Michelle Obama: "Let's play Queen, and I'll be Queen."

I didn't mind so much about Michelle Obama's $540 sneakers, except that she wore them when she went to "help" at a Washington, D.C. food bank and homeless shelter. I thought that was tacky.

I thought the ring-around-the-rosey flower garden outfit that she wore to Westminster Abbey was questionable, but. . . you can't argue taste (well, yes you can--"Wide stripes around the hips a neurotic fashion no-no," said one British sartorial reviewer). Honestly, I've never seen a goofier outfit on an adult woman in my life, but then I wear overalls at home. . . oh, but wait, that's at home. . . well, never mind.

I didn't mind too much about the too-short-shorts that she wore coming off of Air Force One. They seemed a bit casual to me, but others admired her "willingness to take fashion risks"--whatever, I don't really care. IMO, her legs aren't that great (certainly not as great as THOSE ARMS!), but if she wants to wear short-shorts more appropriate for a 25-year-old than a 45-year-old, who am I to criticize? One of the mainstream media blogg-ettes who cover this sort of thing referred to her "oh so tricky shorts. . . practical, yet bold." Seriously?

Overall, I think Michelle Obama is a fashion wreck, but some people like her goofy clothes. All I can say is, I feel soooo sorry for people who decided on fashion reporting as a career move while this woman is the First Lady.

All funny-stuff aside, and her wardrobe really is nothing more than fluff and funny-stuff, what disturbs me lately about Michelle Obama is the report coming out about her staff. It seems that Queen Michelle, in the midst of the "worst economic downturn since the Depression" (that's a quote from Michelle's husband), finds that she needs twenty-six (26) attendants to get her through the day. Salaries for this tribe of hirelings add up to (without figuring in 50% more for the gold-plated benefits that go with their jobs) $1,750,000. Michelle has hired a Social Secretary and a Deputy Social Secretary, a Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary, a Director of Policy and Projects, her own Director of Communications, a First Lady Deputy Chief of Staff, an Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff, her own Press Secretary, an Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary, a Director of Scheduling and Advance, a Director of Advance and Trip Director, a Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator, a Director of Policy and Projects, a Special Assistant and Personal Aide, a Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide, an Associate Director of Correspondence, a Deputy Director of Correspondence, a Deputy Associate Director of her Social Office, and, last but not least (and surely not the last) a Staff Assistant.

It sounds like she could also benefit from hiring a Director of the Directed Department of Redundancy Department. I am not exaggerating--these are real titles for real people being paid real salary from real tax dollars, all hired by Michelle Obama to do--what, exactly? Where is Michelle Obama having an impact as First Lady? Anybody? It's been seven months. I heard she planted a garden with some kids. Wow.

Just to get her through a normal day, (not to mention her weekly "date night" with her husband--the New York date night jaunt of this celebrity First Lady and her husband cost the taxpayers something along the lines of $250,000--but I digress) she needs all these people?

Every day I wake up hoping the country's nightmare of the Obama administration is over. I am sickened by the over-the-top extravagances of these "entitled" people. It's good to be Queen, evidently.

Ironic quote of the day: "Michelle Obama has harnessed her role as First Lady to encourage Americans to give back through volunteerism: she calls on all of the hoi polloi (did she really say that?--well, maybe not out loud) to make service a part of their daily lives." I laughed until I fell off my chair when I read that one.