The Road We've Traveled

Earlier this evening, President Obama released The Road We've Traveled to remind us all exactly how far we've all come in the past 3 1/2 years.

Take 15 minutes to watch and remember all of the accomplishments of our great President. Yes, we've still got a lot of work to do, but we've come a great distance in the last 3 1/2 years.

Four more years. Yes, we can.

Change The World

With all that's going on in the world these days (see Egypt, Libya, Wisconsin, et al), "Change the World" by Eric Clapton seems the best way to bring in March and the meteorological beginning of Spring.

My friend Cindee posted the video below on Facebook tonight (yes, I know I'm letting my friends do all the heavy lifting for LMS content right now, but I promise LMS will be completely original on Thursday morning) and it so inspired me that I had to share it with you. Take the time to not only listen to the music, but to watch the video and read the lyrics that go along with it. I'm pretty certain you'll feel inspired too.

And if Eric Clapton doesn't inspire you, take the words of Margaret Mead to heart. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

A Journey of 1000 Miles Began Tonight With A Single Step

I'm so grateful tonight and at the moment am at a little loss for words.

Here's what I know for sure . . .

Never again will anyone be denied insurance because they have a pre-existing condition.

Never again will anyone worry about what happens if they lose their jobs and health insurance.

Never again will young adults worry that they'll graduate from college and graduate from their parents' insurance on the same day.

Never again will insurance rates be so high that no one can afford them.

Never again will anyone worry that when they get sick their health insurance will drop them.

I firmly believe what Jesus said about what you do for the least off these, you do unto me. He also said that what we do not do for the least of these, we also do unto him. Matthew 25:31-46. Tonight, we took care of the least among us; those without a voice.

Is this health care reform bill perfect? No. Absolutely, it is not perfect. It's a start. There is still plenty of work to be done to get Single Payer. But we've taken the first step.

A journey of 1000 miles must begin with a single step.
- Lao Tzu

In case you missed it, here is President Obama's speech after the historic health care reform bill passed the House. Keep an eye on the emotion on Vice President Biden's face.

Hope, Change We Can Believe In, and Yes We Can - A Year Later

A year ago today, we all went to the polls and proudly cast our ballots for the candidate we believed in and the majority of us voted for now President Barack Obama. It was a day I'll never forget and I've documented it with a soundtrack here, "Thoughts on Hope," "I Was There When the Dream Came True," "Election Day & Night Twitter," President-Elect Barack Obama's acceptance speech, "Hope in Action," and "Post Election Gratitude."

It was a day filled with hope and promise and general good feeling. People were civil, cordial and patient. They smiled at one another. Making our way through the Chicago with millions of people on Election Night, everyone was polite, dancing in the streets, and I don't remember hearing of any violence. People from all walks of life came together to celebrate the promise of hope and change and the new day that America had woken up to. I remember a feeling of seeing the world in crisp high-def color once again, rather than the grainy monotone images of the previous 8 years.

A year later I am still filled with that hope. I don't agree with 100% of the actions President Obama has taken. He's moved a bit slower than I would have liked. I'd prefer single-payer healthcare for everyone. I think DOMA and DADT are ridiculous and hate that our country treats anyone as second-class citizens, even if it's in limited ways. I'd like Gitmo closed now and for us to be completely out of Afghanistan and Iraq. I'd like to see some action on immigration reform. I'd like some tougher regulations for Wall Street. And for certain, I wish more jobs were created yesterday and over the last 9 months and that the economy were stronger.

But change doesn't happen in an instant. The decision to make change happens in an instant, but change itself takes time. Especially when we don't live in a dictatorship. Although there are moments when I feel like screaming "Obama won, get over it, sit down, and shut up!" to the people who seem to be hate-filled, I don't. You know, they're the folks carrying guns to town hall meetings and still filing frivolous lawsuits claiming President Obama isn't a natural born citizen and spewing lies about the health care reform and claiming he wrote a thesis about his disdain for the Constitution and generally engaging in fear-mongering.

Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post has summed up the last 9 months quite nicely. The only thing I would add is that the first piece of legislation signed into law by President Obama was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. As a woman, I applaud this move and can only say it's about time. President Obama has made great strides in repairing America's reputation around the world and as my mom always said, "you're nothing without your reputation." No longer being the laughing stock of the world is priceless.

