The country is filled with hope and promise. Change is coming–and Obama has set the tone for how to make change happen. It won’t be easy, and it starts now. It’s time to survey the damage, roll up our sleeves, and get to work.
To help him achieve change, Obama chose Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff. I’m going to detour off my own train of thought just far enough to approve this choice. I think he’s uniquely qualified by experience and temperament–the perfect complement to Obama himself. The son of an Israeli father who puts to rest the fear that Obama would not be a friend to Israel. Emanuel made my day when he said he is grateful that his parents are alive to see him become Chief of Staff to the first African American president. So he’s not just a pitbull, he’s a mensch.
His talents and skills will be tested, because a mountain of a mess has piled up, and our president faces a daunting task ahead.
And so do I–after weeks of ignoring everything around me except politics. I took my cue from Obama. I decided to survey the damage, roll up my sleeves and get to work. It’s not a pretty picture. Metaphorically speaking. The pile on my desk is so deep, I’m not even making a list this time.
And there’s more.
The labels Daniel made are still pasted on the shelves in the refrigerator. But the eggs are dated September 28.
The rent on my studio is overdue and my landlord didn’t get it when I blamed Sarah Palin.
I’ve been so busy following politicians that I’ve lost track of celebrities. I’m not sure which country Brangelina is currently living in. Or if Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are on or off.
I haven’t cooked a meal in months. (Which has absolutely nothing to do with the election.)
While I’ve been obsessed, life has gone on without me. People had birthdays and I didn’t send cards. Babies were born and I didn’t send gifts. I didn’t even send the mirror I made as a baby gift for my niece’s twins, who are almost 10 months old.
I’ve been so bad at returning calls that some people have stopped calling. A few days ago, my sister resorted to contacting me via comment on my blog.
Now that the election obsession is fading, other people are in the same boat. We face many challenges and we have a lot of work ahead. So with our president-elect as my inspiration, today I followed his lead. I surveyed the damage, rolled up my sleeves, and called Rahm Emanuel.
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