D.C. wandering

It’s been awhile since I’ve ventured into the District. Which is crazy, seeing as I live a short 30 minute drive to the relatively new Metro Silver Line, which is a further 20-ish minute ride in. But I made the trek this past Saturday and even took a few pictures, for practicing purposes. I’ve been learning a lot from a co-worker on what makes a good shot, both journalistically and otherwise, and it was time to take some risks with actual hands-on application.

There was a group protesting outside the Capitol building. I had to know what was going on.

Protesters stood against male circumcision Saturday, March 28.

I don’t even remember the names of these guys, but the one on the right called himself something like “Brother John.” I asked him what church he was with and he said, “No church, just like ‘hey, brutha.'” Duh, Anna.

This man, we’ll call him Ernest, said they protest every year on March 28, the anniversary of the day in 1997 when female circumcision, otherwise known as Female Genital Mutilation, was banned in the United States. It’s all about gender equality and choice, he said.

“Brother John”

“A baby doesn’t have a say,” he said. I’m paraphrasing, of course.

The rider on the noble segway; tours of this sort in the city are commonplace nowadays, and this rider in particular even rode with one hand while the other was occupied with a camera.

A bad picture of a music group playing in the lobby of the National Museum of the American Indian.

The lovely and talented Hannah Hunsberger contemplating pizza and life in the National Press Building’s food court, my old haunt.

Random woman on street. I was trying to surreptitiously snap shots of people going about their day. It didn’t really work.

Hooligans.

I don’t remember this guy’s name, but let’s call him Jeff. He was fascinated with our fascination with an alley on F Street (I think it was F).

He invited us to get a beer, but I said we had plans. I kind of which I’d taken him up on his offer though. He’s from Baltimore.

Graffiti and confused warehouse worker.

Hannah being contemplative.

A couple (I assume) waiting in line to get a glimpse of the National Archives.

This young girl was in line with her family, again, waiting for the Archives.

Hannah posing while WE wait in line for the Archives. It was her first time really doing the D.C. thing. I figure the Archives are sort of a staple.

If this picture wasn’t so blurry, it would have been my favorite.

Runner. D.C. is full of them.

The boy with the red coat. He was trying to catch seagulls with his lacrosse stick earlier.

The same protesters.

A. The caption is supposed to be ironic, I suppose.

B. Pretty sure these kids had no idea what they were doing here.

According to Ernest, most of the men here had been circumcised at birth, resulting in multiple surgeries to correct deformities and problems later in life. He further said circumcision removes nerve endings and feeling in the tip of the…well, yeah.

Having a job where you’re paid to write sounds great when you have certain goals aimed at scribbling. However, I’ve heard from friends and other bloggers that those writing and creative jobs make it harder to write when you’re not working, keeping you from focusing on what you’re passionate about. I used to think “nah, just laziness. I could do it.” Curse my ignorance, they were right. When you’ve been sitting for eight hours, five days a week either writing or collecting material to use for writing, the last thing you want to do when you get home is write more.

Working in the daycare last summer and the summer before, I still wasn’t consistent with writing, but it was a lot easier to go home and force myself to do it and not have my brain screaming for air. So, point is, writing jobs are great for learning and are a great platform for doing specific kinds of things with writing (not to mention getting a paycheck, however meager it might be), but for writers serious about pursuing a passion, it’s hard. Not impossible, but hard.

That being said, for those of you who have menial or repetitive jobs that don’t have anything to do with writing, you  might actually be better off than someone in a more writing-oriented environment, where their creative energies are spent by the time they get home. I’ve been in both situations, so you’re not alone.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” –Galatians 6:2

17-year-old Channing Mauger recently passed away in the hospital. If you would like to help his family face the massive medical expenses they will be facing, you can donate here. Prayers are appreciated as well. Community bears the burden of sorrow.

http://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/hv42/channingmaugermemorialfund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=graph&utm_campaign=vanity_page