Lulu May's Blog

DO YOU NEED A PLACE TO STAY IN DC? LET ME KNOW ASAP!!!!

Lulu — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:09:27 EST

I have found a GREAT place to stay but need a few other people to go in on it with me. Townhouse 14 blocks from the Capitol Building - RIGHT SMACK DAB in the middle of everything.

Can accommodate up to 6 people. $600 a night TOTAL - (NOT per person) so with 6 people we would pay $100 a night for 3 nights.

1/18 - 1/21

Please let me know if you are interested or know others who may be. The guy is holding the place for me but he can't hold it forever, so we need to act FAST!!! I have spoken to him. He is totally legit.

EM me at sbl4barack@yahoo.com

Lulu in CA

Holiday Hellos!

Lulu — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:51:48 EST

Hello & Happy Holidays!

I am back among the living. Hectic work schedule & gnarly flu bug has kept me out of the limelight for awhile. So where’s the latest…

After spending the past year literally giving blood, sweat & tears on the Obama campaign trail I have found myself in the days/weeks since the election in a state Post Election Withdrawal Syndrome. It is almost as if I cannot believe it has happened & I am still overwhelmed by it all.

When I see Obama on TV/in print referred to as President-Elect I actually have to change the channel/turn the page & search for a re-run of Friends. Otherwise I will just cry all day & all night at the realization that he is our next President. I’ve had to go into Obama Rehab, removing myself from my beloved Obama Blog & refraining from sending my Daily Obama Obsession emails.

Naively, I thought that tuning into a program on CSPAN about the history of the White House: how special events are prepped for; who arranges the flowers; how guest lists are determined; how the staff operates, etc. would keep me safely on the wagon. Then they interviewed the usher staff, mostly Black men in their late 60’s who have worked there for over 30 years. There is one man whose sole job is to serve the POTUS at official state dinners & be on call for whatever he needs - his personal butler of sorts - he’s been there almost 40 years…of course, more tears & off the wagon I fell wondering what HE & the others must be thinking as they await the next First Family. Alas, it’s back to Friends & Everybody Loves Raymond re-runs for me.

That being said….

The next step is trying to get to DC for the big day. I’m not sure if I can swing it: biggest challenge is where to stay. No luck so far in getting that nailed down (if you have any leads PUUULLLEZZE let me know!). And the cost of airline tix. Don’t even get me started – my Obama Obsession has put me into debt! And once I’m there, then what? I didn’t even try to get a ticket to the event. I guess I could just climb up a lamppost. But I can’t imagine NOT begin there. After everything I’ve been through this past year - to NOT be there might just break my heart in a million pieces. I get a lump in my throat & heart just thinking about it. Somehow I HAVE to get there. Maybe if I start walking now….and sleep on a bench? So I’m praying to the Obama Angels that somehow it will all work out. They haven’t let me down yet!

Below is some footage of me from CNN & Youtube on Victory Day 11.4.08.

I wish each of you the blissful glee of the season & only the very best for a new year full of love, peace, giggles, passion, delight, prosperity & good health. The CHANGE part…I think we’ve got that covered!

xoxo

Lulu in CA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WjjnwtVwPw
Not sure where the first party in this video was. That wasn’t where we were. Ours was packed! We were at a big hotel in downtown SF across the street from Union Square . Our party scenes start at 5.27 on the video

That’s my friend Cara 5.58 & 6.10 with the glasses & black bead necklace. The man with baby is behind me & that’s me at 6.23 behind Cara with my hands over my mouth crying...of course. That’s me sobbing & trying to talk 7.23 – 8.26. Too bad my face disappeared but maybe it’s best b’c I was a crying sobbing mess by that point! And at 10.29 if you blink you’ll miss me.

Somehow I ended up on the podium - of course – that’s me wiping my eyes with tissues at 1.45

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jHAVv8pI3E&feature=related
The celebration continued out on the streets of the hotel where we were

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne0f4HEliyA
That’s me in front of the cable care wearing a purple top & black pants/sweater. WHY I am on the cable car, I have no idea. It was just sitting there; the driver was ringing the bell in celebration & so I thought would be an amusing vantage point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMq2IAEdRoM
If you can’t find these links, go to youtube.com & search Barack Obama Election Night Parties in San Francisco or http://www.zennie62.com

Where's Lulu?

Lulu — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:05:52 EST

Recovering from being sick for a week.

Crying everyday b' she STILL can't believe we WON.

Heading to the gym to get rid of her Blogger Butt.

SLAMMED at work.

Feeling rather stunned that the blog is become so critical & negative about our guy.

Unless he overturns Roe v Wade, makes guns free for all, outlaws Redbullhe & makes chocolate illegal I will NEVER NEVER EVER EVER criticize him. PERIOD. EVER EVER EVER EVER. I didn't fight this hard to come this far to get to this victory to then start complaining about it.

But I respect the fact that others have the right to express themselves it they di have complaints/issues with him ....I don't GET IT...but I'm not gonna judge...but just know I'm NOT gonna be part of it. I'm just gonna walk on sunshine & live in blissful glee that we MADE the change we've been waiting for. We did it. YES WE DID

Here's the video that Dan & I worked on (well, my concept & bossy orders & HIS talent & hardwork)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDJjwvHpc7w

xoxox

Lulu in CA

Please be part of history!

Lulu — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:27:08 EDT

I was thinking that it would be great to have video – done by our own & beloved Desert Dan – with images of all of our Obama Blog Family.

A simple head shot with your blog user name & state of residence. We can include pets too! But let’s try & keep it pretty straightforward with a good, clear photo.

Dan will set it to music. “People get ready” perhaps. Maybe we can even submit it to the campaign!

But on a selfish note, I would just LOVE to have all of our images together. Putting faces to names would be, I think, so very powerful…especially as we approach victory day!

If you are interested, email your photo, blog user name & state to

danm117@cox.net

Love,

Lulu

IN HONOR OF 9.11.01

Lulu — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:16:41 EDT

WRITTEN 9/13/01

Dear Friends:

Many of you know that in times of tragedy I tend to feel the need to write in order to find some clarity in my emotions & peace in my mind. When Princess Diana, Walter Payton, John F. Kennedy, Jr. died, when Columbine happened, I wrote you to share my thoughts & express my grief. And each time I thought: “I can’t imagine feeling any worse in my life than I do at this moment.” And yet here we are again.

I woke up the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, with a sense of dread. I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. I don’t know why. I stumbled into my living room, turned on the TV, the volume low & went into the kitchen to grab some juice. As I glanced over my shoulder at the TV I thought, “Well, there’s a trailer for a movie I WON’T be seeing: “Armageddon-Independence Day-Rambo Does NY”. What else could I possibly think I was seeing, as I watched a commercial airplane explode into the World Trade Center on a clear & sunny September morning? I went into the bathroom, turned on the radio & stepped into the shower. Then I heard these words: “This day will go down in history as the most tragic in our lifetime”. I turned the water off, ran into the living room, turned up the volume on the TV, & sat on my couch where I remained in shock for the next 48 hours, remote control in one hand, phone in the other, box of tissues by my side, my kitty on my lap.

In those first moments of stunned horror I tried to call loved ones in NY, but to no avail. I eventually just started going through my address book calling everyone I know just to hear their voices, but phone lines were busy between SF & Atlanta, NY & Seattle, LA & Chicago.

There really are no words to express what we are all feeling. I think what makes this horrific act of terror so potent is that it feels as if this attack was directed at each & every one of us. We were all the intended targets. No one is immune from its impact.

