Brian's Inauguration Videos and Pictures

Hi Gang,

As I continued to sort through my photos and some short videos I shot with my camera since returning from the inauguration, I thought I would post some more for you to hopefully enjoy. Apologies that the videos are so short and low quality but they were taken on my old digital camera to capture a bit more of the feel for some of the events.

At the Inauguration Opening Concert at the Lincoln Memorial
Bruce Springsteen starts it off:

Some Will.i.am and friends:

And a fun sing along - "This Land is Your Land"

And now on to the big day. First check out the energy from people just getting out of the metro enroute to the inauguration!

And now what we came here for (Obama taking his oath at the inauguration)!

Life of Brian: Coming Home - Day 6

Since hotels returned to normal prices Wednesday, I actually decided to check into a hotel near Dulles airport after a wonderful seafood dinner in Alexandria Wednesday night celebrating our last night in DC. That let the remaining 8 in the condo have a bit more space and also meant I did not have to wake everyone up at 4 AM to be picked up by Supershuttle the next morning!


I happened to sit next to another Californian on the flight back (get the feeling there were a lot uf there?) and shared stories from the inauguration. As we talked, a woman in a nearby row overheard my story of almost missing entry into the blue area due to the slow line and confirmed she had a blue ticket (she was a staff memeber for the DNC) and did indeed miss getting in with her ticket. She actually ended up giving up and moving into the public viewing area.

I wanted to show a picture of my final haul from the inauguration so you can see my impact to the DC economy! It was an amazing experience filled with incredible images, opportunities and most of all, amazing people - just like I met nearly every day back in California working on the Obama campaign. When people ask me about the crowds at events in a city that was bursting at the seems, I tell them I can best describe it this way: imagine being surrounded by a million people who have all just won the lottery and are going to collect their money. That was the kind of vibe, excitement, postitive energy and happiness that shone out of just about everyone you encountered, whether talking to them one on one, or shoved into a crowd of thousands. Now its time for the biggest adventure of all - helping our embattled country under the guidance of President Obama recover from years of disastrous leadership.

I hope you all enjoyed my blog and it could make the event a bit more real for you, or least give you a different perspective. So many deserved to be there - I truly feel blessed that I was able to make it!

Brian

Life of Brian: The Day After - Day 5

This was basically a low key recovery day after the excitement yesterday. Oh yes, we also survived our first night of 9 in the condo (see the gang on the left)! It was cold in the condo last night as I was on an air matress in front of a an uninsulated window with temps outside probably near zero or in the teens. Think of sleeping near an open refrigerator door! At times I only had my head out of the covers (I know, wimpy Californian).


I went out today sight seeing with Joy and Debbie as the rest of the condo-crew went on a visit to nearby relatives. Debbie really wanted to see the Lincoln monument, and the war memorials (Korean, Vietnam and World War II) so we decided to use the double decker on/off buses that make stops at many DC points of interest and allow you to disembark and reimbark freely. They are actually a nice way to go (and $32 for 2 days so not bad). We started at Union station - after I fell victim to another wave of Obama merchandising fever as I started mentally adding up all the friends and family who would want souvenirs from this epic event. The lines had not died down in any of the Obama merchadise related stores and may have even been worse! We then headed out on our bus and even braved the upper deck (I think it was in the 20s) for a brief time.



The bus drove us through various areas of downtown DC and its beautiful architecture, embassy row, Georgetown and Arlington Cemetary before we got off at the Lincoln Memorial, where the concert staging from Sunday was still being cleared. The monument itself is of course as impressive as it is famous, especially as you read about what Lincoln was dealing with in a country divided with war perfectly captured on the statue's grave and resolute expression. A lower floor holds a small museum which I believe has only been there since 1994. I found it especially inspiring since it was conceived of, and initiated by school children who thought there should be more education about the monument and civil rights. Way to go kids!


