"No more grey today, we gonna celebrate"

Breaking news: some young intern flips his bike while riding home from the metro station. Several bruises and scrapes have surfaced as a result of the incident, with a small Harry Potter-esque laceration across the forehead. The biggest casualty of the day: pride suffered a tumble from its seemingly indomitable position. The question has been asked, "was the pant leg rolled up or left dangling at normal position?" This author refuses to answer in risk of further embarrassment.

Yes, I managed to somehow flip my bike on a seemingly flat piece of pavement, flying well over my handlebars and landing mostly on my chest. Fortunately, my bag flung up and provided a cushion between my head and the ground. My life did not flash before my eyes but I do remember thinking, "I really hope nobody is watching." My wish was granted: no one was watching (I think).

Aside from embarrassing myself yet again, I have been having a great experience in DC. Currently for work, I am analyzing the State Department's recently published Trafficking in Persons report. All I can say is that I know what you did in Burkina Faso so watch out.

My roommate, See-yin, moved in on Thursday night. While I definitely have enjoyed the solitude, it should be nice to have another friend around.

I wore green yesterday. No, I am not lowering myself into announcing my wardrobe every day, but yesterday it had particular significance. While the official reports from Iran say that only maybe a dozen or so persons have died in Iran in the past week, it is not hard to look through that veil and see the hundreds of people who have gone missing all because they have chosen to express their opinion. Ahmadenijad and Khamenei have torn a rift through Iran by their indifference to the needs of their people. Therefore, I wore green yesterday.

Green, being the color of the supporters of Mousavi, has in ways, now become the color for freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of choice- simply put, freedom- in Iran. The past week I have spent glued to my computer watching what will unfold next for a country that has shown that it is ready for that freedom. Perhaps what is most remarkable is that Mousavi is not even considered a reformist candidate. Mousavi is what we would consider a "moderate". But while he does not represent perhaps an overhall of the system, he does represent the peoples' ability to choose. And now, when their choice has been so blatantly taken away from them, many in Iran have decided that it is time for a change.

I was disappointed that I saw hardly anyone in DC answer Mousavi's call to wear green on Friday, but perhaps that will change when more people become more aware of the deaths that are occuring in Iran. Hopefully, someday, we too can learn to appreciate the freedoms for which long ago we have fought. Iranians, after all, are not like Americans- they have not sat by quietly and watched an election be robbed from them (*2000 cough cough).

I have said my peice. Allahu Akbar.

Song of the Day: I love the Rain Most, Joe Purdy