THE OBAMA INFLUENCE?

Could it be that we are changing...that the world is changing, just in the past three months? Without being too narcissistic, I notice that I no longer want to watch "The Family Guy" or "Two and a Half Men" (not that I ever did, really), am not glued to the news, or read my snarky political emails.

Although I gave up Hannity, Limbaugh, and the rest of that group a long time ago, (even as black comedy), I now find that I'm having a hard time watching Olberman, Mathews, and listening to Air America.

It came to me the 10th time that I watched Susan Boyle sing, and teared up for the 10th time, it occured to me that the world might be sitting around waiting for kindness and hope to "come in on little cat feet".

Perhaps it has snuck in a little. It's not Obama really; it's the thought of Obama...what he says, what he stands for....the obligation that we have to help, to think of, to not hide from the rest of the world. Is it that he has pointed the way for us to follow, and we are "taking baby steps" in that direction?

Everyone is wondering why we all responded to Susan Boyle in that wonderful moment. The underdog syndrome, the surprise element and all those theories are no doubt true, but maybe, just maybe, we are growing up and putting away childish things.

Maybe....And maybe American Idol and Britains Got Talent could be the new fore-runners of this new attitude by forgetting about making fun of people and actually let talent speak for itself...even if it comes in the form of a plain woman with funny eybrows, unbelievable posture and a twinkle in her eye....