Ok, Ok. I have said that I was going to have various photos posted forever now, and I'm just finding it hard to get around to it. In an effort to at least sort-of make good on my promises, here is a list of photos in pretty raw format. You have to go to this link, and if it doesn't work by clicking it, try cutting and pasting it into your browsers address window. You can then click on the subsequent pictures. I tried 4 different ways of getting this forsaken blog program to let me just link to the individual pictures, but I'm doing something wrong.
Hopefully they will be a little easier to view soon.
MikeyC>
http://www.geocities.com/mikeygibran/pics/
Monday, January 31, 2005
Monday, January 24, 2005
Sound Levels
I had an interesting day at work today. It was the first day that I have actually driven all the way into DC by myself. It was crazy, I got lost several times, and in the end I made it. I was actually early , somehow.
After 4 hours at the office, I drove to Falls Church to do my first sound level measurements by myself today. We had to test some air handlers to see if the way they had been installed was going to be too noisy because this same mechanical engineer is doing some other jobs the same way. I'll process the data tomorrow. So that was pretty cool showing up somewhere all by myself as mister, "I'm here with Cerami and Associates."
I took pictures of some stuff on my commute today with the work digital camera, so as soon as I can get those off the camera, I'll post them for ya'll.
MikeyC>
After 4 hours at the office, I drove to Falls Church to do my first sound level measurements by myself today. We had to test some air handlers to see if the way they had been installed was going to be too noisy because this same mechanical engineer is doing some other jobs the same way. I'll process the data tomorrow. So that was pretty cool showing up somewhere all by myself as mister, "I'm here with Cerami and Associates."
I took pictures of some stuff on my commute today with the work digital camera, so as soon as I can get those off the camera, I'll post them for ya'll.
MikeyC>
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Thinking
http://www.geocities.com/mikeygibran/pics/woodenroom.jpg
I’m starring out the window at the slowly melting snow, drinking tea, and just kind of enjoying this moment. Green as the grass that might grow on the 23rd Psalm. That is green. It is the green that Josh Ritter is talking about in his song Rainslicker. I wonder if that kind of green exists anywhere this side of glory. Katy Bowser talks about being “So Nostalgic” for heaven and I wonder, is heaven the kind of place you can really be nostalgic for? I want to correct her, to tell her what she really means, but I think that she has said exactly what she wants to say. The feelings she has for heaven sometimes are much more like nostalgia than they are like anything else. I trust this is what she means because even though I can’t explain it any better, I feel the same thing sometimes.
I guess that is enough for today. I really appreciate the letters and phone calls I have gotten from so many people back in Lawrence. Washington is a great place, and I’m truly enjoying my job, and yet…and yet. I’m having one of those rare moments where I just don’t know what to say other than I love all of you. Take advantage of the fact that you at least can pop by and see each other. You can talk over coffee, or go for a walk. Don’t waste that.
I’m starring out the window at the slowly melting snow, drinking tea, and just kind of enjoying this moment. Green as the grass that might grow on the 23rd Psalm. That is green. It is the green that Josh Ritter is talking about in his song Rainslicker. I wonder if that kind of green exists anywhere this side of glory. Katy Bowser talks about being “So Nostalgic” for heaven and I wonder, is heaven the kind of place you can really be nostalgic for? I want to correct her, to tell her what she really means, but I think that she has said exactly what she wants to say. The feelings she has for heaven sometimes are much more like nostalgia than they are like anything else. I trust this is what she means because even though I can’t explain it any better, I feel the same thing sometimes.
I guess that is enough for today. I really appreciate the letters and phone calls I have gotten from so many people back in Lawrence. Washington is a great place, and I’m truly enjoying my job, and yet…and yet. I’m having one of those rare moments where I just don’t know what to say other than I love all of you. Take advantage of the fact that you at least can pop by and see each other. You can talk over coffee, or go for a walk. Don’t waste that.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Different Route
I have tried a different route to work the last couple days. Monday didn't count since it was a holiday for most(MLKjr), but today seemed quicker, on the way in anyway. I could certainly use anything that shaves a little time off my commute. Today I spent about 40 minutes getting to the Metro stop. The stop I am going to now is Branch Avenue. I had been going to Anacostia, which was closer to DC, but the highway portion was just killing me. Hopefully this new route will be a little easier on my nerves.
http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm
MikeyC>
(yes, yes, I know...boring entry, but this is where the minutia comes in.)
http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm
MikeyC>
(yes, yes, I know...boring entry, but this is where the minutia comes in.)
Monday, January 17, 2005
Living Breathing Stories
I saw this old lady get on the Metro today. Any other day and I never would have stood a chance at noticing her. Today was a holiday for most people though, so the Metro crowd was relatively sparse. Her outfit had an interesting contrast. The no-longer-taut skin of her face rested just above a luxurious black fur coat. Just above her face rested a sort of vaguely baseball inspired bright blue nylon cap. The sort of cap you might buy in Branson and distractedly doff before driving 15 under the speed limit while on your way to an early dinner with your bridge club at Denny’s in Florida. I suppose that at 7:30 in the morning this combination of class and trash just made for an interesting juxtaposition. Or perhaps I’m just easily bemused.
As I sat watching her slight reflection in the window next to me (I couldn’t stare directly at the lady who had by now sat down right in front of me now could I?) she pulled out a makeup compact and two tubes of lipstick. I watched as she proceeded to make herself up. I watched as she removed her hat and coiffed her hair. I watched as she carefully applied one tube of lipstick then another. I watched as she applied some powder to her cheeks. I watched as she carefully re-coiffed her hair then replaced the blue nylon hat.
