My reactions

My thoughts during the inauguration:

The internet here at work was not-cooperating. But right around 11:30 I managed to get an audio stream from NPR. It’s incredibly exciting.

It’s true that our system is special in the easy and smooth peaceful transfer of power. We are so lucky.

I had to answer a phone call, wrong number, during the opening prayer.

With this whole deal I don’t like the emphasis on the fact that he’s African American. Why should that matter? Or maybe I’m saying that as one who never had/has to suffer under the struggle of prejudices.

Aretha Franklin – the choice is incredibly intriguing to me. I support the “integration” of the various ethnic backgrounds here. OMG WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE ANSWERING PHONES. Ok I wasn’t a huge fan of her version at first but I’ve warmed up to it. Now if only they’d do the Jimi Hendrick’s National Anthem. Still I liked it, gotta love soul music.

I like how someone introduced someone who introduced someone else.

Itzhak Perlman and YoYo Ma!!!!!! And by John Williams. OMG. And it’s unheard. I need to look up the name of this again. I love Simple Gifts. Ever since my first hearing of Copeland’s. It’s hard to hear it now without thinking of Appalachian spring. I need to get a copy of this music. It is gorgeous and those two string players are incredible. To use a song like this that everyone knows a certain set of words to (gift to be simple, gift to be free) it’s quite an interesting statement both on hopes for our nation and hopes for our new leader. “Air on Simple Gifts” I caught the name now.

Did he just mess up the words? He’s human too!

He makes it sound too easy, it’s not. “All our free, All deserve a chance” are we back to race again?

“The doers the makers” – makes me think of Ayn Rand.

Ooo I’ve been called out as a naysayer. Ok, point to you President Obama.

Ok so the national anthem at the end was rather anticlimactic. They weren’t bad, but it was absolutely not compelling. I suppose people would freak out if they did any kind of an arrangement (such things happened once to my H.S. band – it was interesting).

Stars and Stripes! Oh how it’s been much too long since I played that blasted piece. But the Marine Band is awesome.