While we're pinning all our hopes and dreams on one man

Did everyone watch the inauguration today? Or are you planning to? Have been excited about this ever since Election Day and am happy to report that Michelle Obama's coat was awesome. Whew.

While watching the coverage this morning I realized that I missed a prime opportunity to do a bit of live blogging, especially during the parts where all the staff and Cabinet and such were walking down to their seats.

Me: That lady's American flag scarf is a bit much, I think.

GH: Mmm.

Me: Except her husband has that really natty fedora on, so . . .

And then we both made the "balancing the scales" hand gesture.

One thing I've been thinking about for the last few days is how this inauguration seems roughly on par with the wedding of Charles and Diana. (Get your commemorative plates, pins, tea towels here!) Let's hope this thing goes better than that thing did.

But the other thing I'm thinking about is how much I do not envy anyone who is being handled the reins of the presidency right now. Especially someone who is being billed as Son of Promise, Child of Hope or He Who Has Come to Save Us All in the Manner of Jesus As Foretold By Ancient Prophecy.


Because really, how can anyone live up to that? I mean, no matter what the man says about what is and it not possible, you know there people out there who are going to expect way too much of one person. So. While we're handing out unrealistic expectations for the new President, I'd like to add a few of my own:

Get rid of plastic grocery bags like they did in China. Because that would be awesome.

Please go back in time and cancel No Child Left Behind.

Fix the part where women are still earning less than men for doing the same jobs.

Ban gum chewing, because people don't seem to be able to do it without showing me their tonsils.

Please make everyone understand the value of libraries, or at least make the bunker-livers shut up about what a waste of tax dollars they are.

Let's get rid of Hummers for personal use. Because they're just stupid and take the Compensating for Something syndrome to new levels of unattractiveness.

How about getting some more English Oaks over here? I love me an English Oak. Also hedgerows. Let's get some of those too.

Outlaw leggings. Immediately.

Anybody have some to add? I'd love to hear 'em.

Of course, at some point I remember that a President can't do all these things, even if he agrees with me about the leggings. Which, hi, he totally should and probably does and dreads the day when his little girls want to go out in public wearing them, because then the terrorists will have won.

And then I realize that what we CAN do is become more aware of and put more effort into our local, county, and state governments. Too many of us (ME being the absolute worst offender of all time) know next to nothing about what is happening there and have never even tried to educate ourselves or make our voices heard. And then we complain about the kind of officials who get elected and the kind of laws that get passed (or don't). I think at least in Utah we fall into the trap of supposing that if we elect people who belong to our party or our religion (and they are two different things, ahem) then we can sit back and rest easy in the knowledge that everything is being taken care of nicely and we don't need to take any further notice.

Which, hi, no. I think we need to do more than that and I think we need to know more than that. Again, I am the worst about this. It has taken me roughly 10 years of living in Utah to finally realize that this is my actual home now and that what happens here affects me, my family, and the people I work and play and worship with.

So. That is my plan to help out the Son of Promise--by being a better citizen myself. Also by avoiding leggings. And Hummers.

Posted in: effecting social change,Utah