I still believe in hope and if I've gained anything over the last year it is a reinforced belief in my favorite quote from the Bible. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 (KJV). I still have a great deal of faith. Faith and hope keep me going when times are tough. And for those of us who so strongly believed in President Obama's promise, we still need to keep working, holding him accountable, and holding onto our faith. The journey didn't end just because the election did.

Susan Boyle: She Dreamed A Dream - SPOILER ALERT

WOW. That's the only word to express the emotion I am feeling at this moment. Susan Boyle WOW.

She dreamed a dream. A dream she held in her heart for years. A dream she never let out of her sight. A dream she clasped to even tighter when millions of people around the world laughed at her, said she had no right to it, and that she wasn't fit to be in competition.

Tonight was the final competition in Britain's Got Talent and Susan was the odds on favorite. It's been a crazy week for Susan. Reports have had her swearing at fans, cracking under the pressure and threatening to quit. Supposedly she was even kept in a safe house.

Without a doubt, Susan Boyle gave the greatest performance of her life tonight, singing "I Dreamed A Dream," the song that brought her to our attention just a few weeks ago and made us all examine ourselves. (I've written about Susan here, here and here). Watching her sing tonight, I cried.

Simon Cowell summed it all up better than I ever could. Singing her praises, he said "You had every right to walk away from this ... and a lot of people said you shouldn't even be in this competition, that you're not equipped to deal with it. For what? For you to sit at home with your cat and say 'I've missed an opportunity?' I completely disagree with that. Win or lose, you had the guts to come back here tonight and face your critics, and you beat them. And that's the most important thing. Whatever happens, and I've got to know the real Susan Boyle, who is not the person I've seen portrayed in the media, you can walk away from this, win or lose, with your head held high. I absolutely adore you."

How many of us have let our own inner critic or the world's critics talk us out of following our heart? I'd be lying if I said I always rose above my own fears. I don't. I battle them everyday, probably like most people. And sometimes they win. Sometimes I don't put myself out on the limb. Sometimes I resist being vulnerable. It's not always safe to put my whole heart into something and risk failure or looking silly.

If Susan Boyle had quit, I would bet money she'd spend the rest of her life asking herself "what if?" But she didn't. She kept going. How many times in our lives have we let ourselves off the hook because things got difficult? I won't tell you how many times I've done it or wanted to and I won't ask for your number either.

But what's the worst that can really happen? I get over myself, follow my passion, and don't quite get the result I was hoping for. So what? SPOILER In Susan Boyle's case, that's what happened. She came in second and she held her head high doing it. She was gracious in losing and that's a lesson we can all learn. She didn't win the competition and the money, but she won something even greater. She proved to herself and the world that she could do it. She followed her passion and lived her purpose on that stage. And I'm pretty sure she enjoyed the journey.

Personally, I am grateful to Susan Boyle for reminding me to follow my own dreams and heart and to quit listening to the voices (real or in my head) that tell me I can't.

Watch and be moved.

Can You Save A Starfish?

Do you know The Starfish Story? It's a story about the power of helping one person and how we can each make a difference. Every once in awhile, I question my own ability to make a difference in the world because I don't have the power of celebrity or as the Leader of the Free World to truly affect change. But I always come back to this story and remember if some random act of kindness touches just one person, then it's worth it.

One thing that I try to do everyday is to smile at strangers and greet them - not engage in conversation, but more of a hello with a smile on my face. This may sound a little silly until you think about how many people live alone. It's possible that no one has smiled at the people I encounter in days. It's even more likely that someone I smile at and greet kindly has had someone treat them rudely at some point recently. My smiles may not create world peace (yet), but I know that when people smile at me it changes my day for the better, so I assume I have the same effect. A great side effect is that smiling and greeting others warmly also helps keep me in a good mood.

Enjoy the Starfish Story.

The Starfish Story
adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

This story has gone all over the internet, usually without crediting Mr. Eiseley. Motivational speaker Joel Barker may have been one of the first to share The Starfish Story and credit Mr. Eiseley.

Who Are We Not To Be Great? Or I Had A Chat With The Voices Inside My Head.

Ever since my post yesterday morning about Susan Boyle (check out this follow-up piece on the Britain's Got Talent website), I can't stop thinking about not only how others judge us, but how we judge ourselves. I don't know about you, but I know that I am my harshest critic.

