Random Kindness on a Humpday.

Something really cool happened to me today and I thought I would share it.

I decided to catch the shuttle bus uptown today so that I could run a few errands during lunch. As I was waiting on the bus an older gentleman approached with his wife. He sat down next to me on the steps while she stood in line. They proceeded to ask me a question about the shuttle and we made small talk for a sec before the bus pulled around the corner.

So we get on the bus and I end up sitting behind them, when I see the gentleman pull out a fold up map. It becomes obvious after a minute that they don't really know where they're going, so I ask if I can help. Now up to this point I just assumed they were here maybe visiting their grandkids at school or something (I work on a university campus). But they proceed to tell me that they've been in the university hospital for days and were basically taking advantage of the nice weather today to get out for awhile.

Me being me, I point out where we are on the map and then recommend a few places to eat in the neighborhood where the shuttle stops. And then I tell them where to get on the train to see some of the museums and such. They thank me and I don't think anything else of it...

As I'm getting off the bus, the gentleman hands me a business card. I read it and come to dead stop in the middle of the sidewalk. On the front:

And on the back:


When I turned back around the man and his wife were walking the opposite direction up the sidewalk, so I put the card in my wallet, and now I am sharing it here.

Hope you guys have a great day!

Black History Month

I'm all about culture, new experiences, travel and the like. I think it's difficult to have an appreciation for the world unless you've actually seen it.

That being said seeing as how it is Black History Month, here are some ideas for places/things to see. Of course this is not an extensive listing, but just some starter points to add to your "to do list".

Washington, DC

Lincoln Memorial- a grand tribute to the president that signed the Emancipation Proclamation, inspired our 44th President and site of the "I Have a Dream Speech"

Frederick Douglass Historic Site- tours of Douglass' DC Home and historic documents

Chicago

DuSable Museum of African American History- offering special programs all month long and year round celebrating acheivements of African Americans

Atlanta

Dr. Martin Luther King National Historic Site, the King Center- located in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta. Tours of the home of Dr King as well as the King center are available. Ebenezer Baptist Church is located in the same neighborhood

Birmingham, AL

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute- photos of famous moments in Civil Rights history. Birmingham is also the site of the Sixteeth St Baptist Church bombing

Harper's Ferry, WV

Tour the town, just north of DC/Baltimore- site of John Brown's abolisionist revolt

Baltimore, MD

Great Blacks in Wax Museum - Where all the greatest acheivers are immortalized in wax

New York

Lots of doings in NYC, but I would recommend as a starter, the Harlem Hertiage Tour a walking tour of a community that is synonymous with African American culture.

Again, not an all inclusive list, but you can check with any local library or nearby university for events in other cities/areas.

I would also recommend adding books, movies and music to your celebration. I can build a decent list if anyone would like suggestions.

Off the List- Reason #512 Why I (Sometimes) Like DC

I decided I would take in some culture today. First I went to visit the Phillip's Collection--which is an amazing collection of art from Mattise, Picasso, Van Gogh... Today however was the last day of the showing of the Jacob Lawrence Migration Series.


It's a beautiful set of paintings depicting the migration of blacks from south to north. You can view the entire set at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, so it's rare to see it here.

After which, I hopped the train and headed to Chinatown to check out the Chinese New Year Parade



It was pretty cool. The weather was perfect...about 60.



I even had a (lol) celebrity sighting...I saw former Mayor Marion "the bitch set me up" Barry.

The only downer was they couldn't light the giant firecracker because...there was a gas leak. Leave it to DC to have a gas leak next to a 3 story tall incendiary device. Eh, well...

Item # 128 Take a picture with "The Awakening" (on the National Habor in DC)

I got a new camera just before the inauguration. Finally!! My original plan was to drive up to Baltimore and take some pictures. Unfortunately, it's a little too cold, so I elected instead to test the camera at the DC Waterfront and knock another item of my list in the progress.

This is the Awakening...


It's a 100 foot sculpture of a giant coming out of the ground. It used to sit over at Hains Point in DC until about 2 years ago when the artist sold it and last year it was moved over to the new waterfront.


I added it to the list because I have great memories as both a little kid and a teenager going over to Hains Point. I don't think I got a clear shot of it, but to give you some perspective on how big this actually is...the knee cap is actually worn smooth in the front because all the kids (including me) used to use it as a sliding board.






