I received this in an email today from one of my friends in DC. Although I'd read it before, it's funny enough to post. What was more ironic was that (one) I read it at work and (two) she works in government.
Subject: Work
For a couple years I've been blaming it on lack of sleep, not enough sunshine, too much pressure from my job, earwax buildup, poor blood or anything else I could think of. But now I found out the real reason: I'm tired because I'm overworked.
Here's why: the population of this country is 273 million. 140 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work.
There are 85 million in school, which leaves 48 million to do the work.
Of this there are 29 million employed by the federal government, leaving 19 million to do the work.
2.8 million are in the armed forces preoccupied with killing Osama Bin-Laden, which leaves 16.2 million to do the work. Take from that total the 14.8 million people who work for state and city governments. And, that leaves 1.4 million to do the work.
At any given time there are 188,000 people in hospitals, leaving 1,212,000 to do the work.
Now, there are 1,211,998 people in prisons. That leaves just two people to do the work.
You and me. And there you are, sitting on your ass, at your computer, reading jokes.
Nice. Real nice.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Some New Stuff
Work was slow today. Not LOC slow, but certainly a little more than the norm. My boss is out and will be until Thursday morning. This month he has been traveling an "unusual amount". To me, it's normal (it's all I've known), but he has said that it will slow down tremendously.
The weekend was fun. Friday was relaxing. We stayed in and watched a movie that a former coworker of mine from the LOC suggested, The Long Engagement. It's French and has the actress that I really enjoyed in Amelie. The movie was good, despite it's length. It was long. Heh. Go figure. The character development was somewhat shallow and there were some characters that were unnecessary. However, despite my criticism, it is a good film.
Saturday was spent tidying up and also lounging around the house. Mom and a couple of her friends from NC were passing through (from a visit to CT). They stopped and spent the night. We had a great time! Mal and I were excited to share the apartment with them, especially since Mom hadn't seen it since she helped us move. They got in early enough to eat dinner with us and catch up a bit before we went to bed.
Sunday morning, Mal, Drew, and I took them to our church. The music was awesome and the sermon was encouraging. After church, we ate lunch and I quickly showed Mom the CCCU before she left town. It was a fast trip. Too fast. But, I'll take family when I can get them. Especially my mom!
Sunday night, Drew and I caught a free concert event at the Kennedy Center. They have a free show every night at six. We saw Cibelle (you can actually watch what we saw- they post every show on the website!), a Brazilian singer who "takes audiences on a sonic journey through bossa nova, electronic music, soul, and jazz." It was a beautiful show. At the end, I bought her cd and Drew and I (mostly Drew) talked to her and got her autograph. A very "DC" evening. :)
Tonight Mal and I went to Alpha, a group in the church that aims at tackling questions that are thrown at Christians (and asked by them) all the time. It also educates attendees about other religions and beliefs. So, Mal and I checked it out in the hope of getting plugged into the church more and meeting some new people. Every Monday they have Alpha. It works like this: there's some "meet-N-greet" time, then they provide dinner, there's more gab-time, and then they show a video on whatever topic is to be discussed. After the video, we break into smaller groups and talk about the video. Tonight, I guess we were running late. There was no "breaking up" into small groups. We just broke completely.
While it was certainly an interesting time (Mal and I met some quality people), the group was a bit large for my taste. It was crowded and loud. My idea of a genuine "get to know you" is on a much smaller scale. We probably will go back. We also will probably look for a group that's smaller and more intimate.
Random note: I booked my travel for my next trip back to NC. Mike and I are going to a wedding in Asheville over the weekend of October 20th. Instead of driving down and spending my entire Sunday in the car (from Asheville to Winston and then to DC), I've opted to fly home. I'm taking the train down on Thursday after work. Should be a relaxing ride. I get in after midnight. Mike has offered to pick me up and I'll crash at his place. Then, Friday I'm hoping to have someone pick me up from Greensboro to take me home. Any takers? haha.
Seriously. ::nudge, nudge:: ?
