A Year in DC, Learning to Preach: i'm melting! it is so hot here.

okay. i pulled in a little after 1 on tuesday.
at 8h30 wednesday morning i was back at church to start working. shaking hands, learning names, feeling crazy.
the office manager is an ole...oh, yes...they are everywhere! for you non-lutherans that would be a person that went to St. Olaf College. but, you know, i have never been so happy to see someone from WI and a graduate of st. olaf.

anneka (the ole), took me to lunch with a friend of hers. the friend works in a senator's office. i go bumbling down the street and low and behold i am in the Hart Senate building. I was there once before, when i went to visit senator dayton. now, i still don't really know where we are going. turns out that we were headed to the back offices of the senate. the offices where all the worker bees are. anneka worked for russ feingold, so knows the ins and outs.

i thought, "well, that was a fun, first day adventure." right. there is more. still haven't been in DC for more than 24 hours. we head off to a part of capitol hill that has an open air market. eastern market is a little more my style that other parts of the hill. something was going on...we asked around...a car was about to be blown up for a movie that was being filmed. the movie includes: russell crowe and leonardo dicaprio.

okay. my brain was sort of melting down. these things really DO happen. who knew?

i was offered the tour of the capitol that senate interns get. i think i will take advantage of that.

that same night i met my intern committee. wow. they are very kind people. with intense jobs. part of me is comforted that i am meeting good people in various positions in government. i can trust that they will make good decisions on my behalf.

my committee gave me housewarming presents. one couple had been missionaries in liberia. i am excited to visit with them about liberia. i have had so many clients that are asylees/refugees from there. there are so many liberians in minnesota and i still know so little.

i met a docent for the smithsonian yesterday. she does natural history and will give personalized tours of the fossils and such. i think my dad will like that.

i have decided that people here are not homebodies. they do not enjoy putzing around their homes. maybe, because their homes are small. everyone seems to be constantly doing things. this city moves so very fast. it is difficult for me to get used to. and no one makes eye-contact. ever. i have an issue with this. i don't care if people think i am a country bumpkin. after loving God, we are to love our neighbors. now, i cannot love my neighbor if i ignore them. i refuse to ignore creation as it walks past me. i will smile. and if they don't like it, tough.

i made a discovery yesterday...
i was wearing my collar (people here like the collar, ALOT!) yesterday. suddenly, people were making eye contact. they were even acknowledging me. i may wear the collar all the time, just to get people out of their own worlds. anneka did point out that the whole package may have been throwing people. nose piercings, short hair....collar. i don't think it looks odd. others do though.

so, this morning i woke up and wanted to go home. i'm fine. but, it was a moment of just being tired and disoriented. i feel out of sorts here. i have not seen any of the alternative people i am used to. i finally found a little independent coffee place just now where they look like me.

a few photos...
lola, who tried to escape (also the one who likes to chew...).