A Long Overdue Update!

Wow, I just checked the blog and realized it has been nearly two weeks since my last entry! SO much has happened since then; too much, in fact, for me to write about in just one entry. In order to keep my thoughts organized, I will first list the things want to blog about and then start writing; whatever is left over after today's entry I will work on tomorrow!
1. AAA adventure
2. Office of Education Strategic Planning Retreat (09/22-25/09)
3. National Book Festival (Saturday, 09/26/09)
4. Congressional Process Orientation (Monday, 09/28/09)
5. Library of Congress (Tuesday, 09/29/09)
6. Heading to Orlando!
7. Upcoming events (work)
Here goes!
So, who knew that you have to start your car every few days and drive it around for awhile so you don't kill the battery? Not me, at least not until its untimely death! Long story (relatively) short: car was dead, and after ascertaining it was likely the battery, I called AAA (which I have had for several years and never used except for trip-planning, which frankly I wasn't doing much of while teaching). Half an hour later, guy shows up, jumps the battery, and tells me to drive for at least a half hour to recharge it. I follow his directions - at rush-hour on a Friday evening, it takes at least that long to get to anywhere I need to drive to (in this case, the grocery store) - get what I need, and get back into the car. And it is dead. Again. Did I mention I had just had it jumped less than an hour ago?
Call #2 to AAA. After telling them not to send their guy to my apartment - since I am now stranded in the parking lot of Staples - and waiting for them to show up, AAA guy #2 shows up. Thankfully, the person they dispatched this time comes in their "Mobile Repair Vehicle"; he checks the battery (and a bunch of other systems, to make sure it's just the battery) and tells me I need a new battery because this one is dead and will not hold a charge. Which I kind of suspected and was anticipating: I looked up AAA's mobile battery replacement earlier in the day to figure out what the damage might be to my wallet. He installs the battery, rechecks the systems, and tells me that I need to move the car at least once a week because even a car at rest loses power from the battery. So now, instead of just being happy that I can walk to work and very rarely have to use the car, I have to make a conscious effort to remind myself to go check on it. Go figure!

On to the retreat. On Tuesday, 09/22, the entire Office of Education (30 of us, from upper management to the newbies like me) travelled to Hampton, Virginia for our annual Strategic Planning Retreat. Suffice it to say, most of the professional development I have been to in the past was NOT at such an awesome location! Our hotel was right on Chesapeake Bay; thanks to government rate, we paid very little (comparatively) for rooms overlooking the water. The hotel was AMAZING - in addition to the "normal" hotel bathroom accoutrements, there was a little bag of goodies on the bed which included such treats as an eye mask, ear plugs, and lavender linen spray (FYI: lavender is an aromatherapeutic sleep aid). Too fun!
After a quick 1:30 conference call (from the lobby - we're still gearing up for Orlando), we were shuttled to Langley Research Center, one of the 10 NASA centers in the U.S. We were immediately scooted into a windowless (grrrr) conference room, where we commenced with our "strategic planning"/retreat activities until 5:30. Then it was off to a wonderful seafood restaurant on the intercoastal waterway for dinner and drinks (then back to the hotel for bed, as we stayed at the restaurant forever).
Day two. At Langley from 8:30 - 5:30. Interesting, but absolutely exhausting being cooped up in one place for that long! After lunch, I gave a presentation called "A Day in the Life of a Teacher", which was basically an hour-to-hour walk through a "normal" school day at LHS. Everyone was SO receptive to what I had to say; I entertained a number of questions before we were finally stopped by the guy running our retreat so we could move on to the next topic. It was such a cool experience to have the attention of such an amazing group of people, and very humbling to get a standing ovation at the end! Dinner was at another seafood restaurant (after an hour or so in the bar to celebrate 2 of our staffer's birthdays) - another LATE night!
Day three. More "retreating", plus a really cool tour of one of their HUGE wind tunnels. They do a lot of aeronautics/aerospace research there (hence Langley RESEARCH Center) - in the 14' wide, 22' tall, 50' long tunnel we were shown (we actually got to go into the tunnel), they were preparing to test a model of the rocket NASA is launching in late October. Dinner was at an AMAZING (seriously - it was the best food I have ever eaten, hands-down) little upscale restaurant near the hotel - thank the Lord for meal reimbursements! - then several of us had some drinks in my sponsor's room. Day four was a half-day, then we returned to DC (I had a conference call in the car on the way home; we were laughing about "Carla and Kristen's conference call from the car" - say THAT 10 times fast!)

Last Saturday - Mom's birthday - I went to the National Book Festival (sponsored by the Library of Congress) on the National Mall. A total of 130,000 people attended the event; it was wall-to-wall (or rather, huge tent to huge tent, as there are no "walls" on the Mall) visitors, authors, and BOOKS! I managed to make it through the line to get an autograph from one of my favorite authors (Nicholas Sparks; as usual, I was boo-hooing at the end!) then headed home to read. What a neat idea!

Yesterday, we (all the Fellows) had Congressional Process Orientation in Arlington. We learned about the history of education policy (fascinating... seriously) and how to communicate with members of Congress, then got our official Einstein Fellow letters to deliver to our state senators/representatives. Since we were all going to be on Capitol Hill today anyway, we decided to wait to deliver our letters (rather than running across town and then having to go back the next day anyway) and went out to lunch. It would have been a really awesome day (and still was, in the context of the fellowship itself) if I hadn't gotten rotten news from the prosecutor in the Little Rock case; needless to say, I am VERY glad I am here and not back in Arkansas, as I have some things I would LOVE to say to some of the people involved in the case,,,

Today was Library of Congress day (actually, one of two days, as we have such a large group of fellows this year that they had to split us into 2 groups). We took a brief (but AMAZING - I was rendered speechless, and y'all know how infrequently that happens!) tour of the Jefferson Building (the main part of the LoC) and then went through the tunnels to the Madison Building for orientation to using the Library. Frankly, that part got more than a little boring - I would rather have spent more time touring than sitting in a conference room. We ate lunch, got our library cards, then headed to the various senate and house office buildings to deliver our letters. Such a neat experience to walk around Capitol Hill all "suited up"; I really kind of felt (and looked) like I was supposed to be there!

Whew, got through 5 topics tonight! Will write about numbers 6 and 7 tomorrow - exciting times ahead!

R.I.P. 1st Lieutenant Tyler Parten

I was going to update my blog today (been a long time... flu) with all of the exciting adventures that come with working at NASA. However, while looking for an address online, I found out that one of my former students was killed in Afghanistan last Thursday. He was 24 years old and was laid to rest today in Marianna.

Not really feeling like updating the blog.

RIP, Tyler, and God bless your family and all who love you.

Meetings and Memos and Traffic - Oh My!!!

