Yes We Can!

Dear Fellow Supporters of President Obama,

It has been an honor and a privilege to work with you to re-elect our great President Barack Obama. Your passion and commitment have inspired me through each house party, phone bank, voter registration and canvass. The wonderful friendships I've made will last four more years and beyond.

With my best wishes, sincere thanks and warm affection,

Eileen

OFA Neighborhood Team Leader for Lake Nona and OC Democratic Precinct Woman

Walk and Chew Gum

This weekend Organizing for America is asking the neighborhood teams to show they can walk and chew gum at the same time. Translation: Knock on doors and make calls at the same campaign event. I have organized, hosted, or attended more than 60 OFA events since December 2011. Some have been phone banks; others, canvasses. This Saturday the Lake Nona/Lake Hart team will do both - sending some volunteers out to canvass the neighborhood while others stay at command headquarters to make calls to build support for President Obama's re-election. It will be a dry run for GOTV on Election Day. Can we do both? Yes, we can!

Zen and the Art of Canvassing

I had an out-of-body experience last Saturday while canvassing for President Obama. From a parallel universe, I watched my avatar walking around a desolate subdivision in the mid-day heat of Central Florida. Knocking on doors, leaving pamphlets, now and then talking to someone (supporters and not), my avatar doggedly covered her turf. We were a long way from the crowded streets and energy of Manhattan.

Now back to what passes for reality these days and the art of canvassing. After a refresher lesson on cutting turf, I am now creating maps and walk lists for the Lake Nona and Lake Hart team canvasses. We are doing our first canvass in Lake Hart on Saturday. There are lots of red dots on the maps; I am hoping for a strong turnout of volunteers. There are just five more weeks until Election Day on November 6th, with early voting beginning October 27th.

Four more years!

Do Not Read the Polls!

I sent a text to a potential volunteer for a canvass for President Obama this weekend. She responded that she could not take part because of a family obligation. She then expressed her happiness at the polls showing President Obama pulling ahead. Did she feel she was off the hook for volunteering because of the positive polls for the President? Given human nature, that was a real possibility.

A lot can happen before election day. We will not know how this turns out until all the polling places close on November 6th - if we are lucky. With all the new voting hurdles and resulting court cases, we could be facing a "Florida 2000".

Do not read the polls! Knock on doors! Make calls! Register voters! Get out the vote! Keep your eye on the prize! Four more years!

Cheerful Equanimity

I am trying to maintain a state of cheerful equanimity (think the Dalai Lama) as we head into the final weeks of the Presidential campaign. That is why I did not watch any of the Republican Convention. It is hard to be the calm center of my own existence when all I want to do is smash in Paul Ryan's face.

Our Sacred Trust

I had the privilege of hearing Beau Biden, Delaware Attorney General and son of Joe Biden, at the Orange County Democrats JJ dinner on Friday. When Biden's reserve company was called up a few years ago, he took a leave from his position as AG and deployed to Iraq with his company. Biden was especially passionate in speaking about our obligations to our returning troops. I want to share some of his comments.

Did you know that Paul Ryan's budget calls for a 17% reduction in funding for the Veterans Administration in year one? This is from a leader of the Republican Party that claims to be better on defense than the Democrats. Of course, the Republicans are happy to fund big weapons systems development. (I know, the Democrats do the same thing.) But what about our veterans? Earlier, Ryan had proposed privatizing the VA by giving veterans vouchers to buy health care services from private insurance companies and providers. Even the Republicans balked at that insensitive proposal.

You should keep in mind that the VA is widely recognized for success in improving the quality of care and managing costs. For example, the VA negotiates with the drug companies to get discounts on bulk purchases. The ability to negotiate discounts with drug companies was specifically excluded from the Part D Medicare drug benefit passed during W. Bush's administration with strong Republican support. The high costs of drugs is one reason Medicare is under financial pressure. Senior citizens have to cope with the dreaded donut hole, which is being closed under President Obama's health care reform act.

This is a longer post that usual, and my avatar is no where in sight. This is serious stuff, people. We have a sacred trust to take care of our veterans forever. President Obama understands this. Four more years!

Don't be fooled by first impressions!

Here is the Lake Nona team story I posted on Dashboard, the social networking tool of Organizing for America.

