Important

This is for anyone who didn't get my email...

My sense of important is very relative.

Johnny Damon is a only a few thousand votes away from making it to the All Star game. He has been tearing it up this year and I would love to see two Red Sox uniforms in the outfield. All you have to do is go to mlb.com and on the first page you can hit the "Click to Vote" button. You can vote up to 25 times, and if you are nutty like me you will vote 25 times. But, I would be happy with just one vote from you.

Just so you know his current competition is Ichiro. I didn't see Ichiro hit a grand slam in game 7 against the Yankees last year, did you? So go vote. Now.

And then encourage all you red sox fan friends to do the same.

And if your friends aren't red sox fans you should ditch them.

Word.

I've Got The Golden Ticket

Since this is DC, and everybody knows somebody who knows somebody, Dave and I got a tour of the West Wing last week. This is the something that I have wanted to do for a while, but it kept getting pushed back, and back. Well finally, Me standing outside the Oval Office saying "yep, looks just like TV show."


The entire west wing is pretty small, and a lot more cramped than you would imagine. There are huge pictures of the President everywhere and I was told that they are updated weekly, highlighting all of his various activities. Most of the major rooms were roped off, but I got to stick my head in and look around. You can't take pictures inside the building, but I was able to take some in the Rose Garden and the Press Briefing room. Since I refuse to get a digital camera (mainly because the type I would want would be ultra expensive, and my current Nikon has become like a child to me) the pictures are not ready yet. So stay tuned for that. My instict tells me that I took some good ones, and even some that might make you laugh.



I was afraid of feeling like a stranger in a strange land, but the tour was not at all political even though I was with five Republicans. I learned a few interesting things while I was there: The Presidents current personal aide got the job because he dated Jenna in high school. The President's dog gained 15 pounds in his first year in office because staffers kept giving him candy. The Situation room is located across the hall from the west wing dining room. Lastly, when Dave was a kid he spilled jelly bellys all over the floor of the Oval Office.


After we had dinner in town, we walked by the White House later that night when it was all lit up. Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House has been closed off to cars for security reasons and is now a pedestrian walkway. So, as we are strolling by looking at all the tourists looking at the White House, I notice a mother taking a photo of her family by the fence. Being the kind, considerate person that I am, and knowing what it is like to want a picture of yourself in front of an important landmark, I ask the woman very nicely if she would like me to take a picture of the whole group for her. Well, little did I know that the woman was possessed by a dragon of death. She turned her head and snapped at me like I was trying to steal her wallet. "NO THANK YOU!!" was what she spewed at me between flames. Apparently I am a threat to all tourists in my seersucker suit. That midwestern tourist bitch should be so lucky to have me take her picture. OK, I feel better now.

Word.

Happy Birthday DeLuca!!!

I've decided that nothing quite says Happy Birthday like posting funny pictures of you on the internet.



Video camera? Check
Audioguide? Check
Headphones? Check
Making sure I look like Steve Bartman. Accomplished.



Where do I even begin?
This photo is by far one of my favorites. My grumpy, non-morning person boyfriend sharing a pot of coffee, in a hotel room, with my super-cheery, morning person gay boyfriend.
You always look so dashing David.



I'm gonna let the sign say it all.


Now go enjoy the new X-Box I gave you and forget that I did this.

Happy Birthday Dave!

Highway 61 Revisited, Again

Klansman Edgar Ray Killen was found guilty of manslaughter today in the 41 year old murders of civil rights workers Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney. Should we be happy that he is finally accountable these murders? Or, should we be ashamed that it took over forty years? One of my favorite professors recounted for us what is was like searching for their bodies. They could only look at night because they were so afraid that they too would be killed. They ventured out in groups and searched rivers, and farms, staying off the main roads. During the day they would hide in barns, or in the woods. Their disappearance eventually sparked enormous national attention, undoubted because two if them were white. This trial just keeps reminding me of where we are today. Where are we today? In my eyes we are ignoring our racial conflicts. We walk away from problems, pretending they aren't there, or we throw our hands up and say that they will never be resolved. We are apathetic. I used to think that I would be one of the young people signing up for the Mississippi Summer Project had it been in my time. But would I? Would I be afraid to be accountable for what I believe in? What I am doing today? In the city and state that I love the most, a youth football league is dissolving because white kids in the suburbs, and black kids in the city, and all of their parents, don't want to play each other. Instead of using their situation to create a dialogue about their differences, and teaching their kids that racism of any kind is not acceptable, parents are taking the easy way out and just leaving the league. What would I do if they were my kids? Would I be the one to stop and say that this is not right?

So, Edgar Ray Killen, an eighty year old man is in jail. He should be. He should have been for a long time. But where are we?

29 days

We have received a reprieve from the swamp death, so this weekend was unbelievably beautiful. We took complete advantage of the weather and did a little hiking on Friday. We drove out to Great Falls, where we have been numerous times. This visit however, we ventured over to the Maryland side of the river. We hiked a path called the Billy Goat trail that kicked major ass. At one point we basically climbed a steep rock face. Awesome. From most of the path the views of the river were great.
I realized that the last time I went hiking was in the Cinque Terra, where the views were ridiculous, so the view of the Potomac was decent. However, the number of stinky, sweaty Europeans was nonexistent. Bonus points for that. The experience did make me want to get back on the road and travel again.

Our Trip is far enough in the past now that we can talk about heading out again. I keep remembering different parts of the journey and realize all the time how lucky I am. Every time I see pictures from cities we were in, or start reading a novel, or history book that took place in a country we visited, I am immediately happy. My life is great. I write that not to be obnoxious, but to acknowledge how lucky I am to be able to do things in life that I really want to. So, South America anyone?

