I joined the dry world watching with big tears, feeling genuine sadness and helplessness, making frantic donations to Red Cross, Salvation Army, taking big bags of blankets and toothpaste and books to local homeless shelters. They said not to send things, just money but I needed something concrete to touch and carry from here to there. From me to them. I wanted to take the poverty and wave a magic wand. Perhaps this will force us to redistribute the wealth a little. Poverty is so unecessary. God's plan to educate in the shape of a flood? Sounds familiar.

These human tragedies spill over our lives like the water in Lake Ponchetrain squelched over New Orleans. I was drowning too, but I could wake up. So, we all do what we can, from the places we know deeply. And I do know women, how to bring a smile to women affected by Katrina.

Beauty, grace, a mask for the tears. Lipstick. It came to me in a moment of inspiration when I was thinking to myself what I grab if there was a level 5 hurricane on its way from LA. I'd grab of course my dogs, my pictures, laptop, passport, my wedding ring (god knows why), a few special books and my lipstick. Yes, call it trivial, but I'd grab my makeup because well it just is me, it makes me feel good, it brightens my face, paint by number Margaret.

So, Operation Lipstick was launched a month ago- in true Microsoft fashion - my mission statement "a tube of lipstick for every women in every Katrina shelter". My tactics - ask women I knew at work to bring in unused lipsticks, cosmetics kits, eye shadows, mascara, makeup bags and other face paints. A few emails, some buzz marketing, pleading visits to Nordstrom, Sephora and Macy's and da da...

The response - amazing. The smiles priceless. I love this kind fo stuff - throwing my heart into sharing, inspiring, playing with the deadly serious matter of homelessness with a genuine smile and a tube of bright pink lipstick.