We also visited the Vietnam Memorial and looked for 2 Monrovian's names. Joy actually knew the fellow student who had died so it was especially emotional for her as she recounted details of him as the bright eyed, handsome young man she remembered. It really is an incredibly basic, but incredibly powerful and effective monument as it simply lists all of the soldiers who died names etched into black stone.


The World War II monument on the other hand is grandeuse and large. Its quite impressive and as epic and imposing as the war. The columns are each named with states so we captured the obligatory photo at the California column. I would like to see this memorial during warmer weather when the water features are going.


The Vietnam War memorial was as ghostly as a friend had reported from their visit. Rough, white hued statues of soldiers are spread throughout front greenery with a backdrop of an etched marble wall. On the wall you see faintly etched images through a glossy marble veneer that are white from the rough stone beneath the veneer. Its a very unusual monument.

We were considering the long trek to the Jefferson monument, but it was really was brutally cold and we all plan to visit DC during a more weather condusive season (i.e. when the trees are actually green, the grass isn't brown and the reflecting ponds are not filled with ice)!



We returned via our last ride on the DC metro (the metro here is wonderful) and enjoyed a scrumptuous seafood dinner by the Potomic in the beautiful city of Alexandria. I really do want to return during nicer weather. Of course the main goal of this trip was to see the historic inauguration and to feel proud of my country again. No, I was not ashamed of the troops, nor my fellow citizens (except maybe for Dittoheads and the like who spread hate and ignorance), but I was ashamed of the White House and almost everything it stood for under Bush. So for my mission at least I can truly say "Mission Accomplished"!


Tomorrow - time for the big flights back.

Life of Brian: The Big Day! - Day 4

This was it - the day of the inauguration! The plan for the household was to get up at 6 AM and head out during the early part of the crowds. I could barely sleep I was so excited about the ticket and going, so I heard Ruth on the phone early with relatives who lived near the blue zone (where I needed to go) who took 3 hours to get home from leaving a bar at 2 AM (i.e. 3 hours to go a few miles). Ruth helped me get started even earlier than planned so I was out the door by 6 AM and onto the Metro. The Metro was much more full than usual, but well managed (and our stop is early on the red line so there was still space). My transfer to another line went well, but then the Metro announced an unexpected closure of the stop I was supposed to use. It just meant more walking but that is the transportation mode of choice at this event. A very cool moment was being in a tired mass of people streaming out of the subway (its very early and cold remember) who then spontaneously broke into a mass of cheers, shouts and Obama chants as the metro escalator led us up and out into the light of a truly new morning!

It was about a 20 minute walk to the start, and then what looked like a reasonable line into a security perimeter line that lead to the entrance that said "Blue Entrance". The entrance was only a thousand yards away or so and it was only about 7:00 AM - success! At about 7:30 friends with tickets met up with me and we thought we were truly golden. However, although the metro and security at the event was well managed, the line control was not. People poured in from all angles and apparently cheated the line at its intersection with a line from the other direction so we ended up taking 3 hours to move a few hundred feet. Once we got into the main security feed we were able to get through the next part in about an hour .... OK, add that up. That makes 11:30! Yes, we arrived precisely as the inauguration was starting... wow, that was close!



We were closer than I expected to the inauguration ceremony but also to the right, so we couldn't really see the speakers as they were blocked by the right bleacher structure. However we also had a nicely placed video monitor in the area in front of us, so we saw everything and of course the crowd's energy was palpable. The sun came out and the wintery sky was beautiful as we watched the scene from the Capital lawn. I was there for the cheers and Obama chants, and for the boos as Bush came up, and for tears by some at the power of the moment. Yours truly turned his back on Reverand Warren - who at least thankfully left his hate speech behind and was well behaved in this speech. Aretha Franklin belted out America the Beautiful (and whatta hat!) and Joe Biden apparently had an energy shake for breakfast as he came out charged up for his speech. Of course Obama stole the show with another moving, eloquent speech that sealed the deal on the intelligent and sincere President we finally have in office. Michelle appeared in a beautiful goldend dress that made her look like the amazing First Lady that we all know that she will be. The cheers every time she (and their daughters) were shown make it clear America is in love with the entire Obama package!

