Fab Inaugural Exhibit At Post

That's it! Finding a parking place downtown on ANY day is fantastic. Now, my mind's made up. I AM going to the Inauguration on Tuesday, although I'll take the metro.

Since I'm alone here, no one will mind me bragging a bit. I'm invited to a parade-watching party by friends who have a penthouse apartment with a balcony on the parade route. Not only will there be ample food and drink, it'll be warm, and there are two bathrooms!

Maggie, that sounds great! Maybe you could go a day early? I am so frenvious...wish I could be there for the concert too, except for the cold...

Believe me, I'd love to go a day early, but they have people camping out in sleeping bags all over their apartment. No room for a close-in resident like me.

The only stumbling block for me is how to get to the metro without a car. My nephew said he'd drive me, but I don't want to drag him out at night to pick me up.

My brother and s-i-l have tickets to the seated area of the swearing-in, and they'd like to join us for the parade watching, but there's no way to get from Capital Hill to the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue without a very long way around the back of the capital. (or is it 'capitol?').

Such dilemmas!

It's a special enough occasion that if I were you, I'd offer to pay your nephew the gas and be a lively aunt, Maggie O'D.

Youth has its advantages and one of them is that they don't mind late nights.

I'm really frenvious, Maggie.

A colleague at work on Friday asked me if I was going to the concert, or the Inaugural. I replied, "Are you crazy?" Alas, my legs are shot, and there's no way I can do that much walking, nor any amount of standing beyond, say ten minutes. And she knows all this. But she still can't understand why I couldn't possibly go. Seems these sort of events aren't very old-fart-friendly.

And in any event, I'm still sniffling, and couldn't possibly tolerate being out in the cold that long even if I was more or less germ-free and "healthy."

But yes, if I were 40 again, I'd certainly go.

Which leads me to my epiphany, and the creation of a new phrase/concept: extro-denial. This occurs when everyone else is in denial about you (or something about you), except you yourself.

But back to the topic: a balcony overlooking the parade route...oh my! The height of frenviousness.

I wonder if anyonme every went back to Julius Klein and asked him what the hell he was thinking. Or asked McCain. I have difficulty with these sorts of pronouncements: did the speakers (McCain and Klein) "know" they were so far wrong? Were they out-and-out lying, or simple deluded? If they knew better, then they really were lying. Why do we not call a spade a spade?

If I bring up NPR on the 'puter, will I be able to watch the concert? I'm gonna try.

The son of friends, a third year law student, is right in the middle of the hoopla. He has buddies with an apartment four blocks from the Capitol, and he has tickets for the Inauguration itself. Memories to be cherished for a lifetime...

I don't know how I'm going to get through all this without tears. This morning's sermon, about all the incredible changes we have seen in our lifetimes, brought me close, as did the prayers for the President. At least I will have my nearest and dearest with me, so we can all weep together.

Complete and utter frenvy here, Maggie... Enjoy!!

I enjoyed my morning jog, complete with several bluebirds (real bluebirds, not really really cold regular birds) and a couple of very vibrant cardinals. All I needed was a white dove or two and it would have been downright inaugural.

slyness, if you go to www.hbo.com you should be able to watch - live (soon) or at the rebroadcast times. I think NPR is audio only, which would be fine too.

Now I'M frenvious, Scotty. All my life I've wanted to see a bluebird and never have. I didn't realize that they are in your neck of the woods; they must be in mine as well.

If I get any pictures of the parade et al, I'll post them here if someone guides me through the process.

Mudge, I'm with you as far as the walking and cold go. I couldn't last very long outside at the I. I don't know what my bro and his wife are thinking. They'll have to brave the cold and walk much longer than I will.

Here's the link to NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99389770

Or you could turn on your radio, presumably...

Jillian's weather forecast for the Ravens-Steelers game: 23 degrees, wind chill down to 15, and snow through most of the game.

Iggles-Cards forecast: inside a dome, in Arizona. Now that's more like it.

ESPN and Bristol University have a group of 10 "expert" football forecasters (8 human, 2 seem to be androidish and/or computerish). 7 of the 10 pick the Iggles to win, and all 10 pick the Steelers. No love for da Ravens anywhere. That's the good news. The bad news is "the experts" have struggled to maintain 50-50 during these playoffs. Five of the 8 games so far have been underdog upsets -- and visitng teams at that.

