Offlede will fly to Washington for Obama's inauguration

On Tuesday, I will watch, in person, the next occupant of this house get sworn in.

Mirroring my own existence over the past few months, The Offlede has been quite stagnant.

That's about to change.

The Christmas season was uneventful. As most holidays go in the life of a copy editor, it consisted of work and loneliness, save for a period of frivolity on New Year's Eve. I paid a short visit to the only family I have within a thousand miles. And I stuffed myself Christmas morning with the French toast slam at Denny's, conjuring memories of big Christmas Day breakfasts back home in the Great White North.

But there's something about palm trees and hot air that mostly does away with any semblance Florida has of olden-day Christmases for me. Ah, but that's the price I pay for living in paradise and for not having to freeze my bum off. (Actually, that's just what transplanted Floridians say to make the pain bearable. Yes, we're in denial.)

The economy has further hit home. There's now talk of weeklong furloughs at work and of more layoffs. And at home, my landlord narrowly escaped losing his house to foreclosure by opting for short sale. That's fortunate for him, but it left me searching for a new place to live.

I'm moving tomorrow.

But the real excitement is what finally will snap me out of stagnation. Somewhat randomly, a friend and former classmate told me that I am welcome in Washington for Inauguration Day. Within hours of the news, I had gotten time off from work and booked a flight for Reagan National Airport. It's probably the most spontaneous thing I have done (just remember, I'm a boring newspaper editor).

I had been involved in some way with FLORIDA TODAY's front-page coverage of big events throughout the presidential campaign. But until yesterday, I thought I would not be involved at all with the edition that declares Barack Obama the 44th president because Tuesday is my Sunday. Now, I'm going to be in the thick of things by battling the crowds on the National Mall, camera in hand.

So don't miss it. The Offlede is about to get exciting.

But first, I need some winter clothing.