2nd Blog from DC

So this week was pretty epic. I am still loving the city. I've been able to see and do so much! Last Saturday we went to the Air and Space Museum. Pretty awesome stuff! On Wednesday, I sat in on a House Judiciary Subcommittee meeting. One of our scholars at Cato, Dan Griswold, testified about immigration. It was pretty exciting. It snowed so much that day! They let us leave at 3. On Thursday, we went in 2 hours late. I'm really glad we actually made it because the founder of Cato, Ed Crane, spoke to us. I also put together 2 faxes and emails about new material we had. On Friday, we had a debate and a bunch of students came from organizations all over the city. I ran around with a microphone for questions and answers. It was really epic. The discussion was about welfare and poverty.

Yesterday we went up to the Washington Monument. Boy was that awesome! The view was amazing! Today I went to Ebenezer's (NCC) again for church. They gave all the new people food after the service. For dinner I had Armond's pizza (AMAZING) and we're watching Chaos Theory now. (ALSO AMAZING). Peace.

Moving and a Little Bit of Consistency

So I recently moved to Washington, D.C. Not permanently of course (I'm a country boy), but for an internship. I'm working at the Cato Institute (flipping awesome) and I'm wrapping up my final semester at LU through their online program. In order to keep up with my oh so exciting life now (it really is!) I'm going to try and blog on a weekly basis. I'm keeping notes each day about what I do and on the weekend I'll blog about it.

I just finished my second week but it seems like I've been here for months! In a good way though. I was scared to death to start at Cato but I absolutely love it! The atmosphere is not Liberty Way per se, but its definitely an atmosphere of liberty. I work with the Government Affairs department and their goal is to get Cato's libertarian information out to Congress and other leaders. So in other words... I've been compiling databases with contact info. No that glamorous I know, but incredibly important. Jagadeesh Gokhale, a Cato Scholar, wrote a study on the costs of medicaid on the states in regards to Obamacare. We are trying to get this out to all the states and this is where I come in: get all the emails, addresses, phone numbers, etc. for a bunch of people. Tedious, but important.

We've been to the hill (Capitol Hill for all you people back home. haha) a couple times for events and I've been to a lot of cool places. I've delivered Cato books to several house and senate offices. I haven't seen anyone, but eventually I will! On Wednesday, we took a taxi to capitol hill for an event. First time in a D.C. taxi. Ok. When we got back to the office we found everyone outside because there was an gas leak in the building and they sent us home at 3. Heck yeah.

The next day I delivered a couple packages for Jason Kuznicki to the American Enterprise Institute, the Brookings Institute, and Americans for Tax Reform. They're all kind of close to Dupont Circle, one of the famous D.C. landmarks. On my way I passed the embassies of Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Peru. And for the finale of the day, I was stuck in the elevator between the 1st and 2nd floors at Cato. I was there for about 30 minutes but I had coffee so I was fine.

Today, we went to the hill again for an informal pizza lunch/discussion with staffers. It was pretty cool. Afterwards we delivered more books around the hill. Today was my first happy hour at work. It was a Chinese New Year theme with a bunch of Chinese food and sake. I didn't have any because I don't like alcohol and because of my commitments to LU. It was hilarious. They had a huge dragon that people walked around in and they had pictures of Chinese and Korean leaders everywhere. I had a good time socializing and discussing.

Last weekend we toured a bunch of museums (we being a bunch of the LU students in the Washington Semester.) We've got a great group of people and we're all hanging out and getting along. We've been to the National Community Church the last two sundays at Ebenezer's Coffee Shop. It's epic. We're watching Clue right now. Also epic.

This was a lot but its my first post. Hopefully this will be once a week so I'll tone it down a bit. Thanks guys.

Oh, the grocery stores here are outrageous!

Long Time, No Chat

So its been quite a while since I've posted on here. Sorry about that (to the three whole people that might actually glance over this.) I'm getting ready to start my second week of my senior year here at LU (Liberty University). Its going great but I'm also starting to dread the end. I have definitely loved the college life but I know its about time for me to move on; whether thats going back home or staying in Lynchburg, I'll leave it up to God. I'm the type person who either has to be in control or know the entire plan; neither of which fit my current situation in regards to my future. Oh well. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." So He's got me covered. No need for anything else!

On a completely different note: I'm currently writing a paper type thing titled, "Why I'm (Turning) Libertarian," so that I can understand what I believe and support in politics and let those around me understand why I believe what I believe. Be looking for that and I would really appreciate feed back on that. Hopefully I'll get around to wrapping it up soon but who knows...

Let me buy that Pepsi and those Doritos for you so you can buy your Beer and your Pall Malls!

At the grocery store I work at, I typically work the express check out. Through this line comes most of the alcohol and tobacco buyers. About half the time they also have some type of food or drink besides the alcohol and tobacco. A good percentage of these people have Food Stamp cards to cover their food while they buy their own alcohol. Do you see the problem with this? The taxes on the alcohol and tobacco are ridiculous but they have enough money to keep their fridges and ashtrays stocked yet they don't have enough money to put food on their own family's table. They depend on the government's funds to provide. Who does the government depend on for funds? The taxpayers. Who is that? ME. And You. I paid almost 10% of my last paycheck to Big Brother yet I have no food stamps to pay for my food. This is outrageous!
The system is so obviously abused. I believe it should be eliminated completely. With government handouts there is no accountability whatsoever. If it was left up to the people to decide who to give their money to, they would make sure the recipients were using the funds correctly. Don't get me wrong, the government tries, but its made up of people who don't care. They have no need or pressure to do their jobs efficiently because there are too many people involved in the system to get rid of it.
That was a government rant. If you don't agree, let me know. I'd love to hear your view and discuss it some more! Thanks guys!

Sundays

I had to work yesterday. It was a Sunday and I don't like working on Sundays. I'm in for the summer so I can't really be too picky about the times I work so I came in to work with a smile on my face and took on the world. Or at least the city, Food City that is. Our church recently changed to a 10:00 service so I was able to make it in to work by 12:00 and still make it to church. On Sundays, you know who was at church because of the way they dress. Sadly, these are the ones that are the rudest and grumpiest. Its as though because they are wearing these nice clothes they are so much better than me and my coworkers. As Christians we are called to be different, but in a GOOD way.
When me and my family went on vacations we always ate at restaurants like every other family on vacations do. I remember one Sunday on vacation we went by a Mickey D's and we saw someone mowing the grass. My mom complained that they shouldn't be doing that on Sunday and I said as a little kid, "But what about the ones inside making food?" She said, "Well, that's work too." Then me, being the bright little bugger I was, said, "Shouldn't we make our own food on Sundays so they don't have to work?"
There is a point to these two stories. We as followers of Christ are called to a higher purpose. That doesn't mean we are better, we're all human, but we do have a different agenda. We should represent Christ at all times, especially if we are in visible positions. Even if it makes us strange and we get extra food on Saturday (just like the Wilder's and the Olsen's) then so be it. We must make the effort and strive for the difference. This was only a simple example and maybe not even one that should be implemented, but you see the train of thought. Thanks guys.

Starting Up

Well this is it. This is my blog. I've been thinking the last few days that it would be awesome to blog again but our internet hasn't been working. I went and got a new router today so we're good. This blog won't be too serious. Just my musings for the day and stories about the people at the grocery store. I know, exciting... but hey, hopefully you'll get a laugh or a smirk from this. I know I will. It will definitely beat talking to myself although it won't stop it either. Well thats all for now!