The weekend was fun. Friday was relaxing. We stayed in and watched a movie that a former coworker of mine from the LOC suggested, The Long Engagement. It's French and has the actress that I really enjoyed in Amelie. The movie was good, despite it's length. It was long. Heh. Go figure. The character development was somewhat shallow and there were some characters that were unnecessary. However, despite my criticism, it is a good film.
Saturday was spent tidying up and also lounging around the house. Mom and a couple of her friends from NC were passing through (from a visit to CT). They stopped and spent the night. We had a great time! Mal and I were excited to share the apartment with them, especially since Mom hadn't seen it since she helped us move. They got in early enough to eat dinner with us and catch up a bit before we went to bed.
Sunday morning, Mal, Drew, and I took them to our church. The music was awesome and the sermon was encouraging. After church, we ate lunch and I quickly showed Mom the CCCU before she left town. It was a fast trip. Too fast. But, I'll take family when I can get them. Especially my mom!
Sunday night, Drew and I caught a free concert event at the Kennedy Center. They have a free show every night at six. We saw Cibelle (you can actually watch what we saw- they post every show on the website!), a Brazilian singer who "takes audiences on a sonic journey through bossa nova, electronic music, soul, and jazz." It was a beautiful show. At the end, I bought her cd and Drew and I (mostly Drew) talked to her and got her autograph. A very "DC" evening. :)
Tonight Mal and I went to Alpha, a group in the church that aims at tackling questions that are thrown at Christians (and asked by them) all the time. It also educates attendees about other religions and beliefs. So, Mal and I checked it out in the hope of getting plugged into the church more and meeting some new people. Every Monday they have Alpha. It works like this: there's some "meet-N-greet" time, then they provide dinner, there's more gab-time, and then they show a video on whatever topic is to be discussed. After the video, we break into smaller groups and talk about the video. Tonight, I guess we were running late. There was no "breaking up" into small groups. We just broke completely.
While it was certainly an interesting time (Mal and I met some quality people), the group was a bit large for my taste. It was crowded and loud. My idea of a genuine "get to know you" is on a much smaller scale. We probably will go back. We also will probably look for a group that's smaller and more intimate.
Random note: I booked my travel for my next trip back to NC. Mike and I are going to a wedding in Asheville over the weekend of October 20th. Instead of driving down and spending my entire Sunday in the car (from Asheville to Winston and then to DC), I've opted to fly home. I'm taking the train down on Thursday after work. Should be a relaxing ride. I get in after midnight. Mike has offered to pick me up and I'll crash at his place. Then, Friday I'm hoping to have someone pick me up from Greensboro to take me home. Any takers? haha.
Seriously. ::nudge, nudge:: ?
Monday, September 18, 2006
"You've got mail"
So, this was sent to me by Steve, my neighbor, in response to the post I wrote on Lou Dobb's article on May 24, 2006. It's pretty humorous and since he can't post it (being limited by his Crackberry, er Blackberry), I've cut and pasted it from the email that he sent me.
"...I just got this e-mail forwarded to me yesterday. It is a form letter people can send to their senators (unfortunately, I don't have any senators). Check it out..."
The Honorable Whoever
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
Dear Senator Whoever,
As a native Wherever and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Immigration and Naturalization Service in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.
My reasons for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stem from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, what I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years.
I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out. Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of the last five years taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent return for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005 and I estimated a gross savings approximating $72,000. After the fine this would yield me a net savings of $70,000.
In addition, I would reap the other benefits of being an illegal alien such as free healthcare, avoidance of paying Social Security taxes, buying automobile insurance, serving on jury panels, etc.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent,
Any thoughts?
"...I just got this e-mail forwarded to me yesterday. It is a form letter people can send to their senators (unfortunately, I don't have any senators). Check it out..."
The Honorable Whoever
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
Dear Senator Whoever,
As a native Wherever and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Immigration and Naturalization Service in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.
My reasons for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stem from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, what I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years.
I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out. Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of the last five years taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent return for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005 and I estimated a gross savings approximating $72,000. After the fine this would yield me a net savings of $70,000.
