I am completely exhausted so please forgive the super short post. Still, I think this is what you (and all of America) want to see.
Obama Speech @ Midwestern Ball from Tony Arias on Vimeo.
(And if you have the bandwith, be sure to enjoy the video in glorious HD).
Today was another day of eating (pizza, again) with friends then eating again before rushing off to see a show by one of my favorite new bands, Frightened Rabbit.
This was followed by more drinking w/ friends. Oh, that only leaves us with 2 hours of sleep before getting up to hit the streets for the big day.
Today was the big concert. U2, Bruce Springsteen, Shakira, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Garth Brooks (who blew me away w/ his set). Between sets, actors quoted speeches from former presidents Lincoln, Franklin & Teddy Roosevelt, JKF.
Oh yeah, there were also a few people there, anywhere between 750,00 and 1.5 million.
Afterwards we rested; we walked 1 hour to the event, stood for over 2 hours and then walked 1 hour back home. We watched the games, played some poker, ate some pizza and then rolled into Coppi’s for drinks where we ran into some girls from Boston & Kentucky that we bumped into 2 nights previous
Oh, and then there’s what I’m calling the phenomenon of the single missing glove.
In my short time here, I must have seen at least 10 single gloves laying on the floor, on curbs, in bathroom stalls. It just strikes me as odd (but then again I live in a town where no one has to wear winter gloves). I think I just found a subject for a photo series.
Today was a more productive day. I had lunch with some friends, dropped my tux off at the dry cleaners and bought some new shoes. Afterwards, we checked out a party in Virginia.
If I may make one observation, everyone out here looks (and sometimes seem) like a kid playing grown up. It’s a weird vibe. The young people are trying to be older than they are. Maybe it’s the culture of the industry out here, maybe there’s something in the water, but it makes for a weird vibe.
Tomorrow I start my first public event: the concert on the mall.
My first day was a total write-off. I slept, ate, drank, read, watched more BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and play this video game
But considering I’ve been working 12-15 hour days since the start of the new year, I felt like I deserved it.
Okay, confessional time. Why am I out in the freezing cold of Washington DC? Why not just watch the inauguration from home or at a bar? One answer is obvious. I want to stand at the steps of history and witness it first hand. I think everyone should have one of these in their lifetime. Take my mom for example. She was living in Los Angeles when The Beatles played The Hollywood Bowl. My father forbade her to go so she lied, took a bus and climbed a tree to catch the show (apparently she wasn’t the only girl in a tree, either). She was a part of that. She was a witness. This, I think, might be my moment.
The second reason is, well, more personal. In short, I have felt zero emotional connection to this impending historical event. From the primaries to election night, I just haven’t felt the enormity of the events unfolding. Wanting to be swept up in it, I decided my best chance was to stand with a million people, to witness a defining moment in American history hoping that emotional tide will finally hit me.
Oh, the joys of connecting in SFO. Our plane is late, crowded and I have a middle seat. Sigh.
On the bright side, a super hot flight attendant joined our crew. Time to play it cool, turn on the charm.
Stay tuned to this blog to find out how I failed to chat her up.
Sitting outside the boarding gate, I sip my coffee waiting to board my flight (first leg to San Francisco). Security is way up; got asked a few times about my travel plans. Oh, also hate all the crap I gotta carry-on. Now I gotta shoot something. BTW, everyone gets the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA reference, right?
So I packed…
What did I forget?
As I’m gearing up for this trip to Washington DC, I decided to check the weather.
Holy! I’m not used to that kinda cold. What am I gonna do? Any tips?
FYI, I’m heading out east to witness history when this guy makes it official.
Why? That’s for another day but I think I’m taking my gear with me. Yeah, I think I’m making a documentary of it.
(as if I didn’t have enough on my plate)
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