Sunday, July 18, 2010
Hotel Room Windows
I've had the most awesome weekend, and I will in fact blog about that shortly. My hotel room here is really nice, there's been a few little issues with some of the hotel stuff, but I love the fact that I have a room with two big windows. One of the things I do love about this area is all of the trees, and the hotel windows make me grateful that I can enjoy said trees while sitting in air conditioned comfort!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Dissappearing Blog Post
I had a long rambling blog post on here for a few hours about an annoyance I had here, but I decided to take it off. I just decided I didn't want to be that negative, especially in print for all the world to see, so if you saw it before it was gone, just know I was having a professionally oriented grouchy moment, and I'll be happy to tell the story in person if you're curious.
On better topics, I received some money for my birthday from my nice family and couldn't think of anything truly worthy to spend it on at the time, so I had the idea of saving it for my trip here. It's been truly a gift to have some guilt free splurging money, so thank you Mom, John, Grandma and Tricia!!!
So far it's purchased some souvenirs and in what is apparently the result of too much healthy meal eating and walking I've been experimenting in high end desserts. The results are the following:
What makes a cupcake worth $3.00??? The answer....nothing. There's a trendy little cake place near my hotel so I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I'm not a cake person so maybe it's unfair, but I now know that nothing can make a cupcake worth $3.00 to me. (Though in frugality terms it was ok, because it was preceeded with the genius idea of buying my new reading material off of the book sale rack at the local public library. Two books for a dollar, yippee!!)
So if a $3.00 cupcake wasn't worth it, how could a six dollar dessert be worth it? Oh, baby. As an "after work snack" today I had a giant chocolate strawberry crepe from a stand in the Pentagon City Mall. YUM!!! That's the kind of thing that's worth the calories! (And once again for guilt minimization I came back to the hotel and had grilled chicken and tomatoes for dinner from my refrigerator stash).
On better topics, I received some money for my birthday from my nice family and couldn't think of anything truly worthy to spend it on at the time, so I had the idea of saving it for my trip here. It's been truly a gift to have some guilt free splurging money, so thank you Mom, John, Grandma and Tricia!!!
So far it's purchased some souvenirs and in what is apparently the result of too much healthy meal eating and walking I've been experimenting in high end desserts. The results are the following:
What makes a cupcake worth $3.00??? The answer....nothing. There's a trendy little cake place near my hotel so I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I'm not a cake person so maybe it's unfair, but I now know that nothing can make a cupcake worth $3.00 to me. (Though in frugality terms it was ok, because it was preceeded with the genius idea of buying my new reading material off of the book sale rack at the local public library. Two books for a dollar, yippee!!)
So if a $3.00 cupcake wasn't worth it, how could a six dollar dessert be worth it? Oh, baby. As an "after work snack" today I had a giant chocolate strawberry crepe from a stand in the Pentagon City Mall. YUM!!! That's the kind of thing that's worth the calories! (And once again for guilt minimization I came back to the hotel and had grilled chicken and tomatoes for dinner from my refrigerator stash).
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Weird in Washington Part II
I really need to write my intended, long blog post about my visit to the National Museum of American History. Then again I plan to go back so maybe that is my excuse for not writing it yet, plus it will involve posting pictures which I'm too lazy to do tonight.
An interesting and ironic thing about my last two days. I live in and around Salt Lake City and yet almost never have conversations about my religion with complete strangers. Yes, I talk about it all the time with friends and acquaintances (both members and non-members), but rarely do I have conversations with strangers. I mentioned the deal yesterday with the couple from Arizona. Today I ended up having two conversations, one with a nice fellow researcher at the archives who, in conversation about the legion of genealogists there today (more on that later) said, "Oh yeah there used to be a bunch of Mormons here scanning all the time." I have to mention that the word "Mormons" in this context was said in the same tone that one might use when saying "Martians", I subtly (I hope) managed to get out that I was Mormon. She seemed amused by this, and we talked a little bit about the megalithic Family History program before going back to our research.
