Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Celebration Day

Forgive me for indulging in a photo that could have been taken in any city, if it weren't for the fact that few people besides my husband are likely to have a "Local 3 Gore for President" 2004 campaign button. I think we got that while passing through Eureka, California (a great town). During the 2000 and 2004 elections we happened to be on the road. This time, we made it a point to be here in Pasadena. Not that we believe in jinxes or anything.

We're having a few neighbors over for brunch this morning to watch the ceremony on TV and toast our new president. In preparation I went back over to Wayne Nelson's store on North Lincoln Avenue to buy t-shirts so John and I could dress appropriately. Guess what? Wayne's in Washington for the inauguration. Another person I featured on the blog, Alice Gandy, wrote to let me know she was going. TWO Pasadena Daily Photo stars are at the inauguration today. I'm bursting with - not pride, but joy. What a thrill for Alice and Wayne. I can't wait to hear their stories.

I'm a little concerned, though. My friend Lisa gave me the Bush's Last Day key chain in the center of the photo. It was supposed to count down to today and for a while it worked fine. But about two weeks ago it went haywire. I don't know what happened. Maybe I walked by a magnet or Mercury is retrograde or...I don't want to think about it. Not that I believe in jinxes or anything.

31 comments:

Cafe Observer said...

Celebrate, celebrate,
dance 2 de muzik.

Our first bi-racial Prez! It makes perfect sense in our international country made up of bi/mulit-racial people with multitudes of ethnicites, that we finally have elected someone who looks most like our nation.

May Barack be the Tiger Woods of politicians who also is bi-racial: Thai & African.

A new president, a new beginning. Yet, my hope & dream is in 8 yrs we can look back to this day with even more to celebrate than today!

Another excellent post, P! (Give me a review of your brunch)

USelaine said...

I have had a countdown widget on my iMac desktop for about a year already. Currently looking at eight hours, thirty minutes, and change.

CHANGE!!!

Laurie Allee said...

Hey, even this skeptical gadfly is hoisting some bubbly today. Here's to better days ahead.

Rosie said...

I am glad you published this photo...
This is such an important date to your country and to the world that it can be 'uncelebrated'.
Have a lovely day Petrea!

Jim Klenke said...

I remember seeing those Bush counters on websites and thinking, wow, it finally got below 1000 days, then 500, then less than 365 now its down to a few hours. What a day!

Kate said...

A highly appropriate blog for today. I, too, hope that we can continue to celebrate after the festivities are over. A lot is riding on one man!

Sharon said...

I love the array of election memorabilia! It's is truly and exciting day.

Jilly said...

A great day and a super tribute to it. We are all excited - the world is excited. New hope, a cultured, intelligent, calm and charismatic man is bringing change to America and so to the world.

Virginia said...

Great post today Petrea. Cheers!
V

Mister Earl said...

Great photo and post, Petrea.

Vanda said...

I'm glad that the long wait is finally over.

ben wideman said...

Very cool post Petrea!

HearkenCreative said...

Well, now it's happened. May history begin.

(BTW: He's a great orator, but that was not one of his better ones. And I was all ready for a Reagan/Clinton/Bush 2-hour talkfest that I was a bit surprised at the 30-min. speech.)

Nice photo. And oh how I love that Obama campaign logo; I'm gonna miss the campaign simply because we won't get to see that logo as much anymore. Oh well.

Margaret said...

Ding, dong and hip-hip hooray!

Petrea Burchard said...

Thank you, C.O. The quiche and fruit went over well, but no one was interested in the croissants. I'll add that while I'm pleased with the president's appearance I didn't vote for him for his looks.

Elaine, if I'd known I could get a desktop widget...

Yes indeed, Laurie. I like to think he meant it when he said he'd be everyone's president. It's one reason I voted for him.

Thank you, Rose.

What a day, Jim! Woohoo!

Welcome, Kate! I've seen you around the web. We have high hopes for him. Let's remember the burden he takes on and do our part to help.

Glad you like it, Sharon, thanks.

