Food in DC (and more about my tie too)

I didn't even think about the fact that I would be having lunch at the Democrat National Club when I put my red tie on this morning. I expected wholeheartedly to get chewed out by lots of people, most especially and most likely by my supervisor especially considering how she'd about died the day I showed up wearing a grey suit and we were going to the hill.. big no-no. I was somewhat disappointed that my tie did not even spark a hint of controversy throughout the entire day. I think I was mostly disappointed because had I at least gotten chewed out it would have meant that at least someone had noticed my ridiculously good-looking tie. Or maybe my tie was noticed and those who chose to be offended by a red tie in a Democrat National Club lunch room were so taken aback by the outstanding beauty of the tie and that of its bearer that all thoughts of hate and resentment ceased only to be filled with love and ... and more love. I think I'll call my red tie the pacifier. Hmm maybe I should wear it and sneak into Congress with all this debt ceiling business.. be able to really bring things to a compromise..

Anyways the meal was excellent and even more delicious since I didn't have to pay for it! Mmm baby! Those are the best kinda meals! haha We were meeting with a professional lobbyist and we asked him tips for gaining more support for our resolution.. and to make sure everything we were doing was legal and all haha. Soo turns out we're basically already doing everything right and in the right order and just need to keep on keeping on.

I was very grateful for the full-course meal though, especially considering my recent Saturday night fiasco. We had a coupon for this pizza place and a large pizza one topping for $10 was looking great.. and then with my uncanny wit and intuition decided to run up to the Georgetown student-run grocery store to buy a frozen pizza and make that! Even cheaper right?!?! Wrong. That dang pizza was not only the same price but it wasn't even frozen!!! My suite mate told me to take it back but well idk.. I wasn't feelin it. Mostly I just didn't wanna be 'that guy' and cause problems for other people. I tried to cook the soft un-frozen pizza but had to stop it like 10min short of being done cuz the cheese was already done and any more and it woulda been toast! So I stuck it in the microwave! haha just to make sure the middle was at least cooked through of whatever had creeped in while it was unfrozen in the student-run grocery store. So it wasn't quite like pizza soup but well the middle definitely wasn't all the way solid hahaha. I was totally kicking myself for not just going ahead with the dang delivery. I'm not saying I was completely wrong in my logic and reasoning to save money by going to the store, no no. I was wrong to put my faith in a 'student-run' grocery store. Yah.. the collected pile of grease in the corner of the freezer in the pizza section shoulda been a dead give away.. Oh well.. whatever doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger right?!

H. Res. 333 (What I've been doing for the past 2 months)

The past several weeks I've been working on gaining support for H Res 333, a house resolution honoring American POWs of WWII. Last year the Japanese government officially apologized for the atrocities committed against American POWs during WWII (like the bataan death march). This resolution officially thanks them for their apology and requests the Japanese companies that purchased POWs and used them for slave labor also acknowledge and apologize for their mistreatment. 

The first several weeks at my internship I spent creating MANY different spreadsheets and databases. I've looked up which congressman represent districts that had battalions that marched the death march; which congressman are on the Foreign Affairs committee, which congressman supported similar POW resolutions in the past, and also which congressman made recent trips to Corregidor. All this information is in my spreadsheets, including: room numbers, telephone numbers, who their Chief of Staff and Veterans Affairs Legislative Assistant are, what bills and resolutions they've supported, how many times we've emailed, called, or visited. It's a big spreadsheet.

Research complete and our resolution having been introduced and receiving a name (that was exciting :) I was gonna name it larry but apparently you gotta name it a number.. poor larry ;) ) it was time to go get some congressman to support it. I've sent out nearly 75 detailed and personal emails to congressional offices requesting their support. When I mean detailed I mean besides introducing and explaining the resolution I also told them what bills and resolutions the congressman had supported in the past, whether he had battalions that fought on bataan or corregidor, and so on. I also had different emails I'd send to Republicans and Democrats, had to changed the wording around a bit to play to their interests. After about a week I then called them up and tried speaking with their Veteran Affairs Legislative Assistant to follow up on the email. That hardly ever happened, maybe like one in eight? And generally when I was able to speak with them they hadn't read the email and hadn't heard of the resolution either. I left voice messages with those I wasn't able to speak with directly. Just gotta get the word out!

