Orange Hoodie

Today I craved art. The National Gallery of Art called to me, summoned me. I checked the weather: low 90s and around 60% humidity. Ugh. But I figured it wouldn’t be that bad, that walking around would be fine. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. But I was already well on my way before deciding I was very, very wrong, and was set on seeing some art, dangit!

I’m still rehydrating.

But it was good. I wandered all over the West Building and my art cravings were filled. Ah, ’twas lovely. While I was there, I wanted to see the Edvard Munch exhibit (dark? depressing? I’m there!) in the East Building, so I wandered across the street. It wasn’t as good of an exhibit as I’d expected; definitely worth a stop if you’re a huge Munch fan or happen to be there anyway, but otherwise, meh. Since I was there, I decided to finally take a friend’s suggestion and try out the gelato bar. Yummy! I’ll definitely go back for that. Museum cafes aren’t exactly known for reasonable prices, but the gelato cost no more than any other gelato place in the city. Actually, I think it may have been slightly less than other places.

Just a quick note to say the FAIR conference was awesome – I learned a lot, I was enthralled during many presentations, and my perspective on several issues was altered. It was academically filling and spiritually enlightening. Not a bad way to spend a couple days.

Also, I was given the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award for my work on the mormonscholarstestify.org site, which was so surprising and nice and cool! If I were a cat, I’d be purring! (But I’m not a cat, so instead I blog.)

I am in Utah! It was not a happy trip. It started out happy. I flew out of BWI (Baltimore) on American Airlines, and it was smooth sailing all the way up, lines were short, all was well. They had a problem counting, so it took them a while to figure out what to do with the three people wandering the plane’s aisle with no place to sit, but we eventually took off. It was late, and my connection was tight, so that stressed me out, but it seemed like we’d be okay.

Then we arrived in Dallas/Fort Worth and it turns out the runways are very far away from the terminals, so we taxied and taxied and taxied. We finally reached the terminal, and I learned that my next flight was, of course, way the heck on the other side of the airport. Figures. A bit of running and a train ride later, I reached the gate just as they were paging me. I was the last one on the plane, and they closed the door right behind me and we were outta there.

All seemed well. There were some lovely clouds. We arrived above Salt Lake and circled for a bit, and then the pilot came on to inform us that the storm wasn’t clearing up and we didn’t have enough fuel to keep circling and were being diverted to Boise, Idaho. Joy.

Luckily Salt Lake was my desination, so I didn’t have to worry about missing my next flight, but my sister and brother-in-law were picking me up, and I was stressed that they’d be frustrated by the failure of the plane to arrive. I tried to convince myself that they’re smart and they’d figure it out.

So we arrived in Boise. Now, it turns out American Airlines doesn’t normally fly into Boise, and also Boise doesn’t usually service the larger planes like we were in. But no worries, we just needed some fuel and we’d be back on our way. We were parked way out in the middle of nowhere next to a helocopter hangar. Luckily, we were able to use our phones and walk around, so I called my sister to fill them in. The fuel truck came… and the guy trying to fuel the plane was inexperienced and spilled fuel everywhere.

They had to turn off the AC because it was sucking in the fuel fumes, so it got warm in there. And then, of course, we were sitting in this pool of fuel. The fuel guy and another guy started corralling the fuel with sand, but there was so much that they called the fire department. The fire department came and determined that they wanted to put foam over the fuel, but first the plane needed to move. However, since we were sitting in a pool of fuel, they didn’t want to start the engines, so we needed to be towed. Remember how I said Boise doesn’t usually service the larger planes like we were on? Yeah. Couldn’t find the right tow rod. By this time I was texting updates to my sister. Oh, and the co-pilot was on the ground directing the Boise folks since they were clearly clueless.

The American Airlines folks were good. I’m cynical and bitter when it comes to airlines, but they were good. The weather and fuel spill weren’t their fault, and they did what they could. We could walk around the plane and use the bathroom and use electronics, and they passed out water. In addition, the pilot updated us very frequently, which was probably the best thing.

They finally found the right tow rod that was owned by Horizon Airlines (which I don’t think I’ve ever heard of), and American Airlines and Horizon Airlines had to make a quick contract to allow us to use it.

Finally we were towed about 50 feet down, the AC was turned back on (ah, sweet cool air), we got fuel… and then Salt Lake City had more storms. More waiting, but luckily not long. Finally we were on our way, we landed (only 4 hours late), and my luggage was actually there. (I had doubts about it arriving because of the tight connection.)

It is nice and dry here (even with the rain, it’s drier here). I like dry. Three cheers for the desert!

