Jennifer Hale blogs from D.C.

It has been a whirlwind since I arrived in DC Thursday evening!

First off I got to do some personal visiting: My friend Bradley Hayes, who went to Birmingham Southern and is now Chief Deputy Counsel for Senator Sessions; a former grad school professor Mary Coffman; and my old grad school roomie.

By the way - Mary is still teaching at Northwestern's DC branch. Her students are covering Tuesday's Inauguration in a very "trendy" way: they will have a google earth map up and the students will be sprinkled throughout the parade route. They will be taking pictures and posting comments when the inaugural procesion gets to each student. Check it out Tuesday at this link: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/390/default.aspx

Since arriving, I have interviewed Senators Shelby and Sessions as well as the King Family from Birmingham, a group of UA students, an Alabama soldier picking up inauguration tickets and a woman who drove her 12 hours without anywhere to stay or tickets - just hoping to get lucky.

So far - everyone is being incredibly nice. The city has an awesome atmosphere. I figured with these crowds, people would be pushy and snappy. But at least for now, the Southern hospitality is shining through.

Oh - yes it is FREEZING! I am wearing two coats, long johns, pants and a blazer. Last night - I brought my long johns and socks to don underneath my dress for the walk home. Not attractive - but what else is a Gulf Coast girl going to do when it's 10 degrees and she has to walk 10 blocks. Cabs are already impossible to snag.

Covering this has been interesting for me in so many ways. Not only the historic nature -- but also the challenges of today's economy. I am shooting all of my own video - it's just me, no photographer. It's all in an effort to save money.

I have been relying on the kindness of strangers to shoot me in front of the White House etc - for my reports that you'll see at five, six and ten. If the footage is a little shaky, now you know why!

Obama gear is everywhere: hats, bags, scarves, t shirts - even my metro card! I have seen at least half a dozen people walking around with a cardboard cut out of Obama even!

Last night, the parties began! We attended the Clinton/Gore Reunion as well as the Hip Hop Caucus Inaugural Party. It was really something to see. It felt like I was back on Spring Break...I got frisked at the door and the guards took my decongestant becuase there are no pills allowed inside.

This election and inauguration has certainly energized a younger base of voters, as evidenced not only by my "formal ball attire" compared to everyone else's short skirts, t shirts and hats. Plus all the songs that I knew - the DJ kept calling "old school."

I did run into some very impressive social work students from the University of Alabama. They were fun and engaging - just having a blast.

Folks from Alabama are everywhere. Even when I'm not looking for them per se to do an interview, I keep running into them.

I'll try to get as many pictures up as I can of our delegation. Talk to you soon!