Oh, how wonderful it was!
2 minute read
March 15, 2005, 2:55 PM
How wonderful it was today. I went out. First time I’d been out since February 28, when I had the procedure. My, it was nice to return to civilization. Went to Wal-Mart, and got some odds and ends, and said hello to everyone. And get this – I ended up having Wednesday and Thursday off as regular days off. How nice! So I don’t have to go back to work until Friday.
And since the doctor said I can resume my normal activities, you know where I’m going? Washington DC! I asked about DC, and he said that DC was fine. And with those days off, I think someone is trying to tell me something. It’s just telling me, “BEN, GO TO WASHINGTON!”
Those of you who have followed my Journal since the first of the year have found that I’ve only had two out of five DC trips planned for this year go without a hitch. My first trip of the year, January 4, got a late start due to oversleeping. I was, however, through some stroke of good fortune, able to shorten that delay considerably. So that was good. Then the next trip was J20. That went off without a hitch – in fact, it went better than expected. Then February 2, I was supposed to go with Katie. Cancelled due to an emergency (that led to the procedure on February 28). February 9, I went, and it went without a hitch. February 24, I was supposed to go, but I got snowed out. Now I hope to have another trip go without a hitch, and make it three to three – three flawless and three problems. Plus going to Washington is just what I need right now, since I’ve got a major case of cabin fever. I need out!
All in all, though, I’m just glad to be getting back into the swing of things. Oh, and I bought this year’s pair of sandals today, which I will proudly wear with socks, like I did last year.
Categories: DC trips
As you can tell, there was no DC for me today…
3 minute read
February 24, 2005, 11:34 AM
If 2005 is the year of bad luck in the DC category, I’m going to be really mad. Out of a total of five planned visits to Washington, I’ve made a total of three, and one of them had a problem.
For the first DC trip of 2005, I overslept. As a result, I was 90 minutes behind where I wanted to be. Somehow, though, I managed to shorten that from a 90-minute delay to a 60-minute delay, mostly through shortening and elimination of my pit stops on the way up. Other than that, it was a good day.
Then the next trip was J20. Except for encountering some snow on the way home (and I was expecting this), that trip was absolutely flawless beyond my wildest dreams.
My third trip, as I mentioned in this venue in late January, was supposed to be with my friend Katie from work. There is a good reason why I discussed it, the day of the event came, and then you never heard about it again. Reason is that we didn’t go. That trip was cancelled due to my having an emergency come up.
Continue reading…Categories: Charlottesville, Computer, DC trips, Transit
What kind of shoe are you?
2 minute read
February 23, 2005, 6:25 AM
Categories: DC trips, Winter weather
Old friends, new friends – that best describes my most recent DC trip…
5 minute read
February 11, 2005, 2:23 AM
I went to Washington DC on the first-regular-trip-after-a-big-demonstration trip on Wednesday. And yes, this being the first trip after a big demonstration is significant. I’ve always found that those trips, which I’ve experienced three times in the past, always feel a bit odd. On those trips, the most recent DC memory is of a big demonstration, and not whatever regular antics I get into. Who knows. Hard to describe, but it always feels a little strange.
Anyhow, the trip could be best described as a day of meeting old and new friends. But before meeting anyone, I first took some close-up photos of 1117 19th Street in Rosslyn, which is currently undergoing demolition. Recall, from my J20 Life and Times set:
I’m getting there…
2 minute read
January 28, 2005, 8:23 AM
Aside from fiddling with the new Internet connection and clearing space in my room with the intention of organizing, sorting, and deciding the fate of junk, I’ve also made considerable headway on my J20 photo set in Life and Times.
The photo set will be modeled on the Million Worker March prototype – broken into parts, with a modified narrative from the Journal. And unless something changes between now and the release, the set will have 109 photos, and seven movies (as a point of comparison, the Million Worker March had 75 photos and 14 movies). Right now, the only things that I can tell you are totally complete are the movies. Those are converted, freeze-framed, and uploaded. Done. I thought about offering one up as a preview, but upon looking at them, realized that they don’t stand up too well on their own, and that they need a photo set to support them.
I’m also going to do a “Literature” section again, containing PDF files of some of the pamphlets and such I’d gotten along the way. That, however, is the furthest from completion – I haven’t even scanned anything yet.
Categories: Activism, DC trips, Schumin Web meta
The Counter-Inaugural…
17 minute read
January 21, 2005, 11:10 PM
On January 20, 2005, George W. Bush was inaugurated as President of the United States for a second term. While many were in Washington to cheer Bush on, others were in Washington to demonstrate against the Bush administration. I was with the latter group. We did not agree with the Bush Administration’s policies, and were out there voicing it.
I actually got up for this event at midnight. It turned January 20, and I was up and running. I left the house at 1 AM, and, after having to turn around a few miles out because I forgot some stuff, I was off again for real. I made it to the Sheetz in Mt. Jackson for breakfast at 2 AM, and, realizing that I was WAY further ahead than I anticipated, I decided to eat in rather than eating on the go, which I usually do. Not bad. And then we were off!