Four commercial flights, flying from & to major US cities (one of which is my hometown), deliberately crashed into the Most recognizable building in the Most famous city in the World is More than the human brain can comprehend. Every time I try, the only reaction my brain can muster is to prompt tears to roll down my cheeks. My heart is so heavy & so sad – so very, very sad.

In times of tragedy, as cliché as it may seem, the country suddenly feels a bit smaller & undoubtedly more united. And yet, as much as we are compelled to feel a sense of national pride, to wave our flags & sing the anthems that we know almost all the words to, we must not forget that we are not a perfect land. We allow unspeakable horrors (racism, sexism, child abuse, etc) to occur on our own soil everyday. While many nations stand united with us now in our time of need, these same allies have valid concerns about our polices as well. We cannot ignore this fact.

And it is vital for us to acknowledge that there are people in this world who have hatred towards our country so immense that they would be driven to orchestrate such an act as the one that occurred on Tuesday. We may never understand it, but it is REAL & as much as we feel the need to “retaliate”, we will NEVER end the evil pattern of terrorism until the issues that motivate these horrors are addressed. There are no easy answers.

So what are we to do NOW? Right now I don't know what or how to feel. Numbness is all my psyche can seem to handle. Everywhere I go, every face I see, looks the same: blank expressions. There is no sparkle in anyone’s eyes. Not one person is smiling. Everyone looks as if they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, deep in thought & heavy of heart. I feel as if the muscles in my face that used to allow me to smile have been paralyzed permanently. It seems implausible to think we will ever be joyful again.

AND YET I KNOW WE WILL.

Our buildings may have crumbled.
Our children’s sense of innocence may have been shaken.
Our airports may have shut down.
Our icons of Americana may have been cleared out.
Our sense of security may have been tested.
We still have many thousands of bodies to remove from the rubble
& our grieving hasn’t even Begun to reach its apex.
All of this is indeed true.

And YET:

I know that we WILL smile again.
I know we WILL have joy in our lives again,
because there are SOME things that NO act of terrorism,
no matter how horrific,
can take away from us:
Our Faith
Our strength
Our compassion
Our resolve
Our honor
Our courage
Our Spirit
OUR Hope
OUR Love For One Another
These qualities create our foundation, our core,
as a nation & as a people.
They are indestructible - Period.
So if these terrorists thought they could demolish us,
they really should have just stayed home on Tuesday, September 11, 2001.
Their mission was NOT accomplished.

Whenever tragedy strikes we each must struggle to find the blessing amidst the devastation. Yes, we are lucky that we are safe & alive. I am thankful that no one that I know of, thus far, was injured or killed. Those are the obvious blessings. But life will never be the same for any of us. It cannot be. Every time tragedy strikes we say, “I promise to live life to its fullest, as if today could be my last. To cherish all the wonderful gifts I’ve been given & hold a bit closer to my heart my loved ones”.

But DO we? WILL we? I wonder.

For me, the blessing amidst the devastation,
is that I was inspired to write this letter to you,
my friends,
the family that I have chosen for myself,
whether I’ve known you for 30 years or for 30 days,
& to tell you that:
You mean the world to me.
If my life were to end tomorrow,
it was a better world I lived in
& a richer life I led
because you were a part of it.
You are always in my thoughts.
You are always in my heart.
You are forever in my prayers.
I love you all dearly.
In Love, Friendship & Peace,

Lulu

Denver ~ The Convention ~ The Speech....

Lulu — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:38:27 EDT

…I still can’t believe I was there.

I’m having a hard time processing it. And an even harder time being able to articulate what it was like to be there. Words, spoken or written, do not seem adequate to convey my experiences in Denver. I’m emotionally drained. To try to express it to you would almost be an insult to the historical event we all witnessed. But I will try. Here are some highlights of my 48 hours in The Mile High State:

Denver was amazing. I arrived Wednesday night, checking into my hotel in time to hear Bill & Joe. Wonderful town, lovely people, even the weather was great - hot, but not TOO hot for this SF native hot weather wimp. The streets were jam packed with people; wall to wall Obama love. Everyone was wearing their Obama gear & high fiving & hugging. You’d walk down the street & make eye contact with a stranger & you would just smile at one another, shaking your head in disbelief. It was as if we were all in on a big secret; like we were part of a secret club. Except that it was no longer a secret. In some cases people would just say to one another, “Can you believe this? Can you believe we’re here?” Walking with a sense of purpose & confidence through the streets of Denver & throughout the Convention Center & surrounding hotel lobbies, with a head tilt/nod/raise of vaguely cocky acknowledgment to one another as if to say, “We got this. We GOT this.” I kept thinking of that movie with Richard Pryor & Gene Wilder as they strut around saying, “That’s right, we bad, we bad.” HA! That’s how I felt!

This city girl doesn’t normally walk down the street smiling at strangers & saying “Hi!” let alone saying, "Hi! How are you? Great day isn't it? Lookin’ good?” But on the streets of Denver it was as if we were in our own little Obama world. And, truth be told, up to this point, most of the Obama adventures I’ve had have been populated by more White folk than Black. From here at home in SF & even when I was in TX it was that way. Well, in Denver Black folk were out in force. It was really something to see. They were there en masse. Entire families, several generations deep. And so everyone was greeting one another as if we were all long lost relatives… which in a sense we are. But for those of us who live in areas where Black folk are truly the minority you can lose sight of that connection with one another.

Most of my time was spent with new friends & delegates from the great state of Virginia, which I felt was so fitting for this CA native as some of the most cherished people in my life are from our nation’s birthplace.

On Thursday morning I was invited to attend the morning breakfast meeting for the Virginia delegates. I was also honored to be invited to The Women’s Caucus (again, thanks to a Virginia delegate) where we heard speakers ranging from Senator Barbara Boxer, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and of course, Michele Obama herself. Michele was lovely & honest & sincere. She spoke very movingly about the challenges of being a working mother & trying to juggle it all. At one point she told us that she was going to need us to have her back moving forward. It was very REAL, a girlfriend saying to her other girlfriends that she needed us to support & carry her through the course of HER improbable journey. She got an “I am woman hear me” roar from the crowd. I will always remember her heartfelt plea & she can rest assured that I’ve got her back today & always.

You may have heard that four anti-choice protesters were there. They walked right past me. I knew they were up to something just by the way they were walking & carrying themselves. When they turned around, faced the audience & opened their jackets to reveal their anti-choice sloganed shirts, we ALL jumped to our feet, pumped our fists up in the air with a chant of, “Obama! Obama!” & they were peacefully escorted out. I had never experienced something like that. I have only seen it on TV. I have to admit, it was a bit scary, a little exciting & very powerful. I was literally shaking while I was pumping my fist. Major adrenaline rush. When we left the room & headed outside of Convention Center they were still there being interviewed & protesting peacefully.

Oh & for the record, I met quite a few HRC supporters while I was in Denver. They were 100% on board with Obama. No doubts. No bitterness. A few of them made up their minds right after HRC’s speech. For them, they needed to hear it from her. They felt good about her speech & they were very happy to be with us. Whenever I met an HRC supporter I gave them a hug & told them how proud I was of them & of HRC. It was very healing for all of us. They were still very emotional & often had tears in their eyes. I have so much respect for them. I would hope that if the tables were turned I would be able to be as gracious & kind as they were. It was not easy for them to get to that frame of mind, but they did, with all of their hearts & souls & we must never forget that!

