We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive!

Yesterday, we had our all day campus in-service meeting. Basically just a long day of meetings that were all doom and gloom about the economy.

In the middle, though, we took a break to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama. We all got together in our biggest seminar room and projected the live stream from CNN. I got there just as the invocation was ending (or so I thought. It really went on for a while), so I was able to see the entire ceremony. I really enjoyed the musical number with YoYo Ma, the "Air and Simple Gifts" by John Williams. If you missed it, check it out here. (Yes, it's true. I didn't get any feedback on how to embed a video, so I can't do that, and I still suck at pictures).

I am impressed with Barack Obama and I am really excited that he is president. He had great things to say and good ideas for changes to implement. Most of all, I was struck by the feeling of unity at his inauguration. So many people came together to be there and be a part of it because they feel connected to him and the dream of change and hope.

I grew up in Maryland, just outside of DC. Watching Obama's inauguration made me think about going to Bill Clinton's inauguration. I was little (actually I have no sense of time, so I really don't know when it was) and it was Clinton's first inauguration. So my mom bundled up all of the kids and we rode the Metro down to the Mall. I remember they had all these different stations and areas for kids to be entertained. There was a wall made of bulletin boards and tables with markers where they let kids write messages to Pres. Clinton and then arrange them on the board for him to see later. (I wonder if he ever did). I remember thinking I was really cool because I drew a big peace sign. Then I tacked it up and someone told me it was upside down.

I don't actually remember any part of the inauguration ceremony. We joke now about how my mom dragged us all around DC anytime there was an event, and maybe I was cranky about it at the time (I don't remember that either), but yesterday, as I sat and watched hours of news coverage, I thought it was really cool to have had the opportunity to go to an inauguration.