Tuesday, January 20, 2009

This Day In History

Today I cranked up the radio in the warehouse.
President Obama’s inaugural message echoed through the place.
I wish I could have watched it on TV but no, I was trapped at work.
Today is an important day in world history. Perhaps the only equivalent fervor over a presidential address might have been 48 years ago [to the day] when JFK was sworn into office. But certainly, because of the extent of modern-day coverage, we can truly say that today the world was watching. [Well, those parts of it that are not trapped in warehouses at least!]
The entire planet was tuned in.
I heard so many people comment today that this is an “historical” moment.
No, it isn’t.
It is an “historic” moment.
Not one that once took place. But one that will be forever remembered!

So how did yours truly spend this day, January 20th, 2009? Well, as I said, I was trapped in a warehouse first of all.
But secondly, I spent it reading Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking-Glass. Sub-titled “And What Alice Found There.”
I am just now finishing up the book, writing this blog from my favorite Starbucks on Ogilvie Road. This book was [is] as NUTTY as the Wonderland one I reported about yesterday.
So here we are, all of us, knee-deep in a day we will always remember, awash in a “pivotal” moment in history.
In the book, Alice found herself at one point lamenting the fact that she did not know how to "remember things before they happen."
“It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,” the Queen remarked.
“What sort of things do you remember best?” Alice ventured to ask.
“Oh, things that happened the week after next,” the Queen replied in a careless tone. [From Ch.5]

So…. what the hell am I really saying with this blog-posting?
I’m saying this → IF I EVER RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, IN ANY CAPACITY… DO NOT VOTE FOR ME!
Why?
Because at key moments in history, yes… even pivotal moments my friends, I will be prone to forfeit governing.
I am more likely to be found hiding away, in some dusty place… READING CHILDREN’S BOOKS!

*********

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wasn't it a great day? And aren't the Alice books wonderful? I am glad I didn't read them as a kid, they would have scared me, they made me feel uncomfortable as an adult. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum would have given me nightmares as a kid!

Island Bookworm said...

I was trapped in the house watching CNN. :)

So, are you going to go see him when he visits Canada?

Cipriano said...

Stefanie:
A great day, indeed.
And the Alice books... I loved them.

Sylvia:
I can only hope [to see Obama] when he is in Canada. Living here in the "capital" of this great sprawling land, I may have a chance at it!

Janssen said...

I'm sure Obama will wish, at some points during the next four or eight years, that he was hiding away reading childrens books too :)