Sunday, January 11, 2009
Happy Birthday Ankur!
On this day in history, many years ago, my best friend and soulmate was brought into the world. To celebrate the momentous occasion, we 1) went to McDonald's for lunch (his request); 2) went to Whole Foods and explored (also his request), and 3) had a little get-together at our favorite local Thai place, followed by cake and Rock Band at home (a surprise). And so many people called and emailed and facebooked--it was a really nice, low-key day spent reconnecting with people.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Playing Tourists
Happy New Year! Thanks to the office entirely emptying out for the holiday, I got a rare treat--I did not have to do a single six-minute increment of work on Sunday! It was fantastic. In order to properly take advantage of the occasion, the husband and I decided to venture out and experience DC as it is meant to be experienced--as tourists.
We started our adventures by walking down to the scene of all the action lately--the Hay Adams hotel. We were two of the many, many curious Americans hoping to catch a glimpse the Obama family as they (along with so many other Americans) await the vacancy of their future home. We felt completely ridiculous standing there and gawking, waiting for the chance to wave at our future first family, but there was something really neat about the palpable excitement in the air, and we couldn't bring ourselves to walk away.
And our time spent standing out in the cold looking and feeling like idiots was rewarded--we got our second DC celebrity sighting! The Obama women exited the hotel, through the Secret Service tent, in a big black SUV with tinted windows, and surrounded by police cars and other vehicles. As they were driving away, Mrs. Obama looked out the window and waved at us! Some might see it as inappropriate or undistinguished, but I thought the fact that Michelle Obama waved at us through the dark windows had some nice symbolic value--she did not see the American public waiting outside her temporary home as a source of inconvenience or annoyance to be avoided, but instead as people whom she could help cheer and serve. Change is coming! =)
After the wave, we continued our walk down to the White House, where we saw the giant stage and massive rows of bleachers being constructed for the inauguration. We stopped to buy a couple of Obama T-shirts from a street vendor (hey, we were tourists!) and have a delicious lunch at Cosi. Then we headed further down to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, where we saw reconstructed dinosaur skeletons, fossils, the Hope Diamond, a really cool video about the ocean and its creatures, and a lot of other really cool, really old stuff. After all that walking our feet couldn't take it anymore, so we metro'ed most of the way back to our apartment.
It was really nice to be able to take advantage of some of the amazing and unique (and free!) resources of the city in which we live. I still miss "home," but DC is a great place to visit!
We started our adventures by walking down to the scene of all the action lately--the Hay Adams hotel. We were two of the many, many curious Americans hoping to catch a glimpse the Obama family as they (along with so many other Americans) await the vacancy of their future home. We felt completely ridiculous standing there and gawking, waiting for the chance to wave at our future first family, but there was something really neat about the palpable excitement in the air, and we couldn't bring ourselves to walk away.
And our time spent standing out in the cold looking and feeling like idiots was rewarded--we got our second DC celebrity sighting! The Obama women exited the hotel, through the Secret Service tent, in a big black SUV with tinted windows, and surrounded by police cars and other vehicles. As they were driving away, Mrs. Obama looked out the window and waved at us! Some might see it as inappropriate or undistinguished, but I thought the fact that Michelle Obama waved at us through the dark windows had some nice symbolic value--she did not see the American public waiting outside her temporary home as a source of inconvenience or annoyance to be avoided, but instead as people whom she could help cheer and serve. Change is coming! =)
After the wave, we continued our walk down to the White House, where we saw the giant stage and massive rows of bleachers being constructed for the inauguration. We stopped to buy a couple of Obama T-shirts from a street vendor (hey, we were tourists!) and have a delicious lunch at Cosi. Then we headed further down to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, where we saw reconstructed dinosaur skeletons, fossils, the Hope Diamond, a really cool video about the ocean and its creatures, and a lot of other really cool, really old stuff. After all that walking our feet couldn't take it anymore, so we metro'ed most of the way back to our apartment.
It was really nice to be able to take advantage of some of the amazing and unique (and free!) resources of the city in which we live. I still miss "home," but DC is a great place to visit!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Happy Holidays!
Greetings! I hope that you all had a wonderful, warm, and merry Christmas and a happy Hanukkah. We have been having a lovely time here, although we have definitely missed our friends and family back home.
DC has been an absolute ghost town these past few days. The office was open but deserted, parking was plentiful, traffic was tolerable, lines were short, lunches were long, the blackberry was not buzzing... in other words, it has been entirely pleasant! When everyone clears out to go home for the holidays, it becomes even more apparent that no one is actually *from* DC, and that home is somewhere else entirely.
In a strange fit of ambition and nostalgia, I cooked my first ever holiday feast--turkey, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, grandmother's secret macaroni and cheese recipe, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top, and pumpkin pie (with healthy doses of cool whip of course). In a small Christmas miracle, everything actually turned out properly. Rachel and Oz and Jeanne, you can stop snickering now.