So, I'm getting a new badge tomorrow. Apparantly they've decided to reclassify me; I have to turn in the badge I got yesterday, go through ANOTHER identification check (which I couldn't do today because you have to have two government-issued forms of ID and I don't carry my passport with me); I'll stand on my hand if it means I'll get my work laptop soon!
Today was meetings most of the day, then reading to prepare for other meetings and projects I will be working on. After work, I decided to make a "quick" run for mice, which ended up being not-so-quick because President Obama is speaking at the Capital tonight and traffic was awful (and then I couldn't get down the street I normally take to get home because it was blocked off by the police, so I had to use the GPS, which took its time finding a satellite, so I got a little lost.
Have you seen the images from Hubble that NASA released today? They are STUNNING - I downloaded the picture you see above to use as the background on my laptop; it looks like a butterfly, but it's actually an exploding star! In other awesome NASA-related news, I may get to do something really cool on Friday for National Day of Remembrance; I'll write more about it when I find out if I am allowed to (confidential information?) or after I attend, whichever happens first!
This is the life!!!

I'm Official!

I got my ID badge today; yay for no more having to go through security check every morning!
Today was mostly meetings, but got off to a great start with a preview (for NASA people) of part of the new movie Imax and NASA are putting out next March. Cool beans!

I Will Definitely Not Starve In DC!

Wow. That's all I can say about today.
Nothing super-exciting in terms of visiting a museum or monument (or any other such DC adventure), but a really great day nonetheless. Anthonette and I both needed household stuff (badly), so we headed out with my trusty GPS. After a VERY circuitous ride - we figured out on the way back to DC there was a MUCH easier way we could've gotten where we wanted to go - we had a great time shopping (again, it was just household stuff, but everything's more fun with a friend). We made our way back into DC late in the day - and just in time for the TORRENTIAL downpour to begin - and headed to Momiji, her favorite DC sushi spot. The food was AMAZING - quite possibly the best sushi I have EVER had - and the ambiance was great; we had a blast watching a group at the hibachi (and got a laugh out of me getting whacked in the shoulder by a flying piece of cucumber when the guy at the grill was trying to get someone in the group to catch it in his mouth... he missed) and enjoyed a shared order of mochi, which is a wonderful ice cream-like dish.
The title of today's blog refers to the fact that I did not eat a single item of home-cooked food (morning coffee doesn't count) today. I had last night's leftover salad and pizza for breakfast (it was calling to me from the fridge!), a burger and fries at Five Guys (a chain that receives RAVE reviews by just about every reviewer every year) for lunch, and the sushi for dinner. Funny thing is, I'm doing so much walking that I've actually DROPPED a size since moving here! Imagine what I could do if I started eating at home more - but who can refuse lunch out with colleagues or dinner with friends?

A Lovely Saturday in DC

Went on my first "date" in DC today. Was a set-up (of sorts) by a friend from high school is friends with the guy; we met for lunch (Indian) and a tour of Eastern Market. Nice guy, good time.
Anthonette and I went for very late dinner/drink at a neat little place called Matchbox in the Eastern Market area. Nice place; had a lovely crab and avocado salad and split a small pizza (sausage and sun-dried tomatoes - yum). Fun to be able to go out and socialize with people in my age range!

A Wonderful First Week!

I realize I skipped a day (blogging) yesterday - I was EXHAUSTED when I got home from "work"!

Still no computer; not finished being investigated for my security clearance. Have an appointment Tuesday, though, so wish me luck! No computer means no official e-mail, which means no business cards (since my e-mail address needs to be on them). I DID get my name on my cubicle door, though! Worked on a couple of proposals the past few days; it is very strange to now have a job where I can't get into detail about what I'm doing!

Other things I have observed (or been told):
1. They clean the bathrooms a LOT! Which is a good thing, coming from a job where you were lucky if you could find toilet paper!
2. If you don't take your stuff out of the fridge in the "galley" (microwave, vending machine, etc.) by 3:00 PM on Fridays, they will throw it away. Which, considering the experiments that grew in the fridge in the teachers' lounge in Marianna, is probably a good thing!
3. There is a problem with mice at NASA. I was told never to leave anything edible out or the mice would take over my cube. Again, something I'm used to, but it's NASA!
4. Going through security without having a badge is a pain! Not used to armed people at work (although I probably would have been surprised by the number of students who were...) x-raying my stuff. Or having to go through a metal detector every time I enter the building.
5. Some things (not clearance, apparently) get done VERY fast when you ask. "I don't have a garbage can" - poof, one appears in my cubicle. "There's a big post in the way of opening one of my cabinet doors" - poof, someone comes and takes the door off. Not used to efficiency!
6. Personal observation: be careful opening/closing the sliding door on your cubicle. If you are not, it WILL come off the track and you will look like a dingbat (and lose a fingernail right before you were going for a manicure) trying to wrestle it back on!
7. Personal observation #2: when you work in a place with cubicles, you can hear EVERYTHING that is going on in the office. When someone sneezes, numerous voices shout "bless you" from their cubes. I find this funny! On the un-funny side of things, you can hear EVERYTHING that is going on, which is kind of distracting (people talking on the phone, having "private" conversations, etc. I am going to get some headphones (and eventually an i-pod) to tune people out.

Federal employee = 3-day weekend! I have a feeling it's going to be a good one!

Another Great Day At NASA!

Day two was great! I am still waiting on a computer, but have plenty to do in the interim (getting ready for its arrival).
I can't blog about any specifics, but I am working on some very interesting projects and proposals. It's strange having a "job" where you have to be careful about what you post on your blog!
DId a little cubicle decorating - went in early so I wouldn't be doing it on "company time" - y'all know how I love to feel at home (and organized) everywhere I am! Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!

Blastoff!

At long last, my fellowship at NASA has finally started!

It was a great first day! Despite not having a computer (which I REALLY need to do my tasks) - turns out I haven't been officially "cleared" yet - I really enjoyed the experience. I attended two meetings - one with my sponsor and one "solo" - and got my bearings a bit; there are a LOT of acronyms I still don't know. During one of the meetings, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they kept talking about "KFC"... and then I figured out they were referring to KSC, which is Kennedy Space Center! I was a little surprised that I actually knew some of what they were talking about, though; I just need to do a little more studying!

My cubicle is pretty sweet, too. A lot of my fellow Fellows have to share an office or have a very small cubicle, but mine's a decent size - and you know me, I can't WAIT to decorate and have things to organize! Every time I left "the cube" for a meeting (or just to try to find something) there would be something - or a lot of somethings - left on my desk when I returned. I have a couple of great posters - Mary (my sponsor) found me one of the ones I've been COVETING since I saw it on someone's door last week - and one's an autographed astronaut poster. I also got a BUNCH of 40th anniversary Apollo stuff - enough to share with friends and Fellows! One of my fellow "cubies" brought me some cute temporary tattoos (shuttles and NASA logos) and some squishy astronauts (think stress balls, only shaped like space explorers), among other things. I even got several packages of gummy space shuttles - bet Tyler and Sophie will like them better than the "astronaut ice cream"!

All in all, a great first day. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

T-1: My First Official Day as an Einstein Fellow!

Today was AMAZING! We (the entire group of Einstein Fellows) were at Orientation from 8:30(ish) to 4:30, then went to the Einstein statue (off the very end of the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial) for our official Einstein Fellowship photo shoot. We took a TON of pictures; serious group shots, funny group shots, agency shots (DOE, NSF, etc.), and individual shots. My group of 4 Fellows arrived before anyone else (we drove instead of taking the Metro), so we had time to take a bunch of "fun" shots (hence my 2 photos on the blog).
After the photo shoot, we went to Buca di Beppo (a funky Italian restaurant) for dinner and drinks. It was a BLAST - one of the few days all 24 of us (including the 2nd-years) will be together.
I start at NASA tomorrow! OH. MY. GOSH!!!

