So, I know that technically I don’t live in the “deep” south, but Virginia still gives off little hints of southern-ness. Take for example the fact that I live right off of “Jefferson Davis Highway,” just down the street from “Confederate Way.” So, I hear the oh-so-southern, “y’all” more frequently than I have ever have in my entire life. At first it was charming. Now it gets annoying. Especially in writing (I saw someone write it as "yawll" today. ugh!). It just bugs to hear it more than once a day.
Which leads me to my next point. I am a part of various social media groups that connect me to the goings-on in the groups that I am involved in i.e. church and military wives. Naturally they are all women. Nothing makes me feel more like I am in those southern ladies lunch group things that you see on “The Help” than hearing “hey ladies!” all the time. "Ladies" this and "dear ladies" that. I’m not a fan. Why can’t people say, “hey everybody,” or other alternatives? (excluding y’all, of course) It just gets old, and I don’t like it.
So, as you know, I have taken on the challenge of being a full-on commuter by working for a congressman. Obviously before this, the work I’ve been doing at the Archives is also in downtown D.C., but I choose the hours to work which is strategically planned to avoid rush hour. With this working gig, that is not an option. For the most part, I really do enjoy public transportation. I like not having to drive, and on trains I can read without getting carsick. But I had one of those nights last week where I was DONE. I stayed in the city after work to listen to some jazz with friends, and I took the metro home rather than the commuter train. What was supposed to be a 30 minute ride turned into TWO AND A HALF HOURS because of rail issues. It was ridiculous. I had that Elaine from Seinfeld moment where I am screaming inside of my head “MOVE!!!!!!!!!” I had thoughts of “I hate D.C.! I hate public transportation! I am ready to get the cuss out of this area!!” Yeah, it was bad. But I bet you would have felt the same way if all you wanted to do was be curled up in bed and instead you were stuck in a janky metro car.
But like I said, public transportation has its perks because I really do love the time to read. I have been reading books like a mad woman. In case you haven’t gathered, I love books. I was an English major, after all, and loving books is practically the first requirement of being an English major. But I was thinking yesterday (due to an occurrence on facebook) about people who don’t like to read. It’s happened many times where I’m talking to someone and they’re all “no, I’m not a reader. I don’t like books.” It’s moments like this where I have to restrain myself from turning into the aunt on “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (which was on tv this weekend which is why it’s fresh on my mind) and be all “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU NO LIKE THE BOOKS?!?!?!” Seriously, with how many genres of books there are, with how many shapes and sizes books come in, with how easy it is to have access to books, I have a big problem with people who don’t read. I won’t judge you or argue with you if you love high fantasy science fiction or any other obscure genre that I don’t like because, hey, at least you are reading. But I will judge you if you refuse to read. We can still be friends, but that’s just how it is. Because I genuinely feel sorry for people who refuse to read, because they are missing out on so much. Not to mention how many people don’t even know how to read and wish they could, or people that don’t have access to books for whatever reason. There is no excuse.
Just one more thing about books: I just experienced the joys of checking out a book from the Library of Congress for the first time this week. It was thrilling. But that’s besides the point. The Library of Congress is just a stone’s throw away from where I work, and every time I see it, I just think of how great of a place it is. So, when I’m giving tours, some people ask what that cool building is right by the Capitol building. I won’t hold it against them that they don’t know what building it is, because it’s their first time in D.C. But when I tell people and they’re all, “so what’s so important about the Library of Congress anyway?”, it grinds my gears. What’s a nice way of saying, “umm gee, I don’t know, it’s only the biggest library in the WORLD, and like 99% of all the books ever written are there, hellllloooooo!”(read “helllllooooo” in the voice of the guy from “A Knight’s Tale” for a better experience). Anyway, I’ll stop about the books.
Now I just have one more thing to get off my chest and then I will be done for now, I promise. You know how you always hear people say about their job, or their school group, or their sport’s team, etc., “oh, I just can’t stand the politics that are in said group.” Well, I’m trying to find a better way to say that I would not really be interested in a long term job with the federal government because I don’t like the politics of it all. Hello, most obvious statement of the century. Obviously when you work on Capitol Hill, it’s politics all over the place. And then I get home and turn on the tv, and it’s more politics. I don’t like it. For that reason, I would be hesitant to have a job in that field. It just gets tiring working in a job where no one is ever going to be satisfied, and by no one, I’m referring to the American people who I work with every day through letters, emails, and phone calls. But hey, if I’m trying to look on the bright side, at least I live in a country where people can express their opinions to their government without fear of getting shot.
As you can see, I’ve been really letting this stuff build up. And now I should be good for at least a month or so, let’s hope!