When given a name the resolution was then assigned to a specific committee. In order to pass in the Foreign Affairs committee before being considered for house vote the resolution has to have at least 25 co-sponsers, 12 of whom have to be on the Foreign Affairs committee. We've been gaining on average about a 1/4 co-sponsor each day (meaning we get another co-sponsor about every 4 days-ish) for the past couple weeks. But it's started picking up here because of the emails and phone calls I've been making! Almost one a day! We just hit the minimum 25 yesterday!!! Now we just need 6 more Foreign Affair congressman to sign up to co-sponsor the resolution. 

Haha thing is, even when we get the minimum requirements we still gotta wait for the Foreign Affairs committee chair to push our resolution to the top of the pile to have it discussed and voted on in committee. If it makes it outta the committee same thing has to happen in the house.. Speaker of the House has to push it to the top of the list and have it voted on. Still got a long long way to go but this is the first step.

I've got 4 days left.. I'm trying to convince my supervisor to allow me to go up to the hill to try and speak with the Veterans Affairs LAs in person since I've already emailed and called. Figure if my beautifully scripted emails or sultry voice aren't enough that a little in-person visual can't hurt right? Especially when you've got this face.. ;) they don't stand a chance..

Going once, twice, SOLD!

Our program has several different institutes. I am apart of the International Affairs section of the Institute on Comparative Economic and Political Systems. There's a business institute, and among others a Philanthropy Institute. This institute has had several different fundraisers in order to raise money to give to a nearby charity at the end of our program. One of these fundraisers was a date auction. I didn't actually attend or participate.. but my roommates did and they have stories.

Scenario One: 

One roommate of mine is loaded. LOADED. I knew money wasn't really a concern to him but I had no idea just how much a concern it wasn't till I heard this story! So the last date is ready to be auctioned off. It's 4 of the Program Advisers (all girls) and they'd talked to my roommate and told him that they were nervous that no one would bid for them. He said he'd bid and not to worry. So the bidding started off and in a jiffy was already up to $100!! Is that not ridiculous?!?! It's essentially between my roommate and one other kid, going back and forth. So my roommate continues to bid and it gets to the point where it's his turn to bid $150.. but he decides to go for the throat: "I'll bid $200 if the date includes the auctioneer". Apparently the auctioneer was quite the looker.. Haha it took some persuading but she accepted and my roommate got the date with 4 PA's and the auctioneer for $200!!!!!!!!! Ohhh man, just think how many NORMAL dates you could go on with that much money.. Funny thing is tho.. since the auction my roommate has been unable to track down the auctioneer..

Scenario two:

My real roommate, the one I actually share a room with, is more normal concerning $$ woes. He started bidding for one girl but the price got too high so stopped, but then did end up bidding and winning another girl for $50. Still quite a bit just to go out for ice cream. BUT!! Same thing happened with him too! It's been nearly two weeks and she has been MIA!!!

Both roommates have been trying to contact them via cell phone but neither has responded!! How messed up is that?!?! These guys paid good $$ just to go out ONCE to dinner or to get ice cream. What were these girls expecting?!?! They'd agreed to be auctioned off which guess what?? Also means you gotta actually go out on the date with the guy who bids highest!!!

The second scenario girl just recently responded to my roommates texts, which were well spaced out and not too pushy mind you, and she requested that roommates be able to go on the date too!?!?!?! hahaha oh man.. he didn't bend too easily tho. She then said that she just didn't want him to get any wrong ideas or impressions cuz she has someone back home..

Hmm, i wonder how much I'd go for.. haha maybe that's it! They just wanted to know how much they'd go for.. not actually go through with it!! sneaky.. Anyways, pretty funny and unique experience i'd say..

Simon Peter, the disciple, a boy scout?

John 18:10 "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus."

BSA Motto: Be prepared.