T-2: First Fellows Pot-Luck

Tonight we had our first "official" Fellows pot-luck; it was the first time a majority of the Fellows had been together since our interview weekend. It was nice to put names to faces - thankfully, the Program Manager at Triangle Coalition sent us a spreadsheet with everyones' contact info, fellowship assignment, etc AND a picture - and look at who of us (from the interviews) actually made it to DC!
Tomorrow we have Fellowship Orientation (ALL day - we have training from 9-4, then our formal Fellowship photos, THEN dinner)... I'm sure it will be interesting, but I can't WAIT to start at NASA on Tuesday!

T-3: Simply Saturday

Fairly blase day. Slept in late (went to bed very late - emotions were running HIGH yesterday), did a top-to-bottom cleaning job on the apartment, sorted bills/mail, did some reading. As it says in the blog title, it was simply Saturday.
Well, it was almost simply Saturday. Anthonette and I decided to go grocery shopping for tomorrow night's Fellows pot-luck; as I drove to pick her up, I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on on Independence Avenue (near the capitol along the National Mall). There were people everywhere on the sidewalk, and a much stronger police presence than usual (which is saying a LOT, since there are always a ton of police on the Mall at night) - not only were there cruisers on every corner, but there was an officer standing about every 25 feet along the sidewalk. It took me a minute to realize that today is the day that they were laying Ted Kennedy to rest at Arlington and he had been in repose at the Capitol earlier in the day - I was pretty much driving along the path that the motorcade was going to take to the cemetery. I finally got to Anthonette's, and we ended up having to drive a rather circuitous route to Safeway (since there were a number of streets we needed to take that were blocked by squad cars). It was a much simpler drive home, as the funeral was taking place as I was coming back to the apartment.
Ah, the things you will encounter in DC!

T-4: High Highs, Low Lows...

High Highs: Got to see my cubicle at NASA! Big, barren, empty space for me to fill with office supplies and organizational materials, NASA poster, etc. I SO look forward to putting "me" into the space! Funny story: when they redid the cubicles, they ended up putting a big post smack dab in front of one of my smaller cabinet spaces - you can't open the thing! My NASA sponsor and I got a good laugh out of it; you'd think they'd at least have taken the door off so it could be used as storage!
Was treated to lunch at a VERY nice Indian restaurant (The Bombay Club) by Mary (my sponsor). Many of the restaurants in DC participate in something called "Restaurant Week" biannually wherein they have a fixed-price menu (which is less expensive than their usual prices) you can select from; The Bombay Club's deal was a three-course (appetizer, entree, dessert) from which I had a wonderful fish appetizer, Tandoori salmon, and "Mango Mango" (mango sorbet atop diced mango). I was (and still am as I write this nearly 8 hours later) STUFFED! Mary also bought me a jar of the sauce they put on the chicken dish she and our other guest (whose name escapes me right now and with whom I will also be "working") ordered. She also gave me a hand-made (by yet another soon-to-be-co-worker) lanyard for my ID badge; it has little star, shuttle, and astronaut beads on it. SO cute, and SO me!
I am VERY ready to start my fellowship! Mary sent me a bunch of e-mails this afternoon about what to bring Tuesday to get my permanent badge, as well as some "pre-reading" for meetings we have next week. Did I mention yet how ready I am to start my fellowship?!?

Low Lows: Today would have been Anne's 27th birthday. So many lovely e-mails from her former co-workers, but also so many reminders of what she and I both went through and the fact that she's no longer with us. Then I heard that the case is likely to last longer than anticipated (we thought a week - looks like it will probably take longer), which means I will be unable to attend 2 conferences I was really looking forward to. This is the first day since the move that I have been really "down" about anything, a reminder that even though I left Marianna, there is still unfinished business to take care of back in Arkansas. I did a lot of crying and a lot of napping, but I CANNOT and WILL NOT allow "him" to take more from me than he already has...

The photo is of the beautiful hibiscus I am growing on my patio. It finally bloomed today, a single (although there are 2 more ready to go any day now) beautiful pink flower. Pink was Anne's favorite color; I saw pictures online today of the birthday party her friends and former co-workers threw for her, and everything was pink... they even released pink balloons in her honor. SO symbolic that the hibiscus would bloom today...

T-5: Water, Water, Everywhere...

Well, not necessarily EVERYWHERE, but big-time flooding in the boiler/air conditioner/hot water tank room that leaked into two other rooms (hall closet and bathroom closet). One plumber, a couple of hours, and a little over $300 later everything's back to normal; clogged drainpipe for the condensation pipes needed to be snaked. I'm just glad I'm renting; my landlord is going to reimburse me. Still, it's tough letting go of another decent chunk of money (coming off the heels of buying my new health insurance) before even receiving my first stipend check. Sigh.
On the bright side, Anthonette and I went shopping (well, she went shopping, then we got groceries) and then to dinner at a great Greek/Mediterranean place near where she lives (my neighborhood is entirely residential; hers is just off one of the neatest neighborhoods on DC). It's called Cava; they specialize in mezze, which is kind of like tapas but with bigger portions. The idea is that the table buys several mezze and shares them; we got this wonderful chicken pasta (it had just a hint of cinnamon in it - it was divine), grilled asparagus and feta, and watermelon salad (watermelon, mint, feta, and a drizzle of olive oil). It was all delicious, and one of the least expensive non-fast food restaurants I've been to in DC.
Tomorrow: my NASA sponsor is taking me out to lunch, then I get to see where I will be "living" (at NASA HQ) for the next 11 months - my cubicle is ready!

T-6: Migraine Day!

It's a good thing I didn't have to work today. Woke up with "weird" headache. Took a couple of Tylenol - no help. Laid on couch for a little while - no help. Then the "headache" decided it would rather be a migraine. Took migraine meds - no help. So I took a high-voltage painkiller and slept for about 5 hours. No more migraine!
Wow, was today an exciting day or what?
Like I said before, at least I didn't have to work today!

Addendum (8:54 PM): Today ended on a high note - Justice For Anne and Kristen reached 250 members! I am so grateful to everyone who has joined - I am ready for justice to be served!

T-7: Interesting Day

So I'll begin with my first "negative" DC experience. I went to NSF (National Science Foundation) for coffee with one of the fellows who works there (she's a 2nd-year). Coffee and conversation was GREAT; she then gave me a great tour of the NSF building and introduced me to a number of the other fellows. I was Metro-ing home with two of them during rush hour; the train was completely packed. So we get to one of the stations and people are piling on; the doors are trying to shut and can't. Suddenly this woman starts cursing and screaming about letting her and her baby on (because the doors were closing on them) - we managed to pack a little closer together so she could get on. She proceeds to CONTINUE cursing and screaming at all of us and shoves her way to the back of the car, where she continues to rant (she was REALLY upset that people were looking at her, but who isn't when someone's acting like that?) as she repeatedly pushes the Emergency button. She continues to do this for several stops; she was still going when I got off at my stop. It was the first time I've been legitimately nervous since I got here; all I could think was "what if she pulls a weapon out of her backpack with all these people crammed in here?" Scary.

