Inauguration, anyone? (remember, no politics)

It's kind of in the heart of our region, after all. My son just left to meet at school and go. I hope he's warm enough! It sure is a (n) historic event. His awesome history teacher takes the kids to every Inauguration- I'm glad now they didn't chicken out because of the crowd talk. I am going to be glued to TV coverage, esp with my 'baby" (almost 18) being there.
We live between DC and B more., we're wondering how far the ripple effects of the crowd will go. I pity anyone who HAS to get to work on the Metro today.
Any body else who's GOING is no doubt, or should be, busy getting ready or getting there by now! Anybody nearby who wants to report on the event side effects?

(Side note- my daughter also left early for a school trip, on a plane, for four days. Her first far away trip without us. I am going to be a bit edgy today..on top of being up since 3:40 am.)

Sally, The Hotels in our area are pretty full. We are about 2 hrs or a little more from Washington. Funny there is a bus full of people from Mississippi staying here. You would have thought they could have found something farther south. LOL
I know quite a few people that are going down, funny with all those people last night they were interviewing some one I know.

I went to Nixon's first inauguration. My dad was a gov't. employee at the time and was able to get us into the Old Post Office tower to see the parade. It wasn't as crowded as this one is!

Jeez Holly!! You're right- they must be totally booked here too!
I'm kicking my self for not making my son dress warmer...He's on street level, not tucked in a Tower like some lucky people...I think happy was on duty today helping in some way as needed.

If he's in a crowd, which I don't think he'll be able to avoid today, he'll be warmer. Plus it's always a little warmer in the city thanks to all the buildings and such.

I've been told all the hotels out here in the valley are filled thanks to the inaugural. I think a lot of private offices in DC extended the Martin Luther King holiday and are closed today. I have a friend who works in a law office in DC and their office is closed. I'm sure she's really glad she doesn't have to fight her way in to work today.

It's not a national federal holiday but they extend federal holiday to the DC employees, always do. I was very happy to watch from my nice warm house. LOL
Sally how nice for your son, he will forever be able to say "I was there".

thanks hart, you comforted me! he's young and tough he'll be OK....
Yes Holly, I am excited for him. Its a Big Moment.

Watched live cnn/facebook

My son reported that he was warm enough. I know you're all worried. He was back near the Wash Monument, and couldn't see much as the view of big TV screen was blocked by trees, but they heard the audio. Long line to get on Metro in the morning, but snaked thru the parking lot like Disneyworld and was orderly. They headed for Metro right after Obama's speech, along with 500,000 other people. All in all, not too bad considering the crowd. He said it was very pleasant watching the actual event tonight, nice and warm, at home on our TV DVR though!

I am NOT a political creature by any means----BUT....

What has inspired me is the humanity of this man! His confidence and his "down-to-Earth" personality. I think that is what so many of us are connecting to....it is so rare about anyone in this high office.

He is neither pompous nor superficial. He is a family man and, SO obviously, loves his wife and girls.
What a 4 years we have to look forward to as they settle in and his daughters grow into young women. I am happy he will be our president!

I do not see color--I see the person beneath the skin!

Gita

No politics from me (rare occurrence I admit) - but, what I saw today - safe, sound and warm in front of my TV was awesome!

Sally: I didn't end up voluteering -- I was rostered to be a "VIP driver", but they didn't end up calling on me, which was just fine. We loved every minute of the goings-on.

Claypa: I was there at the Nixon inauguration too -- except I was at the "Counter-Inaugural Ball." Phil Oaks played -- it was incredible.

Sally, thank you for starting this thread.

Barack O'bama's inauguration yesterday was a defining moment in history! It was emotionally stirring to see the tears on other people's faces, which said it all. His wife was bursting with pride as she danced in his arms at one of the inaugural balls last night. His daughters looked beautiful as they stood at their father's side and took in the whole experience. What an incredible moment in time that we were all able to witness either in person, on t.v. or via the Internet.

