Were you expecting something else?
2 minute read
February 13, 2007, 11:57 PM
I got home after a very hellish drive back from work through heavy sleet and freezing rain, and Mom says to me, “You’re alive!” My exact response was, “Were you expecting something else?”
Let me tell you, though… in the year that I’ve had the Sable, this makes snowstorm #3 (one last year, two so far this year). And the Sable does so much better than the Previa did in bad weather. Driving the Previa in bad winter weather was kind of like playing Russian roulette. You never knew what was going to happen. The front of the car had a tendency to wobble a bit due to the engine’s location closer to the center of the car than the front, and correcting that made for a very unpleasant ride home, and on more than one occasion, caused me to briefly lose control.
I remember one time spinning out on ice in the neighborhood. I remember spinning counter-clockwise, and was convinced that I was heading for the ditch, and possibly into someone’s mailbox, and in that short time that I was spinning, basically resigned myself to that fate. But I ended up just spinning out on the road, and all I had to do was get pointed right again, and I was able to continue.
Continue reading…Categories: Driving, Winter weather
It got a little hairy at one point, but I made it…
2 minute read
February 13, 2007, 4:24 AM
I am pleased to say that I am home safe and sound once again, back from my 87th DC trip since I started doing these things back in 2004. This trip was moved up two days due to an impending snowstorm, and even then, I was fully prepared to abort the trip and return home should the weather have turned sour while I was up there. But thankfully, the weather held, and I accomplished all of my objectives for this trip. The weather in DC was beautiful, too. It was cold, but it wasn’t windy, and the skies were clear well into the afternoon.
The trip home was not so nice, though. I encountered light snow briefly around Front Royal, and then I encountered the heaviest snow from just north of Woodstock to just south of New Market. From New Market to Harrisonburg, it was wet, and then the roads were perfect from Harrisonburg to Stuarts Draft.
I also made excellent time going home despite 25 miles of snow, through which I was going 45 mph on the interstate. I made such excellent time in part because I really blew right through my two stops. Seriously, I was in and out of Sheetz in Haymarket and Wal-Mart in Woodstock in record time. All part of making hay while the roads are clear. Especially when I don’t have the luxury of two off-days back to back this week.
Categories: DC trips, Schumin Web meta, Street art
Sad to say, it looks like I will not make my stated goal, but…
< 1 minute read
February 10, 2007, 11:16 PM
Sad to say, it appears that I will NOT make my stated goal of having the J27 photo set up before my next DC trip on February 14. However, this is because other factors over which I have no control are acting on my plans and throwing a little monkey wrench into it all.
One word: SNOW.
It’s forecast to snow on Tuesday, and also snow through Tuesday night. Therefore, I’m going to project that the roads will not be in sufficient shape on Wednesday morning for me to safely make a trip to Washington DC. So I’m moving it up to Monday the 12th, before the snow comes. Thus I’m losing two days to work on it, and so completion by my next DC trip seems unlikely. However, finishing it by my intended goal date of February 14 still seems likely. After all, I’m going to have all day on the 14th to work on it. The 12th was originally going to be that work day. So there you have it.
And considering the rapid progress on this photo set, I’ve also rediscovered something about how I work: deadlines. If I set deadlines, I get the material out by that deadline. The Outlet Village photo set sat idle for some time, but then once I set a goal of having that set completed by the time the Outlet Village closed for good, I made the goal. So perhaps I need to become more deadline-oriented with this site.
Categories: DC trips, Schumin Web meta, Winter weather
A four-day Photography set, topped by a one-day Life and Times…
< 1 minute read
February 8, 2007, 3:29 AM
I just finished selecting all the photos for the new J27 set for Life and Times. Now this is still subject to change, but at this juncture, it looks like I’m going to break the size record for photo sets, last set back in 2003 with An Urban Comparison, weighing in at 137 photos. The new J27 photo set weighs in at 140 photos, plus 29 movies, which means 169 things altogether. Wow.
Now of course, all this is subject to change as the photo set nears completion. Right now, while the set has been basically laid out, I still reserve the right to change everything. It’s also still quite incomplete. All 169 things are still on one single page, the photo set still has no title, I have blank blue boxes as placeholders for the video stills and file names where the sizes are supposed to be, and the images themselves simply resized versions of the raw images and have not yet been numbered for the photo set.