Then I went to get dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel. Their menu was kind of huge so I asked the people at the counter if they had any recommendations, the lady asked me if I liked southern food. I said, "What do I know about southern food, I'm from Utah." She said, "Oh that's something my Mormon recruit son would say." It was a half snarky/half teasing comment so I responded with "Hmmm....so we got him then did we." She took half a beat and then said, "Is everyone in Utah Mormon? I'm Roman Catholic and they just sucked him in." I quickly assured her that I had a good friend from Utah who was raised as a Catholic (thank you Michaele!) and from there the conversation continued in a very fun and friendly manner. Weird.
Also on the weird front, when walking into the archives a woman who was sitting there said, "Hey, were you on a plane from Salt Lake a few days ago?" I said that I was, and she asked if I was here for the Genealogy conference. I said that I wasn't and the woman next to her said, "You know you look really familiar, do I know you?" Yep, she's apparently been to the County Archives to do research. Weird.
An interesting and ironic thing about my last two days. I live in and around Salt Lake City and yet almost never have conversations about my religion with complete strangers. Yes, I talk about it all the time with friends and acquaintances (both members and non-members), but rarely do I have conversations with strangers. I mentioned the deal yesterday with the couple from Arizona. Today I ended up having two conversations, one with a nice fellow researcher at the archives who, in conversation about the legion of genealogists there today (more on that later) said, "Oh yeah there used to be a bunch of Mormons here scanning all the time." I have to mention that the word "Mormons" in this context was said in the same tone that one might use when saying "Martians", I subtly (I hope) managed to get out that I was Mormon. She seemed amused by this, and we talked a little bit about the megalithic Family History program before going back to our research.
Then I went to get dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel. Their menu was kind of huge so I asked the people at the counter if they had any recommendations, the lady asked me if I liked southern food. I said, "What do I know about southern food, I'm from Utah." She said, "Oh that's something my Mormon recruit son would say." It was a half snarky/half teasing comment so I responded with "Hmmm....so we got him then did we." She took half a beat and then said, "Is everyone in Utah Mormon? I'm Roman Catholic and they just sucked him in." I quickly assured her that I had a good friend from Utah who was raised as a Catholic (thank you Michaele!) and from there the conversation continued in a very fun and friendly manner. Weird.
Also on the weird front, when walking into the archives a woman who was sitting there said, "Hey, were you on a plane from Salt Lake a few days ago?" I said that I was, and she asked if I was here for the Genealogy conference. I said that I wasn't and the woman next to her said, "You know you look really familiar, do I know you?" Yep, she's apparently been to the County Archives to do research. Weird.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Wierd and Wonderful in Washington
Growing up in Pocatello, I wanted nothing more than to get the heck out of there, so I find it both weird and wonderful that researching this . . .
led me to this....
Also, in the same "isn't the world small" vein - I helped a nice older LDS couple from Arizona (who were on the hotel shuttle this morning) navigate getting on the metro. When we were waiting for the shuttle and I said I lived in Utah the lady got very happy and said, "Are you LDS?" We couldn't quite believe it.
Oh and I felt triumphant when I was taken for a local on the metro by another local. Giggle.
led me to this....
Also, in the same "isn't the world small" vein - I helped a nice older LDS couple from Arizona (who were on the hotel shuttle this morning) navigate getting on the metro. When we were waiting for the shuttle and I said I lived in Utah the lady got very happy and said, "Are you LDS?" We couldn't quite believe it.
Oh and I felt triumphant when I was taken for a local on the metro by another local. Giggle.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wardrobe Improvements
It's about time they gave the woman some freaking clothes....http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/30/dc-comics-gives-wonder-woman-a-makeover/?iref=obinsite
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Middle Child Syndrome
I have middle child syndrome...ok, not in my family, but apparently when it comes to film franchises. We saw Eclipse yesterday, and while I enjoyed it* (see footnote below), I didn't like it as much as New Moon. This seems to be a pattern with me, Empire Strikes Back is my favorite Star Wars Movie and The Two Towers is my favorite Lord of the Rings Movie
I have specific reasons for why I like each of these movies that have nothing to do with their order in the franchise, and yet it seems to me that they all have something in common. I think characters tend to be at their best in middle child films, maybe because we don't have to introduce everyone from scratch and no one's worried about the conclusion just yet.
