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tarotgalI took the day off from work today for two reasons:
1- I had a LivingSocial deal to the International Spy Museum and no time to use it before it expired on Christmas day
2-Today was the office holiday party. Normally, I'd be excited about that because I like talking with my coworkers. However, it was in an Indian restaurant and I kept panicking just thinking about being put on the spot for just sitting there and not eating for 2 hours and trying not to get all phobic (last time I ate Indian food, I was sick to my stomach for two days from food poisoning and now just the smell makes me ill, which is not happy-making for an emetophobe).
SO, I took the day off and headed into Washington, DC, to museum hop. I went to the International Spy Museum for the first time. LOVED it. I was Greta, an atronomer from Germany, tasked with retrieving a microdot from Phoebe Riley in London. The only wrinkle came when the museum's system "accidentally" changed Phoebe's position at the Astronomical Society from Grants Manager to Membership Services. But once I figured that out, it was smooth sailing.
The museum was amazing. I loved every bit of it (I really took my time). I fangirled some of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. merch (including a book I HAVE ON MY BOOKSHELF!), I crawled through an air conditioning duct just like in the movies, I spent a long time reading/doing the activities associated with the Code Talkers (guess who just read "Code Talkers"?), I loved the photos taken by WWI pigeons, I spent a ton of time in the "library", I watched a short film about how important it is for Donald Duck to pay his taxes, and if I hadn't been a huge fan of Alan Turing already I would be now. Did you know he chained his coffee mug to a radiator and wore a gas mask to prevent hay fever? I love that man. Wish I could have known him :-(
Then I went to the National Building Museum, by way of a craft fair in front of the National Portrait Gallery, where I bought myself a handmade tin sunflower Christmas ornament *loves*. I've been wanting to see the LEGO exhibit there for years now, and thankfully the exhibit keeps getting extended. So I went there, paid my $8 for the exhibit, and then realized there was a Historic Building Tour starting in approximately 30 seconds. So I jumped in on that! Got to go up to the 4th floor, which is off limits unless you're an employee or on a tour. So high up I kind of got a little vertigo (I usually have no trouble with heights, but apparently the building is so tall the Statue of Liberty can fit inside, so it's not so surprising). The National Building Museum, incidentally, is the location of the Commander in Chief Inaugural Ball and the Washington Christmas concert each year that they show on TNT. Today it was being set up for a college graduation. I did see the LEGO buildings afterward. They're amazing and I LOVE LEGO anything that are built based on something real... but there's a BIG difference to me between the people at BrickFair who build astounding things and are AFOLs and someone who is a professional LEGO building. I'm much less impressed by the professionals, because they get paid to do the building and have far easier and cheaper access to bricks. Throw an unlimited supply at any AFOL and you'll get amazing creations, no doubt. But what impresses me are when people create amazing creations and they DON'T have cheap access to parts and they do it outside of also holding down a full-time job. But the buildings were beautiful. And I thought of doing some building in the attached room... but I know how germy those bricks can be (in children's hands and mouths and such) and I just couldn't do it. LOL
I bought way too many souvenirs/postcards (I'm almost going to be sad when this year of sending help_japan care packages is over!)
Tonight is the Writers' Roundtable holiday party! Gift exchange, auction with fake money I spent all last night printing & cutting out & stuffing into envelopes, and lots of food. Only problem is that after all day walking around I can't feel my feet. OWWWWW! LOL
1- I had a LivingSocial deal to the International Spy Museum and no time to use it before it expired on Christmas day
2-Today was the office holiday party. Normally, I'd be excited about that because I like talking with my coworkers. However, it was in an Indian restaurant and I kept panicking just thinking about being put on the spot for just sitting there and not eating for 2 hours and trying not to get all phobic (last time I ate Indian food, I was sick to my stomach for two days from food poisoning and now just the smell makes me ill, which is not happy-making for an emetophobe).
SO, I took the day off and headed into Washington, DC, to museum hop. I went to the International Spy Museum for the first time. LOVED it. I was Greta, an atronomer from Germany, tasked with retrieving a microdot from Phoebe Riley in London. The only wrinkle came when the museum's system "accidentally" changed Phoebe's position at the Astronomical Society from Grants Manager to Membership Services. But once I figured that out, it was smooth sailing.
The museum was amazing. I loved every bit of it (I really took my time). I fangirled some of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. merch (including a book I HAVE ON MY BOOKSHELF!), I crawled through an air conditioning duct just like in the movies, I spent a long time reading/doing the activities associated with the Code Talkers (guess who just read "Code Talkers"?), I loved the photos taken by WWI pigeons, I spent a ton of time in the "library", I watched a short film about how important it is for Donald Duck to pay his taxes, and if I hadn't been a huge fan of Alan Turing already I would be now. Did you know he chained his coffee mug to a radiator and wore a gas mask to prevent hay fever? I love that man. Wish I could have known him :-(
Then I went to the National Building Museum, by way of a craft fair in front of the National Portrait Gallery, where I bought myself a handmade tin sunflower Christmas ornament *loves*. I've been wanting to see the LEGO exhibit there for years now, and thankfully the exhibit keeps getting extended. So I went there, paid my $8 for the exhibit, and then realized there was a Historic Building Tour starting in approximately 30 seconds. So I jumped in on that! Got to go up to the 4th floor, which is off limits unless you're an employee or on a tour. So high up I kind of got a little vertigo (I usually have no trouble with heights, but apparently the building is so tall the Statue of Liberty can fit inside, so it's not so surprising). The National Building Museum, incidentally, is the location of the Commander in Chief Inaugural Ball and the Washington Christmas concert each year that they show on TNT. Today it was being set up for a college graduation. I did see the LEGO buildings afterward. They're amazing and I LOVE LEGO anything that are built based on something real... but there's a BIG difference to me between the people at BrickFair who build astounding things and are AFOLs and someone who is a professional LEGO building. I'm much less impressed by the professionals, because they get paid to do the building and have far easier and cheaper access to bricks. Throw an unlimited supply at any AFOL and you'll get amazing creations, no doubt. But what impresses me are when people create amazing creations and they DON'T have cheap access to parts and they do it outside of also holding down a full-time job. But the buildings were beautiful. And I thought of doing some building in the attached room... but I know how germy those bricks can be (in children's hands and mouths and such) and I just couldn't do it. LOL
I bought way too many souvenirs/postcards (I'm almost going to be sad when this year of sending help_japan care packages is over!)
Tonight is the Writers' Roundtable holiday party! Gift exchange, auction with fake money I spent all last night printing & cutting out & stuffing into envelopes, and lots of food. Only problem is that after all day walking around I can't feel my feet. OWWWWW! LOL
no subject
Date: 2011-12-14 11:06 pm (UTC)It's disgraceful the way he was treated by this country. :(
The International Spy Museum sounds facinating. Glad you had a good time!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-15 02:34 am (UTC)Really? Did it work? lol
It's disgraceful the way he was treated by this country. :(
My major in college was Computer Science and I took 2 semesters of cryptography, neither of which would have gone very far without Turing. Though if I'd had to go through all of what he was put through, you bet I would have killed myself too. But what a waste of a brilliant mind and, from what I understand, a witty and nice guy.