Leaving the event, my friends invited me to a Congressman's office where they a friend working to warm up at a low key and friendly reception. It was about 1 pm then so we had been out in temps in the 20s for about 6 hours so it was a very welcome break and nice to feel my toes again (and to have my first cup of coffee for the day since I had been to worried about lines to coffee up in the morning)!

I left my inaugural friends to try and join up with my condo roomates - but was unable to reach them via cell so I stupidly decided to try to make it to an obscure Metro stop to beat the masses I had heard were clogging the major stops after the inauguration ended. Unfortunately the parade route and staging areas had blocked about every road and I could not get out, nor find a restaurant or place to get in from the cold so I ended up in the mall (freezing, the sun was gone and the wind kicked up so it had to be in the teens) watching the start of the parade on a jumbotron. It was actually pretty amazing to watch Barack and Michelle getting out of the car and smiling and waving to the frenzied crowd (as I cursed myself for not having stayed at the parade route of course)! I had assumed Obama would have done the Bush "fast drive by" back when protestors had lined the route and his car was pelted with eggs after the 1st stolen election - but of course the events on this election could not have been more opposite. It was a beautiful moment.

Then of course more walking (miles of it) trying to get around the endless police blockades, closed streets, closed metro lines, etc. in weather that was now brutally cold before about 6 PM when I found (with the help of a local angel) an open Metro station. Unfortunately, first I had waited in a line with others at a closed station awaiting it to open after the parade. I then learned it might actually not open for 1-2 hours. I got home tired, cold, sore and completely thankful that I was able to take part in what I had. It took an amazing Presidentia candidate, an incredible victory, exciting California grass-roots actions, a friend's sister's kindess, and incredible luck in getting a ticket - but I was able to attend what will undoubtedly be the most amazing Presidential inauguration for the most amazing President of my life, oh yes and history was made!

Life of Brian: Obama Day of Service and a very pleasant surprise.... - Day 3

Today I joined fellow Obama California volunteers to help out in the Washington DC Emery Eduction Center school in answer to President-elect Obama's call for a day of service to honor Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. The picture above is from our painting exploits. Yes, this class now has the coolest painted lockers in all of ... the 3rd floor of the school, or at least in the top 10!

Now the really amazing part of today - through a series of fortunate events and connections to Obama volunteering, I actually was given a.... Are you ready for this? I was actually given a ticket to the inauguration! Unbelievable, eh? Yes - I was truly stunned and incredibly grateful. I will be standing in the blue area which is part of the restricted front standing area ticketed access. I can honestly say that so many people I worked with during the Obama campaign deserve to be here - but I will be there for all of you in spririt (Lance, Cathy, Don, and many, many more). I am still in shock frankly that this happened! Following are pics of the packet: invitation letter, program, Obama and Biden pics and the actual ticket:




Of course that was the topper for the day (month and year)! Today like yesterday, my roomates split to do more touring of DC via car and taxi so we tried to synch up after my volunteer work in the morning at the school. Enroute to trying to meet them I did serious damage at an Obama store at Union Station to chip away at Debbie's Obama souvenir haul from yesterday. It was insanely busy so that I had to wait in line to loop around to select things enroute to the cash register. I was able to purchase some very nice souvenirs and just in time - an upscale event was about to cause the lock down of Union Station. That also caused a giant influx of people to flood the station as I tried to leave. As predicted my cell didn't work, but it also actually crashed & locked up. It took multiple resets and blocks of walking away from the throng before it worked again and I could try to reach Lorraine and the gang.


