Today is a historic day. Will you watch the inauguration of Barrack Obama? Will you watch the first African-American President take his oath of office? If you watch where will you watch, what will you be eating, and who will you be watching it with?
I will be watching with my Mom. Serving homemade snacks. Then for dinner we will be having my special pork chops. In my lifetime I have never witnessed so much excitement about an incoming president. The hope is alive. However, what worries me is that the expectations are also very high. The country has never been in such sad shape, in so many areas. Two wars. A failed economy. Corruption alive and well in American politics. Weather patterns changing. Banks going broke. The Auto industry on the brink of disaster. The housing market declining daily. Thousands of jobs being lost each month. I can't help but wonder if with such high expectations if we haven't set up President-elect Barrack Obama for failure. He hasn't even take his oath of office yet and we have anointed him Savior.
I love that President-elect Obama has been honest with us by saying he won't be able to keep all of his campaign promises as he had originally scheduled. I also love that he has told us that all of us are going to have to sacrifice. That is leadership.
I do think, however, that we should all take a deep breath. Remember that our incoming president is human and will no doubt make mistakes. I wish him well, he has kept my hope alive, and as long as he is working for the betterment of all Americans instead of those of a certain class standing or a certain political party I will stick with him, even if he falls of that lofty pedestal that we have put him on.
Something to watch for during the Inaugaration Parade. From Portland, Oregon THE GET A LIFE marching band. With band members from 18 to over 70 this is a lively fun band watch. Don't miss them.
A non Inaugratioin note let all of us wish Bev good luck on her cataract surgery!
What are you feeling today?
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14 comments:
What do I feel today?
Pride and hope!
That's right, Bill. What you said. You, too, Mary Z. {s}
I watched sitting up in bed (alone) with my coffee and an oatmeal cookie.
They are now saying that Sen. Ted Kennedy seems to have had a seizure and was taken from the luncheon by paramedics. Let's all send him some healing vibes.
I'm off soon to see THE READER, but will probably keep the TV on until I leave, which is something I rarely do in the daytime.
In other good news, Bev's daughter has posted on her blog that Bev is out of surgery and doing "just fine".
Hi Mary Z
Well said!
Bill
Hi Pat
Good news about Bev!
Let us know what you think of THE READER.
My heart is with the Kennedy clan for his health and well being.
Bill
Glad to hear Bev is doing just fine...I hope her recovery time is speedy!
I didn't watch the inauguration. He wasn't my guy. I agree that they have built him up beyond belief. Now that I have watched the news, I am disappointed at the folks who booed President Bush. It was tacky and in poor taste. Everyone I know who didn't vote for President Obama has wished him well and respected the outcome of the election. It annoys me that it seems as that respect is not reciprocated from the other side.
On the positive side, I am tickled that Bev came through her surgery just fine. Have a good day!
Hi Dona
I'm sure Bev thanks you!
Bill
Hi Kim
I am also sure Bev thanks you!
I agree with you about the boos, however, I watched the entire thing from 6 this morning to just a few minutes ago and the boos were minimal at best. What they mostly showed on the channels I was watching on is polite applause for both him, his dad, and Clinton.
Anyone that booed just doesn't get it.
Bill
Hi Bill - I am glad to hear that the boos were a minimum. It really distresses me to see people lose all sense of civility over politics. I am afraid that this country is so polarized that we may not make it back. I am on the red team and we must WIN at all costs. No, I am on the blue team and we must WIN at all costs. It doesn't seem it is what is best for our country and then the political parties. I hope things improve but I am not optimistic.
Hi Kim
Mom and I were just watching ABC when the reported the Bush booing. Mom says to me "who did they say they booed?" Me "Former President Bush. But I didn't hear it, did you?" "No, I thought Bush was very eloquent leaving office. I thought they politely applauded him." So both Mom and were kind of stunned.
And I completely agree with you about the Red Team and The Blue Team and the polarization. I just hope we can make it back.
Bill
(All the politicians just have find common ground like we just did!)
Missed the swearing in (doctor's app't), but managed to grab lunch at the newly-opened Arby's and get to Mom's just as he began his inauguration speech, which we watched together. We missed any of the "booing" (thank goodness) and thought Bush left with dignity and, I think, a sense of relief and hopes that Obama will be able to accomplish what he's set as his goals. To do that, we've got to quit thinking of ourselves as separate teams who are out to win at all costs and, as Obama said (which many may have missed, but I picked up on because of Himself's time in Africa) quit thinking of ourselves in terms of tribal rights and come together as one community.
I listened and watched with hope and with appreciation of the facts Obama laid out -- we've got serious problems, we're not going to solve them in the immediate future or without sacrifice and -- most important -- cooperation. He called a spade a spade, in terms of politics, divisivness, greed and the like. Also in terms of all of us, at every level, pulling together for the common good and sort of between the lines I got the impression that he wanted to call a halt to the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I think he sent a strong message to other world countries, as well as to those who continue to engage in terrorist activities, for their own gain.
