Just got home from my witnessing Obama's Inauguration. As many of you know, MOD NIGHT-A GO GO drummer/husband, Wes Little, got to play at The Neighborhood Ball, backing up Beyonce, Sting, Mariah Carey, Alecia Keys, Shakira and Stevie Wonder! It was really cool that he played "At Last" with Beyonce for Barack and Michelle's first dance. Dang, they look in love, don't they? What a handsome couple. You can see Wes backing up Sting and Stevie Wonder here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jr8UEiC2Tc (there's a quick shot of him at 4:20) I watched it on ABC last night and caught him in some better shots but one was with Shakira, and I don't want you to have to listen to her sing. ha! (I actually like her voice but I'm not thinking this was her best performance plus the violinist was really out of tune)

Being in the 2 million plus crowd was really amazing. It's like you could feel this electric energy of happiness. I mean, how do you have that many people in one place without one arrest? Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, taking pictures for strangers and helping people navigate through some rough urban obstacles of road blocks and road closures. I ventured down there alone but met a local female on the subway and asked what subway stop she was taking and ended up hanging out the whole time with her. She was GREAT and made the whole experience so much more fun. Mary Straub is a 32 year old -12 year member of the Air Force and she maneuvered our way through the crowds like she was on a mission. She was dragging me over cement road blocks, through bushes and up and down the packed streets of DC but we finally got to a perfect viewing spot to witness the historic event. I was at the Washington Monument end and watched it on a giant video screen. There was a little of that delay thing between the audio and the visual but being part of that cheering crowd was so moving.
Getting out of there was like something out of a movie... all those millions trying to move at once. For a couple hours giant crowds would inch their way down the streets to an open subway station. Then we road in subway cars crammed with people. I was right by the door and everytime it stopped I thought I was gonna go flying out. I was also in the middle so I was kind of holding on a stranger's jacket so I didn't fall as it moved. Through it all, people were really calm. I mean, the place was filled with people of all ages, a lot of people brought their children- I've seen more kids freaking out at Target and a lot more cranky people buying Christmas gifts. ha!
Well, I got to the airport a couple hours before my flight cause I had seen unbelievable lines at the other airport, Reagan International. I was flying out of Baltimore and it wasn't as crowded so I hopped on an earlier flight home. I'm sure the details of the last couple of days will resurface in the next week.. I guess the thing I keep thinking about is how helpful, friendly and joyous everyone was.
Your mod pal,
Britt