I've decided to consolidate by creating one blog that's both my professional site and repository of rambling: http://recessionrenaissance.wordpress.com.
I'll still maintain this site for travel stories and photos of family, friends, and trips, but will not be posting regularly. I'm currently posting daily on the other blog, so check it out when you're bored.
Thanks. :)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Unpublished editorial
Editorial: Amateur hour in the fourth estate
May 7, 2009
By Laura Dannen
It was a fine day for sound bytes at Tuesday’s Senate hearing on the future of journalism –- exactly what you would expect from a panel of former journalists and publishers. As Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, suggested print news may go the way of the dodo, bloggers all over the country posted, tweeted and Facebooked their favorite quotes as they watched the hearing live on CNN.com. I know –- I was one of them.
Does my blogging inadvertently reinforce Kerry’s point? I am, after all, a professional, albeit freelance journalist who rushed to post something casual online rather than submit a thoughtful article to a print publication. In doing so, I didn’t double-check my quotes or fact-check the veracity of any statements. I knew better, but I was in a self-imposed rush, with nothing other than a bad Internet connection stopping me from “publishing” on my blog.
We all want to be the first to break news to our audience of one or 1,000. Therein lies one of the greatest unsolved problems of converting mass media from print to online: maintaining accountability. In the race to produce, are we skipping some of the rules? No matter how well-trained a journalist might be, how many professional degrees held, Pulitzers won or clips clipped, the lure of journalists’ manna –- to break news –- can compel even the best to do their worst. It’s not the endangerment of newspapers we should fear, but rather the loss of their standards for fair and accurate reporting.
The queen bee of bloggers, Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post, reminded the Senate subcommittee, “Ubiquity is the new exclusivity.” Free online news is particularly appetizing when The New York Times decides to charge $2 for its daily paper and an ungodly $6 for its Sunday edition, banking on affluent, engaged readers to stay committed to its paper product.
Will such exclusivity of readership be the “new deal” of newspapers or just a finger in the dike? Quality stories are no more confined to paper than to television, radio or the Internet. But as the delivery of news continues to be democratized, the same should not be true of its creation. Anyone can be a “citizen journalist” and break news, but how many can truly report it?
David Simon, a former Baltimore Sun reporter and creator of HBO series “The Wire,” told the committee, “The very phrase ‘citizen journalist’ strikes my ears as Orwellian.” Now, that’s a little harsh. At their core, citizen journalists are eager members of a community trying to spread the “news” as they define it. The same could be said of a gossipy knitting circle at the local library. Ultimately, they are amateurs –- and the fourth estate deserves better than that. Would a citizen journalist sit through weeks of drawn-out city council hearings? Would they embed with a unit in Iraq? Conceivably, these people have jobs, families –- lives dedicated to other pursuits. Citizen journalists will not be the downfall of our free society, but they should not be relied upon as the key components of journalism’s new business model. So who should?
Answer: all those trained and freelancing professional journalists, blogging out of boredom. By one count, there were at least 12,500 laid off from U.S. newspapers in the last two years. Quality investigative journalism –- part of what Simon calls “high-end journalism” –- is still a necessity for the well being of our democracy, but newspaper owners do not hold the patent on high-end journalism. The skill sets of editors and reporters are easily transferable, as long as someone pays to convert the medium from print to online.
Consider innovation: A quick check of journalismjobs.com would show that New York-based start-up Patch Media (Patch.com) is hiring (!) reporters and editors in New Jersey and Connecticut right now. Its model for community news blends traditional reporting methods –- contributors in council meetings, at the police stations, at Little League games –- with new media, all while a professional editor looks on.
Patch is online, free to use, and a formula that could work in every town in America. Former Time Out New York editor Brian Farnham serves as editor-in-chief, recruiting local emissaries who are “passionate –- about the Internet, about journalism, about doing a job right.” (Don’t worry: they also need a firm grasp of AP style, according to one job posting. Journalism-school degrees are a plus, too.)
The $64,000 question: who will pay for it? Patch Media is backed by Polar Capital Group, a private investment company. The model is growing… slowly. Patch is setting up shop in nine communities, including South Orange, Scotch Plains, Millburn, Maplewood, Summit, Westfield and Ridgewood. However, the news coverage isn’t comprehensive (it leeches from the Star-Ledger) and advertisers have yet to invest. Still, this model does what many publishers loathe to do: look forward, not backward. The newspaper industry could try many of the tactics recommended at the Senate hearing, such as giving newspapers non-profit status or rallying each publisher to charge for online subscriptions. Does that help journalism grow, though?
Or would we all be better off if newspapers and start-ups joined forces? As former Washington Post managing editor Steve Coll noted at the hearing, we need to protect the public interest by preserving the fourth estate. To do so, I say we invest in entrepreneurial models that shift newspapers’ resources, talent and experience online. Hire back the unemployed reporters and editors and have them teach a merry band of citizen journalists how to report. Bring new credibility and integrity to online news.
May 7, 2009
By Laura Dannen
It was a fine day for sound bytes at Tuesday’s Senate hearing on the future of journalism –- exactly what you would expect from a panel of former journalists and publishers. As Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, suggested print news may go the way of the dodo, bloggers all over the country posted, tweeted and Facebooked their favorite quotes as they watched the hearing live on CNN.com. I know –- I was one of them.
Does my blogging inadvertently reinforce Kerry’s point? I am, after all, a professional, albeit freelance journalist who rushed to post something casual online rather than submit a thoughtful article to a print publication. In doing so, I didn’t double-check my quotes or fact-check the veracity of any statements. I knew better, but I was in a self-imposed rush, with nothing other than a bad Internet connection stopping me from “publishing” on my blog.
We all want to be the first to break news to our audience of one or 1,000. Therein lies one of the greatest unsolved problems of converting mass media from print to online: maintaining accountability. In the race to produce, are we skipping some of the rules? No matter how well-trained a journalist might be, how many professional degrees held, Pulitzers won or clips clipped, the lure of journalists’ manna –- to break news –- can compel even the best to do their worst. It’s not the endangerment of newspapers we should fear, but rather the loss of their standards for fair and accurate reporting.
The queen bee of bloggers, Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post, reminded the Senate subcommittee, “Ubiquity is the new exclusivity.” Free online news is particularly appetizing when The New York Times decides to charge $2 for its daily paper and an ungodly $6 for its Sunday edition, banking on affluent, engaged readers to stay committed to its paper product.
Will such exclusivity of readership be the “new deal” of newspapers or just a finger in the dike? Quality stories are no more confined to paper than to television, radio or the Internet. But as the delivery of news continues to be democratized, the same should not be true of its creation. Anyone can be a “citizen journalist” and break news, but how many can truly report it?
