Whoa. Whew. Wow. Yum.

Whoa- regardless of anyone's feelings about him, our nation's first black president was inaugurated today.  He's got a long hard road ahead of him.  A combination of blind faith and the fact that things can't get much worse will keep his approval ratings high for quite some time.  I was impressed to be able to watch the swear-in on a projector during class this morning.  Again, whatever you think about him, it was momentous one way or the other.  Certainly something to see and remember, and look back upon in four years.  Can you believe its been eight years since Bush started?  7+ since 9/11?

Whew- I ran again for the first time since May.  What a slovenly slobby slob I had become.  I had a rough time running two seven minute miles.  Happy though that my second mile was on pace with my first.  Begin the countdown to (near to) a 5 minute mile by the end of the semester.  Shoot for the moon, land among the stars, something like that.

Wow.  I dunno if he wants to be called out for this, but Uncle Steve joins the ranks of I think only my parents (maybe grandparents as well, my mind fades) to have given me a graduation present- yeah, for college.  I never had a graduation party because of my odd graduation circumstances, being a super senior and all, so I never got all the booty (money that is, not the other kind of booty) that goes along with a party.  I mentioned it to him under some or other circumstances and suddenly I get a "Bank Error in Your Favor" note in the mail.  FanTAStic.  I'll buy myself something pretty- like a student loan payment.  Thanks U Steve.  U're the best.

In other news, I plan on having a smashing graduation party from my Master's program.  Since its kicking my @$$ and all.  I'm gonna wanna celebrate.  Please bring gifts of strong dark Belgian ales.

Which brings me to my next point.

Yum- Chocolate Belgian Stout (so it was called, but seemed more like ale) with an 11% alcohol content (11%!) is tasty.  Tasty-riffic, in fact.  But being that its as strong as wine, I kept it to half a glass, being that I have things to do tonight, like NOT get drunk...

...Like listen to U2 for the next 6 weeks straight.  Their new single was released yesterday.  Viva U2!  "No Line On the Horizon".  Available March 3rd.  Preorder, please.  Already hoping I can see them once in Europe and once (twice?) in the States.  Time to get back down to your wearing-tight-jeans weight, Bono.