The next step involves prepping everything to make it all work. And a few more steps beyond that, and we’ll be finished. I’ll post an update and add it to the menu, and that will be that.
Categories: Schumin Web meta
I feel like a kid on a snow day…
2 minute read
February 7, 2007, 1:24 PM
Categories: Virginia local news, Winter weather
There you are – UTS 8338 in Waynesboro
3 minute read
February 4, 2007, 12:43 AM
Well, as promised, I got photos of UTS 8338 in front of the Aaron’s/Goodwill building in Waynesboro on my way to work. Also, I was mistaken about what they were promoting. While there is a sign on the premises about cell phones for troops, that is not what was on the bus. The bus is displaying a promotion for a food drive by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, and it is sponsored by Aaron’s and Liberty Tax Service. So here are the photos…
Categories: Transit, Waynesboro
What the heck is a UTS bus doing in Waynesboro?
2 minute read
February 3, 2007, 11:13 AM
Remember back in February of 2005 when I went over to Charlottesville and did some photographing at the University of Virginia, getting photos of the University Transit Service buses for Transit Center?
Well, I saw one of the buses I photographed at that time in Waynesboro yesterday. It’s an Orion I, bus 8338. That would be this bus:
Categories: Transit, Waynesboro
You say “AM radio” to a teen, and their eyes just glaze over.
2 minute read
February 1, 2007, 2:34 PM
I was listening to Rush Limbaugh today at home (unusual – usually I only listen to talk radio in the car), and I will be the first to tell you that he’s a wacko. That said (and all that will be said at this juncture, since that’s not what this entry is about), I have to say that I do love listening to talk radio. Hard politics, I love it.
It’s funny, though. I’ll talk to some of my younger coworkers about talk radio, and as soon as you mention the AM band, all of a sudden they’re lost. That’s it. I’m exaggerating a little, but you get my drift. “AM?” Seems many of my coworkers don’t realize or pay much attention to the fact that people also talk about intellectual matters on the radio, rather than just sing. I may not agree with much of what they’re saying, but it’s still stimulating to the mind. It makes you think.
By comparison, I consider music radio to be rather mindless. It doesn’t keep me engaged, and doesn’t give my mind anything to chew on. On the way home from my DC trips, I finally lose the DC area stations around Woodstock, and don’t pick up the stations in my local area until Harrisonburg. I get great reception of the local NPR station, which plays classical music during off-peak times. I like classical music a lot, but not when I’m driving, since it puts me to sleep. The oldies stations and the “top hits” stations do nothing for me. Talk keeps me engaged. It really does.
If I’m really lucky, when driving home late at night, I can get WSB on AM 750 out of Atlanta, where they play what they call “re-Boortz” late at night. It’s a replay of the most recent Neal Boortz show.
Still, mention talk radio to a teen, or AM radio in general, and you get this puzzled look. It’s kind of funny…
Categories: Radio
Protesting leaves you SO sore…
3 minute read
January 29, 2007, 2:07 AM
Marching around DC for six hours at a relatively fast pace leaves you sore the next day. Specifically, my legs hurt. Whatever muscle runs along the outer sides of the thigh must have gotten quite a workout, because it’s aching today. Going down the stairs has been hell. Going up is no problem. Go figure.
Otherwise, I thought it was interesting to read this in this ABC News article:
The rally on the Mall unfolded peacefully, although about 300 protesters tried to rush the Capitol, running up the grassy lawn to the front of the building. Police on motorcycles tried to stop them, scuffling with some and barricading entrances.
I was part of that group of 300-some protesters. And it was quite an event, as this picture attests:
“GIVE US A TOUR! GIVE US A TOUR!”
3 minute read
January 27, 2007, 5:29 PM
So the January 27, 2007 anti-war protest went quite well. I ran with the black bloc (no surprise there). The black bloc started out at Dupont Circle, and marched down Massachusetts Avenue to Scott Circle, to 15th Street, to N Street, to Thomas Circle, to Massachusetts Avenue again, to 12th Street, to M Street (or something thereabouts – I made notes with the camera), down Mt. Vernon Place past the front entrance of the DC Convention Center where an auto show was happening (speaking of wars over oil), and down 7th Street through Chinatown and down to the Mall. We ultimately crossed the Mall, and went up Independence Avenue SW to the Capitol.