Next stop: Wal-Mart in Woodstock for some “protest supplies”. Namely, bottled water. So I bought a 12-pack of Aquafina for possible later use. And we continue, on to Vienna.
Categories: Anti-war, Black bloc, DC trips, WMATA
And now, on my way to Washington DC at this extremely insane hour…
< 1 minute read
January 19, 2005, 10:38 PM
If you can imagine this, I’m going to try to get to Washington a full four and a half hours earlier than usual today. The reason is because it’s Bush’s second inaugural, and I will be attending a few counter-demonstrations today. I call it the we-hate-Bush crowd.
I wonder if I’ll run into Mrs. Weekley, my high school government teacher (and GPOS 225 professor at JMU by virtue of AP credit) while I’m up there. She told me at Wal-Mart that she was going, and that is what sealed the deal for my going to the inaugural protests, even though we won’t be going together. I wonder if Mrs. Weekley’s planning on going to the ANSWER-sponsored events, or if she’s going to the march by DAWN. I don’t know, but I do know that ANSWER has fallen out of favor with a number of people, and even got booed at the Million Worker March. I’m going to the DAWN events.
I also wonder if Bush’s car will get nailed with eggs again this year, since that came up a few times in discussion with coworkers. Speaking of coworkers, I got “mixed reviews” on this demonstration, even from some of the we-hate-Bush crowd. I guess because it is the inauguration, and thus not just a “regular” demonstration such as J5 or the Million Worker March.
And the following Metro stations will be closed at various points in the day to “accommodate the security precautions related to the inauguration, the parade, and inaugural balls”: Smithsonian, Archives-Navy Memorial, and Mount Vernon Square/7th Street Convention Center. A railfan friend of mine was amazed that Federal Triangle was not also closing.
Today was a busy Saturday…
3 minute read
January 8, 2005, 7:28 PM
Yes, this was a busy day today. Though not nearly as bad as pre-Christmas, mind you. Still, this reinforces the point that I cannot stand the express lanes – the “20 items or less” lanes where every other customer comments about that “rule”, getting on my nerves in the process, and the fact that the customers put their items on the edge of the counter without fail. And the more delicate and breakable they are, the closer they put it to the edge. Then there are the debit reader machines. If you’ve ever paid with a card at Wal-Mart, you’ll know that when you’re finished, the machine displays “ask cashier to press debit key” or “ask cashier to press credit key”. And so I hear a hundred times a day from customers, “Press the credit key” or “You need to press the credit key”. I don’t think that they realize that I can see what method they’ve used without their interaction. I so wish Wal-Mart would change that message to something else, like “Thank you” so that I don’t have to be told by umpteen customers how to do my job like I’m an idiot.
Anyway, end of rant.
Meanwhile, I need to make an appointment with the doctor for a repetitive-stress injury that I got around Christmas that I had hoped would go away on its own. So it hurts in both wrists to scan some items. And unlike some people, I’m not out for blood. I’m just concerned about getting better. That’s all.
Pentagon City… explored!
5 minute read
January 5, 2005, 4:13 PM
Well, I went to Washington as planned on Tuesday. And I had fun! First of all, I accomplished my official goals for the trip. Those were to pay a visit to the Infoshop at 9th and P Streets NW, and explore Pentagon City. And those went well.
Now for the story.
I overslept this time! I’m just like, aw, crap! when I looked at the clock. True, I had no definite schedule, but still, parking can be tricky. But I still managed to snag a parking space in the North Garage at Vienna, on the top level like I like it. And I was somehow able to turn 90 minutes late into 60 minutes late. That takes talent.
Once I got onto the Metro, I rode in to Rosslyn, and caught my read of the Express. And then I caught Breda 4058 at Rosslyn, to head into Washington.
Happy New Year!
3 minute read
January 1, 2005, 1:24 AM
And so now let’s all sing a round of Auld Lang Syne.
And this is the first entry of 2005, after I rolled the Journal into the next database. If this posts when I submit my form, then I was successful.
I have to say, I noticed a few things about the new year’s arrival. On the TV, we again noticed the glasses with the year on it. I just wonder if they’ll continue it come 2010. Then, you see, there will be no number with a big open middle on one eye for at least ten years (you could pull it off in 2020, since the “2” is sufficiently open). But a “1” is kind of poor for that kind of thing. I wonder.
Otherwise, I’m still up, which is amazing in itself. I fully expected to be fast asleep before midnight, considering how long I was slightly droopy at Wal-Mart at the beginning of my shift. But I ended up hitting a second wind or something, I guess.
Categories: DC trips, New Year's
Happy Thanksgiving!
9 minute read
November 26, 2004, 12:32 AM
Hope that everyone’s Thanksgiving has gone well, and that everyone’s full with turkey, stuffing, and all kinds of other tasty foods. I am, that’s for sure.
On the day before Thanksgiving, however, I went to Washington DC, mainly to see the newest Metro station – New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet U. Nice Metro station, by the way (we’ll be revisiting this point later).
