Sigh

Well, it's the big day.

You know the one I'm talking about.

It's the day that liberals have heralded as the beginning of change...yet when you ask them what kind of change, not many can give you a straight answer.

It's the day that extreme conservatives have heralded as the possible beginning of the end...a stance that I have heard a great deal more of, considering the fact that I live in a town of 10,000 people surrounded by farming country. By the way, that pretty much instantly spells out a largely conservative population.

It's Inauguration Day.

(shudder)

I'm sitting here at work and wondering how many calls I'm going to get from the local crazies today, wanting us to do something about 'that darn Obama'. "I'm sorry sir, but there's really nothing that Baker City PD can do about a swearing-in that is happening in Washington DC."

Here's the thing; I have many liberal friends who are practically doing backflips about Obama being sworn in today. I guess I just have a hard time believing that he can deliver on all the promises most liberals believe he has made. Sorry folks, the vast majority of you are still going to have to work, the government isn't going to pay you to simply turn oxygen into carbon dioxide, and yes, you're still going to have to pay taxes. And yet I remain cautiously hopeful that things won't go as badly as the conservatives I'm surrounded by think they will. I just hope he doesn't try to take away our guns, because there may be riots. And yes, that IS a big deal, sorry to break it to all you liberals out there.

And how about all those assertions out there that he could be the AntiChrist? I'll keep my opinion to myself on that one, but if you start hearing murmurings about one world currency and/or one world religion, you might want to be worried.

I don't pretend to know all of Obama's potential policies, 'cause let's face it, I've had two little beings capturing all of my attention for the past 11 months and the last thing I wanted to think about was politics. But yes, I'm nervous. Big time. I mean, think about it. When was the last time you saw the American people this incredibly split, with such a yawning gap between one side and the other? When was the last time a president was hailed as a savior? Oh man, that one should have you shuddering, people. I know it makes me want to run for the hills.

So here I sit, cautiously hopeful that things won't become too extreme in either direction, that more good will come out of today than bad. Because I am, before anything else, an eternal optimist.