NOBAMA

On Inauguration Day, like most Americans and others all around the world, I was glued to my TV set.


On Inauguration night, like only a lucky few, I headed off for my first Inaugural Ball.

Ev and I took the metro --not a limo-- with our friends Linda and Art.

Marg Helgenberger (from the TV series Ocean Beach) and astronaut Buzz Aldrin were a few of the celebs in attendance.

Okay, it wasn't Beyonce and Bruce -- but the real celebs at the Heroes Ball were the Medal of Honor recipients, distinguished veterans and those currently serving in the military.

It was also about gowns...
And necklaces....

And hair ornaments...

And earrings...

And hats and gloves...

And dapper tuxes...
And a fabulous dessert buffet...
While not on Obama's "official" list, the Heroes Ball had always been an "unofficial official" presidential stop.

We were screened, re-screened, carefully monitored and sniffed-- and we expected both the Bidens and the Obamas to show up… eventually.As the evening wore on, it was rumored that the Obamas were very behind schedule. So the crowd continued to dance the night away.


The security dogs were catching a few z's when Ev and I headed upstairs to the lobby bar with Linda and Art in search of liquid refreshment (the ballroom bar was running dry.) The lines at the bar were mile high so we turned around to go back down the escalator.

BUT, at the security checkpoint, those trying to return to the ball were informed that we would have to wait.

The Bidens were in the ballroom and no one could go downstairs.

In the end, Obama was a no show… the the first Prez to skip it in 50- years worth of inaugurations.Despite that fact that I never saw Obama OR Biden, it’s nice to know that I will be able to look back one day and say I was part of this historic inauguration.

But all that was yesterday! Today, I can’t shake feeling like Cinderella the day after the ball.