can read more about her in these blog posts.

After I spoke with mom and wiped the tears from my face, I spent most of my day feeling numb. I also got to thinking about some of my favorite memories with Nana.

In the fall of 1994, my uncle graduated from medical school in upstate New York. On her return flight to Florida, Nana had an hour layover in DC, where I'd been living for almost 18 months. Because Washington National Airport (now Reagan National Airport, UGH!) was just a few Metro stops from my office, I suggested that I meet Nana during my lunch hour. And then I had one of my most brilliant ideas.

Almost 80 years old, Nana had never visited Washington DC. As a surprise, I called the airline and arranged to have her layover changed from an hour to four hours. In retrospect, I'm not sure how she didn't know about this change, but when I met her at the gate and let her know of the change of plans, she sure did act surprised. We were going to use her layover to tour DC.

We hopped on the Metro (DC's subway) and rode it across the Potomac River and back into the District. Getting off directly under my office building, our first stop was my office at Hogan & Hartson. As we walked into the lobby and into my office (not a cubicle), she beamed with pride. Because I had just gotten a promotion, I had also just received my first business card. I gave her one that day and she carried it in her wallet until she stopped carrying a wallet.

We left my office and took a cab to my apartment. Although it was only about 6 or 7 blocks away, this was further than I thought she could easily walk and didn't want to spend our precious time walking. I wanted her to see as much of DC as possible in the short amount of time we had. It was from the window of my apartment that she first saw the Capitol and that was the first of many times that day she would say to me "In all my years, I never thought I'd see DC. I read about it in history books, but I never thought I'd walk in the city where George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abe Lincoln walked."

We grabbed another cab and I explained to the driver that my Nana had never visited DC before and that before he took us back to Washington National, I wanted him to show us everything. As luck would have it, he was a fountain of knowledge and eagerly drove us from my apartment to the Capitol, past the National Mall, to the Washington Monument, down Constitution Avenue to the Lincoln Memorial, up to National Cathedral, down Massachusetts Avenue past Embassy Row, down 16th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue and slowly in front of the White House, over to the Jefferson Memorial, across the 14th Street Bridge and the Potomac River, to the George Washington Parkway and to the airport.

The whole way, Nana sat with her face glued to the cab window taking in the sites not knowing if she'd ever return to the District. The only words she was able to speak were "I never thought I'd see Washington." When she finally emerged from the cab at National Airport, I saw for the first time, the tears of joy in her eyes. Her emotions were obvious and she didn't need to tell me how much she loved that afternoon, although I certainly knew.

That Christmas, I surprised her with one of those Washington DC coffee table books with beautiful pictures of all the sights we saw that afternoon. It was her favorite gift that year and it was certainly my favorite gift that I gave that year. One of the things I loved most about her was her memory. Even though she'd only seen it all once in person, she narrated the entire book to the entire family that Christmas afternoon.

I can't begin to count the number of times I heard her recount that day and how proud she was to be touring Washington with me. The thing is, I'm not sure who was prouder that day, her or me.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I do know that they're running some tests tonight and we should know more soon. I don't know if she really only has about a week left or if I'll blow out the candles on her 93rd birthday cake with her in July.

Part 2 tomorrow.

Summer Fun on the Cheap!

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but times are tough. We're all trying to save money any way we can. Carpooling and biking to work are on the increase. Recession gardens are all the rage. Many people are taking staycations rather than vacations this summer.

In spite of it all (or maybe especially because of it all), we still need to have some fun now that the weather is warm (or almost warm). To help you and me have fun this summer, the National Park Service has created Fee-Free Weekends at 100 National Parks across the country!

Imagine taking the kids to Yosemite National Park for FREE if you're in California. Or how about going to the Grand Canyon if you're in Arizona? Are you land-locked in the Midwest? That's okay. Stop in at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial National Memorial in Missouri and check out the Gateway Arch. Of course, for all you Watervale families, you can go to Sleeping Bear Dunes for FREE! Eastcoasters have lots of options too. If you're in the DC area, you simply must go to Harpers Ferry. I had the best first date I've ever had there. In Florida, go to the Everglades.

To avoid entrance fees, just visit June 20-21 (Father's Day Weekend), July 18-19, or August 15-16 (I'll organize the field trip from Watervale to Sleeping Bear Dunes this weekend).

Enjoy!

Sonia Sotomayor to be 3rd Woman on the Supreme Court

Today President Barack Obama nominated U.S. Appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor (2nd Cir.) to be the next Supreme Court Justice. She will be only the third woman and the first Latina on the Court.

You may not know her name, but if you're a baseball fan, you know of her. She single-handedly saved baseball by ending the 7 1/2 month strike, just one day before the start of the 1995 season.Her story is moving and the epitome of how to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. She grew up in the Bronx housing projects, was diagnosed with Diabetes at age 8 and was told that people with Diabetes could not be private investigators like her childhood heroine, Nancy Drew, so she would have to scale back her dreams. As a child of 9, her father died. Her newly widowed mother worked two jobs to put her two children through private Catholic school. She earned scholarships to Princeton University and Yale Law School.

