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Well Jonesers, the much anticipated day in world history has come and gone. Conor and I stood among the millions (and it felt like millions) in the cold for hours to watch the historic ceremony. Everything we did demanded patience. The bridges and roads into the city were closed, so the only mode of transportation was the subway. Subways quickly became full, and authorities were afraid of overcrowding the platforms, so they closed the station. Luckily, we left early and were able to get a train into town, only to find the station completely packed on the other side. It took us 45 minutes to get from the platform to the street in downtown Washington.
I only share these details to attempt to illustrate what its like to be in a crowd of 2-3 million. I’ve been in stadiums with 60,000 people and music festivals with 100,000, but nothing that compares to this crowd. The area we stood in to watch the inauguration became more and more crowded, to the point when you couldn’t lift your hands above you head for fear of not being able to squeeze them back down to your sides. People were lifting each other into the trees to try to get a better view of the giant screens showing each speech and performance. As Obama headed down the ramp to take his seat for the ceremony, the crowd roared. A guy next who had traveled from Houston yelled out with immense pride “Look at my boy! Look at that swagger! That’s a black man right there!” Incredibly, when President Obama’s speech began, the crowd got silent. Millions of people standing in silence, hanging each word. That was probably the most surreal moment of the day for me.
When the speech ended, and people began to plan their escape route, is when the chaos truly started. It was battle conditions. Millions of people had been standing for 3 or more hours in below freezing temperatures with no food and limited access to bathrooms. The crowd turned into a sea of humanity that pushed you wherever it decided to go. When the two of us finally came up for air, the only place we could find to get warm and look for food was a hotel close the Washington Monument. The inside looked more like an emergency relief tent than a hotel. The floor was covered with huddled groups, no seats in restaurants were available, and huge lines for the closest restroom. All trains were shut down until after the Presidential Parade, so all of these people were stranded for the next several hours.
The more people I talked to, the more I began to realize that they weren’t coming to Washington to celebrate history, but more as a personal journey to verify that it was real. Several older folks spoke about making the trip and dealing with all of the madness only to be able to report back to their neighbors that this had actually taken place. Well it did happen. And it was one of the most memorable moments of life. Not so much the ceremony and the event, but I’ll remember the crowds and the conversations. People that felt like they never had anyone in their corner fighting for them were now feeling supported, protected and guided. The best feeling for me was that people chose this result. It wasn’t luck or fortune, it was by choice. That made me feel proud. Kick it Conor.
Millions and Millions of people, it was absolutely nuts. If you had taken a thermal picture from a satellite, DC would have been one glowing dot, or amoeba-esque shape. Josh and I probably would have frozen out there if our bodies weren’t completely engulfed in other people from head to neck. To create a visual just imagine those 1960’s contests where as many people as possible would attempt to cram into a phone booth, then take that phone booth and expand it a mile long and half a mile wide. If you had to go the bathroom and you didn’t bring your Barack pull-ups you were out of Luck. Literally people were hanging out of trees, on top of every “Johnny on the Spot” porta-potty, or on people’s shoulders hoping to get a glimpse of their new president (Josh wanted to get on my shoulders but I didn’t think it would be fair to the people behind us).
Then as Barack set up to get some lunch with his new friends, Josh and I moseyed on down the frigid streets of our nation’s capitol. I guess Seattleites aren’t used to the sub-freezing temperatures because as we made our way through DC we bumped into middle school girls in long sleeve t-shirts, people dancing in the streets, and those taking a brief cat nap after such an early start. Whereas Josh and I were praying for a lean-to or something, these people were euphoric, high on the hysteria that they witnessing. So what did Josh and I do? We gave them Jones Soda and asked them if they liked it. And the resounding answer was “Yes!” Amidst the madness I almost forgot we still had a job to do, we brought great tasting soda with us to give out in a time where people probably sacrificed a lot to get to DC, so why not give them something back? And seriously job aside The Orange Cola tastes great! It was a time of celebration! We handed out every bottle like a contemporary Johnny Appleseed and did our part to create some change. Then in true proclaimers fashion Josh and I walked 5,000 miles home because all forms of transportation were shut down. As our house mom for the weekend, Michelle, tried to rile us to go out and see the city, Josh and I had already passed out with an empty pizza box and Seinfeld in the background, GOD BLESS AMERICA.
PS: here are a quick couple of shout outs I promised someone very important to me I would say if I ever wrote a blog.
“What the Heck!”- common interjection from the voice of Star Wolf from the acclaimed Star Fox 64 voiced by local Seattle favorite Grant Goodeave.
