28
October
2006
“Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.” -Steve Prefonatine
After two nights of pasta loading with family and friends, I’m hoping we’re ready for the marathon tomorrow. We checked into the expo today, which was quite an event to see. There were tons of people and lots of vendors.
We picked up our numbers – I’m 22883. If you’re interested, you can track us on the Marine Corps website. Click on the area called “Results” and there is an area to track the runners.
Apparently there are 34,000 runners and 100,000 fans turning out tomorrow. I don’t think I’m really conceptualizing that I’ll be hitting the pavement with a group 1.5 times the size of the Cornell student body or the town of Hudson. I’m excited and nervous, but hoping everything will turn out ok.
Hopefully by this time tomorrow I’ll have 26.2 miles under my belt. Send good vibes and lots of carbs our way!
Posted: Fall 2006
27
October
2006
“Art is either plagiarism or revolution.” -Paul Gauguin
Over the past week, I’ve witnessed some intriguing forms of expression.
My grandparents came to visit, and we spent some time in the French collection of the National Gallery of Art. Mimi, my grandmother, and I have always shared a love for painting. It was great to look at the works of some of the most famous (and my most favorite) artists, like Monet, Manet, Van Gogh and Cassatt. A few days later, I went to the same collection to hear the lecture for Cornell students in the galleries. Seeing these works several times in a few days allowed me to truly see, examine and understand the pieces on a more detailed level.
I suppose only some people consider clothing and dress a form of art – but I can vouch that if anyone witnessed the annual Dupont Drag Race, you’d agree that proper application of Clinique and arrangement of taffeta really is a skill. And yes, this drag race didn’t involve cars, only stilettos.
One can find the Dupont Drag Race by simply following the chants of “High Heel” a few nights before Halloween down to 17th street. People displayed costumes that ranged from Condoleezza Rice, to prom queen, to Bubblicious candy to the Washington Monument. When the buzzer sounded, they were off – and man, some of those folks could move in heels!
I hope I don’t see any suspiciously chest hairy Hillary Clintons while running the marathon. I think I might be intimidated my their speed and impressive attire.
Posted: Fall 2006
22
October
2006
“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.” -Ruth Bader Ginsburg
This past Friday, CIW arranged a memorable event with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg is a Cornell alumna and agrees to speak with the CIW students each fall.
After Justice Ginsburg entered the room, she gave a few short thoughts on a recent change in the Court, the retirement of Justice O’Connor. Justice Ginsburg reflected on the accomplishments of the first woman to sit on the Court and her achievements.
Justice Ginsburg then answered questions from the audience that ranged from her perspective on certain cases, to her experience on the Court, to her time at Cornell. I asked her how her undergraduate years helped her to reach where she is today. She noted that strong professors at Cornell encouraged reading and writing skills that are critical when preparing for cases or constructing briefs.
However, at the end she provided a different answer to my question. She mentioned her Cornell experience was important because she met her husband during her time as an undergraduate. Justice Ginsburg noted that he was, “the first man who liked that I had a brain.”
Mr. and Justice Ginsburg, here’s to two of my favorite alumni.
Posted: Fall 2006
20
October
2006
“The true university these days is a collection of books.” -Thomas Carlyle
Sometimes when I’m up late at night,
Trying to finish that paper I’ve got to write,
I get a longing for a certain place,
A location with the perfect study space.
I’m here in the Federal City,
With access to the volumes of Georgetown University,
I’ve even got the LOC,
But that, too, is dead to me,
When I think of Uris Library.
Call me a nerd, if you like,
But there’s no hotter place on a week night,
Than the Kinkeldey Room or Tower Cafe,
To hit up the social scene of the day.
The Greeks, the Geeks, the Girls, the Guys,
They come in ever shape and size,
To digest calculus, genetics and Voltaire,
In the A.D White Room or Cocktail Lounge – they’ll find a chair,
And a sweatshirt and jeans is what they’ll wear.
Or if you like, you can hide in the stacks,
Shelves and books, this libe doesn’t lack.
Have a big research paper due in a class?
The reference librarians will help you pass.
Need a cozy corner for an afternoon rest?
Naps in Uris are always the best.
But even if Uris is not your place,
No worries my friends, don’t lose face,
I’m sure one of the other 19 CU libraries will fit your taste.
Posted: Musings
15
October
2006
“Mondays are the potholes in the road of life.” -Tom Wilson
Sundays are the best day of the week when you have the whole day open, it’s gorgeous outside, you buy juicy peaches that cover your skin in sticky sweetness – but are worth the necessary post snack shower – at the farmer’s market with friends and then hit the pavement for a run.
Sundays are the worst when it is the most gorgeous day of the week, you watch happy couples trouncing by the window who are stuck together due to mutual enjoyment of each other and their freshly purchased peaches, your running shoes just smell up the room and you’re stuck on the couch writing a paper. These are the kind of Sundays that get voted off my island.
Plus, these kinds of Sundays make me dread Monday. Really, Mondays aren’t so bad. They often get a bad rap. It’s a fresh start to the week, a chance to start anew. Who doesn’t like a week that gets a little facelift?
But Sundays that are spend dreading Monday morning deadlines don’t make anything very much fun. And then the grey cloud of a Monday deadline can hit not only Sunday, but even Saturday, and – heaven forbid – Friday too.
However, no fear though, when I become All Powerful Ruler, we’re outlawing Monday morning deadlines. Politicians, you’ve got my campaign strategy for Novembers . . .