After The Women’s Caucus we had lunch at an outdoor café. I was chatting with a woman at the table next to us who happened to be a delegate from...yup, Virginia. Her name was Iris & she asked me where my seat was for the speech. I told her that I was the only one in my group without a ticket but that I was just happy to be in Denver. She reached in her purse, pulled out a ticket & handed it to me. And not just any ticket. It was one of the VIP tickets that granted access everywhere BUT the main stage. I’m not even joking. I was sobbing & hugging her & then my friends were sobbing & then she was sobbing & we all hugged & posed for pictures to commemorate the moment. The photo on my FR page was taken right after she gave me the ticket. I’m in the sunglasses. She is right next to me, pretty in pink. Thank you, Iris! I am sending her flowers tomorrow!
Virginians just might be the most charming, hospitable & generous people you will ever meet. I made friends for life.

After lunch everyone headed to the stadium. Two of us (me & my new friend Kimberly from, yes, Virginia, who you’ll read about later) decided to take a cab there but most folks walked. It was quite powerful to see thousands of people walking across the overpass towards the stadium. Young, old, Black, White, all walking towards history. Very powerful. Very moving.

We joined the LONG line, which snaked around & around the parking lot for what was probably three miles long. We were on line for about two hours. There were NO cops, NO volunteers, NO security while we were on line. No one directing people where to go or supervising the line. It was a grassroots effort to keep it under control. LOL. And we did. It was quite mind blowing to see this MOB of people behave so calmly, peaceful & graciously in the hot sun for hours. We had the opportunity to cut & get in quicker & many folks did, but we felt that being on line with 1000’s of other Obama supporters was part of the experience. We had such a great time meeting other people, laughing, singing, & battling away cutters. This one older Black woman in line with us would take her purse & start swinging it, good naturedly, if anyone even THOUGHT about cutting into our section. She was a HOOT! We called ourselves, The Family, about 20 of us on our part of the line, who shared water & snacks, took Family photos. We were from San Francisco, New Orleans (our fearless purse swinger!), Denver, Chicago & New York. When we entered the stadium we all went our separate ways & it was actually a little sad to say goodbye. But we had all exchanged email addresses & I hope we will keep in touch.

On our way into the stadium doors we came across The Daily Show crew filming. Not many people realized it was them. There were only about five people standing around them. They were doing this skit where they were dressed in Obama sports jerseys as if they were drunken football fans. They actually wanted to film/interview me but I was too shy & vain. Ok, I was mostly vain. We had been out in the sun & heat for over two hours & I was feeling kinda grimy & sweaty & not so cute. They ended up interviewing the guy standing right next to me, a young Black man with glasses. You can probably hear me laughing in the background!

Oh & I saw John Roberts from the news as we were walking in the stadium. VERY handsome. And I THOUGHT I saw Wolfie interviewing people there as well. Turns out it was Jimmy Kimmel’s dad! He looks JUST like Wolf. I didn’t realize it was him until I saw it on TV when I got home! LOL

Seats were basically first come first served. I was able to use my ticket to find two seats that were still available up front & center, basically on the Club Level right opposite the podium on the stage. And has it turned out the guys sitting next to us were from…San Francisco! A Black man who is a lawyer & whose kids go to a school that competes in sports with the school I work for & his best friend, an Asian man, SF native & attorney as well. They both went to Harvard with Obama & knew him casually.

THE SPEECH. First let it be known that there weren’t 74K people there. Nor were there 80K or 84K. There were 90K people there (FACT!) AND they had to turn people away. And as far as I know there was not one arrest or any major problems.

It’s hard to express what it was like to bear witness to The Speech & all the great music & speakers who preceded it. Our new favorite hero is Barney Smith. Not sure if the TV coverage picked up the chants of “Barney! Barney” that rang out. He was our Everyman & most certainly dispelled the idiotic notion that Obama is all about celebrity & fluff. Mr. Smith was a real as they come. The crowd took him into our hearts.

And have you ever felt & heard 90K people stamping their feet in unison or doing the wave over & over in flawless synchronicity? Well, I have! I’ve never done the wave before! It was so fun…except they kept doing it & doing it & I was like, “Ok, we get it. Can we sit now” LOL! It was very fun though. I felt like a little kid.

The event was flawlessly orchestrated. The venue was spectacular. Everything was Red, White & Blue. The stadium was dazzling & picture perfect. The air was warm, calm with a lovely breeze; there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The huge TV screens were flanked by www.barackobama.com in gold lights. The production ran smoothly without a hitch. The stage hands were sleek, dressed all in black & there was none of that chaotic running to & fro that you often see at all day concerts. There were no long gaps of empty stage/air-time. It was a finely tuned, well-oiled machine. Efficient, effective. Just like the Obama campaign itself. Even the music between the speakers & performances was amazing. Classic Motown blaring. Everyone was dancing, rocking out & partying (no alcohol, just high on life & change & hope!) & hugging & saying to one another, “Can you believe this?” It’s hard to express what it felt like. I felt like I was in an alternate universe; a universe where Obama is King & everyone is full of love & peace & hope & grace. I know that sounds REALLY dorky but oh well, there it is. There was one mishap: In my attempt to do the bump while dancing with Kimberly I nearly sent her flying into the laps of the people next to her! Her petite 5’5” didn’t stand a chance against my 5’10” frame & accompanying hips. She actually was airborne! It was sooooo hilarious.

I have never in my life waved an American Flag - literally or figuratively - but on that historic day I waved that little flag they gave us as if my life depended on it. Because the truth is it DOES. And then I carefully folded it up & brought it home with me where it now hangs on my home office wall. THAT is a first!

I’ve often wondered how it is that at political events everyone ends up with the same props to wave. Now I know: volunteers would cover the stadium with props & tell us exactly when to use them. A bit of orchestrated patriotism but we were glad to oblige. They gave us the BIG American flags to wave when Gore spoke; the little flags to wave throughout the day & the Obama Change signs to wave when Obama hit the stage. For some reason I was really excited to take those stage directions. Not sure why. It just felt kinda cool to be part of that.

When the video about Obama started to play, the emotion of what was to come started to become overpowering. It was an out of body experience. I was flooded with memories of the first donation I made online to Obama back in November. I remembered the 1000’s of phone calls I made to states near & far to ensure support for Obama in the primaries & those all important caucuses. I thought of the signs I waved on the corner of Castro & Market Streets on Super Tuesday & the hours I’ve logged on the Obama Blog. I thought of the trip I took to Austin, TX in April & the friends I made while I was there. The Texas Two Step & the mayhem that ensued. I thought of everything I had been through, the sacrifices, the life savings gladly depleted, the debates watched with nerves on edge. The wacky pleas for donations on my FR page. The friends made & yes, one or two lost, due to my Obama obsession. But mostly I thought of my Blog Family & all the kindness & support they have shown me. You were in my heart & I took in a deep breath, with eyes closed, to savior the moment for all of us!

So now here I was in Denver. And Obama was about to take the stage. THIS was the moment we had all worked for. More than the moment when he puts his hand on that bible to take the oath of office THIS was the moment we had all worked so hard for. Everything I had done was for this man to be able to become the Democratic Nominee. Everything! And now the moment was here. It was happening. And, despite all odds, despite the fact that just three hours ago I didn’t even have a ticket, I was there to witness it. Unbelievable! Many folks were making frantic calls to friends right before he came on stage, as if to mark the moment, sharing it with loved ones far away. I made one myself. So did Kimberly. We all did.

Obama walked out on the stage & it was literally as if a new life for us all had begun. He walked out on that stage & he accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination of him for POTUS. And from that moment on life as we knew it was & never would be the same. We knew it. And yes, he knew it. You could see it on his face, the way he held his smile in a taut strained way as if to hold the emotion & possibly the tears back. You could see it on his face. The shiny gleam of a tear in his eye. You could see it. You could feel it. I felt as though I was floating. It was an out of body experience. I can’t help but cry as I write this.

