As many of you know, Anne and I are going to DC for the Inauguration of Barack Obama. I'm actually writing this post from my iPhone, on the bus. We left this morning at 7:30 am; it was frigid, but the folks waiting for the bus to arrive--standing on the corner of 7th Ave and 33rd-- were good-natured and smiling. Seems a lot of people are doing exactly what we are.
Well, maybe not exactly. It seems we are very lucky ladies, indeed. Shortly after the election, we wrote our senators and congresswoman emails, asking to be considered for Inauguration tickets--and Anne's name was selected, probably from among tens of thousands, by Hillary Clinton's office. So we got two tickets to the Swearing-in Ceremony--we don't know where we will be seated (or standing) yet, and won't know until we pick up the tickets in person at Clinton's senate office on Monday.
And if that wasn't fabulous enough, we just found out that we are "on the list" for the party sponsored by the Huffington Post, with will.i.am, on Monday night! Seems that Anne's mom met someone who works for HuffPo, through her neighbor, and she told him all about Anne and me, and how we volunteered on the campaign...and, long story short, he got us tickets! The party is at the Newseum, a new museum about media and news that's supposed to be totally interactive and really cool.
I will try to take a lot of pictures and post them between now and Tuesday night. We ran out and bought thermal underwear last night, and feetwarmers, and a blanket...hopefully the temp will get above (and stay above) freezing! In any case, we will be there, cheering and smiling on behalf of everyone we know who wanted to be here, but couldn't.
It's a gorgeous and clear day, an auspicious start to an event that I've been anticipating for a long, long time.
Huffpo
Monday, January 19, 2009 at 2:55AM 
was exciting! We stood with so many others off to the side, just trying to get a glimpse of the screen...and I didn't hear even one tiny complaint. Just a lot of folks crooning along, "in the name of love..."
Actually, we are more like one million. Lemme just say we didn't get anywhere near the Lincoln Memorial...we got there and they had already closed all the entrances, so we got as close as we could, which was near the Washington Memorial...and it was wonderful. I haven't seen a crowd that happy, ever. People singing along with Stevie Wonder, Bono, and Pete Seeger...it was beautiful and amazing. Little kids, older hippie types, youth recording everything with their phones...and everyone was excited and shining and graceful with each other. And then the streets, when it was over, were just flooded with people. I wept, and I assure you, I was not the only one.
Last night, we went to the Obama Ball, held at the University Club on 16th Street. Some of my sister's friends, right after Obama won the election, decided that they would throw their own party for the inauguration. It was a great time, with everyone all gussied up, dancing, and indulging in lovely desserts. But the highlight has to be the cutout cardboard Obama, which everyone posed for pictures with all night long. More pictures later, once I get home and can upload pictures from my digital camera.
Courtesy of my sister. We're here!