This morning I refused to set an alarm. My travels had worn me out, so I called it a night around 11:30 after attempt/ing to start A Knight's Tale. I made it all of half an hour before I shut down my computer and zonked out. Without an alarm my body slept soundly until around 9. I laid in bed, flirting with the idea of more sleep until 9:30. At this point, I decided to hop up and shower. The water pressure is grand and the shower is practically the exact same as the one I have at school. The only down side is the faucet handle only goes to half-way...this resulted in a slightly-warm shower. I meant to talk to Joe about this...and I still should. [Update. I discovered on Sunday that while my shower does only go half way, the cold side is actually the warm water. As I was trying to force the faucet further to the left, I noticed the water kept getting colder. Mildly frustrated, I gave up, but bumped the handle closer to the "C" etched in the metal. To my surprise, the flowing water went from lukewarm to warm. Turns out I no longer have anything to complain about!]
After showering, I started planning my trip to Arlington with my handy-dandy app (Having a smart phone is quite helpful!) but it said the route was unavailable. I ruled this was a problem with the app and jumped on my computer. Unfortunately, I received the same message online. It was time to contact the expert, so I went upstairs. I told Joe about my little problem. He pulled up the website and investigated the issue. Apparently the Orange line was down in our area for major work on the tracks. I could take the bus and the trip would take around an hour, or I could drive it in 15 minutes. Needless to say, I ran downstairs to retrieve my keys. After 14 hours in a car, I was pretty sure I could handle another 15.
So my adventure began. I jumped on 66 (the two big highways around me are 66 and 55) and it was pretty much a straight shot to Arlington. When I arrived at the address that was noted to be the metro station, I was utterly confused. So, I did what any logical man would do and drove round until I came up witha better idea--whih only took a few blocks. The area I was in was incredibly neat. I reprogrammed my GPS to take me to my internship building. I had originally planned on going from the metro stop near my apartment and doing a "test run," but I ended up doing it backwards. I found my building, with only minor setbacks. There was a street festival or something going on so a couple blocks were closed off. I found a parking lot that looked like free parking (Joe said on the weekend it should be, and since there were no tickets awaiting my return, I assumed he was corrected) and walked to my building. The Institute is on one of the upper levels, with a cafe, a lobby, and an Office Depot making up the bottom floor. (Sidenote: I bought a portfolio from the Office Depot. Wanted to make sure I was prepared on Monday!)
It was now time to find the Metro station...so I pulled out my handy-dandy Skyrocket (which I have affectionately named Skyra), used my metro app, and then walked the three minutes to the station that was .literally one block away. Dang, tough life! I meandered down the escalator and bought a metro fare card...which was moderately expensive, but not as much as parking!
After waiting a couple minutes I stepped onto the orange line and headed to the Foggy Bottom/GWU stop (nice name, huh?). GWU is a gorgeous school, for the record. Maybe I should look into their grad programs? After a quick glance at my National Monuments app, I started walking towards the Lincoln Memorial. It was about an 8 minute walk, so not bad.
I have come to realize the secret to not looking like a tourist involves a handful of very basic points. 1) Do not walk around with a huge camera around your neck (check). 2) Do not always consult a map of the metro or of DC, at least, not the free paper versions they hand out everywhere. 3) Act like you know where you know where you are going-even when you don't (check and check). 4) Do not, I repeat Do not Gawk. Period.
There is nothing wrong with looking like a tourist, except there may be an increased risk of robbery, and you look like a dork, but otherwise, there isn't much else wrong with looking like a tourist. I seemed to have mastered the anti-tourist look, since on the Metro a gentleman spoke with me about the red line and a few people asked me about the line we were on. I was able to answer all of the questions, since I had consulted my app regarding many of the same ones!
When I reached the Lincoln Memorial, I was speechless once again. I had forgotten how breath-taking the memorial actually is. I also noticed, I think for the first time, that all of the state's names and year of statehood-in roman numerals- lined the top of the momument. Being a pleasant saturday in June, the plaza was packed. The enthroned Lincoln, always vigilant, surrounded by his famous words (The Gettysburg address and [I believe his] Second Inaugural Address) is truly an amazing scene to behold.
