Where were you?

I was a little sad to miss out on MLK weekend. I had to work this year, my new company doesn’t get the day off, and my car is up to it’s usual antics again. (That’s a long story but I’ve vowed my next vehicle with either be a brand new American vehicle or a used excellent foreign one.) Yesterday I worked through the day and stayed really late last night. It was supposed to snow today. I know better. It NEVER snows in Norfolk. I went to bed last night resting assured I’d be off to watch the inauguration and that karma would restore the wrong (me working Monday) that had occurred this year.

I went to sleep envisioning me spinning around like Winona Ryder in the flurries when Edward Scissorhands was carving the sculpture (music and all). I woke up to a completely sunny, dry road. I guess I was happy about not having to slide and dredge through snow, but seriously..all that talk and not even a glimpse of a flurry? WAVY needs to get their doplar weather gear rechecked.

It’s a bit overwhelming at work, since the persons I was completing presentations for called in sick. I surmised that they had envisioned a blustery wintery day and when they woke up to find none went with a respectable plan B. My direct supervisors never take a day off and would have rode in on snow dogs if required. M.I.A. coworkers just make an overflow of work for the people left behind. Yeah, I’ve heard that whole “piss poor planning on your part does NOT constitute an emergency on mine schpeel”..but declaring you won’t or can’t do work in these times results in unemployment. I’m proud, but sometimes you gotta sock your ego away in a drawer and handle your business.

I worked pretty hastily all morning and then ran off to the print shop/break room right when the violins stopped playing and watched the president-elect get sworn in with some coworkers. He stumbled a bit at first, but then gave a pretty flawless speech in front of the entire world. No note cards, no teleprompter-just one man and the masses.

I thought about my disbelief, regret, and frustration with the last 8 years. I’ll admit I teared up a little bit because here is someone finally saying what I WANTED to hear.

I know he can’t fix everything, but America cared enough to let him TRY.

I wish I would have made it to DC. I was needed someplace else though. I seen him in October here in Norfolk, and I’ll remember that night. I’ll remember standing in line to vote. I’ll remember election day when he won easily. I’ll be old one day and think of a few moments when I was younger and seen something grand and hopeful.