So, it's been a while

Since my last post (only two months ago, mind you), I've been to Atlanta, Niagara Falls, and a Maroon 5 concert.

Atlanta was to visit my folks and investigate a possible investment opportunity.

Niagara Falls was a trip with my in-laws, my mum-in-law's parents, and my in-laws' best friends. Also along was my bro-in-law and his girlfriend. Eleven of us in total. We all actually fit in our house, and had a great time in Niagara Falls (three days there is long enough, it's kinda touristy after a while).

Maroon 5 just kicked. I've not been to many concerts (secular, especially) in my wee lifetime, but I know enough to know this was good. They were pumped, the crowd was excited without being too crazy, and the music was great. As with pretty much all live events, the additional gigs thrown into each song are well worth the effort of driving up to Columbia, MD.

Finally, on an interesting note, a house across the street from us just sold for $40,000 more than we paid for ours only 5 months ago. EQUITY, BABY!

I'll throw up some pics from Niagara soon.

DcD

Cherry Blossoms

So, we joined about 20 of our friends, including thousands of our not-so-closest-friends, at the Cherry Blossom Festival this past Sunday. Here is a link to some of the best pictures (there are two pages of pictures).

Cherry Blossom Festival '05

DcD

Whod've Thunk?

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm rooting for West Virginia. After watching them manhandle Wake in Double OT (Wake was lucky to even make it to either OT period), I'm hoping they take Texas Tech.

Final Word- How can you not root for a team with players named Pittsnogle and Herber.

DcD

ANWR

This could be very good for the nation....more thoughts when I'm not swamped with work and feeling better....

51-49 Senate Vote Backs Arctic Oil Drilling (washingtonpost.com)

One step closer...

May it be many years before we are faced with this dilemma.

Schools chosen for sex course in Montgomery - The Washington Times: Metropolitan - March 05, 2005

Initiative not needed

Read the article on the front page- "Give and Go Campaign"

No wonder students these days don't exhibit any desire for excellence.

FCFT

Simple Syllogism

A basic tenet of logic is:

If A, then B.
A.
Therefore, B.

Putting this into practice:

If a certain practice results in a harmful consequence, it should be avoided.
Getting the flu is a harmful consequence.
Therefore doing something that results in getting the flu should be avoided.

and

Angela painted the house and got the flu the next day.
Therefore, painting the house should be avoided.

Ahhhh- glad we cleared that one up.

DcD

Greenway expansion

This really only matters to people who live in NoVA, because the exit names/numbers won't mean a hill of beans to anyone else.

Nonetheless, good news about the Greenway and expanding lanes, new exits, etc. The one I'm particlularly interested in is the exclusive ramp/entrance to Dulles Airport. Now, it may only take us 7 minutes, as opposed to 10, to get to IAD. ;-)

Dulles Greenway news item

Also see this for a graphic, in case you are a visual learner....

DcD

Loudoun Housing Limits Reversed (washingtonpost.com)

No comment, just a link.

Loudoun Housing Limits Reversed (washingtonpost.com)

DcD

'bout time, Part Deux

Big Storm!

Check out the other headlines- could we see a foot or more?

DcD

Dido, Part Deux

So, drastic measures were called for the last time I wrote about our kitty (exact words: "It's war, kitty.").

Maybe war is a little harsh. How about- the cold shoulder. =)

We reverted back to our previous policy of animals in our bedroom- ain't happenin'. Thus, we took an old rug, put it under the door, shut the door, and ABRACADABRA!! (spelling?)

If she scratches, she scratches an old useless rug. She can't get to the sacred quilts, and she doesn't wake us up. Success- for one night, at least.

DcD

Tsunami and Repentance

Thanks to Dad for passing along this article...

John Piper- "Tsunami and Repentance"

DcD

Red Rice?

Jerry Rice was released by the Seattle Seahawks today. The Redskins need receivers- especially veterans who can catch the blasted ball on a simple out pattern. Daniel Snyder (owner) has a lot of money and has done crazier things in the past. I smell a possible marriage in the works...

DcD

Who needs an alarm clock...

...when you have a silly little cat running around?

Our sweet and wonderful Dido (yes, named after the Queen of Carthage [check out Virgil's Aeneid] and the British pop singer, but I digress) is still adjusting to us moving houses. At our previous residence, she got the message that she wasn't allowed in our bedroom while we slept, and thankfully she stopped clawing at the door after a couple of nights of inattention from her caretakers.

Now that we moved, we must have felt sorry for her. Or maybe we felt a greater attachment to our carpet (that happens when you actually own the carpet). Nonetheless, we now let her in our bedroom at night.

Which is all well and good- until about 5 or 6 in the morning. She has taken up sleeping in our walk-in closet, which I think is the cutest thing in the world. But once she awakens, she knows how to get us out of bed- start scratching at Angela's prized quilts (handmade by her grandmother and in the corner of our room).

Great ire can be spewed at 6am when one's delicate possessions are ostensibly being ripped to shreds. Thankfully, no harm as of yet.

This morning we decided to just lock her out of our room- so she started tearing up the carpet. It's war, kitty....

DcD

'bout time

For once this Winter, the snow finally came during the middle of the week. Ergo- schools closed, gov't "open" but employees on unscheduled leave.

Short story- I'm not working today. =) I do have to use my annual leave, since the government is technically still open. But there's no real point in going in on a day like today. I'll check e-mail and voicemail from home, clean up any major messes that occur in our District, and enjoy staying in my PJs.

DcD

Time to step it up....

Loudoun County (my home County and employer) is home to MCI, formerly known as Worldcom (which was formerly known as MCI- don't ask...).

Anyway, after bankruptcy, a few name changes, and a declining market- they are being bought out by Verizon.

This could be big news for Loudoun County, which is often seen as the little brother of Fairfax County, which is the up and coming stud compared the the venerable District of Columbia. Verizon has said that it wants a new home for its corporate offices. It now appears to be buying MCI, with a large, rolling campus just 5 minutes from Dulles International Airport. What better than Verizon to relocate to MCI's campus, even adding on to its current building space....

MCI and its employee base are critical to Loudoun County. It's time for us to step up from being the little brother left on the doorstep to becoming the premier corporate destination in the DC area.

Verizon Announces MCI Acquisition (washingtonpost.com)

Google does it again....

Whoooaaa- Step aside Mapquest and Yahoo. Google has outmastered the masters of another genre- maps! Randomly search, drag the map, have fun! The best part- searching for businesses near a location. i.e., "j crew near ashburn, va" turns up all the J Crew stores near me (as well as the Leesburg Airport, not sure why...it's called "beta," eh?). Very helpful info and hours of countless fun.

Google Maps

Rule, Suburbia

The title says it all.

Eat this, smart growth-ers! You can deny the truth, but you can't run away from it!

Rule, Suburbia (washingtonpost.com)

'Roids

Although we are just hearing the beginning of the steroid issue in baseball, Thomas Boswell puts Canseco's "book" into a very appropriate perspective....

Canseco Is Easy to Read, Hard to Believe (washingtonpost.com)

Fairfax Fights the Gay Issue

Schools Official Assails 'Gay Lifestyle' (washingtonpost.com)

Note the last paragraph which states:
Lynn Terhar, president of the Fairfax County Council of PTAs, said that she's satisfied with the way sexual orientation is handled in the schools and that she hasn't heard concerns from parents. "In my personal opinion, his comments strike me as those coming from a religious point of view," Terhar said. "I don't believe there is any place for that in the Fairfax County school system."(emphasis added)

Intolerance, anyone?