Monday, January 12, 2009

Heading East

In less than 36 hours I'll be on a plane to New York.

The whirlwind continues. My life as a nomad is becoming more and more real.

First, it's dear childhood friends, my sister, and my mother. I'm excited to see them all. And to experience New York, which I love. And, of course, to attend my sister Donna's wedding! Yes!

I am not so excited about the fact that it's supposed to be 8 degrees the night I land. That's right. 8. Not 38. Not 18. But 8. Just 8 of 'em. That's fucking cold.

On January 19th, I fly to Washington, DC. I'll take the metro to Congress, or maybe for dramatic effect hail a taxi, and say, "Take me to Congress! I have important business there."

Which I do. I'll be picking up two tickets to the inauguration, courtesy of my Congresswoman, Lynn Woolsey, who is awesome. And a sucker for bribes. Hence the tickets.

Ha! Big, big joke. Lynn is amazing!

My friend Maeanna and I will be wearing long wool Kennedy-esque coats (mine is part cashmere too - thanks Ellis!) and staying at the home of the current/former ambassador to Kenya. I was pulling for a European diplomat's home, but this will have to do ;-)

How this all exactly came to be I'm not sure. I knew I was going before I knew I was going, before any tickets or posh housing or wool coats came through. Some things are just...laid out for us, I suppose.

And then, on the 20th, we will stand with a million people (more?) and watch as Barack Hussein Obama ends our 8 year political nightmare and becomes the first African American to take the oath of office as President of the United States. Oh my.

So much possibility here. This evening, the New York Times website is reporting, "President-elect Barack Obama plans to issue an executive order on his first full day in office directing the closing of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp in Cuba."

I could cry over just that. And there will be so much more good. And also a lot that will disappoint us. Ultimately, I believe, it's up to us to keep moving this country in a progressive direction at the grassroots - and pressuring politicians to do the right thing.

I'll blog more on this for sure. For now, I want encourage and invite you to tell me what you want me to bring to the inauguration, and be open to, on your behalf. Just post a comment.

I feel I am going to DC for more than just me. I am going for those who came before and made this possible, for those who will come after and live in a world determined by our actions, for those who cannot speak, for our planet, and for all of you too, my community.

Consider me your representative in Washington on January 20! Sorry, you didn't get to vote on this one. ;-)

So? Bring it on.

Love Roni

Oh yeah regarding this Vision Quest thing I mentioned a few weeks ago, it really wasn't very much of a big deal, so not much to say on that one. Psych. More on that for sure...soon!

3 comments:

Chris said...

I suggest you bring multiple layers. Other than that, I'm confident you will know what to do :)!

Roni Krouzman said...

SO bringing multiple layers! Long johns top and bottom, wool socks, wool hat, boots, and, the mot juste: a long wool-cashmere coat. Sweet.

Roni Krouzman said...

I'm heading to DC tomorrow. Here's what 5 people emailed me. Thank you!

I just hope for everyone to step into the courage to go so beyond the box in their imagination of what kind of country and world we could create, and that each and every one of has has an equal responsibility. To make this the time to act in ways as if the whole depended on each one of our acts of integrity, however that looks. To not go back to sleep. To find a way to feel so safe in themselves that we can step out and make it safe for the huge force of fierce wisdom and power that are the children coming into the world right now trying to figure out where to fit. - Joanne B

Pls. put in my good intentions for grounded, rooted, safe, healing transition and evolution to next level peacemaking an donsciousness on this planet, in this county, with the Earth, and with each other, and that i fully trust Obama to lead us to that next level, while each of us continue to stop up and do our part.
L'chayam! - Deb R

Please take one minute of stillness during his speech or speeches leading up, and invite God to bring a state of ease and stillness and emptiness to Barak, so that he can be filled with self-love and right action. - Rick S

I believe that nature and culture are dynamically balancing influences in our individual and collective evolution. If we allow space for only one of the two, development is compromised. So, in the middle of this incredibly huge and stirring event generated by human culture, I want to ask that you pause to tune into what the earth wants in this ceremony. What do the more than human beings of that place and land have to say about this event? The trees? the soil? The mighty, burdened Potomac River? What input do the sky, crows or ants have to contribute about this time of crisis and opportunity? - Dave T

Bring the spirit of the White Owl with you Roni. The presence of our capacity as a nation and world to vision through the dark together and alone, traversing the massive changes that are needed with confident wings carried on the breath of the supreme intelligent love that weaves us together. Bring this spirit also so that there is an ancestral presence. An aboriginal piece of the puzzle, so that all beings may remember to find balance and health by looking to nature and their soul for answers to their questions and so that all of the intelligence of nature and the animal
kingdom feels a kinship in alignment with Obama's spirit and actions. - Lindsey V