One Step Away from History (Owning by Proxy)

We were all sitting around the television on Tuesday, January 20th watching President Obama take the oath of office. I didn't have a lot of tears that day--I cried from January to November, so I was pretty dry. The anticipation was very high and it was great to be able to point out important facts to my children and then have the CNN announcer reiterate it. We really wanted to see how Aretha Franklin would represent Detroit. Although we thought it would be too cold for her normal trend of baring most, it was still a topic of discussion.

When she stepped up to the microphone, I knew it in my gut.

She had on a hat from Mr. Song's.

I knew it instinctively because I know I must have at least eight hats from his shop in my closet myself. Most of the church-going women in Detroit have at least one--whether it was a $35 steal from his 50% sale or a $250 steal from that same sale--someone in the congregation has it.

I was very tickled when I read that over 500 orders had come in for the hat and, although Ms. Franklin was very gracious on Larry King and didn't mention the milliner by name, it was breaking news on local television I was told (I have this addiction for CNN and have to remember to watch local news sometimes, although I do read the papers).

The degrees of separation are very tiny between me and a hat that will be in the Smithsonian when I visit it later this year with my children. I'm glad I have decent taste.

My mother in a Mr. Song's hat at my wedding in 1996.

What is great about living in this time

As I was sitting with my boys and family during this week's inaguration activities, I realized what is great about being alive right now.

So many things have changed, even in the last ten years, that make life better, easier and happier. Children don't have to be remote controls, television is on 24 hours a day with more channels, the radio isn't the only thing you can listen to in the car, portable music is more discrete, pay phones are becoming obsolete (germ farms!), and color is fading.

Although I tend to be more conservative than liberal in my thinking and practice, I am happy for President Barack Obama and his team. I didn't have to vote for a black man in this election, I could vote for the person I thought was better for the job.

Now I don't agree 100% with him on everything--I don't agree with anyone that much--but I respect the way he conducted the transition and is beginning this term. I, too, like vigorous debate and refuse to inhabit the place of the 'yes' person, so, for me, engaging rivals is like daily living.

I am praying for his success and the restoration of some basic decency and transparency to American government.

What a great time to be alive!