Posted: Fall 2006
14
October
2006
“Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance / With the stars up above in your eyes / A fantabulous night to make romance / Neath the cover of October skies / And all the leaves on the trees are falling / To the sound of the breezes that blow . . .” -Van Morrison
Yesterday, Sarah and I had a “Top Five” run. It was a beautiful fall day, and we decided to head down to a path that stretches along the canal in Georgetown. We ran for several miles and even crossed over into Maryland. It was the first crisp day of the season, and the sky was incredibly blue and clear. Although I laugh at the fashionable women on M Street who are all bundled up with their scarves and hats when it is 60 degrees out, I really don’t mind such temperatures in early October.
After all, it did just snow two feet in Buffalo.
Upstate New York, maybe I don’t miss you so much.
Posted: Fall 2006
8
October
2006
“Go hard or go home.” -Many t-shirts
After a busy day, Mimi, my grandmother, always says you need a bit of time to, “Put your feet up.” I never really understood the necessity of this activity until the past few days.
Friday night we kicked the weekend off in style by attending an art showing presented by an art club in Washington. The show included the works of two artists; one painted romantic watercolors of Venice and the other presented stark oil landscapes. It was intriguing to see the contrasting works of the two artists displayed in the same space. Afterwards, we headed to dinner with some of my fellow interns from work.
Sarah and I woke up to run 20 miles on Saturday. Our longest run before the marathon, it actually went really well. There were definitely some tough points, but luckily was had company for almost half of it from our friends Guy, Morgan and Allison. Having other people with us really keeps us going. Needless to say, at the end I was ready for a big meal and a nap.
However, the run didn’t stop us from celebrating the long weekend. We headed out to a club that night to dance for a few hours. I thought it was a good idea at the time. But this morning, my feet weren’t in agreement.
Luckily I didn’t have to travel too far for a good time today. My friend Mo came into the city to visit me from Maryland because she is home for Cornell’s fall break. We had a great breakfast together and then headed over to Eastern Market. It was wonderful to see her and catch up on Cornell life – and it made me realized how much I miss everyone at Cornell!
After an eventful 24 hours, I’ve decided to take Mimi’s advice to heart and write from bed – the beauty of a laptop computer. And after this weekend, I think I’ve earned a few hours to put my feet up.
Posted: Fall 2006
7
October
2006
“Not all who wander are lost.” -J.R.R. Tolkien
Whenever I’m in a new place, there is nothing I despise more than feeling like a tourist. Off course, often when I venture to a new location, I’m only there for a little while and visiting for the purpose of “seeing the sights” – which kind of makes me a tourist, but I guess I’m too proud to think of myself that way.
Living here in DC, I feel that I exist as a weird combination of tourist and resident. Last weekend, as a bunch of us headed back from the National Mall, we muttered and complained about the tourists who crowded the Metro and had no idea where they were going or – heaven forbid – to move to the right and make way for the faster, experienced crowd (aka us). Yet, today I called my friend B.C. for directions to the Safeway that is on the corner of 17th and R when – you guessed it – I myself was standing on the corner of 17th and R. To give myself the benefit of the doubt, it was located about half a block over . . .
However, I feel this minor blip in my DC GPS system was rectified by two strangers who helped provide some of the highlights of my day. While I was on a run, one man asked me for directions.
“Is this the way to Connecticut Avenue?” His inquiry was followed by a finger point in the total opposite direction of the road. Don’t worry, I promptly turned him around.
And as I was headed to the Safeway, a woman asked me, “How do I get to 19th street?” I looked up at the street sign. 19th street.
“We’re actually on it right now . . .” I replied. She thanked me and continued on her way.
2 to 1 odds. Next time someone asks me my zip code, I’m saying 20037.
Posted: Fall 2006
1
October
2006
“You say today is . . . Saturday? / G’bye, I’m going out to play!” -Peggy Ann McKay
The past few days have been pretty busy checking out the sights of DC. Here are some of the highlights.
Thursday, at the National Building Museum, Morgan, Emily, B.C., Sarah and I visited exhibits on green architecture. We also took a tour of the premise to learn about its history, including what I thought were some pretty impressive columns. After a short run home with Sarah, a few of us later checked out a club and danced the night away.
Morgan and Sarah woke me up on Friday by jumping onto my bed and suggesting we head to Georgetown for a day of shopping. We had planned on going to the House gallery, but decided Congress could wait for the good sales at Ann Taylor Loft and the Gap.
Saturday Sarah and I ran 14 miles. Then, we headed to the National Gallery of Art for a lecture on the Italian collection by Eric Denker. Although I have been to several art museums, Dr. Denker provided an extremely informative and engaging presentation that made me examine the museum experience in a new light. Dr. Denker did an excellent job of highlighting some of the most notable works in the collection – including the only da Vinci in the United States – but also pointed out factors like what kinds of walls or room shapes are used in galleries to attempt to mimic the original homes of the art.
Next, we walked over to the National Mall to see the National Book Festival. This was a general celebration of reading and literacy that Sarah and I had seen earlier during our run, including a table from every state. The highlight was meeting a librarian from my own little Hudson, Ohio.
Later that night I went to a Nationals game with my friend Greg. The Mets dominated the home team thanks to several home runs. It was my first time at RFK, which was exciting – although it has the strangest wavy roofline I’ve ever seen at a ballpark. Nevertheless, it was a great early fall night for a ballgame. I topped off the event with my traditional hot dog and Greg found his Nationals soda cup to commemorate the game – so I guess it turned out to be a winner in both of our books.
Today, Morgan and I headed over to Eastern Market, a fun combination of flea market, craft show and farmer’s market. Post Georgetown shopping binge, I had to contain myself from the handmaid jewelry and purses. However, I couldn’t resist the more edible delectables and purchased a few items to enjoy in the coming week.
With some studying, cleaning and “The West Wing” thrown in between, this weekend was without a dull moment. I can only imagine what the next one may bring . . .
Posted: Fall 2006