RTT - The Different Shades of Washington DC

Keely has been in a bit of a funk lately.
I can't hardly blame her.
It's hard to keep up with house, family, kids and (gasp) your very own life
but it is especially hard when your job is harshing your buzz like Keely's is.
So head over there and give her some comment love.
Cuz, you all know that we need it.

I spent a whole day on Thursday here.
This is the National Archives.
They have some of the cool old stuff in the United States.
They have the Declaration of the United States.
They have lots of documents, reports, and papers from both World Wars,
and various other important events in US history.
They have some really great things.
They think that they have ALL the cool old stuff in the United States
but they are wrong.
Because do you know who has more?

That would be the Library of Congress.
Not only do they have more cool stuff but
they have every book, movie and recording ever published
and anything else that is produced in the United States (it's a rule).
They have millions of their items digitized.
They have employee 4500 people to take care of millions upon millions of items.
They receive 25,000 items everyday and keep 10,000 of them.
EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!
Now, if I wasn't a librarian I could figure out how many items this is in a year but I would have to count on my fingers and toes a whole bunch of times.
Why don't they keep all of them?
Because they already have copies of some of the stuff (yes, stuff is a technical term).
FYI, It pays to know someone who is a librarian there.
The back stage tour rocks.
The stacks and the vaults are awesome.
Us librarians are such rebels. That photo above?
It was taken against the rules. Photos are not supposed to be taken in that room. I feel kind of sneaky.

I walked by this building a couple of times.
I didn't go in.
I had heard that the people in this building were
making some really important decisions about health care reform.
From what I hear they did.
All of it scares me. Why do I get the feeling that we have put the wolves in charge of the hen house?
What they accomplished is so much less than they could have done.
Does that sound cynical?

This must be the largest phallic symbol in the United States if not the world.
Four square shaped balls?
Should the monument see someone for that?
Sculptor or cement worker?


I hung out with my friend Robin.
Yes, we did play dorky tourists.
We were perfect for the part.
Look at that hair. The weather was a tad humid so my hair decided to go its own way.
Right after this Robin spilled pasta sauce all over her scarf. It pays to wear black. Slimming and food droppings proof. The girls may not be large but they catch their share of food.

We had great food in the Little Italy section of Baltimore.
Imagine an Italian restaurant on every corner of a six square block area.
I was in carb heaven.
We ended up at the neighborhood hang out.
The only place to be.
After eating a ridiculous amount of food
Robin and her husband took me to the airport.
Where I had a free glass of wine at the bar.
Looking sad and pathetic reaps rewards.

That is the quick tour of Washington DC and Baltimore. I'll post a bit more tomorrow.

Love,
m