In addition, I would reap the other benefits of being an illegal alien such as free healthcare, avoidance of paying Social Security taxes, buying automobile insurance, serving on jury panels, etc.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent,
Any thoughts?
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Updates all 'round
My week flew by. Today is my only day off this weekend, so I'm taking full advantage of my couch.
Last Sunday night I slept about four hours. The word "slept" is really misleading, as most of my night was spent tossing and turning. My mind wouldn't shut off due to my anticipation for Monday morning.
My biggest project is behind me (it was Friday and Saturday), but Monday I was already nervous about it. This weekend, the CCCU hosted a conference about South Africa. It was basically a brainstorming session about study abroad programs that the schools (in the U.S.)want to develop with the campus in S. Africa. Also, there was talk of what is already being done there with students and faculty. About 25 people flew in from all over the U.S. and one guy even flew in from South Africa.
My first major project was to prepare for this conference. This involved: answering emails from those attending about a variety of topics (ranging from directions to hotel info to conference info), securing meal plans (reservations for dinners, catering for lunches, and setting up a breakfast spread), preparing packets of information, and other details to ensure a smooth conference. As I was preparing for this event, I was also running between my own orientation meetings with the CCCU. I barely knew how to do my job and had been thrust into preparing for (and being the "go to girl") one of their biggest conferences in the past few months! So, as one can imagine, I was a bit stressed throughout the week.
I will summurize some of the moments that flash to mind as my week ran its course:
Last Sunday night I slept about four hours. The word "slept" is really misleading, as most of my night was spent tossing and turning. My mind wouldn't shut off due to my anticipation for Monday morning.
My biggest project is behind me (it was Friday and Saturday), but Monday I was already nervous about it. This weekend, the CCCU hosted a conference about South Africa. It was basically a brainstorming session about study abroad programs that the schools (in the U.S.)want to develop with the campus in S. Africa. Also, there was talk of what is already being done there with students and faculty. About 25 people flew in from all over the U.S. and one guy even flew in from South Africa.
My first major project was to prepare for this conference. This involved: answering emails from those attending about a variety of topics (ranging from directions to hotel info to conference info), securing meal plans (reservations for dinners, catering for lunches, and setting up a breakfast spread), preparing packets of information, and other details to ensure a smooth conference. As I was preparing for this event, I was also running between my own orientation meetings with the CCCU. I barely knew how to do my job and had been thrust into preparing for (and being the "go to girl") one of their biggest conferences in the past few months! So, as one can imagine, I was a bit stressed throughout the week.
I will summurize some of the moments that flash to mind as my week ran its course:
- (Day One) I have about three orientation meetings with different staff members. Between personal meetings, I go to a business meeting that's focus was Sept 11. For lunch (that I was anticipating running home and sleeping for about 45 minutes), my boss approaches me and suggests a "working lunch" at the German restaurant I wrote of earlier. So, we go. Three bites into my lasagna, I manage to spill it down the front of my sweater. My boss says later (after I sheepishly return from the bathroom with sauce remnants on my chest), "People are going to think that I took you to lunch and butchered you." This is of course in reference to the five, quarter sized, bright red sauce spots that are screaming from my shirt. Great first impression. Go Meredith. After lunch, he drops me by my house to allow me to change. I joke that upon his lonely return, he should say that I burst into tears at lunch, overwhelmed by my work, and quit on the spot. He finds humor in this and does so. It gets a good laugh when I walk in the door (clothed in a new outfit) about ten minutes later.
- After a crazy first day, my boss calls me into his office first thing on Tuesday morning. He leaves the door open. A good sign. He asks how I'm feeling. Do I have my classic "deer in the headlights" look? Is it that obvious? "I'm feeling okay," I lie- a little. Where is this going? He nods. Tells me some more information about the CCCU. This of course, isn't sticking like it should. Then, he offers to pray for me. And we do. Awesome. I work at a job where my boss will call me into his office and pray for me.
- Tues through Thursday morning are blurs. I nervously prepare conference details. Meanwhile, in all the spare time I have (ha!), I've been combing through my email inbox. Day One I opened it and had 76. By Thursday, I'm down to 12. Yay for progress.
