Well I am back from Open Enrollment in D.C. which proved to be an even more worthwhile experience than I had originally imagined. Being there during and after the election was both meaningful and interesting for me (despite the fact that only weeks prior to the trip I was whining about being overpoliticized and about the constant TV coverage). On Wednesday the 5th I had a health fair at the Department of Justice from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. I left the hotel in the morning with a sense of optimism and an overall lighter feeling because I felt that change really was on the horizon for the first time since I was 20. I am looking forward to real action as opposed to rhetoric in the upcoming months and years, but this election was definitely a step in the right direction. After all, America has endured eight years of incompetence and uncertainty, and I know we have all felt the ramifications. I passed a number of newspaper vendors on the way to the Metro but didn't have room to carry one in addition to my health fair materials. I should have purchased one while I had the chance--after my meeting ended, they were completely sold out across the city and even in Alexandria, where my hotel was located.

After the health fair, I decided to follow Pennsylvania Avenue down to the Capitol Building to take some pictures and observe people's reactions. For the most part, people seemed subdued which I thought was strange...however, I believe there had been a lot of celebrating the night before, so it may have just been due to lack of energy. About halfway to the Capitol, I noticed a long line of people standing outside in front of a building, taking photos and video, and reading whatever exhibit was in front of them. I looked up and realized that I was at the Newseum in downtown D.C. Apparently the Newseum displays 730 front pages and headlines from 66 different countries on the sidewalk in front of the actual building daily, and I happened to be there for an unprecedented day. I captured whatever I could with my camera but it would be difficult to pin down the excitement and the passion that seemed to seep from the people around me in front of those headlines. I loved being in the middle of it all, especially since I am an avid news reader and watcher.

But of course the day wouldn't be complete without a Tara anecdote. I continued walking down to the Capitol, by one of the reflecting pools, past an art museum, to a park bench right outside the building. I called Jeff and relayed my excitement over the Newseum (definitely a place I want to actually check out the next time I am in the area) and then hung up when he had to take care of something for work. I decided to walk through the grounds a bit before returning to the street, and as soon as I walked under the first tree, I felt something heavy and wet land in my hair. "Hmmm," I thought. "Please don't let that be what I think it was." I reached up and touched my head and hair and of course it was green bird crap and I nearly lost it because I had no napkins or tissues or anything that would be conducive to getting the crap out of my hair. A token to remember the day by. At that moment, I wasn't thrilled, but people do claim that it's good luck, so we will see what happens in the coming months. As my friend Sarah says, I am cautiously optimistic.