TV coverage of the concert starts in 7 minutes. Hope a lot of you guys will be on hand for some live Boodling, for both the concert AND the foosball.

The tears are starting now. Fanfare for the Common Man, indeed.

Concert starting with Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. I'm listening on NPR - nothing on HBO's website yet...

Ah, there it is on HBO's website. Nice scarves...where are their hats?

I was a little afraid when I saw the military band thinking they might play some Souza(sp?_?).

Fanfare was beautiful

Extro-denial: We could work on that one, Mudge, but the concept sorely needs a word, I agree.

Time for a neologism challenge, it seems.

Oh, crap. Verklempt already here too,

The panaorama, with Lincoln sitting there in the background.

My gosh, look at all the people. *Grover waves to Joel!*

Denzell looks like he just woke up....

Sorry about that remark. He's actually well dressed; I just got startled by the incipient beard.

What's the temp in DC? I'd go look at weather.com but I have so many windows open I might get lost. Looks really, really cold and windy.

Well, the Boss always knew how to pick back-up singers.

Brooooooooce!

About 38 degrees, seasea. Wind is about zero, so no wind chill. They are *very* lucky.

35 degrees and overcast. Bruce looks like he's freezing, or does he always look like that?

So, no local tv coverage live? As in I can hear the concert but not see it?

I've screwed up the TV AGAIN, dammit. But at least I've got the great speakers with the computer.

Channel 22 has the Morgan state gosperl choir on singing precious lord in close up....very confusing as I thought that was it, but then Bruce S singing on the radio stream....

Go to the HBO channel on TV - even if you don't subscribe. Supposed to be free to day. Or watch on the web.

CP, I just checked the local comcast list. Looks like only HBO has it. I wish you were here to critique the clothes especially the scarves. Jill Biden's looks like something you'd like.

Michelle is wearing a camel coat open so that we can see the matching (?) camel skirt.

hbo locally, Mudge? Maggie? Channel no?

HBO has this to say:

This live stream is available only in the US and territories. We apologize to the rest of the world.

Maggie, take my place....

For the youn ens, make sure you YouTube Bill Withers later to know the original of Lean on.

Love Michelle's outfit, unfortunate that Mary J. Blige wore white, she is a little lost on the monument.

Mary J Blige - Lean on Me

Even that slight breeze looks cold.

Bet LiT would like her boots.

HBOCanada channel is carring it Yoki.

CqP, you can watch the show on your computer, at http://www.hbo.com/weareone/webcast/index.html

You may want to use the radio for better sound, and use the computer for the visual, with sound turned down or off.

Do you have any cable or satellite of any kind?

Shy-town, the jazzy name/bluesy moniker for Chicago

Jamei F's brown tie is nice against the putty/oyster overcoat.

Jon B J -- get your gloves on, forthwith.

(thanks Mudge)

Nice fake fur ruff...but fake is never as warm as the real stuff..

How cute is Jon Bon Jovi? Sounds good too. I don't know Betty Lavette - she's wonderful.

Oh,oh, lost the kid behind Obama.

Okay, I'm already weeping, with the recital of Obama's speech from Grant Park.

Getting ready to head out to watch the games.Mudge your right the only one I found picking the Ravens was Chris Collinsworth.

Oh well extra motivation playing as the underdog is always good.Respect is what every NFL team wants.Starting the season after last years record of 5-11.The ravens were the longest shot at 100-1 to make the super bowl(Detroit was the other) and we all know what happen to detroit.

1 game away from the super bowl.I think it is so great that we get to play our divisional rival and our BFF the steelers. The #1 and #2 Defense against each other in the snow and cold with the big show on the line.It don't get any better then this.

We(the Ravens) have nothing to lose,already this season is such a sucess.If Pittsburgh loses it would be a shock to most of the experts.But the experts aren't playing and it should be fun. I heard one reporter say this game should be played in the colusiuem in Rome(does it snow in Rome?)

Pretty amazing to me the Ravens can make it to the championship game with a rookie QB in Joe Cool Flacco and a rookie head coach in John Harbaugh.

