Ten Years

This summer opened my eyes to the power of writing; the power of words. You can't miss what you don't have, but now that I've had it, I really miss it. This post is going to wax abstract, and this blog as a whole is going to stay naïvely patriotic.

Today, I opened The Chronicle and read perhaps the most touching and provocative column that paper has published in my 2+ years at Duke. Not scandalous like Gossip Bro, but positively human.

9/11, an act of atrocity and a day scarred in the memories of every living American (perhaps every citizen worldwide lucky--or unlucky--enough to have access to the media), is oddly unifying. In theory, terrorism is meant to terrorize (obviously), to incite fear and alter lifestyles. But throughout my life--the last 10 years that I truly remember--9/11 has been a paradoxically unifying event. It is a common experience.

My 9/11 is still memorable to this day. I don't remember anything else from 5th grade. It was a Tuesday, the day after my birthday, and the birthday of a classmate (Dunkin Donuts were, of course, in order). It was a normal September day, with clear blue skies and mild temperatures. And then, midmorning, things started to change. Every five minutes, another student's name was called out over the loudspeaker for early dismissal. Teachers whispered in the halls as we changed classes. "I think something has happened in New York," one of them said--but they didn't tell us what. I got off the bus, and my mom was waiting there. Weird. "We haven't told them anything," the bus driver said to her.

Told us anything about what? We walked up the hill and in the front door. The living room TV was quiet, as the images spoke for themselves. Every channel, chaos. A movie. Surreal. Science fiction. I didn't understand. Sometimes, I still don't.

Instantly my mind raced to thoughts of family and friends, people who worked in lower Manhattan. I thought of my dad, Chief of a major fire department across the river. Would they be called in? What was going on? Is there school tomorrow?

Over the last decade, 9/11 has been that common experience that I can go to time and again. It has a peculiar habit of cropping up in conversations as I get to know people; I'm not quite sure how, other than  the days/weeks after I read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The fascinating thing about 9/11 (and this is true of any shared experience), is that I imagine that everyone lived it my way. At Duke, it has been fascinating to hear other takes on 9/11. From Manhattanites to Australians and everyone in between. Interesting to note that, to some people, 9/11 happened at night. I so associate those crisp September mornings with that post-9/11 feeling, I can't imagine darkness (another paradox, perhaps). Amazing to hear my friend's story--an American in London--trying to call family back in the States but the international lines literally being jammed for days. Captivating to go to the Pentagon Memorial this summer and remember that 9/11 was not merely a New York event. When you grow up with New York as your city, it is easy to take it for granted; to assume that all cities are like it and that all people know it. It will always be The City, but I'm finally grasping that there are others.

That Chronicle column presented another viewpoint; allowed me to step into another person's 9/11 shoes. One of my best friends in 5th grade was Middle Eastern, Muslim. I never stepped into those shoes until now.

Half my life has now been lived in the absence of those two towers, and everything they stood for. I have never been to Ground Zero, and I'm still not sure if I ever want to go.

I cannot believe it has been 10 years. It will always be like yesterday. Here's to hoping that, through remembrance, 9/11 will forever be a unifying event--instead of a polarizing one--not just for Americans, but for all people who lived through that day.

Step Back, Doors Closing

First of all, thank you so much for reading this, for giving me an outlet for my random tangents. At the outset, I was quite reluctant about blogging; like so many things in my life, I'd spent far too long criticizing the blogosphere and felt hypocritical joining it. I didn't think that anyone was particularly interested in hearing my idle thoughts, and didn't see what I stood to gain by writing them down. I was concerned that I would merely be recounting events, without any substantive commentary or introspection. As in, "Went to the White House. Saw the Symphony. Watched the West Wing." A meaningless collection of "did it!s" that would read more like the Procedure section of my lab reports than an interesting dialogue. I was also wary of sounding cliche, professing my newfound realizations and enumerating how this summer has forced me to gain foresight and mature. Strangely, this blog has been one of the most meaningful parts of my summer. It has been a place where I can air my ragged, messy thoughts out and let them dry, where I can didactically work my way through the issues this summer has raised. I have really missed this sort of personal writing, and I've had so much fun crafting it. And, above all, it has been exciting, and altogether shocking to hear all the positive feedback about my writing. I have been genuinely amazed each and every time someone has reached out in the comments section (or by email/Facebook/text/etc) to compliment and converse about this blog. It is immensely humbling to be appreciated just for being me. I can't do enough to thank you, so I will just keep writing.

