Random thoughts

I was shopping at Wal-Mart today and they had the store's monitors tuned to the Inauguration ceremonies. I noticed a black man holding a little girl and watching as Obama took the oath of office. That would have made a great picture. I thought it was neat, anyway.

Now, on to other topics.
This blogging is quite interesting. I had not gotten involved in reading them much before, but since I've been researching what else is out there, I've learned a lot. Like the whole internet in general, there is such a massive variety of blogs about anything under the sun. I keep getting bogged down reading instead of writing!

I spent my afternoon being frustrated and aggravated because I couldn't get packing slips for my Snap-on orders that came in yesterday and today. The past 3 or 4 months it's been hit and miss with them getting a picklist in the boxes. You can't exactly check in the shipment or put it on the truck without that list. I can call in and they will email one, but that is a joke, too. I've done that several times and gotten them in several different formats. The only way that gives you anything like a legible printout is a PDF, but I've only gotten it that way once or twice. Otherwise they send it in some kind of text format that is a big mess to decipher. I guess it's better than nothing, but just barely! I don't know what they pay those people working in the warehouse, but I think it's probably too much! Sometimes I think they go out of their way to just toss things in the boxes - some packages come in looking like they've been stomped on! And, while I'm ranting about their shipping, they waste more packaging! There will be one or two little tools in a big ol' box stuffed with paper. What a waste!

OK, that's enough soapbox for one night. Maybe I'll have something more interesting to report next time.

Inauguration Day - A Day of Firsts and Lasts

Tuesday is the third presidential inauguration of the 21^st century. It is the inauguration of the 44^th president of the United States. It is a day of firsts...and lasts.

On Tuesday, January 20^th, 2008, Barack Obama will become the first black president of a country once known as “the melting pot.” Considered the highest achievement in our country, Tuesday will be the last time for that particular first. Coming on the day after Martin Luther King day makes the feat seem all the more poignant.

King's speech, “I have a dream...” has been quoted time and again. This line: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character," is the one I hope and pray is being realized.

I have to admit, I did not support Obama for president. Not because of skin color, race, or sex, but because my dream was to see Hillary Clinton in the office. I was most concerned about Obama's youth and lack of experience, but mainly I just like Hillary and was very disappointed that she did not win. Having said that, I have had time since the election to put my concerns aside to support the leader of our nation. Obama's actions so far have given me hope and some faith in him that I have not had in the president the past eight years.

Our nation needs change. It needs the breath of fresh air that a younger, new family in the white house will provide. Unlike my feelings following the last inauguration, I am looking forward to learning what lies ahead.

I do feel that for positive things to happen we as a nation need to put the “firsts” behind us and allow the new president to settle in to the job of running our country. I hope that we can learn to once again be a cohesive group, working for what's best for the nation as a whole. Yes, we should honor our heritage, but we must embrace being “Americans” first and foremost if our country is going to continue to stand as “one nation, undivided.”

My dream is that as Americans we will be able to recognize our citizens and leaders for what they stand for, for their ability to do their jobs, whether they are black, white, green or purple, male or female, short or tall.