Look for a hard fought low scoring game with alot of hitiing.I also predict the winner of this game wins the super bowl.

Ok out to the games,have a great day everyone!!!

Go RAVENS!!!!

purplewithenvy

Think kindly upon the musicians in that pit....cold air flows into that space. The percussionists and others will have cut mitts and handwarmers in a pile....I have doled out the hand warmers for such brave musicians.

Hope Tom Hanks has his long underwear on.

I saw that kid, made me smile, like Michelle and Barack singing along with Mary J. Blige.

Bon Jovi - very cute, and the duet fantastic.

Very impressed so far understated elegance.

Nice view. Get a hot toddy for Tom. He's still out there.

Detail on M Tomei's sweater is called smock-ruching.

James T wisely cover's his pate with the toque. LOVE the turquise guitar that pops out.

Hope that's the only Reagan quote we have to hear. Wouldn't be so bad if he had acted upon it.

OK, James! And hats! That's what I'm talking about. John Legend - with a hat!

This concert is great. Thanks so much for the link. We're still recording it for later, but I'm glued to the computer (boding ill for my work plans). Plenty of damp-eyed moments so far, lots of good performances, not a wrong note yet, literal or figurative.

Don't know who of you are aware, but the piece Hanks just read is "Lincoln Portrait," written by Aaron Copland, who composed the music behind it (and also wrote the Fanfare for the Common Man, of course).

Hate to say it, but I don't think Hanks did it justice. A lot of people have spoken it, but in my view the best is still Henry Fonda, in front of the London Symphony Orchestra. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Portrait Scroll down for the list.

One of the people who spoke it was a Chicago pol named Obama, who read it in Aug. 05 in front of the Chicago Sympony Orchestra in Millenium Park.

Legend's scarf is a nice foulard pattern. Again the turquose pops against the wintery slates and Blacks and putty-grey colors

Love Jennifer Nettles' scarf or blanket or whatever it is - teal. I don't know her, either - she's great.

Joe!

Pass Biden a rocky and bullwinkle hat with flaps, mudge. Give yours up. You are INSIDE.

*faxing Joe my beloved Bullwinkle cap*

Crap. Cards just scored a TD.

I think Tom was trying not to faint from the cold.

John Cougar Mellencamp.

Spark plug rocker from the heartland....acoustic still rocks

Phone calls interrupted my tv watching. Who's that singing now? Is that Mellancamp or something like that?

The bass player is JCM's son....rest of the band is in the pit....hoping to see cowboy boots on one of them...anybody?

Yes, Mellencamp.

Wilbrod -- signing in front of the back up line, to the right of your screen.

Love gospel choirs.

Queen Lat, is wearing a real fur cape....dyed fox I believe.

That's neat the way they have the screen to move that many people on and off the stage. Pacing is good.

Nice cape-like coat that Queen Latifah has on. CP, love the details you can pick out.

Could this get any better? No Wait! Strike that. Instead of the entire Marian Anderson clip, they switched to Josh Groban.

Now, who's this? Not so good.

Groban is wearing a formal great coat. The two tones on the lapels....could be velvet. Main coat is wool melton fabric.

Granted Marian Anderson's voice is a type not in style, but they stopped the clip before the high notes! Not fair! I have nothing against Josh Groban and frankly it was probably a better idea to have someone cut in whose voice simply cannot be compared with Anderson, but really - before the high notes?

Oh, I love Josh Groban. Isn't he Irish?

The only off note so far...

Rick I am with you; would love the rest of Marian god bless her very much to help s get to this day.

nice raspberry touches...pops from back better than scarlet.....was that the Men's Gay chorus?

Kal Pen? (I like Kal Pen, especially on House, but...)

iggles' field goal, down 7-3.

No, Groban's American as far as I know. The Irish guys are coming later.

George Lopez has tiny spikets in his hair....and perhaps a deeply midnight purple tie.

Not sure Groban if is Irish....

So, that's Will.i.am. He's cute! And I love that song.

Love Sheryl Crowe...but what a waste of her on this song. WTF is "William"? (Dumb name, anyway.)

Mudge I think I read somewhere Kal Pen spent the off season from the show campaigning for Obama - any one else remember that?

