What's in a name?

 My full name is Allison, but ever since they brought me home from the hospital my family has called me Alli. I can clearly remember my mother asking me what I wanted to be called in school when she registered me for pre-kindergarten. For some reason, I told her Allison. Maybe it sounded more grown up to me. So for my grade school career I was known as Allison in class, but Alli to close friends and family. Erin is the only one in my family who consistently calls my by my full name, a result of her going to the same school as me. When I went to college, more and more people started calling me Alli. I think the major reason for this was Emily, my oldest sister, was around more, and people adopted it from her. I've always used Allison as my professional name, so I'm Allison on paper but Alli out loud. I never thought that I cared that much what people called me. I always gave them the choice.

Well, now that I've moved away from my friends and family, very few people call me Alli. I didn't realize how much I missed it until Sam came to visit this weekend, calling me (and introducing me as) Alli. It was a little piece of home.

Sam and my angry faces. I think we were cold.

Cotton in the big City

This past weekend Sam was in DC for the Cotton Council Meeting with her family. They are from a small town and are good "salt of the earth" people. I got to hang out and be a tourist with them. They really made it a fun weekend. 

We got to tour the Capitol - something I didn't put on my list, but now I'm adding it so I can cross it off.

Tyler came out to the Old Ebitt Grill for a drink and oysters with us. The Old Ebitt, est. in 1856, is the oldest dining saloon in DC.

We had Mojtos at the Round Robin Bar, a super classy joint right next to the White House.

The Mural inside the Capitol.

The whole herd on the Capitol steps. 

DC bucket list

In Florida, if someone had a question about where to go, or what do to do, they would come to me. I don't want to sound uppity, but I know my Florida history and I'm very good at remembering facts. So several people dubbed me "Captain Florida" and "knowledgeable about pretty much everything" (which to me, means I know a little tiny bit about a whole lot of stuff and the result is that I look smart). I really like knowing what is going on in the community around me and being able to share my knowledge with people. So it's a challenge moving to a new place, especially one so LARGE, and with so much going on. I'm researching and asking people for ideas and in an effort to make it a little easier on myself, and to also encourage people to visit, I'm going to list all the things I want to do in my time here (however long that is). As my office is fond of saying, this is a 'living document,' meaning it is not complete and is still growing. If you see something on the list that looks awesome to you, claim it for your visit (I'm looking at you Em and Jodi!). 

1-12. Smithsonian museums - there are actually 12 museums in the Smithsonian collection. I've been to the Air & Space and the Hirshorn Art museum, but I haven't finished them. And of course they also have rotating exhibits. And it's all free. I'm really excited about the American history and natural history museums. 

13. Lincoln, Washington, Roosevelt, WWII, Korean,  other various monuments. I would love to have a picnic when the weather is warmer...

14. The Kennedy Center - There are free performances every day at 6pm, ranging from high school plays to choirs. 

15. National Arboretum - you can see the original pillars of the U.S. Capitol that was burned in the War of 1812. A co-worker also told me they do full moon tours - but you have to sign up months in advance. 

16. Great Falls Park - 800 acre park with waterfalls!

17. Mount Vernon

18. farmer's markets - the market in Old Town in Alexandria is supposedly the oldest continual market located in the same spot - Washington sold his produce from Mount Vernon here!

19. Ben's Chili Bowl - a diner that has survived a lot and has become an institution in DC. The chili dogs are supposed to be excellent!

20. Waterfront Fish market - This is right across the street from my work. At lunch, there is a crowd of working class people that gather around for crabs, seafood chowder, and crab cakes. It has what Dad and I would call ambience. Apparently it really smells like a fish market in the summer. I don't know what people expect.  I mainly want to go there because my coworkers seem really scared of it. But if it's good enough for the workers, it's good enough for me. And probably more affordable too. 

21. Busboys and Poets -a coffee shop/cafe/ bookstore/poetry lounge. meant to 'serve as a meeting place for the progressive social movement.' named after Langston Hughes - the poet busboy. 

22. old stone house - the last pre-revolutionary house in DC on it's original foundation.

