If you can’t read the last line, it says “And she could have been VP?!?!?”

But…yesterday at noon, while sitting on my ass, I suddenly just stood up and announced, “I am SO taking my ass to DC now. What was I thinking staying home on my ass!? I am SO going to regret not going!”  This was history and I live right next door to it all!  This is OBAMA! This was CHANGE! This was HOPE!  And, Dude and Dudettes, there was a free concert in DC with Beyonce, Shakira, Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, and so on!! This is exciting! What was I doing on my ass?! I started running around like a headless chicken getting ready to leave. I grabbed my scarf, gloves, hat, and whatnot, because baby, it’s cold out there.

Once I got to the metro, I saw three helicopters heading in the direction of DC. I can almost guarantee you that it was either Obama or Bush, because I’ve lived here long enough to know if its the Marine One or not. But then again, it could have been someone else important.

Upon arriving to DC, I could already see road blocks by cops and military. The buildings were plastered with welcome signs for Obama, our 44th President. It was so surreal. I’m sure Obama is flattered with all these welcome signs and support.  The concert was at the Lincoln Memorial on the Mall, but by the time I got there, swarms of people were walking to the Monument instead. I asked people what’s up!? Why is everyone walking in the opposite direction!?  Turned out that the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool were all blocked off, too crowded and that people were forced to go to the Monument area where there were screens scattered with a live feed of the concert. There was no way to get to my friend over in the Lincoln Memorial area. Worse, the AT&T network crashed! I couldn’t use my phone at all! Doesn’t that say a lot about how crowded it was?

I couldn’t see ANYTHING! All the areas with screens were already super crowded, and I couldn’t even read the captions.  I could hear what was going on at the Memorial, just couldn’t see the captions. I dragged Jeff into all kinds of directions just to be able to see! Finally, I just gave up. Stood in the same spot. Ten minutes later, I was ready to go home. I was satsified just being there, but on the same token, also sad I couldn’t see anything! I figured it would suffice to see the concert on TV on HBO. There were firemen on top of their fire truck taking pictures for people just because people couldn’t see anything! One fireman stopped and said, “Hang on! Let me take my own picture with my own camera! One moment!”  Ha!

So, I proceeded to walk back to the metro, but Jeff noticed another screen.  We walked towards it, and saw that there was room for us to just sit at the front.  We had to kind of pull our heads back to be able to look up. AT LAST! I was one happy camper! The speakers were incredibly loud and with awesome quality.  The captions were clear enough! The experience was just so surreal. Every time Obama came on the screen, everyone cheered so loud. When Garth Brooks was playing, everyone followed his lead and put their hands up in the air whenever he sang “Shout!”  People were clapping their hands. I was thinking to myself that this totally beats watching it at home on HBO!

Let me tell you this, though. I have never seen so many porta potties in my life!  Everywhere I turned, there were porta potties lined up that seemed to go on for miles. They came in handy because I had to use a porta potty twice! I know this porta potty thing won’t end up as a feature in history books (or will it?), but for me, I am never going to forget this part!

What’s amazing is that no one was rude.  People were civil! Many of you have heard me say how rude people can be here, pushing and everything without even saying excuse me, and whatnot. But at this concert, everyone was just incredibly nice. They even let me through the crowds even though I stepped on some shoes. Everyone must have been just so excited and filled with hope, change, and a new presidency. On a second thought, maybe these people weren’t from DC! Hah! I’m sure many were, though.

Here’s a slideshow. To see the titles/description, just hover over the slideshow and click “Inauguration Concert Set.”

I’m incredibly glad I hauled my ass to DC to witness a part of this history in the making, and to support the person I voted for.

(The concert is running on HBO continuously if you want to see the whole thing!)

I kind of expected a lot of McCain advertisements given that it’s close to the election and because Arizona’s McCain’s home state.  However, I was wrong! There were many more Obama advertisements/supporters. I was also shocked to see so many signs stuck into the ground block after block regarding politics. There are more political signs in Arizona than here in the politics headquarters – Washington DC.  Several of the Arizona signs got my attention. One said, “Politicians and diapers both need to be changed…Often for the same reason.”

This one also got my attention, and made me go, “HUH?”

I present to you:

LOLBAMA!

LOLJOHNMCCAIN!

Go ahead, it’s okay to laugh. Lower your blood pressure!

SAZZYBAMM FOR PRESIDENT!

Whaddya think?

Yeah, I’d put America in the shitter.

Bamm ‘08! FTW!

(Thanks to my Dad for this link, who I am probably driving nuts with my political emails.)

The truth: I’ve never voted. Ever. For the very first time in my life, I registered to vote a few months ago. I was excited, but now I’m just exasperated. Now I remember why I didn’t really want to vote before.  More than ever, I see so much bullshit flying around and it’s wasting my time!

I have to research things, just to see if the claim is bogus or honest so I can be sure I’m making the right decision when I go to the voting poll. I’m just extremely shocked at how twisted lies are being thrown around in all corners. I’m shocked at how Democrats are blaming Republicans, and Republicans are blaming Democrats.

What shocks me the most is this video that I’ve embedded here. It’s ten minutes long, so get yourself comfortable, and really watch at how good and compelling this person is blaming Obama and Democrats as if the Republicans all have a halo around their heads. Please! It shocks me how this person can distort so much information and isolate it all into Obama and the Democrats’ fault, when REALLY THE BLAME GOES ALL AROUND.  Mortgage brokers, “mark to market” accounting rule, home buyers themselves, The Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, Bush Administration AND the Clinton Administration, and so on! All economies are very complex, there cannot be one person to blame.

Here are some links to really see how crazy this video got out of hand and how you should not fall prey.

Who caused the economic crisis?

Youtube and Lies

3 Former Executives at Fannie Mae are not advisors for Obama

Keeping Quiet

(Factcheck.org ROCKS!)

Anyway, all of this bullshit is making me want to just forget about voting and just stick my head back in the sand until this is all over.  But hell no. Let my blood pressure raise, FTW.   I’m voting, damn it.  Truth be told, both candidates aren’t that great. But, you know, we as Americans have a duty to vote for who we think would be better.  We have no choice but to vote for who you think would at least be a bit better than the other for our future. Our future is at stake! The future is for us, Generation X, Y, and the babies that are being born this very second. All of us.

On a side note, please don’t vote for McCain ONLY because he was a prisoner of war. That’s a lousy reason. Sure, we can respect for the hell he went through, but doesn’t mean he can lead better.  Many of us, including myself, have gone through hell and back.

And, please don’t vote for Obama just because he proclaims “Change.” Make sure you know exactly what changes he is talking about.

At the very least, please don’t go to the polls not knowing why you’re voting for that person. Don’t do it because someone told you to. Do your homework. PLEASE. You and I are at stake.