The crowds for the swearing in of Obama..I could NOT be in that crowded mess....oh boy. I'd get a panic feeling..would you stand shoulder to shoulder with strangers like that ? Imagine the parking and jostling...and COLD weather ! What if you had to use the bathroom ?

I do understand , history in the making..but personally , I could NOT do it !

How about you ?

__________________
Live, Love, Laugh

I couldn't do it either!!

__________________
Brenda

GO #24 JEFF GORDON

Nope...I will be at my job working....to pay my taxes....to help fund this event!

i cant stand crowds either. I looks at the ball dropping on NYE and panic, thinking can you imainge being there with all those people!

steph

__________________
IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/my2cuties/diabetes_1.gif[/IMG]

Nope, no way. I hate crowds - especially as huge of one as that is going to be.

DH & I don't even like bars because they're too crowded!

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Yes I could do it and I would have the time of my life. I would strike up conversations with everyone. We would talk about the hope of the future how we have come so far as a nation and how much farther we have to go.

I was at the WTO protest in Seattle in 1999 and the power of a crowd of people who are united by one idea is unbelievable.

I could see this being, for lack of a better word, magical. The feeling in the air is electric and I am nowhere near D.C. so I can only imagine the feeling in the air.

Yes I would run there if I were able and I would stand in the crowds (I would bring food and water of course LOL) and walk around and talk to people and feel the hope and faith in the air.

__________________
The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I would do it if I lived in DC. I live in Richmond, which is very close, but they say it is going to be a nightmare getting down there and I don't do well in the cold.

I will watch it from the comfort of my sunroom with the fire place on

__________________
I'm the kind of woman when my feet hit the floor in each morning, the devil says "Oh crap, she's up."

Nope, I wouldn't do it. I don't like being in the "mosh pit" of concerts either. I like assigned seats thank you very much. I'm a short gal so I probably wouldn't see much anyway and I hate getting squished. Stuff like this though, I don't even watch on TV. I haven't ever watched a swearing in.

__________________
Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I wouldn't do it. I'm not particularly excited about this presidency and despite all the 'hype and hope', the reality is that within weeks... or months... or a year or two, the reality that 'it's just a job' will set in. By 'just a job', I'm not downplaying the importance of being the POTUS. I just mean that he puts on his pants one leg at a time like the rest of us, and I guess I am a bit turned off by the idea that because of his skin color, there seems to be this magical, mystical dust in the air. I don't care what color our leader is - and it's his color that makes this 'groundbreaking' - I just care about his ideas and his ability to govern. Since politically he is not aligned with many of my views, and since I don't care what color my president is, I'm not caught up in any of this. Haven't even watched the news for several weeks.

Once the hooplah is over, he'll be subjected to - and guilty of committing - the same scrutiny, the same partisanship, the same gridlock and the same criticism issues that every other president has faced. He's surrounded himself with former Clintonites, so the idea that 'change' is in the air doesn't ring true. It's more like 'replay' but with a different lead singer. The pragmatist in me wins in this perspective, even in the times that the politician that is being sworn in is of my own political persuasion.

So no... I have no desire to be part of those crowds. The thought of walking a long way, being jostled about, spending hours in the cold, all so I could catch an in-person glimpse of an event that will happen whether I am there or not just does nothing for me. I'd do it to catch a glimpse of Jesus were he alive on earth today.... but certainly not for Obama.

I hate crowds, but if I had a ticket I would be there! But I would set my DVR to catch all the stuff I'd miss

__________________
Mary

I'd be there if I could and was guaranteed no one would be touching me. I can be in a large crowd so long as I have a foot or so of space around me. My biggest pet peeve when standing in line at Disneyland are the female foreigners who are standing so close behind me their boobs touch my back ~ GROSS!! Must be why I only use backpack purses.

You can't bring your own food and water. That's a no-no -- security reasons. (Who knows what's in that bologna sandwich!) LOL!

To the OP question, no, I wouldn't go to it. I will watch from the comfort of my warm living room.

No, i dont like malls, I didnt like six flags though the kids had fun. Nope not me

__________________
Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com

My other favorites
www.paperbackswap.com
www.wheresgeorge.com
www.geocaching.com

What she said.

__________________
Support bacteria -- it's the only culture some people have!

If Vegetarians eat Vegetables. Do Humanitarians eat Humans?

'Vegetarian' is an old Native American word for bad hunter.

Wow...I am impressed. I think many in this country share the same fears...

Well.... at the end of the day, he's just a man. I really don't pin my hope, faith, and trust for my own personal well-being anywhere but on myself and my own sense of responsibility, and on my God. Presidents come and presidents go. A year from now, long after the ground has been broken, red or yellow, black or white, congress will still bicker, cabinet members will be caught in lies, decisions will be made that will cost lives somewhere, programs will be enacted that will cost more money than some people think they should and not as much as some wish they were granted.

Some things will never change.

I love to people watch. That being said, no, I wouldn't go even if I could.

The logical side of me sees all the potential for a bad outcome, the security risks, the mass hysteria/panic should something go wrong, the potential for some innocent civilian to be trampled by the throng of admirers. Maybe that's just the pessimistic side of me.