I slept 12 hours last night. Twelve hours! And it felt wonderful. Once I emerged from bed, I leisurely prepared for the day and eventually headed out to get my car lubed and oiled. Since it’s a Saturday, they’re obviously swamped, but it only took them an hour and a half. I had a book with me and found a comfortable spot in their waiting area. It would have been better without the blaring infomercials, but I tuned them out fairly well.

My car all lubed and oiled, I headed to Target for pens and a utility knife/scraper thing. Success on the pens, but not the scraper. I was disappointed in the pens, but they’ll do. There’s a Staples in the same shopping complex, but I figured if I went in there I’d spend too much money (office supply stores make me happy). I still needed a scraper, though. I have a new car registration, and I need to scrape the old one off my windshield before I replace it with the new one. (In DC you have your registration sticker inside on your windshield, not on your license plate. Apparently, before they went to that method, there was a major problem of the registration stickers being cut from the plates – the entire corner cut out.)

The search for a scraper finally provided me the opportunity to try Fragers, a Capitol Hill legend. Their narrow, packed aisles don’t allow for comfortable wandering, but a kind Fragers minion pointed me in the right direction. Success! Four dollars later, I was on my way home. I haven’t tried scraping the old sticker off yet. I’ve heard it’s nearly impossible and I see a lot of cars where people clearly tried to scrape off the old sticker, but failed and just stuck the new one next to it, but at least I’m now armed for the battle. I’ve got till the middle of next month to get around to it.

I finished my day at the gas station, so I have plenty of gas to get to the airport on Wednesday (I’m off to Utah for a few days), and then stopped at Taco Bell for dinner. I’m not really a fan of Taco Bell, but I had this strange craving….

1. For his “Eric’s Bad Movies” column, Eric Snider reviewed The Manitou. This fills me with delight and glee. Read the review. I saw this movie when I was about 8 years old, and it terrified me. My parents spent the next several days trying to pry me out of their bed and back into my own bed, and then I had to have the light on all night for the next couple (few?) weeks. Soon afterward, my parents banned me from watching scary movies, a ban which luckily only lasted until I was about 12 (they didn’t ban scary books, though, so I got my scary needs filled that way; I know, my love of scary things and my inability to deal with them when young doesn’t really fit together, but there ya go; also, sorry to break it to you this way, Mom, but Noel’s parents let her watch scary movies, so I saw movies at her house that I know you would not have approved of, though to be fair, for things like Nightmare on Elm Street, her father kind of ruined it for us by joking about the jello walls and that sort of thing, which made it very difficult to work up a good freaking out, which is probably one reason why we spent so much time trying to freak ourselves out in real life at the ice house [which I still found creepy when I revisited it in college] and the cemetery).

Anyway, I few years ago I came across this film again (thank you, eBay) and watched it. I can see why my parents didn’t think anything of letting their 8-year-old watch this movie at the time. It’s not scary. At all. It is a horrible, horrible movie, though. Calling it a “B movie” is far too generous. It is completely ridiculous – absurd story, terrible acting, illogical leaps, offensive stereotypes (though I’m assuming they were less offensive in the 70s) and some of the worst special effects ever to be put on film (I realize it was the 70s, but a high school drama club with a $10 budget could do better). I’m so glad I watched it again, though, so it could be placed in proper perspective in my memory.

2. Happy Residence Act Day!

The Residence Act, officially titled “An Act for Establishing the Temporary and Permanent Seat of the Government of the United States,” was passed on July 16, 1790, and selected a site on the Potomac River as the permanent capital (Washington, D.C.), in ten years times. Also, this act designated Philadelphia as the temporary capital for a period of ten years. The Residence Act was the result of a compromise reached between Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison concerning the permanent location of the Federal capital. In exchange for locating the new capital on the Potomac River, Madison agreed not to block legislation mandating the assumption of the states’ debts by the Federal government.

The specific part of the act related to the location of the District reads, “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a district of territory, not exceeding ten miles square, to be located as here-after directed on the river Potomac, at some place between the mouths of the Eastern Branch and the Connogochegue, be, and the same is hereby accept for the permanent seat of the government of the United States…and be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be authorized to appoint, and by supplying vacancies happening from refusals to act or other causes, to keep in appointment as long as may be necessary, three commissioners, who or any of two of whom, shall, under the direction of the President, survey, and by proper metes and bounds define and limit a district of territory, under the limitations above mentioned; and the district so defined, limited and located, shall be deemed the district accepted by this act, for permanent seat of the government of the United States.”

3. There was an earthquake. I felt nothing, probably because it was 5 AM and I was asleep, though the fact that it was all of magnitude 3.6 probably has something to do with it, too. It’s either the end of the world or Godzilla is rising out of the ocean. At this point, it’s hard to tell which one.

