Inaugural Weekend

This last weekend I joined in on the Obama-Rama that swept over the entire district. It is highly likely that I was the only one participating in the festivities that did not actually vote for Obama. However, I dawned my Obama shirt and stood in every crowd I could find all weekend. All my digits were completely frozen and it is a small miracle they are still in use today. It was incredible to be able to be part of such a historical event though. It was one big frenzy and completely out of control but I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the concert on Sunday on the mall where some of my idols, i.e. Garth Brooks, performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and the concert on Monday night which included Nothin but Strings, Aretha Franklin, and the Let Freedom Ring Choir. If you are thinking a concert with Aretha would be amazing because finally you would experience "Respect" live, you would be dissapointed. This was more like "chirch" as they call it, with a little bit of socialism thrown in there. But the music was amazing! I do love a good gospel choir. Oh yes, and the actual inauguration was great too.

One section of the mass of people at Sunday's concert.

A student at the school where I teach designed this. I just couldn't resist.

Washington DC

I finally made up my mind and moved out to Washington D.C. I am student teaching at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. For those of you who know me personally, a school of the arts is the perfect place for me. The students just love to entertain! Life out here is very different from Provo but so far incredibly enjoyable.

• I live with seven other girls in a penthouse in Arlington, VA. Now penthouse conjures images of grandeur and class--while this may be true, no matter how big an apartment is, eight girls is a whole lot.
• Without a car, I am becoming very adept at using the metro and bus system. However, after numerous attempts to get to school by myself the other day I ended up on completely the wrong bus and the driver had to take a different route just for me. Sweet old man.
• We have an amazing mall nearby that harbors my mother ship-Nordstroms, and finally we found a grocery store just on the other side of said mall. Yesterday, on my way home from the grocer, laden down with shoes numerous bags, I decided it a perfect time to spend an hour trying on shoes at Nordy's. The groceries occupied an entire couch, but how convenient that all my basic needs can be met in one trip!
• I caved to the liberal atmosphere that surrounds me and bought an Obama t-shirt. As a justification, this is one of a kind and was designed by a former student at my school. I had to support--don't judge
• As it turns out I should have had a T.B. test before moving out here. So I spent an evening running around a sketchy part of town looking for someone to shoot me up with a small amount of consumption. Success! I have concerns about what disease they actually injected into my arm.

It's only been a week but it has been a long one. It is getting close to inauguration so I am frantically trying to find a senator's son to invite me to one of the balls. If not, I will just proudly don my Obama shirt and join the masses at the parade. This is definately an adventure.