Making my way across campus towards the School of Social Work as fast as I could, just in time to see Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduce Aretha Franklin, who still has it...in spades.
As Sen. Feinstein introduced Chief Justice John Roberts, who administered the oath of office, and asked that everyone stand, all of us in the darkened auditorium stood, one by one, and silently watched Barack Hussein Obama be sworn in. I am not too proud to say I cried.
The remarkable, Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, truly a living-legend, making us all smile:
"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
All of us applauding wildly as the wheels of former-President Bush's helicopter left the ground. Of course, he flew off to the state I currently reside in, so I'm STILL not rid of him! Gah!
Cameras panning over the crowd in front of the Capitol pausing above two people with huge signs with the now-famous O logo that read, "Obama to speak in Morocco". I have no idea what they referred to, but as a gal who once lived there, I sure hope he'll go.
Reading an email from a friend whose mother was deeply involved in the civil rights movement in this country: "Mom pretty has pretty much cried at the drop of a hat all day, but it's fun because it's a happy thing."
A house built by slaves now houses the first African-American president.
Sitting back from the table in the campus cafe and realizing a weight had been lifted - from me, from all of us - and that I could literally feel it lifted. And then getting back to my Arabic.
Missing Istanbul! I saw a photo of what looked to be a raucous inauguration viewing at a club off Istiklal Caddesi.
Realizing I am going to be very, very busy from here on out, but very, very happy about what I'm doing.
Salaam.
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