The build-up/hype for the inaugration is beginning to be very tiring, much like the election it's self. I say we've elected a new leader, let's get on with the process of leading shall we without all the hoopla? I want to see what this man can actually do. I want to see his plans in actions--don't tell me! Show me!

I keep hearing how this is a historic event: Why is it historic? It's not like we haven't had inaugrations before....oh, wait, it's because he's a Democrat? No, we've had Democrats inaugrated before....hmmmmmm, something tells me it's historic because he's the first African/American or Black if you prefer to be elected President. See, some of the election and the resulting inaugration IS about race. Always has been will continue to be for a while I suspect. You can assume that those statements make me racist. You can presume to even accuse me of that...however, if you can't see what should be as plain(that the election and resulting inaugration have to do w/ race) as the nose on your face, then I say you're blind.

__________________
Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

My son and daughter in law will be there. We will be taking care of our granddaugher. If I were younger, I would go but health problems and age are against us.

I have absolutely no interest in going. Nothing against Obama. I've been to see a couple Presidents when they have been in the area, and you stand in line so long just to get into a fenced off area and the people are smashed in together so tight that if you fell over the crowd would keep you propped up. And go to the bathroom? Forget about it. Once you are in your assigned holding pen there is no way you are getting out. So to go without water and a bathroom for that long, no thanks. You get a better view on TV, and can see it all from your warm house, and can eat, drink and pee whenever you want!

No Way!!

That being said I am working for a teacher tomorrow that is going up on a bus.

Ditto..

Plus.. WTF is he spending $160 million on an inaugeration when we're in a recession???? You think if he was THAT committed to our country.. he'd of been sworn in in the Oval office in front of his family and friends. But that's just me..

It would be nice to see a ceremony like this but I think if I went I'd be stuck in a huge crowd, wouldn't be able to actually 'see' anything kwim. I used to live in the DC area and as mitcham said anytime you go to an event, you wait for hours to get into a holding pen and you're kinda crowded and crushed there til it's over. And certainly this is much bigger, more crowded, more security/restrictions, than some events I went to many years ago there.

I saw a local news show about a couple of women who were driving there and they said they weren't worried about the restroom issue, because they were gonna wear Depends! omg that made me laugh so hard. The news anchor said there is approx 1 port-a-potty for every 6000 people, so maybe that was a good idea on their part LOL

I bet someone from this board is going, would love to hear about their experience and their trip once they get back -

I wouldn't go. I am fine with watching it on tv. I'm not about to stand in the cold for to see something I wouldn't have a good view of anyway. DC is hiking up prices just because of the ceremony. People staying in hotels and getting airline tickets are getting ripped off. I think some people are going to DC to see the ceremony and leaving right after instead of staying in a hotel.

Fletchersmom, I agree with you on the cost of the ceremony. I don't understand why they would spend that much when we have an economic problem. They could have trimmed this ceremony down to save money.

Couldn't pay me to go. I hate crowds. Am I watching it on TV? Nope....Working a 12 hour day.

no way would I go! I dont do crowds if I can help it. I 'm 4'10 inches tall and usually all I can see in a crowd is the person in front of me butt. lol
then there is the people who think they have to stand with their hands on their hips and that means if they turn around, their elbow is gonna connect with the bridge of my nose and that sucks! I have had that happen sooo many times in crowded places. no wonder my nose is lumpy.

__________________
·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·
«·´¨*·.¸¸. Jo ¸¸.·*¨`·»
«·´`·.(¸.·´(¸.·* *·.¸)`·.¸).·´`·»


Please leave feedback for me here.
http://www.mycoupons.com/boards/g-l/...-littlejo.html



gretchengirl@gmail.com

http://lifewithlittlejo.blogspot.com/

If I could I would ... I would even consider becoming a citizen for the occation

No. Too big of crowds for me, and I'm with whoever brought up the bathroom issue. NO WAY am I using a port a pottee, and in the cold, I need a hot drink.....so I'd be having to go.....a LOT.

You'll probably get a better view on TV anyway.

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

No way. I hate crowds of any kind, and really have to suck it up to go to amusement parks or parades or shows for my kids.

You couldn't pay me to go.

I wouldnt go if THEY paid me!!!!! I agree with you 100%......Dont care for the man at all........my tv has been on HGTV and the Food Network for weeks now!!!LOLOL

__________________
"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

LOL - HGTV here, too.

Perhaps that's his plan to stimulate the economy by harnessing the spending power of conservatives. All he had to do was achieve rock star status to the point that we are all nauseated at the thought of him, leave us no alternative but to watch HGTV all day, and then just sit back and watch as we spend spend spend at Home Depot every weekend.

Brilliant plan! Maybe he's not so empty-headed after all! lol!

LOL! We are HGTV and ESPN here. Anything on network tv is DVR'ed so I can fast forward through all of the "hype".

__________________
I've had a Foreman Grill for about six years. I've done about 85% of my cooking on it, but I've never burnt myself. Probably because I don't use it as a pillow.

