We got to the gate to wait at around 5:30AM, after some Metro shenanigans, and waited with a few thousand of our closest friends for the gates to open at 8. We spent most of the wait in the dark, keeping mostly to ourselves. As the sun came up and time for the gates to open came nearer, we started to sing and joke with each other.

The white tents you can see in the background were where the metal detectors were. For some reason, they made us all enter through a gate that was about ten feet wide, then wind through a Dinseyworld-like line before we got to them. There were so many metal detectors spread far apart that there was no wait once we got there.
The view we had was pretty close to what we anticipated:

It was really crowded, though folks were mostly in good spirits. I honestly couldn't see much, but got occasional glances of both the platform where the ceremony was taking place and the jumbotron adjacent to it.

Once we got to our spot, there was more crowding and camaraderie. We were so close at some points that I couldn't raise my hands, and sometimes I felt the crowd sway and pulse in a scary, uncontrollable way. But people were kind and jubilant. We shared bad jokes, heartfelt songs, and some tears.
When Obama spoke, we were all silent, except for cheering and shouts of agreement. By the time he spoke, I was delirious with exhaustion, cold, and being generally overwhelmed by the crowd, but I was happy to be there. I don't want to sound petty, but the part I was most looking forward to and, indeed, enjoyed the most, was watching the Bushes fly away forever.

I am sure to post more about it when I get the pictures from my brother's camera and I am feeling slightly less completely overwhelmed and wiped out.
I have slept maybe five hours since Monday and I am at work right now until I go meet
mel21clc her +1 and my +1 to go over to the White House for a 3:30 reception with the President and First Lady. I swear I was calm about it earlier today, even excited about how smooth and suave I would be, but now I will just be happy with myself if I don't puke on anyone.

The white tents you can see in the background were where the metal detectors were. For some reason, they made us all enter through a gate that was about ten feet wide, then wind through a Dinseyworld-like line before we got to them. There were so many metal detectors spread far apart that there was no wait once we got there.
The view we had was pretty close to what we anticipated:

It was really crowded, though folks were mostly in good spirits. I honestly couldn't see much, but got occasional glances of both the platform where the ceremony was taking place and the jumbotron adjacent to it.

Once we got to our spot, there was more crowding and camaraderie. We were so close at some points that I couldn't raise my hands, and sometimes I felt the crowd sway and pulse in a scary, uncontrollable way. But people were kind and jubilant. We shared bad jokes, heartfelt songs, and some tears.
When Obama spoke, we were all silent, except for cheering and shouts of agreement. By the time he spoke, I was delirious with exhaustion, cold, and being generally overwhelmed by the crowd, but I was happy to be there. I don't want to sound petty, but the part I was most looking forward to and, indeed, enjoyed the most, was watching the Bushes fly away forever.

I am sure to post more about it when I get the pictures from my brother's camera and I am feeling slightly less completely overwhelmed and wiped out.
I have slept maybe five hours since Monday and I am at work right now until I go meet
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