Slowing Things Down....Just Kidding

Classes this week have been a bit more relaxed and reflective, but everything keeps coming hot and fast.

My internship this week picked up a bit. It was my best internship week so far. Due in part to increased tour activity (school fall breaks), I kept busy at work all week, which is a good thing when you're in an internship. As well as doing some tours, I also got to do more substantial and interesting work, which is encouraging and could open up more opportunities as I prove my abilities.

Tuesday I went straight from a really good day of work out to the Washington National Cathedral for a special event there. It was titled America and the World: Picking up the Pieces and featured a star-studded cast of speakers. The main ones were Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft who discussed the future of American foreign policy, moderated by highly respected columnist and writer (Body of Lies) David Ignatius.

They did this to demonstrate the idea behind their latest book which is written as a discussion between the three of them. Brzezinski and Scowcroft represent Democrats and Republicans respectively and have been involved in American foreign policy for many years and are respected as some of America's most esteemed statesmen. Contributing to the discussion after them were three highly involved activists and writers representing views from Africa, China, and the Middle East.

The night was capped off by a rousing speech given by Thomas Friedman another very famous and important contemporary thinker and writer. His speech was the highlight as it presented the most inspiring view of America's future in the world that I have heard in a long while. It is not often that a discussion of American foreign policy among international experts remains distinctly positive about America's importance and ability to be the world's leader in the present and future challenges we face. Each of the speakers was convinced of the need for America to lead on the world stage. They were not blind to the glaring weaknesses and failures of America, but neither were they blind to the great accomplishments and potential of America. A truly thrilling evening. Plus, I got to meet Thomas Friedman and get him to sign my program. Woot!

Oh, yeah. On top of all that awesomeness, the event took place in the Washington National freakin' Cathedral. It was the first time I'd seen it at all. It's huge! What an amazing and beautiful place. This also meant that the venue contributed to the inspirational quality of the event. What an opportunity!

The one downside was that I was not able to eat until after 10 that night. However, this was just the beginning. Wednesday night was what has been termed the starvation boat cruise.

It was billed as a Potomac dinner cruise. On arriving at the dock and walking down the ramps, we marvelled at some of the nice boats that we apparently would be boarding. We seemed to be walking toward one nice-looking one. "Ooh, this looks cool," I thought. Then I saw our group being directed toward the Nightingale. "Oh. Shoot." The Nightingale was clearly the cheapest boat at the dock, aside from Nightingale II. It was a comically tragic moment. Then, we learned upon boarding that the dinner we were supposed to eat was in the wrong spot so we would not get food until after the cruise. This was bad news. Besides all that, the night was one of the colder ones we had experienced so far. To make matters worse, as we backed out of the dock a thick, dirty cloud of smoke blew straight into us. It was such a collection of crappy things that it was just kind of funny at that point. There was nothing we could do but make the best of it. To make up for it, a group of us went to an IHOP to get the All-You-Can-Eat pancake deal afterward.

After starving myself for two nights in a row, I guess I thought I might as well keep it rolling. Political philosopher Charles Taylor was speaking at Georgetown on secularity, faith, and public life on Thursday night. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Again I left work a little early and went straight to Georgetown. Unfortunately, we arrived about 10-15 minutes late. Normally this would be manageable, but Charles Taylor is a brilliant political philosopher and his lecture was very dense. It was also his third lecture of the week in a series. Basically, it was hard to follow and fully appreciate. I was glad I went to at least say I went to see him. After that I was done with running myself into the ground each night. No more starvation, thank you.

Saturday was the next event. Myself and several others from the program signed up to do a bus trip for the Republican National Committee as part of the 30 hours of campaigning we are required to do for our class project. We departed at 7:30 am and made sure to get on the bus to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (2.5 hour drive), not the one to Springfield, Virginia (40 min. drive). So I got a free trip to Pennsylvania, my first time there. I paid no money, but I did have to pay in man hours. I spent almost all of the time there phone banking, which can be interesting, but after the first half hour the euphoria of calling people who don't want to be called wears off, leaving you to wallow somewhere between anger and suicide. So it was a long day, but I got in 12.5 campaign hours. Phew.

