again, i tried to live blog, but there was little chance with the telecom issues down on the mall. we’ve got an inaugural ball tonight (not one that he’s going to) so more thoughts later. here we go:

5:12 am we’re up: go, go, go, go!
5:35 am people are so … happy. I am sleep deprived, but “people” are awake, sunny and happy.
5:44 am green line, Columbia heights station to l’ephant. trains are crowded, but not slammed.
6:15 am tons of people backed up getting out of l’efant. saw man with “bush is a punk assed chump” bumper sticker on his back. nice.
6:22 am in silver ticket screening line. line “starts” at third and independance. we’re on independance, a little before sixth.
6:43 am 20 ft closer.
7:10 am another surge. now we are *halfway* to fifth.
7:24 am cops need to chill with the sirens. we’ve heard it before. hundreds of times. all this morning.
7:32 am saw James carville, walking *away* from the Capitol. he did NOT look amused.
7:41 am it’s getting markedly colder… just dipped below 20 degrees.
8:12 am through the gates! onto the mall! storm the reflecting pool!
8:33 am so, we went up to the front section, but all the spotsleft were obstructed views. picked a spot a little farther back, but with good view of the Capitol/jumbotron.
9:12 am people have started singing (good) but first up is “if I had a hammer” … (bad)
9:18 am “this little light of mine…”
9:35 am “American Pie…” dear god.
9:48 am people are booing Gingrich. we’re with a nasty, petty bunch.
10:08 am Muhammad Ali just walked in … “Ali! Ali! Ali!”
10:24 am john cusack? john cusack!
10:41 am biggest ovation so far for ted Kennedy, tho ho-ho dean wasn’t too far behind.
10:48 am huge jeers for liberman (youch!, but a great, warm reception for colin Powell. I guess the US took his side in that whole Bush/Powell divorce thing.
10:51 am hova! hova! encore, do you want more …
10:59 am well michelle’s dress makes up for that election night shag rug disaster.
11:01 am bush is smiling so much he looks vaguely unbalanced.
11:12 am bush one ain’t looking too good. didn’t realize he was hobbling so much. he needs to get health tips from jimbo carter, who looks like he could build a house, today, single-handedly.
11:15 am can’t wait to see how hilary is announced. mrs. clinton? secstate elect? oh right, senator… (oops!)
11:20 am catcalls for the bush twins. easy boys, this one’s taken!
11:29 am try as I may, I can never get my hair to look like Lynn Chaney’s.
11:35 am dick Chaney looks even meaner in a wheelchair. looks like old man potter from “it’s a wonderful life”
11:42 am di-fi not looking so good, either. she’s hobbling more than bush one.
11:52 am ick. not enchanted by that convocation. gene Robinson’s at the concert was 10 times better, and way more appropriate. too Jesus-ified doran official state event.
11:55 am sing it areatha! first time Obama has smiled was at the end there.
12:00 pm that whole “you may now be seated” thing is getting old for the odd million or so of us stuck back here in the fields.
12:02 pm damn, yoyo and yitzak’s fingers look *cold*.
12:07 pm I think I like Obama *more* for flubbing the oath.
12:28 pm  great speech. hit all the right notes. little bummed his first words were “I’m humbled by the task ahead” as opposed to being humbled by the moment, his surroundings, the warm reception, his colleagues, etc. more thoughts later.
12:34 pm it’s begun to snow 🙂
12:43 pm me and my two million closest friends have decided to leave, starting riiiight about … now.
1:14 pm we made it one whole block!
1:28 pm there is something creepy/apocalyptic about “evacuating” the mall through an interstate highway tunnel. don’t get me wrong, it was a brilliant idea … but still creepy.
2:18 pm well, we walked up the 395 tunnel (goes under the mall, following what would be third street) up to N street, and across to Scott Circle … where I just ordered a beer and a hamburger. god bless America.