- Thursday (Day Four) I'm in charge of picking up our South African guest at the airport. The night before, Mal and I rode to it so that I would know how to get there. Wednesday night it took us about thirty minutes to get there. I leave the office on Thursday with 50 minutes before his flight touched down. That should be close enough. An hour later (and ten minutes past his arrival time), I've just pulled into the airport. I'm late. Panicky, I park. It's gonna be close. What if he's already gone through the welcoming area where I should be standing, sign in hand, and smile on face? I pull out the bright orange sign I've made with his name on it. Ashley. An unusual name for a male. Since I'm late, I carry the sign in a way that anyone passing me as I walk through the parking lot and terminal will see it. I pass the area where people are standing, with luggage, and waiting on a cab. "There you are! I've been looking for you!" A man walks up to me, ball cap on head, smile on face, and luggage in hand. Wow. Thank goodness I had my sign out already, I would have walked past him. I return the smile. It comes easily since I am relieved that I "caught him" before he grabbed a cab. I mumble something about the pleasure of seeing him. He interjects. "I'm just kidding you. I've always wanted to do that!" His southern accent is thick. I mean, really. What would you do? I smiled back, slightly miffed that I have wasted time "entertaining" this man while the man I am supposed to be picking up may be walking around aimlessly inside. I laugh it off and proceed to walk past him. "Entertained man" starts following me into the airport!!! And rambling... about a movie he saw where two girls took this guy on a whirlwind city ride because he thought they were other people- basically "movie character" fell for them like I did for him. I picked up my pace, mumbled something about "maybe I'll pick you up next time" (what the?), and continued inside and through the terminal to the International Arrival area. I'd lost him. He finally got the point as my back was all he was communicating to. I arrive to the International area. I don't see Ashley's flight on the screen. I wait twenty minutes, nervously. I've missed him. Finally, it flashes on the screen with "Landed" next to it. I realize how ambiguous that is. Is it on the runway, taxiing in? Are they already off the plane? Is he halfway to the CCCU by now? Do I still have a job? Thoughts were running through my head. Long story short... he finally exits from customs about 45 minutes later. It's 5:15 when we leave the airport. I pulled up at 4:05. I still have a massive amount of work on my desk before Friday morning. I still have to take him to his hotel before I return to the office. I still have to set up for breakfast in the morning.
- Thursday evening (Still Day Four)- Mal and Dave (he drove up for the weekend) help me set up the communal area for Friday's breakfast. The three of us leave the CCCU at 8:50. It looks fabulous.
- Friday and Saturday went off without a hitch. Everything ran smoothly. The conference about South Africa was in the morning (Fri.) and after lunch, most people left. Some stayed and we had other meetings. After a day of meetings, eight of us went to dinner at the German restaurant (again). Dinner was good. None of it landed in my lap, either. Quaint and informal, I got to know some of the guests who I'll be in frequent contact with from here on out. They are actually on a board that meets twice a year. This year's meeting was after the South African conference and continued through Saturday.
- Saturday went well, too. Our group of eight covered about ten topics of discussion. Well, they did. I took notes furiously to type up later. It was this afternoon that I learned of my trip to CA in March! I'll be going with my boss, Rich, to Los Angeles in March to take notes, see the campus (Biola) out there, and enjoy some CA sunshine. Yay for traveling with my new job!
So, that summarizes a lot of my week. I don't think I'll be this absent (from posting updates) in the future. I barely had time to think this week (unless it was about South Africa and 25 other people).
Mallory and Drew left earlier today for NC. Drew will return tomorrow afternoon. Mal gets back Wednesday (I think). She has business in Charlotte for a few days. So, tonight will be quiet. Just what I need.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
It's done...
I did it! I survived my first week at CCCU. Coming VERY soon... an update. On all. Can't wait to share.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Thursday, Thursday
It's been kind of slow the past couple of days. Not that I'm complaining. I went to lunch today with my favorite coworkers in the office. She's my supervisor (well, one of them). We went to a new Thai place. You'd think I'd be sick of it since I've had it so much lately, but I'm not. Lunch was delicious and I was thankful to have the opportunity to "dine" with her before I left. She has a quick wit and is very funny. We get along well and I'll miss our daily interactions and jokes.
