Presidential Inauguration 2013: Credentials, Niners, Union Pub

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Just recapping the Presidential Inauguration 2013 Sunday, and the San Francisco 49ers big-win and right to go to the Super Bowl, before getting dressed to go back to the Capitol for today’s public ceremonies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRC1lOqK4Y4

Sunday was this blogger’s day of arrival in Washington, DC. And thanks to sponsors like Yael Greenberg and my Mom, it’s important to add. But, while there were small complication associated with baggage going to the airport of the first flight I was booked on, that was solved by United Airlines delivering it to my hotel here in Crystal City.

Well, went down to the Russell Senate Office Building, and marveled at one thing: how really warm it was. Man, it was balmy compared to four years ago, and hopefully it’s like that today.

But got the credential without a fuss, and then went over to a cool place called Cafe Bliss, where I met a woman who flew in from Alaska for the inauguration. She brought her grandson so he would have something to tell his grandson about, and was grinning from ear to ear.

Also grinning were the number of people who came from out of town, many of them African American. I don’t think the numbers will be as great as in 2008, when DC was just plain overflowing with people, period, but the fact is President Obama became the first black president to be re-elected to office. But, and deeper still, is the continued emergence of what I call black American patriotism: the pride African Americans have in being American, where a man like Barack Obama can become POTUS. That energy is still evident in DC, and you don’t have to be black to feel it.

I like DC. It’s society has progressed remarkably and to a point where it’s diversity is really cool – there’s no hint of racial problems here at all. And I discovered as much when I went to the Union Pub, where the NFC and AFC Championship Games were on, and the place was packed. I was waiting for my dear friend Emily (who I sadly did not get to see), and wound up getting a good dose of DC in the process. From the sports / college environment, to the ex-women rowers who were on a drinking bar happing spree, and stopped by my table to hang and talk, there were a lot of friendly people.

And everyone I talked to likes DC, save for one thing: its expensive. I got that comment more than once.

The crowd was mostly for the Atlanta Falcons over the San Francisco 49ers, so there were a lot of long faces. But they hated the New England Patriots, which seems the “in-thing” to do now, so those that remained were happy with the outcome of that game.

Presidential Inauguration 2013 Stuff

I have to get my ass up and get dressed again early and for the second time in as many days of rising at an early morning hour – UGH. But hey, it’s for a good cause and the doors open at 8 AM. I can’t take a laptop or backpack, so my back’s going to be really happy, as are my legs.

I’m taking my Flip Video Camera, and my iPhone, which is equipped with a Video Zoom app that’s pretty kick ass. The result is I don’t need to use my Sanyo camcorder, which has given me massive problems with its blurred zooming issue! I’m going to take electric plugs and cords, and carefully use both.

Ok, enough of me. Really sad I didn’t connect with my friend, Emily, though. Wires get crossed.

But today’s President Obama’s day (well, second day, if you consider he was sworn in Sunday), and I’m excited!

Follow me today on Twitter @zennie62

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