23. the national geographic museum

24. The spy museum

25. The Holocaust museum

26. chinatown

27. Cherry Blossom Festival - March 28 - April 12

28. The Eastern Market - flea/farmer's market

29. Arlington Cemetry

30. Amish Country - Lancaster, PA is about 2.5 hours away

Well that's it for tonight. I will do more on VA and MD later.

the saga of the bark collar

The first week I moved in to my new house, a neighbor came and knocked on my door. She asked me if I might be able to keep Ruby inside. It was 9:30 at night, she was barking at something and the neighbor had a sleeping 9-month-old. Because the back door has a doggy door, it's difficult for me to control her habit. So I bought her a bark collar. I started out with a citronella spray collar. Every time she barks it sprays citronella. The smell, sound and spray are supposed to surprise her. Well. the dogs conspired and got the collar off while I was at work. Then they chewed it to bits.

After a couple days without a collar (and a lot of barking) I went back to the store and got a SHOCK collar. Well, it works, I guess. But the dogs are too smart. Again they got it off of Ruby, this time in the snowy yard. Luckily it's waterproof.

So the next day I put it back on her. Once again, I got home that afternoon and Ruby was collarless. I didn't have to look far. In the middle of the living room was her shock collar. they had chewed it and it was missing the battery. I found the battery, the collar still worked (although it's probably not waterproof anymore) and I soaked it in Bitter Yuck.

Today it was still on Ruby, although it had been loosened. 

I'm hoping she just learns her lesson and I won't have to deal with this anymore. 

Snow!

As Bing Crosby sang in White Christmas, "It won't be long before we're there with snow..." 

sidewalk on the way to work ~ 7:30am

same sidewalk on the way home ~ 4pm

view from the boss' office

my house!

New year's in New Orleans

This is a little late (about 17 days), but I wanted to share my experience in New Orleans.
I had the good fortune to travel with Kim, who is extremely knowledgeable about NOLA. We got to stay with her friend in the Lower Ninth Ward and see and hear a local's
perspective. Her friend is passionately involved with reviving her city. It was amazing to hear the love she had for her home and neighbors. Most people nowadays are not that connected to their neighborhoods. This pride in NOLA defines many people. I guess you have to be that passionate to come back to such destruction and to be strong enough to rebuild.

Water damage (and termites) in a house Kim's friend bought at a tax sale

After we left Kim's friend, we started the real tourist stuff. We met up with my friends, hung out on Bourbon Street, ate beignets, and had bloody marys with pickled green beans.

Singer's awesome shoes at a bar on Bourbon
It was hard for me to rectify these two different sides of NOLA - the residents that live here all the time and the loud, impolite tourists. It was just amazing to see the utter emptiness that still consumes some areas of the city and then the throngs of people on Bourbon.


I love New Orleans because of the unique culture there. If a natural disaster like Katrina had happened anywhere else, the resulting art and culture would not have been as profound. They have been able to keep Katrina in the minds and hearts of people through song, poetry and art. I suppose that is one positive result amongst all the devastation.

two pairs of tights and a blue wax owl.

My stuff finally made it's way to VA! There are boxes strewn around the house, and I have no idea where anything is, but its all here. Now I have to sort and organize.

 It's kind of like opening presents on Christmas morning.  unwrap - it's a wooden spoon! unwrap - it's a scarf! unwrap - it's a blue wax owl (yes I own a blue wax owl). Every item has 3 sheets of heavy paper on it. It's no wonder that it looks like I have so much stuff. Also, I don't know what I'm going to do with all these boxes. Illegal dumpster run? I don't know the recycling procedures in this area yet.

We have been celebrating my new roommate's birthday over the last couple of days. She had a friend come into town and we went out Friday and Saturday. It was a good time, we ate at two really good restaurants and hit up bars in Arlington and the District. You could spend a lot of money fast if your not careful. I'm going to have to make myself stick to more of a budget once everything gets settled. But it was Amanda's birthday, so it was a special occasion. That's also why I wore a dress out in the [literally] freezing cold. I didn't want to be the uncooperative roommate. I did wear 2 pairs of tights though. 

Again I PROMISE to post pictures soon. But I would prefer to do it when my house looks a little more put together. sorry. 

PS I'm going to start post the temp when I blog. it's currently 40 degrees out, but Friday and yesterday the wind chill was in the negative.