Tonight, Mal and I are going to one of the House buildings where they're having a Beer Institute kick-off. A lot of big names (in brewing) are hosting a party and giving away free booze from 6-8. Should be fun. There will be a couple people there that we know and have begun to hang out with lately. One of whom is actually going to St Thomas with Mal and me- whom we've nicknamed "DC Dave." The function is "Congressional" and will probably be the last government perk I'll have before leaving tomorrow.
Other than that, it should be a pretty low key night. If I make it home in time, I want to catch the new show called "Til Death" with Brad Garrett (from "Everybody Loves Raymond") in it. It looks pretty cute and funny.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Labor Day Weekend Adventures
I can't decide if I'm tired from the weekend or from the depressing weather outside. I'm looking forward to the day (Monday, to be exact) when I will have a window to look out of while I am at work. Days like today are no loss, however, as I can only imagine the dreariness that a window would show.
The walk in today was a long one (despite Mal driving and dropping me off halfway). The rain was slamming down and my umbrella was fighting as best it could. My pants were drenched from my ankle to my calf and remained in a damp state until after lunch. Fabulous. Only four more business days of walking over a block. Might as well get a subtle reminder before it happens, eh?
The weekend was too short and I'm thankful that I had an extra day tacked onto its end. Friday night, as Ernesto howled and made his presence known, Mike braved the storm and arrived shortly before midnight. After introducing him to Drew (Mal and Mark were both in NC this weekend), the three of us talked a little bit before calling it a night.
Saturday morning was spent in the apartment and from there our busy weekend began. Since he's into gardening and we both share a love for plants, I took Mike to the Botanical Gardens. I'd been there briefly a few months ago on my lunch break, but was unable to cover the extensive grounds during that visit. So, I was happy to return and share the gardens with him. After our garden visit, we met Drew back at the apartment and I dragged Mike grocery shopping (which he later confessed to enjoying due to his love of cooking). That evening, Mike cooked the three of us a delicious meal of ginger & lemon baked salmon, scallop potatoes with a garlic roux sauce, and fresh green beans seasoned with soy sauce and a hint of cayenne papper. Mmm. Oh, and I made a salad. How's that for helping in the kitchen? ;)
The evening wrapped as we watched Rushmore. It's one of Mike's favorite movies. While Drew loved it (and later rented another movie written and directed by Wes Anderson), I failed to appreciate the dry humor as much as the guys. After hearing Mike say that he didn't like it the first time he saw it, I'm willing to watch it again in the future. Maybe the far future.
On Sunday, Mike, Drew, and I went to church and then Mike and I went to lunch at one of my favorite Thai places. It's nestled in Eastern Market, so after we ate we went for a walk through the market that hosts booths, with all kinds of treasures, on Saturdays and Sundays. Shortly after we began walking home, I received a phone call from my second cousin who was visiting (with his wife) for the evening. We met them at the apartment. The two of them, Mike, Drew, and I sat for a little while and talked before we went to dinner (minus Drew) at our Ethiopian restaurant in Adams Morgan.
My cousins had never tried Ethiopian cuisine. I think it was the first time they'd ever eaten food of that consistency without silverware either. As always, the experience was fun, even though I'm not sure that they'll jump at the chance to eat it again.
We walked, metro'd, and then drove the rest of the way home. That evening, the five of us (Drew was back in the picture) watched Hoodwinked. It is an animated movie that plays off the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Very cute and funny. Then, my family went to bed and the three of us night owls watched The Royal Tenenbaums. This is another Wes Anderson movie and one that Drew was inspired to rent for us after watching Rushmore. As for my brief comment on it- it was better than Rushmore.
