12.17.2007

Rewind

I was told by my roommates, that I absolutely had to blog about my last day in DC, or else they'd never forgive me. So, to start, I'll just tell you a little bit about them. I had 5 roommates. That's more than I've ever had in my life, and I was a little worried, once I found out that it was co-ed, that it would turn into a gnarly season of The Real World. Luckily, we were all normal people and not the psychotic lunatics they pick to go on those shows.

So, like I was saying, my five roommates. I'll start with the girls. There were three of them. Biz was the first one I met. She was very sweet, and cheery with a zest for life, which immediately set my heart at ease about living there. Afterwards, I met Liz and Kay. Liz was hilarious! She was always saying outrageous things that made the rest of us laugh. Kay was adorable. She had a completely bizarre sense of humor, but we all loved her because of it. As for the men, there was Jason, the University of Illinois grad, who I seriously believe would sleep until 4 in the afternoon every day if he could, and there was Guido, our token Italian. He brought most of our cultural diversity into the house. There were nights when the English speakers were most definitely the minority in the house.

So, anyway, on my last day in DC, all of the roommates that were left (Guido was traveling with his girlfriend, and Kay had already left to go home) went to this fantastic little cafe to have an early lunch. We had decided to meet up at 11. The cafe was conveniently located only a short walk away from our house. Even more convenient, was the fact that right next door was a FedEx store. After living in DC for three months, I had accumulated random junk that just would not for the life of me fit into my two ever-shrinking suitcases. My kind boss had given me a couple boxes that had once been used to ship catalogs of ships plans. That saved me from having to buy overpriced boxes from FedEx. I packed two boxes nice and full of all kinds of random stuff. One of them even has a hardhat, that I used during a tour of the construction site.

I had enlisted Biz to help me carry the boxes to the store, cause they were too unwieldy for me to carry alone. So, we hike down several blocks with these ridiculous boxes and finally make it to the FedEx store. We walk in and there's only one other customer, so I begin to fill out the address form for my boxes. Since both boxes were going to the same address, I was able to fill out only one form. I even asked the clerk about it, and he said it was fine to write them both on one form.

I bring my first box to the register, hand the form over to the clerk, and place the box on the scale. He begins to type the information into the computer, but suddenly stops typing and furrows his brow. I suppressed a small sigh as he looked pleadingly toward the manager, the only other employee in the store at the time. She was loudly discussing shipping something with another customer on the phone, completely unable to assist Clerk X fix the problem.

After several minutes, she put the other customer on hold and showed him what to do. No sooner had she gotten back on the phone then the poor man was stuck again. By this time, there were at least three customers standing behind me using up their lunch break waiting on this incompetent employee.

After at least 25 minutes of this poor man getting occasional assistance from the phone-ridden manager, he finally solved the problem and handed me my receipt. I thanked him and glanced down at the receipt. I had been charged for only one box. I handed it back to him and said that there was only one box on the receipt, and I could hear the collective groan from the whole room of now 6 customers waiting behind me. Finally the manager got off the phone for good and took over my sale. She had both boxes done in less than 3 minutes. Finally, after over half an hour in this awful store both of my boxes were en route to Texas, and I was able to enjoy a delicious lunch with my roommates. All of whom, by that point were tapping their toes impatiently waiting for me to finish.

We happilly pranced from the FedEx store, an establishment that I will avoid from here on out, to Le Bon Cafe. We all ate delicious sandwiches, and Jason entertained us with his excellent conversational skills until we finally headed home.

Biz and Jason stood arm in arm like proud parents and waved goodbye to me from the front porch as I drove off in the cab. I was sad to leave, but excited to come home at the same time. It was a good day, and I was glad that I was able to spend it with my roommates.

12.14.2007

I'm Home!!!

I'm so glad to be back in Texas. Finally! After months of patiently riding Metro trains and trying to avoid the occasionally off-colour comments of the resident homeless man of Mass Ave. and 2nd, I'm finally able to sit in a quiet kitchen surrounded by my dogs and breathe cool (not cold) fresh Texas air. Maybe it's just me, but I do think that Texas smells better.

