{"id":45976,"date":"2021-01-20T23:53:33","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T04:53:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=45976"},"modified":"2021-01-21T22:48:47","modified_gmt":"2021-01-22T03:48:47","slug":"biden-harris-inauguration-relief-and-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/biden-harris-inauguration-relief-and-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden\/Harris Inauguration: Relief and Hope"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I haven&#8217;t been able to shake a feeling of exhaustion in who knows how long. I&#8217;ve had insomnia all my life, but I used to get up at 5 a.m. and go to the gym and then my corporate job, so I know the lack of sleep wasn&#8217;t always debilitating. I figured that, with age, my sleeplessness was getting worse or having a more profound effect on me. Then, this Biden\/Harris Inauguration Day morning, I woke up after five hours of sleep feeling refreshed and energetic. I barely recognized myself. Maybe it was the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenation.com\/article\/politics\/trump-biden-inauguration-riot\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Orange Monster<\/a> who was dragging me down all along!<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKSQySPl4Qs\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKSQySPl4Qs\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKSQySPl4Qs\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by @aperture.delta<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>To celebrate the end of the Trump era, I headed out to Grand Army Plaza in midtown Manhattan with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bravinlee.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bravinlee Programs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trumprat.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">#TrumpRat<\/a> team to display our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/guess-whos-back-with-a-trump-rat-gofundme\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ugly inflatable protest art<\/a> for what may be the last time. (We reserve the right to revive him if Trump comes to town to stay at Trump Tower or, preferably, to face prosecutors.) We drew the usual crowd of amateur and professional photographers. Most people, as usual, were enthusiastic about the anti-Trump message.<\/p>\n<p><center><div id=\"attachment_45978\" style=\"width: 508px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45978\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumpratlol-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"498\" height=\"324\" class=\"size-full wp-image-45978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumpratlol-2.jpg 498w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumpratlol-2-300x195.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-45978\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A passerby had an appropriate flag. Photo by George De Castro Day.<\/p><\/div><\/center><\/p>\n<p>We did have one Russian woman stop by to rant at us about Clinton (she didn&#8217;t specify which Clinton), followed by a blonde <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karen_(pejorative)#:~:text=Karen%20is%20a%20pejorative%20term,to%20demand%20their%20own%20way.\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Karen<\/a> who told us we were disrespectful and tried complaining about us to a nearby cop. She got no satisfaction from him, and stalked off, probably in search of a manager to complain to. Anyway, I&#8217;d put on celebratory red lipstick &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKMSlOGFXqG\/?igshid=103306bhatcw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">I&#8217;ve been missing it so much!<\/a> &#8212; and brought my &#8220;This Pussy Grabs Back&#8221; sign from the Women&#8217;s March on D.C. in 2017 in order to strike a brief maskless pose.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_45979\" style=\"width: 508px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumprat12021-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45979\" class=\"wp-image-45979\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumprat12021-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"498\" height=\"332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumprat12021-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumprat12021-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/trumprat12021-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-45979\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click the photo to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>What Wendy Wore<\/strong><br \/>\n<em><strong>Trump Is Guilty hoodie<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/wewillnotbesilent.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">We Will Not Be Silent<\/a> (January 2020)<\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Jeans:<\/strong> Frame (2018-ish)<\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Boots:<\/strong> Uggs (2016)<\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Glasses:<\/strong> Prada (2010)<\/em><br \/>\n<em><strong>Neon yellow mask, in pocket:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/privatestocklabs.com\/\">Private Stock Labs<\/a> (2020)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>We hoped to march #TrumpRat a couple of blocks to Trump Tower, like we did on Saturday with the activists of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/risenresistnyc\/?hl=en\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rise and Resist <\/a>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKFgjB0FFx3\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKFgjB0FFx3\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKFgjB0FFx3\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by @aperture.delta<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; but high winds made that impossible, so we deflated where we were &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/deflateblog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"498\" height=\"332\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-45986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/deflateblog.jpg 498w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/deflateblog-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/center><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and I simply paused in front of the tower with my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/free-for-protestors-purrkoy-the-pussy-art\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Purrkoy pussy sign<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/fucktrumptowerblog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"498\" height=\"306\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-45987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/fucktrumptowerblog.jpg 498w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/fucktrumptowerblog-300x184.