Of Pomp and Circumstance

“He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the state of the union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient” – Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution

You guys? I am so excited for tonight. In fact it’s a not so well kept secret of mine that the State of the Union makes me a little giddy. It’s the pomp and circumstance of it all. The Sergeant at Arms announcing the dignitaries and then that bombastic way he announces the President. The way the crowd – both sides of the aisle – stand up and give applause. The pomp and circumstance and pageantry of it all. In fact before Gabby’s shooting I was all ready to write about how that first day of Congress made me feel. The excitement despite what happened before because hey, at least there might be something to look forward to. It’s just that for those brief moments at the start of something I’m far less cynical and a little bit of hope seeps in that we’re all – or they’re all on the same side and want to work together. But yeah. No.

I get all goosebumpy with anticipation but never over what he might say but because of the allure and aura of it all. To sit in that room one day during that one event is on my Life List. And it all seems so silly, this I am aware but it’s true and I cannot help but sit back and watch on C-SPAN – never watch on network television unless you need a play by play of what is being read at you and an analysis and it’s like having Pam Oliver show up in the middle of a game to chat: ANNOYING.

This year members are using the buddy system. You probably don’t care and yet in all of the talk of civility and rhetoric and coming together kumbaya-ness this is significant. It’s usually blue team on one side, red on the other. They stand with ovation at different times only to prove that they’re totally not buying what he’s selling. But this year will be different. I’m enjoying the speculation not on what the President will say (say it with me now “JOBS”) but with the whole will they hold hands? Are they gonna be BFF for life?

So I’m trying to go into this, the official start of what is really to come with an open mind that things can and will get better. I’ve just been so full ofcynicism lately, unbecoming for me and it’s a shock when I tell friends that I cannot handle congress anymore because they’re just so damn mean.

So tonight. It will be a fun thing to watch but the real question is how much of what is said will really come to fruition. Then again that’s the problem with most everything in life.

*Meet Congress’ Five Biggest Aisle Hogs

*You’ve Never Seen a State of the Union Address Like This via the White House Blog

*State of the Union speech won’t change most American’s opinions