Library of Congress...

I discovered my phone has a "panorama" mode, so I fiddled with that while waiting on some people. Onmy phone, basically how it works is I take 3 pictures, and the phone tries to "sew" them together. Here're the horrible results...

Not so bad...Outside the Capitol

In Library of Congress

I feel like I'm in a bad abstract picture

Whoa. Psychledic. Phone on LSD?

Not bad!

Normal camera mode

The Gutenberg Bible, which I was not supposed to photograph.

The actual library, which I was not supposed to photograph - this was in a movie scene with what'shisname, the ugly dude. National Treasure #2.

Another...Stunning ceiling.

I had to be all sneaky and hide my phone behind my coat flap to take the above three pictures. The restriction is presumably to prevent people from using flash on their camera to avoid damaging documents. Mine does not have one, so I felt comfortable taking a couple pictures, and would've argued that. But noone saw - I think.

Nonsneaky picture

I'll have to come back here with my camera. On a warmer day.

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In between

dealing with this nutty cold, winter rain, family issues (all is well now!), roommates (all is well now!), landlord issues, prepping for my big news (more on that later), blah blah, I haven't had much downtime.

Things, in general, are going well.

Next week is the inauguration, and it's really interesting to see the changes that D.C. is going through just for one day. Frankly, I think it's a bit of an overreaction. D.C. pulled in about 5 thousand cops from other counties/towns/wherever for extra manpower. It also pulled the National Guards from wherever, and I believe we have some extra Coast Guards too, for the Potomac River. Roads are being or have already been shut. Bridges are being shut this weekend. I think this will create a major bottleneck at the remaining bridges that are open. Various other entrances to the city are also being closed or restricted.

I don't remember hearing about the city going to this extreme four or eight years ago. Do you? But then again, I didn't pay much attention the last time.

We just got notice at work that: My office building must be vacant by 2 P.M. Monday (we're off Tuesday), and that those of us who do come in Monday, myself included, may need to show work ID to get in because our street is close to the parade route.

The city is also under State of Emergency, which allows it to tap the Federal funds instead of paying for all this by itself. As far as I know, Prez. Bush did not declare a suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus...boiled down, a suspension of this writ means the police can arrest you, whether legally or not...however, I would not be surprised to hear about arrests being made over frivolous or trumped-up (aka false) charges. It's extreme, but i think it'll depend on how well-behaved the sheep are and how touchy the cops are.

What am I doing? I'm staying home, unless it seems like it's not super crowded. If that's the case, I might head over and snap a few pictures.

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Juju request and a picture

As some of you know, I've been looking for a new job. I recently found two jobs that sound like a perfect fit. It's about my level, and most of the job description fits what I already do. I applied, of course, and am hoping that one of them works out. Or that more positions will open in the next few weeks.

There are a number of other jobs I'm going to try for, but most of them aren't as good of a fit as the two I found today. So. knock on wood, cross my fingers and toes, toss some salt over my shoulder...

This isn't a stellar picture, but I like it for some reason. The colors are soothing, and the details, at first, are plain...then the little stuff starts to catch my eye and I keep looking at it. Something in this picture works.

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Cathedral Pictures

I'm not particularly religious - and thus, will refrain from commenting on my philosophy. That said, I did enjoy my experience at the National Cathedral. I went there on a school trip when I was young, and I only vaguely remember it. And trips when you're a kid are very different from when you're an adult.

I remember being shushed a lot (not me in specific - us kids), the stained glass windows, the ginormous organ pipes and being herded from one room to the next. That's about all I remember.

Saturday...I did not get shushed once. And was able to wander around as I liked, though the locked doors proved to be a pest. I wanted to be like a character in Dan Brown's DaVinci Code (an entertaining read) and find secret doors and stuff. But alas...

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Answer: National Cathedral in DC

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Another...

I'm amused that he has a bellybutton.

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Where did I go today?

Here's a hint...

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Bliss is...

spending a cold winter afternoon curled up a hairy dog for warmth and a good book.

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Archive - Blog Headers

March 2010

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Happy New Year!

Mine was pretty uneventful. I think I fell asleep about 10 minutes after the clock hit 12. And why did they change the ball drop in NYC again? It should start descending when there's 10 seconds left, not when there's an hour left. at 11:59:50, the ball was already near the bottom. Anticlimactic.

That's a good word for today. Anticlimactic. In the past years, I always had poignant, deep feelings on New Year's Eve. It was a time when I made decisions about what I would do in the new year. But this year...Not so much. I think it's because I already made my decisions months ago. Anticlimactic.

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