Upon returning, I discovered my package from home. I have a lot of words and none of them quite fit just yet, so I will just say thank you. It was a real blessing and encouragement. Upon opening it, I immediately read the Lynden Tribune and proceeded to flatten out the Bellingham Herald that had been used to pack the stuff in the box and read it, too. For a while I could feel the peace of home in northwest Washington again. Thank you.

This morning I went off to church at Capitol Hill Baptist Church for the second time. Although I initially went to the church just out of casual interest last week, I have struck both times by both a challenging sermon that spoke right into my life and thoughts as well as an obvious commitment to adhering to the foundations and tradition of the faith. The music is all hymns, which I find very refreshing. Hymns are so beautifully crafted and so grounded in the foundations and Truth of the faith. I am thoroughly disenchanted by contemporary style churches. I had given up hope of ever really finding a church that actually challenged me by building directly out of the foundations of faith and not trying to be more modern or "relevant" (actually making them irrelevant). I didn't really expect it, but I think I've found my church.

Tonight I made and ate some cornbread. I found the same stuff that we have at home, bought a pan for it, and baked some up. If I had some homemade syrup, it would have been a complete experience. Alas, I will have to wait about a month and half for that. Parties and candidates may rise and fall, speakers pontificate, and philosophers philosophize, but I know that in my corner of the world I have home and home has my favorite syrup.

Milking Washington

Last Friday, as part of our courses at ASP we got to go to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (OEOB to you Oliver North readers). There we met with the Deputy Director of the Public Liaison of the Executive Office of the President and the Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. They spoke about their work and their views on how their work and politics in general related to faith.

By Monday, I was on the South Lawn of the White House. My buddy who interns at the Pentagon hooked myself and others up with tickets to the arrival ceremony for the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. We got up early and headed off to the White House where we gathered to watch the fanfare of troops, military bands, and two heads of governments showering each other with compliments. It was really cool seeing George Bush for real and being that close to the White House. Now if he would just let me inside...

Monday night, I grabbed a student rush ticket to the Washington Capitals hockey game which got me a great seat in the lower section to watch the Caps play my old favorite team the Vancouver Canucks. It was cool seeing the Canucks again, watching an exciting hockey game, and having my new favorite hockey team beat my old one. During the game I called one of my Vancouver friends to let him know I was at the game he was watching on TV. As I was talking to him, Vancouver scored. I groaned and then five seconds later he suddenly cheered. Forgot about the delay. After exiting the game, there was a really cool jazz/dixieland band playing good music and partying it up. It was a roaring good time until the cops came and broke up the good time.

Tuesday night we had an important paper due at 11:59 pm. One energy drink later, I emailed it in at 11:41 and felt more alive than I had felt in a while. It's amazing how much stress affects you subconsciously. Wednesday after work, class, and family dinner night, a group of us went ice skating. Afterwards, we tried to catch some of the debate at the nearest pub that was showing it. As we went into the room with the debate on, it was clear we were not in the best place to watch it. The doorway had an "Arlington Obama supporters" sign and the tables were filled with various sign-up sheets and Obama paraphernalia. Everyone in there was clearly and vocally an Obama supporter. We finally tired of that and left.

Thursday was actually pretty busy at work. I gave two tours, one surprise one in the morning to a group of German high school students. Luckily they knew English. The tour in the afternoon was for a group of 8th-graders who were pretty fun for a while, but they had been up since 2 am and by the end of the tour they were exhausted and so was I. ("Guests, guests...")

PSA: If you are ever going to be on a tour of the Capitol, or anywhere for that matter, please be aware of the fact that you take up a certain amount of space and the fact that that space and your use of it affects everyone else. Follow your tour guide and stick close to him or her to both hear what they have to say and to stay out of other peoples' way. Listen to what they say. Do what they say. It is not your space. It is a privilege to be there. When you enter a room, do NOT stop in the entrance and take all your pictures then no matter how much you block the entrance and your guide beckons you onward. Pay attention to where your group is. Do not leave your group. Ask good questions. Don't discuss my, I mean, the tour guide's position on the election. If you follow these simple guidelines, you will have a better tour and your tour guide will not say mean things about you after you are gone.

