Proud.

I'm proud to be an American. I know that phrase gets throw around to the point it doesn't mean much any more. But I am. We live in a great land. My reasons for thinking this go from the small and mundane (I was able to get my car fixed in one day) to the significant and historic (I saw the first African-American elected president).

I am especially proud that we can have such strenuous discourse over who should lead our land, but in the end, someone is elected, there's a parade, a lunch, and the next day the new guy assumes office. No riots, no calling in the militia, no incumbent declaring the election void. Those who supported Obama are energized and ready to get to work. To them I say, "Bravo! Let's get at it!" To those who didn't support Obama, we should be equally energized that our nation has had 44 changes of office (we can discuss Lincoln later) without being torn apart. Not many other nations can make this claim. Let's also get back to the business of making this country better. To Jerry Springer, I say how dare you show all that is wrong with America (knuckle dragging men fighting over women who are an embarrassment to the sex) on such a historic day.

Reread the text of the Obama's inauguration speech here. There's stuff in there that we all, Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative, need to not only hear, but act on in our own spheres of influence. I especially liked the quote at the end by George Washington, "Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

Now I'm going to go bake some biscotti before this hormonal pregnant lady starts getting weepy.