I heard on NPR today that the internet and phone companies are worried about data overload tomorrow so I’ll post this tonight to avoid clogging the tubes tomorrow.

I haven’t paid much attention to many inaugurations in my life. I started paying attention after I was able to vote. That means that I’ve watched Clinton’s. I did not watch Bush II’s inaugurations but I read the coverage.

So, this will be the second inauguration that I will watch. I may end up having to listen to it since I’ll be at work. I had hoped to watch it online but if the interwebtubes are going to be stopped up that might be out.

It’s very heartening to me to see the amount of anticipation and even excitement about this new president. The fact that many news sites are worried about crashing from data overload is another sign of this excitement. More people than ever want to see our new president sworn in – want to hear what he has to say and witness it as it happens.

Obama’s pre-inaugural approval ratings are up to 60% and higher, which means even people who didn’t vote for him like what they’re seeing and hearing so far. I admit my bias but I honestly don’t remember this feeling of optimism and outright happiness about a new commander in chief, especially from the public at large.

There are many factors, I know. The bad economy has everyone wanting a change and the naysayers will say that that’s all this excitement is – anticipation of new ideas and a better fiscal future. There’s also the added glee at finally breaking the racial barrier for the highest office in the land. But I saw this optimism starting before the national financial crisis even started. I saw it during Obama’s campaign, even back when I was leaning more toward Clinton. Back when Obama was deemed unelectable.

I thought he was unelectable myself. I honestly thought that those out there who won’t read more than captions on a picture wouldn’t be able to get past that name – only one letter removed from the name of this nation’s most reviled man in the past decade. That and the fact that he wasn’t blindingly white.

I can’t express how glad I am to be wrong.

…so what am I going to blog about? The hostilities in the Gaza strip? The economic recession (depression)? Or maybe, to be more positive, the upcoming inauguration?

Nope. I’m gonna blog about shoes.

I’m not a clothes horse – anyone who sees what I wear everyday can attest to that. I think my biggest problem with modern fashion is that I simply don’t like it. I prefer ‘retro’ clothing and I’m not even talking about 60’s Mod or 70’s browns. I like clothes from the 30’s and 40’s and sometimes 50’s.

(The 50’s had that trend toward what I think of as ‘trashy class.’ Like a Frank Tashlin movie there was nothing explicitly inappropriate for general audiences, but still had a lurid feel to it.)

Anyway, why I’m even bothering to write about this is because I found this site today that sells retro clothing including shoes and I found two pair that, if I had the money, I would snatch up even though I would really have absolutely nowhere to wear them.

First, for the purple-loving facet of my personality:

And second – these are my favorite – red velvet pumps. I wouldn’t wear these even if I did have something for them to go with (I won’t show my toes) but I love these shoes.

For more angles, click the pictures. They’ll take to the site on which they’re for sale.

So, Happy New Year to everyone. Let’s hope things start looking up so that maybe we can all splurge on a little something every once in a while – like a pair of red pumps you may never wear but will love looking at.