Capitol Punishment

I met a woman today named D. Mullett Smith. Granted mullets probably weren't really around or officially established at the time of her birth, but regardless - what cruel parents she had. I almost hope it's a nickname like "Hi my name is Dee 'Mullet' Smith, and this is my friend Marge 'Hockey Hair' Jones."

Why is it that industrial carpet, such as that used in hotel hallways and ballrooms, looks fine in that circumstance, but anywhere else it would produce vomiting, riots, and general chaos?

Evidently there's going to be a fashion feauxpas every day. Today - hair plugs. No I understand that hair plugs can be effective, but when all they create is a thin frontal comb-over, it's probably better to just be bald on top and shave the sides to a reasonable length. I'm against comb-overs of any variety, but that's a soapbox for another day.

My lunch break today - wandering around the area of Arlington VA in close proximity to my hotel. Luckily I actually found something interesting to look at. They had a memorial called Freedom Park. At the beginning was a display of the Berlin Wall. It was closed, but I still got a picture. The rest of the walk was dotted with emblems of freedom i.e. replica's of Stalin's fallen statue, Martin Luther King's jail cell door, suffrage posters etc. Then there was a memorial for journalists who have died while in pursuit of truth. It was a pretty moving display throughout, aside from giving me something to do. It wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been, again, for two reasons. First I was alone. Things of this nature are always better when you have someone special to share it with. Second it was FREEZING! The wind was blowing and I was without scarf. Enjoyable nonetheless.

Dinner brought it's tide of interesting people. One lady came an hour and half before the presentation started to make sure she'd be on time. One man came an hour and fifteen minutes late - thus missing all but two minutes of the presentation (he rescheduled).

I got to spend some more time with Isaac tonight after the dinner show. We ate decent Mexican food and took a frigid walk to the Iwo Jima Memorial (that's the one with the soldier's hoisting the flag). Isaac is on an intellectual kick about evolution and it's implications with church doctrine. A very entertaining stream of conversation to say the least. I, personally, don't care about such things. I figure there are no official valid statements one way or the other, so why worry? Live the basic principles and leave the mysteries of heaven for heaven. (All opinions expressed in the preceding paragraph were done with permission of those involved.)

If a brownie costs me over $2, it should be one of the best brownies I've ever eaten, being that I can get an entire box of brownies for around $3. Today's brownie was less than ideal. Luckily I had two cups of hot chocolate (one with a mint candy in the bottom - delightful!) to balance it out.

My only qualm of the week - I'm in weather that would freeze a tongue to a pole in no time flat. At home it's a balmy 60 degrees, and has been all week. Why couldn't mother nature have made the spring fake-out week last week or the week of President's day?