David Simon, a former Baltimore Sun reporter and creator of HBO series “The Wire,” told the committee, “The very phrase ‘citizen journalist’ strikes my ears as Orwellian.” Now, that’s a little harsh. At their core, citizen journalists are eager members of a community trying to spread the “news” as they define it. The same could be said of a gossipy knitting circle at the local library. Ultimately, they are amateurs –- and the fourth estate deserves better than that. Would a citizen journalist sit through weeks of drawn-out city council hearings? Would they embed with a unit in Iraq? Conceivably, these people have jobs, families –- lives dedicated to other pursuits. Citizen journalists will not be the downfall of our free society, but they should not be relied upon as the key components of journalism’s new business model. So who should?
Answer: all those trained and freelancing professional journalists, blogging out of boredom. By one count, there were at least 12,500 laid off from U.S. newspapers in the last two years. Quality investigative journalism –- part of what Simon calls “high-end journalism” –- is still a necessity for the well being of our democracy, but newspaper owners do not hold the patent on high-end journalism. The skill sets of editors and reporters are easily transferable, as long as someone pays to convert the medium from print to online.
Consider innovation: A quick check of journalismjobs.com would show that New York-based start-up Patch Media (Patch.com) is hiring (!) reporters and editors in New Jersey and Connecticut right now. Its model for community news blends traditional reporting methods –- contributors in council meetings, at the police stations, at Little League games –- with new media, all while a professional editor looks on.
Patch is online, free to use, and a formula that could work in every town in America. Former Time Out New York editor Brian Farnham serves as editor-in-chief, recruiting local emissaries who are “passionate –- about the Internet, about journalism, about doing a job right.” (Don’t worry: they also need a firm grasp of AP style, according to one job posting. Journalism-school degrees are a plus, too.)
The $64,000 question: who will pay for it? Patch Media is backed by Polar Capital Group, a private investment company. The model is growing… slowly. Patch is setting up shop in nine communities, including South Orange, Scotch Plains, Millburn, Maplewood, Summit, Westfield and Ridgewood. However, the news coverage isn’t comprehensive (it leeches from the Star-Ledger) and advertisers have yet to invest. Still, this model does what many publishers loathe to do: look forward, not backward. The newspaper industry could try many of the tactics recommended at the Senate hearing, such as giving newspapers non-profit status or rallying each publisher to charge for online subscriptions. Does that help journalism grow, though?
Or would we all be better off if newspapers and start-ups joined forces? As former Washington Post managing editor Steve Coll noted at the hearing, we need to protect the public interest by preserving the fourth estate. To do so, I say we invest in entrepreneurial models that shift newspapers’ resources, talent and experience online. Hire back the unemployed reporters and editors and have them teach a merry band of citizen journalists how to report. Bring new credibility and integrity to online news.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Colbert: Two for two
Have to say, I'm loving Stephen Colbert's latest stunts -- including guest-editing Newsweek. Before his trip to visit the troops in Iraq, he filmed this segment with Tom Hanks. Four words: ice cream and puppies. It's awesome. Watch it.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Tom Hanks Care Package | ||||
| ||||
Where am I, Singapore?
According to the Seattle Weekly, the Washington State Liquor Control Board -- which, if you caught the gist of the title, controls the sale of spirits in state -- has voted to increase the markup on liquor from 39.2 percent to 51.9 percent. Meaning, a 1.75L bottle of Stoli vodka costs $46.95, and our favorite, a .75L bottle of Jameson, costs $27.95.
Aiyoh! That's how expensive alcohol was in Singapore! Did I actually move? I mean, I know the state isn't taxing milk and eggs, but these vice taxes cut me deep. Though it is another way to bring in revenue during a recession...any thoughts?
Aiyoh! That's how expensive alcohol was in Singapore! Did I actually move? I mean, I know the state isn't taxing milk and eggs, but these vice taxes cut me deep. Though it is another way to bring in revenue during a recession...any thoughts?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Singapore articles for TravelMuse.com, 6/12/09
"East Meets West in the Lion City"
http://www.travelmuse.com/articles/singapore/top-singapore-attractions
"Savory Bites: Best Singapore Dining Experiences"
http://www.travelmuse.com/articles/singapore/best-singapore-restaurants
"Singapore: Asian Shopping Mecca"
http://www.travelmuse.com/articles/singapore/singapore-shopping-guide
"Singapore's Arab Quarter Delights"
http://www.travelmuse.com/articles/singapore/arab-quarter-attractions
"Sentosa: Singapore's Island Resort"
http://www.travelmuse.com/articles/singapore/sentosa-island
Self-promotion
Websites are hard to update -- blogs, not so much. The next few entries include some of the work I've done lately, for anyone interested.
First: travel story about Halong Bay, Vietnam, for Time Out Singapore
http://www.timeoutsingapore.com/travel/feature/karst-a-spell
Karst a spell
It's hard to venture off the beaten path in mainland Vietnam. Depressed by the havoc of Hanoi, Laura Dannen made a city escape by sea to Halong Bay
An American soldier stands with his gun cocked and grin cocky, leering at the dead Vietnamese bodies below him, while his comrade-in-arms sets fire to a thatched-roof hut. Though the images are black, white and yellowing, the message is still clear.
'Well, that's depressing,' I mumble to myself, involuntarily shuddering at the photographs lining the wall of the Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution in Hanoi (25 Tong Dan St and 216 Tran Quang Khai St, +84 04 825 4151). Like many young Americans with only a limited knowledge of the Vietnam War, I had come to the country's capital city to gain a better sense of the history between the two nations. But after a day of exploration, it had already become too much: too much information on the 'American puppet administration', too many taxi drivers ripping us off, too many fake agencies masquerading as offi cial tour operator Sinh Café (see 'Original Sinh', below) and offering bogus deals. Ultimately, just too depressing.
There, though, in the window of one of two genuine Sinh Cafés (52 Luong Ngoc Quyen St; +84 04 926 1568, www.sinhcafevn.com), was an oversized photo of limestone karsts rising out of the water like guardians of the Gulf of Tonkin. Many travellers who grow weary of Hanoi escape to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Vietnam's north-eastern coast that's a four-hour car ride away. Though its natural history is incredible – the karsts have evolved over a period of 20 million years – a tour here boasts enough stimuli to satisfy your cultural curiosity and adventurous side as well.
Packed into a 16-passenger van, our tour group sets out for Halong City, passing through lush farmland where the verdant monotony of rice paddies is broken by rural villages. Halong City itself doesn't serve as much more than a place to load and unload buses of tourists. Meanwhile, traffic in the water matches that on land – dozens of Chinese junks bump each other at the docks, angling for your business. The original junk (a large wooden sailing vessel) dates back to the 3rd century, but the 21st-century model boasts a top deck with reclining chairs, cosy bedrooms with full-size beds and fans, flushing toilets and catered dinners.