I'm sorry I haven't posted updates lately, my final days in DC have simply been a whirlwind. It has all gone so fast, and leaving the city really was so hard. I would attempt to recap it all here, but I really don't think I can do it justice. It has been a lot of running around, and I have gotten to see so many great things, but really the value of this summer has been in its intangibles. In dealing with a 122 degree heat index, navigating a city with diagonal streets, learning the term "single-tracking," and meeting so many awesome people, I've been able to rediscover my passion for government that had, at times, faltered since leaving Newark Academy.

While it is exciting to list off the places I have seen--the White House, the Capitol, the OEOB, various Agencies, so many museums, blah blah blah--it has been the ideas more than the physical being there that have stuck with me. While all the places I got to tour were extraordinarily beautiful, it was the idea that they each represented that truly gave me chills. The thought of the history, the people who had walked those halls before, and the things that they had accomplished. Going to the National Archives and seeing the actual Declaration (everyone should go... and for more than just the Declaration, the whole place is incredible!). But getting back to those amazing documents.. it is profound seeing that it's real. In so many ways, America is my religion much more than Christianity. I cling more fiercely to my belief in America than to my Bible, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

While we are a nation of imperfections--imperfect people, imperfect traditions, imperfect government--we are also a nation of incredible ideals: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all. We are still the greatest, freest nation on Earth. The wealthiest and the most successful. And while I regularly complain about the plight of our education system (#privateschoolbrat), it is still our colleges and universities that the entire world lines up to study at. It is still here where you want to file your patent and revolutionize the world; it is our labs, screens, stages, and stadiums where you want to gain your big break. While the gap between rich and poor, well-educated and not, continues to, unfortunately, widen, there is still that chance to elevate yourself to the upper crust; to defy your namesake. We take the American Dream for granted, but to many between and beyond our borders, our streets are still paved with gold.

Over the last two months, I have logged hundreds of hours in a government office. Many of those hours have highlighted the inefficiencies of our federal government, and I think I've already complained extensively about them on this blog and in person. While I do believe that my complaints are relevant, I don't want to reiterate them here.. I do not want to end with resentment. So many of my hours have also given me faith. Faith that, while the Hill may continue to irrationally bicker about the debt ceiling, the people at EPA, and so many other agencies, are going to continue to work feverishly to protect the health and well being of the American people--they take their constitutional mandates to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty seriously. The population of federal employees is also aging rapidly, and over the next 10-15 years, there will be an incredible influx of youth into our government. We have such a challenge, but also such an opportunity; the privilege of pressure. While I am still uncertain that I could work in the government "forever," I have left this summer with a sense of civic duty, and I am genuinely eager to come back for some amount of time. Perhaps straight out of college, or perhaps "by accident" much later in life, like so many of the political appointees I have been fortunate enough to talk to here. Throughout, I have realized that the government is a great, sane place to work, where motivation is quickly rewarded and your impact (while not always sweeping and grand) is tangible and important. So much of my time at Duke has left me out of touch with politics; I don't know why I let that happen. I guess it was just easy, convenient. There are few things I enjoy talking about more, and I pledge here, in this incredibly formal forum, to do more, say more, engage more. Let's not be afraid to talk about it, and not be afraid to disagree. I might not be able to look a Bachmann supporter square in the eye and take them seriously, but I still think I have a lot to learn from how the other half lives. But enough of my cliche lessons from DC. I have learned a lot, but I am by no means wise. Only by talking through all of this more will I truly grow... and that's where you come in! (Healthy though it would be to have many long, internal dialogues with myself.)
________________

