@ kenilworth aquatic gardens 

 

lotus flower ponds 

 
paths 

 

layers 

 

 

we live transluscent lives 

 
scratch n' sniff 

 

half empty or half full? 

 
petals fall 

 

aliens land 

 
in the end 

  

 

a little modern art of my own. 

 

I went to the Hirshhorn Museum for the first time this weekend. It's on the National Mall and I'd walked past it many times. It houses modern art, which I enjoy. The building is very round and has no first floor, except for where you enter and the escalators take you to the main floors. 

  

Books and Wings

 

I went to see the Anselm Kiefer exhibit. His art has some interesting motifs such as humans inevitably scorching the earth (a la WWII) with the rejuvenation of the earth linked to the stars, which is from where things were originally formed.

I'm not sure about this particular piece (Book and Wings), but he had a few pieces where he had cut his own paintings up into books, which was related to the Nazi book bans and burnings. One series was called Cauterization. He had taken the books and scorched the canvas. But cauterization also implies healing in medicine, which I think fit in with his concepts of rejuvenation via the stars.

 

The inside is composed of two concentric circles. The inside ring has a lot of sculpture (which doesn't make much of an impression on me) and great views of the courtyard fountain. If you look closely, the security guard is yelling at me for taking pictures. 

 

I pulled out my OLD baby laptop and finally got it connected to the internet. It may be slow, but it is great for its 8" x 10" size and weight of about 3 lbs. I had originally bought it off eBay for $225. My next laptop will also be small (who really needs a 15" screen on a laptop?), but unfortunately the tiny Sony laptops are about $2K.

I'm hoping to get my old laptop (pre-USB) connected to my external HD and stationed as a music server to my stereo. Now, how can I connect it to stereos througout the house? 

 

This was a very exciting weekend because of my inaugural trip to the DC Public Library and filing for my library card. The main library is named after MLK, so I chose that motif for my card. 

 

This is the Main Branch Library, which is conveniently located off the green Metro line at Gallery Place (the newly opened National Portrait Gallery and re-opened National Gallery of American Art). This area also continues to develop as a popular shopping destination.

The library is ghetto, as all things in DC are. But I take comfort in its 1970s design. 

WTF??

from The Nation -- The war in Iraq has lasted three days longer than US involvement in World War II.

Germany declared war on the US on December, 11, 1941, four days after Pearl Harbor. The US announced victory in Europe on May 8, 1945. That's one thousand, two hundred and forty-four days.

We've been in Iraq one thousand, two hundred and forty-seven days---and still the Administration has no exit strategy, no plan for victory and no clue what it is doing. In case you'd forgotten, George W. Bush declared "Mission Accomplished" aboard an aircraft carrier over three years ago.

"In the battle of Iraq," Bush said, "The United States and our allies have prevailed."

Perhaps that pronouncement was a little premature. Twelve hundred and four days later, our troops are still paying the price.

As much as I think An Inconvenient Truth is a very important movie, there's no question that Amy Sedaris is funnier than Al Gore. She can even make you laugh at a monkey killing a duck in a wading pool. Strangers With Candy was much funnier than I thought it would be. And who doesn't love a good high school parody?

You can also check this funny girl out on YouTube.

Candy is a Treat. Please Consume in Moderation.

This is the message I found today when I opened my package of Reese's Cups. Is this what our litigious society has come to: warning labels on food because people can't control their eating habits and/or balance it with adequate exercise?

How about:

Driving makes the trip shorter. Please drive in moderation.
Elevators are easy on the feet. Please ride in moderation.
Television gives you thoughtless pleasure. Please watch in moderation.
Dissent is a privelage of Democracy. Please dissent in moderation.

Others?

Office Pet Peeve

People who don't say hello or good morning or just stare at you blankly as you walk by.

Be friendly, mofo.

Finger Lakes - Central New York

 

I'm finally getting around to posting more pics. Here we go on another hike. This is a typical limestone and shale gorge in New York. 

 

At 215' high, Taughannock Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. When I was little, you could walk on the rocks all the way up toward the waterfall. Then they decided it wasn't too safe when rocks fell from the 400' cliffs, which curve in and over the gorge. When I was here last, there was a drought that fall and there was nothing but a trickle going over. 

 

I had no luck trying to sneak away for a little nap. After 10 minutes of p&q, my family decided to bring their chairs over and keep me company. I got them back by getting on a bike and playing Duck, Duck, Goose! 

 

This was our swimming area at the park. Can you say, FUN? Notice the diving board in the background. It was pretty high, plus the current really pulled you away after jumping in. And the water? A pleasant 63 degrees.

We had three nights of rain in a row, sometimes with heavy t-storms. For two days you couldn't swim here because the water was nearly going over the retaining wall. The falls was like a mini Niagara. 

 

Buttermilk Falls State Park. Too many waterfalls to count here. 

 

Ah! I hope other families do this, too.