Now, some random musings on life in DC so far:
1. I need to learn how to parallel park. I seriously suck at it, and it's hard to find a place you can just pull into (heck, it's hard to find a place to park PERIOD).
2. I also need to figure out how to read/interpret all of the parking signs, or I'm going to end up with another ticket. They are SO confusing!
3. Drivers in DC are (generally) meaner than in Memphis. Merging into traffic here is a nightmare - it takes FOREVER for someone to be kind enough to let you in! And the honking! Egads!
4. There is also more road construction going on here than I've ever seen. It even gets the GPS confused...
5. I am very glad I live close enough to work that I can walk. Because the whole driving thing is... interesting.
6. I am VERY ready to start working next week. "Touristing" has been fun, but I'm ready to start at NASA!
7. I find it very odd that roads suddenly start going in different directions at rush hour. Independence Avenue is 6-lanes wide (in some places); at rush hour, one lane that normally goes in one direction becomes a lane going in the opposite direction. Confusing...

It's great here - LOVE it - but I definitely still have some acclimating to do!

T-8: Glad to be starting soon!

Another very lazy day. Slept in, completed new health insurance paperwork, drove to Staples to fax new health insurance paperwork, read the paper, napped... very mundane, ordinary day. I'm rather glad my fellowship starts in 8 days (technically, it starts with the Fellows Orientation next Monday, but I'm talking about starting at NASA) - I ran crazy around the city for a couple of weeks, and while I am enjoying a little "down time" before starting, I'm ready to get this show on the road! NASA, here I come!

T-9: Another Quiet Day

Today was simply a nice, relaxing day. Slept in late, read the paper, housework (I learned how to use my washing machine - you have to plug it into the kitchen sink!), napped... just a lazy Sunday. Went to dinner upstairs; neighbor (Margie) cooked and we talked for hours! It's kind of neat that I used to work through an AmeriCorps program (Teach for America) and she works for the Corporation for National Service, which runs AmeriCorps. Small world, huh?
Tomorrow: pay bills (yuck), fax in health insurance paperwork (double-yuck), and plan the week ahead - my last week in DC without a job... gotta make the most of it!

T-10 (Another relatively quiet day)

T-10 days until I start at NASA. Yay!!!
Pretty quiet day. Did a lot of reading - my mail is finally being forwarded correctly, so I had several weeks worth of magazines to catch up on - and a little housework, then went to late lunch/early supper (Vietnamese... super-yummy) and perused the offerings of Northern Virginia with a friend.
Tomorrow: catch up on postcards, complete insurance paperwork, and prepare a preliminary expense report for the conferences I want to attend this year. Another semi-quiet one; kind of nice after so many days of go-go-go!

Loving the DC Life!!!

Today started out as nothing extraordinary. Breakfast, read a book ("I Survived Rumbuli", an amazing story of one woman's survival during the Holocaust), played on Facebook (I am hooked on FarmVille and playing with my virtual SuperPoke frog), read some magazines (which are finally being forwarded), tried (again) to remind The Washington Post that I'm supposed to be Sunday-Only delivery (haven't gotten one on a Sunday yet, but got yesterday's and today's)... you know, the minutae of everyday life.
Then my friend Anthonette (she's a second-year Fellow) called and invited me to dinner. I drove to her place (she doesn't have a car here, and her neighborhood is WAY cooler anyway - she lives in the Eastern Market area where I buy the awesome ravioli & went to the flea market last weekend) and we walked to Kyoto, a sushi place near her apartment. Wasn't the best sushi I've ever had, but was inexpensive and filling. Then we drove to the mall (not one I'd been to before) for a little shopping - I'm trying to conserve money a little until my first stipend check arrives, but who can resist FOUR totally work-appropriate shirts from Gap for $26 (no, that wasn't a typo: 4 Gap shirts for $26!!!)?
The ride back to her place was super-exciting; the Nationals (our baseball team) won their home game tonight, so we got an incredible view of some awesome fireworks as we were driving over the bridge (with the Washington Monument in the foreground... how awesome is THAT?!?). We're going to hang out again tomorrow; maybe catch a movie or something.
Just LOVING life here in DC! I cannot wait to start my fellowship; T-11 days and counting!

Think About What You Saw

Holocaust Memorial Museum today. I went once in high school and again when I was here for my Einstein interviews, but I felt compelled to go back because I didn't feel like I had given it the time it deserved (truthfully, I don't remember much about my high school experience, and I went to Natural History, Air & Space, and Holocaust Museums in less than one day during interviews). It truly is an astonishing place to visit; nothing I've ever read (Elie Weisel's "Night/Dawn/Day", "The Diary of Anne Frank"), learned, or seen ("Schindler's List') prepared me for what you see and hear at the memorial. One of the first things you do is get in a VERY cramped elevator with the other people who have exhibit tickets for the same time as you (they only allow a certain number of people in at once, so you are assigned a time) and, as you ride toward the top floor of the museum (where the exhibit starts) there is a video about the liberation of one of the concentration camps. The ride also gives you time to read your Identification Card (you pick one up as you board the elevator - either male or female); the little book tells you about a person who lived during the Holocaust, and you find out at the end of the book if your person lived or died. The first two times I went to the museum, my person died; this one - a 16-year old who pretended to be a boy so she could go with her father to the camp (her mother disappeared) - survived.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: "Nazi Assault - 1933 to 1939", The "Final Solution" - 1940-1945, and "Last Chapter". "Nazi Assault" chronicles what happened in Germany from the rise of the Nazi party to the outbreak of WWII. One exhibit is particularly compelling; called "The Science of Race", it talks about how the Nazis wanted to create a "master race" and shows how scientists and physicians determined how "pure" a person was by examining various physical traits (eye color, hair color, nose width, etc.). I would have been considered "superior", with my blue eyes, (naturally blonde) hair, and pale skin. Many of my friends - be they African-American, homosexual, or simply darker-haired or eyed than I - would have been classified differently...

The "Final Solution" exhibit examines the evolution of the Nazi party's persecution of the Jews, from ghetto internment (a relatively mild condition compared to what they would later suffer) to mass murder. You literally walk through history from the ghettos into a train car (for transport to a concentration camp or killing center) to the camps. There is a bunk from one of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp - where prisoners would sleep 5-6 across on a single bunk, and a model of one of the gas chambers/crematoria (the story is astonishingly sad: prisoners who were deemed to old, young, sick, or pregnant were told that they were going into a large room to shower/delouse; they stripped and were led to the gas chamber, where they died within minutes. Other Jews -who were spared instant death- were responsible for clearing out the bodies and loading them into the crematorium.) It is an incredibly heart-wrenching exhibit; there is a video on some of the atrocities committed in the name of medicine (Dr. Mengele, etc.) that is so graphic that it is mounted in a special place you have to look over a high rail into to prevent young children - and those who do not wish to see it - from viewing it.

