You’re The Decider

Lt. Col. (US Army Ret) Cousin Phil took me to the Pentagon. I took pictures of the 9/11 memorial. Cousin Phil was there then. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures inside, but there are lots of exhibits of people who have run the various services, both civilian and military, as well as memorials honoring service. We then were going to go to the holocaust museum, but there was a huge line. Instead, we hiked to the white house, to take a picture of George’s last day. Other people had the same idea. Went down to the Lincoln memorial, on the way, took pictures of the world ward II and korean war memorials. Then walked across the bridge to the Arlington National Cemetery, created to bury union soldiers on General Lee’s land. Cousin Phil went to the grocery store, and found some Obama cookies. I think they were running low on inkjet dye.

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On the eve of the inauguration, DC starts to feel like the lead up to a sale at Macy’s the day after Thanksgiving, but much much more fancy.

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I met up with Rus early sunday to pick up our tickets to the evening festivities. Then we walked down to the mall to see the We are One event. Later, we attended the evening festivities (California Democratic Party party.) Thanks, parents, for helping me get out to D.C.

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KT and I hit the 2009 California Democratic Party bash, Fly Me to the Moon, at the world famous Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.  Zoom zoom ZOOM!

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Cheers!

80 million people descended on the Lincoln memorial for a free concert for… uh… hope… or bathrooms. Not quite sure.  If you look real hard, you can see the Lincoln Memorial way off in the distance.  It was pretty much packed like sardines most of that distance.

Goodbye California…

Hello DC.

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Barack Obama as the newly, overwhelmingly elected President of this country has awakened us from a terrible nightmare. The Bush administration fed our darkest thoughts. But now, the seeds of hope for a world in turmoil have been planted, hope that we will work together for a more positive world now that we seem delivered from the overwhelming despair created by our recent past.
- Lee Fogel

(I am collecting thoughts and such from my extended circle on what the inauguration means, so that looking back, we’ll have a great record of this moment in space and time. Please add your thoughts.)

Cousin Phil took me to see Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. One of the tour guides (they call them historical interpreters) reflected that as the first, he made many of the traditions of presidents, such as giving an inaugural speech. She said that she thought the most important thing he did, and George III thought he wouldn’t, was to give up power after eight years. That the most important thing we do is peacefully transfer power every four years (and in a quieter voice, she said, and we’re about to do it again, Tuesday.) So here’s to George, the first one, for showing the way to democracy. Pictures after the jump.

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Cousin Phil picked me up at the airport. I dropped off my bags, then we headed to the capitol to pick up my tickets from Speaker Pelosi’s office. A brief mixup with my last name nearly made my heart stop, but tickets in hand, I’m on the way to scope out the grounds. It was so very cold. I lasted maybe a half hour outside before we stopped into the Air and Space museum. Fortunately it will be at least freezing, not 13°, on Tuesday. Pictures after the jump.

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