After securing a spot at the bow of our boat, I take a deep breath as petrol fumes give way to a sea breeze. The horizon opens up as the captain navigates the channels between some of the 1,969 islets – monoliths rising 100m above the water. The panorama is so impressive, one might expect Zeus to sit atop a karst, nestled in the tropical vegetation, and demand a toll as you pass. 'They all look the same after a while,' comments one passenger, closing her eyes so she can sunbathe properly. Guess it's not heaven on Earth for everyone.
Luckily, the trip includes more than casual gazing and eye-glazing. Around midday, the boat 'parks' and we're herded into a grotto of one of the karsts, where stalactites and stalagmites close around you like the jaws of the cave. Though the guides delight in pointing out anything phallic – and one rock formation resembling a dragon face has been Disney-fied with red lights for eyes – this is as good a chance as any to become better acquainted with a natural phenomenon. Later, there's time to kayak into less visited hollows where karsts meet the sea. While pottering around in the shadows, you see locals appear seemingly out of nowhere – some on floating fishing villages, some in longboats bearing boxes of Oreos and bottles of water for sale.
Many argue that 'an authentic Vietnamese experience' is difficult to come by, since guided tours dominate exploration of this country. But it's in the stolen moments of silence away from the group that you can start to understand Halong Bay – its people, its landscape. Only two of the bigger islands are habitable, with fi shing and tourism the two main industries. History may also limit the work done among the karsts. During the Vietnam War, the US Navy mined many of the bay's channels – a chilling thought that prompts quicker paddling back to the anchored junk as the sun starts to set. *
Essential information
How to get there: Fly Singapore to Hanoi on Tiger Airways, with flights from S$138 at press time. Then book either a day trip (S$39) or overnight trip (S$64) through Sinh Café, though we recommend the overnight stay on a Chinese junk.
What to eat/drink: Food is included on the tour – lots of squid, sweet and sour chicken or pork, rice and vegetables. You have to pay separately for water, soda and beer.
Trip includes: Round-trip van ride between Hanoi and Halong Bay; boat ride; guide; swimming; lunch/dinner/ breakfast; entrance fees; general pirating if so desired (jumping off boat, climbing up ropes, but no pillaging). Kayaking costs S$6 extra.
Original Sinh
While in Vietnam's capital, don't be duped by any of the bogus Sinh Cafés around the city – these are the two real ones:
* 52 Luong Ngoc Quyen St, Old Quarter; +84 04 926 1568
* 64 Tran Nhat Duat St; +84 04 929 0304
www.sinhcafevn.com (this site is hard to navigate; best to visit the agency in person)
It's also fun to play 'Spot the fakes'. Note that the logo for the real Café has a bird with four feathers – one long, three short – and a tail split in two. Happy hunting!
And a little something for the parents (not part of the article): Greg and Laura, taking a break in Halong Bay
First: travel story about Halong Bay, Vietnam, for Time Out Singapore
http://www.timeoutsingapore.com/travel/feature/karst-a-spell
Karst a spell
It's hard to venture off the beaten path in mainland Vietnam. Depressed by the havoc of Hanoi, Laura Dannen made a city escape by sea to Halong Bay
An American soldier stands with his gun cocked and grin cocky, leering at the dead Vietnamese bodies below him, while his comrade-in-arms sets fire to a thatched-roof hut. Though the images are black, white and yellowing, the message is still clear.
'Well, that's depressing,' I mumble to myself, involuntarily shuddering at the photographs lining the wall of the Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution in Hanoi (25 Tong Dan St and 216 Tran Quang Khai St, +84 04 825 4151). Like many young Americans with only a limited knowledge of the Vietnam War, I had come to the country's capital city to gain a better sense of the history between the two nations. But after a day of exploration, it had already become too much: too much information on the 'American puppet administration', too many taxi drivers ripping us off, too many fake agencies masquerading as offi cial tour operator Sinh Café (see 'Original Sinh', below) and offering bogus deals. Ultimately, just too depressing.
There, though, in the window of one of two genuine Sinh Cafés (52 Luong Ngoc Quyen St; +84 04 926 1568, www.sinhcafevn.com), was an oversized photo of limestone karsts rising out of the water like guardians of the Gulf of Tonkin. Many travellers who grow weary of Hanoi escape to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Vietnam's north-eastern coast that's a four-hour car ride away. Though its natural history is incredible – the karsts have evolved over a period of 20 million years – a tour here boasts enough stimuli to satisfy your cultural curiosity and adventurous side as well.
Packed into a 16-passenger van, our tour group sets out for Halong City, passing through lush farmland where the verdant monotony of rice paddies is broken by rural villages. Halong City itself doesn't serve as much more than a place to load and unload buses of tourists. Meanwhile, traffic in the water matches that on land – dozens of Chinese junks bump each other at the docks, angling for your business. The original junk (a large wooden sailing vessel) dates back to the 3rd century, but the 21st-century model boasts a top deck with reclining chairs, cosy bedrooms with full-size beds and fans, flushing toilets and catered dinners.
After securing a spot at the bow of our boat, I take a deep breath as petrol fumes give way to a sea breeze. The horizon opens up as the captain navigates the channels between some of the 1,969 islets – monoliths rising 100m above the water. The panorama is so impressive, one might expect Zeus to sit atop a karst, nestled in the tropical vegetation, and demand a toll as you pass. 'They all look the same after a while,' comments one passenger, closing her eyes so she can sunbathe properly. Guess it's not heaven on Earth for everyone.
Luckily, the trip includes more than casual gazing and eye-glazing. Around midday, the boat 'parks' and we're herded into a grotto of one of the karsts, where stalactites and stalagmites close around you like the jaws of the cave. Though the guides delight in pointing out anything phallic – and one rock formation resembling a dragon face has been Disney-fied with red lights for eyes – this is as good a chance as any to become better acquainted with a natural phenomenon. Later, there's time to kayak into less visited hollows where karsts meet the sea. While pottering around in the shadows, you see locals appear seemingly out of nowhere – some on floating fishing villages, some in longboats bearing boxes of Oreos and bottles of water for sale.
Many argue that 'an authentic Vietnamese experience' is difficult to come by, since guided tours dominate exploration of this country. But it's in the stolen moments of silence away from the group that you can start to understand Halong Bay – its people, its landscape. Only two of the bigger islands are habitable, with fi shing and tourism the two main industries. History may also limit the work done among the karsts. During the Vietnam War, the US Navy mined many of the bay's channels – a chilling thought that prompts quicker paddling back to the anchored junk as the sun starts to set. *
Essential information
How to get there: Fly Singapore to Hanoi on Tiger Airways, with flights from S$138 at press time. Then book either a day trip (S$39) or overnight trip (S$64) through Sinh Café, though we recommend the overnight stay on a Chinese junk.