Since I’ve been home I’ve watched the speech on CSPAN several times & it was interesting to see it from that vantage point. On TV everything looked so massive. And it was. But somehow when Obama spoke, he was able to make a football stadium filled with 90K people feel intimate. There were moments during his speech when you could have heard a pin drop. Each & every person in that stadium felt every word he said. And when I saw FELT I mean we physically felt them. Each word pierced our hearts & soothed our souls & inspired our hopes. I think it’s because we all knew that this was history. We all knew that every word Obama spoke was literally washing away painful memories of our nation’s history that have, for so long, prevented many of us from feeling truly proud of & connected to our country. With every word he was writing a new page of history for a new day of hope. It was as if we could literally FEEL the change happening within us; as if we were shedding a layer of skin along with the hurt & doubt & pessimism. It was as if we were collectively putting on a new skin, ripe with promise & hope & change & restitution & optimism.

There were moments when he spoke that simultaneously struck through the souls & bodies & hearts of 90K people. One of them was when Obama said, very pointedly, about the past eight years, “ENOUGH!” I don’t know how it read on TV but in that stadium it was profound. It almost scared us. One Black woman near me instinctively shouted out, in the way that only a woman of her history & dialectic could say, “DAAMN!” We all burst out laughing. It was the first time we had heard Obama say something with such force, anger & strength. His voice reverberated throughout the Denver night & if anyone ever doubted this man’s ability to be forceful, to lead, to take charge, to get angry, all doubts were obliterated with that fierce command. Some of us thought it was kinda sexy too. But that is another story for another day.

There was another moment that struck me in a very powerful way. Obama was challenging each of us to do better, be better, to bring America to her full potential, reminding us that we could, that we must. I actually found myself nodding my head up & down, tears streaming down my face, saying out loud, “Ok, I will. I promise. I will.” It makes me cry just thinking about it. I vowed then & there to try to be a better person, to try to give more & do more in every aspect of my life. I suddenly felt unworthy of this man’s faith in me & I vowed that I would try to live up to the expectations & hope & promise that he saw in all of us. Without sounding over dramatic, it felt like a religious experience. I’m not sure what those are supposed to feel like. All I know is that I felt as though if this improbably journey could lead this man to this stage on this night then anything was possible. Any dream could come true. There was nothing that could not be achieved. He had proven it & he was encouraging us, demanding of us that we set our dreams, ambitions, goals as high towards the mile high moon as we could.

That this night fell, by pure coincidence, on the 45th anniversary of the “I Have A Dream” speech, just two years less than Obama has been on this earth, three more than I have, was of course almost as if the timing were heavenly ordained. And when Obama tenderly made reference to the young preacher from Atlanta, 90K people collective drew their breath in & 90K hearts skipped a beat. We KNEW the date of the day. But to hear Obama refer it & to see with our own eyes the young preacher’s dream realized - well, there are moments in life that are simply so profound they actually hurt. They touch your soul so deep inside that it aches. It’s as if time stands still & you see America’s life flash before your eyes. It’s impossible to describe.

And there was most definitely a palpable difference in the way Black folks reacted to & felt the speech. I don’t say that to cause division. It is just fact. For me, a bi-racial person, the Obama adventure has been about a lot of things, the LEAST of which, for me, has been race. YES, it is a crucial part of what makes this man so compelling. But we all know that not all folks are created equally. I did not expect to be so affected by the history of the moment. Maybe that was naïve of me, but I really didn’t. But as it was happening & I saw the reaction of the Black folk around me & I felt Kimberly trembling beside me & I looked at this man on the stage whose skin tone is the same caramel hue as mine, it just overwhelmed me. It DID become about the fact that a Black man was receiving the nomination, and even more so, for a moment, than the fact that it was Obama himself. A Black man was on his way to be POTUS. And as 90K people waved the little fans we had gathered throughout the day with a photo of MLK, Jr & the words, “I Have A Dream” to cool themselves, it was overwhelming. We dreamt the dream for so many years & we were waking up on a warm Denver night & THIS time it was no longer a dream. It was REAL! It was happening. And we were there to witness it.

When you looked around you, everyone was breathing in the hope & history & change that he spoke of. But when you looked at the Black people it was different. We literally were clinging on to one anther. People who had been strangers only a few hours earlier wrapped around one another as if to physically hold each other up, as the wave of history washed over us, for fear that we might collapse under the enormity of it all. We truly leaned on one another, like the song says, providing strength & comfort. Kimberly & I were holding on to one another for dear life.

And we cried. And when I say cried I mean sobbed. And when I say sobbed I mean our bodies literally shaking with emotion & we did that ugly cry that happens when all vanity goes out the window, even though local TV cameras were fixed on Kimberly & I. I’m sure they looked at the footage & decided not to air it! LOL! We were not looking cute!

Later on the news I saw footage of Oprah as she watched the speech. And I was struck by what I saw. She was sitting among a group of white people. They were clearly moved by the speech. But Oprah’s reaction was different. Exactly like me, she had her hand over her mouth, as if she was afraid to let the sounds of her emotions escape for fear of what it would sound like. Exactly like me, her body was heaving with tears. Exactly like me, she was doing the ugly cry. And exactly like me, a friend reached over to wrap her arms around her in what most would call a hug but I call a healing embrace that doesn’t end when most hugs do. In Oprah’s case, the friend was Mary J Blige. In my case it was, Kimberly, who was by my side all day, a middle school assistant principal (which of course meant that we had so much in common as we are school administrators), who as we later discovered, shares the exact same birthday as me in day, month & year. And just like Oprah, as the news reported, Kimberly turned to me through her tears to ask, “Are my eyelashes still on?” to which we dissolved in giggles through our tears. Every emotion you can imagine, we felt it.

In that moment we were simply four Black women, not separated by fame, fortune or position, but rather united by history of our heritage & the emotion of the moment.

And when those precious little girls walked out on the stage after the speech with their mother & father ~ the future First Family in color coordinated hues of Royalty ~ every Black person in that crowd realized we were witnessing a dream come to life, albeit a dream that many never dared to dream. For younger Black folks the reaction seemed to be more jubilant. Their tears mixed with confident smiles. Everything in their lives thus far has led them to believe this day Should & Would come true. For older folks it was almost as if they were in disbelief. The tears seemed tinged with a bit of sorrow, as if they were remembering everything they had endured in their lives to get to this point; perhaps wishing that loved ones long gone were there to witness it with them; possibly not even believing what they were seeing was real. Everything in their lives thus far had led them to believe that this Should but might never come true.

It was perhaps the most powerful moment for many of us. I kept saying through my tears as I shook my head, “It’s just too much. It’s just too much”. I felt like I couldn’t absorb it all. I actually had to look away for a moment. That sounds odd, I know, but I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was as if I had to look away & then look back to make sure what I was seeing was real.

When Mr. & Mrs. Biden & Mr. & Mrs. Obama huddled together on stage - not sure if they showed that on TV - it was another especially moving, sweet, intimate moment. These two couples, sharing this moment, arms wrapped around one another, standing forehead to forehead. The crowd went wild. There was nothing contrived about it. We could only imagine what they were thinking & saying to one another. Knowing Barack we could imagine it was thoughtful & profound. Knowing Joe we could imagine it was funny & irreverent. And then when Barack’s sister was on stage I kept thinking, “I can’t believe it’s her! I have a photo with her framed in my living room & THERE she is”. I was so happy for her, my friend. I feel I can call her that. I know she wouldn’t mind.

