Barb’s Burblings

One of my favorite charities is DonorsChoose. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a website where teachers submit requests for money for specific projects for their classes. You search for one you like and give whatever amount suits you. I usually give to projects involving history and/or theater. (One project was for kids to see plays, one of which was about Jackie Robinson. Total win!) And if you’re the one who completes a project, you get thank-you letters from the students, pictures, and a note from the teacher. It’s fun. Plus, it totally breaks down exactly where your money is going and there are charts of where you’ve donated (for example, I’ve given exclusively to high poverty schools, and mostly grades 3-5). You can search by topic or location or highest need or projects that are close to completion. Anyway. It’s cool.

I gave money a while ago to a teacher who wanted to buy books about the American Revolution for her students, one of which was My Brother Sam Is Ded, which I read in elementary school and still own. I recently got the thank-you notes. They were all very nice; they obviously were working off a template, so everyone had the same first and last paragraphs, but each could write about which book he or she was reading, its plot, and why he or she likes it. (Not liking it is obviously not an option.) Some of the answers are adorable:

I like this book because it’s about a war and it tells you about a boy who goes and fights people. I also like this story because it has shooting in it.

I like this book because a kid is finally in charge of adults. Next, I want to see if the dad’s son can be brave. Finally, I like Social Studies.

I like this book because I really like it when colonists or British tell stories of how they won the war.

This book helps me understand about how life was like back then, it was simple yet hard and parents did not take any [business? laziness?]. The character Sam is a little like me because I get into silly little arguements with my father, he said I would make a good lawyer someday.

But a couple really got me:

I like this book because I like fighting and wars. Another reason I like this is cause my father was in a war when he was younger. I don’t think he got hurt.

Also, I like this story because it teachers about the Revolutionary War. I also had a relative who went to the Army and changed when he came back.

I stayed a bit late at work on Monday because I had my book club that night, and we weren’t meeting for dinner until 6. I figured I’d leave around 5:15. So I sat at my desk working, vaguely aware of people leaving, tossing off a casual goodbye as the people around me took off. I wound up heading to the Silver Spring Metro around 5:10. The platform was full of people waiting for trains going either direction. I made my way down the platform; I’d be going to Gallery Place, and the exit I wanted to take would be at the back of the train. But the signs weren’t indicating any approaching trains, and in the announcement, I could make out the words “Shuttle bus” so I decided to take a bus.

(Side note about the ride itself. It followed Georgia Avenue, and I noticed this fun spelling of the word “Georgia” at one of the stops.

Click to enlarge, then marvel! People, hire proofreaders.)

It wasn’t until I got to the restaurant and Becca called that I started to get an inkling of what was going on. She was the one who told me about the collision; she was the one who said that people had died. My companions went to their iPhones for details; we fielded calls from family.

The city wasn’t sure how to work without the Red Line. There were long lines at bus stations up and down 16th St. I squeezed onto one, and just in the nick of time–we had to pass stops because the bus was full. (I also got to deal with a fun young woman. We were all packed into the aisle of the bus and she was standing in front me, passively-aggressively bitching into her phone how men wouldn’t give their seats up for her. [You know, because she's a woman.] The guy next to where she was standing said that he had his hips replaced, which she related to her friend, then said, “But that doesn’t explain why the guy next to him isn’t giving up his seat.” Because clearly that would be super easy to maneuver. After a few minutes of this, I finally said something like, “Why should they? You seem to be fine” and she was all, “That’s just how I was raised, we don’t all have to think the same about this,” and I was like, “You’re right.” We gradually made our way back in the bus as people got off and a seat opened near me. She was totally gunning for it, and I gestured for her to take it. She responded to this by saying, “That’s why you don’t have a man.” And then spent the next 5 minutes bitching about me to her friend, taking particular triumph when I myself sat down. Good times!)

Anyway. I made it home and saw the coverage on tv and was thankful that I was safe. Because who would take of my cats if something happened to me? Colin isn’t the easiest to love.