As you drive down Narcoossee Road through the Lake Nona community, you will see gated communities, an exclusive golf club, high-end apartments, and a scattering of shops and restaurants. At first glance, this may not look like a promising neighborhood for the re-election campaign of President Obama. Don't be put off by first impressions. There is a strong core of committed volunteers working to register voters, make calls, and knock on doors - whatever it takes to make sure we have the vision and leadership of Barack Obama in the White House for four more years. Many of the Lake Nona team members worked hard in the 2008 campaign. Now they are renewing their efforts for 2012. Please join a great group of your fellow President Obama supporters in Lake Nona. This will be an extremely close election. Every vote counts! Can we count on you to help us get out the vote for President Obama in November?

Dividing the Known World

Taking our lead from Octavian and Mark Antony, Isa and I are dividing the current OFA Lake Nona neighborhood into two turfs: Lake Nona and Lake Hart. I am confident that this will work out better than it did for our Ancient World protagonists. Isa and I share the same goal: re-electing President Obama. It is not about our quest for power. And we do not have Cleopatra to stir up the pot.

Four more years!

Stop when you hear the police sirens!

Yesterday, the OFA Lake Nona team went out for its first canvass. In keeping with the general spirit of political campaigns, it was barely contained chaos. About half the volunteers backed out at the last minute. The few committed people who did show up at the East Park Gazebo were not seasoned canvassers. I include myself in that group; honestly, I didn't know what I was doing.

With our maps, clipboards and brochures, we broke up into two teams and headed out to knock on doors. About half way through, Ramon called me. He had the misfortune to knock on the door of the HOA president, who threatened to call the police because we did not have official HOA badges. I invoked the guidance Naomi had given us: ask for forgiveness, not permission. I persuaded the team to continue the canvass but out of visual range of the HOA official. "We will canvass until we hear the police sirens!" No sirens, no problems as we finished our shift. I talked to several people who were strong supporters of President Obama and ready to volunteer. I also spoke with a number of undecided voters; I did my best to address their concerns.

There will be more and better canvasses in the months ahead. If necessary, I will invoke my Constitutional right to be out there expressing my views. If the Supreme Court in Citizens United held that corporations are people and can basically do whatever they want in political campaigns under the First Amendment, real people should be able to do the same. Don't you think!

Warming up the Crowd for POTUS

Lesson Learned: When your audience has been standing in the hot sun or sitting on hard benches for 2 - 3 hours, be the first speaker. The 2,000 or so people in the gym will be so excited that the program is finally getting under way, they will applaud and cheer at anything you say. That's what happened when I gave the welcoming remarks for President Obama's appearance at Rollins College. Well, I didn't do it, exactly. "I am fired up and ready to go!" is not an expression that falls trippingly off the tongue of this life-long introvert. My avatar took over when we reached the podium, and Eileen from the Obama campaign had the crowd cheering on cue. Good job, girlfriend! I will admit that I shared the adrenaline rush from the great audience reaction. It was an extraordinary experience.

But that was nothing compared to the electric reaction when President Obama entered. POTUS has charisma, the real thing. The President was smart, funny, passionate. Another adrenaline rush!

My five minutes of fame are behind me. It is time to recruit for this Sunday's canvass and the phone bank next Wednesday. There is a lot of work to do to make sure we have President Obama in the White House for four more years. But I am fired up and ready to go!

100 Days and Counting

This past weekend marked 100 days until the election in November. I hosted a phone bank to call registered voters of various political parties and inclinations to identify supporters of President Obama. We need more volunteers in Lake Nona as the pace of grassroots organizing picks up.

Our small but very industrious phone crew included four new recruits to the effort. The challenge is to grow the team, with volunteers coming back again and again to events. I emailed about 100 people yesterday, inviting them to a phone bank tomorrow night. I will follow up with calls this evening to recruit volunteers. I will be delighted if eight people show up. I just keep emailing and calling.

Some of you have asked about my avatar, Eileen from the Obama campaign. Who do you think is making all those calls?

It Takes One

Michelle Obama announced a new campaign initiative just in time to save me from deep feelings of failure last Saturday. The theme is "It Takes One," and the goal is to have each person now working in the campaign bring in one more supporter. I kept this theme in mind after Vicki and I spent three hours on a very hot July afternoon registering voters in a small strip shopping center just north of my Lake Nona neighborhood. Our total results? You guessed it. One new voter registered. But hey! It Takes One.

Reaching out to at-risk kids

We registered to vote about 275 students at two alternative high schools during three events. The students range in age from 16 to 21. They are working toward their high school diplomas after dropping out or having difficulty in more traditional school settings. To provide educational value, we presented an overview of the history of voter rights in the United States, from the first days of the Republic to the present, and talked about the importance of voting for their futures. We then offered them the opportunity to register.