And when Barack & Michelle shared that intimate moment at the very end, the crowd almost lost their minds. In the midst of this massive event among 90K people, you could FEEL not only the love & respect they share but how truly moved they both were by the moment. They literally took our breath away as she nuzzled her head against his neck & he closed his eyes & pulled her tight in his arms. Have you ever heard 90K people sigh in sweet admiration? And it is true that Obama was VERY close to tears at the end. You could tell that he was taking it all in & humbled by the nights events. It was truly breathtaking.

Later in the evening I met a woman who had the privilege of going back stage after the speech. She said that the Biden grandkids & the Obama girls were running around playing tag & throwing confetti in the air & squealing & all the adults were in tears, hugging & high fiving & looking at one another with disbelief & glee. She said there was nothing that would make you think these were jaded politicians but rather families joining together to celebrate their collective accomplishments! She said they looked like they just found out they had won the lotto - which in a way they had. Everyone was delirious & proud & giddy. It was jolly mayhem! It’s heartening to know that they felt the way WE felt.

As 90K people filed out of the stadium the festive atmosphere prevailed. People were still crying & hugging & shaking their heads in disbelief. Some were singing. Some were just in quiet revere. Others were howling at the moon. Some were dancing. We linked arms with a bunch of strangers & just enjoyed the moment as we walked away from the stadium. And then for some reason Kimberly & I fell into a fit of the giggles & were bent over in hysterics. I think we had been so emotional & focused during the speech that once we got out in the open space of the parking lot we kind of just had a mini-emotional breakdown! We just had to get it out of our system. LOL I’m not sure how to explain it. We kind of just lost our minds for a moment. Maybe you had to be there. I don’t know. All I know is we just laughed & laughed & laughed as we made our way back to the shuttles that took us back to downtown Denver where the revelry continued.

I still can’t believe I was THERE. All I can say is that it was, without a doubt, the single most profound experience of my life. My life can now be divided into two parts. Life Before The Speech. And Life After The Speech.

After The Speech we attended THE PARTY of the night hosted by Wil.I.Am & the Black Eyed Peas. Fergie performed with them, as well as Herbie Hancock & John Legend. The audience was a mix of regular folks, major celebrities & many news folks letting their down. Where else could you stand & dance next to Hill Harper, Kerry Washington, Kevin Frazier, Stevie Wonder, Daniel Dae Kim, ME, Biz Marque and pretty much every pro-athlete that didn’t have a game that night. Everyone mixed in with everyone else. No one was treated like or acting like a star. The bar was open, the music was amazing & everyone was there to show love for Obama.

Oh & guess who was there? Sticker Lady! Remember her? She was there & I went up to her & introduced myself. She remembered me & we hugged & I told her I was proud that she was representing my district. We had a nice chat, toasted one another & introduced our friends to one another. It was kinda cool to see her there. Made it feel very full circle because it was at the delegate vote in April that I decided I was FOR SURE going to Denver no matter WHAT happened.

The concert ended at 3am & our party kept going with, among other things, what may go down in history as the most raucous, hysterically funny trip to a drive-in Burger King. After that we hung out in one of our hotel rooms & just laughed & laughed & acted like we were teenagers, putting French Fries up the noses of those who had the misfortune to pass out & reenacted our favorite memories of the day, although I think our memories were slightly altered & our reenactments vaguely exaggerated & over-embellished to ensure that we were the heroes of every scenario. Then someone would laugh so hard that they would make that snorting noise & then the rest of us would laugh so hard at that WE would make that snorting noise too & on & on. We laughed so hard that we were literally rolling on the floor, literally! Everyone was on the same goofy wave length, just happy & silly & tired & overwhelmed & happy to be there sharing this adventure with one another. Needless to say, no one went to sleep that night. I haven’t pulled an all nighter in a LONG time but it was worth it!

We all vowed then & there that we would make plans to be in DC together in January. We were going to ride this train together to the end on 1/20/09!

As the morning news revealed the news of McCain’s VP pick, we were rattled back to reality. CLEARLY McCain has officially gone senile, thinking he is running for Prom King, not POTUS. What a complete & utter joke & insultingly pathetic & desperate decision on his part. And that is all I will say on the subject…for now.

In an effort to keep the party going & refuse to let the insanity of McCain get them down, my new Virginian friends decided to take a road trip to Vail. As my flight was leaving that night I decided to pass up the road trip, get freshened up & go back into downtown Denver to buy Obama swag for friends (including pins for blogger Carey’s collection & gifts for Reggie’s Josie) & enjoy the rest of my time with a casual walk along the mall & a late lunch.

I met up with a few other friends in a hotel lobby & we caught up on the news & Keith. And then it was on the airport.

On the plane I sat with a lovely older Black woman who was also at the speech. Her son was a delegate from…you guessed it, Virginia. She had the high honor of sitting with the King family for the speech. I commented that they must have been very emotional. She said, that oddly, they were not. We couldn’t quite figure out why that was. And as it turned out she was heading to SF to visit her daughter who is one of our evening news anchors on ABC (Carolyn Tyler for you local folks). The young man sitting between us was bi-racial, around twenty years old, from Alabama who was visiting his sister in SF. He said that while he wasn’t able to go to the speech he had put an Obama sign in his window & a bumper sticker on his car just a few weeks ago & that for the first time in his life he was interested & involved in politics. He was so endearing that I gave him a handful of the Obama pins I had purchased earlier in the day.

One oddly touching moment that happened on the flight was when a young American solider was clearly in a bad state. Drinking straight Vodka will do that. He was walking down the aisle & it was clear that he was TRASHED. His face was ghost white & he ended up standing right next to me as the snack cart was in his way. I looked up at him & thought, “Holy crap, he’s gonna blow!” Sure enough, he started to upchuck. I leapt into the lap of the young man next to me. The flight attendant walked the solider into the restroom where he stayed for the remainder of the flight. Right before we landed they walked him back to his seat & propped him up. When we disembarked you could tell he was clearly embarrassed. He started apologizing & I said, “Sweetheart, if anyone is entitled to get their drink on it’s you. You do what you gotta do. Maybe add some juice next time, though.” Everyone started laughing. Poor kid. It was sorta funny, but sorta sad. He looked like he was barely 17 years old. I hope he will be ok. His face still haunts me.

So, now I’m home & I find myself constantly on the verge of tears. The emotion of my time in Denver is still all consuming. It’s hard to get back to life as we know it. I can’t focus on anything. I’ve spent my time bonding with my blog family, teasing them with tidbits of my trip while I try to raise $ on my FR page. It’s hard to get my mind back into the tasks of the day. I simply cannot believe I was there. I see clips of the events in Denver on the TV & my throat tightens & the tears well up in my eyes. I was there. Can it be? I wish I could go back & relive it again…and again & again.

But alas, it’s over. I am home. Work tomorrow. But I am fired up & ready to go. I am ready to get back in the trenches. There is a new fierce sense of urgency now. We have made history. It was overwhelming. I am OVERCOME. As the song says, We Shall & We Have.

xoxo

Lulu

IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SEND YOU PIX OF MY ADVENTURES, EMAIL ME AT SBL4BARACK@YAHOO.COM WITH "PHOTOS" IN THE SUBJECT HEADER ~ THX!

Meet Lulu

Lulu — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:02:05 EDT

I am a native San Franciscan born and raised in the Haight-Ashbury in the 1960’s. I attended Urban High School and received a full academic scholarship to Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY where I received a BA in Liberal Arts, graduating as Senior Class President. I have worked in various industries including advertising, public relations, human resources, and most recently education.