Anyway, traveling yesterday was quite an adventure. My flight left DC over 45 minutes late for no apparent reason. I was a little worried, because I only had a short amount of time between my two flights. I flew from DC to Chicago, then Chicago to Austin. Well, anyway, like I was saying, I was already in a time crunch, and here these guys were leaving the airport 45 minutes late! After several beseeching prayers that I would make my second flight, I settled down to read my book (Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick, a fantastic book about the US Exploring Expedition, read it some time!).

The girl sitting beside me was quite entertaining. It was only her second time to fly in a plane, and she kept asking questions like, what do I do with my carry-on bag? Well, you put it under the seat in front of you. Can I listen to my iPod during take-off? No, they tell you when you can though.

My favorite part was watching her raptly study every movement of the flight attendants as they mimicked what to do in an emergency. "Place the mask over your mouth and nose. Pull the tabs to tighten. Even though the bag may not inflate, it is still delivering Oxygen. If you are traveling with small children, put on your mask first, then assist the child." I don't think I've watched one of those flight attendant schpiels (sp?) since the age of 12, after I got over my fear that the plane was somehow going to explode mid-flight and I was going to be sucked out into the frigid air, with an eternity to freak out before I finally hit the ground thousands of feet below. I was a weird kid.

So, anyway, my flight was late. My plane for Austin was leaving Chicago at 7:05. My plane didn't get to Chicago until 6:59. Crap. Of course, I was stuck in the middle of the plane helplessly watching people take their sweet time as they removed carry-on items from the bins overhead. With prayers still being shot towards the sky, I barrelled up the ramp to the councours to find the monitors to tell me which way I needed to run. It was 7:10.

Close behind me were 4 other people from my flight who were also going to Austin. We were quite the motley crew as we sprinted from gate B4 to B21, me in my A&M Maroon Out t-shirt, an obviously wealthy woman in fancy clothes, two teenage boys, and some older guy in business casual. Half-way to the gate we heard them say "Last Call" over the intercom. We were now full-out sprinting down the moving sidewalks to get to the gate. Luckily, the woman was in heels, so everyone within 100 yards could hear us flying down the walkway and get out of our way.

Somehow, we made it in time. We were the last ones on the plane. As we walked on, huffing and puffing and looking extremely triumphant, people muttered things like "where the heck did they come from?" and "calm down, you made it!" Flushed and panting I finally found a seat. The aisle seat at the very back of the plane... yes, right next to the toilet. Good times. I really didn't care, I was going home.

I finally made it to Austin, and I was positive that my bags were going to be sitting somewhere in the Chicago-Midway airport, waiting for me to show up and claim them. There was just no way they would have made it from the DC flight. So, again, the prayers were shot to the heavens. At this point, I was practically begging that the Lord twitch his pinkie finger and send my bags flying from Chicago to Austin, to land at my feet at the baggage claim. Who knows, maybe he did, because when I walked up to the baggage claim, almost sure that my bags would be nowhere to be seen, my bag was one of the first to pop out of the chute! The second big miracle of the day!

Dad picked me up in a suburban full of dogs. He had brought Bertie, Maggie, and Turbeaux to see me! We opened the tail-gate window thing to put my bags in, and, immediately, all three of their heads popped out to say hello. They were so happy to see me! As I type this at the kitchen counter, Bertie, the golden retriever, is curled up at my feet with his chin tucked under his foot. He's precious.

Anyway, now I'm off to Alvin to go to Fallon & Big Steve's wedding! Very exciting, I hope I can get there in time to make the rehearsal! Anyway, y'all have a great day!

12.12.2007

Sigh...

Well, today was my last day of work... I don't really want to talk about it. It's just too sad.

So, instead, I'll talk about the delicious food that I've consumed in the past two days. Last night one of my supervisors, Paula, took me to dinner last night at the most amazing restaraunt I have ever eaten at. It was fantastic! It was upscale Indian cuisine, and it really was ridiculously good! I was floored.

