Oops!

I accidentally deleted my last, return to DC, post. I have people over so I will try to recreate it later. Gha!

Poke and poke and poke

I received some pokes in the form of knittingfisher and firefly8868 in my DC post about how it was/hoping it went well and I realized I haven’t posted. That seems to be my theme lately, doesn’t it.

DC was nice. My partner-in-crime, Tony, and I had two days of class which was unbelievably boring. Now, the boredom was not at all the fault of the teacher or course, both were quite good and I would recommend them. It’s just, I’ve taken javascript classes in the past. You may be asking yourself if I knew the topic, why did I take the class and if you did you get a cookie! I took javascript so long ago and haven’t used it much in the almost 3 years I’ve been at this job that I was getting rusty. So it was a refresher. I did learn some things, but it was geared more for beginners and I could have learned it in a day instead of two.

On Friday, the day we left, Tony and I wandered the mall and all the memorials in the morning. It was hot outside! I thought we weren’t going to make it but melt away into a puddle. Tony is apparently a war memorial person so we walked to each. I myself, don’t care and was happy to go. The most awe-inspiring of them all was the WWII memorial. The Vietnam Memorial was…I can’t think of the word! It was overwhelming with all the names but, and I really hate to say this, it didn’t affect me. I don’t know why. Maybe because just one person dead in a war is horrendous. Or maybe I’m shallow and vapid. Either one. I also didn’t have any family die in that war. My father was drafted but thankfully stationed in Germany.

The WWII memorial was a architectural designer’s wet dream. It was placed perfectly with monuments on each end and water fixtures with wall art. It was very well done. My only complaint was the crosses. Around the memorial is states and territories and they are beautiful (check out the picture on the left I pulled from the National WWII Memorial site) Do you see the cross? The empty space is the long part and the horizontal bar behind the wreath is the, um, cross part. It’s actually very cool and an interesting design. But. I’m offended that a war memorial is bringing in a religious icon.

Now before you send me nasty email or leave nasty comments, just remember that, one, this is my opinion and, two, being brought up as a non-Christian and my own wacky head makes me hyper-sensitive to this topic. I realize a lot of people will disagree with me.

First of all, the people who fought in the war were not all Christian. I think that to ignore that fact or shoehorn all those beliefs into one religious symbol that not all believe(d) in is rude. Okay, rude is not the correct word. What’s the right word? A disservice? Maybe that’s it.

Second, what was WWII about? Land and control of the world, yes. I mean Germany, Japan, and Italy were basically trying to take over the world but Germany took part in genocide of people who were Jewish,  Gay, Polish, wrong-thinking, purple, winged…you get the idea. Just people who are different. I think using this symbol and ignoring all the others is short-sited.

So there you have it. A diatribe on a memorial. Tomorrow I’ll post about the 8 hour flight home. Oh will the fun never end!

Capital Idea

I’m in DC! Of course I’ve been here a few days, I’m just lazy and have been too consumed by my javascript class to actually write. No, I’m just lazy.

The class is interesting. It’s mostly a refresher, but I am learning things. How to play better spider solitaire. How to sleep with my eyes open…Joking, joking. It’s a $1,000 class my job is paying for, I’m getting something out of it.

Right now I’m tired and cranky. Hopefully the caffeine will kick in soon. If it doesn’t, this company may be cleaning drool off the keyboard later today.

Stardust

We just got back from watching Stardust and I have to say, drop whatever it is you are doing and go see it. Just don’t see it with your toddler. That is simply annoying.

Stardust is based on a book, well, more like graphic novel fairy tale, er, thing by Neil Gaiman. I read the story years and years ago, maybe 8?, and I remember it was good but I don’t remember liking it all that much. The movie, however, was unbelievable and in the style of the old fairy tale movies like Princess Bride and Willow. It was family-friendly, spectacular, and beautiful. Go see it.

What, you expect a title every time?

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes. My celebrations ended Tuesday (Don’t you celebrate your birthday for a whole week? No? You totally should) and I made out like a bandit! So many wonderful, wonderful gifts. If I’m feeling so inclined and when I get the rest from my friends (apparently there are still a few items on order) I will photograph them all and rave about how wonderful each and every one is. Because, if I haven’t mentioned, they totally are.

It’s good to be spoiled and spoiled I am.

Next week I’m leaving the Husband behind and traveling to Washington, D.C. (stalker alert!) for a training class–Javascript and how it goes with ColdFusion or some such nonsense. I’m really, really not looking forward to leaving the Husband for three. Whole. Nights. At least I’m going with a friend/coworker but it’s just not the same. I want to go to sleep curled up with the Husband by my side, not all alone in another region thinking that every noise I hear is someone breaking in to kill me. Besides, I’m not sure if I can get my coworker to go into a yarn store on our down time and according to Wool Works there are a few in the area. But do I really need yarn?

Don’t answer that.

But go I will and I will probably enjoy myself on some level. Then when I fly into the airport I’ll see the Husband there waiting for me and I’ll know I’m going home and all will be right with the world. Until the next trip I have to go to. I hate traveling for work. When the Husband did it every month for his job I would get so jealous because he was able to see all these great places. Now I know that’s really not so true. You go to a really neat place but you see the inside of a hotel, the inside of a classroom or office, and the inside of a restaurant. I’m determined to have some fun and I’ll be with a friend so that part will be good. I just need to focus on the bright side and not always worry about everything. Now what should I get the Husband as a gift?