I’ve have considered myself politically active since I went to my first anti-war rally in Golden Gate Park’s pushed in my stroller by my White mother and Black father (who ultimately left when I was two leaving my mother to raise me own her own and for a brief time with the assistance of welfare - to think that I share that personal narrative with the future POTUS is indeed remarkable - many of us with a similar history almost brag about it now! Go figure).

The world of education has always been my true passion. Like most Americans, I work long hours, lived paycheck to check and have to choose carefully where and how to spend the limited time and money I have. For many months now every spare moment of my evenings and weekends and every extra penny have been devoted to the Barack Obama campaign. I have literally given blood, sweat and tears. I have depleted my paltry savings to support the Obama campaign. The efforts I have put forth have been a tremendous sacrifice to many aspects to my life. But I believe in Barack Obama so much. In many ways I could not afford to do all that I have done. But in truth: I couldn’t afford NOT to.

But why?

I long for a president who will inspire, uplift, excite and motivate me; with a fresh perceptive, intellectual curiosity, unwavering integrity, a sense of humor, kind heart, spiritual soul and peaceful nature; an orator & a leader; a humanitarian & a philosopher; a poet & a teacher; a sage man & healer; a person who has strength of character & the passions of his convictions; someone who makes me believe again - actually believe for the FIRST TIME in MY ADULT life - in the promise, dignity & spirit of America.

That candidate is Barack Obama.

I was mesmerized by his speech at the 2004 Convention, but the reason I started to earnestly pay attention to him was because of his early stance against the war. I knew then this was a man of principle, veracity & courage.

But the truth of the matter is that the war in Iraq didn’t really affect my life at all. I could protest it, rant and rave against it - when it was convenient for me to do so - and then I could walk away and watch Dancing with the Stars.

And I could do that because I didn’t know anyone serving our country in Iraq. Until now. I am very active on the Obama blogs and one day I received an email from a solider from Mississippi named Ty. He wrote in part:

Dear Lulu:

I’m sitting in Northern Iraq, in the 5th month of a 15 month tour that I am PROUDLY serving for the country that I love. I’m thinking about my 16 month old son, Joseph and my 4 month old daughter Rukia.

It brings joy to my heart when I think of the way in which all of your hard work will affect Joseph and Rukiya’s life.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for posting, reporting, phone banking, donating and caring & even traveling to Texas to fight the good fight. Barack Obama WILL be our next POTUS because of people like you.

Lulu, your enthusiasm, motivation and willingness to fight this battle to the end is why I fight here in Iraq. You bring tears of joy to my eyes. From the bottom of my heart and for the future of my children, I thank you.

~ Ty Perkins

And so NOW I DO know someone in Iraq. We exchange emails regularly and I think of him as family. I have given him my solemn word that I will keep fighting for him to come home safe and soon to his babies.

And the best way to do THAT is to ensure Barack Obama is our next POTUS. And the best way to do THAT is for me to embark on my new dream being involved in the NEW politics of our nation by working for officially for the GE. By doing so, I can keep my word to a soldier I’ve never met but whom I know we all hold in our prayers, thoughts and hearts.

Lulu, fist bumpin’ for Obama’s New America

Love from the Blog Family

Lulu — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:36:41 EDT

Lulu - Of all the bloggers and supporters, I have to say I respect your words and opinions above all! You truly "get it" when it comes to BHO. Please help the blog crew get back in touch with the messages of HOPE and NEW POLITICS that this campaign is built upon. We have lots of new people who hit these blogs every day, some of whom are HRC trolls of course, but all need to know what this is TRULY ABOUT! You know better than anyone, as you see it first hand on the ground. You live it every day. We can be mad, but we must FOCUS on the task at hand. This race is not won ~ Justin

Dear Lulu, over the past few months you have been an inspiration to me with your devotion to this cause! I am a 54 year old man who has voted Republican in every election. In 1968 before I could vote I actually worked on the Nixon campaign (big mistake)....When I was first investigating the Obama campaign and reading his stand on the issues I started reading the blogs. There was one person on the blogs that stood out and the commitment to the cause was inspiring. That person was you. You do not know me and we will never meet other than an occasional trading of words here. But your influence can never be estimated across the huge numbers of people on this site! Both my wife and I will be pulling the lever in November for Obama! Others are now voting for him because of what we have told others, and they are telling more! You are the well spring! Be proud! Believe me, my wife and I are proud of you. You are our HERO! Oh and just so you know if by some stroke of luck we get to have dinner with Barack Obama we are going to donate it to you because you deserve it! All our best! ~ Wayne & Robin

Hello Lulu, I am living in Canada and an Obama supporter. I have followed you on the blog and I am very impressed about your commitment to this fight for the soul of America. You are part of history and make no mistake about this: you will one day look back and say with pride that you were part of this struggle. I wish I could help in volunteering in this epic battle but I will keep praying for volunteers like you who have sacrificed quite a lot for this campaign. Continue the good work Lulu and very soon Obama will be in the oval office! ~ Okey

Hi Lulu. I really respect all that you do for the Obama campaign, and you are deeply appreciated by many. You are quite the inspiration, and it is uplifting for people to hear your thoughts, and perspectives. Thank you for helping to make this country a better place, and for working so hard; for your inspiration, open-mindedness and efforts to get Barack Obama elected as our next POTUS! ~ Ritz

Lulu! I just wanted to say hello! When I first got up the nerve to make a profile and post here for the first time last week, I cited you and a few others as inspiration to shed my shell, as it were. Thanks & have a blessed day! ~ Jenny

Hi Lulu, I have been lurking on the blogs for over a month now and I wanted you to know that I have always enjoyed reading your contributions. I was one of the many, many readers who fruitlessly searched for your posts when you were on a brief hiatus; and you should know that I found the blog less satisfying without your leadership (and cheerleading). It is always refreshing to read your funny, inspiring and informative posts and I think that the efforts that you have expended during this campaign are extraordinary. You are an inspiration to many. Thank You! ~ Meagan

Lulu, I have been moved by your dedication, enthusiasm, and belief in Barack. I love reading your blog entries! You were one of the first ones who really made me feel a part of this grand adventure! You are one of our amazing ones! AND I want to hear about your Texas adventures!!! ~ Nancy

Hi Lulu - I've been lurking on the blog and have been excited seeing your enthusiasm and the open arms that the other supporters extend to you. Thanks for getting out to TX and doing the work you did - your efforts are making a difference I'm sure! I've been donating through the main page, but tonight I wanted to come in and put my contribution through your page as a way of saying Hi and Thank you. I feel so good knowing that people like you are out there doing what you can on the road so that we can make sure Barack makes it all the way. Wow - so cool. :-) ~ Lo

Lulu is a hero who has kept the blogs upbeat for months. Lulu you are an inspiration! ~ Blake

Lulu - You're Amazing. I sit at my computer tonight after reading your letter and I am in complete awe at how you are able to so eloquently communicate your thoughts, your passion, your idiosyncrasies - just everything - in such an amazing way. I know that we haven't had direct interaction on the blogs, but there have been sooo many times that I've gone through the day, telling my husband about you and your posts, how they make me smile, think, stop and listen, or just laugh out loud. Thank you for being exactly who you are -- as authentic as you have been. Being involved in this campaign has taught me so much. I look forward to continuing the journey ~ Chrissie

Hi Lulu, You are such an inspiration to us. My husband, Jamal, is always reading your posts to me and spoke about you going to Texas. I finally decided to take more action than I have and did a profile ~ Lynn