I took numerous pictures and then moved on to the bridge that is across from the Lincoln Memorial. The bridges are flanked by 4 statues which were gifts from the Italians in 1950. They stand for Valor, Sacrifice, Music and Harvest, and Aspiration and Literature. I do not know the history behind these statues (something I plan on looking up), but they are beautiful.
It was time to meander to the Korean War Memorial. I cannot say why, but this memorial is one of my favorites.
It is a beautiful memorial, dedicated in 1995 and made up of 19 larger-than-life military men moving in patrol formation through low-growing junipers. These men represent the Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy. While the Vietnam Memorial Wall is probably the most sombering, this memorial really is quite touching. Lining one side is a granite wall with faces etched into the wall. These lead up to the end of the wall where "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"is inlaid in the wall. The other side of the triangular memorial includes all the Nations that assisted in the conflict and then the USA and UN numbers of Dead, Missing, and Wounded soldiers from the war. It is a beautiful site--one I recommend you really spend some time seeing and reflecting on if you are ever in DC.
(At this point, I gave up writing my post on my tablet in frustration, and decided to hold out until my laptop was returned to me).
From Korea, I went to the WWII memorial. For those that don't know, the WWII memorial is a circular memorial with a large fountain in the middle. The side closest to the Washington Monument is open. The side opposite of this is closed off and has a reflecting pool and bronze stars. The other two sides represent the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, with each state and US territory having a pillar to signify their involvement. This is probably my second favorite memorial
There was a special ceremony that had numerous vets from WWII. I'm not entirely sure what organization was hosting the event, but men and women, all in their later years, stood side-by-side in two rows. The sight brought tears to my eyes. As children ran around and international tourists snapped photos of the memorial, I had to pause to thank these men and women that risked it all so I could spend my summer looking at memorials and interning. God Bless each and every one of our Veterans.
After getting a picture of the Illinois Pillar, I walked around the Washington Monument. You can no longer get up next to it, as it is closed due to an earthquake (I believe around a 5.8?) last September. Having seen quite a few major landmarks, I was wearing out. However, I did notice a small memorial I had not seen on my first trip to DC. Standing in the middle of a split highway, was a memorial to John Paul Jones (1747-1792) who was the "First to compel Man-of-War to strike colors to the Stars and Stripes." It was a neat statue.
From the Washington Monument (I actually noticed the John Paul Jones statue right before heading the Washington Monument. Improper recall). I felt like just adventuring. I started walking, with purpose, to no where. It was quite fun (and I heard a tourist or two say, "Watch out, let that man through"). I ended up walking by the United States Department of Agriculture. According to the blue banners, the USDA is celebrating 150 years this year. 150 years of increasing farm regulations and restrictions (oops, I'll avoid that topic...no subsidies discussions here).
I'm not sure if you have seen the USDA...but it's HUGE! I was walking next to the South Building. This building, according to Wiki, was the largest office building in the world until the completion of the Pentagon. It is something like 7 stories high and has somewhere around 4500 rooms. It is connected to the Administration Building by two impressive arches that span the entire road. It is quite the site. I'm happy I was able to see it!
By this time, I was starting to realize I had not consumed any sustenance. I deemed it necessary to return to Arlington. The odds were in my favor, as there was a metro station right at the corner of the USDA building. And it happened to be the Orange line. I had to wait around 10 minutes for a train to arrive, but in those 10 minutes, I was able to sit for the first time. It was quite lovely.
After reaching Arlington, I stopped in at Jerry's Subs. It's a local chain (I guess?) that has subs and pizzas. The special of the day was a cheese pizza and a drink for 6 bucks, so I said why not (however, I upgraded my drink, something I would not be able to do in New York any more!). The pizza was a little greasy--it certainly wasn't Alfonso's--but it filled an empty stomach!
After walking around the aforementioned street fair, I decided to head by to Fairfax and maybe get some groceries. I wasn't sure where the nearest Walmart was, but I was lucky enough to find a Target on my way back off of 55. It was time to buy my own groceries. This was my first shopping experience where I was buying food that would keep me alive, not just in addition to my meal plan at school. It was heart wrenching to see those digital, cash-register-green numbers total something that seemed all too high for what little I was buying; yet I knew there was no error. Food is expensive. Ugh. I miss my meal plan already. This whole "growing-up thing," well, I think I'll pass!
Oh well.
