Looking back, I’m like, whoa…
2 minute read
August 16, 2007, 2:56 PM
As I restore all these photo sets, it struck me – my photography has evolved over the course of seven years of doing photo sets. The older stuff definitely looks like the work of a younger, less experienced man. Let’s just say that half the stuff that made it onto the Web site for some of those older sets (The Schumin Web Salutes America comes to mind) would never have made the cut today. Plus the way I covered some of it back then would never have happened today.
A good comparison is with the treatment of the US Capitol. Back in 2001, I covered the Capitol as part of “The Schumin Web Salutes America”. The writing was so-so at best, and it came off as a walk-around in a hurry (which it was). The focus was on the building, with tourists in place. Then compare it to the Capitol’s most recent appearance, as part of the J27 set. There, the Capitol’s appearance was incidental, but we told more of a story. In fact, the writing is often king in Life and Times sets. But Photography also tells a “story” as well, and more emphasis is placed on telling the “story” now than before.
Continue reading…Categories: Photography, Schumin Web meta
“And just where they should stick out…”
2 minute read
August 12, 2007, 6:40 PM
On the way back to DC, I visited with my friend Katie for a few hours. We went out for breakfast, and then just kind of hung around for a bit. Fun times.
Meanwhile, in the car on the way to breakfast, I played Katie the song that Randi Rhodes plays every Friday on her show. Turns out that Katie and her mother enjoy the song, too! And Katie knows the words about as well as I do. Funny moment. We were going along with the song:
You know girls, men aren’t the only people in the world today that have something to give, but it sure looks like it sometimes. Just look around you – men stick out all over the place. Big fat cigars! Big fat stomachs! And just where they should stick out – phhbtt! – where is it?!
The “L Street Bridge”?
2 minute read
August 10, 2007, 11:54 PM
Last time I checked, there is no “L Street Bridge” that Metro runs over. In fact, a Google search of “L Street Bridge” and “DC” only comes up with a feature of the Washington Convention Center, which spans several blocks, and whose upper levels bridge over two streets, one of which is L Street NW. Metro goes near that location, but it’s underground.
What happened, and the reason I bring this up, is because while I was on the Yellow Line after work today to visit a friend in Alexandria, the operator reminded everyone that Yellow Line service would cease at 10 PM and remain suspended until Monday morning, due to the closure of the “L Street Bridge” for maintenance. I was thinking, eh? about that for a moment, and then realized what he meant. He meant the Charles R. Fenwick Bridge, which is part of the 14th Street Bridge complex in southwest Washington. The route between L’Enfant Plaza and Pentagon stations, which includes the Fenwick Bridge, is known internally as the “L” route. Most people, though, don’t know that (but then again, I’m not most people). Likewise, most people would look at me strangely if I told them that my work commute took me from B11 to A03 and back. In layman’s terms, that’s Glenmont to Dupont Circle and back.
Categories: WMATA
“It’s Friday, ya bastards!”
2 minute read
August 10, 2007, 2:42 PM
What can I say? It’s Friday, the end of the work week. And I got the day started out right, listening to Randi Rhodes on my way to the bus, hearing the beginning of her Friday show (where the title of this entry comes from), and hearing Rusty Warren talk about Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and Benjamin Franklin having wives and “a few broads on the side, too” while Randi Rhodes makes her own commentary.
Otherwise, though, I’m excited about this weekend. I’m going down to Stuarts Draft, and seeing the family, and also getting together with Katie for breakfast on Sunday morning on the way back up. So that ought to be a lot of fun.
Meanwhile, I got this text message at work today. Mom asks me, “Do you have a teapot?” I replied, “No.” A couple of hours later, I get a message from Sis: “You has a teapot now.” The last message didn’t surprise me (aside from the bad grammar), since the normal way these things go is that if I say no, one will be in my future. I’m told it’s white with flowers on it. Ought to be interesting. I’m also getting something that has to do with making spaghetti, but I couldn’t tell you what (in fact, Mom couldn’t describe it, either, but she got one for herself, too).
Still, it will be nice to get away from Washington for a day. Boy, I never thought I’d hear myself say that. For years I was constantly longing to live in Washington. Now I live in the area, and work in Dupont Circle, and never thought I’d need to spend some time away from it. But yeah, DC’s nice, but it’s still nice to get away for a while.
Of course, now I just have to figure out what to do after work today. I should go down to Pentagon City for a while, since after all, it’s Friday, and all I have to do to get ready to leave tomorrow is throw some stuff in the back of the Sable. All in all, we’ll see what I end up doing. Should be interesting.