Back to reality today. Boo!

The wrap party was much fun, and then, after less than four hours of sleep, I arose at 4 AM on Monday morning to catch my flight home. Even though C’s flight wasn’t until 1 PM, she joined me on the trip to the airport so we could split the taxi fee. The flights were painless, but I almost lost my cell phone. While waiting at the DC airport for my luggage to come around, I went to check the time on my cell. Wasn’t there. Rats! I’d had it in Minneapolis, where I’d changed planes, so figured it probably fell out in the overhead compartment of my last flight. I went to the baggage office and explained my sad predicament. They called the gate, and sure enough, they had my phone. I produced enough evidence that it really was my phone, even though I couldn’t remember the brand (do people really know that for something other than an iPhone or Blackberry?), so they created a pass so I could go through security again (once again taking off my shoes, once again taking out my computer, doing my part to endure the complete farce that is airport security) and pick it up at the gate. I was happy to have it back.

Then I stood in a huge line for about 45 minutes for a taxi. Ugh. If it weren’t raining, I’d have done Metro. But the combination of rain, rush hour, and the thought of dragging my luggage on a bus made me stick it out in the taxi line. Finally made it home.

After work today, I went to a mattress store to buy a new bed. The 10 days in Vancouver were mostly back-pain free. It was glorious. One night back in my bed left me aching again. I think 90% of my back pain is caused from my bed. Yep, definitely time for a new one.

My Gatecon photos are now up here. They are of poor quality and likely to be of interest to few people, so I’ll post my favorite photo, the professional one with the stage crew (we’re in the purple shirts) and the guests.

I’ll also post two videos I took that are pretty good: one is Garry Chalk singing during the auction, and the other one is just of the bidding a couple of the auction items.

Beautiful British Columbia! (Yes, I know that’s on their license plates… but it’s true!) Vacation is exhausting, but I’m having a great time. I love this city!

So… Sunday we wandered around Stanley Park, which I love. We took photos. We oooh’d. We ahhh’d. We found that the big, hollow tree still exists, propped up. After that we found our way to the Museum of Anthropology, which was harder than anticipated because of a triathlon right in our path. Armed with a GPS, we eventually found our way and even found our way back out afterward. I frequently apologized to British Columbia for my clueless tourist driving. The museum was very nice, though. Fabulous collection. It lacks much context and explanation, but I’m guessing that’s because, though it is open to the public, it is primarily for student studies (it’s on the University of British Columbia campus). Still, cool things to look at. (Photos from the day here.)

After that, we met up with one of C’s friends who lives here. We went to see The Last Airbender, which is the worst movie I have ever seen in a theater. I’ve seen worse videos on DVD, but this one wins the “Oh my heck, I can’t believe I wasted two hours of life on this” award for the “Seen in a Theater” category. C, however, enjoyed it, though primarily because she loves the anime series it’s based on. The three of us then went to dinner and talked and it was enjoyable.

On Monday (yesterday), we fled Vancouver and wandered up the Sunshine Coast. When I was planning our itinerary, wanted to do something outside the city. I love playing in the city, but I like getting out of the city, too. Whistler and Victoria are the obvious choices, but I’ve already been to both places a couple times and wanted something new. While looking at Google Maps, I started following roads out of Vancouver. One road led to Halfmoon Bay, and the road ran next to the coast. So I picked that, hoping for scenic vistas. Oh, the vistas did not disappoint. We had a lovely ferry ride with beautiful views and then spent the day wandering up the coast, going wherever. It was beautiful! We walked all up and down various rocky beaches we came across, finding little crabs (about the size of a quarter) and lots of shells. At one of the beaches, I was taking photos of the rocks as the waves washed over them, and a little boy about 8 years old asked what I was doing. I told him. “Do you want to take a picture of some crabs I caught?” he asked. So I did :-). Eventually exhausted, we retreated back to the ferry and back to the hotel. (Photos from the Sunshine Coast here. They fail to capture the incredible beauty, but they’re not bad.)

Today we did an eco tour of North Vancouver. Meh. We rode in a vehicle powered by used cooking oil to various locations. The tour guides was a bit… odd. But we got to go across the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, which is just as high and wobbly as the Capilano Suspension Bridge, but doesn’t have the exorbitant entrance fee (it’s free). To and from the gathering place for the eco tour, we rode the sky train (very quiet, clean and orderly – people actually line up rather than just do the mob thing, which is weird) and seabus (cool). We wandered around a market and had a tasty lunch.

Tomorrow we move to the convention hotel (it’s ridiculously expensive, which is why didn’t stay there the whole time). We have another day of tourist stuff, and then… I embrace my inner geek! Woot!