After unloading at my apartment, I ran to Best Buy to deliver my laptops and get this one fully functioning! Too much old data that I could not afford to lose on my previous lappytop!
After Best Buy, I ran to Goodwill to track down a cheap-o TV stand. I had originally thought the plastic drawers I bought to house my shorts and skivvies would serve as the stand, but since I opted to get the cheap set of drawers (and therefore narrow) I didn't want to risk balancing my 32" baby on cheap plastic.
So I found cheap pressed-wood to balance my TV on. It has a nice open stand which my (provided) microwave sits on.
I finished a Knights Tale, attempted to blog, gave up, and read for a bit. I tried to start another movie, but after surfing Netflix for almost 30 minutes, I gave up and went to sleep!
I'm going to post Sunday's events as well, since it was a pretty laid-back day.
On Sunday, I was faced with my first challenge. How to decide which of the 30 Catholic churches to attend in the 5-8 mile radius of my apartment. Since I didn't want to have to get up early, I decided to set a time restraint this first week. 11 am mass was my target. It was determined by the first Church that had an 11 am mass time: St. Leo the Great.
The church was GORGEOUS! It was in a 4-point star design. You walk in to this snazzy glass entry way before entering the actual church. The church is a nice mix of modern and older. The interior looks to be fairly new, but with absolutely lovely stained-glass windows on the two points to the left and right of the entry. The fourth point is the Altar, with a huge Crucifix hanging on the wall and a-surprisingly-simple tabernacle. I prefer bronze Crucifixes, but this one was wood and had the flesh-colored Jesus hanging. Still lovely.
After Mass I ran back home and changed (I was happy I put on slacks and a dress shirt. I would have been fine in jeans, but there was such a range that I felt comfortable being in the middle of that range!). From home I had a few more things I needed to retrieve.
I found my local Walmart--after driving past it and not realizing it. My GPS took me past the Walmart, around a circular Subdivision, back out to the Highway, and then back by the Walmart. I'm thinking it's time to update Susan. She must not have known the light was there. At Walmart, I purchased the life-giving machine known as a coffee pot and a couple other small items. I believe I have everything purchased that I need! At least, until I run out of food.
Upon returning to my apartment (or my basement dwelling, as I'm coming to refer to it) I decided that I really didn't feel like going out. I was still a little travel/toured out from the previous days. Instead of going out, I began a How I Met Your Mother marathon. It was a lovely afternoon/evening of peace and quite.
When I went up to retrieve an apple for a snack (for some reason I wasn't feeling very hungry...I suppose my body was conserving food for me!) I ended-up talking to Joe and his family for like an hour. We discussed being from a small town, his upbringing in LA, and a plethora of other ideas pertaining to small and large areas of population. It was quite enjoyable. I popped back down into my hole (another name), finished another episode of HIMYM and called it a night.
After a long drive and a fun weekend, I was ready for the next step--becoming the Intern.
So my adventure began. I jumped on 66 (the two big highways around me are 66 and 55) and it was pretty much a straight shot to Arlington. When I arrived at the address that was noted to be the metro station, I was utterly confused. So, I did what any logical man would do and drove round until I came up witha better idea--whih only took a few blocks. The area I was in was incredibly neat. I reprogrammed my GPS to take me to my internship building. I had originally planned on going from the metro stop near my apartment and doing a "test run," but I ended up doing it backwards. I found my building, with only minor setbacks. There was a street festival or something going on so a couple blocks were closed off. I found a parking lot that looked like free parking (Joe said on the weekend it should be, and since there were no tickets awaiting my return, I assumed he was corrected) and walked to my building. The Institute is on one of the upper levels, with a cafe, a lobby, and an Office Depot making up the bottom floor. (Sidenote: I bought a portfolio from the Office Depot. Wanted to make sure I was prepared on Monday!)
It was now time to find the Metro station...so I pulled out my handy-dandy Skyrocket (which I have affectionately named Skyra), used my metro app, and then walked the three minutes to the station that was .literally one block away. Dang, tough life! I meandered down the escalator and bought a metro fare card...which was moderately expensive, but not as much as parking!
After waiting a couple minutes I stepped onto the orange line and headed to the Foggy Bottom/GWU stop (nice name, huh?). GWU is a gorgeous school, for the record. Maybe I should look into their grad programs? After a quick glance at my National Monuments app, I started walking towards the Lincoln Memorial. It was about an 8 minute walk, so not bad.