I extend once more my deepest thanks to Stephanie, Shira, and the rest of the EPA staff that have taken me (and the rest of my intern cohort!) on this summer. I am eternally grateful for the incredible opportunity and the amazing friends I have made. I am going to miss all of you, and all of the ridiculous little nuances of EPA, so much. We will reunite again in DC! On Lotus Notes! (Or, let's be real, Jersey, since that's naturally where we're all from.  You know who you are!) I will proudly display the poster you made me in my dorm next year... I know that it'll really impress my friends and residents :)

I chose the title of this final DC post, "Step back, doors closing" because that is what the magical Metro robo-woman (of "Ahead, turn left, and then keep right" GPS fame!) has said to me hundreds of times over the last two months. But perhaps a better heading would be her other catchphrase, "Doors opening. Step back to allow customers to exit!" I may be leaving, but the doors are far from closed. I'll admit that I don't know just where I'm going on this long and winding road. But chances are that, if you're taking the time to read this, you'll be right there with me. For now, I think that's all I need.

"When I get older, I will be stronger
They'll call me Freedom, just like a waving flag"

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

*I realize this post is silly, but it feels good to write.*

Everyone in the world is seeing Harry Potter tonight. There are a few reasons why I am not: I am stupid and didn't order a ticket soon enough; getting home on the Metro isn't possible since it stops running at 2am; I want to see it at home, where my obsession began.

I have gotten books 4-7 on their release date (at midnight or that morning); I've seen every movie on its opening weekend (most at midnight); I've read, reread, and rererereread until the spines have worn apart (my copy of Prisoner of Azkaban is literally in two pieces). 

It sounds stupid and cliche, but few things could define my childhood better than Harry Potter. The incredible fandom (and the amazing conversations and friendships that have come from it), the captivating storylines, the imaginative escape it offered me, Jo's (JK Rowling) incredible Harvard Commencement Speech, my list could go on and on. 

I have grown up with Harry, and he has grown up with me. It has been amazing to watch the transformation of the characters--and their actor counterparts--over the last decade-plus of my life. 

Rare is the day that a book gives the Bible chase on worldwide sales and circulation (and length!). So say what you want, Harry will always be my favorite book. No classic already written, nor best seller of the future, will ever surpass Harry's place in my heart. I will forever believe in its magic; not in my casting nonverbal spells or taking my OWLs, but rather in that power of human imagination and creativity, forever able to get us out of life's worst binds. It really relates back to my interest in government, and my work this summer. We may fail, even on epically large scales, but somehow, just as in Harry's world, good will prevail. The plot will be thick, but we'll find our way out. There's simply no other way to think--the alternative is too abysmal, too pessimistic and grim. 

So I am not seeing Harry tonight, partially because I am lazy and planned poorly, but mostly because I want to make the magic last a little longer. I want to wait and savor the last tangible piece of this incredible saga with my closest friends. To me, Harry will never truly be over. I will always have a piece of him in me, an unworthy Horcrux, lucky to be alive and literate for this incredible journey. 

"We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better." -JK Rowling

Field Trips

Lots of activity in the last week! Rapid fire recap:

Nationals Game: they blew an 8-0 lead to the Cubs and lost 10-9. I repeat, they blew an 8-0 lead. But the tickets were dirt cheap, we got to move down pretty close, and I really wasn't there for the baseball anyway, so I shouldn't complain too much! Also their stadium is maaad eco-friendly, so at least they're doing something right. (Unlike Congress.) 

Paddle boating on the Tidal Basin: beautiful! Everyone should do it. It's also pretty cheap ($19/hour for a boat that seats four people...and since the only way to move around on this stagnant mass of water is via peddling profusely, you're not going to do it for much more than an hour!)