Hamburger hat with dreads...LOVE IT...and thankt goodness the first plaid is not burberry but something cherry-raspberry colored.

Herbie's keyboard sounds off to me...

William = Yes I can Youtube video!

Cheryl Crow's fringe is a cowboy nod...no cowboy boots yet?

...although that's my scarf he's wearing.

He's in the Black Eyed Peas - did the Yes We Can video. I agree, the name is contrived, but there you are.

Interesting pairing, Sheryl and Will.i.am. But I like it...President Obama seems to like it too...

Oh how wonderful to type that...President Obama.

from wiki:

Josh Groban was born in Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish American father (a descendant of Polish and Russian immigrants) and a Norwegian-American mother. His maternal great-grandparents were from the eastern Norwegian district of Toten.[1] His father converted to Christianity upon marriage, and Groban was raised an Episcopalian. Chris, his younger brother by four years shares a birthday with him.[2

Oh Tiger, sir, the grey pearl tie against a dark shirt is still mobster to many of us. Glad to see you on stage, though, and yes to the nod of all mil-peeps and special forces too.

Thanks for that info. I guess I thought that because of his association with Charlotte Whatshername, who is Irish.

What is her name?

OMG it is Renee Fleming. All is forgiven.

I did a quick google and Kal Pen did indeed campaign for Obama - can't believe I remembered that - the useless info that stick in my head.

Oh, Renee - nice red coat. She's from my hometown.

Maybe you mean Charlotte Church? I think she's English.

I may just have to buy a red coat!

Ivansmom, I keep expecting home town fave and dot Denyce Graves.....Renee in raspberry, nice.
Do not like this song though, so pardon me for that.

Charlotte Church? but isn't she English?

That's it!

A great song for a soprano.

Jack sports a lettuce green tie to punctuate this enviro-plug.

Teddy is my fave pres. My dad is a living TR fossil.

Not a country music fan, but great song choice for Garth Brooks.

All hat? No boots?

Is Garth wearing cowboy boots?

Garth may be wearing Justin ropers, the original block toe cow-boots. Frye came later.

You guys see the young girl (8? 10?) sound asleep right behind Obama's right shoulder? Cute.

"Shout!"????? Inspired song choice!!!

Maybe it's too hard to get cowboy boots on over thick wool socks.

Hope U2's last - can't imagine Bono sticking to the time limit.

SHOUT!!!

Looks like he has on boots to me, CqP.

Sweet faced sleeping child in row behind the Obamas....Garth STILL has the goatee requisite of Nashville ten years ago....country boys are always behind (said with affection)

Can't believe the Cards fumbled away that interception.

Also can't belive Garth Brooks is doing "American Pie" and "Shout."

bc

Yes, I noticed her. Sweetheart, I hope she wakes up!

Can't believe Akers hooked that FG right, either.

But I'm Ok with it.

bc

GB said god bless the world.....RIGHT!

The President looks happy. Yay!

Watching the webcast with speakers on. Wilbrodog has mixed feelings about the singers; he's a classical music snob.

Ashley Judd -- lovely in winter light blue and fawwn.

*&%$#@&^%$#@

(Sorry. A little football commentary.)

Stevie! I thought maybe he was closing.

Forest W: the complete elegant package of face and voice.....sir, please read my phone book aloud.

Hey, that song is played in my basement several times a week but with a punk edge.

Hope omni's watching - Shakira.

Who are these people with Stevie?

Can't believe the Cards' lateral back to Warner and hit Fitzgerald on that bomb for a TD.

I'm dancing to Stevie and Shakira doin' "Higher Ground" over here. [Omni, where are ya, buddy?]

bc

Sorry, I missed it: who is the babe in front of Stevie?

The O-man is groovin'!

Bet those leather pants are warm.

Losing my video feed. But Stevie cannot see me either.....:)

Never mind.

Usher and Shakira. Thank goodness for the captions. I couldn't figure out who Usher was, although I've seen him before.

Leather is wrm and feels fab....not a look I like much, though

I didn't recognize her with clothes on.

Usher and Shakira, loved Ushers coat very cool.

Samual Jackson, doesn't get any better.

I'm learning so much here. Usher and Shakira. Who knew? I like them! creeping ever so slowly into the 21st century!

woo-hoo. Nice to see Obama stand up for Stevie Wonder.