Did we connect with them? Maybe a few now have a greater understanding of how elections affect their lives. Will everyone who registered actually vote? Probably not. Do I believe that there will be more voters in that group than if we had not shown up with our PowerPoint and concern for their futures? Absolutely yes. My thanks to Vicki, Ramon, Joseph, Maria, Isa, Carol and Jeffrey for being part of our great voter registration team.

Fabric of Cosmos Meets Chaos of Campaign

Wow! What a week. As I was preparing for my first Lake Nona canvass for President Obama, the physicists at CERN announced that they had really found the Higgs boson, which gives mass to the universe so we can walk and talk and go on canvasses. Gail Collins was quick to show how this breakthrough discovery in particle physics can be a game-changer for our Presidential campaign in yesterday's column.

Torn between reading more about the Standard Model or the President's promises kept, I was once again reminded that political campaigns do not conform to the known laws of the universe. Chaos reigns. My current OFA handler called to tell me that the canvass was off. Quick pivot to a phone bank to invite supporters to hear the FLOTUS speak at UCF on Tuesday. I handed off to my avatar, Eileen from the Obama campaign, who is much better than I am at changing course quickly. We headed to Publix to get snacks for the next afternoon and reached out to everyone who had signed up to canvass about the change in plans. Our small but industrious group made 240 calls Saturday afternoon and signed up quite a few people for the event. A new member of our group was a one-man interpreter team; fluent in English, French, Spanish and Creole, he was the go-to person for a number of calls.

We will canvass for President Obama another day, secure in the knowledge that the Higgs boson is out there.

Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger!

Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger! For some reason, those words from the old SNL skit with John Belusi keep running through my mind. Maybe it's because I am also constantly thinking "phone bank, phone bank, phone bank." The OFA Lake Nona team has weekly phone banks scheduled through the end of July. We are also set for a big voter registration event at an alternative high school with about 400 students. This afternoon we start planning our canvassing drive, including a push to sign up people to vote by mail.

Perhaps I should eat more cheeseburgers to give me the energy to get through the next four months. My usual diet of yogurt, salads, veggies and dip may not do the trick. I am having a meeting this afternoon at Dunkin' Donuts; a good donut is my answer to almost any stressful situation. I'll go back to a sensible diet after we re-elect President Obama.

Afraid to Take Me On

Was it my charisma? My substantial war chest? My track record of success in representing the precinct? Whatever the reason, no one challenged me for Precinct 431 captain. Unopposed, I will automatically take my position in December in the newly redrawn precinct 431 in Lake Nona. So as not to confuse the many loyal followers of this blog, the name will remain Dispatches from Precinct 437. Four more years!

New Life. New Hope. New Commitment.

It was about 4 in the afternoon when the first message arrived. I had just returned from Publix with snacks and drinks for the OFA team meeting I was hosting in my apartment at 7. My older nephew told me that my niece had gone into labor and the family was gathering at Winnie Palmer hospital. What to do? Leave a sign on the door for the expected 10 - 12 people, saying "Sorry! Meeting Cancelled)? Carry on with the meeting, knowing that my pacing the hospital waiting room would not aid the delivery?

I stayed. My nephew sent me bulletins on the progress of labor as I put out the sign-in lists and pens and the plate of raw veggies and dip. Then, when just a few people had arrived, the big text: Sebastian was born at 6:39 p.m.! I shared that joyous news as the meeting got under way. The texts kept coming - birth weight (6 lbs, 14 oz), pictures of the proud new mom and dad holding their precious son. I passed my phone with the pictures around the room, and everyone graciously declared my grandnephew adorable and expressed their good wishes.

As the diverse group in my living room told their stories of why they supported President Obama, I knew I had made the right decision to host the meeting and to work for the President's re-election. I want Sebastian and his cousin Gisela to grow up in a country with outstanding public education, a vital economy, clean water and air, and a commitment to justice and equal opportunity for all. Welcome to the Lake Nona team, Sebastian! This is all about you.

All Fired Up! Ready to Go!