Monday was unplanned (much like the rest of the weekend). Since it was only Mike's second trip to DC (in his life), we went to see the Lincoln Memorial. This is one of my favorite ones to visit. Arguably, it may be my favorite. It's simple, but majestic. Lincoln's second inaugural speech is chiseled on the north wall and the Gettysburg Address is on the south's. Lincoln sits tall as a 19 foot marble statue of him is centered just past the 36 columns (that represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death). It's a breathtaking memorial.
From there, we walked beside the Reflecting Pool and made our way to the WW II Memorial. After snapping some pictures there, we walked to the Washington Monument. Finally, we strolled to the Old Post Office and rode the elevator up to the bell tower. The view, from the bell tower, is of the entire DC area. It was one that our DC Ducks guide (from Mike's last DC trip) suggested that everyone see. The guide was right. We took turns pointing out familiar sites in the city and did quite a bit of glancing at my map to learn about places that we were uncertain of.
After walking all day, we gladly metro'd back. He stayed until almost seven before driving back south. In the evening, Drew and I dabbled in some art work before Mal came home shortly before midnight. The evening closed as we shared our weekends with one another.
The walk in today was a long one (despite Mal driving and dropping me off halfway). The rain was slamming down and my umbrella was fighting as best it could. My pants were drenched from my ankle to my calf and remained in a damp state until after lunch. Fabulous. Only four more business days of walking over a block. Might as well get a subtle reminder before it happens, eh?
The weekend was too short and I'm thankful that I had an extra day tacked onto its end. Friday night, as Ernesto howled and made his presence known, Mike braved the storm and arrived shortly before midnight. After introducing him to Drew (Mal and Mark were both in NC this weekend), the three of us talked a little bit before calling it a night.
Saturday morning was spent in the apartment and from there our busy weekend began. Since he's into gardening and we both share a love for plants, I took Mike to the Botanical Gardens. I'd been there briefly a few months ago on my lunch break, but was unable to cover the extensive grounds during that visit. So, I was happy to return and share the gardens with him. After our garden visit, we met Drew back at the apartment and I dragged Mike grocery shopping (which he later confessed to enjoying due to his love of cooking). That evening, Mike cooked the three of us a delicious meal of ginger & lemon baked salmon, scallop potatoes with a garlic roux sauce, and fresh green beans seasoned with soy sauce and a hint of cayenne papper. Mmm. Oh, and I made a salad. How's that for helping in the kitchen? ;)
The evening wrapped as we watched Rushmore. It's one of Mike's favorite movies. While Drew loved it (and later rented another movie written and directed by Wes Anderson), I failed to appreciate the dry humor as much as the guys. After hearing Mike say that he didn't like it the first time he saw it, I'm willing to watch it again in the future. Maybe the far future.
On Sunday, Mike, Drew, and I went to church and then Mike and I went to lunch at one of my favorite Thai places. It's nestled in Eastern Market, so after we ate we went for a walk through the market that hosts booths, with all kinds of treasures, on Saturdays and Sundays. Shortly after we began walking home, I received a phone call from my second cousin who was visiting (with his wife) for the evening. We met them at the apartment. The two of them, Mike, Drew, and I sat for a little while and talked before we went to dinner (minus Drew) at our Ethiopian restaurant in Adams Morgan.
My cousins had never tried Ethiopian cuisine. I think it was the first time they'd ever eaten food of that consistency without silverware either. As always, the experience was fun, even though I'm not sure that they'll jump at the chance to eat it again.
We walked, metro'd, and then drove the rest of the way home. That evening, the five of us (Drew was back in the picture) watched Hoodwinked. It is an animated movie that plays off the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Very cute and funny. Then, my family went to bed and the three of us night owls watched The Royal Tenenbaums. This is another Wes Anderson movie and one that Drew was inspired to rent for us after watching Rushmore. As for my brief comment on it- it was better than Rushmore.
Monday was unplanned (much like the rest of the weekend). Since it was only Mike's second trip to DC (in his life), we went to see the Lincoln Memorial. This is one of my favorite ones to visit. Arguably, it may be my favorite. It's simple, but majestic. Lincoln's second inaugural speech is chiseled on the north wall and the Gettysburg Address is on the south's. Lincoln sits tall as a 19 foot marble statue of him is centered just past the 36 columns (that represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death). It's a breathtaking memorial.