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/center><\/p>\n<p>While I was posing for that photo, Team #TrumpRat was joined by a reporter from WNYC, followed by three cops who came over to tell us we couldn&#8217;t take pictures on a public sidewalk. Some testy words were exchanged about First Amendment rights, and body-cams were turned on. To prove a point, we lingered, so if you hear me talking on WNYC or NPR &#8212; well, that&#8217;s how that came about. I haven&#8217;t heard the interview myself, and I hope I didn&#8217;t talk a bunch of nonsense considering I felt a little numb for most of the day. Of course, I was hugely relieved knowing that the grifting demagogue was forced out of the White House, and no longer ruling (and lying) via tweet. But I am so used to constantly reacting &#8212; running to a protest or getting out #TrumpRat at the spur of the moment because the worst American president had spewed yet more malicious bullshit &#8212; that life has seemed disturbingly calm since Twitter finally followed its own terms of service and banned Trump. It&#8217;s that feeling of &#8220;It&#8217;s quiet &#8230; TOO QUIET!&#8221;  Also, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/impeach-trump-now\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">horror of the January 6 attack on the Capitol<\/a> &#8212; and the knowledge that anti-democracy neo-Nazis, Confederate flag wavers, authoritarian evangelists, and conspiracy believers are still out there &#8212; prevented a repeat of the elation so many of us felt in November when the election was first declared for Biden in November. Then there are the dire situations we still face as a country including 400,000 dead from a virus, a vaccine program in disarray, immigrants detained in cruel conditions, and racist police forces perpetrating violence against Black people all over the country. On Monday, by the way, <a href=\"https:\/\/gothamist.com\/news\/photos-nypd-arrests-protesters-marching-mlk-day-near-city-hall\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I personally witnessed the NYPD attack protestors at the end of a march in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day<\/a>, mere days after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/states\/new-york\/albany\/story\/2021\/01\/14\/new-york-attorney-general-suing-nypd-over-protest-response-1356978\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New York Attorney General Tish James sued the police department<\/a> over its abuse of protestors. That&#8217;s how damn shameless the police can be when they&#8217;re not dealing with a few white folks like the cops I encountered today.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKQPXUxFF_a\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKQPXUxFF_a\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CKQPXUxFF_a\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by RUVAN (@byruvan)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Activists &#8212; which should be everyone, in some way or another &#8212; still have so much to do and a lot of us might not see the results in our lifetime. That knowledge weighs on many of us. Yet, by the end of the day, I was cautiously rediscovering necessary feeling of hope. The Twitter thread that starts with this tweet captures it.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I get why people want to qualify or hedge any expression of optimism, happiness, or triumph. But no effort for justice is sustainable without joy, and celebration does not mean an end to hard work or a denial of ongoing struggle.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Moira Donegan (@MoiraDonegan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoiraDonegan\/status\/1352071896242782211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 21, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/center><\/p>\n<p>For a fantastically eloquent take on the possibilities of optimism, we can look to the words of 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman, whose reading of her poem, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2021\/01\/20\/politics\/amanda-gorman-inaugural-poem-transcript\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Hill We Climb<\/a>&#8221; was one of the highlights of today&#8217;s inauguration ceremony.<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wz4YuEvJ3y4\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Gorman&#8217;s poem ends with:<\/p>\n<p><em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;When day comes we step out of the shade,<br \/>\naflame and unafraid<br \/>\nThe new dawn blooms as we free it<br \/>\nFor there is always light,<br \/>\nif only we&#8217;re brave enough to see it<br \/>\nIf only we&#8217;re brave enough to be it.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Words to live by.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I haven&#8217;t been able to shake a feeling of exhaustion in who knows how long. I&#8217;ve had insomnia all my life, but I used to get up at 5 a.m. and go to the gym and then my corporate job, so I know the lack of sleep wasn&#8217;t always debilitating. I figured that, with age,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/biden-harris-inauguration-relief-and-hope\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[669,2092,49,558,277,41,143,497],"tags":[2404,2334,2045,2354,2405,2403,2332,2331],"class_list":{"0":"post-45976","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-about-wendy","8":"category-activism","9":"category-in-the-news","10":"category-news","11":"category-outfit-post","12":"category-pictures-of-me","13":"category-politics","14":"category-what-wendy-wore","15":"tag-amanda-gorman","16":"tag-bravinlee-programs","17":"tag-joe-biden","18":"tag-kamala-harris","19":"tag-presidential-inauguration-2021","20":"tag-tish-james","21":"tag-trump-rat","22":"tag-trumprat","23":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45976"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46011,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45976\/revisions\/46011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}