There are some pretty awesome musicians in that pit band too.

Nice beret, Samuel L. See, you can be stylish AND warm. Probably not a good idea for Barack, though (too Black Panther-like, no?).

SLJ sports a heathered steelblue split t-neck. Interesting. he rocks his sig. hat.

U2!!!

Agree, Seas....wich he did not have the brand on it...he can afford a custom one...and besides, brands are free marquee moments....blechhhh

AND, they are Irish....and justice-oriented, for a long time. Glad they are here...

U2! Oh no, does this mean this is the end? (channeling Jim Morrison)

Edge has been wearing a watch cap since he started losing his hair.

Love!!!!

Got half an hour at least, Maggie.

Like Bon's shorter hair....they are wearing standard U2 clobber and gear....but for the record, the glasses today are pink-brown, not blue.

They're going to do One. Bono's green guitar awaits.

oh oh oh oh

I would submit U2 doing "In the Name of Love" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as pretty flippin' wonderful.

bc

I'm skipping the inaugurals if that's all right with most.
dmd, the 1837 rebellion wasn't much but the repression was brutal. Every time I'm Port Colborne I take the opportunity to take a dump.

It's not going well for your iggles Mudge, 3-14 right now and the Cards look good.

It's been snowing all day. It's cold and slippery on the road. I had to climb a snow bank with the car to avoid a kid who lost control of his small car in a curve. He wasn't going fast but driving those very light FWD cars on ice is difficult. Anyway, I borrowed a shovel and I was back on the road in 5 minutes. Last thing I want is another insurance claim on that car and I knew the subie wouldn't be all that difficult to pull out of the snow. It wasn't, if I were driving the van I would be shoveling still. The kid was so embarrassed, they're proud of their driving skills at that age.

Plenty of birds at the feeder in cold weather. I'll try to add a few pics tomorrow night.

Amen, bc, amen.

City of Blinding Light!

Little girl's awake now.

Getting ready to leave the ground!

Been paintin' all day so just now getting to the party.

This must be one of the coolest parts of Joel's job. Getting to bear witness to history first hand.

Sometimes I feel frustrated that, despite being so close to DC, events like this are no more salient for me than they are for people in far-off lands.

But I decided that this is a cynical way to look at it. Television is allowing the whole nation (and one hopes the world) to experience the beginning of a transformational few days.

Of course, not all are eager to be transformed.

The little one woke up. A Biden grandchild, perhaps?

Oh you look so bee-yoo-ti-ful tonight!

I know, Shriek. But then, the Iggles always play badly for the first 15 or 20 minutes, and then just start to roll.

I hope, anyway.

My irisher granny would never believe this to be possible upon so many level. North Dublin is the scenes in Neil Jordan's movies The Committments, Snapper, and The Van -- ll based on Roddy Doyle's books....

but I believe she sees this now.

Somehow this seems for michelle from B and the boys in the band

Is the commenting system behaving oddly today? Or did my reference to getting to know about Renee Fleming by wandering into the right opera get the attention of a Filter?

Whatever.

Justin Ropers don't have block toes. Now why didn't I go ahead and get a pair when I lived in Cody, Wyo. and needed to participate in the local pursuit of looking like Wyomingites to impress the tourists?

Challenger, oh my God. And Mr. Lincoln.

Sorry, SD, sounds like a tough day.

Oh, Barack!

Girls, button your coats, please.

Um, yup. I musta triggered the Filter with a bit of Czech from Dvorak's Rusalka in San Francisco, with Fleming singing when her character wasn't muzzled by a magic spell.

s_d, if you only can have one inexpensive car, I'd vote for a small FWD car over a small RWD. All the weight's in a good place, and...

Oh, President Elect Obama's speaking, just as Arizona got another TD to go up 21-6.

bc

Ooooooooooooooo, I like that! "...the dream of a King..." Hope the transcript properly capitalizes it.

Lincoln's eyes look a little crazed, don't they?

I'm watching a bit of the inauguration. O-man just said "affirm our unyielding faith", something I thing W couldn't possibly do.

Late to the party after, amazingly, running out of attention span before running out of fab art at the MIA. Free admission and free parking 362 days a year.