From there, we walked beside the Reflecting Pool and made our way to the WW II Memorial. After snapping some pictures there, we walked to the Washington Monument. Finally, we strolled to the Old Post Office and rode the elevator up to the bell tower. The view, from the bell tower, is of the entire DC area. It was one that our DC Ducks guide (from Mike's last DC trip) suggested that everyone see. The guide was right. We took turns pointing out familiar sites in the city and did quite a bit of glancing at my map to learn about places that we were uncertain of.
After walking all day, we gladly metro'd back. He stayed until almost seven before driving back south. In the evening, Drew and I dabbled in some art work before Mal came home shortly before midnight. The evening closed as we shared our weekends with one another.
Friday, September 01, 2006
CCCU
Well, I have one and a half days of experience at my new job. I'm slightly overwhelmed, but confident that it's going to be great (once I'm comfortable in my new role). I know that I'm supposed to be there and with that feeling comes peace.
Everyone that I've met has been kind and welcoming. I was able to train the past two days with my predecessor. She's the current assistant and is leaving for CA tomorrow. She's explained my responsibilities, introduced me to the database and people in the office, and given me an idea of a week's workload. I'll definitely be busy. I'm excited for the challenges that are around the corner.
Today I went to lunch with some of my new coworkers. My new boss treated us at his favorite restaurant, that's been lovingly nicknamed his "second office." Apparently, he goes there several times a week and finds any excuse to hold a business meeting there. It's a German restaurant that's about six blocks from the office. Due to the nasty weather today (thanks to Ernesto), we drove there. I had a yummy dish, although I cannot recall the name of it. It was veal, onions, peppers, and potatoes. It was one of their daily specials and was quite tasty.
It encouraged my spirit as we bowed and blessed our food before eating. My boss led the prayer and as we prayed I couldn't help but thank Him again for this opportunity. I know I won't feel confident in my daily tasks for a few weeks and I'm looking forward to that time!
My coworker (that shares my immediate office space) attends the church that I go to. We talked briefly today about small groups within the church. She's going to get involved with a local bike riding group. Seeing as how I have no bike and have never been into that, I think I'll try another group. When I mentioned the one that I'm interested in, she informed me that one of her good friends actually leads it. Small world, eh? DC isn't that big after all...
The weekend is looking sunny regardless of the weather. Mike is coming to visit through Monday. Also, I have some extended family coming in on Sunday night. Should be fun, despite Mal's absence (she's gone to NC for the weekend).
Everyone that I've met has been kind and welcoming. I was able to train the past two days with my predecessor. She's the current assistant and is leaving for CA tomorrow. She's explained my responsibilities, introduced me to the database and people in the office, and given me an idea of a week's workload. I'll definitely be busy. I'm excited for the challenges that are around the corner.
Today I went to lunch with some of my new coworkers. My new boss treated us at his favorite restaurant, that's been lovingly nicknamed his "second office." Apparently, he goes there several times a week and finds any excuse to hold a business meeting there. It's a German restaurant that's about six blocks from the office. Due to the nasty weather today (thanks to Ernesto), we drove there. I had a yummy dish, although I cannot recall the name of it. It was veal, onions, peppers, and potatoes. It was one of their daily specials and was quite tasty.
It encouraged my spirit as we bowed and blessed our food before eating. My boss led the prayer and as we prayed I couldn't help but thank Him again for this opportunity. I know I won't feel confident in my daily tasks for a few weeks and I'm looking forward to that time!
My coworker (that shares my immediate office space) attends the church that I go to. We talked briefly today about small groups within the church. She's going to get involved with a local bike riding group. Seeing as how I have no bike and have never been into that, I think I'll try another group. When I mentioned the one that I'm interested in, she informed me that one of her good friends actually leads it. Small world, eh? DC isn't that big after all...
The weekend is looking sunny regardless of the weather. Mike is coming to visit through Monday. Also, I have some extended family coming in on Sunday night. Should be fun, despite Mal's absence (she's gone to NC for the weekend).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)