So basically, work ran me into the ground. But after a quick change and a quick bite to eat on the way, I was off the last DC United soccer game at home. Unlike the last game we attended, we got tickets in the supporter section. It was sweet! We had great seats close to the field and the supporters' section was constantly raucous. We waved flags, joined in the constant chants and cheers, and yelled until we were hoarse and we had a 2-1 victory. What a night!

Friday night we went out for dinner for one of the guys birthday. We ended up walking around Dupont Circle until about midnight. Today, I spent the day at Mount Vernon. It was a beautiful day. It's just at that point where it is tipping toward the chill of fall, but still clinging to summer's warmth. We got to walk around a really pretty, green, open, and forested area of land, which I appreciated. Saw some animals, got a wagon ride, roasted apples, observed a different way of threshing grain, and met George Washington. It was a fun day.

So here I am, trying to catch my breath and trying to look past my white knuckles clinging to this adrenalin-fueled carousel ride and see just how lucky I am to be here and milk Washington for all it is worth.

This is my town, na-na na na na

Apparently our Northeastern quadrant of the city used to be a much rougher neighborhood. I think it's very beautiful, even though it's still not 100% safe at night. If I could live anywhere in the city, this would probably be the place I'd want to be. I love the classy older buildings stacked right next to each other, with spires, towers, and lots and lots of brick. Even the tiny yards seem are cool and add to the cozy feel. It's pretty and relatively quiet and it only eight blocks away, everything goes into high gear. Only a mile away, everything goes down.

It's a pretty cool arrangement here on the brink of Washington.

Busy Week

This past week has been busybusybusy. Classes are alright, but our class work is confusing and quite burdensome. A lot of requirements and not a lot of time to do them.

Work has been pretty busy for me as I have to help process the all the responses to today's major issue, which have come in by the thousands. That was time-consuming and challenging, but work has also allowed for some cool opportunities. I got to go on an exclusive tour led by a former Senator and then go to lunch with Senator Dick Lugar.

I also made it into the gallery for the Senate's vote on the bailout, ahem, rescue package. I arrived at the gallery just as they were forming a line because the staff galley had already filled. The two people ahead of me in line eventually were allowed in as others left. After about 20 minutes or so, 2 people left and I was allowed in. I wasn't sure if I would get in. Who would leave at such an historic moment? But I got in and watched the whole gang (Senate) filter in. Everyone except Ted Kennedy was there. Barack Obama and John McCain included. It was exciting and interesting to see them all interacting with each other down below me, as did the other interns in the gallery who barely stifled their "oohs" and "aahs" at the entrance of each big name. I was embarrassed for them and annoyed because we're barely even supposed to move in the gallery, much less make noise. Oh well. I got to see a lot of important people and watch the passage of some important legislation as passenger train safety legislation and the US-India nuclear deal were passed just before the bailout. What an opportunity.

On Friday, myself and others had to shift gears dramatically as we planned a camping trip for the weekend. I was apprehensive coming into it because our original plan turned out to be illegal and potentially more dangerous. However, we were able to find a nice, quiet campsite along the Potomac and set up camp. It was a beautiful and peaceful little camping area. It felt like we were hours from civilization, but in reality we were just minutes away from sprawling suburbia. It turned out really well and it was nice to feel like I was outdoors again for a while.

As I was anxious about wasting my time in the city getting out of it and anxious about school work, my buddy Sean and I opted to skip the second night of camping and head back. We decided to go to the Major League Soccer game to watch DC United play Chivas USA. It turned out that DC United got played by Chivas USA, but it was a fun experience and we had great seats anyway. Next time (one more game) we may try to get seats in the supporters section which looks crazy. Everyone there is decked out, bearing flags and streamers, chanting, and making the bleachers significantly bounce. Cool stuff.

Today I slept in, having not decided on a church to attend, and went for a walk to take some pictures and just get out and take in the city. I ended up walking down to the Washington monument where I read a biography on George Washington and listened to the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival that was in full swing nearby. This city is happening, man.