God I love doing this. I love to shoot. It was the camera that saved me as a blogger after 2006, it's only fitting that the camera be there at the end, right? And oh, the history I have captured in these past few years. When I look back at everything...
Oddly enough, I wasn't going to take it with me. I had planned on going down just to give the G a hug goodbye. That's all. Didn't even have all that much to say to her, really - figure I left everything on the field over the past week. Planned to leave right after. But, at the last minute, I grabbed the camera anyway as I walked out the door. A sense of duty to that history, maybe - and the day was so nice I decided to stay and watch. It kind of felt like I was taking pictures at my own funeral though; outside myself, rather numb to everything, so I just took random shots without even thinking about what I was doing.
The crowd was... polite. Not sure how to describe it. It wasn't all that big, it wasn't all that enthused. Just smiles and polite applause for everyone. One Tea Party guy walking around with a bunch of those "II" flags - but no one was buying them. No protests, no signs, such a switch from the last few times I had been down there for an event. Hard to believe it was the same place.
Listened to Snyder (man, is he dull), got halfway through Calley, and the clouds started rolling in. Decided that was enough Republican for one day, and I had better get home for football. And some rest.
It all brought a certain sense of closure. Maybe that was just what I needed. One chapter ends, and a new one begins...