I am inspired by Sonia Sotomayor.

Did you see President Obama's speech nominating her or her acceptance speech? Watch below. It's worth 18 1/2 minutes. I cried when she thanked her mom, who was sitting in the audience.

National Memorial Day Concert

I arrived in Washington, DC over Memorial Day Weekend in 1993, just in time to walk over to the west lawn of the Capitol and watch the annual National Memorial Day Concert that is shown live on PBS. I have no idea which artists performed, but I remember standing the middle of 100,000 of my closest friends on the Capitol steps and having my breath taken away as I watched the sun set behind the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and into the Potomac River.

There were (and still remain) no words to describe the emotions I felt and feel welling up inside me as I write about these memories now. I stood there thinking about the history that had taken place in this city, the slave hands that built the Capitol, the people who gave their lives all around the world so I could be standing there, and the visionaries who birthed our country. I was in love.

Over the course of that summer, I walked over to the Capitol and watched the sunset many nights. My temporary home was less than two blocks away and I would either grab my girlfriends Jessica and Jennifer for an after-dinner walk or I'd go alone. Either way, I walked around the Supreme Court Building, down to the Library of Congress, around the Capitol, and finally back to Thompson-Markward Hall. With sites like that, it's no wonder I get bored just walking around my neighborhood for exercise now!

For the next 7 years, I never missed a Memorial Day Concert from the Capitol. I usually grabbed a few friends and we picnicked on the lawn, but once or twice I went alone. Each year, Nana would watch from her living room in Crystal Beach, Florida, and then call and insist she saw me on TV. I always pretended to believe her.

Now that I live in Chicago again, if I don't have plans for Sunday evening of Memorial Day Weekend, I'm always glued to my TV and PBS, watching the National Memorial Day Concert. Tonight is the 20th anniversary of the concert and it starts at 8pm ET (7pm CT). Click here for all the details. I'll be watching.

If You Build It, They Will Come

Whenever I think of that famous line from The Field of Dreams, I'm reminded that by simply putting my wants, dreams, and desires out into the universe, they are more likely to come to fruition.

When I was a senior in college in 1993, I decided I wanted to move to Washington DC. I knew no one and had no potential job connections, but knew that if I got a hotel room for spring break and pounded the pavement, I'd create an opportunity. On the first day of my Spring Break, I got on a plane with a huge stack of resumes, my only business suit, comfy walking shoes, and a DC guidebook. I knocked on every door in Washington and made everyone speak to me until I found a job. Well, not a job, exactly, but an unpaid summer internship at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. As August in DC rolled around, I realized I still was without full-time employment and would have to return to Chicago if I didn't have a job by Labor Day (per the deal I'd made with my parents). This was the last thing I wanted and I kept talking about the job I wanted in DC. Through the miracle of a blind want ad in the Washington Post, I landed my dream job the day after Labor Day and only had to return to Chicago long enough to pick up my winter clothes and drive back to DC. I had put my dreams out to the universe of being in DC, worked to make my dream come true, and I had seven of the best years of my life.

Fast forward to late 1999 when I was talking to a friend of mine and he asked if I'd ever return to Chicago. The truth was that as much as I loved DC, I missed my family and being able to attend the spontaneous family get-togethers. I told my friend that I might move back after President Clinton was out of office in January 2001. Much to my surprise, three months later, in March 2000, the universe presented me with the opportunity to return to my hometown and I took it.

Two years later, in the Spring of 2002, I was working for a company I wasn't terribly happy with. On two separate occasions over a two-week period, friends familiar with my work situation asked me what I'd do if I could create my dream job. I told them both that I'd be working in politics. Although I had volunteered on numerous political campaigns, I really wanted the opportunity to work in a paid capacity on a campaign. I had previously been offered a job in fundraising on a state-wide primary campaign, but something about it hadn't felt right and I had turned it down. About 10 days after my second conversation, my phone rang and I was offered a second opportunity to work in fundraising on a different state-wide campaign. Because opportunity doesn't often knock twice, much less more than that, I took the job. Again, I had spoken my desire to the universe and the universe answered.

I have two other dreams that are beginning to come to fruition. I can't talk about them yet, but they're both dreams I've had for years. I've slowly built the foundation for these dreams becoming reality and now that they seem to be happening, I couldn't be happier. And don't worry, when I can speak about them, Little Merry Sunshine is where I will break the news.

I know that many of you reading this will think it sounds hokey that I could simply speak my wishes and poof they came to fruition. Let's be clear, that's not exactly how things happened. I did verbalize my dreams into the universe, but I also worked to make my dreams come true by building up my qualifications or knocking on doors so that when my desires came true, I was ready. Sometimes it's a matter of unknowingly speaking my desires to the right person who can help me turn them into reality. But no matter what, putting my dreams into the universe is an important step in turning them into reality.