The Obama girls are doing Chicago proud. Open coats, blowing hair, "you call this cold?" ( Though I'm sure their seats are heated.)

Those girls are from Chicago, they are used to cold.

He's gonna have a hard time doing better on Tuesday, than he's doing now.

This will be rebroadcast twice today.
www.hbo.com

Can't believe how many plugs HBO is getting for this.

Pete Seeger! This Land is Your Land

Pete Seeger! Oh, now I *am* verklempt, again.

Pete has a hat - bet it's handmade.

wow! Pete Seeger looks fabulous for a man of his age. Imagine all the things he's seen in his lifetime. I bet he never expected to see this!

I drove rwd cars in the snow bc, I have a deep understanding how they inhale. I sent a Bel-air 100ft off road once, that thing was a snow surfer. Who knew an extra length of cable to tie meant a more expansive tow?

Small lightweight FWD are very touchy on ice. Good, but VERY sensitive. Heavy ones are better, AWD so much the better.

Nice speech, and Pete Seeger (nice hat!)doing "This Land" with Bruce... nice.

Now, a larger question - Joe Biden's been scowling all weekend, and seems to have scowled his way through this whole production. It ain't gonna get any better than this -- is Joe gonna wear that scowl for the enitre Obama Presidency?

Scowlin' Joe Biden?

bc

Seeger jogged offstage!!

Nice of them to sing the verses of "This Land Is Your Land" that are rarely sung.

Somebody gave Tom Hanks a coat and scarf. Good.

Fab finale.

Who was that last singer? Loved her coat (sweater?), so glad to see so much camel/brown/black together this season. My personal fave for winter.

Will have to catch the beginning at 1800 CST and hope Joel caught some good pics to help us get a feel for what it was like to actually be there. I cannot believe I did not find a way to in DC this week!

Are you kidding, bc? Joe Biden usually smiles so much - someone I know says he hasn't stopped smiling since he got picked as VP. Maybe he's trying to look serious, or he's cold.

Oh well, no One. Loved seeing Pete Seeger in such good form.

Shreik, agree with the need for our rebellion.

I'm sad that it's over. All things considered, everyone was in good voice, a very difficult thing to be in the cold. And now now I know that it's possible to play the violin while wearing gloves.

It was great to be able to watch with you all.

pj-I thought the same thing about the usually left out verses. Very powerful stuff to hear them in this context.

Oh my, Pete Seeger will be 90 in May. I'm sooo glad he was up to that performance!

Looks like I don't have HBO. *Pouts"

Still 6-21 for Mudge's iggles.

Beyonce sang America the Beautiful.

Arlo usually sings all the verses to This Land Is Your Land, but there were some I don't remember hearing before. There are probably a million. Love it.

Globe has a series running of one bi-racial family that are taking their children to the inauguration.

Has some comments from the concert they attended today.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090115.winaugurationemersons0115/BNStory/Front

Lost the feed toward the end. Good song to end with; Peter Seeger is the real deal.

Anybody else misty eyed?

---
Dave of the Counties: I should say the NON-COWBOY point toe in the Justin brand Ropers. Frye did block the toe more "chunkily," but Ropers were the first widely manufactured non-point cowboy boots. Hey, there to whoever asked: properly sized cowboy boots, even the pointy-types, are great with wool socks. Remember, cowboys went out -- or were trapped -- in sudden snow storms.

I love my brown Tony Llamas: LiT would very much approve.

Better go get some work done....laundry beckons and so too the other ministrations of domestication.

6-24 for the Cards at the half. Doesn't look good for the iggles right now.

Beyonce was a very nice closing to the show.

s_d, I hear ya. I grew up on big heavy RWD cars and with the right tires, they're fine in the snow and ice, and clearly, AWD is nice, too. Unfortunately, the three times a year around here you might need the benefits of big and heavy, and/or AWD - well, I'd rather have the benefits of 35 MPG the other 362 days.

