Suggested Inaugural Playlist

I'm closing out Obama week with a presidential mix!

1. This Is Why I'm Hot (Mims): Self-explanatory.

2. Crazy in Love (Beyonce f/Jay-Z): Because Mr. and Mrs. Obama really appear to be.

3. Set it Off (Strafe): Since Michelle is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, they have to play the sorority's unofficial theme song.

4. Michelle (The Beatles): Sorry, couldn't resist.

5. City of Blinding Lights (U2): When Obama finally appeared to accept the nomination, the opening strains of this song made for the first of many tear-inducing moments.

6. Bad Reputation (Joan Jett): A nod to the unfiltered Joe Biden.

7. The Pretender (Foo Fighters): Adios, W.

8. Walking Through Walls (Jon Brion): Nothing in this world is gonna hold me/No thugs in this road are gonna roll me/No fast talking girl is gonna slow me/Nothing's gonna stop me at all/I'm walking through walls.

9. Hell Yes (Beck): Hell yes, we can!

10: I Feel Good (James Brown): So far, so good!

11. Luck Be A Lady (Frank Sinatra): He's gonna need it.

Entertainment Weekly offers more informed suggestions here.

Rahm Emanuel: Hot

Is it wrong to point out that the next White House Chief of Staff is kinda smoking hot? Surely not as wrong as this inappropriate yet hilarious commentary on Obama's rumored Cabinet.

A Leap Forward

Ever since President-Elect Obama(!) became a serious candidate for the Oval Office, I've been hearing about how his campaign changed the way white people (in general) think about black people (in general). That's an incredibly broad statement, but I do think we're witnessing a cultural shift that won't be entirely clear for some time. Plus, that street runs two ways. I've had a couple of conversations that make me think the election is changing the way black people (in general) think about white people (in general).

While black voters were especially excited about this election, there's no way Obama could have won by such a wide margin without the support of millions of white voters. That level of support for a man of color took some of my friends and family members by surprise.

My friend V., who is black and a physician, inhabits a mostly white professional world. She likes many of her colleagues. Yet, she admitted that she was surprised — stunned, really — that so many white people of all ages cast votes for Obama. She is not given to fits of optimism about social progress, but she said this election has challenged some of her long-held opinions about race.

"I just never thought we'd elect a black president," my mom told me last night. "I can't believe I'm seeing this." My mom grew up in South Georgia in the '40s and '50s. When she and her sisters walked to school, they had to pass a house where a little white girl yelled "niggers!" at them every day — until my aunt K. snapped and punched her, hard, in the chest. Then they ran like hell. When she began her career as a music teacher in the '60s, she said some of the white women she worked with gave her nasty looks in the cafeteria. (Of course, that could be because my mom was a total babe back in the day. I am retroactively jealous.)

My mother doesn't hate anybody, but she is very skeptical and guarded where race is concerned. But Obama's election is a clear indication that her grandchildren — my son and daughter – are coming of age in a very different world. Not a perfect one, but a better one in many ways.

I don't know where this is going, but I like it.

Break Out The Tissues

As if I weren't already teary-eyed, I had to go and read this truly lovely entry by Ms. Moon.

Yes, We Did!

Memorable moments from last night's nonstop election coverage:

1. The Obamas are going to be the most attractive family in the White House since the Kennedys. They are just so nice to look at — elegant and genuinely affectionate with one another.

2. How did Jesse Jackson get a ticket for the Grant Park event? Was he in the Hating Section? In any case, those tears looked real to me.

3. McCain gave an graceful concession speech that struck the right tone. He sounded like the guy I remember from his 2000 campaign, and that was kinda bittersweet.

4. Who came up with that ridiculous CNN hologram concept? I didn't need to see Will.i.am "beamed" into the studio with Anderson Cooper.

5. I'm pretty sure this is the first time a round of the electric slide has broken out following an Electoral College vote tally. The scene in Harlem was classic.

6. At the risk of sounding naive about the state of race relations, I was moved by the sheer diversity of the Grant Park crowd. And that's not even counting the diversity in age, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

7. Speaking of crowd scenes, how cool was it to see the cheering in Sydney, Tokyo and beyond? That might have more to do with Bush than Obama, but still.

8. I know they have to give us something, but the networks drove me crazy with announcements like this: "Well, 3 percent of the votes in Ohio have been tallied, and so far ..."

9. I honestly felt a little bad for the subdued McCain supporters at campaign headquarters. I know that feeling, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Except Karl Rove.

10. It was surreal to watch the nation turn a page in our political and racial history. It will be years before we know the real impact of an Obama presidency, but for the moment, I am thrilled.

Then We Came To The End

One more day, and it will all be over.

A few nights ago, I dreamed that Barack Obama was campaigning in my hometown of Valdosta, Ga. It was raining, and he was standing under a black umbrella, microphone in hand, addressing a sparse crowd in the old Kmart parking lot. He looked tired and thinner than usual, plus a touch pissed off. I felt his pain, except for the "thinner" part.

We voted two Sundays ago, and I am just done with the presidential campaign. I want to wake up on Nov. 5, check CNN to make sure America didn't f*%# it up (again), and then go on with my life. Until then, I don't want to see another campaign ad, analyze a new set of poll results or listen to the latest interview with Joe Undecided. I couldn't even bring myself to watch Obama's infomercial. (It's not personal, Barack, but you already got my support and my vote. I had other stuff to do.)

Of course, I don't intend completely tune out Election Day. It's too historic and there are too many things at stake. I'm just so afraid that it'll turn out to be a nail-biter, and I'll have that helpless, slightly sick feeling I know so well from the last two election cycles.

On the bright side, one of my favorite illustrators, Alex Ross, has designed one of the best Obama t-shirts ever. I hope I'll have a reason to wear it soon.

It's Homecoming Weekend, But ...

Before I moved back to Tallahassee, I used to be so psyched about returning to my alma mater, FAMU, for homecoming. But for the last couple of years, I haven't been able to work up much excitement for the event unless friends are coming to town. The thought of fighting for a parking spot near campus and wading through the crowd, kids in tow, just makes me very, very tired. What happened? I'm tempted to say that living here makes homecoming less special, but I know plenty of local Rattlers who wouldn't dream of missing it.

It makes me sad to admit this, but in the nine years since we moved back to Tallahassee to raise our family, I've felt increasingly detached from the university. I certainly care about the school's welfare and cherish the memories of my four years there (some of them, anyway), but I'm not out there representing the way many of my former classmates seem to be. I run into them from time to time, and with a few exceptions, the encounters always make me a little uncomfortable. A lot of them socialize together, worship together and/or participate in the same organizations - some alumni-related. It brings back that awkward, fish out of water feeling I had for most of my freshman year, which seems ridiculous to experience at 38 years old.

It's not that big of a deal, but it has been on my mind this week for obvious reasons.