I think the new camera works pretty well. Maybe I'll take that trip to Baltimore next weekend.

The 1,000th Visitor

Just a quick note...drumroll please.

As of today, it is official. I have had 1,000 people view my list. (That was actually on the list)

Ta-dah!

I think that calls for a party song, don't you?






Yes, I have JOKES today folks! Ha!

Veni, Vidi, Vici

When Julius Caesar announced to the Senate his victory over Pharnaces he shouted the immortal words "I came-I saw-I conquered".

Today we did. Today is the day we thought we would NEVER see. Collective sigh of relief

So...to give you the first hand account of the parts you didn't see on t.v.

5:45am I'm up. Eye rubbing, teeth brushing, shower taking and out the door to meet up at the Metro Station. Traffic suspiciously clear (but I also live inside the beltway).

7:15 am Park cars and meet up to take very chilly walk to station...even with 3 layers of clothes. Weather 20 degrees.7:45ish stand in a very long line to get into the station. Mood: pretty jovial considering it was the ass crack of morning. Lots of Obama fever! My coffee hasn't kicked in yet.



8:45ish after waiting on freezing outdoor Metro platform, get on train. Smart enough to get on at the end of the line in the last car and secure a seat for the whole ride. (In my best Homer Simpson voice) Woo hoo!

9:00am on for the ride. Train is stuffed. I know what Twinkie filling feels like. Knew I should've left earlier. Wouldn't have helped. Spend the next 45 mins telling people at every stop they can't get on. Thankful I am not motion sick because the trains are carrying so much weight they're leaning harder than D4L.


10am finally make it. shock and awe. the line...the ticket holder line... is about 1 mile long (no exageration). settle in for a wait.
10:30 still waiting (but moving). Have a nice chat with a family from New Orleans.

11 ish Now I heard they were supposed to shut the gates down at 11:30...gettting antsy. See ticket holders walking in my directions saying the gates are closed. Closed my ass! Not going anywhere until I get "official" word. Dumb dumbs who fell for that ploy get out of line. Time to move.


11:15 ish get pretty far up to where the ticket entrance is. Police hold us up for a few to let the crowds go forward. Mood still upbeat. I actually have a ok view from where I am standing. Cops are doing a good job...can't even hate on them cause I can't imagine how jacked up their job must be today. Spot cops putting up barricades out of the corner of my eye...crowd suddenly shoves me to the left and then an open space...I'm on the other side.

11:30 as close as I am going to get. Not great but not bad. Glad I'm tall...I'm on a little bit of a downhill but have just enough of a straight line of sight to see the jumbo tron.







12:00ish become a living witness to history.

After that it pretty much becomes a blur. We left shortly after all of the speeches (I caught about 2/3 of Obama's speech on my video camera...which is mostly shots of the backs of peoples heads but you get a REALLY good idea of what it was like to stand in the middle of it all). Took a nice walk back to a less crowded Metro station and rode home. It pretty much was a choice of seeing the oath or watching the parade (you pretty much had to be there super super early to be on the parade side and they only let 350K in then they shut it down)...So after a pretty breezy ride back I got here just in time to watch the parade from the comfort of my nice warm living room. Current temperature 30, but 16 with the wind chill. Was hoping that typing it all up would help my fingers defrost...not even a little...LOL. But was it worth it???

Hell YES!!!!

I have never met so many nice people. I have never seen my city so crowded. EVER. I still can't quite feel my fingers. My feet hurt from all the walking/slash standing I did. But I have a new president. My president. Our president. And I'm pretty damn happy.

PS I have some video that I will post on youtube and then embed. It's the swearing in and about 2/3 of the speech (it's a large file so I'll have to compress it). Meanwhile I am going to go recoup.

Item #121 CHECK.

Speechless...

Omg!!!

In the imortal words of SpongeBob Squarepants: Today is the best day EVER!!!

Why. did. I. just. score. an inaugural ticket?

Ok...let me pick my own jaw up off the floor.

Cliff notes version, it happened completely by accident. I came across a lady on one of my social networking sites who had tickets, but lives out of the area and is unable to attend.

Wow! That's all I can say right now...

While I am at it...Parade Magazine has published an open letter from Obama to his daughters.
http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/news/2009/01/barack-obama-letter-to-my-daughters.html

...speechless.