Tomorrow's Route

We're leaving bright and early at 9 am. I don't know if there will be time for a Bojangles stop for breakfast biscuits but we're going the scenic route in our efforts to avoid the SNAFU that is entering DC on I-95.

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There's only a slight chance of snow as we travel through the infamous Shenandoah Valley, and allegedly the route is technically only 45 minutes longer than taking I-20 and I-95. Be sure to watch for the tweets as we progress up northwards. And as we mull around DC throughout the week, along with posts and pics.

Happy MLKJr. weekend and Inauguration week y'all!

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It's way to similar

Has the city been hoo-dooed in it's latest attempt at Marketing? Columbia, Famously Hot - not to be confused with Famously Flaming (although our Drag Queens are) - posits the following advertisement:

and listen to the music, and notice the photo montage, does it seem oddly too similar to this Ethan Allen commercial?

I'm going to need the Ad Agency to do something a little more creative.

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DC Trip

You'll remember that Saturday, I wrote a post about being in DC for vacation. I've gone through my pics and thought I'd share some of the better photographs. Enjoy!

I just enjoy this guys name. Frederick William Augustus Henry Fedinand. And his title? Baron von Steuben.

The Basilica Shrine, largest Catholic Church in the States.

Outside Union Station

Heat Camera at National Crime and Punishment Museum
Tom Jefferson, he's the man.
I couldn't help myself....I thought I saw a moving van!

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Russian Iconography

I'm in DC on vacation, been having a great time with friends, have eaten at some really cool restaurants for breakfast and dinner. I've visited monuments, memories, and the monoliths of American political power, and today I had the opportunity to head to the Eastern Market with some friends, where I purchased these two original Russian Icons.

Our Lady of Tenderness

Sts Peter and Paul

The cell phone camera does them no justice.

They're original Icon paintings, so they're not on gold leaf, and I got them for a steal. Speaking of stolen, if you've been following my tweets, I lost one of my credit cards after breakfast this morning, and have spoken with the credit card company - thanks Gashwin - and the card has been cancelled. Thankfully no additional purchases have been made.

This evening is a barbecue and tomorrow is the Novus Ordo followed by more explorations around our nations capitol.

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Schadenfreude!

From National Geographic Channel

Apparently some coffee connoisseurs are taking delight from Starbuck's woes. This smug feeling will last slightly longer than a "true" machiato, or kopi luwak, while the contempt for the corporate and the mean (sorry Juan, Maxwell) is as foul as they are without that first cup in the morning.

Sidenote, how would you coffee fiends like to spend the rest of your life doing this

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Boone Hall Plantation Oyster festival

Mmmm. Oysters... Imagine two tractor trailer beds filled with Oysters all being steamed right before your eyes for you and about 1000 of your friends to share in. I went to Charleston on Sunday to help celebrate the 25th Anniversary Boone Hall Plantation festival. The weather was perfect, the oysters were fresh and delicious, and the beer was good and cold. It was a fun time spent with Tim and Amber.

Oh and I found a pearl!!! Yeah it was a tiny pearl, subsequently after getting back today, I lost it. Oh well - it's not really a pearl of great price or anything. I suppose the only down side was the slight bloating from eating so many shell fish and drinking such beer.

Remember Oysters besides being an ancient euphemism are bivalves who are essentially the livers of the ocean, they do nothing but purify the water of harmful elements which is probably what caused all the bloating, thankfully it's all passed. Not to discourage - they were delicious!

So who wants to go next year? Or better yet who wants to celebrate my birthday in March at another festival? Or how bout we just get us a bushel and steam some here? Hot sauce anyone?

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Great Security...

Well, it's wonderful news to hear on a Thursday Morning when I fly out tomorrow to back home to South Carolina. CNN Reports that GAO officials (Government Accountability Office) were able to sneak bomb materials through airport security at 19 airports across the nation. What Airports are these???? It wouldn't matter if it were the Cheraw Municipal Airport or JFK, security is paramount and the speaks (1) to the quality of people hired, and (2) to the quality of, or lack of, training that they receive. Absolutely ridiculous!!!!

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Today is brought to you by....

