liveblogging b egins.....

On site. Just bought an Obama air freshener, because how can you resist that social commentary? Off to get caffiene. Will checxk in later...


eta 5:45. avenue just opened. surge of people, laughing and shouting. amazing.....

liveblogging interrupted by technical difficulties

also known as "my damn phone died."

Where was I?

Oh, right. Short version: Down at 7th & D, waiting to get past the checkpoint...that never opened. Reportedly the Secret Service changed the rules between midnight and 5 am and the cops decided not to share with the rest of us. DC cops haven't been top of my list since Disclave 97, but it's sad when I get more info from the (cute) FBI guy!

Finally made it onto the Mall, along with millions and millions of other people, including very nice folk from Australia (oi oi oi! to you guys too), Canada, France, Anchorage and California. And...what can I say? It was amazing, moving, beautiful -- and occasionally really funny when the voiceover on the jumbotron picked up the Secret Service mikes ("junior is getting on the elevator").

It was also goddamn cold. But we didn't care. Very loud crowd cheers for past presidents (even Bush Sr),boos for Shrub (I refrained), and I and a few others turned our backs when Rick Warren spoke. A small gesture but important to me. The swearing-ins were moving, the John Williams composition was exquisite to hear, and Obama's speech was, to put it mildly, a crowd-pleaser. As Nea said, "the 'my pleasure to present the 44th president' line was the 'we are changing our call sign" moment"*

And then, when the announcement was made that the helicopter carrying Shrub had left the Mall, the crowd we were in sang "hey hey hey, good-bye."

And then we had an excellent lunch, defrosted,and came home to collapse with a bottle of Champagne and chocolates. :-)

Oh, and my phone seems to have recovered, now that we're indoors. It really was that cold out.

There are photos, but they'll be posted later.

ETA: OMG I almost forgot. On our way in, there were the usual Jesus Chanters of some unknown sect, with signs telling people to repent etc, along with a sign listing those whow ere damned. Those are,I swear this is the truth, "women murdering babies, Jesus-mockers, Mormons, and sports nuts." No, really. Srsly. Many were the heads scratched over that.

*from _Air Force One_, when the president is safely aboard the rescue plane, which then becomes Air Force One

further to The Event

I think that Chief Justice Roberts screwed up the oath because he was nervous -- because the secret service had explained to him that it was his responsibility to throw himself in front of President (!) Obama in case of danger.

(and yes, Fox News is already claiming the oath isn't valid because of the misspeaking. Wankers.)

history in the making (picspam)

( some photos of the day, behind the cut )

Y'know, you get so revved up, and so cold, you don't realize how tired you are. Then you warm up, and OMG the ow. So. Very. Sore.