these days of leiderhosen

I might be developing a wicked crush on Michelle Obama. Keep that vaccine away... So. There were were: Knitting/Drinking Group Otherwise Known as Jessica and I in Sproul Plaza, hip-deep in the Inauguration broadcast with two thousand of our new best friends. And as the Inauguration broke up on the massive screen, the band launched into some old brass heavy march that was familiar only familiar to me as the tune KQED plays during PBS pledge drives. I mentioned this to Jess who launched herself into the greatest improvised fund-raising schpeil ever: "We have a goal of Three Trillion! And some excellent thank-you tote bags! Call now and pledge!..." Jessica cracks me up.

From the NYT.com "The Bushes Depart | 12:56 p.m. The helicopter steps are folded up. The blade begins to rotate. The Obamas and Bidens are standing still, holding each other’s hands, as they watch the helicopter rev up. We now have lift-off; the Bushes have left the Capitol at 12:55 — almost half an hour ahead of time. The Obamas wave. The helicopter is swinging out over the Mall first instead of heading directly to Andrews. Surely the Bushes can’t hear the crowd below, but the chant is one that sports fans jeer to the opposing team: 'Na Na Na Na/Na Na Na Na/Hey Hey Hey/Good-bye.'" ----------------------- ... and then that bigot Rick Warren gets critiqued . The comments are priceless.

Jessica and I stood out this morning in front of Sproul Hall with ten thousand people watched our President being sworn in. The Straw Hat band played and a drum circle broke out after the ceremony. Dick and GWB (and Warren when he said "civil liberties") were only hissed; the First Kids were cheered. In a place renowned for socialist tendencies and some way left-ist politics, everyone around us threw back their heads and sang the national anthem, unapologetic for that damn unattainable high note (“Fahhhh-rrrreeeeeee”) that unifies us all. Good luck and thank you, Mister President. I am so glad. And now we all go to work.