What to eat/drink: Food is included on the tour – lots of squid, sweet and sour chicken or pork, rice and vegetables. You have to pay separately for water, soda and beer.
Trip includes: Round-trip van ride between Hanoi and Halong Bay; boat ride; guide; swimming; lunch/dinner/ breakfast; entrance fees; general pirating if so desired (jumping off boat, climbing up ropes, but no pillaging). Kayaking costs S$6 extra.
Original Sinh
While in Vietnam's capital, don't be duped by any of the bogus Sinh Cafés around the city – these are the two real ones:
* 52 Luong Ngoc Quyen St, Old Quarter; +84 04 926 1568
* 64 Tran Nhat Duat St; +84 04 929 0304
www.sinhcafevn.com (this site is hard to navigate; best to visit the agency in person)
It's also fun to play 'Spot the fakes'. Note that the logo for the real Café has a bird with four feathers – one long, three short – and a tail split in two. Happy hunting!
And a little something for the parents (not part of the article): Greg and Laura, taking a break in Halong Bay
Thursday, June 4, 2009
It's lonely at the top :)
Fast Company named Seattle its 2009 City of the Year, citing its -- get this -- creativity! I knew something felt good here. Check out the story:
http://www.fastcompany.com/cities/2009
http://www.fastcompany.com/cities/2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Princeton Reunions 2009
Going back to Old Nassau never gets old – although we seem to. While attending our 6th Reunion with about 150-200 classmates (official numbers coming soon), I discovered:
1. Overwhelmingly, ‘03ers don’t like sleeping on hardwood floors anymore. Grown men will spoon in a twin bed just to avoid it.
2. We now prefer the Beatles cover band at the 40th to the Top 40 band at the 5th; fireworks also take priority over Bud/Bud Light.
3. We all complained that Led Zeppelin cover band Zoso played “too loud.”
And though we check in at the 10th Reunion next year (eek!), it won’t stop us from coming back – we have too much fun. See below for proof.
1. Overwhelmingly, ‘03ers don’t like sleeping on hardwood floors anymore. Grown men will spoon in a twin bed just to avoid it.
2. We now prefer the Beatles cover band at the 40th to the Top 40 band at the 5th; fireworks also take priority over Bud/Bud Light.
3. We all complained that Led Zeppelin cover band Zoso played “too loud.”
And though we check in at the 10th Reunion next year (eek!), it won’t stop us from coming back – we have too much fun. See below for proof.
School's out
My little brother Norm graduated from Fordham University in May -- the Dannens rejoiced. Pictured in the Bronx, NY: Grandma Margaret, Mom, myself, and three generations of Frederick Norman Dannen.
Seattle photos
Finally! The photos of Seattle I promised. Warning: there are many, many shots of Puget Sound.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Playing the ponies
I love going to the racetrack. My dad, brother and I have gone to Monmouth Park at least once a summer since I was old enough to place $2 bets. We take our cooler of sandwiches and beer, set up lawn chairs along the track’s fence, work on our tans and pretend to know what we’re doing. Our betting isn’t sophisticated, though we go one step beyond banking on a horse’s name. My top three reasons to bet on a horse are: 1) if it has the biggest hind legs. 2) if jockey Edgar Prado is riding (he’s awesome). 3) if the odds are such that this horse’s victory will pay for parking for the day.
Strangely enough, I also love floppy hats, which is why I quickly agreed to go with Courtney and Joe to a Kentucky Derby Day charity outing organized by her Microsoft friends on Saturday. The last time I wore a floppy hat was in Melbourne (Australia) for Melbourne Cup Day, which is actually a public holiday. The city shuts down for the races and people start drinking champagne at 9am. Love Australia. Anyway, Greg – in his white linen suit, no less – and I met up with Courtney, Joe and a gaggle of twenty- and thirtysomethings at Post Bar in Post Alley at noon. The event organizers had spent the night creating (and taste-testing) gallons of mint juleps to bring on our (school bus!) ride to Seattle’s closest racetrack, Emerald Downs. Six gallons, actually. For a half-hour ride. We brought Post Bar’s bartender along for safety’s sake.
The mint juleps actually calmed some nerves when our bus, manned by “Dollar” Bill, got stuck in the alleyway. That was fun. The final destination was well worth it, though. Check out the outfits and the track [see pics below]. We didn’t win any money (Edgar Prado let me down), but the sun came out and we had a fun time playing the ponies. One guy in our group bet $10 on the 50-1 Kentucky Derby winner and left with $500 in his pocket. Not too shabby.
Strangely enough, I also love floppy hats, which is why I quickly agreed to go with Courtney and Joe to a Kentucky Derby Day charity outing organized by her Microsoft friends on Saturday. The last time I wore a floppy hat was in Melbourne (Australia) for Melbourne Cup Day, which is actually a public holiday. The city shuts down for the races and people start drinking champagne at 9am. Love Australia. Anyway, Greg – in his white linen suit, no less – and I met up with Courtney, Joe and a gaggle of twenty- and thirtysomethings at Post Bar in Post Alley at noon. The event organizers had spent the night creating (and taste-testing) gallons of mint juleps to bring on our (school bus!) ride to Seattle’s closest racetrack, Emerald Downs. Six gallons, actually. For a half-hour ride. We brought Post Bar’s bartender along for safety’s sake.
The mint juleps actually calmed some nerves when our bus, manned by “Dollar” Bill, got stuck in the alleyway. That was fun. The final destination was well worth it, though. Check out the outfits and the track [see pics below]. We didn’t win any money (Edgar Prado let me down), but the sun came out and we had a fun time playing the ponies. One guy in our group bet $10 on the 50-1 Kentucky Derby winner and left with $500 in his pocket. Not too shabby.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
When pigs attack
Fact: It is 1,272 miles from Seattle to Tijuana, Mexico.
Fact: As of this afternoon, there are 13 suspected cases of swine flu in Washington state.
Fact: I saw two people walking around downtown Seattle wearing surgical masks today. Two of thousands, but still -- two.
Which begs two questions: Are surgical masks trendy? And HOW THE HELL did swine flu make it up here? Someone please explain...
Fact: As of this afternoon, there are 13 suspected cases of swine flu in Washington state.
Fact: I saw two people walking around downtown Seattle wearing surgical masks today. Two of thousands, but still -- two.
