While I may not love my job (even though today I was officially told I "consistently exceed expectations" and essentially that I am the best - thank goodness I decided against wearing my pink chucks to work today...I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have gone over too well during my evaluation), I do like the location of my office. A lot. I am right across the street from the White House, so when the weather warms up I usually head to LaFayette Park for my lunch break. I have missed my beloved park. Winter has been cruel, and pre-spring has been mostly kind...and by pre-spring I really mean just this weekend. I could have done without the snowstorm on Monday.
Today I ventured out to the park and was not disappointed. It is definitely windy, but the sun is shining relatively warmly. I laid out my blanket, took out my book and settled in for a peaceful hour in the sunshine. Wait, scratch that. I walked into the park, saw the "Free Tibet" protest, chose a corner of the park where I wouldn't be intruding on their space, and then laid out my blanket, took out my book and tried to have a peaceful lunch hour. Cue the demon squirrel who took my thrown shoe as an invitation to share my blanket. SICK! Once homeboy skedaddled (it took about four shoe shooings - I didn't want to actually hit him, just scare him away), I turned my attention to the speeches and rally cries of the protestors. As the rally cries grew in fervor, I found myself asking questions (silently, of course) about the conflict between China and Tibet. I realized I don't know much about it. I know it has something to do with the Chinese (and a possible invasion?) and independence and the Dalai Lama (I think), but I don't understand the nuances of the conflict. Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly realized that the chanting was growing louder. It sounded like they were right on top of me. That's when I saw the camera man.
He was right in my face, snapping photos of me reading my book in the park. I thought, "Boy, that is just weird," until I realized that the protestors had started their march, and they were right on top of me. I could just see the tagline on the photos he was taking, "Disinterested American reads in White House park as disenfranchised Tibetans march for independence." I felt like maybe I should act as interested as I felt so he would know I was not a "disinterested American" (does being uneducated about the conflict equal disinterest?), so I closed my book and looked at the long line of protestors making their way out of the park and onto the streets of DC. I wondered what brought them there today. Do they have family in Tibet? Are they from Tibet themselves? Do they have Tibetan friends? Or are they just friends to the Tibetan cause? I also wondered, as they left the park, what rally I would ever find myself at, or if I am even the rallying type. I have some ideas as to where I might end up, but I'm still not sure I'm the rallying type. I sort of feel like I'm more a "letter to the editor" type. But I don't know; I'm not sure. I'll have to think on it some more.
Are you the rallying type? What kind of a rally would you find yourself at?
All in all, another interesting day in D.C. I feel lucky that I get to live here and see things that make me think and ask questions on a regular basis.
Today I ventured out to the park and was not disappointed. It is definitely windy, but the sun is shining relatively warmly. I laid out my blanket, took out my book and settled in for a peaceful hour in the sunshine. Wait, scratch that. I walked into the park, saw the "Free Tibet" protest, chose a corner of the park where I wouldn't be intruding on their space, and then laid out my blanket, took out my book and tried to have a peaceful lunch hour. Cue the demon squirrel who took my thrown shoe as an invitation to share my blanket. SICK! Once homeboy skedaddled (it took about four shoe shooings - I didn't want to actually hit him, just scare him away), I turned my attention to the speeches and rally cries of the protestors. As the rally cries grew in fervor, I found myself asking questions (silently, of course) about the conflict between China and Tibet. I realized I don't know much about it. I know it has something to do with the Chinese (and a possible invasion?) and independence and the Dalai Lama (I think), but I don't understand the nuances of the conflict. Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly realized that the chanting was growing louder. It sounded like they were right on top of me. That's when I saw the camera man.
He was right in my face, snapping photos of me reading my book in the park. I thought, "Boy, that is just weird," until I realized that the protestors had started their march, and they were right on top of me. I could just see the tagline on the photos he was taking, "Disinterested American reads in White House park as disenfranchised Tibetans march for independence." I felt like maybe I should act as interested as I felt so he would know I was not a "disinterested American" (does being uneducated about the conflict equal disinterest?), so I closed my book and looked at the long line of protestors making their way out of the park and onto the streets of DC. I wondered what brought them there today. Do they have family in Tibet? Are they from Tibet themselves? Do they have Tibetan friends? Or are they just friends to the Tibetan cause? I also wondered, as they left the park, what rally I would ever find myself at, or if I am even the rallying type. I have some ideas as to where I might end up, but I'm still not sure I'm the rallying type. I sort of feel like I'm more a "letter to the editor" type. But I don't know; I'm not sure. I'll have to think on it some more.
Are you the rallying type? What kind of a rally would you find yourself at?
All in all, another interesting day in D.C. I feel lucky that I get to live here and see things that make me think and ask questions on a regular basis.
2 comments:
not so much the rallying type but if I was passionate I think i could be easily persuaded. This would def. be one of them. I studied the region a ton in school... I did a 20 page paper on Tibet and even made this shirt w/ the Dali Lama on it that said "free tibet" just to piss of this Chinese kid in my class ;) (yes, I still have it)
I'm the rallying type if the cause is worthy. I also write letters to editors regularly. Usually though I'm just trying to deal with my own life.
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