|
2001-09-25 / 8:14 p.m. ~She's in it for the Road Trip~ Funny, I just watched "Road Trip" on HBO a couple nights ago...and it was really, really stupid. And what is the appeal of Tom Green? One of my very first thoughts this morning was, I don't wanna go on Saturday. I get like that, make a plan in advance and as the date looms forever closer I change my mind. I hate planning in advance. So, I lay in bed, wanting to stay there forever, and thought, no way do I want to be on a bus or a van on my way to D.C. next Saturday. Too much opposition to us, or support actually, FOR the war, not enough people going, all strangers, basically to me. At work Lulu asks me about it and I say I'm not sure anymore. But at some point K. asks if I'm going to a local event that same day and I say, Um, er, well, I'll be in Washington, I think, and somehow I tell her about it and I show her the "mission statement" from the Georgia Coalition For Peace meeting last night, and the flyer from the Communist Party (just a tad radical), and the Refuse and Resist flyer, and well, K. wants to go. To her it's a road trip, it will be FUN! And yeah, she's into the cause, she agrees. I don't know that she's passionate or that she can stand up to someone arguing her down, but she wants to go. And she loves to jump into things, so I say, well yeah, sure, the more the merrier, let me find out, and I contact the woman in charge of organizing the trip and it's good to talk to her after so many emails. She laughed when I mentioned that I don't think the Sunday event is as important right now, the spiritual, prayer, religious, mourning, whatever it's going to be thing, because we just had a whole fucking week of National mourning and now is the time to move ahead and fight the impending war and bloodshed. So we'll be going to the Saturday event only. I can't wait to talk to some other passionate people about what's going on, share articles, share what we know, talk about what we think should happen, talk about how we can stop it, or if we can. And if K. is there too....reading a book on a 15 passenger van, well, so be it. She wants to go, it will be FUN, and maybe she's right. Although I've found the marches I've participated in to be rather somber and serious. Well, serious anyway. K. and I aren't exactly close and I've written a good bit about her here in this diary, conflicting feelings, but we've been out together, outside of work, and I guess all in all I believe she means well. One more for the road. It will be passenger vans, not so comfy as the bus was last time, not so easy to sleep, maybe, but it will get us there, and I can't wait to see who will be with us. Really, I'm in the planning stages now, what to take, what food to bring, even went to Wal Mart after work for a travel size toothbrush and toothpaste, some trail mix, some cereal bars and more Little Debbies. I'll take peanut butter and jelly too, I think. Quick, easy, lightweight, stuff to put in my stomach to fend off serious hunger pangs, but I don't eat too much usually, so I should be okay. That, and my water bottle and I'm good to go, I hope. It worked last time. At least I've done this before, this road trip to march on D.C., twice, so I kinda know what to expect. Ariadnesgirl warns of violence, arrest, police in riot gear, exits to run to, places to run from, but I've never experienced anything other than peace at the marches I've attended. I think she's used to the WTO protests, but I'm not sure....I don't anticipate violence of any kind or arrest. The worst would be if we face opposition from those who want Arab blood for the 9/11 crime against humanity. They could get ugly, but I think we'll be okay. I got my own little taste of opposition from L. at work today. She wants to know why we should suddenly start to care about racial profiling, especially against Arabs, when blacks have been experiencing it forever. She says no one marches or rallies for them, but I say, remember the Civil Rights Movement? And she says recently....but that's not true. The first march I marched in was for civil rights, human rights, a number of civil liberties. She thinks it's a fad to be supportive of Arabs, says we should watch out for our own people, and I gasped inside! That's the prevailing attitude, care about our own, if they're outside our country, Fuck 'Em! She won't look me in the eye and she walks away after she says something. She is a terrible debater, but she is typical, no doubt. I pointed out to her that I support everyone, don't want ANYONE to be discriminated against, but that Arab Americans right now are being horribly mistreated, and she says she hasn't heard anything about it - I have to wonder if she watches news, listens to news, reads news.....because if she made the effort to be informed she would know what's going on. Duh. In other news.....what other news?! Sheesh! Right, um, the weather is FANTASTIC!!! Summer, summer, summer.....FALL!!!!!! Really, just like that, maybe a half a week of transition time, then today was PERFECT, as in it couldn't be better, really, well, maybe once the leaves turn, then it will be too perfect maybe, but could it be too perfect? Blue skies, the air is clean, clear, a gentle breeze blows constantly, the temps are in the low 70s.....right now the window is open and it's cold, like I'll actually need to close it to sleep, or I'll wake up freezing and not want to get out of bed in the morning (so what's new?). Perfect. This is my favorite time of year.... But the weather makes me think of Saturday again....what if it's cold? I don't want to carry more than my little day pack, and I don't want heavy stuff, but I want enough - Dianne, the organizer, said to bring pillows and blankets for the ride, so we can sleep, but do I trust everyone enough to leave my shit in the van for the day? Does one trust one's fellow protestors? Can you tell I don't travel much? Truth is, I've been to Mexico twice, Europe on my own for a month, and cross country two or three times, not to mention up and down the east coast, Florida throughout my childhood, camping in California, etc., etc. But each time I have this pre-travel anxiety, what to take, what will it be like, always thinking way too far ahead, trying to plan for any event. It's best to relax, I know, but my stomach is a bit in knots just thinking about it. I know in the morning I'll think twice again, especially Friday morning, but with K.'s added enthusiasm and my enthusiasm for her, knowing she has no idea what she's getting in to, well, I'll be totally psyched by the time we head out Friday night! I've got to do a bunch of laundry now, and watch "Love Cruise", because pure sleazy escapist television is the perfect calming drug for me. Cost of the War in Iraq
(JavaScript Error)
Recent Entries: It Was 40 Years Ago Today - 9:44 a.m. , Friday, Oct. 12, 2012 Dead Black Cat - 9:07 a.m. , Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 As Seen From Outer Space - 1:07 a.m. , Saturday, Dec. 05, 2009 I Survived to Tell the Tale - 7:29 a.m. , Friday, Sept. 18, 2009 Reading My Life - 12:55 p.m. , Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009 
  |