Then, Tuesday morning at around 10:55 we get an email. There’s an emergency all-staff meeting. In 5 minutes. We immediately know that someone from the office was involved in the accident. Standing around the conference room, I look around, looking for the people I know well. The room is pretty much silent. Then the CEO came and said that one of the crash victims was Mandy Doolittle. Mandy, whose office is literally across from my cube. Mandy, whom I had distractedly said goodbye to the evening before. Mandy, whose laughter annoyed me, but was so sweet, so caring, so lovely, so interested in other people, and so quick to laugh that I couldn’t help but like. We weren’t close (except for the physical proximity of our workspaces), but…what? How?

It’s not a surprise that someone from my office would’ve been on one of the trains. Heck, one person in my department was on one of the trains behind the trains that crashed. But there’s something just incredibly surreal about it. Seeing her picture on the cover of the Post? Having the news come to video some of us and the memorial someone set up? You know that obviously there were victims, victims who had family and friends and coworkers. But it’s not supposed to be someone you know. It drives home the whole “You never know” concept. Because…it could’ve been me. Easily.

I grieve for Mandy and her friends and family. Though we’re used to coworkers disappearing through normal turnover, there’s something so incredibly different about this. There’s no sticky on her door saying when she’ll be back.

Instead, there’s a sticky on the door with a heart on it.

Last night I had the O’s game on and was vacuuming, and I noticed the cable blinking out a couple times. I didn’t pay it much attention; it was a windy night and though it wasn’t raining near me, there were storms in the area. I had the tv on for a while this afternoon and it was fine. But when I turned it back on tonight, it started blinking again. It just went out for a moment, then would come back on. I called Comcast a few times. I reset the box a few times. They tried to reset the box remotely. But ultimately, it is apparently the box’s time. It’s in its death throes. Soon, I will have to exchange it for a new one.

Which means that I will lose everything I have on the DVR. NOOOO!!!!!! My DVR was 65% full! I viciously purged it down to 26% full, but that’s stuff that I have to watch–Great Performances (Chess in concert, Cyrano, King Lear), cheesy tv movies, other specials that won’t be reaired and aren’t available online or through Netflix. Now it’s race–get through the saved stuff on the DVR before it ultimately dies. Luckily, it usually gives me a good 2 hours or so between blinks. But still, it’s a pain, and it means I can’t set the DVR to record very far in advance.

The DVR is dead. Long live the DVR.

This weekend was one of those just lovely, perfect weekends. It feels like quite some time since I’ve been at work, which is impressive–I mean, it’s only been since Friday. It probably helps that I left work feeling that I accomplished exactly what I wanted to do; I got one book off to the printer and finished reviewing pages of another, so I was really happy. And while I’ve had to do a bit of work over the weekend, it was never overwhelming. A few hours here and there isn’t much, and it was just so nice to be able to sit and watch tv and not think. I can’t remember the last time I just plopped down and watched a movie on tv on a Saturday afternoon! Plus, I got a freelance paycheck and my deposit from my old apartment and paid off some bills and such; while that money is all gone, it put me in a good frame of mind that I can have my finances sorted in the not-too-distant future.

And today I got to work the presidency exhibit again, which was great. It was Flag Day, and the museum brought in a fife and drums corps who were great; and it’s just so neat talking about Jefferson while hearing fife and drums in the background! Plus, one woman asked me about presidential assassins. Win! And there was a lovely family from Norway, and just everyone was so pleasant. I missed seeing the O’s trounce the Braves, but it was great turning on the radio in the car and hearing the score. And I topped it off with a nice chat with my sister.

It’s amazing how a low key, no stress weekend can really just improve the spirits. Mind you, when the alarm goes off at 7:15 tomorrow morning, I’ll probably be less chipper. Ah well.

