a first lady's role

There has been much talk about what Michelle Obama's role should be. While there are certainly a range of worthy possibilities, it occurs to me there is one that the chattering classes are missing. When we watched the vast enthusiastic crowds at the Inaguration, Richard wondered "how could that not go to your head?". Bush critics all over the spectrum frequently used the word "hubris" in connection with him and some of his decisions. Later on in the evening I caught an episode of the PBS documentary series "Frontline", which was reairing a special feature on Obama's life story. What struck me was the scene depicted when he was getting ready to give his famous speech in front of the Democratic convention in 2004. He was telling someone that he "had game", he was "like Kobe Bryant" (one of the reigning basketball stars of the time). Michelle told him something the equivalent of "don't blow it buster", which both calmed and humbled him. It occured to me then that this could be one of the most important functions of a first lady - prevention of hubris. Let's hope she does a better job than Laura Bush.

words, words, words

So many things were said by so many people about the Inaguration that I decided I wanted to to let my thoughts settle. I also remodeled my home office (the stained old dust mite infested carpet is gone and replaced by "green" marmoleum", and the walls are now a bright new shade of purple). Like the country as a whole I've been longing to start fresh. With all my junk temporarily displaced to the living room, it did indeed look like a whole different space. But then the junk (somewhat reduced, cleaned and re-organized) had to go back. It's still a much needed improvement. But like the country as a whole, it still contains the miscellaneous artifacts of its past. It remains the workspace of a compulsive recycler/reuser/craft supply addict. What came before affects what it is now - there is no way to start completely fresh. But it is possible to improve. At least at the microcosm, change for the best can happen.