"Last Chapter" talks about the liberation of the Nazi camps and the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, as well as rescue and resistance efforts and the aftermath of the Holocaust. There are a number of stories about people who fought to rescue the persecuted, only to be executed for their efforts; there is also a little theatre where eyewitnesses talk about survival, rescue, and resistance efforts. When you leave this section of the museum, you are near the Hall of Remembrance, where there is an eternal flame in honor of the 6 million+ who died during the Holocaust (there is a little box of ash and soil from some of the camps interred directly beneath it) and everyone - regardless of religious affiliation - is invited to light a candle. It is an incredibly moving experience.

A couple of things always steal my breath - and bring tears to my eyes - every time I visit to museum. As you move between floors/exhibits, you go across glass-walled walkways; on the walls on one floor are the names of cities/towns that were decimated during the Holocaust, on another floor, the names of some of those who perished. The one exhibit that REALLY gets me, though, is one that talks about how the Jews (and others interred in the camps) were stripped of all their material possessions, either immediately upon entry into the camp or just before they were executed. On both sides of a LONG walkway (probably 30+ feet in length) are shoes of every size and shape, each of which belonged to someone in a camp. There are thousands upon thousands of shoes, some of them so small I can imagine them on my infant nephew. I don't know exactly what it is about this particular exhibit - it's just shoes - that is so sobering to me, but I tear up every time.

An incredibly moving day. I'm glad I went back. The rest of my day shall be spent resting, relaxing, writing postcards, and reading a book I picked up in the museum's bargain bin ("I Survived Rumbuli", written by one of only two women (out of 30,000 Jews living in Riga, Latvia) who survived the Holocaust. One of the things that drew me to this particular book was part of the description on the back: "For years she hid in the forests and among Latvian peasants and city-dwellers - members of the Seven Day Adventists sect. Out of their devotion to God, they were willing to risk their lives to save her, rather than betray their faith." What an incredible testimony to their faith...

Nothing Much to Say About Today

Stayed in bed most of the day; figured if my body could sleep as much as it did, it must need it. Got up around 9; took my meds and went back to sleep. Woke up at 2; took other meds and went back to sleep. Insurance guy (health) called and woke me up at 4; talked with him about 10 minutes and getting ready to go back to bed. Intestines seem better today, but I have a blazing headache. Think Mom may have been right when she said I over-exerted myself in too much heat yesterday. Apparently, already not feeling well + 5 hours in 100 degree heat = unhappy body. Drinking lots of fluids and about to make some soup - I don't like being cooped up at home when there's so much I could be doing!

Mount Vernon

Headed to Mount Vernon today! Got off to a later start than planned - I was not feeling well (more on that later) - but still well in advance of the mid-later day crowds I had been warned of. The home itself is BEAUTIFUL; I didn't know that it was originally a much smaller home willed to his elder half-brother upon their father's death. Upon settling into the home with his wife Martha and two young stepchildren (Martha was a widow), he added a third story to the home; he would later go on to add two expansions (wings) and the cuppola, which served as the air-conditioning of his time.
The interior of the home is breathtaking. Unfortunately, for preservation purposes (and because some of the artifacts are on loan), you can't photograph inside the home; I am very glad I bought the official guidebook, which goes through each room. One of the things I found absolutely fascinating was a key to the Bastille hanging in the entry passage; it was a gift from General Lafayette after the storming of the Bastille. I also found very interesting the fact that after George died (December 14, 1799), Martha had their bedroom sealed off and moved into another room of the home; she died in that room less than 3 years later.
They don't mention in a lot of the history books (at least not the ones I was taught from) that George Washington was quite a farmer and entrepreneur (and "nerd", as our tour guide called him; he loved to read and collect the latest "technology", including a chair in which you could move your feet on pedals to cause a fan over your head to blow). Much of the estate is dedicated to the farm; his principal crop was wheat, which was exported all over the world. They had a great number of farm animals, both to feed visitors to the estate and the large number of slaves they owned (316 - 123 were legally Washington's, 40 were "rented" from a neighbor, and 153 were "dower" slaves who were part of the estate of Martha's first husband. One thing I found tremendously interesting was that, upon his death, Washington's will immediately freed one of his slaves (for "his faithful services during the Revolutionary War" and stated that the remainder were to be freed upon his wife's death (she granted them freedom one year after her husband's death). The truly amazing part is that Washington's will established a regular and permanent fund for the emancipated slaves; his estate paid out pensions to its freed slaves until 1833, although many of them lived on the grounds for many years after.
Another "neat" thing about Mount Vernon is that it does not receive any funding from the U.S. Government. Instead, it is maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association; a group of 12 women (the Ladies) purchased the mansion and 200 acres of surrounding property for $200,000 and began renovations (it had fallen into disrepair); there are now women on the Association from 27 states and an additional acreage has been purchased. Mount Vernon is funded entirely through admission fees, sales revenues, and donations.
After walking/hiking throughout the estate, I ate lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn restaurant. I had been told by several people that I HAD to try the peanut and chestnut soup (which didn't sound entirely appetizing, but I'll try just about any food once) - it was remarkable! After finishing lunch, I drove to the Distillery and Gristmill at Mount Vernon (several miles away from the estate itself). As previously mentioned, one of Washington's passions was farming; he was one of the premier flour-producers of his time. Because of his love of new technology (and interest in expanding his enterprise), he established the Gristmill in 1791; it featured bucket elevators to move wheat and flour from floor to floor and machinery that was part of one continuous system - very efficient! In 1797, he built the distillery; it produced 4,000 gallons of rye whiskey the first year and 11,000 its second. It was one of - if not THE - largest distilleries of the time. The distillery still produces whiskey using Washington's original recipe - I wanted to buy some to send to some people I know enjoy it - but found out you can't send it through the mail. Pooh!
I had originally planned to tour old Alexandria - another suggestion from many of the locals I have encountered - after visiting Mount Vernon, but my morning tummy/intestinal ache had worsened significantly during the tours and I knew it was time to head home for the day. After a long nap, I am currently sipping ginger ale (they have Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale here - love it) and hoping to feel better tomorrow. It's raining like crazy right now (one of the reasons I went ahead and toured today is because the weather service was saying there's a good chance of rain every day for the rest of the week); not sure of tomorrow's plans yet - we'll see how I feel (and how the weather is)!

A Simple - Yet Productive -Day

I went to Triangle Coalition to meet with Vance Ablott (Executive Director) and Kathryn Culbertson (Program Manager). We talked a bit about some of the things my fellowship might entail, then went to lunch at a great little grill right next door to the office (I had a Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad - SO delicious). Debbie had already processed my moving expenses paperwork and had a check ready for me, so I went to Bank of America (I had an account with them when I did my fellowship in Florida two summers ago) and established my banking (both checking and savings). A brief trip to Target to pick up a set of cables I needed to attach my new DVD player to the TV and now I'm home for the day!
Tomorrow: Mount Vernon. I was warned to get there early - avoid the crowd at the ticket counter and maybe the heat of the day, depending on how long I stay there - so I'm just going to cook some pasta for the week ahead (yay for Costco) and call it an early night!

Addendum: Trying to find affordable health insurance is proving to be a major pain in my rear. Because of pre-existing conditions - some of which I have not received treatment for in years (and the neck injury sustained during the attack, for which I will probably have to take meds the rest of my life) - no one wants me. Think I'm going to have to go with a plan through National Association of the Self-Employed, which is going to set me back a fortune but will cover me. Sigh...