There’s a video on YouTube that’s stirred up quite a bit of interest around here: Arlington Rap. I love it–it makes me laugh and it’s pretty darn catchy. Plus, the guy has some great facial expressions, particularly when reacting to the Green Line suggestion and the Starbucks bit at the end of the video. I don’t live in Arlington, but I’ve been there enough–and know the region as a whole–to think this is awesome. Oh, Ballston Mall. You really do suck.

(The song actually reminds me a bit of “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Which also is awesome.)

At our monthly all-staff meeting today, we had a presentation on identity theft. Which is all well and good, except that I swear we just had one maybe 4 months ago. We get it. Protect ourselves.

(Though obviously there are people out there who need help. For example: The woman who lived in my apartment before me. She didn’t bother changing her address with the post office. When I moved in, I found a check for her deposit sitting in the mailbox. Since then I’ve gotten her bank statements and, even better, her credit card. Yep. Apparently her old one expired, so I now have her new one. Man, she’s lucky I’m honest.)

Anyway. One of the things the presenter talked about was identity theft and social networking sites. I thought that might be interesting–I can definitely see how Facebook, particularly, might lend itself to identity theft if you’re not careful. Except that the only thing she gave as an example was Tony LaRussa (of the football team the St. Louis Cardinals, according to her) suing Twitter (not that she said Twitter) because of the profile someone set up using his name. Sigh. Yeah. Before she talks, she might want to have looked into this a bit. She obviously has no idea what Twitter is like. Tons of celebrities have people set up fake profiles. It happens. I mean, I’m following “Peter Angelos” on Twitter (and I totally recommend it–it’s hilarious; from today: “This year, we’re drafting Matt Wieter’s [sic] DNA in the first round”). I’m following FakeRahmEmanuel, for heaven’s sake. I hate it when presentations have potential, then don’t live up to them. Particularly when it’s 45 minutes in the middle of what turned out to be a nearly 2-hour meeting. Good times.

On the positive side, I did make a list for myself of things I need to do for our conference. So that’s good.

Overall, I’m pleased with how President Obama is doing. Sure, I’m not happy with the whole “Don’t ask, don’t tell” thing, but for the most part, he’s doing OK. However, I was not pleased to see this headline in the Washington Post the other day: “Obama signs bill to create Reagan centennial panel.” I’m sorry, what? No no no no no.

From the article:

Obama invoked the 40th president’s trademark optimism, calling him a leader who understood that the bonds that unite Americans are stronger than the disagreements that divide them, the political parties included. He also said Reagan’s sunny outlook was sorely needed during a difficult time of economic and global challenges.

OK, no. Optimism is no reason to salute the guy. Obama should in no way give any encouragement to that group of whack jobs who want to rename everything in the world for Ronald Reagan. (I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with “Reagan” Airport. It’s “National Airport.”) He doesn’t need a SECOND $1 coin; he’s getting one along with all the other presidents. Good Lord. I guess I should be happy that they’re not trying to give him the $20 or something (though I’m sure someone somewhere is). Dude was not that good a president. Kudos to Obama for the whole bipartisan thing, but…no. Stop it.

And while I’m being vaguely political, I recommend checking out the op-ed Richard Clarke wrote for the Post last week. And then watching this clip from the Daily Show:

I sometimes think how odd it is that I’m living in an apartment that’s maybe 50 yards from some fairly busy railroad tracks. When I was little, I remember seeing an episode of Amazing Stories about a train that goes through a boy’s house. (Apparently it was called “Ghost Train” and had something to do with the boy’s grandfather causing a train to crash.) Anyway, having seen that at the impressionable age of 6 (almost 7!), the image of a train hurtling into a house has stuck with me. Over the years, I’d hear train whistles and think about that show.

Most of the time, I don’t notice the train, or I’m just vaguely aware of it; usually, it’s just sort of a rumbling noise. But sometimes there’s a freight train that absolutely blows through town and it gets very loud and all I can think of is Amazing Stories. Which really isn’t cool, let me tell you.