Lulu, I think you should raise your donation goal. You have that ability to convince people to donate more. Your contributions to this campaign have been amazing and your humor just makes the blogosphere alive. I wish I could do the same, but I'm just a quiet Obamacan lurker. Thank you for supporting our service members. I am also an officer just like Ty. It does feel good when people thank us for our service. Peace! ~ Mylene

Hi Lulu, I missed you while you were in Obama Rehab. You are so loved by your Obama family. I am moved that you were able to secure 4 full years of scholarship for your two students. I work out at Hunter point Naval Shipyards. Thanks you for all your work. Next time this year Obama will be our President ~ Emily

Lulu, I just admire all your hard work so much! You Barack! ~ Jill

You're such an inspiration to everyone on this blog. You rock! :) ~ Natalie

Lulu, I really appreciate reading your comments and being encouraged by your commitment. Blessings ~ Shane in Slovakia

First time on this site. I don’t know you, Lulu, but you speak elegantly & like Obama, you take the high road, which is the right road ~ Janice

Hi Lulu, I just read your blog post - how wonderfully you transcend the written word to express emotion - that is your secret! You write in a manner that makes us feel like you are in the room with us - we can feel your energy, sometimes your sadness, hear your laughter, etc. Keep up the good fight ~ Mary

Hi Lulu, I love reading your posts. You are so full of love, life and humor that I feel a certain kinship ~ Dan

Thanks for ALL that you've done for this campaign. You are an inspiration! ~ Maryann

Lulu, I wanted you to know that long ago, when you first came back and reported on your trip to Texas, I was so inspired that I decided then and there I would finally overcome my inertia and fear of rejection, and GOTV. I signed up for the Indiana Action team shortly after your return from Texas (I live in neighboring Illinois). Well, yesterday (before I got your note), I hunted down the precinct captain for the Michigan City, IN office, and told him I wanted to come to Indiana this weekend to register voters. So on Saturday, I will be packing the car, leaving the kids with my husband, and heading for Indiana for a day of knocking on doors. AND I WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE INSPIRATION OF YOUR TEXAS TRIP WEEKS AGO. I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT THE MANY THINGS YOU DO FOR THIS CAMPAIGN GROW ITS SUCCESS EXPONENTIALLY. Thank you. :) ~ Christine

Lulu, you're such a warm person you can't even conceal it. You're the personification of what Obama can bring out of all of us: the best. I can't wait to meet you in Texas. You'll be able to take your warmth from the blogs onto the streets of Austin. Bless your sweet heart ~ Julie

Lulu, that a presidential campaign can inspire such heartfelt and thoughtful soul-searching and transformation is a testament to its strength, I think, and to yours ~ Rue

Lulu, I'm grateful for your honesty and for your depth of thought. That you've grown so much and thought so deeply due to intense involvement with Obama's campaign makes me feel even better about supporting Obama for president. The world needs people like you, and people like him to spur them on! ~ Lori

Hi, Lulu! I was drawn to your Obama page and blog tonight because of a post you made on the community blog. Really enjoyed your most recent personal blog. And then I moved to an earlier one, where you announced your return. I was so touched by your words, as well as by the clear support you received from so many within the Obama community ~ Elyse

Hi Lulu, I travel extensively internationally for work and your blog contributions have really made me inspired. I was at the Obama speech on Feb 5 and it was amazing. Keep it up for all of us!!!! ~ Kelly

Lulu, I see you on here so much - love your enthusiasm! It is fun to read your comments and see your excitement! Keep having fun and entertaining us bloggers! Love the excitement in reading your blog comments! ~ Debra

Hi Lulu, thanks for hopping back onto the hope wagon full of hope mongers. Your words have brought tears into my eyes. Strange coz big boys don’t cry ~ Joe

Lulu, Hi! I'm in San Francisco too. You are the best. You are so cheerful and good for this/our campaign. ~ Julia

Lulu. I have always enjoyed your commitment to this great movement. I have a dream and I am believing in my dream that our time has come. Hold yourself in there strong Lulu. You are who you are and are entitled to respect, huge respect! You are an awesome inspiration to so very many who are in here, myself included! ~ James

Hi Lulu, I see you all over the blog with INSPIRING words about Obama. People like you help others to be part of this great movement! Keep up the great work Lulu :) ~ Joleen
Your blog really touched me Lady Lulu, thank you for taking the time to write it out in such loving detail.
I would love to be able to write as much and as well as you do. Sorry to ramble on, but I am just "giddy as a school girl" when people write me on this site...I am always So excited to talk to other people that LOVE Barack the way I do!!! Thank you for writing me Lady Lulu, I feel like a celebrity just sent me a private message :) ~ Nathaniel
Lulu - you have given so much already. I'm just asking, please, stay on point with us and help spread the joy that is in your heart to some of the newbies that get scared by their own shadow. Yours is a voice of reason and HOPE. Yours was the voice, on these blogs, that brought me to Obama from JRE. We all need you! ~ Justin

~ Then one day the blog got ugly & I left it for a few days ~ went to Obama Rehab ~ LOL

I just heard a terrible rumor that you weren't going to blog anymore. I hope that is not true. Sometimes we need to be reminded what we mean to each other. I was a silent "lurker" on the blog for a long time. I had never had the courage to lend my voice to anything like this. In fact, due to a stroke a year ago, my spoken voice is not a reliable as my written voice. Mostly, I listened to you. Here was this young dynamic beautiful teacher that was hip and smart and funny - you helped give me a voice. I miss you on the blog. I thought you were in Texas, so I wasn't concerned - and then I heard the rumor. If you are campaigning - I hope you are having a wonderful time. If you are still here and silent, please know the power of your voice ~ Lynn

Lulu, may I tell you what your presence here has meant to me? I don't leave many messages, but I read these blogs daily. Due to a severe accident I am recovering from, I'm housebound. I've followed these pages closely and you, my dear, have been a breath of fresh air each and every day. Your positive outlook, gracious warmth, friendly and enthusiastic nature, and dedication to this great movement are a ray of sunshine I look forward to in the morning. I was devastated when my state, CA, let down Obama. I came on here and the first thing I saw was you. The way you rebounded, your view of the positives, your ability to keep moving forward, and the effect you've had on other posters (like Ty,) have warmed my heart and lightened my load more times then I can count. While you don't know me, I feel like I know you and I'm confident that you are a person I'd be proud to call "friend," and I'm also certain that many others on here would share that sentiment. Please dear, reconsider. Were you to leave, it would be a grievous loss for many of us ~ Ro

Lulu, many of us here like myself look forward to your posts...lol...try to gather strength and draw strength from the Obama family you have here. You are such a tremendous support. You have inspired so many! This forum is a place to have that dialogue. It where HQ comes for a temper check. You are a part of that. You are a positive part of that. You are helping. You are an important representation. Don't go...you've given money, time, mind share, energy and encouraged other to do the same...all positive, all essential to this campaigns success. Its not wonder, everyone wants a piece of Lulu...Your positivity is needed on this blog because you bring a joy and light heartedness to the mix. I, like everyone else on this blog have visited many other blogs but none compare to this, to you, and each individual whose dedication screams from the pages of this blog. Stay your course we need you! ~ Moose

Hey Lulu, Just wanted to say you have been a positive force. Also, I agree with your sentiments, but leaving will remove the positive influence you have on some of us on the blog. Hope you reconsider and stay. Don’t leave now; you are one of our greatest contributors! ~ Kudrati

Lulu, come back please and just breathe for a second. Remember the soldier that knew your name and said he came here to read your posts. Remember the encouragement you gave him and how appreciative he was to you. I know things can get crazy on this blog, some of us that have blogged since Iowa don't say as much anymore because we have so many new people, but that's a good thing, it's kind of grown beyond us....It's still a place that needs to represent the tone and hopefulness of our candidate. We all need to try to make it that place ~ Jodi

