Author Topic: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life  (Read 264069 times)

ggould

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #495 on: April 01, 2010, 07:30:32 AM »
So, I'm planning a trip to Washington DC for the last week of April (do we have a travel thread?).  Youse guys are all well travelled, so I'm soliciting advice -- especially where to stay.  I'm going all by my lonesome, using up an airline credit that needs to be used by early May.

I plan on being in city for 3 full days, with travel days around those.  Want to see all the monuments, the Smithsonian, etc., and want a hotel somewhere relatively central, but hopefully not ridiculously expensive.

Any ideas?

We just went last Thanksgiving, but we stayed with family so I can't make any suggestions on lodging. However, their metro system works pretty well, so you might consider staying someplace outside the district and taking the train in each day--maybe Alexandria VA or Silver Spring MD? Might be a little cheaper--I know rooms in DC proper are pretty pricey.

If you want to visit the White House, contact your congressman NOW and see if they can get you on a tour. You can only get in via your legislator, and they book up way ahead but there are always cancellations. Of course, the week we were there, they weren't doing tours as they were decorating for the holidays. Sheesh.

And take comfortable walking shoes. DC is an easy town to walk in--it's fairly flat--but just getting up and down the mall from one Smithsonian branch to another is a schlep.

Also, if you're flying out of Dulles and you have a couple of hours to kill, check out the branch of the Air and Space Museum that is open out near the airport. It's HUGE and that's where they have the Space Shuttle, Concorde, and a number of other famous airplanes, and there's a shuttle to and from Dulles. The one on the Mall is great too--every space capsule you could name, and a very cool Wright Bros. exhibit. I recommend both, just expect to see a lot of kids at the one on the mall. The newer one was remarkably quiet.
Air and Space Museum?  I agree about the Holocaust Museum; very powerful.  Take your iPod, load it with Moodswings Spiritual High, Part III, where the MLK speech is mixed with the beat, and listen in front of the Lincoln Memorial!

There was a hotel right near the museums.  Don't remember how much it was.  We ended up staying a few nights in Rockville, and taking the Metro into town.
Don't stand in the way of LOVE!

princessofcairo

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #496 on: April 02, 2010, 08:58:06 AM »
So, I'm planning a trip to Washington DC for the last week of April (do we have a travel thread?).  Youse guys are all well travelled, so I'm soliciting advice -- especially where to stay.  I'm going all by my lonesome, using up an airline credit that needs to be used by early May.

I plan on being in city for 3 full days, with travel days around those.  Want to see all the monuments, the Smithsonian, etc., and want a hotel somewhere relatively central, but hopefully not ridiculously expensive.

Any ideas?

As an ex-resident of DC, I can't help much, either, with hotel recommendations, though I would suggest checking for something in the Adams Morgan neighbourhood. Most of the hotels near the tourist attractions are in parts of the city that shut down after 6pm, and there's little around to do/eat after then. Adams Morgan is within walking distance of the White House (20 minutes, or so), and there are lots of restaurants/shops/bars around.

As far as eating goes, I highly suggest Ben's Chili Bowl: http://www.benschilibowl.com/ordereze/default.aspx
and Jaleo: http://www.jaleo.com/

Gazoo

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #497 on: April 02, 2010, 10:09:34 AM »
So, I'm planning a trip to Washington DC for the last week of April (do we have a travel thread?).  Youse guys are all well travelled, so I'm soliciting advice -- especially where to stay.  I'm going all by my lonesome, using up an airline credit that needs to be used by early May.

I plan on being in city for 3 full days, with travel days around those.  Want to see all the monuments, the Smithsonian, etc., and want a hotel somewhere relatively central, but hopefully not ridiculously expensive.

Any ideas?

Last time I had time to kill in DC, I visited the National Geographic photography museum, which was small and free.  Stunning works.
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Alicat

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #498 on: April 20, 2010, 02:03:45 PM »
FWIW, please think good thoughts and prayers for a Belmont/San Carlos family I know whose almost 2 year old fell in a pool Sunday and went unnoticed for a brief time. He is still unconcious and on support down at Stanford. Very upsetting. Something I can't imagine living through. They have older kids too who are the same ages as mine.
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Tinka Cat

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #499 on: April 20, 2010, 02:17:29 PM »
FWIW, please think good thoughts and prayers for a Belmont/San Carlos family I know whose almost 2 year old fell in a pool Sunday and went unnoticed for a brief time. He is still unconcious and on support down at Stanford. Very upsetting. Something I can't imagine living through. They have older kids too who are the same ages as mine.

... sending good thoughts ...
~CPL593H~

Lightnin' Rod

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #500 on: April 23, 2010, 09:23:58 AM »
So, I'm planning a trip to Washington DC for the last week of April (do we have a travel thread?).  Youse guys are all well travelled, so I'm soliciting advice -- especially where to stay.  I'm going all by my lonesome, using up an airline credit that needs to be used by early May.

I plan on being in city for 3 full days, with travel days around those.  Want to see all the monuments, the Smithsonian, etc., and want a hotel somewhere relatively central, but hopefully not ridiculously expensive.

Any ideas?