Fast pedaling can cause rapid tiring of legs. Love the phrasing. Love the sentiment. Love it all. I feel like this is the English translation of a Mandarin warning. It just has that "ridiculous Chinese signs"feel.

 The Jefferson! I love TJ so much.

 Ducks. I feel the need to caption. 

 Invariably, DC tourists will have far too many pictures of the Monument. It is super uninteresting, since, ya know, it's just a giant obelisk, which is a covert artsy Masonic word for phallus. It dominates every good chunk of scenery in the city, and, like the Duke Chapel, is a permanent anchor point; a relieving sight that you're going the right way (or not!). 

 Reagan is soo close by it's insane. Isabella and I took tons of pictures of planes. For your sakes, I'll only post one. 

 TJ again, since I'm pretty attached. (This is my new desktop background.)

Tons and tons of bookstores. I love them. They are the best time wasting places. I also went to the library (Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library in Gallery Place, for my most avid followers who are dying to be just like me) because I'm the cheapest and hate paying for books. Unfortunately, they wouldn't give me a library card because I didn't have an official piece of mail with my name and address here on it. ID and misc. other documentation wasn't cutting it. This is apparently the rule for libraries everywhere (according to Julia), but I had no idea. My time in DC has been so educational in such unconventional ways. 

White House: It's the White House, so obviously it's amazing. You don't actually get to see that much, just a ton of dining rooms (East Room, Red Room, Blue Room, Green Room, one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, etc. I'm telling you the people who named all these parlors were GIFTED with words) This dining room parade is really a perfect reflection of America: we love to eat. We love to eat in all sorts of different places. We like to have lots of rooms for it. Kitchens and dining rooms and family rooms and parlors and breakfast nooks. We show this love-of-eating off to foreign dignitaries on a grand scale at the White House. You can't take pictures, so I don't have any. You also can't see any of the exciting parts (ie any of the West Wing). But if people could just traipse around them, they wouldn't be as exciting. This isn't just some historical site, like the house down the road from mine (in Jerz) where Washington supposedly slept once while he was busy leading us to freedom. This is a living, breathing monument. It is amazing because it is where the President actually works and lives right now. If it weren't, it wouldn't be as cool. That said, I'd still like to see the Oval Office, if anyone is offering. I'd even settle for a tour of Donna's desk. 

The Washington Post: fantastic. Arguably more fascinating than the White House just because we actually got to talk to amazing reporters. I won't even get into it on here because I can't do it all justice. The internet is incredible. It has so thoroughly changed our world. I want to study it. Please, please, please engage me in conversation about this, I truly am fascinated. I will talk your ear off about the Post and a host of other semi-related things. 

The Capitol: perfect. I'll run picture commentary, because I don't have much upfront to say about it. Besides the fact that those headsets they give you are annoying and our tour guide was a little crazy and patronizing to the Spanish tourists in our group. 

 Freedom, who also sits atop the dome of the Capitol

Rotunda. George Washington is sitting in the middle, with Liberty and Victory. Sad that that sounds more like call girls than allegorical women. 

 It's real life. It hasn't just been a collective nightmare. 

 Doin big things on ceilings at the Cap. 

 HENRY CLAY. Shoutout to all of AP US. This man was the great compromiser from Kentucky. He is a winner plain and simple. Besides the fact that he could never manage to win a presidential election. Details... 

 Nothin' more beautiful. Plus it was the first nice day we've had in a while. Dry and pleasant temps. Unlike the 100 degree swamp madness we've had for the past few weeks. But that's really enough about the weather. 

(Most of the) EPA OEAEE Intern team! Do you like clean water and air? Then you're gonna love us! (Our pickup line of choice, obviously.) Also, Congress is currently putting the continuation of the Clean Water Act in jeopardy. Tell your Congressperson that that's WACK! Implore them to do what they, as politicians, do best: nothing. 

That's the end of the lightning round folks, join us again next time for another rousing edition of George Likes to Type. 

Only 10 days left in DC. Summer has gone WAY too fast!  

Rush America!

