Went down to the Library of Congress Bookfest this past weekend - a lot of fun but it needs to be more than one day. The kids really enjoyed it for all the reasons that are usually annoying to me: namely, that they got to run around the states pavillion and get free stuff. There were a lot of good give-aways, but you had to be there early. My kids both got back-packs from the Hooked-on-Phonics people. My favorite give-away were the seat cushions by Target - they'll come in handy during soccer games.
What's that? What about the festival itself? Well, it was fun. We got to meet Doreen Cronin, who wrote "Click, Clack, Moo" (among other very good children books). She was incredibly sweet. She had just finished her talk and was signing some stuff at the Children's Pavillion while her handler was trying to steer her over to the official book signing area. By the time we got to here, the handler had gotten quite insistent that she had to leave. We understood. My husband took a quick picture, and we started heading over to the official signing line. She stopped our kids and asked if they would mind having their picture taken with her. Very, very sweet. Particularly since when we did go to the signing line, we waiting for an hour and were then told she had to leave. They really needed to organize the signing area better. Maybe borrow some of those Disneyland signs that say the wait will be X hours from this point. The kicker was that after they shooed us away, she ended up staying for another hour, so we could have gotten her to sign the book. Oh well, it made the earlier picture with the kids that much more special. After that, we didn't bother with the signing lines and just wandered around. Got to hear Laura Numeroff (If You Give a blank a blank series of books). Got to see Neil Gaiman and picked up his new book. All in all, a pretty nice day.
Oh, you probably heard it was also protest day in DC. A couple of comments on that one: first of all, where were all these people BEFORE the war? Hindsight is 20-20, huh? Secondly, why did they have to pick the same day as the book festival to protest? The book thing had been planned for over a year. No big deal, but still .... it resulted in Lynn Cheney and Kay Bailey Hutchinson cancelling (I personally didn't care, but I'm sure some people were disappointed). And finally, I'm sorry, but they just seemed like a bunch of people who were thrilled to get more use out of signs they made in the 60's. There was no originality, just seemed like a bunch of group-think. Bush is responsible for everything from Iraq to Katrina to genital herpes. Um, no. Look, I'm no fan of the man - I didn't vote for the Bushes four times and wouldn't vote for them today. But the amount of hatred made these "protesters" seem as bad as the people they were protesting against. Whatever happened to respectfully disagreeing?
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5 comments:
Wow, that bookfest sounds awesome! I wish I could have gone WITH you guys! Neat about the picture... though, bummer that you waited so long and still didn't get the signature. Oh well...
As for the protest... I have to say that's one thing I'm thrilled about in the move: right now the LA Federal Building is two blocks north of my house and every time someone wants to protest - in a big or small way - they clog up our streets and mess up the traffic. At least in the new place, I'm hoping I will be a little less affected by the displays! (Though, I just realized I put a whole paragraph in your comments about something that doesn't really relate to your weekend activities... sorry!)
*snerk* Aw, it kinda does. As a college protester type, the other thing that bugged me was the complete and total lack of imagination - I swear the signs had some of the same slogans used 20 years ago (just change the name of the president). And they didn't take pride in their work, why in my day, we'd use stencils to make sure the letters were clear ...
LOL!!! Okay... you're too funny!!! =P~
They pick Bookfest to protest on purpose; they know tons of people will be at the mall....they WANT the audience.
I go to this event annually and there is a protest every year (sometimes more than one). There's been a war protest for the last few years. One person was riding a bicycle saying he couldn't speak because of mouth cancer and having a tongue removed and protested with his dog/bike/signs. Housing, taxes... all these things I've seen.
I came upon your blog trying to find a poster. I missed it last year accidentally (made hotel arrangements and everything) and had a family emergency (father dying and mother in law with brain tumor). I usually get the poster (signed too but I'd be happy with the poster at this point).... I am missing two years now. The first year and this past year. If you have one and would sell it, let me know. I'd be interested!
PS I love this event. I'll be there this year. Say hi if you go!
PS if you are interested in huge, free and fun events, there is the "American Music Fest" in Virginia Beach every summer. Usually it starts in Aug (last day) through labor day about. It's got free bands including national bands. I've gotten to see so many bands here. They will charge for the largest names (just to help pay some of the costs of running the event) but the fees are inexpensive. All the bands are free otherwise.
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