I always enjoy reading your posts...I tend to scroll through all the posts as quickly as I can and post every now and then. You always put a smile on my face. Thanks for all of your hard work and uplifting comments ~ Deann

Lulu, I've been reading your posts for a very long time. You are a voice of constant inspiration and embody the hope that Obama speaks of. I do hope that you won't let your spirited voice leave the Blog as you have inspired many to join in. If so, it will be a great pity ~ Bill

Lulu, Please don't leave! I love reading your posts and your enthusiasm is contagious! You can't leave!!! This board will not be the same without you ~ Reformed Republican

Please Lulu do not leave the blog. Remember that you are doing this for the future of the campaign and not the people who are irritating the blog. Please Lulu think again and remember you were there in the beginning and we all need you there. You are one of the reasons I check the blog. Thanks ~ Okey from Canada

Lulu, You haven't been around on the blogs much, and, at the very high risk of sounding terribly creepy...I miss you! And I KNOW I'm not the only one. You are one of those communicators that always manage to show your personality through your words. You are feisty, intelligent, joyful, and Hopeful to a degree that the rest of us can only aspire to. We need strong women like you here. I mean that. Hope to be seeing you soon! ~ Cat

My sister told me you were leaving the blog. Although I understand it is frustrating seeing an increasing amount of negativity, and the people who seem to be know it alls concerning running the campaign, but it is people like you that keep the blog running strong and positive. I don’t think u need to bear responsibility of the actions of others, but I think you should continue to grace us with your insightfulness and strong message of hope. Hope to see you around. Best wishes ~ Paul

Hi Lulu: I read the blog daily and never post. I read them because of people like you. I quietly donate and phone bank. It was your voice, joined with others, that made me take part of my unemployment check and donate to this cause. Barack has told us that the cynics’ voices would get louder as this journey moved forward. You cannot let their voices be heard over yours. It is too late Lulu, you are a big part of this movement whether you like it or not. Hang in there; tomorrow’s victory will not be the same without a big YAHOOO from Lulu! ~ Chris

When I read you were leaving it felt like I was losing someone very close to me and all I know you of is by you blog post!! I FEEL CONNECTED TO YOU!!! I feel like if I ran into you at the local Wal Mart I would know you when not even meeting you prior. I know it’s strange but I get what I'm trying to say in my mind. So today is my third straight day sine you left and I'm going to be getting at you until you're back!!!!! ~ Rick

You would be surprised of the profound impact that you have on people that's FOR BARACK through your blogging. For one look at me, Kyle from South Carolina and Lulu from Cali on different sides of the COUNTRY but here for one COMMON GOAL!! While I know you wont stop fighting for Barack I am not going to stop from encouraging you to BLOG!! If I have to write you ever day then so be it. You taught me to NEVER stop going after someone or anything that you feel we should have and YOU are what we need!! So maybe you'll have to delete your personal neighborhood page. :) I want to leave you with a thought...The most effective way to ensure the value of the future is to confront the present courageously and constructively. (Remember!) If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you’re going to be cockeyed today! ~ Rev Run

~ But then I came back…

You know we all missed you...:-) Great message. We're all feeling the strain, and you worded your goals for yourself and us beautifully. Glad to see you back! ~ Cat

Welcome back Lulu!! I don't know you from the man in the moon---but I did miss you and I'm surely glad to have you back! You make a difference. You've got a little of Barack Obama's spirit, and it shows! ~ KJ

Just as God has angels to help get out his message, Obama has people like you. You are an extension of his voice. You bring a sense of humor, a sense of calm and a sense of reason to the blog. I just wish you had been here for the ice cream thread!! ~ Kathy

Hi Lulu, this is my second time to ever add my two cents on the blog but I would admit I steadily read the blogs everyday but your blogs were truly missed. I am glad to see you back. Welcome back once again ~ Promise

Lulu, your letter on your blog is so inspirational. It's very easy to get lost and frazzled during this highly emotional race for the Presidency. Your input is so beneficial. We really and truly are glad to have you back, so thanks! Beautiful, Lulu. Thank you for your heart and soul, which you've put into this campaign. You care so deeply. Just like Michelle. Just like Barack. Just like all of us can, if we try ~ Carol

Hi Lulu, you don't know me but I have been reading you comments over the past couple months. You and other like you are truly the reason why our candidate is doing so well. I also noticed you were absent for a while, but its good to have you back ~ Dawit

Lulu, you never know how much I missed you. Even though I rarely post anything, I constantly read the blogs. You are the only one that has kept me so motivated except of course Barack. Welcome back, Love ~ Debbie

Welcome back. You are kind of an unofficial mascot to many of us. You set an example for all of us. Hugs ~ Ohio

Lulu, what a joy to have our ray of sunshine back. You are a jewel, with many facets and lots of shine. It is such a pleasure to have you back here at home. Thank you!!! ~ May

Lulu, You are such a sweetheart and a pure, loving, giving and open-minded soul. No wonder everyone whose path you cross adores you. Welcome back! :) ~ Lea

Thanks Lulu for your dedication and hard work for the country you dearly love. You are my hero. Bless you for all of the great things you do and for being such a good-hearted soul, with great character and integrity ~ Ida

God bless you Lulu. I want to echo the sentiments of many on this blog: You are one in a million. You are my HERO. Stay strong ~ Henry

Lulu: I love the essence of the blogging Lulu. You are inspiring, you rock and I love that you live in San Francisco, one of my most favorite cities and are supporting Obama, my most favorite candidate. Thanks for your donations, positive presence and sheer funness. ~ Kevin

I wanted to give a shout out to LULU for her ongoing positive support for all of us and everything we are doing and her future travels to TX. In her honor: WHO's MAKING PHONE CALLS? Who's going door to door? Faith Without ACTION is Dead. More Talking to our fellow Americans!! ~ PJ

I couldn't agree more. While I have not commented much on the blogs, I am reading them frequently (okay... constantly) and Lulu's posts have really inspired me. Perhaps it's in part because I am a fellow educator :) ~ Lisa

You inspire me so much, Lulu! I've been reading your posts and your enthusiasm is contagious. I made 5 calls to Wisconsin today and so far, 20 to Hawaii, and still going! ~ Kathy

Fan of Lulu, Is there anyone else here who would like to see a profile of Lulu and all her efforts on this blog? She's an inspiration in good times and bad J ~ Liv

For months on this blog I have seen one person who has worked so hard on Obama's behalf. I would suggest that if one of us is lucky enough to win this dinner we give it to Lulu! I will make my donation and if I win well...Lulu you will have to go to dinner in my place! I will ask you to get me an autograph though! ~ Wayne

Wayne, I'm in on that one!! LULU has been the life of this blog for months now. She has worked so had not only for the campaign but also for us. Keeping us laughing, all those crazy stories! ~ Rhonda

Wayne, great idea. I was thinking if Lulu got it, it would feel like we were all there with her! ~ Jeannie

LULU! You are the BOMB! I really hope that Barack does something really wonderful for you! You have been such an inspiration to all of us! ~ Lily

LULU: People like you with your positive energy have inspired me and others to bring Obama votes and donations, whether on line or with personal contacts. With 100 percent heart felt thanks you have made a huge positive impact on posters, readers and the Obama campaign. Please take joy and pride in that and thank you for allowing me the privilege of reading your thoughts. Love and respect ~ Patrick

LULU FOR VP! ~ Blake