Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Wayne worked on the wiring during the morning, and then we watched the inauguration on T.V. It didn't really strike me as to how historic this was until I was watching it on T.V.

So many people were chanting Obama's name and seeing tears running down the faces of the older Americans brought it home for me. The scenes on the television were incredible - I couldn't believe how many people they could pack in for the inauguration at the mall! It was wall to wall people - all standing, and cheering, and waiting for Obama to be sworn in as our 44th president. The raw emotions of happiness and tears on the screen were testaments to how many Americans have felt so disenfranchised from their country and the "American" dream. You could see "hope" in so many faces that this new president, by virtue of his color, could change all the woes of this country. The expectations that he's being held to, by so many, are so unrealistically high. He looks like he can shoulder the burden for now, but when reality comes knocking - that he's just a man, that change comes - individual by individual, I hope that people won't judge him by their own expectations of him - but by what he can actually do with the powers of the office that were given to him. It's taken many years in racial equality to break the glass ceiling in our government. I wonder how many more years until it's felt in everyone's hearts? This next decade will be interesting to watch unfold in America's history. We're living in accelerating times of change.

After the inauguration, Wayne and I dingied over to the marina bus stop. There was a ton of people still watching the inaugural events on the TV - all the outside chairs had been dragged inside, around the TV. When the bus showed up, it was packed (like us, everyone must have waited to watch the inauguration before running into town). I got off at the Publix to pick up some odds and ends for dinner for the next couple nights and Wayne went on to Lowes for his nuts, bolts and ring terminals. I made it back to the marina an hour ahead of him and waited for his return while watching the parade on T.V. We had sandwiches for dinner tonight and watched the news, read a little and I stayed up to watch some of the Inaugural Ball festivities.

It's getting cold so I'm ready to jump into bed and under the covers (fully clothed again - its been a while). The Arctic front that's been blasting most of the nation is supposed to dip down into southern Florida tonight and with the way the wind is howling topside - I think it's here.