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lagilmanalso 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
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
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 10:33 pm (UTC)<3
no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 10:58 pm (UTC)???
OK. The first 2 I get. I don't agree with them by any means, but I get. But the other 2? I'm guessing by your description and what they said on their signs that these are ultra-right fundies. The same people who, like the Mormon church, fought long and hard to pass Prop 8 in CA. And the Mormons are under considerable fire because it appears they stepped over the limits as a church in what they did for the campaign. So I don't get that. (In an aside, considering that the Mormon church holds the same political views as the other fundies, I've never understood the "I won't vote for Mit because he's a Mormon thing." and Mormons are going to hell thing either.)
I get even less the sports nuts. I suppose they are going to hell because the watch sports on TV on Sunday? I dunno. That's an even bigger head scratcher for me than the Mormons reference.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 11:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 11:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 11:21 pm (UTC)Guess I'm going to hell, then. Save me a seat next to Jonathan Cheechoo.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 11:27 pm (UTC)Wow!
no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 12:09 am (UTC)Maybe it was good the phone was dead, as I think they were requesting people not try to use phones, etc, to liveblog due to overwhelming network congestion.
Heh, will that friendly cute FBI agent be visiting in a book near us soon? ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 02:53 am (UTC)Not soon, no. But eventually....
no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 12:55 am (UTC)... is this about watching football on Sunday?
*facepalmity*
Envy you the experience, glad you made it back to comfort, and
NAH NAH NAH, HEY HEY HEY
YAAAAAY!
no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 10:02 am (UTC)Well, there goes Sarah Palin's chance of becoming the first Madam President. I fervently hope.