When in Washington, this does happen from time to time…
2 minute read
August 8, 2007, 7:50 PM
Towards the end of the day at work today, my cell phone went off for a text message. Dupont Circle, Woodley Park-Zoo, and Cleveland Park stations closed for a while due to a suspicious package. As it turns out, the package was harmless, containing cardboard and paper.
Still, it caused a major delay in Metro service. And all the more amazing was that Metro was actually calling it a “major” delay. Realize that this is a transit operator that considers single-tracking on significant amounts of several lines with 20-minute waits for trains during the day to be a “minor” delay. But this time, Metro even went so far as to say to avoid the Red Line altogether. The suspicious package was on a train at Dupont Circle. Woodley Park-Zoo and Cleveland Park were closed to allow trains to turn back towards Shady Grove using the interlocking at Van Ness-UDC. Then on the other side, trains turned back towards Glenmont using the pocket track at Farragut North. Then Metro ran a “bustitution” (where buses are used to fill in for the lack of rail service) between Van Ness and Farragut North.
Meanwhile, the movies…
< 1 minute read
August 7, 2007, 8:01 PM
Remember the protest from two weeks ago at the El Salvador Embassy? Here are the movies, courtesy of the GoodFoodnH2O channel on YouTube:
Categories: Activism
Old habits die really hard…
2 minute read
August 7, 2007, 7:28 PM
I learned at work today that old habits die really hard sometimes. I was opening a box of various publications that we were sending out using a box cutter that I have. This was my old “safety cutter” from Wal-Mart, which I somehow managed to get out with when they fired me. So I opened the box, retracted the blade, and then was trying to stick it back in the pocket of the vest that I no longer wear. I was like, ummm, when I remembered, oh, no more vest. What do you know. Yeah, old habits die hard. Still, I’m glad to trade up from a vest and a name badge to business casual. Now instead of a one-cubic-foot locker, I have an office with four walls and a door.
Otherwise, though, could someone please break this heat? According to Weatherbug, it’s supposed to get up to 98 degrees in DC, with a heat index of 107. I’d dare say you could cook an egg on the pavement in this kind of weather. It’s brutal. And I wouldn’t mind it so much if not for the humidity. The humidity is the kicker. If it were a dry heat, it wouldn’t be so bad. But oh, the humidity. It makes waiting for the bus in the evening worse than it already is (I consider the wait for the bus at Glenmont the worst part of the commute, because I’m tired and impatient). All I know is we’re just slightly less than a quarter through August, so in just slightly more than three weeks, it will be September, and with September comes the arrival of fall and cooler temperatures. Then, of course, I can break out the long sleeves, which will be nice. I’ve always thought that I look better in long sleeves. I’d wear long sleeves all year, but you can’t get away with it during the summer. Too hot.
If I ever went to Springfield…
< 1 minute read
August 4, 2007, 10:08 PM
Well, if I ever went to Springfield – as in where the Simpson family is from – here’s what I’d look like:
So there you go. They didn’t have the right hair option, though, so I have a little less in my Simpsons caricature than I have for real. But for our purposes it works. And hey, wait a few years and we might get there one day. Of course, I really like the one someone did of me a few years ago. But still, I find the Simpsons-generator program kind of interesting.
Categories: Television
“Go ahead, Mitchum man. Wear the same shirt you did two days ago.”
< 1 minute read
July 30, 2007, 7:17 PM
Has anyone seen this ad before?
I saw it on the Metro. All I have to say is that if the so-called “Mitchum Man” is wearing the same shirt that he wore two days ago, I hope that shirt saw the inside of a washing machine on that day in between the two wearings. Otherwise, you’re going to have a very lonely Mitchum man, since no one will want to stand within ten feet of the guy, considering that the shirt would probably be able to get up and walk in on its own by then.
Categories: Advertising
Several hundred bad words later, I have a new dresser.
3 minute read
July 29, 2007, 10:14 PM
First of all, let me preface this story by telling you that Mom came up to visit this weekend, and we went to Ikea in College Park. I’ve finally just about figured the place out, and so it’s no longer as intimidating as that first trip was back in May. Mom wanted to get some more silverware and various other odds and ends. In the end, we came out with a dresser for me, since I’d mentioned I needed to look at dressers since my present one was too small.
In the bedroom department, they had dressers coming out of dressers. Mom and I found a dresser that matched my bed – the “Hemnes” style. Very dark wood. And this dresser was really big, too. So after perusing the “marketplace” where Mom got more silverware and various other stuff, we went into their big warehouse and fished out the two boxes that the dresser came in, checked out, and brought it home in the Sable.
By the way, it’s a real you-know-what to carry that stuff up three flights of stairs. Just thought you ought to know that.
Categories: College Park, Family, Furniture, IKEA
“May I send them through the bulkhead door?”