“Ninja Pizza, vanish quickly without trace,” voice of Michelangelo from Ninja Turtles II- Secret of the Ooze
“You’re dog’s making a funny face”
“That’s probably because you’re looking at it’s butt”
“Oh, well then he’s not going to like the treat I just gave him”-Leslie Neilson in Wrongfully Accused.
You’re welcome Ben
January 19, 2009
Hello all, Conor here, we greet you once again from our nation’s capitol. Today Josh and I saw many things, men dressed as Jesus demanding on goers assault a cardboard cutout of Bush with their shoes, women marching head to toe in pink singing “hey hey hey, goodbye,” and unfortunately people without homes asking for help. Today was undoubtedly fun and undeniably surreal. We thought we were at risk of being cliché as we set out with out DV cam and microphone but plenty of citizens were more than happy to voice their opinions. Washington DC might as well have been named Barackville this week with his face tattooed on every t-shirt, beanie, and metro pass city-wide. And so once again, we will get up before sunrise in order to capture the strange and inspirational testimonies of the masses gathered to bring change to the United States. And once again we will be preaching “Think Independent Drink Independent” as I fight off the 13-15 year old girls who fall in love with Josh’s baby face.
Nice. You wouldn’t think I have a baby face with that mug on the blog home page. Today was a day of trials, failures and eye opening diversity. I’ll save you the trials and failures, but driving around the suburbs of D.C. calling people you don’t know to give you soda you don’t really own is an interesting experience. The scene downtown: mobs of people with hopeful faces pushing to see anything and everything that our President elect may so much as lean on tomorrow during the inauguration. I heard almost any language I can imagine, saw more law enforcement officials than I’ve ever seen, and tour busses clogged the streets making traffic an absolute nightmare. Yet the flow and interaction between people, of all races and ages, was pleasant, respectful and seamless. Selfishly, we also met lots of Jones Soda fanatics. One girl saw my jacket and started to freak out a little bit. “Jones Soda, Jones Soda, Jones Soda.” I was embarrassed for her, but I think I blushed a little.
When I was 14, I remember begging my Mom for a t-shirt that had Mossimo on the front. The brand meant something that I took so much pride in at the time. It was apparent to me today, that the new brand name that kids take pride in is Obama. It simply is the most fashionable thing that any teenager could wear on the streets of D.C. Somehow a studded beanie reading Carter, Reagan, or even Kennedy seems humorous. Anyway, the little guy walked a little taller today. The streets were filled with excited, hopeful faces. I got the feeling that even if our new President did nothing during his term, he would be loved for it. On the other hand, if President Obama wants to create change, it appears he’ll have the world on his side. Tomorrow will be memorable.
| January 19, 2009 | ||
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January 18, 2009
Hi Jones fans, Josh here. Conor and I have been given the opportunity to travel to our capital to witness the inauguration of our new President. Well, to be more correct, we will be in the city at a distance from the inauguration. But we will be documenting the experience and talking to anyone who will listen to ask them “Orange You Glad For Change?” and give them a free taste of our newest flavor, The Orange Cola. Tonight, however, we are bunkered up in Richmond, Virginia. Our flights were both delayed; the most recent by three hours. By the time we got to Richmond where we’d planned to pick up the van and drive to Washington, the rental offices were all closed and there is no rental car to be had. Two cheap bids on Priceline later, we’ve got a hotel. We just had an interesting interaction with the young, talkative clerk at the local 7-11 near our hotel. He saw our jacket reading “Jones Soda Co.” and he asks quite articulately: “Jones Soda Co., is that a moving company or something?” We look at each other briefly and tell him that we work for a company that sells soda. He asks, “Where are you from?” Seattle, dude. He says, “Pardon my introspection, but I don’t believe I even know what state that’s in”. I love Virginia already. Time to get a couple hours of shuteye before we head out to fill the van with soda, and give away 12oz of joy to the people hoping for change. Kick it one time Conor.
Change is on the horizon my friends, because as the Arizona Cardinals have proven, anything can happen…anything. Armed with a video camera, our wits, and some delicious sugar water Josh and I will pick the brains of fine people congregated in Washington DC to witness history. Our vehicle: a rented van with slapped on Jones Decals on the side. Our gift: Orange “You Glad For Change” Cola. Our goal: to hear the perspective of the little guy…and spend Tuesday night in the Lincoln Bedroom. So as I journal my travels, cooped up in a Courtyard Marriot, with the television in the background listening to the likes of Kal Penn, Jack Black, and John Cougar Melencamp recounting revolutionary examples of change in American History, while writing this incredible run-on sentence, I realize I must leave you kids for now, and get a whole 4 hours of sleep so I can hit the streets.
One Love
-Josh and Conor
| January 18, 2009 | ||
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