I work for the Fellows,

When people ask me about my job I say I work for the most amazing people in the world. Not my bosses or my colleagues, although they are pretty rad, but I work the Fellows, the people who I get to meet, read about, write about and know everyday how they are actually "changing the world."

Today I came across the profile of one of our Fellows who I know now lived just ten minutes away from me in Chennai. At 20 she is married off to a cousin who dies a month later. Family kicks her out of the house, she finds out she's contacted HIV from her former husband. What does she do? Become the first woman in India to publicly declare her status and and starts a country-wide organization for women living with the disease. What would I do or you do at 20 years old when faced with a reality like that?

I spent one night last week sitting in the grass with another (male) Fellow in Goa who could not stop talking for an hour and a half about the need to have sanitary pad options for poor girls in India and how it would improve health and school attendance. This man could not stop and would not stop until I promised to send him a list of all Fellows in the world working on the issue. How many men are there in India like that?

I spent days in meetings in Goa with a woman who was recently (last 2 months) kidnapped and returned for a ransom for her work which involves using micro-hydropower to not only electrify rural Indonesian villages, but create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly source of income for the villages at the same time. Countries all over Southeast Asia are now replicating her work.

These are three, three of over 2000 Fellows. People who are doing such important things in more creative ways than I could ever dream of. These are the people I get to work for and I'm probably one of the luckiest people in the world to have that opportunity.

Back From the Other Side of the World

"Hell on a stick" was the verbage used by one of my good friends and colleagues when they briefly saw me in Mumbai en route to DC. This was after I had fallen asleep on the floor of the Goa aiport but before the officials in Mumbai asked if I was "fit to fly" and definitely before I almost missed my flight out of Paris because I passed out for 2 hours in front of the gate. I hope I am never this sick again ever.

So how was India? India was amazing, Mumbai is an amazing city. Working in India with a boss who tends to bulldoze through people and cultural contingencies without even noticing how little respect she is gaining and how many people are crying is a bit more stressful. Its going to be an interesting gig shielding the world from her will.

In other news, I miss Madison. I miss the people. I miss the way everyone suddenly turns up in shorts and skirts when the temperature goes above 60 degrees. I miss the terrace and my friends and the paths by the lakeshore. I miss grilling out on the porch of 543 Mifflin and of girl talk face-to-face with my favorite girlfriends. I miss some people more than I can say and everyone more than I ever thought I could. DC is a lovely place for sure, but it could sure use some Madisonians headed this way soon....

...Its 6:30 in the AM and the birds are chirping...time to head on into the office and pick up the pieces...

Crazy World

At night I walk and look up into the trees.

Neon green buds spark against the dark blue sky. While dogwood flowers and cherry blossoms rain down as the wind blows. There is no time of the year to feel more alive than spring.

It makes the growing pains, the sorrow, the unknown all the more striking.

But it makes the days and the sunsets and the nights all the more glorious.

Here's to spring.

Work and Such

Tonight I raced out of the office to the National Geographic Society on M and 17th to attend the 2008 Goldman Environmental Prize presentation and reception.

The building is gorgeous even though I felt less so as I ran in feeling off-balance after a day of confronting what may be my professional weaknesses. More on that later.

The presentation was lovely and brought up on the stage some of the most amazing people doing grassroots organization for environmental causes in the world. These people do insane things from taking Chevron to court in Equador to writing songs about "washing your hands" that make top music charts in the UK.

I may be biased, but despite how amazing these people were, how well they spoke and how obviously passionate they were, seeing them up on stage made me understand even more fully just how amazing the people we elect as Fellows are.

Sometimes in the day to day of the office you can forget what you are working for, who you are working for. Even when you have Fellows staying at your house and out to dinner, their amazing humility and down-to-earth character (albeit in some cases) can make you forget just how insane their accomplishments really are.

Yes I attended an event tonight honoring some really amazing environmentalists but I get to work everyday for people doing just as remarkable things, and in many cases even more remarkable, in so many different fields all over the world.

After especially long, challenging days its a good feeling to know why you are working and in spite of plenty of interesting challenges, I feel really lucky to be where I am.

Treading Water

Today was a day of feeling scrappy. Of simultaneously wanting to throw caution to the wind and pout and cry and of on the other hand wanting to go for a run and buy groceries and retain some feeling of control over the crazy concoction of my current life.

I chose to eat pizza and watch Family Guy "Star Wars" instead with a damn good friend who was also in a shitty mood.

Tomorrow I'll go for a run (fingers crossed). Wednesday I'll work late going to the Goldman Environmental Prize reception and calling Indonesia. Thursday maybe we'll go out for Happy Hour (Booze and Blossoms according to Greg)

The rest of the days will probably pass quickly until at this time next Friday, I'll be landing in Mumbai. Minus the working weekend still coming off jet lag I can't wait.

Now if only I could get my zen together enough to go buy some damn groceries before then.

Broken Window Theory?

On a fine Monday morning in DC I walked briskly down the street rocking out to my music in the sweet sunshine without a care in the world.

I then stepped into a cross-walk moments before the little man showed up on the "walk" sign and next thing I hear..."Mam!! Please show me your license!"

5 Minutes later I proceed again down the street again a little more cautiously having just received my first moving violation in years. A TICKET FOR JAY-WALKING!!! I am twenty dollars poorer for having stepped into a crosswalk 5 seconds too early.

Must be sort of the broken window theory for white-collar crime...they start with jaywalking and end up in tax evasion?? I don't know...

Spring Break!!

I miss it...

But mostly I am just excited for spring :)