Just a Lazy Sunday...

Got up late this morning; had a nice, leisurely breakfast and prepared to go to Arlington to return the DVD player. Driving was quite easy compared to most days - I didn't manage to get lost once! After my Wal-Mart run, I headed to the Newseum to say goodbye to one of last year's fellows, who was doing a last-minute "give away stuff I don't need/can't carry with me on the plane" bonanza. I got some things for the kicthen, a bag full of hangers (which I forgot I needed while I was at Wal-Mart, and a great cream-colored blazer.
Worked on the patio for a little while, then read the Washington Post and looked at health insurance options online. It's a little nerve-wracking not having anything in place yet - I can't believe my school district wouldn't compromise on the retirement issue, but I think I may have found something workable today. Only one problem: district insurance ends 08/31, and I can't pick up another plan until mid-September...
I'll be praying on this one for sure!

Eastern Market

I traveled to the Eastern Market area today to investigate/explore the weekend goings-on, and I was not disappointed! The Market itself reminds me a lot of my cousin Scott's market - flower vendors, cheese vendors, meat vendors, pasta vendors (etc, etc), but the outdoor market on the weekends is phenomenal! They close off the whole block and vendors of all kinds sets up booths; there is also a second area dedicated to a flea market. I could have gone CRAZY picking up great finds either way, but will have to wait on that until I have an income again! I did pick up some more of my beloved ravioli and another bottle of wine - don't worry, I'm not becoming a wine-o-saurus, I just wanted to get a spare bottle while I was in the area!
The history behind the market is fascinating as well. The following is from the Eastern Market's official website: "Public fresh-food markets were included in L'Enfant's original plans for the City of Washington. Capitol Hill has had a farmers' market from almost the inception of the City of Washington. The Eastern Market, completed in 1873, was designed by Adolph Cluss, a prominent local architect who designed the Franklin and Sumner Schools as well as many other post-Civil War buildings in the District of Columbia. Today, Eastern Market is one of the few public markets left in Washington, DC, and the only one retaining its original public market function." When I was here for my Einstein interviews, the original market was closed for renovations; there was a terrible fire in April of 2007. Thankfully, it has been restored to its full (and quite remarkable) splendor!
I did pick up a couple of neat items at the flea market. There is a booth where a man and his teenage daughters find vintage stamps and mount and frame them; they are inexpensive ($8.00 each) - I purchased a 15-cent Einstein stamp (after all, I am here as an Einstein Fellow) and a 3-cent stamp honoring the teachers of America. I also bought a cute (and ridiculously inexpensive) vintage dress - totally work appropriate w/a blazer or cardigan and a (non-vintage) silver bracelet to match. On my way back to the Metro (to come home) I got an organic fruit-and-cheese tray and a strawberry-banana smoothie (why do there have to be so many Starbucks here???) for a late lunch. I plan on relaxing and watching (in black and white - I MUST exchange the DVD player tomorrow) movies/shows on DVD for the rest of the day. And catching up on my postcard-writing!

2 Huge Museums in 1 Day... Time for a Nap!

Ended up visiting both the American History Museum and National Gallery. Both were incredible, and incredibly huge! At the AMH, I saw one of the original pairs of ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, dresses worn by several First Ladies at their husbands' inaugurations, an original "Teddy Bear", and way too much other memorabilia to blog about. At the NG, it was SO amazing to see works by so many artists whose names I recognized - Degas, Rodin, Manet, Matisse, Calder, Toulousse-Lautrec, Warhol, and O'Keefe, among others. You can't touch anything (of course), but it is so incredible to be face-to-face with work from some of the most influential artists in history!
I have completely depleted my energy reserves - at least 6 miles of walking today, not including inside the museums. As my Bama would say, I'm "too pooped to pop"! Gonna have a nice nap and then a leisurely weekend - Eastern Market tomorrow (they have a flea market every Saturday, plus that's where you can buy the most incredible ravioli EVER). Next week I'll start making the rounds of the national monuments, memorials, and some non-Smithsonian museums. Plus Mount Vernon and other such sites.
Life is good. Exhausting, but good!

Don't Wake Me If I'm Dreaming...

Went to lunch with my NASA sponsor today. Before we left, she gave me a brief tour of HQ (I had to be signed in, go through security, and get a visitor's badge - wish I'd taken a picture of it), introduced me to a bunch of people I will be working with, showed me (generally; they're doing renovations) where my cubicle will be, and gave me a SWEET NASA swag-bag; it had a bunch of stuff related to the 40th anniversary of the Apollo mission. By "stuff", I mean a beautiful hardcover book, pins (the official commemorative pin and one that is a scale replica of the first footprint on the moon), a puzzle (I'm going to assemble and laminate it then put it in my cubicle), some great reading material about the history of NASA, and a really cool tin containing Moon Sycamore seeds (an astronaut on the Apollo XIV mission took a variety of seeds into space; the seeds were grown into "Moon Trees"), growing medium, and directions for growing them. All in a cool canvas bag with the 40-year logo on it! Cool free stuff is the BEST!
While I was waiting in the lobby at HQ (I got there a little early - you know me and my "hate to be late" deal), I took a better look (and more pictures) of some of the exhibits. One of them had this sculpture-looking moon on it; when I went to read the display, I saw that there was a piece of the actual moon rock retrieved on the Apollo mission on the top of it - and the display encourages people to touch it! So I petted the moon rock (I'll eventually upload a video). I actually touched real moon rock, and I haven't even officially started my fellowship yet! Imagine the awesomeness that lies ahead!
We went to a great little restaurant in Arlington; I had Cajun Seafood Kabobs (yum!) and mocha peanut butter pie for dessert. There went my diet for today, but how many times are you taken to lunch for the first time by your future "boss" (she is technically my "sponsor")?
When I got home, I found a letter from one of my student loan companies (Ford Federal) saying that they had "halted electronic debiting (of my loan payments) temporarily because we granted a deferment, forbearance, or other type of suspension of payments on your Direct Loan." I was all "why would they have done that?" (plus I needed to update my address), so I called to ask what was going on. The woman told me they had suspended my payments because I had PAID THE LOAN IN FULL - that's right, ladies and gentlemen, I have officially paid off one of my student loans!!! One down, two to go!
If I'm dreaming all of this, please be kind and don't wake me up. Because I am SO happy and loving the heck out of life right now!!!
Addendum: I started a new Cause on Facebook today. It is called Justice for Anne and Kristen; the case (and Anne) were on my heart this morning, and I just felt compelled to do it. If you are a Facebooker, please join in support of our upcoming trials - there are already 30-odd members and I just posted it this morning (people I invited to join are inviting others).
Addendum #2: I love sitting out on my patio in the evening, drinking a glass of wine and enjoying the dichotomy of the sounds of DC at night. Crickets chirping and tree frogs vocalizing interspersed with the sounds of the city - traffic on the freeway, people walking the neighborhood. It's really quite magical! The one thing I really miss is my beloved fireflies - I haven't seen one since I moved here.