Last time I had time to kill in DC, I visited the National Geographic photography museum, which was small and free.  Stunning works.

So I'm off to DC tomorrow morning.  Thanks to all for your suggestions. 

Since I don't plan on touching a computer next week, I'll say happy birthday to Mike well in advance...
and any fool knows
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RGMike

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #501 on: April 23, 2010, 09:34:20 AM »
So, I'm planning a trip to Washington DC for the last week of April (do we have a travel thread?).  Youse guys are all well travelled, so I'm soliciting advice -- especially where to stay.  I'm going all by my lonesome, using up an airline credit that needs to be used by early May.

I plan on being in city for 3 full days, with travel days around those.  Want to see all the monuments, the Smithsonian, etc., and want a hotel somewhere relatively central, but hopefully not ridiculously expensive.

Any ideas?

Last time I had time to kill in DC, I visited the National Geographic photography museum, which was small and free.  Stunning works.

So I'm off to DC tomorrow morning.  Thanks to all for your suggestions. 

Since I don't plan on touching a computer next week, I'll say happy birthday to Mike well in advance...

and right back atcha, bub.  The cherry blossoms should be in full bloom. Say hello to Barry, Michelle and the girls for us!
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

RGMike

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #502 on: April 29, 2010, 12:40:21 PM »
Well, it's a 4-day weekend for me: off tomo'w & Mon, seeing Wicked tonite and Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend on Sun at Berkeley Rep. Hope to work in some Dim Sum while I'm at it. I'll be checking in, tho'.
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

RGMike

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #503 on: May 19, 2010, 08:11:23 AM »
I mentioned this very briefly back in 2008 but I need to revisit because it's still bothering me.  I lost a really good friend in August of '08 -- not because he died, but because he became a right-wing nutjob.

I met Andy (he's a couple years older than me) at ABC in the early '80s. He was a lifelong moderate-to-liberal Dem; the only Democrat from a family of wealthy Republicans. I can still remember him arguing with his stockbroker parents, who thought Reagan was the greatest thing since sliced bread.  We'd stayed in touch after he quit ABC in '85, we both lived in Queens and saw a lot of movies together. And after I moved out here we still communicated, first by phone and later by email.  In 2007 when I was in NYC on vacay, we had lunch and he casually mentioned that "I've stopped reading the NY Times and cancelled my subscriptions to Time and Newsweek because they're all biased". Uh, OK... and where are you getting your news from now? "The NY Post and The Weekly Standard." I was rather gobsmacked.  "Oh, of course", I said, "because, y'know, Bill Kristol and Rupert Murdoch -- they're not biased AT ALL!" And I changed the subject. I didn't want to argue politics with someone I'd been friends with for 25 years while I was on vacation.

I studiously avoided the subject of politics with Andy for the next year or so, and in August of '08 he emailed, all excited because he'd posted a comment on Michelle Malkin's blog (!), and she'd liked it so much she put it in the "Comment of the Day" box at the top of the page. He was fairly creaming his jeans over this.  Turns out that was the day that Obama announced Biden as his running mate; the hideous Ms. Malkin had spent the day saying nasty things about Biden and inviting others to do likewise. I sat there, staring at the computer screen. WTF had happened to this guy? I decided I could no longer pretend that it didn't matter. I wrote back, saying "Jeezus, man, you used to make FUN of people like Malkin. If you're gonna hang out with conservatives, couldn't you at least pick some SMART ones?"

I never heard from him again.

I check his Facebook page every 6 months or so, just to see if he's alive. Yesterday when I looked there, he had links to Sarah Palin (!), a group called "Let's Stop Blaming Bush For What Obama Does" (!!) and his profile pic is an Eagle-in-front-of-the-Flag thing that even Stephen Colbert would consider over-the-top. The Andy that I used to know was sweet, caring, funny and smart -- too smart to be swallowing the sort of nonsense Malkin and Palin churn out. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 08:14:31 AM by RGMike »
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ggould

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #504 on: May 19, 2010, 08:58:00 AM »
I mentioned this very briefly back in 2008 but I need to revisit because it's still bothering me.  I lost a really good friend in August of '08 -- not because he died, but because he became a right-wing nutjob.

I met Andy (he's a couple years older than me) at ABC in the early '80s. He was a lifelong moderate-to-liberal Dem; the only Democrat from a family of wealthy Republicans. I can still remember him arguing with his stockbroker parents, who thought Reagan was the greatest thing since sliced bread.  We'd stayed in touch after he quit ABC in '85, we both lived in Queens and saw a lot of movies together. And after I moved out here we still communicated, first by phone and later by email.  In 2007 when I was in NYC on vacay, we had lunch and he casually mentioned that "I've stopped reading the NY Times and cancelled my subscriptions to Time and Newsweek because they're all biased". Uh, OK... and where are you getting your news from now? "The NY Post and The Weekly Standard." I was rather gobsmacked.  "Oh, of course", I said, "because, y'know, Bill Kristol and Rupert Murdoch -- they're not biased AT ALL!" And I changed the subject. I didn't want to argue politics with someone I'd been friends with for 25 years while I was on vacation.