Since it was the day before Thanksgiving, I took traffic into consideration. Traffic on I-81, which I take for roughly 79 miles from Staunton to Strasburg, was heavier than usual, but not bad. Mind you, I did try to counter heavier traffic to an extent by leaving more than an hour earlier than usual. On I-66, traffic got thicker earlier than usual on the way to Washington. Usually I hit two traffic bottlenecks around Exit 43 going eastbound, before I-66 widens into four lanes each direction. This time, traffic got heavy starting in Fauquier County, which is what I consider the last county before you officially enter “Northern Virginia” – in other words, Prince William County in this case. Then I hit the usual traffic bottlenecks around Exit 43 and made it to Vienna. Along the route, I saw no police on I-81, and three police cars on I-66. One was running a speed trap on the eastbound side in Fauquier County, and then two were running a speed trap on the westbound side in Prince William County. Interestingly enough, the two doing westbound speed traps were both in the same spot. I guess they were really going in for the kill.
The rest of Sunday…
6 minute read
October 20, 2004, 2:59 AM
Well! I told you about the Million Worker March that was held on Sunday, and all of my crazy adventures there. Now here’s what happened during the rest of that day, which was also somewhat interesting.
First of all, on my way up to DC on October 2, remember how the Vomit Fairy came to touch me with her star-ended wand? Well, when I got to that rest area again, I stopped to see whether my mess had killed the grass underneath it or not. Turned out that they had never cleaned the mess up, and it was still there. I nearly had a relapse right then and there. I will be checking there again next time I go to Washington on November 4. If it’s still there, I will be making a little fuss about it. Because then it will have been a month.
At Vienna, I ended up catching a train that, to say the least was interesting. The lead set was a Breda rehab consist, 3008 and 3009. I rode 3009, the lead car. The next two cars were regular Bredas, and the last two cars were CAFs. Talk about your odd consists. Rehab-Breda-CAF. Just as weird as the Rohr-CAF-Breda consist that I saw back in August at L’Enfant Plaza. One thing about this consist at Vienna, though, was the amount of wheel noise that was heard. From my vantage point at the head end of Breda 3009, I’d never heard so much wheel noise before. That was a surprise for me.
Million Worker March…
12 minute read
October 19, 2004, 1:30 AM
All I have to say was that I had fun at the Million Worker March, an event to bring the plight of workers into the spotlight. And I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I’d been planning on attending the Million Worker March in Washington DC for some time – since about July or August, I want to say. Now I research these events way ahead of time to find out what is planned in and around these events and keep a tab in any new developments. Then I set my agenda based on that as the date gets closer. In this case, I found out a few things ahead of time. Number one was that there would be no actual official march like on June 5 or previous events that I’d been to. I also learned that there would be an anarchist feeder march meeting up at 16th and Eye Streets, a block away from McPherson Square station, in front of the AFL-CIO headquarters (an organization that did not sponsor the Million Worker March). I also learned that it would also be embraced by anti-war groups. As you know, I am very much anti-war. So anti-war lent a familiar touch to an otherwise new topic to me.
So my plan was to basically join up with the anarchists for the day. I’d start out with the anarchist feeder march and join the main rally that way. Then in the main rally, stay with them. Basically, the idea was to follow my June 5 strategy, where I joined a small Black Bloc for the duration of the event. The people in that group were my soul mates for the day, and it worked out really well.
Categories: Activism, Black bloc, DC trips
Good morning, world!
2 minute read
October 17, 2004, 2:06 AM
Yeah, fan-bloody-tastic. It’s early. Just the right time to bust a move to Washington DC, too.
As soon as I finish this journal entry, I’m hopping into the shower to make myself all fresh as a daisy. Then I’m getting dressed, getting gathered up, and then… I’m going out!
It kind of reminds me of what Jeff Hyslop sang in Today’s Special’s episode “Live on Stage” about going out. It went like this:
Categories: DC trips, Today's Special
What a day in Washington I had on Saturday…
7 minute read
October 3, 2004, 11:10 PM
I was up early, and in bed late, to say the least. What I did was cover two, count ’em, two political demonstrations on October 2, for a photo set I’m going to do for Schumin Web.
The first one was an anti-war funeral procession. Basically a rally and march, but with a more solemn funeral type atmosphere. They carried 100 cardboard coffins (designed to represent real ones, as you would expect) from Arlington National Cemetery to the Ellipse near the White House. At Arlington National Cemetery, speeches were given, and then the coffins were picked up, and the marchers marched. I photographed all over, and took movies. On the way into Washington, near the entrance to Arlington Cemetery Metro station (by the way, this is where I dropped out of the march, because I had other fish to fry that day as well), we encountered the counter-protesters, basically protesting the protesters. These are the ones who disagree with the marchers, and are voicing their dissent with the marchers’ viewpoints.
So after photographing the counter-protesters, and taking movies of them, and unfortunately not being allowed by Park Police to venture in between the line of police in the street and the counter-protesters in order to get shots of some of the signage the counter-protesters carried, I headed into Arlington Cemetery station, to head over to protest target #2.
Categories: Anti-war, DC trips, World Bank