Lessons Learned and Why the Capitol Police are not my friends

I spent part of the last week in DC. Besides on contracting the worst cold I think I have ever had (I think my fever is finally gone) I learned several things that I think are worth sharing.  

Things I learned...

1. People in DC do not like to use debit cards. It seems like every place we went was "Cash only" what is this? I never carry cash, this was exceptionally annoying, between the Metro and the food, I think this was the most cash I have carried in my whole life. 

2. Capitol Police do not care about people. My camera was smashed by the Capitol police, needless to say I am a bit ticked, well no ticked doesn't even begin to describe what I am. Every time you enter a federal building in DC someone rummages through your bags, I understand why they do it, but I think they should be a bit more respectful and careful, they throw things around, drop them, and continue their idiotic conversations while humiliating patrons. One of the times my stuff was being thrown around my camera met its sad death- this was a new camera.... stupid security guards. 

3. Legislative Assistants are too pompous for their own good. We met with quite a few legislative assistants in DC, one thing I learned is these people take themselves WAY too seriously. I would guess the average age was around 25, that happens to be the average of people I with, but yet these LAs were too busy to talk to us, I guess being the lowest man on the totem pole gives you a complex, oh well while they are fetching coffee for someone they couldnt care less about I get to run my own life. On an exciting note, how would you like to start all of your sentences with, "The Congressman feels..."  or "In the Senator's opinion"? How would you take yourself seriously?

4. 20 degrees in DC is significantly colder than 20 degrees in Utah, one day out on the mall will make a believer out of you, I have never been so cold in my life. 

5. Chinese food in China town really is better- we found an amazing chinese restaurant, $6.95 for dinner in china town, granted you have to walk down and the idea of eating there initially seems sketchy, but beyond that it was amazing (Jared you would LOVE it), when you go to DC you need to try it. 

6. Maps arent always correct. Let me explain this one a little bit. We stayed a hotel that was theoretically located on 7th and E streets (that's what the map said). We walked around for about an hour in the dark (freezing), we crossed over the freeway, went under a bridge, ended up in a nice neighborhood, meandered through a construction site, and still didnt find the hotel. It was only after we called someone (why didnt we do this earlier) that we found out the map was wrong, yes wrong, the hotel wasnt located on either of those streets. 

7. Jason Chaffetz really does have a cot in his office- I am not sure he sleeps on it every night but I did see it (so I guess he didnt lie), I also saw his stash of Chewy Granola Bars and the drawer where he keeps his "undies" (yes he did say undies). 

8. Union Station is overrated and overpriced- dont eat here, go somewhere better, plus they take the chairs away at 7pm regardless of whether or not you are sitting on them

9. Orrin Hatch is about a thousand- really he looks like he is dead, it is kinda frightening

10. If you are an irresponsible undergraduate the group will leave you behind in the airport and feel good about it. Yes we did this to a few kids, if you check your bags when instructed not to you deserve it, and if you wander off and everyone else is waiting in the freezing weather their patience is limited to say the least. So we (MPH students) ended up hopping on the metro without the undergrads, it was worth it. We figured they were over 18, not our children, had money and cellphones, and were not our responsibility, it was a great philosophy. The funny thing was that the cohort counted every time we went somewhere to make sure that we had all the grad students... maybe we should have learned the undergrads names... or not. 

11. In order to avoid long lines at the Library of Congress and National Archives visit early in the morning in February, you can just walk right up (FYI National Treasure was filmed in the Library of Congress after hours, not sure about the National Archives)