::Update::11/12/07:: TODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "R"::Today was the first day of class, got up this morning fairly early and headed out for the free continental breakfast and then into the hotel van to go to class. Our instructor is originally from Texas, and his accent gives evidence to that if not the wonderful array of Colloquialisms, he insisted that his appetites and mind was still Texan even if his blood had acclimated to the northern climes. But then he said it, and it, and I kept my mouth shut. What's a man from East Texas doing saying warshington.... Warshington - the R! It's so indicative of the people in these parts. I had a discussion at lunch with the guy from Fairfax VA (by way of Boston) and the guy from Utah about the North and the South. (The Guy from Fairfax had managed not to loose his accent, even though he moved to Richmond VA when he was 14, sorry Dogwood)

The class wasn't bad, I learned a lot, although the material was very dry - you can't really make negligence and torts very exciting.

Anywho tonight in the hotel is a line dance competition, how do I know this, when we got back from class people were practicing in the lobby, will add updates to this post, post-performance, how exciting.
***
11/11/07
And already the most distinctive thing about the fine people of PA is their accents. Restaurant the emphasis is on the AU similar to how it's pronounced in Auger, but subtly different, and bomb is pronounced like bum - wow.

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On the Road Again

Perhaps the better title would be in the air again. I dunno. I made the remark to my dear Auntie Q yesterday on the phone that November has been a month of traveling and personally I can't wait for it to be over. First Cheraw and now up the east coast to America's Dutch State, and the middle of it at that. Nah, PA isn't that bad, although it is raining outside, and I'll be in Pittsburgh for another hour unless the weather worsens. I hope in my free time, *cough* like that'll exist this week, I can go back through the photos from Cheraw and finally post them. We'll see.

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Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter

Thus is inscribed on the gates of Hell - and thus should be inscribed on the Gates of the SC State Fair. Let me clarify.

I joined Pam, Sara, Zach and Karen for lunch today at the State Fair. The food was fantastic and fattening (could it be anything else?). I saw my cousin from Cheraw and her family who had taken the day off to come to the fair. She intimated to me the exorbitant cost of coming to the fair, and they'd only been there an hour....

Here's where my complaints come in. I bought an order of fried mushrooms, a corn dog and two sodas - total cost $16. That's the price of a meal at a reasonable restaurant here in town that wouldn't be nearly as unhealthy. Let's not forget that they charge $7 to get in (although since I was part of the lunch crowd I only had to pay, which I got back upon leaving). To top it off, here it is - Wednesday, mid-week, and the fair is causing such a traffic jam down town. It took nearly 15 minutes to get there. And welcome to SC - it was 85 degrees out, what joy!
The trip back to the office is what got me though.
I went out the wrong exit to get to the buses, and they wouldn't let me quickly go back through (I would have to get back in line) - so I walked around the parameter of the grounds. Only to be snapped at by deputy-dawg who was directing the mire that was the traffic because I began crossing the road before the car he was motioning to stop fully stopped... (whatever) then the bus was late - how late?? well the one I got on was 7 minutes late, the one I was waiting for??? 30 minutes. WOW.

And I wonder why I've not been to the fair since I was a kid (oh and if you're wondering, after only being in the fair for an hour - my cousin's family had already shelled out $80 - in one hour!!!)

Don't get me wrong, I've been to the fair during the evenings and enjoyed it, I enjoyed seeing all the beautiful artwork as I walked through the Canty Building. I enjoyed my company and seeing some family - so I'm trying not to let the heat, the cost, and the time expended over my allotted lunch hour dampen the experience over all. I just had to rant.

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City of Brotherly Love

Well it looks like the job is sending me to Philly, PA for training in the middle of November... I'm excited.

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Lost in Europe

Kevin was one of my more level-headed former residents. He is spending the next 2 1/2 months back packing and "couchsurfing" (his words not mine) through Europe. He invited me to join his group on facebook which had a link to his blog, I've added his trip blog to the Leaves, take a look at it. Also Kevin has an interesting eye for photography and photo manipulation. Check out his galleries on deviantART, it's cool.

And Kevin, if you read this, you're a lucky so-and-so, and I'll be checking your blog regularly so I can live vicariously through you.

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