washwords

We’re getting ready.

Okay, we’re not ready. But we’re trying. Like really hard.

Photo “Inaugural preparations” by adamsjp2010,published on Flickr.

Yesterday during the morning commute there was: a water main break (yah. a. gain) that stranded folks for two hours, a “suspicious package” that shut down a Red Line station and part of one of our busiest streets, a train switch malfunction, an “unexplained” orange line delay. But still. We’re trying.

By Tuesday’s evening commute, one week from the day, I saw this:

• a slew of volunteers behind one reflector-laden Metro station attendant, telling them, “Now this time, of course, we don’t want them to have to get change or anything, not on Tuesday, right??!” Chuckles from the Northface-jacketed crowd. No, we don’t!
• a memo from my Official U.S. Government Agency Workplace, detailing where I (and the other 3000 or so employees) could and could not park, walk, stand, and loiter. Yes, you can exit the Security Zone, but no, no you can’t enter.
• signs galore saying “emergency, no parking, Jan. 19-21.” Harumph, like the one I had to beg District Two, D.C. Police to give me for my move out and my tenant’s move in– “sorry, ma’am, we can’t give them for two days.” Guess Obama didn’t have that problem.
• and finally, this tip, from “some guy named me” who just happens to be my husband to be, who reports that Arlington Alert is warning: prepare for the inauguration like you would for a hurricane. Won’t we feel stupid, “some guy” postures, when the Obamas show up to our house, only to find the windows boarded up and us in hiding, making our signs in case we need a roof escape.

Are we ready? Not quite. But we’re trying. Yes we are.

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My love meets me on the Hill after a Saturday class. In the mist of four o clock and the salt of margaritas, he takes my mittened hand and we walk.

Around the Capitol. Literally around it. From the House buildings on the south, walking north but into the park, along the east front. The yellow warm of the lights hitting the moon-colored marble columns. It’s breathtaking. Truly, deeply, breathtaking. I had forgotten how much so. and like, as an intern here so many summers ago, I feel lucky.

[“The U.S. Capitol at Night” on Flickr by DoYouMindtheGap]

Lucky, not only for the obvious, living in this country, in comfort and prosperity, having friends and family and hope and heart… but the littler things, too. Living HERE, in D.C., where a class is held at the Library of Congress, Read the rest of this entry »

is the hardest part.

This video is not the one I’d been hoping to find when I searched for this song (guess Tom Petty’s people are all over the YouTubes) but it does sum up the feeling.

Beck And Ryerson “Waiting Is The Hardest Part” (1998)as featured on the YouTube.

Imagine you’re this close to hearing a great Tom Petty song and video and instead… you see the inside barrel of a flute circa 1985. The Beck and Ryerson version of Song_of_the_same_name_that’s_a_popular_hit, but you’ll never know cause you’re focused on hearing that OTHER song. and you were this close to it!

And there we are. I’m waiting. We’re this close. And I know we’re gonna get there, some way and somehow but now? I’m really not in the mood for flute solos, k?

But you are I bet! Enjoy!