What a (4-day) weekend! The city was on a high all weekend. I felt like a kid at Christmas. Even the media lovingly called the day before inauguration "Inauguration Eve." Fitting because it felt like Christmas eve. Or maybe the night before prom. Or the night before going to get my drivers license.
D.C. was like a bee hive buzzing with activity. Buses and limousines were everywhere. Darkened cars and motorcades seemed to roll by every few hours. Police and the national guard were on every street, riding on motorcycles and horses. AK-47s were displayed. Snipers patrolled by rooftops.
The energy was everywhere and what was so amazing was that it was even more positive than normal. The energy was what drew me to D.C., yet the feeling in the air over the weekend was like that energy on steroids. Crowds were everywhere!! Traffic was bumper to bumper. People were in suits, donned Obama gear (sweatshirts, hats, scarves, buttons... you name it and it had Obama on it), wore tuxedos and gowns, and were all smiles. I didn't see one fight break out. Despite the congestion and slower pace due to the crowds, no one seemed annoyed. We were a sea of humanity. Languages and accents were everywhere. German, southern, French, northern, Mandarin, Afrikan... it seemed like all ends of the earth were here. Everyone wanted a taste of history.
Wow. To be here in this moment. To feel the comraderie and cheer. The hope and unity. I wouldn't have traded it.
We had a full house on C St. I had some friends from high school, who campaigned for Obama and followed him for a long time, come to visit. Mallory called on Monday, bought a last minute bus ticket and rolled up that evening. Kent, Drew's brother, drove up from NC to take pictures and share the weekend with us. Every room in the inn on C St was booked and it was fabulous!
On the day, a group of five of us made our way in the early morning light to the Mall. It was Mal, Marie, Kent, our friend Zac, and me. We each wore about five layers of clothing and brought our cameras. When we left the house, it was eight. The streets were already crowded with people. As we made our way closer to the Mall, to join the other 3 million people, our hopes of a close spot dwindled. The crowd moved like eddies and currents in rivers. Some circling, other groups stopped, and still others streaming through walls of people. Our group of five kept breaking apart and eventually we were each on our own, with the exception of Mal and I.
The best viewing spot we had was at 3rd and Maryland, a mere 3.5 blocks from the Capitol steps. Still, our dilemma was not having a jumbo-tron to view the ceremony. Sure, we could see the Capitol, with her flags proudly hung, but nothing personal. With 30 minutes until the start of the ceremony Mal and I made the decision to race back to the house where we'd be certain to view and hear the oaths. We made it into the house a minute before Biden made his promise. A song. Then, Obama. Short and sweet, his oath was shorter than Biden's. Jubilation. A poem. Then, his speech. I wasn't as impressed by his speech on Tuesday as I was by the one on election night, but there were some quotes I took from it.
Here are some pictures from the weekend. I'll never forget these days.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Stillness
The house is quiet. We are all here, but doors are closed as we charge behind them. It seems almost unspoken. I need quiet. Let me stretch and give me peace. There's not a hint of negativity in the air. These nights are far and few between yet I love them when they come. Solace comes from stillness.
The week has been busy and fast. Work was like a tsunami as it engulfed me the first few days. Now it washes back and there's little damage. Some stress still lingers, but it will pass and with its passing comes growth. I've learned a lot this week and it feels good. I was also pretty sick this week. I even took some time away from the office just to sleep. This morning was the first time I was able to actually breathe through my nose for the first time in days. The times that I am sick always make me appreciate those when I'm not. How blessed I am to wake up pain free most days. To not feel like walking death or long solely for covers makes me grateful.
I wish I knew how to play the guitar. It's a thought that has struck me more than once this week. It's a random thought, but I thought I'd share it. Maybe putting it in writing will make me actually do something about this desire. The promise of a guitar mixed with the emotions of a being can come out in a magical way. I guess it's another form of art. Still... sometimes a tone or pitch can express far more than any word. If I had a guitar, I'd be playing it now as I sit alone in my room. Instead, I am listening to someone else through my speakers who has mastered this art and probably plays it on nights like these.
My orientation for school is on Monday. I don't know too much about Monday night except that I am one of 15 in my class. I wonder who I will meet. Will we stay in touch beyond this year? Will I share more of my life with them than moments in a classroom setting? Will they of theirs? Orientation is at six and they're serving us a "light" dinner of salad and pizza. It's then that I will learn of all the books I must buy. Days of being an undergrad flood back as I stood in the book store and looked for any of my books marked "used" on their spines. Ah, the life of a student again! Am I crazy?
I spent time with Kat tonight. She came for dinner and we caught up over canned Indian food and delicious chardonnay. Followed with French-pressed coffee and truffles. It wasn't a shabby meal! I'm so thankful for her friendship.
Tomorrow is Friday. I can't believe it. There isn't too much in store for the weekend. I think we're going out dancing tomorrow night at a much-loved (by us) club here in DC. It's easy to get to by bus and there's an eclectic crowd that's drawn there. On Friday nights they play obscure and up-and-coming international hits. It makes me think of Drew. It also makes me feel pretty hip as the songs hit the club before mainstream America.
Beyond tomorrow night, I have nothing in store. Kat and I talked of going to a bookstore and reading together but separately. A friend nearby and other world in my hand. It's not a bad idea.
The week has been busy and fast. Work was like a tsunami as it engulfed me the first few days. Now it washes back and there's little damage. Some stress still lingers, but it will pass and with its passing comes growth. I've learned a lot this week and it feels good. I was also pretty sick this week. I even took some time away from the office just to sleep. This morning was the first time I was able to actually breathe through my nose for the first time in days. The times that I am sick always make me appreciate those when I'm not. How blessed I am to wake up pain free most days. To not feel like walking death or long solely for covers makes me grateful.