I have come to realize the secret to not looking like a tourist involves a handful of very basic points. 1) Do not walk around with a huge camera around your neck (check). 2) Do not always consult a map of the metro or of DC, at least, not the free paper versions they hand out everywhere. 3) Act like you know where you know where you are going-even when you don't (check and check). 4) Do not, I repeat Do not Gawk. Period.
There is nothing wrong with looking like a tourist, except there may be an increased risk of robbery, and you look like a dork, but otherwise, there isn't much else wrong with looking like a tourist. I seemed to have mastered the anti-tourist look, since on the Metro a gentleman spoke with me about the red line and a few people asked me about the line we were on. I was able to answer all of the questions, since I had consulted my app regarding many of the same ones!
When I reached the Lincoln Memorial, I was speechless once again. I had forgotten how breath-taking the memorial actually is. I also noticed, I think for the first time, that all of the state's names and year of statehood-in roman numerals- lined the top of the momument. Being a pleasant saturday in June, the plaza was packed. The enthroned Lincoln, always vigilant, surrounded by his famous words (The Gettysburg address and [I believe his] Second Inaugural Address) is truly an amazing scene to behold.
I took numerous pictures and then moved on to the bridge that is across from the Lincoln Memorial. The bridges are flanked by 4 statues which were gifts from the Italians in 1950. They stand for Valor, Sacrifice, Music and Harvest, and Aspiration and Literature. I do not know the history behind these statues (something I plan on looking up), but they are beautiful.
It was time to meander to the Korean War Memorial. I cannot say why, but this memorial is one of my favorites.
It is a beautiful memorial, dedicated in 1995 and made up of 19 larger-than-life military men moving in patrol formation through low-growing junipers. These men represent the Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy. While the Vietnam Memorial Wall is probably the most sombering, this memorial really is quite touching. Lining one side is a granite wall with faces etched into the wall. These lead up to the end of the wall where "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"is inlaid in the wall. The other side of the triangular memorial includes all the Nations that assisted in the conflict and then the USA and UN numbers of Dead, Missing, and Wounded soldiers from the war. It is a beautiful site--one I recommend you really spend some time seeing and reflecting on if you are ever in DC.
(At this point, I gave up writing my post on my tablet in frustration, and decided to hold out until my laptop was returned to me).
From Korea, I went to the WWII memorial. For those that don't know, the WWII memorial is a circular memorial with a large fountain in the middle. The side closest to the Washington Monument is open. The side opposite of this is closed off and has a reflecting pool and bronze stars. The other two sides represent the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, with each state and US territory having a pillar to signify their involvement. This is probably my second favorite memorial
There was a special ceremony that had numerous vets from WWII. I'm not entirely sure what organization was hosting the event, but men and women, all in their later years, stood side-by-side in two rows. The sight brought tears to my eyes. As children ran around and international tourists snapped photos of the memorial, I had to pause to thank these men and women that risked it all so I could spend my summer looking at memorials and interning. God Bless each and every one of our Veterans.
After getting a picture of the Illinois Pillar, I walked around the Washington Monument. You can no longer get up next to it, as it is closed due to an earthquake (I believe around a 5.8?) last September. Having seen quite a few major landmarks, I was wearing out. However, I did notice a small memorial I had not seen on my first trip to DC. Standing in the middle of a split highway, was a memorial to John Paul Jones (1747-1792) who was the "First to compel Man-of-War to strike colors to the Stars and Stripes." It was a neat statue.
From the Washington Monument (I actually noticed the John Paul Jones statue right before heading the Washington Monument. Improper recall). I felt like just adventuring. I started walking, with purpose, to no where. It was quite fun (and I heard a tourist or two say, "Watch out, let that man through"). I ended up walking by the United States Department of Agriculture. According to the blue banners, the USDA is celebrating 150 years this year. 150 years of increasing farm regulations and restrictions (oops, I'll avoid that topic...no subsidies discussions here).
I'm not sure if you have seen the USDA...but it's HUGE! I was walking next to the South Building. This building, according to Wiki, was the largest office building in the world until the completion of the Pentagon. It is something like 7 stories high and has somewhere around 4500 rooms. It is connected to the Administration Building by two impressive arches that span the entire road. It is quite the site. I'm happy I was able to see it!
