Rainy Occupation

Wednesday was dreary and gray, and it rained steadily all day long -- one of those rains that never quite qualifies as a downpour but is unquestionably not a sprinkle or a drizzle.  We get days like those from time to time here in DC (most often during hurricane season) and I love them.

For one thing, rainy days are an excuse to wear my SWIMS (a.k.a. Norwegian mini-galoshes).  I got them a couple of years ago when I upgraded my shoe collection as counseled by my Gentleman's sartorial guide.  Turns out, handmade leather shoes last longer when they don't get soaking wet.

As you can see, I went for the classic, understated look.  I worried at the time that I might feel a tad self-conscious about being the only guy on the subway wearing, say, bright orange galoshes (let alone galoshes in the first place).  But now I think some color might have been fun, especially since I learned that one of the better-dressed partners at the firm just ordered purple ones...

I may have been the only person in galoshes (well, male person -- women wear all sorts of cool rain boots), but I certainly wasn't the only person out in the rain.  The "Occupy DC" protesters decided to leave their tent city for a disruptive march through downtown.  When they got to my block, I was cozily working away in my office -- but I had a good view as they passed by:



Given that my firm is in the heart of downtown (the Occupiers' tent city is on the plaza right in front of our building), we were in the thick of it.  Although I'm sure that my negative net worth places me squarely among the 99%, I'm equally sure that many of the Occupiers would view most of the law firm partners as belonging to the hated 1% -- and there's no doubt that we represent the big corporations and Wall Street banks that are so detested by the Occupiers.  The firm apparently came to the same conclusion:  it locked all the outside doors (key fob access only) and stationed extra security guards at all the entry points.