All Fired Up! Ready to Go! after attending an all-day training session at OFA Saturday. (For proof, I am tagged in photos posted on FB.) I didn't want to go, but my avatar set me straight. She told me that if we are going to do political organizing, we should do it right. A few observations:

• They always serve pizza at campaign events. I walked to Publix down the street and bought Greek yogurt with peaches for lunch.
• Democratic Party is a big tent. Even in Central Florida, OFA attracted a diverse group to the training. That is a very good thing.
• UCF Democrats Rule! The University of Central Florida is the second largest university in the country, and the College Democrats are the largest student organization on campus. UCF Dems were there in force for the training. They give me hope for the future.
• OFA has a plan. The training was extremely detailed, supported by lots of handouts. My responsibilities as a neighborhood team leader are daunting, but I will take it a step - an event - at a time. Working with Naomi and Carol, we planned eight events through mid-June. My turf, while large on the map, includes a lot of undeveloped land with grazing cows (for the tax benefits).

This election is one of the most crucial in the history of our country. The choices are starkly different. Will we move forward to tackle the many challenges facing the United States and the world? Or will we turn the clock back 100 years, to the Gilded Age, with greedy and powerful Robber Barons who make Jamie Dimon look like St. Francis of Assisi. All Fired Up! Ready to Go!

So many voters to register, so little time!

The pace of my nascent grassroots political career is picking up. I am working slowly through a call list of almost 1,000 prospective supporters of President Obama. The most common result is "Not Home," but I have scheduled a couple of 1-on-1 meetings, including one with a neighbor in my apartment complex. I wonder if he has seen me running laps around the parking lot early in the morning. If so, I will explain that I am staying in shape for the campaign.

But wait! There's more! The last of four voter registration opportunities at apartment complexes along Narcoossee Road takes place on Saturday. My OFA teammate David and I have signed up to do voter registration at a Career Fair and in the classrooms for a charter high school serving students, ages 16 - 21, who are not accommodated by the traditional high school setting. We will have the opportunity to reach about 400 students. If this effort works well, there will probably be two more related high schools open to us.

As you might imagine, I am outsourcing many of these outreach efforts to my avatar, Eileen, from the Obama campaign. I am spending time reading a popular physics book on space, time, and the texture of reality. Thinking about quantum entanglement provides a welcome respite from the contentious political scene.

Barely Controlled Chaos

I now have my third OFA team leader since mid-December 2011. Naomi says she will be working with me for the rest of the campaign. We shall see. I have already been forsaken by Samuel and Julee.

I have also been told that my neighborhood boundaries will be changed for the third time. My obsessive-compulsive personality finds these changes a bit disconcerting. Fortunately, my avatar rather enjoys the challenge of getting things done in the barely controlled chaos of a political campaign.

Treasure Hunt

I have two Obama bumper stickers and a window decal on my car. Wendy took the challenge of finding more appropriately decorated cars in Central Florida and came up with a 3-sticker car within 48 hours. Wendy is a star! As is the owner of the car!

While I have no expectations of privacy, I took Wendy's advise to cover my license plate before posting a picture of my car on Facebook. I used a print of  Bo, the Obama family dog, scampering across the White House lawn as camouflage. I was wondering was use to make of this picture, sent to me by the Democratic National Committee in recognition of my stalwart support and modest contribution.

Here is the Treasure Hunt challenge to all my fellow Obama supporters. Take pictures of cars with bumper stickers, decals and other Obama campaign signs and post them to your Facebook page. Let's encourage more people to show where they stand in this crucial election. I'm In.

My Orlando Tribe

As Seth Godin would say, I have found my tribe in Orlando. Last night I attended a big fundraiser for the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee. I was a member of the Host Committee. When I entered the large and noisy room, I recognized a lot of people. A lot of people recognized me. I stayed 1-1/2 hours, for me a long time for socializing with a large crowd. I talked to Jessica, Nancy, Rod, Wendy, Jenna, Susannah, Joe, Carlos, Susan, Vivian, another Nancy and her husband, and many others. I did all this without calling in my avatar to help me out. Amazing.

Have Clipboard, Will Travel

Hey there, fellow citizens of Demlandia, that magical parallel universe where all Democratic candidates are ahead in the polls by way more than the margin of error. The pace is picking up as I continue my work for Ruth's List Florida, Orange County Democratic Executive Committee and Organizing for America.

Put another way, my avatar, Eileen from the Obama Campaign, is out of control. While I still need lots of quiet time to keep in touch with my Buddha nature, my avatar is hosting phone banks, setting up voter registration events, using the VAN virtual phone bank to remind people to vote by mail, and planning neighborhood organizing meetings. I am trying to keep up!

Are you registered to vote?