Just for fun and to remind you and me that it's not hokey to put your dreams out into the universe, take a minute to read the lyrics to "When You Wish Upon A Star" the famous Disney song. I know we all remember it from childhood, but until a friend pointed it out to me today, I hadn't ever really listened to or read the words.

When You Wish Upon A Star

Music by Leigh Harline / Lyrics by Ned Washington
Performed by Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards)

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

So get out there and start speaking your dreams and then get to work. If you build it, they will come.

Taxation AND Representation

When I first moved to Washington DC in May 1993, I remember being outraged about one thing. It was something I had long known, but had never affected me so I didn't spend much time thinking about.

But suddenly I had to face this thing head-on: Residents of the District of Columbia suffered from taxation without representation. Yes, they can vote in elections, but they do not have any voting representation in Congress. And Congress literally controls the purse strings of the District.

I feel strongly about voting. It's not a right or a privilege. It's an obligation. I've never missed an opportunity to visit a polling place and always voted by absentee ballot if I couldn't do it in person. Whenever I walk into the voting booth, I carry the hopes and dreams and burdens of people around the world who will never have a voice in their own lives. I think about that I'm only the 3rd generation of women in my family to vote, as are most of my friends. Nana was 4 when women were finally allowed to vote.

So living in the District became a political issue for me. Could I live within its boundaries even though voting rights were very new and the District had no voting representation in Congress?

D.C. residents have been fighting for voting rights since 1801, when Congress took control of the newly created capital. It wasn't until 1964 that residents were able to cast presidential ballots, and it took nearly another decade for Congress to pass the Home Rule Act, allowing for the direct election of the mayor and other city officials.

Yet a full vote on Capitol Hill has been elusive. Although the district has elected a representative since the 1970s, that House delegate can only vote in committees.

But today that all began to change. The Senate passed a bill 61-37 that would give DC a full voting seat in the House of Representatives beginning in 2011. If it passes the House, as it's expected to do, President Obama has already indicated he will sign it. Of course, it will then have to withstand legal challenges on constitutional grounds.

Ultimately, after living in the District for almost 2 years, I decided to move to Virginia. I simply couldn't accept having no Congressional representation. In my opinion, this is a wonderful step forward for the District.

President Obama's First State of the Union

President Obama gave his first speech to a joint session of Congress tonight. Although we usually call this a State of the Union speech, tonight's wasn't because historically, presidents don't give a State of the Union just weeks after they are inaugurated.

The speech was simply masterful. It was inspiring, yet it also took us to task for the responsibility we each have for the mess we're in. He didn't simply blame the Republicans, which would have been the easy way out and certainly would have had quite a bit of truth to it. Five stars.

Watch the speech below or read the full text here. If you watch it below, click play and be prepared to sit in silence for the first 3 minutes. But you'll love it. We clearly have an adult in the White House.




After President Obama's speech, Louisana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) gave the Republican Response. All I can say is that I'm simply confused. He actually invoked Hurricane Katrina as an example of GOP success. Really. I didn't recognize much of what he was talking about as beliefs of the Republican Party - energy independence, for example. If Jindal is the future of the GOP, then based on tonight's speech, I believe that the Democrats will be in power for many years to come.

Rest in Peace Socks

Betsey and Ross are simply beside themselves tonight at the horrible news that their dear friend Socks passed away earlier today. Although they weren't related, Betsey and Ross felt they shared a special kinship with Socks because they all lived in Washington, DC simultaneously from 1996-2000.

Through their publicist (that's me), Betsey and Ross issue the following statement: "To President Clinton, Madame Secretary Clinton, Chelsea, and Ms. Currie, we send you our deepest sympathies and regrets. Being cats ourselves, we understand the love and devotion Socks felt for each of you. Socks was loyal and comforting to each of you during difficult times and playful and flirty during the happy times. He was a true member of the family, as all cats are. Obviously, nothing can take away the sadness you are feeling at this time, but know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. Socks was a true American patriot and will be dearly missed."

We Have Come So Far

In 1788, the Constitution was ratified saying African-Americans were only 3/5 of a person.

The White House and the U.S. Capitol were built by slaves.

With the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of his dreams, which he was unable to see realized thanks to a gunman in 1968.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 insured that everyone's right to vote was forever protected.

Today, January 20, 2009, we inaugurate Barack Obama as our country's first African American President.

In the last episode of the The West Wing, Keb Mo sings America The Beautiful. Even though this isn't the video of Keb Mo singing it at the inauguration of Matthew Santos, it still fits perfectly with today.



It took us too many years to get to this place, but we are here and from this day forward, every child in America can grow up believing that he or she can become President.