dan requested that i post the video from our trip to the cherry blossom festival...here goes!!
p.s. sorry its not rotated.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Embassy Day
May 17, 2008
I went solo, which was actually quite refreshing and I found that I connected with the experience and the people running the various events.
First Stop: Embassy of Iraq.
When I first walked up, there was a man greeting at the door before the metal detector and he was holding prayer beads in his hand. I really wanted to snap a shot of the prayer beads, but thought it might not be appropriate. I need more of Paulette's photo-taking gusto. Later I saw the same guy walking around on a cell phone in front of the Embassy house; not nearly as intriguing.
The Embassy of Madagascar had a great celebration, but I didn't get any pictures.
The highlight of the tour was definitely the Embassy of India:
Dancing, food, pamphlets and an "I Love India" pin!!
Then it was off to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Ethiopia has a cool metal sculpture on a wall as you enter the courtyard of the Embassy:
And Ghana has the neatest wooden spiral staircase:
All in all, an exhausting and memorable day traipsing through Embassy after Embassy! Well worth it.
I went solo, which was actually quite refreshing and I found that I connected with the experience and the people running the various events.
First Stop: Embassy of Iraq.
When I first walked up, there was a man greeting at the door before the metal detector and he was holding prayer beads in his hand. I really wanted to snap a shot of the prayer beads, but thought it might not be appropriate. I need more of Paulette's photo-taking gusto. Later I saw the same guy walking around on a cell phone in front of the Embassy house; not nearly as intriguing.
The Embassy of Madagascar had a great celebration, but I didn't get any pictures.
The highlight of the tour was definitely the Embassy of India:
Dancing, food, pamphlets and an "I Love India" pin!!
Then it was off to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Ethiopia has a cool metal sculpture on a wall as you enter the courtyard of the Embassy:
And Ghana has the neatest wooden spiral staircase:
All in all, an exhausting and memorable day traipsing through Embassy after Embassy! Well worth it.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Top 10
This semester's schedule was certainly not one that allowed for much blogging. But now that it is over, I have the urge to think about it on "paper," to put it all down! (or at least what i can remember..)
So I have decided to write a Top 10 list. My Top 10 moments, experiences, or happenings of Spring Semester 2008.
10. my $100 parking ticket
ok..just kidding. Not really a fine moment. I'm still rather annoyed, and waiting for the parking people to respond to my letter of appeal. You can't park on D.C. streets without D.C. plates or a parking permit that costs $300 a year. Madness! And there's no sign on the street where I parked indicating that you need a permit. AND they said they gave me a warning, but they didn't!
THE REAL #10. My first trip to Litteris!!
Wanda took me on my first trip to Litteri's today..this unbelievably awesome Italian sub shop and grocery store. It is easy to overlook from the outside, but once you are in, it is soooooooo cool. The vegetarian sandwich options, not too exciting, but the pasta, wine, cheeses, desserts, sauces etc. etc., and all organized in a fun European-like style with pictures and pretty things. I can't wait to take Dan and show him this cool place that is so close to our house!
9. Artomatic!
YOU ALL HAVE TO CHECK THIS OUT! its only a few blocks from our house and it is floors and floors of art, performance, and media. W-O-W. I only made it through about 3/4 of one floor, but I saw some really amazing and inspiring stuff (and also some weird/creepy/not so exciting stuff). We saw fire dancers, photography, a tattoo parlor, fireworks over the D.C. skyline, and digital images of a bust of jesus turned into drag queens. I plan to go back for sure. artomatic.org
8. Goya Trip to Towson University
The best part was when Hector and I cooked Enchiladas the Mexican way, and the amazing sushi place we went to (twice I think). (notice what I consider fun/priority is food...)
7. The "Y lounge" segment of the Deaf Women of Color show
I ran the lights and sound for a few nights for this performance, and during one part, the women did an entire scene of rehearsed improvisation. It got funnier and funnier every time they did it--crass jokes and earthy humor. My favorite!
6. My first ever all-nighter
That's right..I had never pulled an academic all-nighter until this week. I actually found it to be quite a liberating experience. When there is no pressure of "time" or appointments/meetings/people e-mailing or paging me, or feeling like "oh, it's dark, I should be getting home" I found that I was really able to focus on the work and accomplish good things. Plus, the projects that Megan and I created from our work that night and throughout the semester turned out really well! At the close of the semester, I have finished with a sense of accomplishment.
5. Cherry Blossoms and Kite festival
I was away from D.C. last year, and though Portland does have a few blossoms here and there, it is NOTHING like the cherry blossoms on the tidal basin. I got to visit the blossoms two weeks in a row, first week they were budding, second week they were in full bloom, at their peak. The kite festival always makes me smile. The giant shark. The kids running around. The hanggliders. The sky FILLED with kites.
4. When Dan and I made all raw food for Valentine's day dinner
Yep! That's right! We made our first foray into an all-raw meal! It turned out pretty well (except for the califlower mashed potatoes...they were DISGUSTING). The "meatloaf" and the delicious salad were too good to be true.
3. getting a sneak peak at brainstorming, plans, and ideas for Gallaudet's 6th street development project
I had the opportunity to participate in a big planning/brainstorming meeting for a project Gallaudet is working on, and though my part of the project turned out pretty piddly, just being in that environment with people who are organizing and rooting for their ideas, working towards positive change was a really neat experience.