By this time, I was starting to realize I had not consumed any sustenance. I deemed it necessary to return to Arlington. The odds were in my favor, as there was a metro station right at the corner of the USDA building. And it happened to be the Orange line. I had to wait around 10 minutes for a train to arrive, but in those 10 minutes, I was able to sit for the first time. It was quite lovely.
After reaching Arlington, I stopped in at Jerry's Subs. It's a local chain (I guess?) that has subs and pizzas. The special of the day was a cheese pizza and a drink for 6 bucks, so I said why not (however, I upgraded my drink, something I would not be able to do in New York any more!). The pizza was a little greasy--it certainly wasn't Alfonso's--but it filled an empty stomach!
After walking around the aforementioned street fair, I decided to head by to Fairfax and maybe get some groceries. I wasn't sure where the nearest Walmart was, but I was lucky enough to find a Target on my way back off of 55. It was time to buy my own groceries. This was my first shopping experience where I was buying food that would keep me alive, not just in addition to my meal plan at school. It was heart wrenching to see those digital, cash-register-green numbers total something that seemed all too high for what little I was buying; yet I knew there was no error. Food is expensive. Ugh. I miss my meal plan already. This whole "growing-up thing," well, I think I'll pass!
Oh well.
After unloading at my apartment, I ran to Best Buy to deliver my laptops and get this one fully functioning! Too much old data that I could not afford to lose on my previous lappytop!
After Best Buy, I ran to Goodwill to track down a cheap-o TV stand. I had originally thought the plastic drawers I bought to house my shorts and skivvies would serve as the stand, but since I opted to get the cheap set of drawers (and therefore narrow) I didn't want to risk balancing my 32" baby on cheap plastic.
So I found cheap pressed-wood to balance my TV on. It has a nice open stand which my (provided) microwave sits on.
I finished a Knights Tale, attempted to blog, gave up, and read for a bit. I tried to start another movie, but after surfing Netflix for almost 30 minutes, I gave up and went to sleep!
I'm going to post Sunday's events as well, since it was a pretty laid-back day.
On Sunday, I was faced with my first challenge. How to decide which of the 30 Catholic churches to attend in the 5-8 mile radius of my apartment. Since I didn't want to have to get up early, I decided to set a time restraint this first week. 11 am mass was my target. It was determined by the first Church that had an 11 am mass time: St. Leo the Great.
The church was GORGEOUS! It was in a 4-point star design. You walk in to this snazzy glass entry way before entering the actual church. The church is a nice mix of modern and older. The interior looks to be fairly new, but with absolutely lovely stained-glass windows on the two points to the left and right of the entry. The fourth point is the Altar, with a huge Crucifix hanging on the wall and a-surprisingly-simple tabernacle. I prefer bronze Crucifixes, but this one was wood and had the flesh-colored Jesus hanging. Still lovely.
After Mass I ran back home and changed (I was happy I put on slacks and a dress shirt. I would have been fine in jeans, but there was such a range that I felt comfortable being in the middle of that range!). From home I had a few more things I needed to retrieve.
I found my local Walmart--after driving past it and not realizing it. My GPS took me past the Walmart, around a circular Subdivision, back out to the Highway, and then back by the Walmart. I'm thinking it's time to update Susan. She must not have known the light was there. At Walmart, I purchased the life-giving machine known as a coffee pot and a couple other small items. I believe I have everything purchased that I need! At least, until I run out of food.
Upon returning to my apartment (or my basement dwelling, as I'm coming to refer to it) I decided that I really didn't feel like going out. I was still a little travel/toured out from the previous days. Instead of going out, I began a How I Met Your Mother marathon. It was a lovely afternoon/evening of peace and quite.
When I went up to retrieve an apple for a snack (for some reason I wasn't feeling very hungry...I suppose my body was conserving food for me!) I ended-up talking to Joe and his family for like an hour. We discussed being from a small town, his upbringing in LA, and a plethora of other ideas pertaining to small and large areas of population. It was quite enjoyable. I popped back down into my hole (another name), finished another episode of HIMYM and called it a night.
After a long drive and a fun weekend, I was ready for the next step--becoming the Intern.
No comments:
Post a Comment