However, I was greatly disturbed & saddened to see the sea of trash that visitors to the inauguration left on the Washington mall yesterday. What gives people the right to leave their litter on the grounds of our nation's capital instead of in trash cans? Don't people know that they should only leave their footprints behind and leave the beauty for others to enjoy? Sorry, I needed to vent! I'll get off my soap box now.

Shirley- that is a sad commentary on the standards of many people! I can only desperately hope that the trash cans were not ample for the amount of stuff. But huge gatherings of people always seem to leave behind tons of trash. I'll never understand people who litter, anywhere!!!

I thought the musical piece arranged by John Williams was very pretty. We noticed that YoYoMa never seems to look at this instrument or music- he looks all around having a blast as he plays the cello. Probably why he's popular, partly.?
How 'bout that John Roberts botching the oath?
I haven't seen the ball gowns/dresses. I'm not a gown type of gal, but I hear there were some beauts.

I didn't like Mrs Obama's gown at the 'neighborhood' ball, looked too immature for her.

I totally agree with you, Sally! I'm sure there were ample trash cans scattered through out the viewing areas on the mall. I just wish people would use them!

Yes, the musical piece arranged by John Williams was beautiful. YoYo Ma and all the other musical performers were at their peak of perfection. They were enjoying every moment of being asked to play at O'bama's inauguration. I just kept wondering how they kept their fingers performing with those frigid temperatures!

John Roberts goofed up the oath, but everyone makes mistakes. We're ALL human! I thought it was rather endearing. O'bama obviously had memorized the oath ahead of time.

I thought the gown on Michelle O'bama looked lovelyl & I liked that it brought the dress designer to the forefront with national recognition.

Here's a fun little quiz to take....
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/12/quiz.ball.gowns/

I got 5 out of the 8 correct.....second-guessed a couple of them.....so was wrong....

I got 6 out of 8.

This was a four day weekend for many of us. Schools were closed in Fairfax and Arlington countries in Va, PG County, MD, as well as DC. We are 15 minutes away from DC.

My son and his wife volunteered to help check bikes for the WABA Bike Valet areas yesterday morning. They got there just after 6 AM, and worked until 10 AM, then made their way to just below the Washington Monument (on the Lincoln Memorial Side)... Here are a couple of photos he took...

The first one shows the site of the Bike Valet parking (South area, if you assume the Capitol is North). Considering the early hour and frigid temperatures, I was amazed at the number of folks who biked in yesterday morning!

Barb

Here is a photo he took of the collection of coffee cups overflowing a trash can. Not to excuse anyone who left their trash where they felt like dropping it (this also happens after every 4th of July - it's really disgusting), but it appears at least in this instance, people were TRYING to keep things somewhat orderly...

And finally, a shot taken from their position during the ceremony! Remember, this is on the OTHER side of the Washington Monument...

They were frozen solid by the time they got home that evening (about the time the parade was ending) but glad they did it.

Speaking of the parade, I watched the entire thing (LOVE marching bands!) and felt sorry for all the kids in the bands that came late in the lineup - by they time they got to the reviewing stand, there were just a handful of folks left there, as well as along the route. I almost wished I could zip downtown to at least give them a cheer or two...

Barb

I watched the Oprah show yesterday and Jon Bon Jovi talked about being in the crowd and walking home after the speeches. He said the best part of the ceremony for him was the walk home. All the people and the camaraderie.
They reported on the news that with all the people in Washington that no arrests were made, imagine a crowd that big and everyone on their best behavior.
Great pics Barb.

I read that the reason for all the trash was that the security folks had made the Park service remove a lot of the trash cans they had intended to use.

I understand why about the trashcans. Funny how people are perfectly able to carry full cups and wrappers, but suddenly debilitated and unable to carry empty ones.

good point Sally.

My sister was there Tuesday and she said the mall feeling was one of awe and amazement. She said she will use the next few days to sort of her feelings over the event because somehow "wow" doesn't cut it. She also noted that when Barack spoke, it was incredible, the silence of well over a million people gathered there. She still feels a high level of emotion today. We begin anew.