Which begs two questions: Are surgical masks trendy? And HOW THE HELL did swine flu make it up here? Someone please explain...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sucked in
When I move somewhere new, I enjoy reading books about or based in my adopted home-region. It gives me some perspective when I write -- and keeps me from saying embarrassing things around complete strangers. "You mean the Olympics were never held in the Olympic Peninsula?" That kind of thing.
I'm starting with a classic: Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. It's set in Forks, Wa. (though you all know this already, since I'm at least a couple years behind this trend.) And much like its lead character, this book has the potential to eat me alive. I can't put it down. I read it in the kitchen while making dinner; while walking outside; at the gym; during lunch; instead of working; at night before bed, and first thing when I wake up. I wake up early, just to read it. I feel horribly guilty, like I'm addicted to a teenager's diary. Though I have technically learned something about NW Washington state: 1. It rains there more than anywhere else in the US. 2. There are vampires there.
Does anyone have any other recommendations on good Seattle, Washington or Pacific NW literature I should check out? I should be done with this paper-based cocaine tonight.
I'm starting with a classic: Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. It's set in Forks, Wa. (though you all know this already, since I'm at least a couple years behind this trend.) And much like its lead character, this book has the potential to eat me alive. I can't put it down. I read it in the kitchen while making dinner; while walking outside; at the gym; during lunch; instead of working; at night before bed, and first thing when I wake up. I wake up early, just to read it. I feel horribly guilty, like I'm addicted to a teenager's diary. Though I have technically learned something about NW Washington state: 1. It rains there more than anywhere else in the US. 2. There are vampires there.
Does anyone have any other recommendations on good Seattle, Washington or Pacific NW literature I should check out? I should be done with this paper-based cocaine tonight.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Seattle first impressions
1. On a nice day, there are a LOT of low-flying planes just south of Seattle – kind of disarming for a couple of NY/NJ transplants. Then you notice they’re just propeller planes, and the Boeing airfield is right there, and it makes a bit more sense. But when was the last time you saw 7, 8 planes flying around in the same small airspace?
2. Seattle really is beautiful – especially the skyline. There are trees in five shades of green, and crazy manmade structures like the Space Needle and Safeco Field with its retractable dome. There’s Puget Sound to the west, mountains everywhere -- though Mount Rainier is currently closed. Not sure how you close a mountain, but there was a sign that said so.
3. Something else to get used to: the high number of homeless in Seattle. Granted, we're coming off a year in Singapore, where I literally never saw a single homeless person. (I think they were put on boats to Indonesia -- one of those "don't ask, don't tell" policies.)
4. Conservation is a big thing in Washington, which is one of the most liberal states in the US. To preserve land space, houses are built very close to each other and there are few, if any, train lines running to the suburbs. It’s a big point of contention here – no train tracks ripping through green space, but more cars on the road.
5. Our neighborhood Belltown is supposedly “the place to be"...woohoo! As I’ve read, Belltown used to be a gritty neighborhood a couples blocks off the waterfront, but after some serious gentrification and condo-building, now boasts some of the best bars and restaurants in the city. And to quote my friend Allison, it really does feel like Brooklyn with more trees. We had New York-style pizza one night, Spanish tapas the next in a place straight out of Prospect Heights. There’s this bar called Stony’s with “Coney Island” and circus stripes painted on the window fronts. There are usually a lot of pierced, Mohawked twentysomethings in black hoodies sitting outside drinking beer and brooding. Grunge is definitely alive and well in Seattle. I have to work on my brooding.
2. Seattle really is beautiful – especially the skyline. There are trees in five shades of green, and crazy manmade structures like the Space Needle and Safeco Field with its retractable dome. There’s Puget Sound to the west, mountains everywhere -- though Mount Rainier is currently closed. Not sure how you close a mountain, but there was a sign that said so.
3. Something else to get used to: the high number of homeless in Seattle. Granted, we're coming off a year in Singapore, where I literally never saw a single homeless person. (I think they were put on boats to Indonesia -- one of those "don't ask, don't tell" policies.)
4. Conservation is a big thing in Washington, which is one of the most liberal states in the US. To preserve land space, houses are built very close to each other and there are few, if any, train lines running to the suburbs. It’s a big point of contention here – no train tracks ripping through green space, but more cars on the road.
5. Our neighborhood Belltown is supposedly “the place to be"...woohoo! As I’ve read, Belltown used to be a gritty neighborhood a couples blocks off the waterfront, but after some serious gentrification and condo-building, now boasts some of the best bars and restaurants in the city. And to quote my friend Allison, it really does feel like Brooklyn with more trees. We had New York-style pizza one night, Spanish tapas the next in a place straight out of Prospect Heights. There’s this bar called Stony’s with “Coney Island” and circus stripes painted on the window fronts. There are usually a lot of pierced, Mohawked twentysomethings in black hoodies sitting outside drinking beer and brooding. Grunge is definitely alive and well in Seattle. I have to work on my brooding.
"Rainy" Seattle
I know, I'm tempting fate with that headline...but it's been sunny seven out of eight days since Greg and I moved to Seattle.
I'm currently sitting on the rooftop deck of Greg's apartment building, where there's free Wi-Fi and panoramic views of Puget Sound. I'd probably be drinking a glass of prosecco if it wasn't 11am. (No need to go the Hemingway route yet.) Once I've gotten my camera to cooperate with my computer, I'll upload photos of this view. Mount Rainier is off to the left, and it's unreal -- like it's painted onto the sky. I can't stop staring at it. I'm having a staring contest with a mountain, and I think I'm losing. This is probably the No 1 sign that I need a job -- but I've been pretty content writing and exploring since I got here, a bit every day. I have a meeting with the editor of Seattle Metropolitan magazine next week, and I've been working on some pitches, too.
Speaking of jobs: Greg's almost done with his first week of work at Amazon, and he loves it. He goes to work in T-shirts, and works a couple floors above the CEO, Jeff Bezos. And in the "small world" category, we had dinner last night at a Malay satay house with a Singaporean guy named JS who's 1) on Greg's team and 2) lives in his building. ha!
We've also spent some time at our friends Courtney and Joe's house in Maple Valley, about 20 minutes outside of Seattle. They've really made us feel at home since we got here. They also have Rock Band, so I will spend half of my time there perfecting my vocals on "Dani California." Courtney works for Microsoft, so I got to meet her for lunch at the "campus." It literally does feel like a college campus for thirtysomethings+ -- people were sitting around in shorts and T-shirts, eating from the brand new (awesome) food court, and playing basketball on their lunch break. Not too shabby.
