Thoughts on a day...

Aretha was magnificent – her voice can stir a soul like no other. And given her fashion history, her ginormous bow hat was not unexpected. It was large enough, though, that Capt. Sully would have been able to land a plane upon it.


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When did Walter Mondale morph into William F. Buckley Jr.? Seriously – I didn’t recognize him during his walk-up to the Inaugural dignitary holding pen.

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The First Daughters are simply adorable – what beautiful children. Although you can totally see the mischievous glint in Sasha’s eyes … It’s going to be fun to watch them grow up – but I don’t want to see too much. They need their privacy and space to simply be kids. I hope they’re afforded that.

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The Teddy Kennedy health scare certainly added a different hue to the day… his robust appearance before the ceremony was deceptive, sadly. It’s a sobering reminder that even on a day infused with celebration and hope that the obstacles we face don’t always take a holiday.

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I’m not a fan of the outgoing President. However, the boos and jeers and choruses of “Hey hey goodbye” when he was introduced were inappropriate and disrespectful and out of place at such an occasion.

People, that’s just tacky.

I also noticed a disproportionate amount of disparaging comments attached to blog/news pieces about Senator Kennedy’s situation. We need a national primer in manners, since people don’t seem to have any – or aren’t deploying them.

And for an example of good manners, we need to look no further than to the First Lady herself, who brought a gift for the Bushes with her to the White House this morning – such a gracious gesture.

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I rather liked the Inaugural poem – I think. I need to take some time to read it, as while the lovely poet Elizabeth Alexander has many talents, public reading may not be one of them. I could hear and see my college oral performance professor Ms. Norris saying “find the natural rhythm – don’t over emphasize anything."

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One of my favorite moments during the Inauguration Ceremony came during the benediction given by civil rights icon Rev. Joseph Lowrey. Begun with a phrase from the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, laced with Scripture references and ended with a phrase of wit that was all the more powerful coming from a man who has seen more than his share of inequality during his lifetime.

Take a look and a listen:



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Today, I laughed, I cried, I sang, I prayed, I smiled, I cheered, I thought, I reacted, did I mention I cried, I pondered, I applauded, I was silent.

Tomorrow, I’m taking action.

Because as President Obama said...

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

I have a job to do. We all do. A responsibility to our country. Land that we love.