9 Rows from Oprah

So, I have survived the Inaugural--so far. Highights:

6 a.m.- Began a truly unnerving 2.5 hour Metro ride that ended up at the Capitol South stop.

8 a.m.- Stood on the train platform for the 20 minute shuffle up the stairs. The nice Metro lady kept yelling "Keep it moving! Keep it moving!" and the crowd kept yelling back, "Yes we can!" Then when she wanted us to stop moving forward so we didn't crush everyone alive she'd yell "Red light! Stop light!" But no one yelled "Neon light" when I did.

9 a.m.- I began to feel that I would die on the spot of cold. The minutes ran backward as they did for Ferris Bueller. Then the sun came out and it climbed to 30 degrees for a while. Bliss. We were in an amazing section called "Green Tickets." Oh, the goodness.

10:30 a.m.- The great cavalcade of celebrities begins. Oprah. Stedman. Sam Jackson. Jesse Jackson. Denzel. Caroline Kennedy. Some dude everyone wanted to be photographed with but who was unrecognizable to me. Jamie Lee Curtis. Don King. Diana Ross. Angela Basset. And a host of others. And the best ever: Curtis said to me, "Hey, Usher just jumped up on my chair."

11 a.m.- The great exchange of power began. It was surreal to watch it so up-close. Yea!

1:55 p.m. - We fund a taxi after just four blocks of hoofing it! Karma. Hung out over the afternoon with the pals who hooked me up with tix.

PS - Time TBD, I will re-brave the Metro and hope to get home. Oh, and "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder is stupendous.