Presunto Culpable

Gente,

I saw this great documentary movie yesterday and met the filmmakers. It's about the disaster that is Mexico's criminal justice sector. It's shocking. Please, please visit their website. See the movie. Inform yourself. Tell others. Do what you can.

http://www.presumedguiltythemovie.com/

Two young Mexican attorneys attempt to exonerate a wrongly convicted man by making a documentary. In the process, they expose the contradictions of a judicial system that presumes suspects guilty until proven innocent.

Back at it

Oops, I didn't update for quite awhile. I'm back, though! There's almost too much to say, it's overwhelming. I suppose this is why I left it for so long.

Yesterday I saw a bunch of Orthodox Jews walking by the White house. They were wearing tall black hats, full-length black coats and suits underneath. It was 101 degrees. They weren't walking on the sidewalk, but in the street. I wondered if that was because women were walking on the sidewalk. Then, they were stopped at the crosswalk because cars in the other direction had a green light. One way was clear, so the Jews started walking across the street in a huge pack. But, then a massive truck came rumbling down the street. The Jews hesitated. Some took a step forward, others a step back. Most froze right there in the middle of a four lane street with oncoming traffic. It was like sheep, or a pack of freshmen girls going to a college frat party. Then a car came from the other direction. More confusion. One Jew reached the other side but the rest spread out in a line clear across the street. I thought for sure I was going to witness a Jewish Abby road album cover gone-wrong version.

I can tell the days are getting shorter, although perhaps it's the ridiculous humidity in the morning that diffuses the light differently. I'm not sad that summer is ending because I love fall. I am a tad bit sad to think that my life here in D.C. is ending. I love what I'm doing, have friends here, like having my weekends and evenings (mostly) free. I like being able to hop on a bus up to NYC to visit my brother. I love Trader Joe's and how curly my hair is on the east coast. I love walking to work and catching up with college friends. I like visiting my grandma every weekend.

(The Cuteness. Grandma, not me.)

I had lunch with my boss today. Just the two of us. He wouldn't let me pay, even though I invited him. The internship business is a whole other post, but I am really enjoying my internship and feel so lucky to be having this opportunity.

I've been reading various magazines at the gym. Harper's. The Atlantic. The New Yorker. I really like Harper's. What do other people think? Do you read magazines? Post a comment and tell me which ones you read and like!

What's going on

Must sleep, but didn't want to leave the bloggie!

Here are some highlights from the weekend:

• bike 50 miles (round trip) to a u-pick blueberry farm (got 1 quart + whatever I ate while picking).
• saw the awesome Quaker private high school that my friend teaches at
• saw Golem at the Jewish Music Festival
• hung out with Grandma
  
• got some pretty flowers from the farmer's market
• hung out with college friends who made delicious dinner

I've also been listening to this one song by Sabina a lot. I can't find a great recording online, but the version I have is somehow more acoustic, harrowing, desperate and beautiful. It makes me want to learn how to sing. Maybe I'll practice it in the shower. Here's an okay version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPJlBxkWuj4&feature=related

Recap

Wednesday:

Had a good workout at the gym.
Got internet fixed.
Wrapping up a few projects at work.
Made delicious dinner with brown rice, goat cheese, cumin and pinto beans.
Walked to Trader Joe's - hurrah! Love that place. So many tempting treats!

Of note --

I saw someone (long beard, unshowered) shoplifting from Trader Joe's. He was taking one thing at a time and collecting it all in a pile outside near his backpack. After he unloaded whatever it was he took by stuffing into his shirt, he would go back into the store for something else. I decided if I noticed, the Trader Joe's people probably did, too. And, if they didn't notice, I was banking on the fact that he probably needed that food more than Trader Joe's needed it. I felt badly that he had to do that, though.

I was writing in English about a Mexican guy who had his B.A., M.A. and Doctorate in "Ciencias Penales" meaning, legal punishment system like criminal penalties. Unfortunately for me, that doesn't translate so well to say he was an expert in penal sciences. Penal, as in...you get what I'm saying.

I took a long way home walking from work yesterday. I was hoping to get a snack from a Chinese bakery in Chinatown, but I couldn't find any bakeries! Advice?

Just the gym, please

I think one reason I don't like the gym is because people are always watching you and they judge you. It's true. I'm just doing my thing, trying to do my best to get back in shape. I don't need you checking out what resistance or what incline I'm at. The comments I hate the most are about sweating. Like today, I'm leaving the gym and the woman at the desk says, "Woa, woo-wee, good workout huh?" What's that supposed to mean!? Yes. I sweat. I probably smell, too. It's like 80 degrees outside and then I go inside, with no fans, lots of other people working out in a small, windowless place and- gosh darn it - I worked out hard. So, yes, it was a good workout. And I was all sweaty. And smelly. Sheesh. I'll just take the gym, hold the judgment on the side, please.