Despite the fact that I am now working in the one place I
have always wanted to work, getting up at 5:00 a.m. to make the commute north
to DC is still a bit daunting. I am
awake at 5, I am out the door at 5:30 to go to one of two commuter lots near my home to wait in
line for a free ride north to a Metro station. Slugging in and of itself is odd, but I'll
deal with the concept of slugging at another time. I'm still not sure how I fell about that but
every once in a while you get handed something that makes you remember how lucky
you are.
This morning I actually got a ride to 12th and Independence
which is across the Mall from my 'office'.
Still sounds weird referring to a national museum as my office. When I say the Mall, I mean the big one that
people come from all over the world to see; Capital building at one end,
Lincoln Memorial on the other, Washington Monument in the middle and flanked by
the Jefferson Memorial and the White House.
Now I used to work three blocks from the White House and never gave it
much thought, expect when my bus was delayed at a traffic light for 40 minutes
one night because of a presidential motorcade set to head north on 16th
street. Then I gave it a lot of thought
- all negative - because I really wanted to get home before it was time to turn
around and go to bed! Anyway, I don't
think a lot about the city in which I work - it's a city and I work there - but
today was a bit different. I was dropped
off at 12th Street, grateful that I didn't have to take Metro and saved
$2.10. Then I headed across to my
office. At that hour the only people around were joggers so I was in my usual
morning fog; until I looked up and saw the Capital building to my right and the
Washington Monument, covered in its lighted post-earthquake condom, to my
left.
I like to watch Bones, which supposedly takes place in Washington;
technically we work in the same building though I'm glad the things that happen
at the Jeffersonian don't happen where I work. They use exterior DC shots in every
episode. Most of the shots are near
where I have worked. When I ride the bus
I get it across the street from the Hoover Building. Obviously the directors of Bones, unlike
those of NCIS, think that making the DC connection is important to
viewers. These are also times when I
realize the 'coolness' of where I work.
People come from all over the world to take in the history of this city
and the items of historical significance contained in the museums surrounding
my office.
I just have to keep reminding myself of that when I am
trying to get out of the building where I work to get to Metro and I'm dodging
tourists!