The four of us also went to a Mariners game on Saturday night (hard to believe we waited two whole nights before going to a baseball game). Safeco (Mariners) and Qwest (Seahawks) stadiums are within walking distance of Greg's place -- granted, it's a 25-minute walk, but it's along the waterfront. You can stop for crab cakes along the way if you get hungry. The game was quick (efficient pitching?), our seats and the stadium great -- though the Mariners lost 2-0 to the Detroit Tigers. But at least we were getting an authentic Seattle experience (ohh zing!). We're already planning on going to the Yankees series in July.
Tonight we're having dinner and going bowling with Travis and his fiancee, Margot. Travis and I grew up together about three houses down from each other on Rosalie Ave (small world reference #2). And then tomorrow, all of our stuff comes! It's been on the road, being shipped, for about 10 days -- if anything happened to my bag of shoes, so help me...
I'm currently sitting on the rooftop deck of Greg's apartment building, where there's free Wi-Fi and panoramic views of Puget Sound. I'd probably be drinking a glass of prosecco if it wasn't 11am. (No need to go the Hemingway route yet.) Once I've gotten my camera to cooperate with my computer, I'll upload photos of this view. Mount Rainier is off to the left, and it's unreal -- like it's painted onto the sky. I can't stop staring at it. I'm having a staring contest with a mountain, and I think I'm losing. This is probably the No 1 sign that I need a job -- but I've been pretty content writing and exploring since I got here, a bit every day. I have a meeting with the editor of Seattle Metropolitan magazine next week, and I've been working on some pitches, too.
Speaking of jobs: Greg's almost done with his first week of work at Amazon, and he loves it. He goes to work in T-shirts, and works a couple floors above the CEO, Jeff Bezos. And in the "small world" category, we had dinner last night at a Malay satay house with a Singaporean guy named JS who's 1) on Greg's team and 2) lives in his building. ha!
We've also spent some time at our friends Courtney and Joe's house in Maple Valley, about 20 minutes outside of Seattle. They've really made us feel at home since we got here. They also have Rock Band, so I will spend half of my time there perfecting my vocals on "Dani California." Courtney works for Microsoft, so I got to meet her for lunch at the "campus." It literally does feel like a college campus for thirtysomethings+ -- people were sitting around in shorts and T-shirts, eating from the brand new (awesome) food court, and playing basketball on their lunch break. Not too shabby.
The four of us also went to a Mariners game on Saturday night (hard to believe we waited two whole nights before going to a baseball game). Safeco (Mariners) and Qwest (Seahawks) stadiums are within walking distance of Greg's place -- granted, it's a 25-minute walk, but it's along the waterfront. You can stop for crab cakes along the way if you get hungry. The game was quick (efficient pitching?), our seats and the stadium great -- though the Mariners lost 2-0 to the Detroit Tigers. But at least we were getting an authentic Seattle experience (ohh zing!). We're already planning on going to the Yankees series in July.
Tonight we're having dinner and going bowling with Travis and his fiancee, Margot. Travis and I grew up together about three houses down from each other on Rosalie Ave (small world reference #2). And then tomorrow, all of our stuff comes! It's been on the road, being shipped, for about 10 days -- if anything happened to my bag of shoes, so help me...
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Silver is distinguished, right?
I found a gray hair the other day. Not, like, on the floor. In my hand. I had just taken a quick swipe through my hair to get rid of some knots, and there it was. I’ve written off potential gray hair before as blond, or not mine, but there was no hiding this one: it was long and silver gray, straight from my scalp. “It’s a beaut,” according to my dad. I sat and stared at it for a while, like it was a relic, a peso, a rare breed of frog. I mean, I am only 27. Was it from stress? Or am I just predetermined to have streaks of silver by the time I’m 30? Should I call Stacy London for advice?
“I started going gray in college,” my dad said. Great. This is the man I also inherited my blindness, incredibly crooked teeth and gastrointestinal drama from. Jennifer Aniston found a gray hair last week, too, right before her 40th birthday. She locked herself in the bathroom and cried. 40! Not 27! 40! At least I didn’t cry. I just put the hair in a baggie and showed it to my boyfriend. He wasn’t impressed.
“I started going gray in college,” my dad said. Great. This is the man I also inherited my blindness, incredibly crooked teeth and gastrointestinal drama from. Jennifer Aniston found a gray hair last week, too, right before her 40th birthday. She locked herself in the bathroom and cried. 40! Not 27! 40! At least I didn’t cry. I just put the hair in a baggie and showed it to my boyfriend. He wasn’t impressed.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
My 5 seconds of fame? Ugh...
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6627518
UPPER WEST SIDE (WABC) -- Eyewitness News made a stunning discovery on the streets of the Upper West Side Monday night. Scores of documents were found strewn on the street for anyone to pick up.
The paper trail stretched for blocks, billowing in the cold breeze on Columbus Avenue. It was not litter, but bits and pieces of people's lives.
There were copies of bank statements, 401k statements, credit reports, tax returns and more driver's licenses than we could count.
Elyssa Shapiro was on her way to work and couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Just all kinds of information. Things that you never want anyone to know about yourself," she said. "It was four blocks worth of personal information and it was identity theft waiting to happen."
The documents belonged to the local office of Citi Habitats, one of New York's best-known real estate firms. Their clients, whose personal information we found amid the trash, were appalled.
"I feel kind of sick to be honest," former client Laura Dannen said.
Dannen used the firm to find an apartment in 2006. We found her name, phone number and annual income on a registration form.
"Just in the gutter? My life was in the gutter. That's nice," she said.
Paul Addessi is a doctor in Arizona. We found a portion of his 2006 tax return, listing his income and his social security number.
"They're getting the information, all this tax information, driver's license and everything, and they're not shredding the documents. They have a responsibility to shred the documents that they don't need," he said.
New York State law requires businesses to destroy or delete personal information before disposing of it.
Citi Habitat's president released a statement that read, in part, "We believe that during a refurbishing of our 465 Columbus Avenue office, paper that should have been shredded was improperly placed as trash.
"We took immediate steps," he insisted, "to investigate and remediate this isolated incident, and are notifying those customers whose information may have been compromised."
The firm did, in fact, send workers to clean up the mess. But we were still finding documents a block away a full eight hours after the clean up was over.
The documents that we saw appeared to pertain to real estate transactions that took place in 2006 and 2007. The firm insists its policy is to destroy all documents that they no longer need, but they could not explain why that did not happen in this case. -- NJ BURKETT
UPPER WEST SIDE (WABC) -- Eyewitness News made a stunning discovery on the streets of the Upper West Side Monday night. Scores of documents were found strewn on the street for anyone to pick up.
The paper trail stretched for blocks, billowing in the cold breeze on Columbus Avenue. It was not litter, but bits and pieces of people's lives.
There were copies of bank statements, 401k statements, credit reports, tax returns and more driver's licenses than we could count.
