Washington DC 2
It is Saturday afternoon, the usual time when I write once more from the library here at the Catholic U in Washington DC. As I look out of the window, the sun is setting. However, it has been a warm and sunny day. The climactic changes in the USA and many other parts of the world have been really quite dramatic this year. So far, it's been a very very mild winter. There has been no snow in this part of the USA. My brother Fred who is up in Nova Scotia, Canada, has also informed me they've had no snow until today.
Many days during the Christmas holidays seemed like the days of late summer and early fall. This climate has been quite confusing not just for human beings but the animal and plant world. Last week-end, as my companions and I went around Washington DC, especially around the memorials, we were surprised to see cherry blossom trees already in bloom. Ordinarily, the trees only bloom by late March and early April. But this year, in January, some of the trees are already in bloom! And flowers are just sprouting everywhere. The plants think it is already spring!
It is very interesting to be here in Washington DC during my sabbatical. Through the more than 3 months that I've been here, many events have unfolded. Since the Center where I stay is just outside Washington DC, and given the easy access to media (in the Center we have 5 daily newspapers and the 5 TVs can access a dozen news channels), one can just assume that events that have such global impact seem to be events only taking place in the neighborhood.
I couldn't help but compare how life was in the interior of Mindanao, in places in San Fernando, Bukidnon or Josefina, Zamboanga del Sur and Kulaman, Sultan Kudarat. In these places, Washington DC might as well be in the moon. And if - through the magic of cable TV and CNN - one is able to see tidbits of news coming out of Washington DC, one still felt how far, far away this center of power is from the very isolated villages of Third World countries.
But right now, my feeling is that I'm right at the very center. And while here, there's been no let-up in terms of political events that could easily find their way into the pages of history books. These events included the November elections which saw power shifting from the Republicans to the Democrats (the latter now have the majority in both Houses), the eroding popularity of George W. Bush (who only a few years ago seemed invincible), the death of ex-President Gerald Ford and the wake that was held here, the media coverage of the Iraq Study Report which was quite critical of the Bush policy in Iraq, the growing anti-Iraq war sentiment among the people which have impacted the positions of Senators and Congresspersons (especially those who voted for this war years ago), the swearing-in ceremonies of the new government officials, the positioning of those who aim to run as President in 2008 (with Hilary Clinton - a woman, and Obama Barack - a black person as leading contenders), a movement towards the impeachment of Bush (an ad was printed in the New York Times yesterday calling for more signatures), etc. etc.
One is, indeed, in a very privileged position here given the ringside view of the goings on in Washington D.C.
However, all I could do is update myself about the goings on, but not intensely. I do not read all the newspapers and my TV viewing is quite limited. And, most certainly, I can only be a bystander since I'll be out of here in less than 3 months from now. Besides there are other better things to do while I am around.
At our renewal Center, I continue to do art (who knows I might have an exhibit of my pastel drawings when I return home..... Abangan!), yoga, aerobics, meditation, attend sessions on spirituality, eat more organic food, learn more about the mysteries of life and sustain my efforts at self-care and healing! I've been really blessed with this sabbatical year and here at this Center, I'm taking full advantage of the gift. After all, it comes only in such rare times; I don't even know if I'll ever get a chance to have this year of rest, recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation.
And Washington DC is the ideal place for our week-ends and holidays. There are just so many galleries, memorials and places of interest; I don't think I could see all of them before I leave. And most of these are Free, paid for by the taxes of the American people! The ones that are not are the theatre, opera and films. The costs, of course, are beyond my means; still, there are many places one can go to because ART is just so alive in this place.
Considering all of the above, my Christmas-New Year turned out to be quite a memorable experience. Imagine, I have two godchildren here and I met both of them. One is Camille Dowling, who is now 25, the daughter of John and Esper Dowling. I met with her and her sister Christine. Then there is Luke Wallis, the son of Jim Wallis of Sojourners. There is also a Pinoy family here I could visit and there is good Pinoy food when I visit them. This is the Francia-Reyes family; Judy is Myrna's ICM's sister. Henry, the former writer for the Inquirer Magazine came to visit his sister, so I met him, too. And because the telephone is cheaper here, it is easy enough to call on friends.