Did the other disciples have swords ready just in case? Doens't look like it. They'd been warned things were gonna get ugly soon and Peter was ready for it! Gosh I bet he was even an Eagle Scout.. Even if the others did have swords they sure didn't act did they? Nope. Just Peter.

Now of course then soon after Peter denies knowing or having associated with Christ three times. And who was the 3rd person who accused Peter of having worked with Jesus?

John 10: 26: "The One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

Malchus. Back again. Kinda interesting tho isn't it? Do you think Malchus was still all fired up and ready to capture Christ? He'd just had a super traumatic and incredible experience!! Had his right ear lobbed off by Peter and then completely restored within seconds by the man who he was supposed to be taking to his death! I'm thinkin I would have had a change of heart.. but maybe not about the guy who lobbed my ear off haha.

But here's another thought. Peter met Malchus in a somewhat of a 'judgement day' experience. It was that final denial that set the cock crowing. Kinda feel like it was more than just by chance that it was Malchus, he to whom Peter had wronged, that he had to face before the 'end'. Also somewhat a 'what goes around comes around' feel to it doesn't it..

Whatever the case may be, bitter tears followed. After his sincere repentance however, Christ then allows Peter the opportunity to acknowledge his belief in and love for Him. The Lord asks Peter three times whether he loves Him to which he responds in the affirmative.

We all pass through experiences that humble us. That's how we grow and become better. Following those trying experiences Peter became the leader of the Church, the rock.

So really, just cuz we're Eagle Scouts doesn't mean we're perfect.. yet. ;)

Week of a lifetime

My goodness I apologize for the long gap in communication!! This week has been crazy!! Besides the normal everyday craziness of interning and evening classes, which is a full week in itself, this week we also had:

- a Freedom award ceremony for Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (somewhat convroverstial..) in the Hilton Hotel fancy meeting hall! 3 square meal baby!! Good eatin'!
- a visit to Langley, VA where we were briefed on the CIA. I'd love to tell you what we were told but well I can't.. top secret, sorry..
- enjoyed a lecture from former Ambassador to Estonia, Aldonna Wos entitled 'Freedom is Not for Free'.
- somehow had time somewhere to play bball at the Georgetown Gym. Had to get my exercise in for the month. I played with one of the girls in my program. She skunked us in 21 and then again in 2-on-2. Dang girls who can play ball.. I kinda have a thing for those.. ;)
- a visit to the State Department. Not soo top secret but still don't wanna get in trouble by saying something..
- a visit to the Czech Republic Embassy. haha which has a funny history of its current location (rumor has it that during the cold war one of the staffers defected and threw all the top secret files in the street when they were situated just off Mass. like all the other embassies. The communists couldn't do anything to stop the staffer cuz once he made it to the street he was on US territory! SO they packed up and went way the heck north of DC, away from everyone else. They also made sure to have plenty of room between the building and the barbed wire fence (that points inwards to keep people in btw) so that if anyone tried to defect again they could shoot them before they made it to 'US territory'.)
- 'photo scavenger hunt' on the mall at night. ice cream in chinatown.
- attended 'The Fiddler on the Roof' at Wolf Trap with my internship group (my supervisor was kind enough to take us). And then we enjoyed a bbq at her place following where we got to meet with former interns. Once again met a very good contact.. she had lots of answers about American University. Looking at that for Grad school potentially.
- attended mass at the National Cathedral after church on Sunday.

But I mean really.. who wants to be able to look out the window and see the Washington Monument every morning, or see the Vice President's caravan speed by Dupont Circle at least once a week, or have to call and email Congressional Offices to explain a bi-partisan resolution for work, who wants to wear a suit in DC??? anyways..

In short I'm really really really looking forward to just being able to unclog sinks full-time again.  

Umm yah, that's sarcasm.

Just two short weeks left :(

What would you do if you had 2 weekends left in DC??

Thesis on Feminism

I overheard a conversation between a guy and girl following class on our way back to the apartment. The guy comments on how hungry he is and how he can't wait to go to 5 Guys to eat. The girl asks why he doesn't eat something at the apartment? There's no food, he replies. She responds by saying that it's really typical of guys and that all the refrigerators of the girls she knows are chock full and are difficult to shut sometimes cuz they're so full of food! 