Other than eating far more than I thought was humanly possible, we have been enjoying spending time with Ankur's sister, who is up visiting for 10 days. Ankur has been showing her around DC, and on Saturday we all took a day trip back in time to Williamsburg, VA.
May your days be merry and bright!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
It's started...
For those of you who are concerned about my complete lack of posting since Thanksgiving, I have only one word to say to you:
Crackberry.
It's been busy. I have decided that no matter how sexy the work you are doing is, it is still work, and too much of it is still too much.
But I had to take a break from my self-imposed exile to comment on the latest bizarre news out of Washington.
Rick Warren will give the inaugural prayer.
Rick Warren? Seriously? The guy who compares abortion to the Holocaust (not that I'm defending abortion, but the Holocaust is not even close to the range of appropriate comparisons here), who thinks that my entire family of Jews and Catholics and Hindus are going to burn in hell (and seems somewhat gleeful about it), who thinks that gay marriage is on par with beastiality, who thinks that women should submit to their husbands--that Rick Warren?
I'm all for Democrats separating themselves from the image that we are the party of godless commies. I thought that Obama's election was a step in the right direction there. But this seems like a slap in the face to all of those people who believe that religion does not have to be a code word for bigotry and close-mindedness.
Maybe there's another Rick Warren out there.
Crackberry.
It's been busy. I have decided that no matter how sexy the work you are doing is, it is still work, and too much of it is still too much.
But I had to take a break from my self-imposed exile to comment on the latest bizarre news out of Washington.
Rick Warren will give the inaugural prayer.
Rick Warren? Seriously? The guy who compares abortion to the Holocaust (not that I'm defending abortion, but the Holocaust is not even close to the range of appropriate comparisons here), who thinks that my entire family of Jews and Catholics and Hindus are going to burn in hell (and seems somewhat gleeful about it), who thinks that gay marriage is on par with beastiality, who thinks that women should submit to their husbands--that Rick Warren?
I'm all for Democrats separating themselves from the image that we are the party of godless commies. I thought that Obama's election was a step in the right direction there. But this seems like a slap in the face to all of those people who believe that religion does not have to be a code word for bigotry and close-mindedness.
Maybe there's another Rick Warren out there.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Oklahoma Part Deux
We're back! It's amazing--we generally get to come to Oklahoma about once a year, and this time we're here twice in one month! This long break between jobs was the best thing we ever did.
It has been a fantastic trip thus far. We arrived on Friday night, just in time to catch some shut-eye before heading down to Norman for the game of the year--OU vs. Texas Tech. We stole my brother's tickets (don't worry, he did not miss his first game in 20 years for us--he was able to procure some more) and I got to show Ankur what a REAL football game is like. The crowd was electric, it was cold but not too cold, and the score of course was much to our liking, so it was a great day. (By the way--everyone should wear red tomorrow. Or at least not orange.)
At the game, we also had a classic Oklahoma moment: taking a picture in front of a stretch limo pickup truck. Awesome.
Sunday we went up to Tulsa to visit our old and wonderful friends, Zac and Julie. We got to see their beautiful new house (they are such real people!), and they gave us the VIP tour of the city. Despite the fact that both of my parents grew up Tulsa, we never spent a whole lot of time there as kids--at least, not outside of the grandparents' houses and the Coney Islander. So it really was a new experience for both of us. We saw the Giant Praying Hands, Riverside, Brookside (?), Utica Square, Harolds, the dive shop, the park where I took prom pictures that one time, and other Tulsa landmarks. We also ate coneys (no one in my family can go to Tulsa without eating coneys) and a scrumptious dinner at Lucky's, Z&J's favorite restaurant. (Oddly enough, while stopping at Starbucks to fuel Zac's caffeine addiction, we also ran into a guy we met in Rome!) It was great to spend time with two of my best friends, and great to add a city to the (very short) list of potential future homes.
Monday we went to another OKC Thunder game. It was a very exciting game--unfortunately, they gave up a 20 point lead and lost by one in the last seconds. Oh well. We'll get better. And we saw Shaq. In a suit. I wonder where he buys his suits.
Tuesday and Wednesday were largely spent preparing for Thursday, Turkey Day. Mom and I both came down with the death cold at the same time. As we were the ones preparing Thanksgiving dinner for 20, that was an unfortunate turn of events. I hope that nobody suffers ill effects from the bacteria pie.
Thursday we all medicated up and prepared for the onslaught of the W family. As always, Thanksgiving with the Ws was loud, rambunctious, drama-filled, and fantastic. We continued the tradition of Grandmother's standard low-calorie Thanksgiving meal for 25: turkey slow-cooked in cream-of-mushroom soup, stuffing, green bean casserole, rice, secret-recipe macaroni and cheese, brown and serve rolls, some needless filler vegetables, and gravy on top of everything. Then pumpkin pie with loads of whipped cream. And alcohol. Much alcohol. Then we started a fire. Then Aunt Liz walked into a door. And a good time was had by all.