Then, I just got home from a Thai food place that was great. I went with two girls from work, and we all got chicken Pad Thai. So dang good! I now have boxes of leftover pad thai, curry, cocconut broccoli, and cauliflower. And T-minus 16 hours before I leave for the airport!

I am so excited to come back to Texas. In 24 hours I'll be home! Whoop!!!!! Anyway, I love y'all!

12.11.2007

My Latest Hobby

I've also taken up drawing sketches of ships after being surrounded by them for so long. It all started during boring meetings. Instead of raptly listening to the argument over the size of brick to pave an exhibit with, I drew tiny ships on my legal pad. I now have them taped to the filing cabinets above my desk.

This is one I drew yesterday. It's much bigger than my usual ones. I drew this one on a legal pad too, hence the lined paper.

Weird...

My newest post isn't showing up on the webpage... hmmm... I'm posting this to see if it'll knock my new one onto the page... I hope it works!

Sniff Sniff

It’s a sad day for me. I only have two more days left here at the museum. Well, one and a half now, considering it’s already noon. I’m going to miss so much about this job. It’s amazing! I have been able to do so many amazing things here.
One of my roommates came to work with me this morning, since her internship is over. I gave her a mini-tour around the areas of the museum that I have worked in. I was able to show her my office and my desk which is completely covered in books and files and papers.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I could definitely have used a filing cabinet while I was here. It would have saved me a lot of sticky notes. As it is, I have about ten different piles of stuff on my desk, all neatly labeled with sticky notes, some of which change every day.

Whenever there’s a lull in between my various projects, I just grab a book off my desk, open it up, and start reading. This way I’m always entertained. The books are all maritime related. The Art of Rigging by George Biddlecombe, America’s Maritime Heritage, Africa Squadron, The Slave Ship Fredensborg, Women Sailors & Sailors’ Women, Villains of All Nations, The Many-Headed Hydra, The Atlantic Slave Trade, The Pirates. Needless to say, I’ve become a huge ship nerd.

The other day I was trying to come up with a list of all of the jobs I have performed since I’ve been here. It was actually a pretty long and varied list. For example: I researched petroleum byproducts and their uses. I came up with a list of over 90 everyday objects that contain petroleum in some form or another for an exhibit case in a new exhibit, to show just how much we rely on oil to accomplish tasks in our every day lives. I researched the Bryant family who, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ran a showboat that sailed up and down the Ohio river. I learned about Mississippi River pilots who guide their barges up and down the ever-changing waters of the Mississippi. I wrote bibliographies. I researched 54 different 18th and 19th century ships, including blackwall frigates, tea clippers, passenger ships, racing yachts, US Navy ships-of-the-line, privateers, and gunboats. And that’s only some of the stuff that I’ve done!

I’m now completely spoiled to a life of academia. What will I do when I have to go back to the real world? Oh well, it won’t be too terrible. I’m excited about my classes next semester. I’m taking 20th century drama, 19th century England, and 19th to 21st century English literature, as well as a crumby math class, an over analytical anthropological writing class, and self defense. At least three of them will be enjoyable.

In about half an hour the museum is hosting a Christmas party for everyone, and I’m sure that I’ll gorge myself on delicious baked goods and holiday treats. Yum…
Don’t assume from my earlier writing that I’m not excited to come back to Texas. I definitely am. When I came home for Thanksgiving, I was so excited that I actually teared up a little on the plane. What the heck am I going to do when I’m coming home for good? I’ll probably cry as soon as I leave the tarmac! Goodness gracious. Anyway, I can’t wait!

So here’s a big hug from me!!!! See ya soon!

12.05.2007

SNOW!!!!

If you've ever been in College Station for any prolonged period of time, or in Houston for that matter, you know that it never just rains, it pours! Well, now imagine that instead of rain, it was snow!!!!!!

Yes. As of right now, It is pouring snow from the heavens. My boss even let me out of the office to go play in it!

