Well, I did my first Video-Journal-on-the-go entries today. I did two videos, both on the Metro. I first did one in the morning:
For the morning, “late” was the name of the day. The bus and the train were both very late. If it tells you anything, I read my entire Express while standing on the platform. Then I was also feeling a little self-conscious about video-blogging in public on a subway train. I was a little concerned that people would think I was crazy, talking to myself with a laptop in front of me. After all, there is one guy that I sometimes see who gets on at Wheaton who talks to himself the entire way to his stop (Metro Center). Except unlike that guy, who really is talking to himself, I’m talking to the camera, communicating with you all. Still, I felt a bit self-conscious.
Then during the day, I did the whole work thing, and then afterwards, we headed over to the U Street area to look at a few bar venues for a Christmas party. We went to Eatonville in DC, where the fire alarm pull stations were remarkably high up on the wall for a restaurant established in 2009 with a new Simplex system. Really, the pull station by the entrance was like old-school halfway-up-the-wall level. Not waist-level like they are now since the ADA lowered the height of pull stations. That was kind of a weird place anyway – they had a set of glass doors that had a railing in front of them because the restaurant didn’t use them, and despite a six-foot vertical drop from the door to the floor inside, the door had a pull station next to it – and positioned as if the floor was at the level of the door. I don’t get it. Very weird.
Then we also went to a place called Policy just off of U Street, again just to look. That place was nice, with lots of graffiti as wall decor in their upstairs room. There, the Fire-Lite BG-12 pull stations were all at the right height, and, interestingly enough, they all had Stopper covers on them. I guess for a bar, that’s not a bad idea, with people getting a little tipsy and accidentally causing loud noises and flashing lights.
Then we eventually ended up at Nellie’s, a sports bar about a block or so east of the African American Civil War Memorial (of U St/African Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo fame). We had a great time, and it shows that Foursquare does indeed influence people. Meredith saw that I had checked in there, and headed over to join us! While there, we had dinner, and I also had a Rum and Coke. That was strong. I don’t believe I’ve had anything that strong since college. But we all had a great time, even dancing “The Muffy” at one point. And then I believe that the Rum and Coke got me a little more relaxed, which made a second Video Journal entry that I did on the way home a little easier:
So there you go. And by the way, I ended up taking a taxi home. The $9.50(!) was well worth it to not have to wait for once.