FWD requires a very different driving style than RWD - if you're used to RWD in slippy conditions, you're doing the opposite of what an FWD car wants. I'm used to both, but it takes a very deliberate effort to focus on car control. The only overall pole position I've ever had for a race was on slick tires in the rain in a small, light FWD car, over all the big heavy RWD iron with rain tires. I don't think that car had solid traction anywhere on my pole lap, and cresting the start/finish line at Watkins Glen and having the front tires break traction at 100+ mph just because the car got a little light was a real eye-opener heading down the hill to turn 1.

bc

Yeah, Seeger looked like he was having a ball. You're right, seasea, Arlo does sing the other verses as well. One of them did sound different. Seeger probably taught it to them and he may be doing some selective editing or his memory may be slipping a bit. Can't blame him much if it does, though.

Sounds like your eyes still snap open whenever that experience recurs in your dreams, bc.

Misty-eyed, CP? Nope, all the way to wet cheeks here. I may have to watch a rebroadcast, as I was listening on NPR for the first part and didn't tune into HBO till about 45 minutes in. HBO had a 15 second or so delay.

Nice concert -- my absolute favorite was, indeed, Pete Seeger. I recall shaking his hand, and those of Peter, Paul & Mary at the 20th anniversary of the MLK march on Washington. I went with friends (alas, now dead) who had marched in the first one. Pete Seeger is the real deal. I so admire him.

Since I don't have HBO, I just looked at it off my 'puter, and it seemed to work quite well, albeit with an exceedingly small screen. It was fine for the purposes, however.

And, yes, I surprised myself by getting a bit misty-eyed at the end. And I loved the bald eagles, who I know really wanted to fly. Gorgeous birds.

One of my friends has (through other of her friends) got tickets to the Inaugural address (but doesn't know where yet among the thicket of people) and has tickets to one of the Inaugural Balls (but doesn't know where yet). She actually has a red-white-blue spangled and sequined stars & stripes bustier. She told me she was going to try it on today to see if it still fit. Haven't heard the sonic scream yet, so I don't know if (1) she tried it on; and (2) if it fit or didn't.

So I asked her how she was going to get downtown on Tuesday, and she replied "Oh, I'm driving, of course." (which didn't surprise me at all). We'll see.

I must say, for someone who is generally über-optimistic and otherwise rambunctious along those lines, I'm even more over-the-top about Obama. Maybe it's just the prospect of having a real true-blue adult leading the country that is making me feel this way. What a high!

Confer with you guys later.

24-13. We've got 'em just where we want 'em-- cocky, over-confident, and 11 points ahead. Ooooo, they are in sooooooooo much trouble now!

Spag noodles boiling in the pot; gotta run.

Saw this poem and it made me think of Shrieking's hidden bug talents.

Carolann Russel Schlemper:

WINGS

I used to trap honey bees for glory and science,
cradling the glass belly of a mason jar
next to my lung while the bees droned
golden songs of the condemned.
Their bodies were sunshine and fur
with tiny black holes
for legs and eyes to grow out of
disturbing the air like brush marks.

Silent, aware of my breathing,
I would sneak among apple blossoms
and buttery dandelions, the lid opening its silver jaw
to snap off buds until the bees fell,
little buzzing hearts into a bed of grass.

One by one the lights of afternoon went out
and the transparent world in my hands
pulsed with wings.
I let them go in Mama's strawberry patch,
my feet heavy with clods of dirt.
I'd turn the jar on its side
like a glowing womb
and watch the cloud of bees weaving
a human sound
before they broke free into the air.

That's from her book, Silver Dollar, by the way.

Celek has come up with several big catches for the Eagles recently, Mudge. He isn't very pretty to look at while he's running but he certainly gets the job done!

Thought I'd pass this on, saw it on Bill Moyers Journal last night. http://www.bornagainamerican.org/
Listen and hopefully enjoy.

O. M. G.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That juggling TD catch by Jackson was spectacular.
Wow.

Good thing he didn't try to spike it before he got to the end zone or anything.

The Eagles are a good second-half team, and showing it here.

bc

College Parkian,
Yup, Justin Ropers were non-pointy in a sort of midwestern way (if you think of western South Dakota as midwestern). Aimed at those who wanted to look down-to-business. The Frye block-toe boots were a big eastern college campus thing when I was of that age, except of course they were kinda expensive.

All of this somehow reminds me of keeping a pair of loafers in the office for winter days when the walk to work was in felt Sorels.

New Kit! (Joel was up front.)

New kit. Joel has posted some pictures from today.