We each have a little tape recorder in our heads that records the stuff we say to ourselves and that others say to us and can be triggered anytime to either lift us up or drag us down. And remarkably, this tape recorder in our brains never loses anything or erases the tape by accident. At any moment, for example, you can recall the time your grandmother told you you'd get fat if you had a second serving of something in front of the entire family at Christmas. Of course, you can also instantly recall the first time he said those three powerful words that rocked your world, "I love you." Or you can remember how you felt when you reached the top of that figurative (or literal) mountain you struggled to climb.

As I was thinking about Susan Boyle in the shower this morning (okay, all you perverts, and you know who you are, just stop), I started to think about how she never gave up on her dreams and clearly didn't hear or notice what others said or thought about her. I thought about how much I admire that quality.

I wondered if and how that intense focus related to my own life. I didn't have to think very long. I received ample evidence milliseconds later. You see, I have two dreams of my own that after many years of wonder and hope and work are beginning to show signs of coming true. As I stood there in my shower, that little tape recorder inside my brain started to play. "Why do you think you are talented?" "What makes you think anyone will care?" "You're not smart enough or good enough or pretty enough." And on and on. You probably know the drill.

But today, after having watched Susan Boyle, my brain snapped back into action and shut off the negative tape recorder. Instead, I heard a new tape. "Actually, who are you NOT to be talented and gifted and smart and pretty?" "Who are you trying to make feel better by not living up to your potential and achieving all your dreams?" And I remembered that famous Marianne Williamson quote that is often mistakenly attributed to Nelson Mandela.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, Marianne Williamson, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3 (Pg. 190-191).

So today, I challenge not only myself but you to remember that we are all put here to achieve our own greatness. It does no one any good for us to play small. I know how my life will be different now that my fear is gone. I know because I've seen the possibilities and I'm ready for them to become my reality.

President Barack Obama

Please join me in congratulating our new President Barack Obama!

Yes We Did!

Soundtrack for 2009

Music defines my life. In fact, there's a soundtrack for every part of my life. I can hear a song and immediately be transported to a random chapter in my life. It sustains me in hard times and lifts me up to keep going and be better. In the good times, I celebrate to music.

If 2008 is any predictor, 2009 will present us with many opportunities (aka challenges) and we will need a soundtrack to keep us going. The songs below are my selection for the 2009 soundtrack. What would you add?

Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield


Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
This is the live performance from her appearance on the CNN Heroes special on Thanksgiving.


Superwoman by Alicia Keys


Yes We Can by will.i.am


Amazing Grace by Leann Rimes


Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy


Life Uncommon by Jewel


World by Five for Fighting (tribute to Obama)
I love that someone turned this video into a tribute to Obama. It really sums up how I felt standing in Grant Park on Election Night.


I would also include Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson. The first time I really heard the words of Breakaway I was in Davenport's Piano Bar in Chicago with my brother. He'd just moved to Wicker Park and we were roaming around one night. We walked into this little bar with the cool front and about an hour later the waiter grabbed the mike and belted out this song. I was mesmerized. Click on the link above to watch the video. I couldn't include it here because it mucked up all the other videos and didn't work properly itself.

Follow the Obama Grant Park Celebration With Me Via Twitter!

I'm going to Grant Park tomorrow night! Seriously. I really am.

I've talked about how much I love Barack a million times on Little Merry Sunshine, but what you don't know is exactly how much it means to me that I'm going to have a Front Row to History tomorrow.

A large part of why I moved to DC after college in 1993 was because of how much I loved politics and I wanted to pursue this passion of mine. Where better to get involved than the center of it all? Get involved I did.

In 1996, I volunteered on Clinton/Gore and then had the amazing good fortune to attend a pre-election rally at DAR Constitution Hall that featured a variety of celebrities including Bruce Hornsby. I was in the front row of the balcony. Election Night found me at a DNC party with some friends and through that I hooked up with someone involved in the Inauguration Balls who needed help in the Green Room at the Western States Ball (there were 13 official balls that year!).

When I left DC in 2000, I thought my involvement in politics was over. Chicago simply isn't DC, after all. Ah, yea of little faith (that's me!). Little did I know that by being in Chicago, I've been more involved in politics than I was in DC. I've gotten more deeply involved in a number of campaigns in Chicago than I ever was in DC. And it truly feeds my soul.

So being in Grant Park tomorrow night feels like the culmination of so much in my life. And it feels great. Tonight I'm really missing my friends from DC - Karen, Rose, Kelly, Brooke, and so many others. And I'm certain that feeling will be stronger tomorrow night.

