Thoughts on the Inauguration

If it weren't for YouTube and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, I might have forgotten to watch the Inauguration ceremony yesterday. [Okay, yes, at times I listened more than watched, and tuned out most of the poem, but still. It counts.] My excuse is that I'm just now feeling better from being sick all weekend so my brain isn't quite all there. Coincidentally, I also had a cold last time around, but that was from not sleeping all weekend for church camp and last minute line memorization for our senior show, not from working with toddlers [who are adorable and also FIRST PAYCHECK! I love that I get paid for this].

There were a few things that really struck me during and after the ceremony:

• Okay, why is there a poetry reading during this? I liked the bit of Spanish he threw in, but I really cannot pay attention to poems.

• I know there's all this hoopla over whether or not Beyonce lip-synced the National Anthem, but I really don't care. I certainly didn't notice anything off while I was watching it. Other than the random earpiece-taking-out thing. I can't blame her if she did, what with the freezing temperatures and the fact that it's a presidential inauguration. I think it makes more sense lip-sync and sound good than mess up and be embarrassed.

• Also, it hurts me to even consider being outside in that kind of cold weather. How do people survive up north in the winter? I would cry. As much as I'd like to, I doubt I'll be attending an inauguration because of how cold it is. Unless I'm the one getting elected or something. Or if they switch the date back to March. That would be acceptable.

• I thought President Obama's speech was pretty cool. He brought up a lot of things that I agree really need to change, although I'm not particularly optimistic about most of them getting through the political system. Some of these politicians [on both sides] need to go back to kindergarten and learn how to share and cooperate.

• I cringe a little at all the religious talk surrounding politics. Not because I'm not religious, but I think because I hate anything exclusionary, and that's what this feels like to me. So it bugs me that on a national political platform, Christianity, or monotheism in general, gets all the spotlight. It seems like there's an undercurrent to it that says anyone other isn't capable of being just as moral of a person as all these regular people. I should also add that I'm a little leery of ANY overt public displays of religion, so that definitely factors into this. But also equality. And freedom.

• The First Lady (and daughters) looked super fabulous, as usual. And I love Michelle Obama's Inaugural Ball dress even more than her last one. [I keep almost typing "last year's" in reference to President Obama's last inauguration. Silly brain.]

Side note: I went to a panel on the Obamas and some books written about them when I was at the Texas Book Festival in Austin. Pretty cool people, those two.

 P.S. Does this font seem extra small to anyone? All of a sudden I feel like it is.