Registering voters is a humbling experience. If I look at the return on investment (ROI) from my finance perspective, the return is extremely low, hardly worth the time and effort. I am learning that ROI has a different threshold in the world of grassroots political organizing. This viewpoint was clear from the story Joel told at a recent OCDEC meeting, where he trained the assembled Democrats to register voters in compliance with the new, more stringent rules in Florida. Joel remembered going with a team of six organizers to an event with about 1,000 people in attendance. After several hours, the total number of new registrations was three! As Joel said, that was three more than would have been registered if they hadn't showed up.

I tried to keep that story in mind as I waited to see if anyone would show up to register to vote at the clubhouse of my apartment complex last Saturday afternoon. With support from management, I had included flyers on the registration drive to all residents in the monthly newsletter and followed up with flyers in the clear boards at each of the 14 buildings. A few more flyers taped to the wall of the mail room completed the publicity campaign.

I am happy to report that eight residents showed up, Florida Driver's License in hand, to update their registration information or to register for the first time. Everyone said they appreciated the convenience. In line with grassroots ROI standards, this was a real success.

Great Teamwork - and not so much

Joel, OFA co-coordinator for Central Florida, conducted voter registration training at the OCDEC meeting last night. The assembled Dems then took the requisite quiz and signed the affidavit qualifying them to register voters under the more stringent registration rules put in place by the Republican-controlled Florida legislature in 2011. Great teamwork between the local Democrats and the Obama campaign, which is taking the lead on voter registration!

Now, the not so much. At the start of the meeting, candidates for Orlando City Mayor hammered each other. A major point of contention was the endorsement of a Republican by a Democratic officeholder.

The Cookie Monster comes to the rescue. I bought a box of Girl Scouts shortbread cookies from a beautiful young girl who set up shop outside the meeting hall. The box did not make it out of the building. As the meeting passed the 2-hour mark, I shared the cookies with Anna, Ida, Joe and my other fellow Dems to reverse a dangerous drop in blood sugar. Next time, I'll pack a lunch.

Bumper Sticker Stories

Jessica tells me that the Obama campaign is looking for stories about bumper stickers. Here is my submission.

I noticed one other car in my apartment complex with an Obama bumper sticker. For weeks, I staked out the car at every opportunity, hoping to see the owners. One afternoon, as I getting ready to go to the supermarket, I saw a young couple get into the car. They locked the doors and were getting ready to take off. I did not let that stop me. Running toward the car and waving my arms in the air, I called out that I was another supporter of President Obama. While I must have looked like a lunatic, they did roll down the windows. I introduced myself; we exchanged contact information; and they are now members in good standing of the Orlando Airport Neighborhood team to re-elect President Obama.

Ladies Night at the Obama Campaign

Sign-in sheets ready. Check! Hand-outs on Obama accomplishments for women printed. Check! Door Welcome sign good to go. Check! Assorted edibles, including miniature pastries, on hand. Check! Speaker phone and dial-in information tested. Check!

Tonight I will host a Women for Obama gathering to connect with First Lady Michelle Obama on a national conference call. This is my third Obama event at my apartment since the beginning of 2012. I'm on a roll.

My Avatar Goes with the Flow

I am hosting a gathering on February 22nd for Women for Obama, to connect with First Lady Michelle Obama on a national conference call. Because of technical difficulties (you really don't want to know), I cannot use the VAN to schedule women who say they will attend when I call them. They have to go to the Obama website themselves to RSVP. Given the limited capacity of my apartment, I am trying to manage attendance carefully. That goal was thrown into doubt when the Obama campaign sent an email to "women who live in my area" with the event announcement, including my address. Control-freak Eileen freaked out.

Wisely, I entered Demlandia, my parallel universe. My avatar, Eileen from the Obama campaign, was not at all perturbed. She is ready to handle whatever happens on Wednesday with a positive, cheerful attitude. My avatar is so cool!

Let's register some voters!

I have my clipboard, my pen and my checklist of the voter registration process. Tomorrow afternoon I will be at the Osceola County Art Festival to register voters, whether they be Democrats, Republicans, Independents or members of the Party of What's Happening Now.

It will be a relief to take action after spending so much time reading about various controversies. First, Komen's decision to cut grants to Planned Parenthood to provide mammograms to lower income women. Then the uproar over the decision to require employers to provide health insurance coverage for contraception to women without co-pays. My brain hurts from trying to live in two historical periods at the same - Modernity and the Middle Ages.

