Administration Installed, End of the Regime

Where were the RPGs when, like, you know, they could be useful, was the thought of some of us at least as Outgoing Criminal In Chief was heli-O-vacing away, post his 8 years of executing the Constitution, not to mention the accompanying evisceration of the Bill of Rights. Well, maybe those were not the best of thoughts, but surely others shared them. And we can say things like that now. It's no longer illegal as the crime lords are no longer shielded by high office.

So here's the scoop as to why Darth Vader (or Dr. No, if he'd only had a long-haired white cat in his lap) was in a wheel chair: he messed up his back scooping out the last coupla gold bars left in a corner of the U.S. Treasury. As he settled into his helio-o-vac he chuckled with glee, "So long suckas! All yr monies r belong to ME!" and off to Dubai he's gone, getting away with the biggest heist in the history of the world.

At our entirely diverse, inclusive (except there seemed to be not a single rethug present), community brunch + Jumbotrons, Aretha brought it home, wearing a queen's crown of Church Ladies' Hat, the Benediction raised the roof. Michelle was the total elegant mom. There were a lot of messages in that speech, weren't there? Some of us were both thrilled and anxious by what he said. Seriously talking tough to terrorists (though the biggest perpretrators of terrorism on this nation have gotten clean away without a bit of punishment, and very, very, very rich).

Everyone was ecstatic, embracing, dancing, cheering and applauding. Fortunately for Our Host, no one threw anything at the screens whenever the Outgoing Criminal In Chief appeared. He must have been medicated to the gills. Everyone booed when he appeared, though nothing could equal the volume of the boos received by Cheney.

We did the S.O.B.'s Obama Lunch and Celebration with some friends, hosted by the owner, who is someone we have known for many years now. Somehow we didn't expect S.O.B.'s to be packed to the gills. Maybe because we always go there at night? Fortunately the owner gave us a table even though we didn't have reservations. We didn't think we'd need them. Who besides us would go to S.O.B.'s at 11 AM?

It. Was. Amazing. So many people I didn't necessarily know but recognized as we've encountered each other for years in the street and in local stores. Some of our friends and neighbors from our building were there too.

Among those with whom we shared the table, were a gentleman man whose father is Barbadian and his African American wife, born in Alabama. After the swearing in he said he was going call his father down in Barbados in a few minutes -- but not just yet because "I know my dad is in tears." This Inauguation means something personal all over the world.

The PoC couples seated around us in S.O.B.'s were dressed in 'good clothes,' the clothes you would wear to an official occasion, something just a bit nicer than what you would wear to a job interview for a 'professional' position (gads, I've always disliked that division in work -- between professional and, um, whatever all the rest are). When we walked back home we saw so many middle-aged women of color wearing hats. Not winter-warm-your-head-and ears hats, but the hats they wear on Sunday for church.

I've never watched an Inauguration before. For one thing I was in class or working. For another, I have lived without television most of my life. And with Those Who Are Forever Gone (But. Not. Punished. Yet.), there is no way I could have stood to watch. We are in a different age for sure.

Hooray! The end of the regime, the start of administration.

My great regret, that seems to have been kind of fizzing around in my psyche all day is that Odetta wasn't there, as they'd originally hoped. Odetta, you are seeing everything from Your Heaven. You are singing. You are dancing.

To further complicate things today, the publisher just sent some possible covers for TYBTF. There are some stunners among the possibilities, incorporating a Vaquero photo, so many really nice ones in fact, it will be difficult to choose.