[stacyfox]

Is anyone else just jazzed about the inauguration? I'm not talking in a political "we won" way, but just the sense of renewal that this period has brought.

I was at Bill Clinton's 2nd inauguration in 1997. I was working for an unmarried Congressman in D.C. at the time. Each congressman gets a "spouse" ticket for optimum seating. In most cases, if a Congressman didn't want to give this to a wife, he would give it to a lobbyist or other friend in an attempt to raise money. But for some reason, we didn't have our act together, and the week before the event, the chief of staff realized he had this ticket. He suggested drawing a staffer's name out of a hat to give it to. I didn't win. But the woman who did had planned to go with her fiance and didn't want to be separated from him. My husband was going to be out of town anyway, so I ended up with the ticket. I was 5 rows back and sitting with the Supreme Court Justice's spouses. It was a pretty heady time for a junior staffer like me!

Anyway, that inauguration was nothing like this one, but I have a "sense of place" having been to a previous one. Any inauguration is historic. It's a chance for a new president to shape the agenda. With Obama's superior oratorical skills, he is sure to inspire a new generation of Americans just like John F. Kennedy did. I've cleared my calendar for Tuesday so that I can take part - even if its by TV.

Is anyone else as excited as I am?

[stacyfox]

By the way, that inauguration had a black moment for me too. My brother happened to be sitting next to someone on a plane who happened to have extra tickets to the Arkansas Ball (home state for the president). This is a really, really, really, really, really, really (I could go on) BIG ticket item in DC every 4 years. She offered a pair to him. He said "no, my sister works for a Congressman and she has all of that stuff." (I was the second from the bottom in an inexperienced congressman's office).

When I turned red and blue in the face at him for turning it down, he said, "I didn't want to rent a tux."

It's been 12 years and I still haven't forgiven him for that.

[aakay4u]

Originally Posted by stacyfox

Is anyone else just jazzed about the inauguration? I'm not talking in a political "we won" way, but just the sense of renewal that this period has brought.

I was at Bill Clinton's 2nd inauguration in 1997. I was working for an unmarried Congressman in D.C. at the time. Each congressman gets a "spouse" ticket for optimum seating. In most cases, if a Congressman didn't want to give this to a wife, he would give it to a lobbyist or other friend in an attempt to raise money. But for some reason, we didn't have our act together, and the week before the event, the chief of staff realized he had this ticket. He suggested drawing a staffer's name out of a hat to give it to. I didn't win. But the woman who did had planned to go with her fiance and didn't want to be separated from him. My husband was going to be out of town anyway, so I ended up with the ticket. I was 5 rows back and sitting with the Supreme Court Justice's spouses. It was a pretty heady time for a junior staffer like me!

Anyway, that inauguration was nothing like this one, but I have a "sense of place" having been to a previous one. Any inauguration is historic. It's a chance for a new president to shape the agenda. With Obama's superior oratorical skills, he is sure to inspire a new generation of Americans just like John F. Kennedy did. I've cleared my calendar for Tuesday so that I can take part - even if its by TV.

Is anyone else as excited as I am?

Well i saw this innaugration on television and it was a very much awaited one.Obama seems to have captivated the nation with the hopes people expect after a not so good Bush administration.I wish i could have somehow attended this important day in person.