National Museum of the American Indian (and other adventures)

The National Museum of the American Indian was AWESOME! There were areas dedicated to various tribes, as well as a section on the role of Indians in modern culture. Every exhibit featured music from the respective tribe; some of it was so beautiful and haunting. I was enthralled by the beadwork (being an amateur beader myself) and the baskets - I could have gone nuts in the gift shops (if I were a rich girl)! I went to lunch at Mitsitam Cafe, which features authentic food from various tribal regions; I had a pulled buffalo sandwich (rather like pulled pork, but somehow "earthier"), shrimp and calamari ceviche (delicious, but quite spicy), and a hibiscus aqua fresca - everything was fantastic!
After lunch, I took the Metro (I"m getting used to it - it's pretty easy to navigate and the nearest stop isn't far from my apartment) to Eastern Market and bought fresh ravioli (smoked mozzarella, artichoke/spinach/pine nuts, portabello mushroom w/caramalized onions, lobster & crawfish, crab, and chocolate creme) and some vodka sauce (which one of my new friends turned me on to the other night). I also bought a beautiful (and I mean that literally - I love eclectic/pretty wine bottles) bottle of South African red wine.
On the way back to the apartment, I stopped by NASA to check out the exchange (small gift shop that you don't have to go through security to get to). I picked up some postcards, a magnet, and a window cling for my car. I snapped a couple of pictures in the entryway; I SO cannot believe I start my fellowship there in (just under) a few weeks! The rest of the day is going to be devoted to housework (I need to vacuum and mop) and finding bubble mailers to send stuff to friends and family; any leftover time will be "me time" - just releaxing and reading! Tomorrrow: National Museum of American History (and possibly the National Gallery, depending on time and exhaustion level - you don't realize how out of shape you are until you're hoofing it everywhere (I actually picked up a little native american pig ornament to hang on my fridge to remind me that I plan on getting in shape during my Fellowship)!
Is this the life or what?
Addendum: I just got a call from Arkansas telling me that someone broke into the Chemistry teacher's classroom - he is generously taking care of my rabbit and guinea pig while I am in DC - last night and killed the guinea pig. Apparently someone literally squeezed him until his intestines came out - he was such a sweet animal; the students are going to be so upset when they return to school. He said it looked like they tried to go after the rabbit as well - there was litter all over the place; the rabbit is a bit rambunctious and probably either scratched or bit them. The administration is going to try to find out who did it; someone who could do that to an animal is sick and needs to get help.
Addendum 2: My sponsor at NASA is taking me to lunch and showing me around tomorrow. Yay!!!

Art Day!

Got up early and headed toward the National Mall. My chief interest was visiting the National Museum of African Art; I think it was one of my favorite places so far! I kept thinking how wonderful it would be to bring my students there; I took tons of photos and published them in a separate album on my Facebook page. The NMAA leads into the Freer Gallery of Art/Asian and American Art; from there I went to the Arthur Sackler Gallery (Asian art). I decided to visit Smithsonian Castle - interesting historically, with little exhibits from some of the other Smithsonian museums. I strolled around in the various gardens (and there are a lot of them) for awhile, then made my way to the Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (I had previously visited the sculpture garden, but not the museum itself). It was... interesting. It's a contemporary and modern art museum, and I guess I'm just more of a traditionalist! I amused myself trying to guess what some of the art represented before reading the placards - I was wrong about 99% of the time! It was neat to see some familiar pieces/artists, though; there were a couple of pieces by Andy Warhol and an small exhibit on the works of Alexander Calder (he has some pretty cool mobiles). Some of the "art" was quite puzzling to me; there was one piece that was just a bright green shape (nothing I could discern in my limited knowledge of geometry) and a canvas that was painted blue. Just a blue square of canvas stuck up on the wall. There was also a room about bodies; there was a foot sticking out of the wall and a GIANT naked chubby man sitting in the corner. I guess I just don't "get" modern/contemporary art! There are still several Smithsonian museums I have left to visit: National Portrait Gallery (American Art Museum), American History, American Indian (which I've heard has one of the best, most unique places to eat on the Mall), and a couple of others. Good thing I don't start at NASA for another 20 days!

Addendum (8:45 PM): Dee - last year's NASA fellow - invited me over for supper tonight. She and her husband bought different flavors of ravioli from Eastern Market; they were astonishing! I'm not a big dessert person, but they had chocolate ravioli (cocoa powder in the "pasta" and stuffed with chocolate/ricotta cheese mix) and I LOVED it! Such a nice way to end an already very pleasant day!

Kristen's Got Her Groove Back!

So, I faced one of my biggest fears in coming to DC today, and it was no big deal: riding the Metro (solo). I went to Arlington (the Metro has this neat online trip planner where you can tell it where you are and where you need to go and it maps it out for you - SWEET) to turn in my moving expense paperwork, then came back to my apartment and drove to Fairfax (VA) to get my hair cut - you would not believe how much it had grown since I got it chopped off a little over a month ago -and do a little shopping (a couple of semi-casual shirts at JC Penney, which was having a great sale... I've already lost a little weight from all the walking). When I got back to the apartment, there was a package waiting for me; inside was a new gnome (which is somewhat of an inside joke in my family - I'll expound on it in another blog if anyone's interested). The photo is of new gnome (in red hat) and old gnome getting to know each other on the patio!
I cannot believe how HOT it is here! It's currently 101 with a heat index well above that; I thought I left that weather back in Arkansas! I was so sweaty and gross by the time I got to my meeting in Arlington (I was in a suit); Debbie (our "money lady") offered me a bottle of water and a Kleenex to blot my face! I'm looking forward to just chilling out in the apartment tonight and planning my next adventure!

A Very Mellow Day

Slept until after 10 this morning, then off to Wal-Mart for a couple of things I'd forgotten to pick up this week. Came home, read the paper (Washington Post - they have the most amazing coupons on Sundays!), took a nap. Got back up, worked on the patio for awhile, took another nap. Just got up and am eating dinner (that I cooked myself); plan on reading until bedtime. Which will probably be soon, seeing as I am still tired after all of the napping. That and I'm still getting over the stinking "allergies" I was dealing with my last week in AR (at this point, I'm pretty sure it's a cold).
Tomorrow: braving the Metro to turn in my travel reimbursement paperwork and meet some of the people who make my fellowship possible!

One BUSY Day!

Started out early today; walked through National Mall to try to get an appointment to get my hair cut at an Aveda (my yuppy organic hair product) Institute. Found out they have a 3-week waiting list (and I am NOT waiting that long to get my hair cut), so I decided to mull about the National Mall. I went to an outdoor sculpture garden - I SO did not understand some of the "art" - then to the Air & Space Museum (which I have been to before, but got to spend more time at today). I decided to go back to the Museum of Natural History (I went during my interview weekend) to see some of the new exhibits; I really enjoyed the one on Korean culture. Saw another Imax movie; Deep Sea in 3D (which was AWESOME - it was cute watching people trying to reach out and grab the jellyfish and other sea creatures).
After walking past NASA to get home (7 minutes from Headquarters to my front door!), I met up with last year's NASA fellow, who took me out to Roosevelt Island and then down Embassy Row. She also drove me past the VP's house and the White House; it was so neat! We're going to go out to dinner at some funky restaurant close to the apartments (she is staying in her old apartment next door for the week). An altogether fun (and exhausting - I walked SO much!) day!