Yesterday I spent the day lazily reading in the park. I am reading The Order of the Phoenix again (a la Ann) to get ready for the new Harry Potter. I am at the point where I know I could sit down and finish it, but I don't want it to end. So, I am breaking it up with some books that are a little bit heavier, and a little blogging.

Keep your fingers crossed for me because hopefully there is something happening this week that I have wanted to do for a long time. I don't want to say what it is because like the true Red Sox fan that I am, I fear that I will jinx it. I will tell you that it has nothing to do with the Red Sox, nor is it that big a deal. So, after Tuesday I will know for sure. Cryptic enough? I hope so.

Lastly, I love the photos of Dad wearing the World Series Ring. I love that his fingers are so big he had to put it on his pinky. Thanks Billy.

I'm Bad

Michael Jackson sex offender jokes are not funny. They are not funny. Anyone who would find humor in that is just sick. Sick I tell you!

That is why you shouldn't try this out.

Wicked Smahht

One of my friends mentioned to me that the rankings for Smartest State came out and Massachusetts is again at the top of the list. Now, having lived in five different states this is something I could have told you without any ranking system. The results are based on 21 different criteria, ranging from 4th and 8th grade reading scores, to the percentage of teachers who have been attacked in the last year. Our(meaning Mass)score is 18.43, while Virginia is 5.91, and nearby Maryland is only 2.29.

Now, I think there were some things that they left off the list. For example, driving skill was not on there. Neither was the ability to find different streets without the assistance of street signs- an art that is often overlooked. They also did not mention that our kids can read better while not using an entire letter in the alphabet!! We should get bonus points for that.

To prove that these rankings are true just look at the fact that not one NASCAR event is held in our beloved state. Proof enough. Ohh, and we let two people who love each other share equal rights with every other couple in the world.

It is obnoxiousness like this that makes the rest of the country hate us. Let them, they can barely read. :)

Happy Flag Day Everyone

Slugger

.

This is the slug that I just found outside of our apartment. What are you doing outside of your apartment at midnight you ask? Well, like the intelligent humans that we are, Dave and I just locked ourselves out of our apartment AGAIN! -the second time this month. The last time was right before the midnight showing of Episode 3 and we almost missed it. I don't know how we both manage to walk out the door without our keys and lock the door behind us. It would at least be reasonable if it was an automatic locking door, but no. I am probably more to blame because I do have a history of locking myself out of things. Twice at Dave's old apartment I was the guilty party and three times I've had to call AAA to unlock my car. But one of those times the car wasn't running! Luckily, Dave can climb walls and crawl into windows. I can take great photos of slugs while he does that. I am always very helpful.

Swamp Death

It is bloody hot here in DC. The kind of hot where you just want to roll up and die.

We went into the city yesterday to go to the National Geographic museum which was a huge disappointment. They took down their permanent exhibit, the one we wanted to see, so it was a big let down. The worst part was how wretchedly humid it was walking around the city. It was much cooler for the Nationals game last night, thank God.

The Nats are in first place right now in the NL east. I know that it is VERY early in the season to be worried about who is in first place (case in point the Baltimore Orioles), but it is very fun to go to games. The last two Friday nights they came from behind to win and most of the crowd is surprisingly into it. I am in the process of writing a manual for how people should behave at baseball games. Some highlights include: not getting up from your seat in the middle of an inning, not doing the wave when the home team is down 2 runs, how women should leave their purses at home no matter how cute they think they are, etc. I also want to talk to the damn scoreboard people who just started doing the whole "Make some Noise" bullshit. They do that at Camden Yards and it pisses me off. If you need to tell someone when to cheer they should just go home. I won't even go into my feelings about the redneck song Cotton eyed Joe.... I was called a baseball snob last night and I think that assessment is pretty accurate. I grew up watching the greatest team in baseball play at the greatest ballpark in baseball. Yes, I am a baseball snob.

Speakin go the best team in baseball, The World Champion Boston Red Sox need to get their act together. Loosing two games in a row to the Cubs is not OK. I thought we(pronoun choice purely for Jenn) were going to take it back in the ninth. The sox slump is killing my fantasy team as well. We really need a new pitcher because I don't think Schilling is coming back this season. Even if he does we can't expect him to be very productive.

I am going back to drinking large quantities of iced beverages and laying in front of the air conditioner. DC Swamp death ain't no fun.

Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams

My older brother is into rock climbing.

Alone, that statement seems like a pretty weak way to start off a blog, but combined with the knowledge that 2 weeks ago I did not know that about him, it makes a little more sense. I do not live near my family, and more and more everyday it gets to me. Not only do miss big events like birthday parties and showers, but I miss the little things too. I miss laughing with my sisters, or getting drunk with my brothers. I miss just driving to my family's beach, picking up some subs on the way and relaxing. I miss it all, including the arguments. I have a realistic view of things, life is in no way perfect and I will take the good with the bad. But damn, I miss my family.

So, here, online I am creating a new way to stay in touch with my peeps. While I was traveling last year I would send home long emails detailing everything I experienced. It was a fun way to chronicle my adventures. The best part though were the replies that I would get from my friends and family. My oldest sister told me later that she knew more about my life in Europe than she did about my life in DC. Which, when I think about it, means she knows basically nothing about my life here. This is completely self inflicted, I am not the best about sharing my comings and goings with my family, but it makes me sad. I want my family, and far away friends, to know my life because I sure as hell want to know theirs! So, this is the beginning of what I hope will be a strong dialogue. At least this way people can read my ranting by choice and not have them clogging up their inbox.

Welcome! Feel free to contribute, and let me know what adventures besides rock climbing you are getting yourselves into.

Word.