We marched up to the west stairs (right side) and were denied access (as expected). We shouted, “GIVE US A TOUR! GIVE US A TOUR!” I loved it. After a little bit here, we marched around to the southeast side of the Capitol and repeated this. Then we marched back to the west front again, and then down to 3rd Street NW on the Mall, where things got dull for a bit. Then we again stormed the Capitol, going to the left side steps on the west front. Same result. Not surprised. Then we went back to 3rd again, and had a bit of a meeting. Black bloc quickly came to a rough consensus about where to go from there. They determined to go to a recruitment center downtown. 14th and K, if not mistaken. By that time, I was wearing down, and dropped out at 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, which many of you may know as the location of Archives-Navy Mem’l station. My exact comment to myself was, “It’s been real, but I’m tired.” And I let the black bloc pass down the street.
Funny: After undoing all my black bloc finery, I spoke with a group carrying a black flag that had been in the black bloc. They didn’t recognize me. I was like, “wait a sec.” I took my glasses off again, put on the little hat, and held up a red bandanna. I said, “Recognize me now?” They’re like, “oh, yeah, I remember you!” Funny how people recognize you in an “anonymous” appearance. Black blocs are fun, though.
Categories: Anti-war, Black bloc
The protest was interesting…
5 minute read
January 25, 2007, 2:10 AM
The 2007 State of the Union Address protest next to the Grant statue at the Capitol Reflecting Pool was okay (map here), though it fell below all expectations as far as attendance went.
The protest was sponsored by DAWN and World Can’t Wait. The format was two-staged. Before Bush’s speech began, speakers spoke from the “stage”, which was about three steps higher than the rest of the area. Then when it was time for Bush’s speech to start, they turned on a local radio station carrying the speech and played that over the sound system. Attendees were encouraged to react openly and loudly to the speech as they saw fit. And while the speech was going on, David Barrows, dressed as George W. Bush as the devil, acted out the speech.
The protest was less successful than expected, with attendance estimated at around 30 people (compare to an estimated 300 last year). I believe that there are several reasons for this. First of all, it was really cold out. The temperature was in the 20s – that’s pretty darn cold. But at least there was no wind. Then access to the location was a bit troublesome. From the south, the nearest Metro station was Federal Center SW, and from the north, the nearest station was Union Station. The obvious station to the uninitiated, Capitol South, was out since it’s on the wrong side of the Capitol. I went in from Federal Center SW. That turned out to be a wise decision, though I admit it was a long walk to the venue. Due to security arrangements in place related to Bush’s arrival, there were police cars at every corner, with markings for the Metropolitan Police, the Capitol Police, and the Park Police. To get to the reflecting pool from that way, you had to approach the area from 3rd Street SW and then walk around the reflecting pool to reach the Grant statue. That’s a long walk in the cold and the dark. But at least it was a clear way in. From the north, you had to deal with the streets being blocked off for Bush’s motorcade. People reported having to wait for some twenty minutes before being allowed to cross the street. Then because of the cold, the whole event broke off early.
Sable got slimed…
2 minute read
January 24, 2007, 2:39 PM
First of all, just to let you know, I did go to the protest, though I wouldn’t consider it to be as successful as many would have liked. I’ll discuss it in more detail later, because I want to look at the photos and movies from it first.
Otherwise, though, this was the Sable’s 31st trip to the DC area (my 85th since starting going to DC regularly in 2004, but who’s counting), and it was not looking all that nice after the trip was over.
The reason was the snowfall we had on Sunday. The area where I live, as well as the Washington DC area, was hit by a snow and ice storm on Sunday, January 21. As a result, the roads were salted. With the snow and ice on the ground, I took the Sable on two back-and-forth trips to work on Sunday and Monday. It still looked all right after that. And then on Tuesday, it went to northern Virginia. I-81 and I-66 were perfectly clear, though I managed to catch my fair share of residue from snow and snow removal.
I was surprised to see water laden with dissolved de-icer dripping from the ceiling of both parking garages at Vienna (where I was unable to find a parking space this time). That fell down on my car as big white drops.