If Barack wins (which at this moment, I believe will happen), I'm going to make every effort to be in DC on January 20th to be at his inauguration. In the meantime, I'll revel in being in the Front Row to History in Grant Park!

And you can follow all my fun via Twitter. I'm going to try to live blog my night through my cell phone via Twitter. This will be a fun experiment. At the very least, I promise to come home and not go to bed until I've shared every detail and all my pics on Little Merry Sunshine. So check back. It's sure to be great. You betcha!

A New "Yes We Can" Song & Video

Were you inspired by Will.I.Am's Yes We Can song and video like I was? Well, then hold onto your hat. You'll be at least as inspired.

We've got 1 day left folks. We can taste victory. Wear your Obama buttons to work on Monday and Tuesday (but take them off when you go to vote). Talk about why you're voting for Obama to your friends, neighbors, family, colleagues, and anyone who will listen. Now is the time to pull out all the stops.

Before you watch the video below, I'd like to share a story with you.

Yesterday afternoon I was running some errands and listening to WCPT, Chicago's Progressive Talk Radio, in my car. Dick Kay, who many of you will remember from Chicago's NBC5, now has his own radio show on WCPT on Saturday afternoons. He had a caller who relayed a personal story about how something Barack Obama did as a Illinois State Senator (before he was a US Senator) that changed this man's life. A number of years ago, this man and a few of his co-workers were all layed-off and decided that rather than go back to work for someone else, they wanted to start their own company. They had a product that they wanted to create and sell, but as a small start-up company they could not afford health care for their families. Because of the Kid Care health care program that Barack Obama was instrumental in getting passed as a State Senator, this man and his friends were able to get health insurance through the state for their families, while their company grew to a level where they could afford health insurance on their own. Today, their company has just hired its first new employee (in addition to the original group) and they are now selling the product they created internationally. This man was practically in tears sharing how because of Barack Obama, he was able to pursue his dreams and create a new product and new jobs.

Onto the video . . .

YES WE CAN! And We Will!

Because as we move into the final days of this long election (And for the record, even I'm feeling more than a little "election fatigue." And that's saying something!), we must not be complacent, we must be energized. If we lose, it may well be because we got overconfident. We believed the polls and let it slip away.

We cannot let that happen. We must believe and we must take action. Vote early or vote on November 4th.

Here's a little inspiration to get us through the final days.

Barack Obama's Closing Argument: One Week

Take the time to fall in love with Barack Obama all over again by watching today's speech in Canton, Ohio. Officially, this is Barack's "closing argument."

We have one week. One week left to bring Hope back to the country. And it's up to us. We need to speak to our friends and family, especially the ones who are still undecided or voting for McCain. We need to vote early. If you can't vote early, get to your polling place first thing in the morning next Tuesday, November 4th. Whenever you vote, be prepared to stand in line and be patient. And take an elderly neighbor with you. Go to BarackObama.com and make phone calls to swing states.

As you watch this video, listen closely to the optimism and pay special attention to the last five minutes. Listen to Barack asking us to be better than we are. He believes in us. He believes in our country. Barack Obama is Country First.

Mahatma Gandhi said "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Barack Obama embodies it. And he believes we embody it too.

If you're reading my blog and still undecided, I ask you to think about the kind of country you want to leave for your children and grandchildren. If you believe in equal pay for women, that health care is a right not a privilege, that women have a fundamental right to control their own bodies, that all people absolutely are created equal, that sometimes more gets accomplished by sitting down face to face than with the "either you're with us or against us" approach, that the politics of fear don't work, that every American deserves equal opportunity, and that government should do that which we cannot do for ourselves, then you owe it to yourself and future generations to vote for Obama.

We can do this. Yes we can.

Will you join me in choosing Hope over Fear?

The American Promise

We've only got less than 4 weeks left, 26 days, in this presidential campaign. John McCain has gone 100% negative. Barack Obama, on the other hand, is staying positive. We need to do the same.

We must remember our purpose. This isn't about any one of us individually. It's about all of us collectively. And that's what Barack Obama believes. It's not about him. It's about all of us.

This isn't about race. It's not about being a POW. It's not about Bill Ayers. And it's most certainly not about being a Maverick (TM).