Elyssa Shapiro was on her way to work and couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Just all kinds of information. Things that you never want anyone to know about yourself," she said. "It was four blocks worth of personal information and it was identity theft waiting to happen."
The documents belonged to the local office of Citi Habitats, one of New York's best-known real estate firms. Their clients, whose personal information we found amid the trash, were appalled.
"I feel kind of sick to be honest," former client Laura Dannen said.
Dannen used the firm to find an apartment in 2006. We found her name, phone number and annual income on a registration form.
"Just in the gutter? My life was in the gutter. That's nice," she said.
Paul Addessi is a doctor in Arizona. We found a portion of his 2006 tax return, listing his income and his social security number.
"They're getting the information, all this tax information, driver's license and everything, and they're not shredding the documents. They have a responsibility to shred the documents that they don't need," he said.
New York State law requires businesses to destroy or delete personal information before disposing of it.
Citi Habitat's president released a statement that read, in part, "We believe that during a refurbishing of our 465 Columbus Avenue office, paper that should have been shredded was improperly placed as trash.
"We took immediate steps," he insisted, "to investigate and remediate this isolated incident, and are notifying those customers whose information may have been compromised."
The firm did, in fact, send workers to clean up the mess. But we were still finding documents a block away a full eight hours after the clean up was over.
The documents that we saw appeared to pertain to real estate transactions that took place in 2006 and 2007. The firm insists its policy is to destroy all documents that they no longer need, but they could not explain why that did not happen in this case. -- NJ BURKETT
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Obamarama
January 18-20, 2009. Inauguration weekend, Washington, DC
I’d been tossing around the idea of going down to Washington for the inauguration since Obama won on Nov. 4. We even debated the logistics of such a trip over Christmas dinner. There was really only one “pro,” and it was enticing: witnessing history. As a journalist, I love a good bout of history-in-the-making. The cons, as my cousin started to list them, were also persuasive: standing around in 25ºF weather. Battling humanity for a port-a-potty. Crowds of crazy people. Long lines. Traffic. Parking. Not being able to see anything. Not having a ticket. Port-a-potties (in general).
In the end, comfort lost out to adventure (no surprise there); my brother and I packed up the car with sleeping bags, granola bars and toilet paper and set out for DC. I felt a little bit like we were trucking off to Woodstock – or I imagined so, at least – except the trunk wasn’t full of hallucinogens and tie-dying supplies. Oh well.
Here are some highlights from “Obamarama”:
1. The Sunday pre-inauguration concert: People had arrived on the Mall at 8am to see a free show that started at 2pm. We didn’t realize the mob came out so early, so we sauntered over around 1pm thinking we could get in. Ha! We waited in a line that went nowhere – literally. The end of the line was someone saying, “Concert’s closed,” and turning us away. This was the only example of really bad crowd-herding we saw all weekend, luckily. They had set up Jumbo-trons on the Mall in front of the Washington Monument, so we stood outside and watched the concert there from 2-4pm. The view was pretty impressive: from the monument’s hill, we could look down on the concert at the Lincoln Memorial, which was just a sea of people, camera flashes and flags (oh those flags…it was like all the tiny flags from Memorial Day parades past were finally unleashed. Seriously, what are you supposed to do with those things – bury them? Flush them?). Obama’s status as a rock star was confirmed by the concert’s lineup. Look at this list:
Jack Black, Steve Carell, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hanks, Ashley Judd, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah, Laura Linney, Kal Penn, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Tiger Woods, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, U2, Usher, will.i.am, Stevie Wonder
We knew Bruce would be there (“Bruuuuuuce!” The French couple next to us thought we were booing), but Shakira? U2? They’re not even American. And who knew Garth Brooks was a Democrat? He put on the best show of the day – he got 500,000 self-conscious liberals to sing “Shout,” dance around and crouch down on the ground. It was awesome.
2. The only protesters we saw the whole weekend had signs that read: “Homo Sex is a Sin!” My brother Norm thought they read: “Homo Sex is In!” Which would have been much more in the spirit of things.
3. Norm and I wandered the Mall and museums on Monday (MLK Jr Day), and though we saw some impressive exhibits at the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery, we kept getting sidetracked by all these freakin’ pins that were for sale. Pin envy is a wicked, wicked thing. We had to stop at every single pin vendor to find the perfect Obama inauguration pin. Plus, who wouldn’t want a bejeweled Obama beanie 20 years from now? Imagine if you had one that said “Carter in ’76!”? I’d wear that. Obama bobble-heads? Yes, please.
4. The Red/Blue Divide is still alive and well in DC. Exhibit A: A girl who works on the Hill (Republican) returns from an inaugural ball wearing a royal blue dress. She proclaims she’s in her Obama dress, makes a face and downs a shot of vodka. Exhibit B: We debated the stimulus bill…after seven pitchers of beer. Exhibit C: Nearly all of my Republican friends left town for the weekend.
5. Inauguration Day. We were up at 7am, out by 8 and part of the masses as soon as we stepped out the door. It took us about an hour to walk a mile because there were so many people doing the same thing we were doing: flocking to the Mall to snag a free standing-room spot. But if there was ever a pleasant crowd to be a part of, this was it. Everyone was in a good mood. People brought picnics, laid down tarps. A UN of onlookers – black, white, young, old, Indonesian, Californian – patiently hummed along to the concert being replayed on the Jumbo-trons. The elderly African-American lady to my right, out in the cold since 7am and happy as ever, gave me a hug and shouted “Hallelujah!” every time Obama finished a sentence. A twentysomething man dressed as Waldo from “Where’s Waldo” assumed mini-celebrity status and took pictures with the people around him. And I never waited in a line deeper than two people at the port-a-potties, contrary to hysteria that there would never be enough to accommodate the estimated 2 million people out there.
Two million people. We were two in two million, about a mile back from the Capitol, closer to the Washington Monument than the actual podium. And standing just a foot away from me, randomly, was a friend from college I hadn’t seen in two years. She didn’t want to miss this, either.
6. Obama’s speech. I don’t care what anyone says – that was a powerful speech. And the feeling of euphoria started with our first glimpse of Obama on the Jumbo-trons. He stood silently, calmly, chin up a little, eyes straight ahead, waiting to be introduced. One reporter noted that he looked like a boxer ready to enter the ring. He already held himself like a man who commands respect – who commands the free world. And after his speech was over – after we had heard about the dire straits we’re in, after being told it’s time to “get to work,” after asking our country to embrace tolerance, curiosity and fairness – people cheered. Louder than I’d ever heard a crowd cheer before. And then there was dancing. People grabbed strangers by the elbows and jigged. Hope was personified. It was time for the Renew Deal to begin.