I wish I knew how to play the guitar. It's a thought that has struck me more than once this week. It's a random thought, but I thought I'd share it. Maybe putting it in writing will make me actually do something about this desire. The promise of a guitar mixed with the emotions of a being can come out in a magical way. I guess it's another form of art. Still... sometimes a tone or pitch can express far more than any word. If I had a guitar, I'd be playing it now as I sit alone in my room. Instead, I am listening to someone else through my speakers who has mastered this art and probably plays it on nights like these.
My orientation for school is on Monday. I don't know too much about Monday night except that I am one of 15 in my class. I wonder who I will meet. Will we stay in touch beyond this year? Will I share more of my life with them than moments in a classroom setting? Will they of theirs? Orientation is at six and they're serving us a "light" dinner of salad and pizza. It's then that I will learn of all the books I must buy. Days of being an undergrad flood back as I stood in the book store and looked for any of my books marked "used" on their spines. Ah, the life of a student again! Am I crazy?
I spent time with Kat tonight. She came for dinner and we caught up over canned Indian food and delicious chardonnay. Followed with French-pressed coffee and truffles. It wasn't a shabby meal! I'm so thankful for her friendship.
Tomorrow is Friday. I can't believe it. There isn't too much in store for the weekend. I think we're going out dancing tomorrow night at a much-loved (by us) club here in DC. It's easy to get to by bus and there's an eclectic crowd that's drawn there. On Friday nights they play obscure and up-and-coming international hits. It makes me think of Drew. It also makes me feel pretty hip as the songs hit the club before mainstream America.
Beyond tomorrow night, I have nothing in store. Kat and I talked of going to a bookstore and reading together but separately. A friend nearby and other world in my hand. It's not a bad idea.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Some pictures from Winter of 2008
The last couple of months have been blurry. Unfortunately, my blog has suffered from the activities. I've posted a couple of albums on Facebook of some events over the past couple of months.
Here they are:
In the first album, there are pictures of Marie and my trip to NC to adopt Charlotte. She's a beautiful cat and has been a very pleasant addition to the house. Her demeanor is calm and she's petite for her age (of about five years). While she prefers to be near the action, she's always content to sit in a nearby chair rather than on someone's lap. I call her "Insta-Purr" because she begins to purr as soon as you pet her. Sometimes she'll just start purring if her name is called.
There are also pictures in Winter Wonders I of our Cocktail party, which we had on December 20th. The house was filled to the max with about 30 guests in total who showed. We had a feast of appetizers, quite a wine variety and other drinks. It was a really fun night that was spent with many of our close friends in DC.
Pictures from Christmas in SC and NC are in the first and second albums. Christmas was pretty restful and it was great to catch up with my family. I also enjoyed seeing my friend Brooke, who moved to HI in July of 2008.
This week has been busy and some of those pictures are captured in the second album. Drew is still in town. In addition, his friend from France, Mickael, joined us for a few days as he visited the States. We've had some fun dinner parties and went ice skating in the Sculpture Garden on the National Mall. Skating and dinner party pics are seen in the second album.
Finally, there are a few New Year's eve pictures in the Winter Wonders II. For New Year's eve, we had folks over to the house for dinner and champagne toast (with 1993 Dom Parignon!) before we rolled to Fur nightclub. The club was quite a fiasco and my memories of that night will definitely be ones I'll remember the rest of my life. Between losing Mal's friend until the next day, almost being stampeded while trying to get our coats, seeing a girl break her nose after slipping on an icy ramp, and Mickael almost passing out from a panic attack (due to the stampede), it was quite a night.
2008 was a year of great triumphs, a broken heart, new friends, personal goals met (and some new ones made), laughter, tears, and dreams. Thanks for sharing it with me. I have many hopes for 2009 and am excited about seeing what happens.
Happy New Year!
Here they are:
In the first album, there are pictures of Marie and my trip to NC to adopt Charlotte. She's a beautiful cat and has been a very pleasant addition to the house. Her demeanor is calm and she's petite for her age (of about five years). While she prefers to be near the action, she's always content to sit in a nearby chair rather than on someone's lap. I call her "Insta-Purr" because she begins to purr as soon as you pet her. Sometimes she'll just start purring if her name is called.
There are also pictures in Winter Wonders I of our Cocktail party, which we had on December 20th. The house was filled to the max with about 30 guests in total who showed. We had a feast of appetizers, quite a wine variety and other drinks. It was a really fun night that was spent with many of our close friends in DC.
Pictures from Christmas in SC and NC are in the first and second albums. Christmas was pretty restful and it was great to catch up with my family. I also enjoyed seeing my friend Brooke, who moved to HI in July of 2008.
This week has been busy and some of those pictures are captured in the second album. Drew is still in town. In addition, his friend from France, Mickael, joined us for a few days as he visited the States. We've had some fun dinner parties and went ice skating in the Sculpture Garden on the National Mall. Skating and dinner party pics are seen in the second album.
Finally, there are a few New Year's eve pictures in the Winter Wonders II. For New Year's eve, we had folks over to the house for dinner and champagne toast (with 1993 Dom Parignon!) before we rolled to Fur nightclub. The club was quite a fiasco and my memories of that night will definitely be ones I'll remember the rest of my life. Between losing Mal's friend until the next day, almost being stampeded while trying to get our coats, seeing a girl break her nose after slipping on an icy ramp, and Mickael almost passing out from a panic attack (due to the stampede), it was quite a night.
2008 was a year of great triumphs, a broken heart, new friends, personal goals met (and some new ones made), laughter, tears, and dreams. Thanks for sharing it with me. I have many hopes for 2009 and am excited about seeing what happens.
Happy New Year!
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