*My favorite two lines from Eclipse:
Edward about Jacob: "Doesn't he own a shirt?"
Jacob to Edward: "You have to face the fact that I'm hotter than you."
I have specific reasons for why I like each of these movies that have nothing to do with their order in the franchise, and yet it seems to me that they all have something in common. I think characters tend to be at their best in middle child films, maybe because we don't have to introduce everyone from scratch and no one's worried about the conclusion just yet.
*My favorite two lines from Eclipse:
Edward about Jacob: "Doesn't he own a shirt?"
Jacob to Edward: "You have to face the fact that I'm hotter than you."
Sunday, July 4, 2010
15 Things I Love About America
Fortune Magazine made a list of 100 great things about America. Largely silly, and some of which I could do without (kegs? really?) it inspired me to think about the things I love about this country http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/07/02/100-great-things-about-america-part-1/?hpt=C2. So here they are 15 things - some serious, some less so - that I adore about the country of my birth
1. That the Founding Fathers created a Constitution and Bill of Rights so astounding that while it may not have initally included everyone, almost everyone has wanted to be included.
2. That Political disagreements are settled by words and court cases and not with guns and genocide.
3. Our diversity, of people and cultures yes, but also of the landscape. To have a country that can lay claim to Yellowstone, Death Valley and the Everglades is a pretty miraculous thing.
4. Religous Freedom.
5. That a girl born in a lower middle class home, to parents who didn't graduate from college, can currently be working on a PhD.
6. The Smithsonian Museums - they are free, they are amazing, and next week I'll get to go again!
7. (Something the Fortune List got Right) Drinks with Ice.
8. Country Music. Bring on the George Strait and the Brad Paisley,
9. That I live in a country where tacos, gyros, pizza and chow mein come via drive through and delivery
10. McDonalds.
11. American writers from high brow to low: Mark Twain, Shannon Hale, Emily Dickinson, Stephenie Meyer, Willa Cather, Langston Hughes, Sherman Alexie, Elizabeth Peters....
12. Popcorn.
13. The Statue of Liberty.
14. Road Trips. Yes I know road trips are possible in other countries, but our country is huge, loves cars, and has wierd and interesting places to visit.
15. Independence Day. At least once every year I have tears of gratitude and joy, and I'm delighted to have a holiday that requires me to remember to be thankful for where I live.
1. That the Founding Fathers created a Constitution and Bill of Rights so astounding that while it may not have initally included everyone, almost everyone has wanted to be included.
2. That Political disagreements are settled by words and court cases and not with guns and genocide.
3. Our diversity, of people and cultures yes, but also of the landscape. To have a country that can lay claim to Yellowstone, Death Valley and the Everglades is a pretty miraculous thing.
4. Religous Freedom.
5. That a girl born in a lower middle class home, to parents who didn't graduate from college, can currently be working on a PhD.
6. The Smithsonian Museums - they are free, they are amazing, and next week I'll get to go again!
7. (Something the Fortune List got Right) Drinks with Ice.
8. Country Music. Bring on the George Strait and the Brad Paisley,
9. That I live in a country where tacos, gyros, pizza and chow mein come via drive through and delivery
10. McDonalds.
11. American writers from high brow to low: Mark Twain, Shannon Hale, Emily Dickinson, Stephenie Meyer, Willa Cather, Langston Hughes, Sherman Alexie, Elizabeth Peters....
12. Popcorn.
13. The Statue of Liberty.
14. Road Trips. Yes I know road trips are possible in other countries, but our country is huge, loves cars, and has wierd and interesting places to visit.
15. Independence Day. At least once every year I have tears of gratitude and joy, and I'm delighted to have a holiday that requires me to remember to be thankful for where I live.
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