We also had a few visitors for Thanksgiving. Karen, who is basically one of the family, and Michelle, a girl who lived in the house behind my grandmother and grew up with the W clan, came by, but they are used to us. We also had Ankur's sister, who came down from Kansas to experience her first real turkey day. I hope she doesn't convince Ankur to leave me. Finally, we had my potential future in-laws--if yesterday doesn't change their mind.
Today is Recovery Friday. We'll need it!
I hope you all had a warm, happy, and wonderful Thanksgiving too!
It has been a fantastic trip thus far. We arrived on Friday night, just in time to catch some shut-eye before heading down to Norman for the game of the year--OU vs. Texas Tech. We stole my brother's tickets (don't worry, he did not miss his first game in 20 years for us--he was able to procure some more) and I got to show Ankur what a REAL football game is like. The crowd was electric, it was cold but not too cold, and the score of course was much to our liking, so it was a great day. (By the way--everyone should wear red tomorrow. Or at least not orange.)
At the game, we also had a classic Oklahoma moment: taking a picture in front of a stretch limo pickup truck. Awesome.
Sunday we went up to Tulsa to visit our old and wonderful friends, Zac and Julie. We got to see their beautiful new house (they are such real people!), and they gave us the VIP tour of the city. Despite the fact that both of my parents grew up Tulsa, we never spent a whole lot of time there as kids--at least, not outside of the grandparents' houses and the Coney Islander. So it really was a new experience for both of us. We saw the Giant Praying Hands, Riverside, Brookside (?), Utica Square, Harolds, the dive shop, the park where I took prom pictures that one time, and other Tulsa landmarks. We also ate coneys (no one in my family can go to Tulsa without eating coneys) and a scrumptious dinner at Lucky's, Z&J's favorite restaurant. (Oddly enough, while stopping at Starbucks to fuel Zac's caffeine addiction, we also ran into a guy we met in Rome!) It was great to spend time with two of my best friends, and great to add a city to the (very short) list of potential future homes.
Monday we went to another OKC Thunder game. It was a very exciting game--unfortunately, they gave up a 20 point lead and lost by one in the last seconds. Oh well. We'll get better. And we saw Shaq. In a suit. I wonder where he buys his suits.
Tuesday and Wednesday were largely spent preparing for Thursday, Turkey Day. Mom and I both came down with the death cold at the same time. As we were the ones preparing Thanksgiving dinner for 20, that was an unfortunate turn of events. I hope that nobody suffers ill effects from the bacteria pie.
Thursday we all medicated up and prepared for the onslaught of the W family. As always, Thanksgiving with the Ws was loud, rambunctious, drama-filled, and fantastic. We continued the tradition of Grandmother's standard low-calorie Thanksgiving meal for 25: turkey slow-cooked in cream-of-mushroom soup, stuffing, green bean casserole, rice, secret-recipe macaroni and cheese, brown and serve rolls, some needless filler vegetables, and gravy on top of everything. Then pumpkin pie with loads of whipped cream. And alcohol. Much alcohol. Then we started a fire. Then Aunt Liz walked into a door. And a good time was had by all.
We also had a few visitors for Thanksgiving. Karen, who is basically one of the family, and Michelle, a girl who lived in the house behind my grandmother and grew up with the W clan, came by, but they are used to us. We also had Ankur's sister, who came down from Kansas to experience her first real turkey day. I hope she doesn't convince Ankur to leave me. Finally, we had my potential future in-laws--if yesterday doesn't change their mind.
Today is Recovery Friday. We'll need it!
I hope you all had a warm, happy, and wonderful Thanksgiving too!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Just a few things I am thankful for this year:
-My wonderful husband, and a wonderful first year of marriage
-My colorful (and wonderful) family--and getting to spend Thanksgiving with most of them
-My Savta
-My BFF Rachel, now only 2.5 hours away
-All my fantastic friends, near and far (Lincoln, here's your shoutout--you are included here)
-My Godson
-My new job, starting on Monday
-My old job--the best job I'll ever have
-Memories of the trip of a lifetime
-The Constitution
-Living in the land of opportunity, and being able to take advantage of it
-Change! =)
-And of course, turkey and macaroni and cheese and pumpkin pie...
-My wonderful husband, and a wonderful first year of marriage
-My colorful (and wonderful) family--and getting to spend Thanksgiving with most of them
-My Savta
-My BFF Rachel, now only 2.5 hours away
-All my fantastic friends, near and far (Lincoln, here's your shoutout--you are included here)
-My Godson
-My new job, starting on Monday
-My old job--the best job I'll ever have
-Memories of the trip of a lifetime
-The Constitution
-Living in the land of opportunity, and being able to take advantage of it
-Change! =)
-And of course, turkey and macaroni and cheese and pumpkin pie...
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