Post Inauguration

In the past I never had the least bit interest in the inauguration of a new president. But this year, like many millions around the world, I watched the entire ceremony. I watched it in my classroom with my third graders. It was all very touching. Every few minutes I'd tell my students, "You are watching history in the making, guys." They were completely captivated. They even patiently listened to Obama's speech which they thought was great but couldn't tell me what it was about. The rest of that school day my students practised pronouncing the word "inauguration".

In these early weeks I flinch each time there's a criticism of Obama. Timothy Geithner not paying taxes raised a few sharp words. Nobody wanted any of Obama's appointments to have bumps, but alas, it isn't to be so. Geithner is the best there is, folks are saying, and so his appointment as Treasury Secretary gets approved. Now Tom Daschle is found not to be squeaky clean either. Jeez!

The NYT had an article with some details about the stimulus package Obama is trying to get passed. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a lot of the money will be used to help schools, universities, and other social programs. The NYT had a lot of enthusiasm for it, but was critical of the fact that there isn't any mention of money for high speed rail and other mass transportation programs. Well, it's already a hard sell to the Republicans.

Even though politics seems to dominate our conversations these days, we are definitely balancing our lives with other stuff too. Last weekend Daryl and I went to see Mozart's "The Magic Flute" performed by the LA Opera at the Dorothy Chandler Concert Hall. It was a terrific production. We spent the night in LA at a hotel - Mikayo - in Japantown. the hotel was reasonably nice, about a mile from Chandler - and the area filled with Japanese stores and restaurants quite interesting.

Later in the week I had some author friends of mine - Caroline Hatton, Alexis O'Neil, and Kate Hovey - over for dinner. They are all from the LA area and were the authors for an event called "Author-Go-Round" organized by Santa Barbara County schools. It was great to get my mind off teaching and to talk about writing. Caroline had told me about a YAbook called MANY STONES which is mostly set in South Africa. So we discussed the book a bit. She had a lot more enthusiasm for the book than I did. But, given that my current work in progress has some elements in common with MANY STONES I'm really glad to have read it.

We are spending the weekend arguing about fruit trees. Daryl went out and bought four fruit trees, and then decided to plant them in places that I, let's just say, found "unsuitable". So I huffed out of the garden and decided to update my blog!!

MLK Weekend

It's mid-January and the temperature is in the mid 70's. It's been like this for 6 - 7 straight days - warm days, blue skies, summery. Weird! But I ain't complaining. I didn't say that. At least, I didn't mean that! Xmas holidays have faded into the past. The evenings are already getting longer and in Santa Barbara, just as we are ready to embrace winter, we see visible signs of spring. The daffodils have sprung out of the ground already! This is why I love this city. I hate this city too, but that's another story. If you think I'm contradicting myself, congratulations. You've detected my greatest personality flaw!
Heady days for us in the US. Finally, finally we get to shut the door on a most godawful administration. I remember so clearly eight years ago on the morning of Bush's inauguration I woke up engulfed in a black cloud of depression. Daryl's colleague, Juan Porti from Barcelona, was visiting and staying with us. When I went down for breakfast I said to him, "Today is a very sad day in America." I remember this so clearly. But I couldn't have guessed then just how terrible it was going to be. Four years ago for Bush's second inauguration I was thankfully far, far from home - in the antipodes!!
But this year I can't even describe the excitement. Tomorrow, as we embrace Barack Obama as our new president, it will truly be a day for celebration. I'm afraid I have to confess my expectations are high for this guy. When people say he is a moderate, a centrist, etc., I get annoyed. But that's not as bad as Daryl who gets very defensive over Obama's decisions.
(Daryl spent most of his spare time this new year refinishing our dining table. It looks superb! )

All the media are going on about the inauguration speech. Obama always impresses when he speaks and so expectations keep going up. I feel nervous for him. so many great speeches were made by previous presidents and he is expected to deliver a speech which will make history. Will he do it? I don't know.
I can hardly wait for tomorrow.