...You've got to cry without weeping,
Talk without speaking,
Scream without raising your voice,
you know I took the poison, from the poison stream
and floated out of here...

U2 never cease to amaze me. Just when I think that I have seen and heard all there is to see and hear from them, they come up with something new (and just as intriguing). On Saturday, one of my dreams came true for the second time--I saw them live. Of course, I once again was extremely jealous of all the people in the rows in front of the stage and was almost disappointed when I saw that a large majority of those people didn't even seem that excited to be where they were (what a waste of next-to-stage space, I thought)... but I digress. Whenever I'm at a concert, I always wonder how people who can stand united by an artist (or even just by one song) can stand so far apart otherwise. Of course, at concerts all talk of ridding the world of poverty, AIDS, war, and suffering are applauded and cheered loudly. But then the concert ends, the lights come on, and reality hits. And people forget what they had been cheering about just moments earlier. So, is that hypocrisy or weakness? Why do most of us do nothing if we feel so strongly about these issues? I don't take myself out of the crowds of people I am describing, but I have pondered this many times.

Here is something I came across recently that I think is worth taking a glance at: http://www.one.org/
The ONE Campaign to fight AIDS and poverty. Doesn't require much, but support can go a long way. Check it out, if you want to move out of the habit of just forgetting your promises when the lights come on.

City (Duck) Slickers

Some people tell the arrival of spring by the blossoming flowers or the leafing trees, the lilacs, the warmer days, or the increasing excitement when you are out on the street. Having worked in the same office building almost consistently throughout the last 3.5 years, I tell the arrival of spring by the arrival of the ducks. Yes, ducks. This may not be the picture you have in your mind of Washington, D.C., but sure enough there are ducks in downtown D.C. And the great (and almost inspiring) thing is that they come back to the same fountain across the street from my office building year after year. “So what?” you may think. The funny thing is that as I walk to work every day, while people are busy running to Starbucks or trying to cut their waiting time to cross the street by 5 seconds (yes, time is money), I always check to see how my little community of ducks is doing. And sure enough, it brightens up my day. Towards the end or March/beginning of April, a pair of ducks (one male, one female) usually arrives. They make the fountain their home and are literally inseparable. Whenever you see the male, you are sure to see the female not very far away from that spot. Sometimes, they even waddle along on the sidewalk as if they are in their own little world, oblivious to the business executives rushing past them. Well, now it’s May. In recent days, I walk by the fountain and I keep seeing five male ducks (there is no sign of females). My guess is that the females are secluded somewhere, busy with laying and hatching eggs. So the males, given the fact that their female companions have temporarily deserted them, have to amuse themselves in groups. It’s pretty interesting to observe (for me, anyway). And it is gratifying to see that there is life other than that of corporate employees in downtown D.C. It almost makes me question what I’m doing locked up in a cubicle across the street…..