I thought it was funny how they were both just saying it as tho it were matter-of-fact.. it just so happened that girls just happen to always have food while guys never do, and that there's no thought to change or adjust one's habits?? Like if you're buying too much food.. stop buying so much!! If you never have any food.. start buying some!! Seems like guys and girls were meant to be together.. feel that way the fridge is always in equilibrium :)

But I started thinking. Girls just innately enjoy spending money. They enjoy shopping. Guys, moreso because they're lazy and don't want to put in the effort required to do so, don't. I'm thinking that following the Keynesian method of economic stimulation allow this feminist movement to really take off!!! Put girls in charge of everything! If they're responsible for 'bringing home the bacon' there's going to be more work accomplished, cuz they're girls.. they get things done.. so not only will they be earning more money but they'll also be SPENDING more money!! Can you imagine all the revenue flowing into the economy?!?! This will undoubtedly jump-start our struggling economy and bring it back to full health and beyond!! Genius!!

Before you get too carried away and start writing your congressman informing them of this incredible discover and means to economic success (okay let's be serious none of you know how your Congressman is.. you'd have to look it up huh?) we should think about the drawbacks. 

This brings me to my main and personal opinion on feminism. (haha goin out on a long limb and hoping the branch doesn't snap.. aka don't hate me cuz of my opinion ;) ) Feminism in terms of equal rights is super. I think girls should have equal rights hands down. Men and women were created equal. They are necessary to the other, no one is greater than the other, they should work together as an equal team in love and harmony. They do however have different functions to society that they inherently perform better. Man is the protector and provider to the family while the woman nurtures it. I fear that the hype of feminism sways women to feel that they MUST obtain high-ranking jobs and that a woman fails if she does not do so, aka stay-at-home-mom. It's generally looked down upon now isn't it? 

So what does happen if the movement continues and woman replaces the man? What does happen if the roles reverse? Okay honestly I have no doubt that as I previously mentioned that more work would be accomplished. Women are amazing. There's no stopping a woman when she's put her mind to something. She is not easily swayed or tempted like men are. When she is dedicated you better make sure you're on her side cuz if you're in the way.. well you won't be for long. But do you really think the man can nurture the family?? Seriously?? I feel like the house would literally crumble into pieces not only physically but more importantly emotionally, socially, spiritually etc. etc. etc. They're just not nurturers!

(Again please realize I'm being extremely general. My dad for example would not let my house fall apart in any sense and if he really had the time w/out a job he would most likely be running the up-keep of everybody's houses in our near proximity as well!)

The family is the basic unit of society. If the family starts to fall apart, society will soon follow it. Both the man and the woman are essential to the maintaining of it. It becomes extremely difficult when one is removed from the picture (divorce or separation) or when the roles are reversed. Not impossible mind you, but certainly more difficult.

It is therefore my very unprofessional opinion that fully promoting and expanding the feminist movement will result in a great stimulation of the economy but also to the complete deterioration of society.

Networking #3

This pretty girl sits down next to me in Sunday School. I'm too nervous to say anything. Luckily she's more courageous than I. She asked if we'd met and what my name was. I told her we hadn't met and told her I was just an intern, but that my name was Jeff. She asked for my last name. Despain. She said she'd heard about me. 

Hahaha what do you even say to that?!?! I don't know anyone in the stinking ward!! How in the world had she heard about me?? What had she heard about me?? And from whom?!?!?! 

I'm thoroughly convinced half the world revolves around Michael Skeen. When he's present he's the center of attention. When he's out of town, which is almost always, he's still the main topic of conversation. Now fully comprehend why he's out of town so much. Now I know he's not just the main topic in Raleigh/Durham. The man owns DC too!!! How many other cities I've no idea.. Turns out he attended a conference up here this weekend, they know each other, and he'd asked her if she'd met me yet, knowing I was in the ward..

Well, now she can say she has :)

It's all about knowing the right people baby! Networking rocks!! (and so does Skeen ;) )