Demlandia, My Parallel Universe

Are there millions of parallel universes? I can vouch for the existence of at least one, and I have been spending a lot of time there lately. Let's call it Demlandia. I have an avatar in Demlandia. Her name is "Eileen, from the Obama campaign."

My avatar is different from me in so many ways. Obama campaign Eileen spends hours calling people on the phone and chatting up supporters. She invites people into her small apartment for neighborhood team meetings and phone banking. For these bonding rituals, she offers snacks purchased at the local Publix (which, by the way, will not permit voter registration drives outside its doors).

My avatar also meets 1-on-1 with Obama supporters at various locations. Dunkin' Donuts is a favorite. Obama Campaign Eileen shares her passion and determination to re-elect President Barack Obama. We will win, by fighting hard for each and every vote. I am beginning to like my Demlandia avatar; scary.

Who Is Ruth?

Ruth's List Florida honors the achievements of Ruth Bryan Owen, the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress from the South. A sister organization of EMILY's List, Ruth's List Florida works to elect progressive, pro-choice women to state and local office in Florida.

I attended an all-day planning session to chart Ruth's List course during this critical 2012 election cycle. Finding and supporting progressive women candidates down ballot will help build voter engagement and excitement for the whole Democratic ticket.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good: The Great, actually. President Obama delivered a positive, concrete, hard-hitting State of the Union address. I watched with a group of supporters at a home near UCF. Samuel gave a brilliant overview of OFA's organizing strategy. Dom arrived to lend her enthusiastic support. Who knew that at this point in my life I would apprentice myself to twenty-something year olds. Great move on my part!

After the President's address, we connected to a conference call with David Axelrod, who told us how critical our role was in the President's re-election campaign. My head said another bonding ritual. My heart said it is working; just tell me what to do.

The Bad: The stone-faced stares of the Republican members of Congress during the President's address projected their obstinacy. They are not going to move an inch to serve the American people.

The Ugly: Gov. Chris Christie vows to veto legislation to provide marriage equality. When did New Jersey become a part of the Bible Belt?

Avoid the Lines - Vote By Mail

We will be encouraging Democrats in Florida to Vote by Mail (VBM) in the upcoming elections - local, state and national. State legislation passed last year shortened the early voting period and tightened requirements for voter ID and information changes at the polls. The legislation also wiped out the rolls of people who had previously requested VBM ballots. Now everyone has to request absentee ballots again.

Although I have always liked going to the polls to vote, I am mailing in my absentee ballot today for the January 31st election. I can't just talk the talk; I have to walk the walk.

Up Close and Personal

OFA Neighborhood Team Leader Playbook: Play 1: make hundreds of calls to invite people to the first Orlando Airport Neighborhood Team meeting. Play 2: host the team meeting. Play 3: have 1-on-1's with people who came to the meeting or expressed interest but had conflicts.

The 1-on-1 is part job interview, part bonding ritual. On Friday, I had my first 2 meetings at my local Dunkin' Donuts, which does not have herbal tea. Lake Nona (aka Precinct 437) is a wasteland for coffee shops and informal meeting places so DD gets the nod. The two meetings were very different. The first volunteer had worked extensively in the 2008 campaign, and she was ready to give it her all again. I was inspired by her passion. The second prospective volunteer had had a negative experience with the campaign over the holidays, which had to be overcome. A quick call to Samuel helped. This is just the start. I can see grassroots political organizing taking over my life. That's okay. I'm In!

If You Build It, They Will Come

"If you build it, they will come" to my first OFA Orlando Airport team meeting last night. We are not talking about basic infrastructure or bricks and mortar. I did make about 200 calls to people who support Barack Obama, and a small but extremely passionate group did show up. I can still feel their positive spirit in my apartment. I am glad the little raspberry pastries were a favorite; there were not too many left for me to indulge in. We will skip the pepper goat cheese next time; even I didn't like it.

Now follow up, follow up, follow up. Let's build on that energy to register voters and reach out to the community.Thanks to Joshua, Samuel. Dom and Jessica for showing me how it is done and supporting me in my inaugural meeting. 

Getting in Touch with my Buddha Nature

I spent the last day of 2011 getting in touch with my Buddha nature in preparation for the campaign challenges ahead. I will do my best to stay calm and focused on the most important tasks: registering new voters, encouraging voting by mail, and getting people to the polls. I will do my best to use my positive energy to help people overcome their concerns and doubts. I will do my best to meet people where they are and to find at least one thing we can agree on. Om