Addendum: Just returned from a wonderful dinner at a Belgian restaurant. Lovely dark Belgian beer, scallops with an escargot puff pastry, Belgian chocolate lava cake with espresso ice cream - it was fabulous. And last year's NASA fellow and her husband treated me as a "welcome to DC" gift. Sweet!

A Nice, Mellow Day

Taking my body's hint that I've been quite active this week - I slept until almost 11 this morning - I decided to have a nice, mellow day (instead of walking to the National Mall as planned; I still have 25 days until I start at NASA). I went into Alexandria for awhile to pick up a few things I needed (and a couple of plants for my patio, which were more of a "want" than a "need"), then came home and worked on the patio for awhile. I plan on spending the rest of the day reading, resting, and thinking about what I should do/get done over the weekend.
Interesting things I learned today:
1. There are 266 Starbucks within a 20-mile radius of my apartment. And to think I used to drive an hour to get to one!
2. There is one highway in Alexandria on which I can buy just about everything I need. It's not near Costco, but I figure I'll only have to go there once every couple of months!
3. I printed out the entire list of Smithsonian museums in the DC area. There are a LOT of them. I still plan on visiting them all this month!
4. There was one very cool moment driving back to the apartment today when I could see the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial to my left and the Capitol on my right. VERY surreal!

Addendum: So, one of the 2008-2009 fellows (who is staying for a second year) called me tonight and invited me to come out with her and a friend. She lives in the Eastern Market area - very chic and fun. We went out for dinner and drinks and had a blast! Nice to be making some new friends!

National Aquarium (Baltimore)

My new boss (sponsor) sent me some "sites to see" suggestions yesterday, so I decided to take her advice and drive to Baltimore (it's closer to DC than Memphis is to Marianna) to visit the National Aquarium. I had a BLAST! I went to a 4-D show (Planet Earth: Shallow Seas); it was so interesting to have the 3-D glasses on PLUS the experience of the 4-D stuff (bubbles blowing when fish were schooling, seats that moved and blew air at you at appropriate times - like when water snakes jumped at their prey, mist spraying you when dolphins exhaled from their blowholes, etc.) It was AWESOME! The dolphin show was pretty good, but I've seen better (it was WAY too short, especially considering how long you had to stand in line and then sit there before it started). It was one of the better aquaria I have ever been to; they had a fantastic new exhibit on jellyfish! I shot a couple of good video clips of the dolphin show and the upside-down jellyfish (SWEET), but for some reason it's taking forever to load them today, so I'll have to post them later.
Not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow yet. Thinking about driving to Triangle Coalition (they're the ones who administer the Einstein Fellowship program) to meet-and-greet and submit my moving expense paperwork, then settling in to write a zillion postcards and look for affordable health insurance! One of the most fabulous aspects of this adventure so far is that I'm just winging it day by day; for someone who's usually a "plan things down to the last detail" person, it's kind of liberating!

National Zoo

Had a BLAST at the National Zoo today! I'm very glad I bought the membership, because I have a feeling I'll be there quite a few more times during my fellowship year! I think I need to slow it down for a couple of days, though; I was so tired when I got home I took a LONG nap. Think it's a combination of having done an awful lot over the past week and the fact that I just can't seem to shake my "allergy" (which I think is actually a cold). Tonight I cooked dinner - NOTHING went into the microwave, which is an astonishing feat for me - and am going to read and watch a DVD with the cats. Who, as you can see, are quite content in the new place!
I'm going to post most of my pictures in albums on my Facebook page rather than on the blog; it takes SO long for the pictures to download on blogspot!

DC: Day Two

Much better day than yesterday - no parking violations!
Seriously, though, it was a great day. My awesome upstairs neighbor is allowing me to use her wireless account until I get mine set up (that and cable), so I looked up the addresses of a couple of places I wanted to visit to input into my GPS. I also joined Friends of the National Zoo; the zoo is free (like most attractions here), but the parking fee is atrocious ($20 a visit!), and since I plan on visiting more than once in the next year, it's a money-saver!
Speaking of saving money: I am in awe of the wonderland that is Costco! I decided to check it out - I'd always thought about joining Sam's or something of the sort - and fell in love! Seriously, I don't think I'm going to have to go grocery shopping (except for milk - there's no way I can possibly drink as much milk as they sell before it goes bad) for a couple of months. They have all sorts of great organic food, whole wheat pasta; all the "yuppy puppy" stuff I love but usually don't buy because it's cost-prohibitive (except at Costco!). As a bonus, they validate your parking (I had no idea you have to pay to park at a lot of the malls around here), so it's just a great deal overall!
I finally finished settling into the apartment today (today's photo was taken right before we loaded the U-Haul). Everything is where I want it to be; I even planted a few plants on the patio (pray for them - I am not known for having a green thumb). I also found out that they pick up trash on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays - and pick up recyclables on Wednesdays as well - so I can get rid of all the mess I've accumulated in the process of unpacking. I plan on taking and posting pictures tomorrow (after I go to the zoo!); there's just not enough light tonight for me to get shots that do the place justice!
Cool things about today:
1. I found a Starbucks! I wasn't looking for it, it just happened to be between Petco (hungry python) and Lowe's (coupon that came with my "congrats on moving" stuff from the post office was used to buy plants). Their banana-mango-orange smoothie is AWESOME!
2. No parking violations!
3. I actually found my apartment on the first try on my way back from shopping. This is HUGE!
4. I have 28 days before I start working, which means I can explore the heck out of this wonderful city!

DC: Day One

Some lessons I have learned during my first 24 hours in DC:
1. Don't misinterpret your landlord's instructions on where to park, or you will end up with a nasty note from a neighbor on your windshield... and a $25 ticket
2. There is so much construction that my GPS keeps getting confused. I spent 5 hours driving to find a Wal-Mart and Target; never did find Bed Bath & Beyond. Know for sure I was in DC and Virginia; still uncertain as to whether or not I ended up in Maryland.
3. I thought Memphis drivers were the worst in the world. I was wrong.
4. People get really pissed off at you if you're only driving 5 mph over the limit...
5. I LOVE my new apartment! It is SO gorgeous - watch for pix to appear soon!
6. I look like someone kicked the crud out of me. I am bruised in places I didn't even know existed from unloading the U-Haul and dragging everything to my apartment.
7. My upstairs neighbor is awesome! She came to bring my mail (I'm 54, she's 54A) and invited me for tea and to show me around. She works for the Corporation for National Service, the people who run Peace Corps and AmeriCorps (through which I did my TFA experience). She will be a good person to know.
8. My landlord summed up my parking experience perfectly: at least I now know what to do when someone parks in my spot!
9. For all of the craziness and soreness, I am SO happy to be here! I passed the Washington Monument several times today, and one wrong turn took me face-to-face with the US Capitol bldg. How cool is THAT?!?

On the road to DC!

Been a LONG day! Left Marianna at 7:30 this morning; arrived at hotel in Roanoke, VA at around 10 PM (time change included). Exhausted, but exhilirated! Approximately 4 more hours of driving to DC, plus unloading and dropping off the U-Haul. Can't wait to get there; will post pix once I've settled in a bit!