I studiously avoided the subject of politics with Andy for the next year or so, and in August of '08 he emailed, all excited because he'd posted a comment on Michelle Malkin's blog (!), and she'd liked it so much she put it in the "Comment of the Day" box at the top of the page. He was fairly creaming his jeans over this.  Turns out that was the day that Obama announced Biden as his running mate; the hideous Ms. Malkin had spent the day saying nasty things about Biden and inviting others to do likewise. I sat there, staring at the computer screen. WTF had happened to this guy? I decided I could no longer pretend that it didn't matter. I wrote back, saying "Jeezus, man, you used to make FUN of people like Malkin. If you're gonna hang out with conservatives, couldn't you at least pick some SMART ones?"

I never heard from him again.

I check his Facebook page every 6 months or so, just to see if he's alive. Yesterday when I looked there, he had links to Sarah Palin (!), a group called "Let's Stop Blaming Bush For What Obama Does" (!!) and his profile pic is an Eagle-in-front-of-the-Flag thing that even Stephen Colbert would consider over-the-top. The Andy that I used to know was sweet, caring, funny and smart -- too smart to be swallowing the sort of nonsense Malkin and Palin churn out. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
for some reason, when I encounter massive personality changes like this, I always think of "Caroline No."  I don't mean to trivialize this for you Mike.  This kind of thing has happened to me too.

Quote
Where did your long hair go
Where is the girl I used to know
How could you lose that happy glow
Oh, caroline no

Who took that look away
I remember how you used to say
Youd never change, but that's not true
Oh, caroline you

Break my heart
I want to go and cry
Its so sad to watch a sweet thing die
Oh, caroline why

Could I ever find in you again
Things that made me love you so much then
Could we ever bring em back once they have gone
Oh, caroline no
Don't stand in the way of LOVE!

RGMike

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #505 on: May 19, 2010, 09:03:03 AM »
for some reason, when I encounter massive personality changes like this, I always think of "Caroline No."  I don't mean to trivialize this for you Mike.  This kind of thing has happened to me too.


Thanks, Geoff, that actually makes perfect sense -- it's quite helpful. It's been tough to turn the page. I was never FB-friends with him for obvious reasons but apparently about 6 months ago he "un-friended" the 6-or-7 other former ABC co-workers he had been FB-friends with. Very odd.
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Gazoo

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #506 on: June 17, 2010, 11:13:13 AM »
Gang, wish me luck: for the first time in my 15 or so years of living on my own, my mother is coming to visit tomorrow.  That is, assuming she doesn't back out - she has a number of phobias that considerably cripple her life.  (Enclosed spaces ranging from elevators to tunnels to theaters to airplanes, which she perceives as inescapable.)  I'm hoping NYC isn't too much for her, and that she digs what I've done with my world, and that she has a good time.  I'll be mostly off the board for the next few days as I (try to) show her the city.

Gaz
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

RGMike

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #507 on: June 17, 2010, 11:29:37 AM »
Gang, wish me luck: for the first time in my 15 or so years of living on my own, my mother is coming to visit tomorrow.  That is, assuming she doesn't back out - she has a number of phobias that considerably cripple her life.  (Enclosed spaces ranging from elevators to tunnels to theaters to airplanes, which she perceives as inescapable.)  I'm hoping NYC isn't too much for her, and that she digs what I've done with my world, and that she has a good time.  I'll be mostly off the board for the next few days as I (try to) show her the city.

Gaz

Best of luck -- I'm sure you'll be a fab host. Avoid the subway, obviously (is she driving up? Amtrak?).  Central Park might be an idea. And Neighborhood walks in not-too-crowded areas are always great -- the West Village early in the day is always a fave of mine.
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

princessofcairo

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #508 on: June 17, 2010, 12:10:43 PM »
Gang, wish me luck: for the first time in my 15 or so years of living on my own, my mother is coming to visit tomorrow.  That is, assuming she doesn't back out - she has a number of phobias that considerably cripple her life.  (Enclosed spaces ranging from elevators to tunnels to theaters to airplanes, which she perceives as inescapable.)  I'm hoping NYC isn't too much for her, and that she digs what I've done with my world, and that she has a good time.  I'll be mostly off the board for the next few days as I (try to) show her the city.

Gaz

Best of luck -- I'm sure you'll be a fab host. Avoid the subway, obviously (is she driving up? Amtrak?).  Central Park might be an idea. And Neighborhood walks in not-too-crowded areas are always great -- the West Village early in the day is always a fave of mine.

Good luck!

radical347

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Re: I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
« Reply #509 on: June 17, 2010, 12:26:36 PM »
Gang, wish me luck: for the first time in my 15 or so years of living on my own, my mother is coming to visit tomorrow.  That is, assuming she doesn't back out - she has a number of phobias that considerably cripple her life.  (Enclosed spaces ranging from elevators to tunnels to theaters to airplanes, which she perceives as inescapable.)  I'm hoping NYC isn't too much for her, and that she digs what I've done with my world, and that she has a good time.  I'll be mostly off the board for the next few days as I (try to) show her the city.

Gaz

Best of luck!  I'm sure things will be fine :)