Lots of couples have their perks. Brad and Jenn adopt/have kids like children are going out of style. Ryan and Rachel had The Notebook. Tom and Katie have alien spaceships. Mari and I have our birthday wishes.

November 4th is Mari’s birthday. I can’t totally recall everything that happened that day… but something like the most historic presidential election of all time?

January 18th is my birthday. I was born in Pittsburgh, so it was a great gift to see the Steelers advance to the Super Bowl.

I can’t wait to see what we get next year…

Obviously today was the inauguration of the 44th president, Barack Obama. I watched coverage starting at 10:30am and didn’t really stop all day. I made a bunch of notes so here I go…

1) The crowd at the National Mall was enormous. I truly wish I was there. It would have been such an experience to be in the crowd.

2) The Oath – Little bit of a slip up… not sure if it was Chief Justice Roberts or President Obama’s fault, but certainly allowed for some ‘comic relief’ within a very momentous occasion. Though Barack took the oath at 12:04pm, he officially began his term at 12:00pm, even without taking the oath. I would be lying if I said I didn’t tear up. The realization of what was happening was hit me and was very overwhelming.

3) Sasha and Malia are the cutest things in the world. They add a different dimension to the White House that will be very refreshing.

4) The Inaugural Speech – While there were no ‘one-liners’ that I can think of (ex “I have a dream”, “Ask not what your country…”,”The only thing we have to fear…”) the general message of the speech was very profound. We, as Americans, are called to serve for the greater good. Just as past generation have paid the price for freedom, we too must now pay what is due.  It will not be easy; it’s not something that will be attained overnight. Very powerful, very moving. People will look back at this speech and this day and say that this is when America turned the corner and renewed their status to the world.

Who is proud to be an American?

Just came across my computer that a ten-year old kid is scheduled to attended many of the inauguration ceremonies for WKYC, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland. The youngster wants a one-on-one interview with then President Obama, but nothing has been set in stone as of yet.

I am genuinely excited for this third-grader. Anyway, enough of that, I have to find a job of my own.

Some news just slid across my desk (proverbially) that I find interesting. Obama is asking Congress to extend the deadline for the digital conversion. So that means we’ll have to put up with more annoying DTV commercials and annoying ladies at the store? It’s not like Congress didn’t give people enough time to prepare; this law was passed in 2005!!!

Sorry Barack, I humbly disagree with this move.

I overheard a few of my friends talking about how they can’t wait for the next election. Me too. It was such an exciting time for the country.

But soon their attitudes shifted. Obama’s gonna do this, he’s gonna act like that. “I can’t wait for 2012 to get him out of there!”

Really guys? How about giving the Barack a chance? He hasn’t even been inaugurated yet and he can’t do anything right.

After 8 years of what I personally consider to be a failure – I’ll debate you all you want – the last thing this country needed was someone with the same ‘vision’ for America.

Regardless of if you’re a registered Democrat or Republican, black or white or Latino, man or woman, Christian or Jewish or Muslim, we all need to rally around the President-Elect to improve our country.

If he doesn’t do as he’s promised, then vote him out in 4 years. But in the mean time, try giving him a chance.