Categories: DC trips, Driving, Mercury Sable
It’s never good to have your whole trip’s going on as planned in jeopardy when you’re already in the DC area…
2 minute read
January 23, 2007, 1:10 PM
I so hate it when I can’t find parking at Vienna. The North and South Garage were both completely full. Therefore, I had to get back on I-66 and ride the four miles or so to West Falls Church, where I finally found parking in their garage on the top level, with about five spaces remaining. So this makes the third time parking at West Falls Church, and the ninth time overall that I’ve started out from somewhere other than Vienna (three at West Falls, three at Huntington, twice at Franconia-Springfield, and once at Pentagon City).
But the important part is that I eventually found parking, even though not finding parking at my regular station kind of throws me off kilter a bit, since I have to remember to get off at West Falls Church and not Vienna at the end of the day.
Otherwise, though, my itinerary is kind of mixed up today due to the late-night protest. I went from West Falls Church to Rosslyn and did my Rosslyn thing as usual, then headed right to the Infoshop after that, where I’m writing to you now. Then from here, I’m going straight to Pentagon City, then possibly to Alexandria, and then off to Federal Center SW, to head to the protest.
So, yeah, a number of people are going to see me really early today. And I found out that people really do notice me, as the greeter at the Wal-Mart in Manassas mentioned to me that I didn’t show up on my regular day last week. Of course, that’s because I shuffled things around. The January 16 trip became the January 23 trip for the protest, and then the January 30 trip got moved to January 27 for another protest. Mom asked me how I can afford two trips in the same week, and I told her that it’s fine, because it’s not any additional trips – just a reshuffling of the DC calendar. I’m guessing that I won’t double-dip DC for a while at this point unless something comes up. Maybe a shuffle if my work schedule doesn’t work out or if weather conditions make a scheduled trip unwise, but not any additional ones.
So this ought to be a fun day. I’ll let you know how the protest goes.
Categories: DC trips
First time to DC in nearly three weeks…
2 minute read
January 23, 2007, 4:32 AM
Today is a DC day, and I’m ready to go, as it’s been nearly three weeks since January 4 when I last went. This trip was supposed to happen a week ago, but it got rescheduled for political reasons. You see, today is the day Bush gives the State of the Union address, and so I’m going to be at a counter-rally at the Capitol reflecting pool.
The Capitol reflecting pool, by the way, has special significance to me due to some comments Mom made. On our second-ever trip to DC in 1994, we walked from the White House to the Capitol – not a walk to be sneezed at. And in sub-freezing weather, no less. Nearing the Capitol reflecting pool, Mom said, jokingly of course, that it was the spot where all the congressmen and all the senators went to try to snap off Hillary Clinton’s bikini top. The Clinton administration was also the first time in twelve years that they’d been able to partake in snapping off the First Lady’s bikini top, too, as Rosalynn Carter was the last one that they’d been able to do it with. Nancy Reagan was “too small”, and Barbara Bush was “too old”. No word about whether Congress can have fun in the reflecting pool with Laura Bush, because Mom now denies that the exchange ever happened, but we know better.
So who knows. While Bush is blathering on about the poor state he’s left this country in after six years, maybe we’ll see a few representatives who skipped the speech playing in the pool, going after Laura Bush’s bikini top.
Otherwise, this is the first trip since the January 7 derailment at Mt. Vernon Square. And guess what one of my stops will be today – yes, Mt. Vernon Square. I’m going to the Infoshop today, and thus E01 is on the itinerary.
So wish me luck at the protest.
Categories: Activism, DC trips, Family, National politics
I can’t make it, but…
< 1 minute read
January 22, 2007, 12:11 AM
If anyone is going to be in the DC area on Monday and has a few hours to spare in the middle of the day, please consider counter-protesting against the pro-life rally that’s going on. I can’t make it because I have to work, but I will be thinking about the counter-demonstrators, and hoping that they manage to make their message louder and stronger than the pro-lifers.
If you’re interested, the counter-protest group will be meeting on the National Mall in Washington DC just outside the Smithsonian Metro station, on the Blue and Orange Line.
I hope that many will attend, and I’ll be thinking about you. And I also hope you all attend the World Can’t Wait rally outside the Capitol on Tuesday night in DC counter-protesting the State of the Union address. I’m planning on being there for that one.
Categories: Activism