Jilly, the excitement from other parts of the world is amazing. This is the first time I've realized how much my vote affects the whole planet.

Merci Virginia and Mr. Earl (nice new profile shot, Earl).

Vanda: It couldn't happen fast enough for me.

Ben: Thanks.

Loren: I agree on the speech, yet it was clear, and it included important things: back to science, inclusive of all religions and, jut as important, the non-religious. THAT's one I've never heard a president mention before! He used a lot of compare-and-contrast imagery, taking a page out of Lincoln's handbook. And I don't think that catchphrase is going anywhere. No I don't.

Hah! Margaret. Ding dong indeed.

John Sandel said...

At long last, we have someone in charge who knows how to finish a sentenc

Anonymous said...

He was purposely non-inflammatory, right up to the end. He spoke concretely, with few flourishes. I think that's the point.

Fabulous oratory can come after we actually accomplish something.

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

lol Petrea, course not. Great photo for a great day!

What exactly IS brunch by the way?

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

I mean I know the derivation of the word, though we don't have it in the UK, but what do you eat? What kind of meal is it?

Mister Earl said...

Lynn: We'll tell you what Brunch is when you tell us what Tea is. Have you not heard of High Brunch?

Petrea: The new profile photo is an actual JFK button I own from the days of innocence.

pasadenapio said...

Today is a great day to be an American!

I hope everybody got to see the inauguration on C-SPAN like I did, without all that annoying commentary by the news anchors. It will probably replay throughout the day if you didn't.

The Obamas walking the Bushes to the helicopter and hugging them goodbye was a classy moment.

Katie said...

What fun to watch the events today; our work cafe was packed to watch the big screen TV, and they had CNN on, which didn't do much interrupting. Interesting that they cut away a few times to a gathering in Pasadena!

Anonymous said...

what a great day - a wonderful occasion.

Christie said...

I just hope that people will not become disillusioned if President Obama does not live up to their own particular expectations. I hope he can do a good job and that the country will do well under him.

I have to say I will miss having Laura Bush as our first lady. I just really admire her gentle dignity. She was very classy.

John Sandel said...

That helicopter couldn't lift off fast enough for me. I watched Nixon slink out of town; today gave me a shudder of déjà vu.

Now let's get to work fixing the damage that family left behind.

Cafe Observer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cafe Observer said...

PIO Ann, what do you mean those "annoying" news reporters? Leave those self-respecting, conscientious, humble, reporters alone.

Bernie the K, you were with GWB in the copter?!

Ms M said...

Yes, celebration is due! Thank you for your post on this historic day.
There are a lot of expectations out there for Pres. Obama. I hope people keep in mind that it's going to take time -- years -- to deal with these problems, we will need to compromise on some things, and work together for change to happen. Here's hoping for the best.

Petrea Burchard said...

Bernie: I voted for you in the prim.

Anon: well said (hee hee).

Lynn: you can eat whatever you like since it's between breakfast and lunch. Ours was breakfast: quiche, fruit, coffee & croissants. I've seen lavish brunches with lobster and champagne. (That would be the high brunch Mr. Earl dreams of. Ours was low brunch.)

PIO: C-Span was cool! Many interesting moments, many dull ones, yet we couldn't take our eyes off it.

Katie I heard about the Pasadena gathering. Do you know what/where it was?

Hi Jackie! Thanks for your visit. I love your 1/21 post.

True, Christie, our hopes are sky high. He can't live up to all our dreams because our dreams are different. We're going to have to pull together on this one.

Bernie, I will say this: I understand the Bush people were much more gracious to the Obamas in this transition than the Clinton people were to the Bushes in theirs.

Years is right, Ms. M. It took years to get here and it'll take years to un-mire ourselves. I hope that, this time next year, we can assess progress as opposed to perfection.

Bettina said...

Thank God your Bush countdown keychain didn't come true. He actually left Washington for good - pheeew...
It was such a moving day yesterday and I really felt the hope for a new beginning for the whole world.

tr3nta said...

Yes I guess the entire world is celebrating... :-)