Author Archives: Steve Mays

Obama Inauguration

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I have no idea what it was like at previous inaugurations, but everywhere I look, in every face, there’s a real sense of joy and excitement. And these look like people who –like smays.com– never felt like their vote made much of a difference, but do now.

My cynical (“Realistic! Realistic!”) friends tell me I am niave (nice word for chump) to believe/hope Obama is anything more than another smooth talking pol. Once in office, it’ll be business as usual. Well, there’s bunch of chumps everywhere I look. These are the true believers. They think (know?) they can knock on doors and organize and vote and, in time, change things.

Before the Net, you could sway these masses with well placed media buys. I’m thinking that might be changing (have changed). MSM has their own problems and the Net can take a politician down as fast as it can lift her up.

But the people on these cold streets aren’t thinking about that. They see a new day and they’re pumped. They BELIEVE they are part of something big and important and it’s gonna be hard to persuade them otherwise. [Inauguration 2009 flickr images]

Lost camera

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Hotel where the MO Dem's had their party reports no found cameras but promised to call. Perhaps it fell out on the cab ride home. Whatever, I really don't feel bad about losing the camera, I have more. But it's a shame the video will never be shared. Nothing earth shattering but man that guy could dance.

If I ever find someone's camera with stills or video on it, you can bet I'll post to flickr and YouTube. Be nice if someone does that with mine. Beyond that, I like to imagine someone taking a great photo or capturing some amazing video with the little Casio. I posted on this somewhere up stream. Finding a camera and trying to solve some mystery using only the images it contains. If anyone stumbles across that post, send me a link.

This reminds me that the camera is a passive thing. Being in the right place, in the right hands, at the right time… that's what makes a great photograph.

And haven't people left cameras in public places with instructions to take some photos and then leave the camera for someone else in a different location? But that would only be fun if the photos were shared. So, if the person who found the Casio Exilim on the evening of January 18, 2009, in Washington D.C. is reading this. Enjoy the camera. Keep it or pass it along to someone else. But post the pix and video online where we all have a chance of find it. Tag the files with "smays.com"

Inauguration: Day Two

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After a chilly wait in a long line, we have the coveted tickets to tomorrow’s inauguration. We clumsily asked the nice guys in Congressman Blunt’s (R) office if they were going to the inauguration (“Uh, no”). We forgot for a moment that not everything thinks this is as wonderful as we do.

Our tickets are in South Standing (see blue area of map above). Call it emotional proximity. The plan is to hit the Metro as early as possible (4am?). Gonna be another long, cold wait. After the event, a mob scene for sure as we try to make our way to Barb’s office at the other end of the parade route. Then back to base camp for party change and a return to convention center for the ball.

Not expecting to be able to do much more than Twitter tomorrow (if that).

Inauguration: Day One

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Not counting Saturday since that was just travel. But today was a full day. We rode the Metro from the northern part of the district where we’re staying down to the National Mall. Got there around 9 or 9:30 a.m. Not a lot people there yet except media types getting set up or already in place (MSNBC).

Couldn’t get the GPS on the iPhone working until George suggested I reboot. You don’t want to be at an event like this without a fully functioning iPhone.

Walked down to the Capitol (as close as we could get) and then all the way down Pennsylvania Ave to the end of the parade route, mostly to locate the office of the firm at which Barb works.

By then the crowds were flooding in to get seats for the opening ceremony and concert. If today is any indicator, tomorrow and Tuesday are gonna be scary. But I must say everyone seemed happy (joyuous?). Lots of little kids, even as cold as it was.

Tomorrow we head back down to pick up our tickets, at which time we’ll have some idea of where we’ll be for the Big Moment.

The historic nature of this event is starting to get to me and it’s hard not to feel a real bond with the millions that will be here. You won’t find many in this crowd who think O is “just another smooth talking pol.” We are all believers.

Pardon me, but I believe that’s my bag

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Uneventful trip to DC. The city is clearly gearing up fo The Moment. Big concert tomorrow –if we decided to endure a smaller crowd (150,000?). Then some kind of party tomorrow night for political bigwigs from Missouri. Barb’s going to try to pass me off as a client.

We’ll use tomorrow as a dry-run for Monday and Tuesday. See if we can do the buses and metro. Will try to post pix on the fly and post any video after we return to base camp.