They were heading for the Washington monument via taxi so I tried it via foot (a several mile hike from Union Station that gave me a great view of many things in DC - the capital, the White House, judicial buildings, etc.). Unfortunately it took so long to reach the monument (with intermittent cell coverage all the way) that by the time I got there the gang was ready to leave and was just exiting via taxi to an area about half way from where I had just hiked in. I was dog tired, but still jazzed from having scored a ticket so I walked back and finally met up with them after about 4 hours of non-stop walking.


We met up at TGIF as my feet celebrated finally sitting down while the rest of me enjoyed a Cosmo & Long Island Iced Tea! We took the metro back to Ruth's place and tonight she tried to plot out tomorrow's game plan since getting to the inauguration will not be trivial with all of the crowds and metro and street closings. I enter in a different area because (did I mention this already) I HAVE A TICKET!!!!!! We are going to get up at 6 AM Tuesday and try to fight our way down to the noon event. My brain cannot quite wrap around actually being there (I got teary during part of the concert). I really find this whole thing sureal. I keep trying to realize its really happening and that Obama is actually our President and that our 8 year national nightmare is coming to an end (with an incredible amount of work to do to dig us out of course).

On a lighter note, Debbie and I continued our souvenir throw down! Today I bought more, but I am still far under her running total - however she said that the tickets make me the winner hands down. I am inclined to agree (assuming I survive the night in the condo now hosting 8 people - all drooling over the ticket). In case anything "suspicious" happens I want this blog to be entered into evidence! Oh yes, just for the record this is today's Obama gift hunting bounty:



Good night all! Its going to be beyond isane tomorrow... I hope you all are able to watch this amazing moment of history in the making and celebrate your butts off with friends and loved ones!

Life of Brian: Inauguration Opening Concert - Day 2

Hi gang!

I made it to the concert as I hoped! It started at 2:30 pm but gates opened at 8 AM and I did not get an early start (hey its me after all). Actually we were still making group plans this morning and it ended up that my roomies all went for a drive/tour of DC instead so I was solo for the concert. But y'all know how bashful I am so that was not a problem! I was still able to get in after a short ride on the Metro and about a mile of hoofing it to the mall and then waiting through a security line and then I was into the mall area between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

At first I stopped on the side of the mall where the crowd seemed thick. OK, its not too bad for coming late right? But I see people still moving towards the reflection pool (i.e. "skating rink" this time of year as its frozen!) so maybe I can get closer.....?

Oh yeah - that's what I'm talking about! This is where I ended (and was stuffed in a crowd so I couldn't leave to drink, eat, etc.). It was close enough to see the figures (small of course) without the video monitors! As I started talking to a guy next to me (Willy) I found he was from, California - Altadena to be exact. What are the chances of going to an event with an estimated half million people in another state across the country and standing next to someone who actually lives about 5 miles from me?? Too funny!

Bruce Springsteen opened backed by a red-robed gospel choir and then the Obama family arrived. The event alternated celebrity speeches and musical performers who were a virtual "who's who" of music. There were unique duets and combos (like Herbe Hancock at piano with James Taylor singing) and stars like John Cougar Melecamp, Bono, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Cheryl Crow and many more. Vice President-elect Joe Biden and President-elect Obama both gave rousing speeches. Denzel Washington was the first celebrity to speak in a long list that included Tom Hanks, Forrest Whittiker, Jamie Fox (whose Obama impression was hysterical) , Samuel Jackson, Tiger Woods, etc. I have to admit that I dislike country music so when Garth Brooks came up I did an internal groan.. and then he performed a super high energy version of "Shout!" with a background choir that brought the house down and had everyone dancing and throwing their hands in the air. Sheryl Crow and will.i.am performed "One Love" togther. If you did not see Will.i.am's Obama "Yes We Can" video during the elections, you really should check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

Thanks Willy (remember my new friend from Altadena?) for the photo to prove I was actually there! That is Brian sporting his recently purchased winter hat and I was also able to finally wear my scarf (thanks Laura)! It was in the 30's today with no wind or snow so it was not really that bad (says the Southern Californian). Of course the other possibility is that my Ohio DNA kicked in to keep me alive!