Bid Day: July 4, 1776

(For the seven of you on Earth who I haven't told, that was what was written on my favorite Independence Day themed tshirt EVER. No idea where the guy got it, but I totally want one. #totalfratmove?) 

Anywho, yay America! For the Fourth my parents came down and we perused lots of overcrowded museums, wading our way through thousands of confused foreigners and hundreds of people snapping shots destined for the annals of Awkward Family Photos. (But seriously, I'd kill for some of them. My favorites included a super unenthusiastic picture of two kids and their dad on the Metro, taken by their mom, huddled masses around Michael Jackson's hat, and anything involving the Hope Diamond.) 

Oh my god speaking of pictures, I totally forgot to write about the Kennedy Center! (My memory of this was jogged because there was a guy just standing alone on the terrace behind the KC right by the fountain, essentially begging to be asked to take other people's pictures. Naturally, we obliged:

Scholas in the District! Miss ya, NJSP 2008

Also, I don't know if you've heard, but the Kennedy Center is GORGEOUS.

 Great pics, I know.. 

 You can sort of see National Cathedral and the top of Georgetown here. Wooo Potomac!

 My favorite. Kind of want to magic out the garbage can.

There are Jack quotations everywhere. Obviously they all give me chills. Would have loved to see some of Teddy's though! Ya know, “The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

The National Symphony Orchestra was also great. And free! I love this city. (I had such a Duke moment waiting in line: They started giving out free tickets at 6pm for an 8pm show. I went straight after work and got there around 5:30. The man behind me in line thought that it'd go pretty slowly and was worried he wouldn't have time to grab dinner before the show. He said he really hates waiting in lines for tickets, but free is free. I told him I lived outside for a month to watch Duke beat UNC and that I've spent entire days in line, so I'm much more patient now than I used to be. I think he was more perplexed than impressed. #sorryimnotsorry Also, it took all of eight minutes to get our tickets so I don't really know what he was worried about.) 

Anyways, American History Museum is soooo good oh my goodness. I legitimately teared up when I looked at Michelle's Inaugural Ball gown and the huge picture of Barack and Michelle that accompanied it. Love them so much. But I still would've been thrilled to have another chunk of the exhibit dedicated to the Clinton's return to the White House. Would've been interesting, right? Would the exhibit still highlight Hillary's (third!) Inaugural gown? Would the First Ladies exhibit include a section for the first First Gentleman, William Jefferson Clinton? #whatcouldhavebeen. Can't wait for the first female president, if for no other reason than to see what the Smithsonian Institute whips up! For now I'll have to make do with Hillary's 18 million cracks in the Marble Ceiling and hope that the damn thing is shattered by someone brighter and more worthy of greatness than Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann. 

AHM also had some great pop culture stuff, including Kermit (!) and Nastia Liukin paraphernalia. Olympicssss.

Fireworks were beautiful, the pictures are on my dad's camera, so I'll post them eventually. In the meantime, we'll admire these:

 The World War II Memorial 

Wooo adoptive home!  When I die I'm not a Tarheel dead.

Lincoln: always doin' big things

Also everyone should read Room. It is incredible, fascinating, and such a fast read. Totally deserved to be a Booker finalist. I won't spoil any of it but for people who have read, I would love to discuss!

Plenty more to write, but that's enough for now slash I've gotta save some stories for real life.

Thanks for reading :)

G

Enchanting Vocals and Hypnotic Rock

A quick post before I get into the Fourth and such.

Live! On the Woodrow Wilson Plaza is an event that is running all summer long. There's a free concert every weekday from 12-1:30, right outside my office! Who would fund this you ask? YOU WOULD! #taxdollarsatwork (I firmly believe that everyone would feel substantially better about all the money they're mailing off to the government if they came to DC for a week every year. It is the city of free. And by "free" I mean, you paid for it indirectly in the past, so it feels free now. For those of you following along at home, this notion of "indirectly prepaid thus free" may sound oddly familiar, you may know it by its other colloquial names: college or, more aptly, Duke basketball. Trek around DC for a free cupcake? Sure! Sleep outside for a month to watch the UNC game? Why not! 