I’d definitely go and show my support if I had a chance! It's such a relief that the dark days of Bush are finally over

Have you considered that the price of the inauguration is high because millions of people want to be part of the celebration. Obama is where he is today partly by running an inclusive campaign…getting to the White House and closing the door to all but his family and friends would be an insult to the millions who voted him into office.

I don't get the objection to pumping 160 million into the economy. You'd think that people worried about the state of the country's finances would be thrilled with that kind of money being spent! The misconception that the taxpayers are paying for all of that . . . well, it's just not true. Facts get in the way so often around here, it seems.

I'd be there if I could, but I have to be in two different courts for work today and couldn't get out of it. We'll celebrate at my house tonight -- celebrating the end of eight long, dark, miserable years and the beginning of hope for this country!

Buh bye President Bush! Welcome, President Obama!

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

I will let you know what my son and daughter-in-law think of it. They came from Chicago to visit and witness this event. We will be taking care of my granddaughter. I think I live the closest to DC (in Maryland about 2 miles from the DC border). Many of the roads going into DC will be buses only. We are going to drive them to a Metro stop near are house to drop them off in about an hour.They will be meeting with a friend from another state after the ceremony.

Just turned on the local news. People are in the Mall area at 5:30 am. The metro parking lots are full already.

^^^
What she said.

It's like Super Bowl hype. Play the damn game already!

__________________
"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

Super Bowl hype was like Bushie playing flyboy in his costume on the deck of the Abraham Lincoln.

Today is a celebration of the peaceful transfer of power, a relative rarity in the world.

I promise you, those of us celebrating today would have loved to have seen Obama's inauguration take place on November 5, but I suspect Bush & Co. would have objected to that particular abuse of the Constitution. For a change.

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

I don't know, cubmom2, I think you can barrel that orange car you're driving right through the crowds...LOL

cj/

__________________
I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Truble2301 where have you been so glad you see ya, I missed ya posts, Iknew you would come in the right time. I agree I would love love to be there however I could never deal with the huge crowds that would be my only problem. But like you said I have not stopped watching Barack Obama on television for the last couple of days and I have purchased each one of my papers each day there are so many wonderful photos. This day will go down in history as you said a peaceful transfer of power one we needed soooooo long and as you said hon bye bye Bush see ya!!!!!!!!!. Counting the hours and minutes to his taking the oath and his speech.. Peace . Catherine

If I could've I absolutely would've been there!!!!!! I will be watching on TV all day today though!!!

Jen

__________________
Mom to Jake, Zach & Meghan
SJCC STREAKS FOOTBALL!!
CLEVELAND BROWNS FOOTBALL!

I'll be interested to see the final figures after the inauguration. Today's figures are saying 170 million.

ABC News: What Recession? The $170 Million Inauguration
In a letter to members of Congress, the governors of Maryland and Virginia, and the mayor of Washington said that their combined costs could exceed $75 million. That's on top of the $49 million the federal government is spending, again mostly for security.

Yes, there are a LOT of donations still being made, even hours before the big show. But the taxpayers will foot some of the bill, no matter what. I hope to see that "trickle down" effect.

What I cannot understand is why, in the name of all that is holy, do people take BABIES to this kind of thing?

If adults want to get up in the middle of the night to stand in a giant crowd in the freezing cold, that is their business. At least they can understand what is going on and know why they are there. Babies have NO IDEA why they're there. All they know is that they're cold, hungry and probably need a fresh diaper.

I saw a woman on the news the other night who was driving in from Texas and taking all her kids with her, including her 2 MONTH OLD. What the hell is she thinking????? The newscaster needed to give her a sharp slap in the head instead of encouraging her. How on earth would you manage a little baby like that in the cold for hours in that big of a crowd?

As my mother would say: "Some people have the same amount of brains that God gave an angleworm."

__________________
Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

I agree, that's insane! Now I'd take my 10 year old, but that's just me. And he'd want to go, because it's history in the making. Heck people were talking about wearing Depends because the ratio of people to bathrooms was 6000:1!!!! No place to even change a diaper.

freezing and super crowded -- two things I do not do. Maybe if it were in the summer I woudl think about it, but no way today.

I do understand about making history, but I prefer to watch on TV.

Sarah.........

All of the stress of the people would make me have the urge to go potty. Then... I have to try to find my way out of the maze of people and then after standing in line for hours at the blue porta john, well, I can imagine a big wind blowing it over with me in it. I would stink to high heavens and the security would make me leave the premises because of my unhealthy odor. I would get back to the hotel and realize that I had lost my hotel key and ID in the porta john and no way to get into my room.

Remind me NEVER to go anywhere with you! LOL

__________________
The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I hate, hate, hate crowds. I'd be so nervous I would get an IBS attack with no where to go! (And I do mean "go"!). Follow that up with a panic attack! Fun day-NOT!

Another person we don't want to go anywhere with! LOL!

Great analogy!!!!!!

That's me too! Hate crowds. Have IBS. Gotta have good potty access.

Wonder if the sales of Depends went up today? That person to porta-potty ratio was pretty scary!

No kidding. A person can only wait so long sometimes!