It's about who is best suited to lead our country through the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression while at the same time fighting two wars. It's about the kind of America we want to leave for our kids, grandkids, and generations of Americans not even yet imagined.

Do not let their dirty tricks dissuade you or anyone you know from voting. This election is too important.

Go Cubs Go!

The National League Playoffs start today and in honor of the Cubs, here's some motivational music . . .



As a kind of cool aside, Steve Goodman who wrote Go Cubs Go, went to Lake Forest College, my alma mater, as I've previously written about.

Your Vote is Your Voice, Your Vote is Our Future

I know I made many of you cry and otherwise breakdown yesterday, but that message was important and sometimes we must be shocked into action. I'm sorry.

To make up for yesterday's horror and to continue the theme of Vote for Change, here's a more fun video from Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson.

Our National Nightmare & How to Avoid It

I know it's Monday morning, but there's something serious we need to discuss and it may cause the Fruitloops you had for breakfast to suddenly appear all over your desk. In fact, this isn't just serious, it's a looming nightmare. And no, it's not the economy . . . . we have another possible nightmare we must discuss.

You've been warned, I'm about to say it . . .

John McCain could win on November 4th.

Really.

Don't believe me? Watch this video and think about what your personal reaction will be if this is what we see that night.



If the embedded video doesn't work, click here (really, you MUST see this) and watch it.

I made you cry? I'm truly sorry about that. Blood came spurting out of your eyes? Imagine what will happen if that becomes reality.

The thing is that we can avoid this nightmare. We have 36 days left.

Are you registered to vote? Are all your neighbors and family and friends? Double check at Vote For Change. If you're not, in Illinois, you've got until October 7th to remedy that situation.

Dirty tricks are already happening. They are desperate to win this election, just like they were desperate to win in 2000 and 2004. But this time, the stakes are higher. This time, they've put together a ticket that represents the smallest minority of our society and vehemently offends the vast majority. The lies they are telling this year make the swift boating in 2004 look tame. And the hijinks they are trying to pull make Karl Rove proud.

We cannot let them win again.

Early voting (aka absentee voting) starts very shortly in all states. If you want to avoid the lines on Election Day, take advantage of it. However, if you receive an absentee ballot in the mail and didn't ask your local government for it, be wary and place a call before you mail it back in. Confirm the real address to return the ballot. Here's another story about invalid absentee ballots.

Put a sign in your yard to show your support for Obama. You taking a stand may make it easier for your neighbor who isn't sure he can vote for a black man just do it.

Who will you drive to the polls on Election Day?

Can you take Election Day off and be a poll watcher or Election Judge? Being an Election Judge pays, but you have to take a simple class first. Poll watchers just sit in the background and make sure nothing funny is going on. Contact your local Democratic party or a campaign in your area to find out how to do either of these jobs.

Can you walk precincts now or make some phone calls?

We have an opportunity avoid our nightmare. We must take it. We will vote for change.

Obama's Straight Talk Express

Finally, some real straight talk that's desperately needed. Personally, I think people get tired of all the opponent bashing that goes on in political ads and this is a refreshing change of pace.



From America Blog.

Barack Obama Is Clearly Having Fun

I gotta say, Barack looks like he's having fun here just wiping the floor with McCain.



Everyone say it with me now, "Are you better off today than you were 8 years ago?"

Vote Obama.

Next Year Is Here!

You may recall the long-term on-and-off love affair I just haven't been able to wiggle my way out of. Despite my lifetime of monogamy to this relationship, my heart has been stomped on repeatedly. Yet each time he says "next year is here," I pick up the pieces of my shattered hopes, dreams, and love, and come crawling back. This man simply has a strong hold on my heart and no matter what he does or how much he hurts me, I just keep coming back. You may say it's unhealthy to be so entwined, especially after all the heartache I've endured over the years, and I would agree. I wish I knew how to quit him, but the fact is, he completes me.

But the thing is, after all the times he's thoroughly let me down and crushed all my dreams, I think, no, I really believe that this time he's not just jerking me around. This is it. No heartbreak in 2008.

I believe that after all the years as the "lovable losers" and the near misses in 1945, 1969, 1984, 1989, 1998, 2003, and 2007, THIS is the year. The Cubs really are going all the way. This year, they'll end that 100 year old drought and win the World Series.



Updated: The Magic Number is ZERO! For the first time in a century, the Cubs have back-to-back playoff trips and are the NL Central Champs!