Happiness is a Purring Cat

And a President for which I can be proud.

I received an email this morning from a non-American friend asking if I watched the inauguration of (my) new king, which made me laugh. I had to admit to him that it did seem a little bit like a coronation, with the chanting masses and mass celebrations. I also observed that it was very un-American, these mass displays.

I watched the inauguration at work, streaming CNN starting at 10:00 am Tuesday morning. As I worked on finishing up some test parameters I listened to the anchors chatting about the crowds and the weather. Occasionally I would switch to a different live stream, some of them without audio.

Work stopped at 11:30, as the majority of us watched the ceremonies take place. Watching Hilary Clinton walk the halls as a former first lady, I could not help but think how close she was to being the first woman POTUS.

But what struck me the most was how conscious and aware President Obama was in those moments, as he took the oath of office and made his speech. From all directions I hear “live in the moment”, but I had never see an example of what it is to do that, to live in the moment, until I saw him take the oath of office.

I did not exhale until the oath was complete. Then it was done and I recalled the words of my friend referenced above. “Well done. Lot of work ahead”.