3 minute read
July 25, 2007, 6:53 PM
Today on my way home from work, I got Rohr 1064, the second car in an eight-car train. The car had relatively new carpeting (it was the newer CAF-style striped carpet vs. the solid orange carpet), but mechanically, unless it’s going to see a second rehab, its best days are behind it, I’m afraid.
Here’s what happened. I’m talking on the phone to Mom. The train pulled into Rhode Island Avenue station. *ding ding* Doors opening! Step back to allow customers to exit. When boarding, please move to the center of the car. Doors remained firmly closed. *ding dong ding dong* Step back, doors closing! *ding ding* Doors opening! Step back to allow customers to exit. When boarding, please move to the center of the car. *ding dong ding dong* Step back, doors closing! *ding ding* Doors opening! Step back to allow customers to exit. When boarding, please move to the center of the car. Doors were still firmly closed. I tried to signal to the customers at the door to use the bulkhead door. They didn’t understand my signal. So I said, “Mom? I’ll call you back.” So now I got up, and headed over to the end of the car, and hit the intercom button. The train operator answered, and I told him, “The doors aren’t opening on 1064. May I send them through the bulkhead door?” The operator answered, “That is correct.” So I grabbed the handle and pulled open the bulkhead door on the “blind” end of 1064. Then I reached through and opened the bulkhead door of 1065, and pushed that door open. Then I addressed the car, saying, “Anyone who’s getting off here needs to go through this door to the next car.” About six or so people went through. “Anyone else?” Getting no further response from my fellow passengers, I gave the train operator, who was standing at the cab door of 1065 observing the operation, a thumbs-up sign to indicate that we were done, and closed the bulkhead doors. The operator closed the doors, and we were off.
What an awesome day at work!
< 1 minute read
July 24, 2007, 7:22 PM
What an awesome day I had at work today! First of all, there was a protest outside our building at noon in support of detained water activists in El Salvador. It was at our building because the Chancery office of the Embassy of El Salvador is in our building. About half the office went down to join in. I was there with Big Mavica taking photos of the event for our office.
Then later, I was part of the group that went in and actually met with the ambassador to deliver a letter. I met His Excellency Rene Antonio León Rodríguez and got to shake his hand. Pretty darn cool, if you ask me. Don’t ask me what was discussed at the meeting because most of it was in Spanish, and it has been a good ten years since I took Spanish class, and I have unfortunately lost most of it. I’m sure that if you dropped me in the middle of Barcelona or somewhere, it would all come back, but not at the moment.
That’s one thing I really like about my job with Food & Water Watch. You get to meet some very well-known and/or powerful people. I got to meet Ralph Nader back in June. I got to shake his hand, too.
Well, part of a Journal is better than no Journal at all, at least for now.
2 minute read
July 22, 2007, 10:41 PM
Many of you have probably wondered what happened with the recent site outage, and the current state of the site. Well, here’s the deal.
The site went down on Wednesday, July 18. The windows server that it lived on went down, and unlike most downtimes, it stayed down, and there was no word from my hosting people on what was wrong.
Now as it was, I’d had a long-term plan to switch the site over from a Windows-based system to a Linux-based system by way of a host change. The forums’ changeover to phpBB at the end of March was the first step in that process. So once the Windows server went down and stayed down, I just simply changed my plans a bit. Rather than make the cutover somewhat seamlessly, or in stages, I did the full cutover and now I’m redoing the site to run under this new system.
Categories: Schumin Web meta
A Saturday evening at Union Station…
2 minute read
July 22, 2007, 7:53 AM
I went to the DC Wikipedia meetup with a coworker whom I met up with at Silver Spring, and we had a blast! The meeting was at Union Station, and we had dinner at Uno’s. I think first of all, it’s neat to see what all these various people look like in real life. I mean, normally, what do you see? Just their online handle. Me, I show up on there as just SchuminWeb. So it’s nice to put some faces on those names.
It was neat hearing about the various Wiki-activities that everyone’s been involved in, and what our various ways of dealing with ugly issues are. Some people try to resolve it. Some steer clear. Plus the stories we have. Articles that come up for deletion, survive, and then are renominated for deletion well down the road, and then die in the second nomination. Dealings with other users. You name it, we discussed it.
Categories: Wikipedia
Cable is downgraded, and so life is good!
< 1 minute read
July 21, 2007, 10:31 AM
Comcast showed up today, and all is well again. And unlike last time, this time I was favorably impressed. One guy showed up – early, I might add – and he was polite, professional, and the whole thing took all of five minutes to complete. And I returned all the various Comcast equipment I don’t need anymore. Unfortunately, both of us totally forgot to think about the remote for the converter. I’ll bring that back to their office one of these days. I have no use for it.
So now I just have to get my laundry done before the Wiki-meetup.
Categories: Companies