I just went out and stood in between the Washington Monument and the Capital building and watched everything slowly turn white. We're supposed to have up to two inches! And it's sticking! I can't even believe it!

Hopefully I can get off work a little early so that I can take pictures of everything while there's still light outside. Anyway, I have to go back to work now! Hehe! Love y'all!!!!

12.03.2007

December is Here!

Just in case you weren't aware of it yet I'll remind you. It is, in fact, December. No, I can't believe it either. Now is the time when you ask me what I have done to usher in this new month full of holiday wonderful-ness. My answer might surprise you. I went ice skating! Yes, me.... Ice skating!

One of my many roommates is from Wisconsin and we went together. When she was growing up they would go skate on frozen lakes in the winter. This concept completely baffled me. Ice skate, outside? But that is just what we did! A few blocks away from my museum is the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art. It's full of these really interesting, mostly weird, gigantic sculptures. In the winter months they turn the giant fountain in the center into an ice skating rink! They have strung Christmas lights all around and it looks just heavenly! Skating under the stars!

Anyway, my roommate was, of course, exceptionally good, whereas I was exceptionally bad, although I did see much improvement in myself over the course of two hours. I actually had fun! After I got good enough to not need the rail every other second... hehe.

It was actually kind of fun being bad at ice skating. You're not in the center of the rink surrounded by good and mediocre skaters, you're on the fringes clutching the rail with an ice-cold death-grip so that you don't fall down. There's a lot of camaraderie between all of the bad people. As you slowly circle the rink, you invariably come into contact with the same people over and over again. It is so comforting, at least it was for me, to see that their faces mirroring the shear terror and embarassment as suddenly things get a little too slippery.

Oh! Here's an interesting anecdote I forgot to tell you earlier. I was going to meet my roommate at the rink at 7:00, so I left work around 6:15. I was planning on making a Starbuck's run to get a hot chocolate before I went and stood on ice for two hours. There's a starbucks only a few blocks away from the sculpture garden (surprise, surprise), and I was absolutely shocked to find it closed! What kind of Starbucks closes at 6:00 pm????

At this point, I had nowhere to go until 7:00 and it was freezing outside. I wanted to find a place to either get coffee or get a quick dinner, so I resolutely stepped off the front step of the heinously closed Starbucks and marched off up the street. I figured at some point I would find something edible or drinkable. On my way to the warm place that I was imagining I discovered a very interesting used book store. I didn't get a chance to go in it, but I definitely put it on my list of places to go in the very near future. Anyway, I kept walking. I passed several fancy restaraunts and bars, shops, parking garages, etc. until suddenly, not three blocks from where I had angrily stomped my foot at the Starbucks, there stood yet another Starbucks! Only this one was twice as big as the first, and mercifully full of people! I boldly grasped the handle, and my heart gave a small leap as I felt the door yield and let me in. I practically ran to the counter and told them my order, so that I could sit and enjoy my hard-earned cup of hot chocolate as soon as I could. The moral of this story kids is that with nothing but a little determination, you can find a Starbucks anywhere!

Today was my second to last Monday at work. I'm actually sad about it! This week we have two full days of meetings... ick. It's all very interesting to learn about the production & design processes, but it keeps me away from all of the delicious research I could be doing. I found a really cool website today that has information on just about every ship ever commissioned by the US Navy. Amazing! Here's the link, just in case you were interested...

http://www.historycentral.com/Navy/index.html

On my way home from work today I was accosted by 45 mph gusts of wind across the Mall that nearly blew me right into the Washington Monument. By the time I got to Union Station the wind was making the flags sound like machine guns! It was nuts! Limbs were flying off branches and hitting cars and anything that weighed less than 100 pounds was flying around like I was in the middle of a tornado. I was so happy to finally get to my front door! Oh, and on Tuesday night through all of Wednesday we're supposed to have snow! What the heck!?! Snow! I'll definitely let you know it that happens!

Anyway, I hope you are all having an absolutely wonderful day, and that you're staying warm! Love y'all!