And yes Virginia, there is Obama marketing. I bought a few things today as I came back down 17th Street past the mob of vendors selling everything conceivable that was Obama related. When I returned to our condo and viewed Debbie's stash from today's shop-a-thon I was humbled. Let's just say I got spanked! Here is the photo of the loot - note, my purchases are the sparten 2 hats and a bag on the right (Debbie says "Take That!").

I have been invited by some of my Obama California activist friends to join in a "Day of service" at a local school tomorrow so I am going to try and go. Don't forget to try and to attend a service event if you can Monday, as Obama has requested us to honor Martin Luther King Jr. You can check out the Foothill Community Democrat site for a food drop opportunity. To quote Ghandi "Be the Change You Want to See in the World"!

Life of Brian: Going to the Inauguration - Day 1

Check out this picture! No - I did not score tickets... read below for the story.

My day started at 5:00 AM with the shuttle pickup to Burbank airport. For those who know me and mornings, it was not pretty! I flew out of Burbank (great little airport) and the guy sitting next to me turned out to be a high level Obama coordinator for Nevada. His name is Ian and he had been involved in politics before going to the Iraq war, and when he came back, he was so inspired by Obama that he moved to Nevada for 6 months as a coordinator for a Nevada region. Ian is definitely a fascinating guy. I found out he had innauguration tickets as well as tickets to 3 balls! He was nice enough to let me drool over them and shared a picture he had taken (I asked if I could take a picture of them). If the resolution was higher and I had a color printer while in DC.... er, bad Brian! Just kidding of course (that is addressed to friends and any secret service reading this)! I was so engrossed in my conversation with Ian that I left my ipod on the plane (first drama of the day) but discovered my blunder in time to get it back fortunately.

Here I am in stop 1, Dallas before I am off to my next stop in wintry Columbus. The last leg of my flight changed airlines so I was very worried my checked bag and probably for good reason. I had to get my United ticket in Columbus and asked the agent about my bag transfer. She ended up making a series of online checks and calls to make sure my bag had made the transfer. The nice part is that its such a small airport, the agent called the baggage area and talked to an actual person she knew (try that in LAX!) and walked over to the American agent to ask her to call her people and make sure my bag was transferred. As we walked out onto the tarmac and I spotted our teeny little plane for the final leg to Washington, I got to experience the joy of 10 degrees in Columbus. So why did I move to California again... but I digress. Our flight was held on the ground for a late Chicago flight to drop off some customer. The innovative crew had them literally pull the plane up next to ours and let the folks directly disembark from the other plane right onto our flight. I sat next to a woman who had a 3 leg flight like mine originating in California to Chicago to Columbus to Dulles. Our insane flight paths led us to the same conclusion - apparently airlines are using all possible combinations to get people into DC once standard flights were sold out. In her case her daughter was a friend of the Obamas back in Chicago and that was her link in. I also met and very nice Republican couple ... they told me - it wasn't obvious... ;-) and their daughters breaking a few stereotypes but not only going to the Obama inauguration, but an HRC (gay rights) ball that night as well.

An hour later I was in Dulles - gratefully looking at my bag that had actually made the transfer (thank you un-named United lady from Columbus!). It was bustling and of course met another cool activist / participant in the festivities tomorrow enroute (you can meet a lot of cool people at this methinks)!

After a long and very hot SuperShuttle ride I was at Casa de "Ruth" (my friend's sister). Ruth is really going above and beyond and letting 9 people crash at her condo (she even bought some air matresses). Her graciousness has been amazing! Here is a small part of the gang (more coming Sunday):

OK - its now 1 AM somewhere...actually here and our Sunday plans are not finalized and could be an early attempt to get into the concerts I mentioned yesterday so after 4 hours of sleep I am going to bed! Bon soir!