From the sounds of it, they could not keep up or get to the trash, to keep up with it. I would have likely placed my trash wadded up in my pocket, as I have before, until a proper place was found to dispose of it. Littering is a pet peeve of mine.

Thanks for starting this thread. I have enjoyed reading it.

Barb, those are interesting pictures you added. The hardy bike people no doubt felt really good cruising past lines for Metro later. I'll have to admit, when faced with mounds of coffee cups like that, I probably would have just tried to neatly stack mine with them. Bad example of doing something not right because so many others already did it! And the third really shows the scope of the crowd, imagine those people so far away and still packed like that.
maglover- thanks for the comments. Its impressive. Imagine being the one person that so many are looking to with this kind of awe.

I have to admit I watched more of this than I when Princess Di got married. I felt sad for the marchers too. One can only imagine how long they practised for the event...I heard them say the group from Hawaii worked on an ice rink to prepare to march in the cold.

Perhaps they don't need to the parade as part of that event??? For every state, every group to be recognized, takes a long. long time. It was already a FULL day and you have to know that they were tired with no real time to rest before they had to go to TEN more locations.

Personally, I wanted him to have a day off to ramble around their new home with his family...take in the wonder of the place.

Thank goodness for cable TV and the internet.

Sally, sorry to say I would be with you neatly tucking my empty into the pile near the can. I would never just drop it on the ground but once at a trash area mine would have gone there.
Yes, we saw that they redid the oath. I was watching when it happened and Ric said he stumbled over the words and I said I wasn't sure if it was him or the Justice. I think it was smart to redo them.

Justice Roberts got it wrong -- he moved the word "faithfully" to the end of the sentence. Obama paused for a long time to see if Roberts would correct himself, and then repeated the words as Roberts had delivered them while Roberts tried to correct himself. It was a bit of a mess. The media generally has been terrific about not making a big to-do about it.

although Biden made a crack about it at some appearance, which Obama seemed unapproving of. I hope Roberts has good self esteem- I'd be kicking myself forever.
Apparently the instrumental piece was pre recorded. Makes sense to me, cuz that kind of cold would have to affect the instruments, for guys like that, not to mention their cold hands.

Yes, I did see that Jon Stewart piece . . . .

Doesn't just affect the instruments, the brass players have to worry about the mouthpieces freezing to your lips. Been there and done that. Ouch.

What else do we not know about you, hart? Ever cover the Prez?

Which one? Yep, I've covered a couple, Bush Sr. and Clinton, and a slew of former candidates like Eugene McCarthy. Attended a few White House events too when Reagan and Bush Sr. were in office and things like the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Gridiron Dinner where Nancy Reagan sang, but that was through my ex's job, not mine.

One time we took my daughter and her friend and her friend's family friend, a teenager from Italy who spoke no English, to see the July 4th fireworks on the White House lawn. Did you know when you translate white and house into Italian it's the term for hospital? I'm sure the kid went home and told everyone we took him to a hospital to see the fireworks. LOL We also had a devil of a time taking him out afterwards getting him to understand "No beer! You have to have Coke! You're not old enough for beer." He was 15 or 16.

Never was crazy enough to attend a US inaugural but I've covered a few state ones. BTW, my ex was thrilled to file the first story for AP the other day on the inauguration which went out as a news flash. AP has a number of terms for breaking news telling news organizations receiving the wire how important they are. Flash is the most important and has only been used 37 times since 1950.

I started out as a music major in college, trumpet and piano were my instruments. I switched to English Lit, though. I was in band in high school and our band director signed us up for every daggoned Christmas parade in the northern half of Virginia. Had a mouthpiece frozen to my mouth many times. Vaseline helps but it's hard to do proper embrouchure with your lips sliding around on the mouthpiece. LOL

Very interesting! All. Congrats to the " flasher" LOL