2. Agamemnon!
I saw the play soooo many times, but it got better each time. I seriously didn't get sick of it until the last night..at which point I was just so burnt out and tired from trying to keep up with school at the same time as the play and work..Did one of my semester projects on this play and..its not something I can put into words. Just a very cool experience, the lights, colors, the language, the nudity, the blood, the fight scenes. SUPERB!
1. 2nd Years' Thesis Defenses and the night of debauchary following
This day was not only my favorite of the semester, I think it also goes down as my favorite day since I came to Gallaudet. I spent the majority of the day watching the second year culture studies students defending their theses to the "panel" (our three professors, no one too scary or intimidating). The quality of work the 2nd years did, how they presented their ideas, what feedback and questions the panel had for them--extremely stimulating and made me excited for the challenge of writing my first thesis. It left me pondering the ideas I have had so far--which now seem too superficial. I want to work on something meaningful, and something I enjoy. After a whole day of thinking and pondering and soaking up that stressful atmosphere of nerves and tension, we went to the cutest bar on H street, Pat and Peteys. What followed--a lot of drinking, joking, dancing (ok, I was pretty much the only one dancing, but who's counting??)--and I had a smile on my face the entire next day because it was just pure fun.
So I have decided to write a Top 10 list. My Top 10 moments, experiences, or happenings of Spring Semester 2008.
10. my $100 parking ticket
ok..just kidding. Not really a fine moment. I'm still rather annoyed, and waiting for the parking people to respond to my letter of appeal. You can't park on D.C. streets without D.C. plates or a parking permit that costs $300 a year. Madness! And there's no sign on the street where I parked indicating that you need a permit. AND they said they gave me a warning, but they didn't!
THE REAL #10. My first trip to Litteris!!
Wanda took me on my first trip to Litteri's today..this unbelievably awesome Italian sub shop and grocery store. It is easy to overlook from the outside, but once you are in, it is soooooooo cool. The vegetarian sandwich options, not too exciting, but the pasta, wine, cheeses, desserts, sauces etc. etc., and all organized in a fun European-like style with pictures and pretty things. I can't wait to take Dan and show him this cool place that is so close to our house!
9. Artomatic!
YOU ALL HAVE TO CHECK THIS OUT! its only a few blocks from our house and it is floors and floors of art, performance, and media. W-O-W. I only made it through about 3/4 of one floor, but I saw some really amazing and inspiring stuff (and also some weird/creepy/not so exciting stuff). We saw fire dancers, photography, a tattoo parlor, fireworks over the D.C. skyline, and digital images of a bust of jesus turned into drag queens. I plan to go back for sure. artomatic.org
8. Goya Trip to Towson University
The best part was when Hector and I cooked Enchiladas the Mexican way, and the amazing sushi place we went to (twice I think). (notice what I consider fun/priority is food...)
7. The "Y lounge" segment of the Deaf Women of Color show
I ran the lights and sound for a few nights for this performance, and during one part, the women did an entire scene of rehearsed improvisation. It got funnier and funnier every time they did it--crass jokes and earthy humor. My favorite!
6. My first ever all-nighter
That's right..I had never pulled an academic all-nighter until this week. I actually found it to be quite a liberating experience. When there is no pressure of "time" or appointments/meetings/people e-mailing or paging me, or feeling like "oh, it's dark, I should be getting home" I found that I was really able to focus on the work and accomplish good things. Plus, the projects that Megan and I created from our work that night and throughout the semester turned out really well! At the close of the semester, I have finished with a sense of accomplishment.
5. Cherry Blossoms and Kite festival
I was away from D.C. last year, and though Portland does have a few blossoms here and there, it is NOTHING like the cherry blossoms on the tidal basin. I got to visit the blossoms two weeks in a row, first week they were budding, second week they were in full bloom, at their peak. The kite festival always makes me smile. The giant shark. The kids running around. The hanggliders. The sky FILLED with kites.
4. When Dan and I made all raw food for Valentine's day dinner
Yep! That's right! We made our first foray into an all-raw meal! It turned out pretty well (except for the califlower mashed potatoes...they were DISGUSTING). The "meatloaf" and the delicious salad were too good to be true.
3. getting a sneak peak at brainstorming, plans, and ideas for Gallaudet's 6th street development project
I had the opportunity to participate in a big planning/brainstorming meeting for a project Gallaudet is working on, and though my part of the project turned out pretty piddly, just being in that environment with people who are organizing and rooting for their ideas, working towards positive change was a really neat experience.
2. Agamemnon!
I saw the play soooo many times, but it got better each time. I seriously didn't get sick of it until the last night..at which point I was just so burnt out and tired from trying to keep up with school at the same time as the play and work..Did one of my semester projects on this play and..its not something I can put into words. Just a very cool experience, the lights, colors, the language, the nudity, the blood, the fight scenes. SUPERB!
1. 2nd Years' Thesis Defenses and the night of debauchary following
This day was not only my favorite of the semester, I think it also goes down as my favorite day since I came to Gallaudet. I spent the majority of the day watching the second year culture studies students defending their theses to the "panel" (our three professors, no one too scary or intimidating). The quality of work the 2nd years did, how they presented their ideas, what feedback and questions the panel had for them--extremely stimulating and made me excited for the challenge of writing my first thesis. It left me pondering the ideas I have had so far--which now seem too superficial. I want to work on something meaningful, and something I enjoy. After a whole day of thinking and pondering and soaking up that stressful atmosphere of nerves and tension, we went to the cutest bar on H street, Pat and Peteys. What followed--a lot of drinking, joking, dancing (ok, I was pretty much the only one dancing, but who's counting??)--and I had a smile on my face the entire next day because it was just pure fun.
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