This was all further compounded by the fact that as I watched her I couldn’t help but wonder about who this person was. I thought about how many times her hands had performed the same routine. I wondered about what some of those occasions had been that she had gotten all dressed up for. A blind date? A wedding? A formal with crystal chandeliers? A birthday party? A church service? A funeral? I wanted to know her story.
I’m surrounded by all these people who have lived, loved, suffered. Yet when I’m wanting a story I grab a book. There are so many stories living and breathing all around me. Every day I walk by hundreds of them. They sit next to me in traffic and stand shoulder to shoulder with me on the Metro, these stories. How many of them have fascinating things they could tell me. Surely each one would have amazing tales of suffering, pain, joy and comedy. Yet each day I am guilty of dismissing them en-mass, judging them by their covers.
As I sat watching her slight reflection in the window next to me (I couldn’t stare directly at the lady who had by now sat down right in front of me now could I?) she pulled out a makeup compact and two tubes of lipstick. I watched as she proceeded to make herself up. I watched as she removed her hat and coiffed her hair. I watched as she carefully applied one tube of lipstick then another. I watched as she applied some powder to her cheeks. I watched as she carefully re-coiffed her hair then replaced the blue nylon hat.
This was all further compounded by the fact that as I watched her I couldn’t help but wonder about who this person was. I thought about how many times her hands had performed the same routine. I wondered about what some of those occasions had been that she had gotten all dressed up for. A blind date? A wedding? A formal with crystal chandeliers? A birthday party? A church service? A funeral? I wanted to know her story.
I’m surrounded by all these people who have lived, loved, suffered. Yet when I’m wanting a story I grab a book. There are so many stories living and breathing all around me. Every day I walk by hundreds of them. They sit next to me in traffic and stand shoulder to shoulder with me on the Metro, these stories. How many of them have fascinating things they could tell me. Surely each one would have amazing tales of suffering, pain, joy and comedy. Yet each day I am guilty of dismissing them en-mass, judging them by their covers.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Books
So one of the questions for the profile is favorite book. I'm not really sure how you answer this. It would be like asking a parent which child was their favorite. I think. I mean, I don't have kids - but I imagine that if I did it would be impossible to pick a "favorite" one.
Having said that, there are certain books that I really love. In no particular order: Weight of Glory, Celebration of Discipline, Wind in the Willows, Seven Story Mountain, High Fidelity, Old and New Testament, Chronicles of Narnia - all - (but especially Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lion, Witch and Wardrobe, and Final Battle), Practice the Presence, Merrim Webster Dictionary, Blue Like Jazz, Life Together, Jesus with Dirty Feet.
Having said that, there are certain books that I really love. In no particular order: Weight of Glory, Celebration of Discipline, Wind in the Willows, Seven Story Mountain, High Fidelity, Old and New Testament, Chronicles of Narnia - all - (but especially Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lion, Witch and Wardrobe, and Final Battle), Practice the Presence, Merrim Webster Dictionary, Blue Like Jazz, Life Together, Jesus with Dirty Feet.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Metro
I thought that my hour and a half drive to the metro stop today was pretty rough, but then I had to stand on the metro for another 30 minutes. The car was really crowded and by the time I transfered at Gallery Place, I literally had to push my way onto the car I needed. When I got on, it was shoulder to shoulder. The feeling was so odd. I don't know the last time I have been in that large of a crowd, in that small of a space.
Oddly enough, even though today's commute was worse than yesterday's (I mean , I left the house at 6:30 and got to the office at 9:00 - come on!), there was something that made it much more bearable. It is odd how some days you feel like you are just under this cloud of peace, and others the smallest thing will set you off. I'm hoping the rest of today is as peaceful as this morning.
MikeyC>
(edit: It was!)
Oddly enough, even though today's commute was worse than yesterday's (I mean , I left the house at 6:30 and got to the office at 9:00 - come on!), there was something that made it much more bearable. It is odd how some days you feel like you are just under this cloud of peace, and others the smallest thing will set you off. I'm hoping the rest of today is as peaceful as this morning.
MikeyC>
(edit: It was!)
Thursday, January 13, 2005
First Things First
Just a little intro to say hi and say that I'm tring out this blog site. If this goes well, I will probably move the majority of my content from geocities over here.
Things are going pretty well, but traffic continues to stink. It took me about 45 minutes to go about 2 miles on 295 North today. This may be a new record, and I've only been commuting to DC for 2 weeks now. Yeah!
Other than that things have been really great. The office I work in is cool. The people I work with are cool. Getting to walk around DC is cool. And the coffee shop I go to before work is cool.
Last weekend I went on a bike ride with Mark Milster, the father of the family I'm staying with. we rode all around the Mall area. It was kind of surreal just riding my bike right up to the Washington Monument, then the Jefferson Monument, then the Lincoln Monument. In an hour bike ride, I saw buildings I had only ever seen before in movies. It was pretty fun.
Things are going pretty well, but traffic continues to stink. It took me about 45 minutes to go about 2 miles on 295 North today. This may be a new record, and I've only been commuting to DC for 2 weeks now. Yeah!
Other than that things have been really great. The office I work in is cool. The people I work with are cool. Getting to walk around DC is cool. And the coffee shop I go to before work is cool.
Last weekend I went on a bike ride with Mark Milster, the father of the family I'm staying with. we rode all around the Mall area. It was kind of surreal just riding my bike right up to the Washington Monument, then the Jefferson Monument, then the Lincoln Monument. In an hour bike ride, I saw buildings I had only ever seen before in movies. It was pretty fun.
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