Expectations are high, but I think he made it clear that while his goal is to meet as many expectations as possible, it won't happen overnight and he can't do it alone and the government can't do it without some major changes in attitude and the help of all the American people.
It really doesn't matter how you voted in November. Admittedly, I wasn't an early Obama supporter. What is, is. We have a new president, a Democratic ruled congress. We also have the opportunity to make changes that are for the good of all our citizens and changes that are beneficial globally, as well as locally, right down to each city and town and individual.
Can he pull the divisive forces together? Can he bring us to the point of looking at commonalities, rather than differences? Can he find a way to counter the greed and power-lust that seems to have driven everything from government to economics for the last twenty years? I don't know. I hope so. I truly hope so, for if he cannot, I don't know where we may end up. I do know he can't do it alone and that each of us has a responsibility, regardless of our politics, to help heal the divisions and to reach out to our congresscritters and our local politicians and our local agencies, trying to deal with the issues of today, from the homeless to the jobless to those who need healthcare and heating and loving and sharing. If he can continue his success with the grass roots efforts that made his campaign a success, if he can get individuals to understand each person needs to be involved in the problems and become part of the solution, I have hope that this country can return to the ideals and actions that we began with.
(Putting away soapbox for now)
Wonderful news about Bev's surgery! Sad news about Sen. Kennedy. My heart and prayers go out to him and his family.
My happy note for the day - Mom's transport chair arrived and we took her out to dinner, the first she's been out of the house in almost two weeks, since becoming wheelchair dependent!
Hi Dr
Mom and I love Arby's. They are always clean. And the people are nice.
The swearing in was kind of fun becuase now President Obama had to had a couple of words repeated at one point.
Just as both you and Kim said we really have to quit thinking as Republicans and Democrats and start thinking as friends with a common purpose for the betterment of all.
I really like that President hosted a lunch fo Senator McCain before the inaugaration and it was reported that they have now become friends.
Also when Goerge H.W. Bush passed Bill Clinton they had a very warm embrace and it was very obvious that the two men liked each other.
We need to follow those two leads!
I wasn't an early Obama supporter either, I was really behing Ms. Clinton because I wanted to see a woman president in my lifetime.
Here in Portland we are off to a rocky start. The first openly gay mayor just admitted he had an affair with a teenage, 18. He had denied it before the election and convinced the teen to lie about it too. He is of the same political party as I am but think he should resign. He isn't going to. But to maintain the ethics or rather than to improve ethics among our leaders they need to be above reporoach and he isn't.
I'm really optimistic with President Obama because of how he has reached out to opposing views and how they responded. If the ones willing to work together can put the pressure on the others to join them we can accomplish a lot.
I also hope that the Democrats now in power in all bodies will avoid promoting their ideology and promote America. Sort of reign themselves in.
Senator Kennedy is going home from the hospital today so that is good news! The second report aboout Bev is that she is doing good! More good news
I'm so happy that your mom got out! That is mroe than good news that is great news!
Bill
First, THE READER. It was very good, though I had a few questions I wonder if the book would have answered. Winslet's award was deserved, I think, though I didn't see most of her competition. The silly thing was that she was given it for "supporting role", when she was clearly in a pivotal role. I think they wanted to nominate her but already had for starring role, so they put her in the wrong category. David Kross, who played "young Michael" was wonderful, and Ralph Fiennes was fine as always. Lots of sex and nudity, but fairly tastefully done, and a pretty depressing story overall.
Now to the inauguration. How silly of Justice Roberts to flub the oath. If he didn't know it, he should have had a crib sheet. Otherwise, I'll agree with everything already said about how we need to put aside the red & blue state nonsense and give working together for the good of the country a try. For once. I don't have too high hopes on that score. When CNN went to a break late in the festivities, I turned on the radio, which happened to be tuned to our local KFI. And there was Rush Limbaugh, bloviating on what a terrible speech Obama had given. So on it goes. I listened for about 20 seconds and then turned him off, but he and his ilk are already working hard to keep us apart.
Hi PatL
Now you have me interested in going to see THE READER. I completely understand what you are saying about Kate Winslet in the best supporting actress catergory. Last year I had the same problem with Javier Bardam in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. He was in the best supporting actor catergory, yet had more screen time than anyone in the movie. Be interesting to see tomorrow where the Oscars place Winslet.
I can actually understand the nervousness of Judge Roberts, I mean I got nervous with 30 people watching me in the comedy class, can you imagine what it must be like to be in front of two million people?
I don't listen to talk radio anymore, not even Air America. Both sides are just to anxious to divide us.
Bill
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