Some Thoughts
I have been trying to figure out what to write about yesterday's inauguration, but don't seem to be able to come up with anything overly profound. So I think I will just record some random thoughts...
Overall I feel an immense sense of relief and calm.
I find it fascinating that many people do not share these feelings and in fact feel the exact opposite.
I enjoyed spending the day with several other friends...it just seemed right to celebrate this occasion with others.
This satellite photo from yesterday is amazing. (H/T)
I was reminded again of how much I hate national news coverage (talking heads who act like they know what they are talking about). After coming home, I turned the TV on, but kept the sound off, listening to NPR until the local news coverage came on (which was much better seeing as they know the area and don't speculate about things they really have no clue about).
When watching the national news coverage, I had pangs of "why didn't I go".
When watching the local news coverage talking about people trying to get home, I was reminded of exactly why I did not go.
I was pleasantly surprised at how little traffic there was out by us (except this morning when I made the mistake of jumping on the beltway to go one exit at 10:30am...it took over 15 minutes...what was I thinking!)
I absolutely LOVED Air and Simple Gifts and Yo Yo Ma especially was a delight to watch. So present in the moment and obviously enjoying himself. It was also really neat (to this former clarinet player) to see a clarinetist (Anthony McGill) featured. I will also say that it is really hard to play the clarinet (and stay in tune!) in the cold so I am even more impressed. I have loved Simple Gifts ever since I discovered Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring when I was in high school.
I enjoyed Rev. Lowry's benediction way more than Rev. Warren's invocation (which I found hard to follow). Here is more on Rev. Lowry.
I am sure that there is more (I did not even mention how enjoyable it was to watch Michelle and the girls), but it is getting late as usual.
UPDATED: I knew I was going to forget something. I saw an interview Ann Curry did with the new White House photographer, Pete Souza, where she seemed incredulous that he could have possibly had any inkling of an idea that Barack might eventually become president back when he started working with him in 2005. Really? I had an idea back in 2004, right after his Keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. The next day I joined his state legislature email list so I could learn more about him. And the rest, as they say is history. Of course, I also knew that there were no WMDs in Iraq...
UPDATE II: And here are some more photos of the day. As well as some behind the scenes photos.