I’d been tossing around the idea of going down to Washington for the inauguration since Obama won on Nov. 4. We even debated the logistics of such a trip over Christmas dinner. There was really only one “pro,” and it was enticing: witnessing history. As a journalist, I love a good bout of history-in-the-making. The cons, as my cousin started to list them, were also persuasive: standing around in 25ºF weather. Battling humanity for a port-a-potty. Crowds of crazy people. Long lines. Traffic. Parking. Not being able to see anything. Not having a ticket. Port-a-potties (in general).
In the end, comfort lost out to adventure (no surprise there); my brother and I packed up the car with sleeping bags, granola bars and toilet paper and set out for DC. I felt a little bit like we were trucking off to Woodstock – or I imagined so, at least – except the trunk wasn’t full of hallucinogens and tie-dying supplies. Oh well.
Here are some highlights from “Obamarama”:
1. The Sunday pre-inauguration concert: People had arrived on the Mall at 8am to see a free show that started at 2pm. We didn’t realize the mob came out so early, so we sauntered over around 1pm thinking we could get in. Ha! We waited in a line that went nowhere – literally. The end of the line was someone saying, “Concert’s closed,” and turning us away. This was the only example of really bad crowd-herding we saw all weekend, luckily. They had set up Jumbo-trons on the Mall in front of the Washington Monument, so we stood outside and watched the concert there from 2-4pm. The view was pretty impressive: from the monument’s hill, we could look down on the concert at the Lincoln Memorial, which was just a sea of people, camera flashes and flags (oh those flags…it was like all the tiny flags from Memorial Day parades past were finally unleashed. Seriously, what are you supposed to do with those things – bury them? Flush them?). Obama’s status as a rock star was confirmed by the concert’s lineup. Look at this list:
Jack Black, Steve Carell, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hanks, Ashley Judd, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah, Laura Linney, Kal Penn, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Tiger Woods, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, U2, Usher, will.i.am, Stevie Wonder
We knew Bruce would be there (“Bruuuuuuce!” The French couple next to us thought we were booing), but Shakira? U2? They’re not even American. And who knew Garth Brooks was a Democrat? He put on the best show of the day – he got 500,000 self-conscious liberals to sing “Shout,” dance around and crouch down on the ground. It was awesome.
2. The only protesters we saw the whole weekend had signs that read: “Homo Sex is a Sin!” My brother Norm thought they read: “Homo Sex is In!” Which would have been much more in the spirit of things.
3. Norm and I wandered the Mall and museums on Monday (MLK Jr Day), and though we saw some impressive exhibits at the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery, we kept getting sidetracked by all these freakin’ pins that were for sale. Pin envy is a wicked, wicked thing. We had to stop at every single pin vendor to find the perfect Obama inauguration pin. Plus, who wouldn’t want a bejeweled Obama beanie 20 years from now? Imagine if you had one that said “Carter in ’76!”? I’d wear that. Obama bobble-heads? Yes, please.
4. The Red/Blue Divide is still alive and well in DC. Exhibit A: A girl who works on the Hill (Republican) returns from an inaugural ball wearing a royal blue dress. She proclaims she’s in her Obama dress, makes a face and downs a shot of vodka. Exhibit B: We debated the stimulus bill…after seven pitchers of beer. Exhibit C: Nearly all of my Republican friends left town for the weekend.
5. Inauguration Day. We were up at 7am, out by 8 and part of the masses as soon as we stepped out the door. It took us about an hour to walk a mile because there were so many people doing the same thing we were doing: flocking to the Mall to snag a free standing-room spot. But if there was ever a pleasant crowd to be a part of, this was it. Everyone was in a good mood. People brought picnics, laid down tarps. A UN of onlookers – black, white, young, old, Indonesian, Californian – patiently hummed along to the concert being replayed on the Jumbo-trons. The elderly African-American lady to my right, out in the cold since 7am and happy as ever, gave me a hug and shouted “Hallelujah!” every time Obama finished a sentence. A twentysomething man dressed as Waldo from “Where’s Waldo” assumed mini-celebrity status and took pictures with the people around him. And I never waited in a line deeper than two people at the port-a-potties, contrary to hysteria that there would never be enough to accommodate the estimated 2 million people out there.
Two million people. We were two in two million, about a mile back from the Capitol, closer to the Washington Monument than the actual podium. And standing just a foot away from me, randomly, was a friend from college I hadn’t seen in two years. She didn’t want to miss this, either.
6. Obama’s speech. I don’t care what anyone says – that was a powerful speech. And the feeling of euphoria started with our first glimpse of Obama on the Jumbo-trons. He stood silently, calmly, chin up a little, eyes straight ahead, waiting to be introduced. One reporter noted that he looked like a boxer ready to enter the ring. He already held himself like a man who commands respect – who commands the free world. And after his speech was over – after we had heard about the dire straits we’re in, after being told it’s time to “get to work,” after asking our country to embrace tolerance, curiosity and fairness – people cheered. Louder than I’d ever heard a crowd cheer before. And then there was dancing. People grabbed strangers by the elbows and jigged. Hope was personified. It was time for the Renew Deal to begin.
New Year's Resolution
Gong Xi Fa Cai! In Singapore, Chinese New Year is a big deal. In New Jersey, not so much. But since I missed the deadline to come up with a New Year's Resolution for 2009, I'm embracing my adopted New Year, cleaning my room, buying oranges and giving myself a goal before the Ox rears its ugly head (it is kind of ugly).
New goal: Write more.
Details: Post on blog once a week, be it fiction, non-fiction, photos or a Flight of the Conchords video.
Second goal: Work. Obama told me to.
Details: Embrace philosophy that "work" is not a four-letter word. Make money.
And so it begins...I'm adding entire photo albums of my year in SE Asia here, so scroll back through the posts to see updates on my first days in Singapore and Thailand (marked as UPDATES. Easy enough). I'm also adding photos from my trip with my brother to DC for Obama's inauguration, which I can't stop calling "Obamarama." It's like a nervous tick.
Hope you enjoy. This is Laura, reporting live from her childhood bedroom in NJ, which hasn't changed since she was 14.
New goal: Write more.
Details: Post on blog once a week, be it fiction, non-fiction, photos or a Flight of the Conchords video.
Second goal: Work. Obama told me to.
Details: Embrace philosophy that "work" is not a four-letter word. Make money.
And so it begins...I'm adding entire photo albums of my year in SE Asia here, so scroll back through the posts to see updates on my first days in Singapore and Thailand (marked as UPDATES. Easy enough). I'm also adding photos from my trip with my brother to DC for Obama's inauguration, which I can't stop calling "Obamarama." It's like a nervous tick.
Hope you enjoy. This is Laura, reporting live from her childhood bedroom in NJ, which hasn't changed since she was 14.
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