Anywho, the acts are pretty random (as you can see from the link above), but each day has a dramatic literary description--like "enchanting vocals" or "hypnotic rock." In reality, all the acts sound basically the same; some variety of smoooooth jazz for lunch (cue Priya voice, FAC-stars). Every day, there are two fixtures: dancing old lady and dancing man in wheelchair. They are my favorite federal employees besides the Obamas. You should come see them. My favorite act so far has been the man I've dubbed the rogue flutist. He was getting his groove on on-stage, occasionally playing the flute but mostly shaking what looked to be a red baby rattle (??). 

Just a day in the life. (Not to be confused with Life in a Day, which looks incredible/fascinating.) 

Peanuts

Kennedy Center, lots of museums, Independence Day, and plenty of shenanigans. I don't even know where to begin!

I think I would rather write about the ridiculous things. They give you a better glimpse into my life.

Let's start with peanuts. In an empty Environmental Education office, there were huge bags of peanuts. The peanuts were set to expire soon (apparently they expire? Reminds me of my favorite Seinfeld standup), so someone sent out a message to the office asking if the peanuts belonged to anyone; if not, they would be donated to the federal food drive going on right now. This is a real email received in return: The peanuts are there because this office has a long standing tradition of feeding the squirrels outside our windows. Janice usually does the peanut drop, but I will sometimes do it if she is not here. Janice and former members of this office buy the peanuts for this purpose. Excuse me, WHAT?! That is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read in my ENTIRE life. A PEANUT DROP?! For SQUIRRELS?! This is even more absurd than the treatment of the Duke squirrels. Honestly, my time here has exposed a series of inefficiencies in the Federal government, but oh my goodness this is just a whole new level of crazy. Obviously jokes about peanuts are now even more popular than ones about being blessed. Look at your life, look at your choices people. 


Speaking of federal inefficiency, I'm going to take this moment to have a discussion with myself about my future in government. On the one hand, I don't think I can work in government forever. Things just take too long to get done, and so many of the career staff lack passion. They are complacent moving at a really slow pace, with antiquated methods, because there is no incentive to get it done faster. My parents were down here this weekend, and they asked if anyone would be in the office on Saturday. I scoffed at such a ridiculous notion. There are advantages to being in the office on a Saturday in the private sector; be more productive and you can both earn more and move up the promotion ladder faster. In the federal government, everyone is salaried, and there is a rigid pay scale that has extremely few exceptions for rapid upward movement for merit. Plus there is no funding to improve the infrastructure, and there are no venture capitalists betting on the government of the United States.

But on the other hand, maybe federal work should be slow. The rules for creation regulations at the EPA are extremely tedious and time consuming. But maybe that's how it should be! If they were rapid fire, like the private sector, then one crazy administration could rapidly usher in the complete removal of environmental protection. Constitutional amendments and overrides are extremely hard to pass for a reason--our government shouldn't be susceptible to incredibly rapid flux. Furthermore, while the slow rate of action is frustrating, the impact is incredible. If I want to really be a player in environmental policy, there are few places better than the EPA in terms of making a real difference. And there are SO many programs within the EPA, the scope is unbelievable; Obviously EPA has a stake in every major environmental issue, but who knew it administered programs like EnergyStar? And I had no idea how much public health work they do (radon, mercury and air toxics, UV/sunburn, the list goes on and on) Plus it is remarkably easy to move between programs. Few nonprofits or private enterprises could offer that flexibility of experience.

This summer has both stoked and diminished my cynicism about government. In the end though, I think I will definitely at least consider and apply to federal jobs after college. And after our "How to Prepare a Federal Resume" workshop today, I will probably need to get cracking on USA Jobs soon!

I'll tackle the fun stuff mentioned at the start of this post in my next one because this one already feels excessively long.