Many days during the Christmas holidays seemed like the days of late summer and early fall. This climate has been quite confusing not just for human beings but the animal and plant world. Last week-end, as my companions and I went around Washington DC, especially around the memorials, we were surprised to see cherry blossom trees already in bloom. Ordinarily, the trees only bloom by late March and early April. But this year, in January, some of the trees are already in bloom! And flowers are just sprouting everywhere. The plants think it is already spring!
It is very interesting to be here in Washington DC during my sabbatical. Through the more than 3 months that I've been here, many events have unfolded. Since the Center where I stay is just outside Washington DC, and given the easy access to media (in the Center we have 5 daily newspapers and the 5 TVs can access a dozen news channels), one can just assume that events that have such global impact seem to be events only taking place in the neighborhood.
I couldn't help but compare how life was in the interior of Mindanao, in places in San Fernando, Bukidnon or Josefina, Zamboanga del Sur and Kulaman, Sultan Kudarat. In these places, Washington DC might as well be in the moon. And if - through the magic of cable TV and CNN - one is able to see tidbits of news coming out of Washington DC, one still felt how far, far away this center of power is from the very isolated villages of Third World countries.
But right now, my feeling is that I'm right at the very center. And while here, there's been no let-up in terms of political events that could easily find their way into the pages of history books. These events included the November elections which saw power shifting from the Republicans to the Democrats (the latter now have the majority in both Houses), the eroding popularity of George W. Bush (who only a few years ago seemed invincible), the death of ex-President Gerald Ford and the wake that was held here, the media coverage of the Iraq Study Report which was quite critical of the Bush policy in Iraq, the growing anti-Iraq war sentiment among the people which have impacted the positions of Senators and Congresspersons (especially those who voted for this war years ago), the swearing-in ceremonies of the new government officials, the positioning of those who aim to run as President in 2008 (with Hilary Clinton - a woman, and Obama Barack - a black person as leading contenders), a movement towards the impeachment of Bush (an ad was printed in the New York Times yesterday calling for more signatures), etc. etc.
One is, indeed, in a very privileged position here given the ringside view of the goings on in Washington D.C.
However, all I could do is update myself about the goings on, but not intensely. I do not read all the newspapers and my TV viewing is quite limited. And, most certainly, I can only be a bystander since I'll be out of here in less than 3 months from now. Besides there are other better things to do while I am around.
At our renewal Center, I continue to do art (who knows I might have an exhibit of my pastel drawings when I return home..... Abangan!), yoga, aerobics, meditation, attend sessions on spirituality, eat more organic food, learn more about the mysteries of life and sustain my efforts at self-care and healing! I've been really blessed with this sabbatical year and here at this Center, I'm taking full advantage of the gift. After all, it comes only in such rare times; I don't even know if I'll ever get a chance to have this year of rest, recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation.
And Washington DC is the ideal place for our week-ends and holidays. There are just so many galleries, memorials and places of interest; I don't think I could see all of them before I leave. And most of these are Free, paid for by the taxes of the American people! The ones that are not are the theatre, opera and films. The costs, of course, are beyond my means; still, there are many places one can go to because ART is just so alive in this place.
Considering all of the above, my Christmas-New Year turned out to be quite a memorable experience. Imagine, I have two godchildren here and I met both of them. One is Camille Dowling, who is now 25, the daughter of John and Esper Dowling. I met with her and her sister Christine. Then there is Luke Wallis, the son of Jim Wallis of Sojourners. There is also a Pinoy family here I could visit and there is good Pinoy food when I visit them. This is the Francia-Reyes family; Judy is Myrna's ICM's sister. Henry, the former writer for the Inquirer Magazine came to visit his sister, so I met him, too. And because the telephone is cheaper here, it is easy enough to call on friends.
posted by kakay at 4:25 PM
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