Wednesday, June 14
Washington DC
Game on! Had the first official meeting of the summer for the School of Public Service (SPS). I guess I should explain what SPS is and what I’m doing in DC to begin with. SPS is a summer program sponsored by the St. Albans School for Boys. It is the boy’s school that occupies the grounds with Washington’s National Cathedral (History) and the National Cathedral School, St. Alban’s girl’s school counterpart. Both schools boast an impressive list of alumni and attendees. Many of the city politicos send their children to these schools, hence the numerous contacts that the program boasts.
How did Pete BigBear end up here? Good question, Two years ago when the SPS was recruiting students they spoke to the history faculty. Shockingly, I started up a conversation with the director of the program. As a result I participated as “Visiting Faculty”, the title they gave me, last summer. You can translate “Visiting Faculty”, to hanger on and volunteer for free. As a result of my efforts they offered me an official post for the summer, “Resident Faculty”. I help in the dorms and with case studies that the students are working on through the four weeks. SPS brings about 30 uberachieving rising senior from all around the coutnry to engage in a month long crash course in government and public policy. They study everyting from media to the branches of government to foreign and domestic policy. The students are particularly sharp. If at the end of the program they think they are twice as smart as I am as opposed to four times I will have done a good job. I have included some pictures of the grounds, school, building, etc.
After meetings I met Norm for some Washington Nationals baseball. The “Nats” got thrashed 14 to 8 but the game was fun to watch. We went with his girlfriend, her sister, and her sister’s three kids. It is always fun to watch baseball with little kids. They get excited, don’t care who really wins, and get all hyped up on cotton candy, caramel corn, and the likes. Actually that is a lot like me, only add a couple beers to the previous description.
After the game Norm and I went to 930 Club in the Shaw district of DC to see Cat Power perform. The venue was sold out and great for music. Those in attendance were respectful and listened to the music. You did not her phrases like, “O M G she was like…, and he was like.., Whatever! I’m so drunk!” Cat was quite good. The best thing about the show besides the music was her mannerisms. Imagine looking at a girl who looks like a college girl who quit her sorority because she got sick of the petty bullsh*t of a big northern state school frat scene. But then imagine the sultry voice of Norah Jones right after a bitter break up with a long time boyfriend with the stage mannerisms of Joe Cocker in the last throws of Parkinson’s Disease. I imagine Cat is the type of girl who touches doorknobs three times before she opens the door. Either that or she organizes her cigarettes in packs of only prime number groupings before she smoke them for the day. Suffice to say. Her friends should take a long look at the DSM-IV .
In the end the music was fantastic and the show was awesome. I recommend her music to anyone.
I’ve included some pictures of the campus, game, and show.
Later…,