Wow! Thanks President Obama and Inaugural Committees for an awesome time!

Amazing.

The whole trip was spectacular, friends! B and I are super happy that we dashed over to DC (props to B's mad driving skills!) for the Inauguration of our 44th president. To debrief, the highlights were:

• A drama-free 12-hour drive without weather, traffic or any trouble parking. Miraculous, especially in Julie's neighborhood.
• Brunch at Acadiana, probably one of my favorite places to eat in the whole world. We had an outstanding brunch complete with coffee, blood orange mimosas (ooooooh!) and a stellar group to chat with. I had a BLT salad, jambalaya and cheese grits! I love cheese grits.
• After brunch we strolled to the National Mall (our nation's backyard, you know) and saw the pre-Inauguration concert. This was just a hint of the happy, lovely feelings we felt at Inauguration Day. While the sound was off from the video on the jumbo-screens, it was pretty cool to dance around near the Washington Monument as U2, Usher, Pete Seeger, the Boss, Beyonce and other superstars rocked out at the Lincoln Memorial.
• A pleasing stop at Ventnor's, my favorite bar around.
• Visiting some friends from my last job at their neat house in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. They said they wouldn't be leaving the house for anything until Inauguration is over.
• Seth D's excellent Inauguration Gala on the Eve of Inauguration.
• Taking the Metro to L'Enfant Plaza at 7 a.m. to get our spot on the mall. The night before we realized we could actually bring food, chairs, blankets and such on the Mall since we weren't in a ticketed area - hooray! The blankets saved us our own bit of space and we traded time in our chair for handwarmers with a family nearby. Sweet.
• Julie left to get hotdogs and hadn't returned almost 2 hours later. There was a long line at the hotdog stand, but I seriously though she was gone forever. She left all her stuff, including her cell phone! D'oh! We finally spotted Julie in the crowd, got some neighbors to get her attention and were reunited. Julie had mustard all over her face but was none the worse for wear. Phew.
• Before the Inauguration started, Sunday's concert was replayed on the big screens. More dancing, happy time. Plus, getting the crowds moving makes everyone warmer.
• Everyone cheered as different personalities were welcomed on stage. Only a few evildoers were booed, which is a little crass.
• No one likes Rick Warren, or the offensive way he says the names of President Obama's daughters.
• Hearing the oath firsthand was really neat, except for all the mistakes. Maybe Rehearsal Inaugurations are a good idea. Or, just call for a redo!
• President Obama's speech was moving and inspiring. It seemed like everyone in the crowd was cheering, crying, listening, smiling and feeling proud.
• Everyone loves Dr. Joseph Lowery.
• The Boy Scouts of America picked up discarded flags afterward. Our Nation's Backyard was pretty messy and dirty, but lots of people (us included) pitched in to fill up garbage bags with the weird stuff people left behind.
• Scooting through crowds and down to 20th Street NW (past the madness of 18th Street) and finally making it back up to Julie's. 
• Dining at Dino, where I had superb soup and vanilla gelato with balsamic vinegar - whoa!
• Departing DC in just the teensiest bit of traffic.
• Arriving home again in speedy fashion and listening to NPR on the way talk about our amazing new president!

Phew!

Inauguration Anticipation!

So, B and I are headed to the Inaugural Madness that is Washington, D.C. - despite all the wise warnings of friends and family - we're doing it.

As my dad would say, it's a life experience. He would also (and still probably will) say, "That idea is rather half-baked, Benjamin," which is something he likes to say when I do stuff like this. 

We're driving out - in the snow-rain-ice-slick-whatever - and spending Saturday through Wednesday morning in our nation's capital.

What the heck are we going to do? Here's the list:

• Visit my favorite bar in all the world - Ventnor's.
• See BFF Julie and awesome pal Todd.
• Eat Sunday brunch at Acadiana.
• Eat Inaugural Dinner at Dino.
• See a parade.
• See Bruce Springsteen perform at the Lincoln Memorial.
• Predict what Michelle Obama might wear to any and all Inaugural events.
• Discuss policy and politics.
• See President Barack Obama be sworn in or parade by on his way down Pennsylvania Avenue (in person or on a bar television).
• Consider new job ideas and plan my life.
• Give thanks that George W. Bush is moving out of the White House!
• Appreciate that Barack Obama is about to be our President!!!

Half-baked or not, I'm over the moon! Happy Inauguration Day!!!

Faster still!

Happy New Year friends!

I ran on New Year's Day morning - 11 a.m., which was a little painful but not horrible - right along Lake Michigan in Lincoln Park. The route was delightful, although very gray and wintry, and the race was very chilled out with just a few nice people along the way saying "Happy New Year!" or "Good job!" 

I'm proud to say I finished in my fastest time yet (although if you asked me along the way I would have said I'd been running non-stop for hours on end) - 34 minutes and 25 seconds!

That's a whole minute better than my last run on December 7. Wow!

I'm putting some credit in simple motivation and more in the fact that I actually ran 5K the week of the race. I do better with quality practices (running the distance that I'm racing) than a quantity of practices (running shorter distances more frequently). Who knows how speedy I'll be in 2009!?!