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January 20, 2015: It’s a new moon at 0º of Aquarius: an auspicious date for beginnings, with the mystical energy of…
…oh wait. Okay, sorry, wrong blog.
It’s January 20 so today we peacefully assemble to watch the State of the Union Address, nerds! (Also known as That One Long Speech Thing That Ruins Tuesday Television). And as there is no other city, municipality, or taxed-yet-unrepresented district that gets as much or as rabidly into listening to the President talk as DC, we bring to you a tidy little guide of what to do while listening to Obama’s plan for the upcoming year. Although many of the initiatives the President will talk about have already been introduced, watching the address live is always an oddly special and potentially alcohol-fueled ritual for DC. Here are a few things to do while you listen:
Follow along with Cloture Club’s SOTU Drinking Game. You don’t have to follow Cloture Club on Twitter (although they have great stuff, and so you should), and you don’t have to use their hashtag (#SOTUgame, obvi). But hey, you’re watching and they came up with a fun game that is so cool even George Takei shared last year’s edition, so why not? It will be fun! Click here to play! Cheers and drink responsibly.
Or you can follow along with the more sedate WaPo version. Click here to play along. I would even suggest drinking a lovely aromatic tisane whilst playing. When in doubt, pinky out!
Don’t want to drink but want to play? BINGO! Yes, Bingo. I love bingo. I wish life were just one giant series of bingo games so I could win them all, preferably while wearing really comfortable shoes and a visor. USA Today has a printable bingo card. You’re so welcome.
Study up on the main topics that will be discussed. Haha, okay mom. Thanks for the homework. But seriously: this is not just an opportunity to see who’s falling asleep or discreetly picking their nose or texting up there on the podium. After all, the speech will cover key areas of our nation’s progress and important issues. Do you know what Keystone XL is really about? Go watch an excellent explainer over at the Wall Street Journal. Will there be any surprises in the speech, not previously leaked? Have Politico tell you all about it! Feel like an adult reading PBS’s content and instruction manual. Okay. Feel *temporarily* like an adult. We all know better.
Go down the “River of Content” at the White House website. You can click here to go up that creek, paddle optional. Take a shot (of whatever) if you tried really hard not to giggle at the expression, “river of content.”
If you are a local bar holding a viewing party, let us know in the comments or tweet us @TheHillIsHome.
Happy #SOTU15!