My free "dinner" consisted of crudités, cheese cubes, crackers, Fresca, and ice cream. Yes, so I didn't find the best dinner.  Which is why I made oriental Ramen with kim chi and Asian greens for dinner, when I got home. It's the best that I can do, when I'm away from home and missing my parents' home-cooked meals and the Whasian culinary adventures that I have with my (caucasian) boyfriend at school. Nonetheless, I'm glad that Free-Food-a-Thon is over with.  I still have the support of the majority of the other interns, which is good.  And quite frankly, I'm relieved that no one got a black eye today.  So read on about my final venture and final reflections.

I tried looking for a really awesome event with free food that didn't involve simply sneaking/lying my way into an event that otherwise would've cost hundreds of dollars to register for, which David said was questionable.  Perhaps my search skills for teh internets aren't up to par, but nothing really came up.  And with my epiphany earlier this morning, I probably wouldn't have wanted to, anyway.

There was a networking reception for the DC nonprofit community at the Foundation Center, complete with door prizes and refreshments.  Perfect, I would be able to get free food and plug for Campus Progress and the Center for American Progress.  After a meeting with Pedro and Erica about the very exciting possibility of me creating a textbook campaign toolkit with the Student PIRGs, I made my way over to K St.

So, the event had started at 5.  My meeting with Erica and Pedro had started at 5:15.  It lasted for about 15 minutes and it took another 10 or so minutes to walk over to the Foundation Center.  Basically, by the time I got there, I had missed the bingo game for the door prizes, the supply of crudités was crudely low, there was no more ice for the drinks,  and there was too much leftover cheese.  How cheesy.

All that was really left when I got there.

I didn't mind--my prior engagements were too important.  I made the best of the situation, and talked about Campus Progress, our kickass National Conference, and the promising state of youth activism to at least five of the other attendees, over sliced cucumbers, broccoli, and cubes of Swiss cheese.  (Shout out to Maisie, the other young hip intern that I met, if you're reading this!)  The other cool part of this event?  They were giving away free books!  I was totally all over that like white on rice.

Afterwards, I headed over to the Baskin Robbins at GWU with my free "birthday" ice cream coupon, so that I am not completely discounted by the staff judges.  (My birthday is far from July.)

"Hi, could I redeem this birthday coupon here for free ice cream?"

"Do you have ID?"

"No, I left it at home..."

"Then how do I know that it's your birthday?"

"Well... the expiration date on the coupon says 7/23..."

"Yeah, but I won't know for sure that it's your birthday unless I see some ID."

"...so I can't can't free ice cream?"

*with a look of exasperation on her face* "Fine, I'll give you your free ice cream.  Last week there were several girls who also didn't have their ID's.  I don't understand why this happens all the time.  I'll let it go for today.  What flavor you want?"

*pause* "Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, please."

There.  I did that just for you, judges!  (And then I went for a run afterwards.)

And with this being my final Free-Food-a-Thon blog, let me just express some of my final thoughts:

-I don't like all this backstabbing!  Yesterday, there were plans of the three advocacy & outreach interns (Nick, Ashley, and me) overthrowing Aditi.  I didn't trust my fellow A&O interns enough to scheme.  Today, it was more like Nick trying to overthrow me.  Yesterday, Tommaso spoke of unity within the Advocacy team.  A couple hours later, Nick says that Tommaso has a favorite, and it's him. (Hmm, these widespread allegations about preferential treatment have some truth to them, then?)  And all of his comments to me related to Free-Food-a-Thon have been negative.

-Stop distorting my grassroots campaign with allegations of active enlisting and bullying!  Aditi wrote a comment on one of Nick's blogs saying, "The rest of the competitors don't have to enlist the intern cohort because they are confident with their free food flare.  Just a thought."  Excuse me, I never did anything to actively enlist anyone!  "Chenwei Tuesday," the campaign signs/memopad stickers, the support of the majority of the other interns, even the outside support of Tobin, were all by individual choice.  In one of those PhD-made personality tests that I took a couple months ago, my results said that I generally don't have to ask others for the support of others for my work, I generally automatically get it from others based on my actions and presence.  I think this stands very true here.  Plus, anything that my supporters definitely did not rise to the level of taunting that Nick and his cohort, James, directed towards me earlier today. 

-The CP staffers should be impressed with all the active execution of all the grassroots training the interns received while completing their tenure here.  Fer reals.

-And finally, even if I do lose, which I would expect, if this competition were based solely on food, I would be okay with that.  Because you know what would be a bigger prize than a free lunch?  Knowing that you can stand up for change, that you can win the support of the people, and that you have done your part in maintaining a healthy democracy.  I never cut my allegiance with the rest of the unfavorites.  And my supporters have done an amazing job of spreading unity and making their voices heard.  And that's what any great progressive is supposed to do. 

Like Aaron said, "This competition should be about more than the strict interpretation of free food, but who has the best character. Who is willing to stand by their own ethical beliefs and not sacrifice those in order to obtain some frivolous material goods. Is Chenwei actual change? Perhaps not, but it's integrity that counts."

Free-Food-a-Thon may be over and the winner will be announced tomorrow morning, but rest assured, you have not seen the last of "Miss Highway."

Rawr.

Shoutouts especially to: Laura, Terri, Artair, Aaron, Nicholle, Zach, and Paula.  For being total badasses.  Chuck Norris would be so proud.