On to Washington!

I'm taking a trip to Washington, DC, and despite the rumors (all of which originated from me) I am not hear to consider becoming a part of Obama's brain trust. . . nor am I under consideration for becoming one of the latest in a long line of czars. The whole czar thing seems - well anti-American... and that 's strange coming from this administration (oh did that sound sarcastic?).

Anyway I was given a great opportunity to spend a weekend in DC and what I have seen of the town so far is very impressive.

For this post, I want to go ahead and pass along some of the happenings on my trip up yesterday, this was typeded out while on the plane:


Waiting on runway due to 45 minute delay in Charlotte – almost exactly the length of time allowed for my connection – this should be interesting.

The two-hour early arrival suggestion was a good one since I had “paper” tickets.
This meant that I first waited at check in to be told I could proceed to security if I was not checking bags; the attendant asked if I had a “Boarding Pass” – I remembered seeing the term –“Boarding Pass” on my ticket, so I proceeded to Security where I waited out the line only to be told that I needed to go back and get a Boarding Pass.

I returned to the original Check-In desk and made several attempts at using the self-check-in services. After gaining an attendants attention by displaying an utterly helpless countenance, someone took pity and checked me in.

Then it was back through the cattle stalls and into the public humiliation arena where we all removed various articles of clothing and placed items into plastic bins.

This was followed by a steady stream of instructions and re-instructions about how to place items in the bin and how to rearrange them and what else to take off and-“Sir, pick up your drivers license…it’s there – THERE ! You dropped it – BEHIND you, sir…” . I had attempted to select the proper number of bins for my stuff so as to not inconvenience those behind me – but did not take into account that my jacket had to be removed… In a desperate attempt to escape the momentary humiliation of holding up the line and causing someone to miss their flight – I just flung my sport-coat onto the conveyer belt in a disheveled heap and pushed it through the x-ray.

Upon boarding I had a moment of self-examination, I realized that I still often deal in stereotypes. We have a male flight attendant – who incidentally sports something of a “mullet” – I assumed he was the pilot. I assumed that men were pilots and only women, or effeminate men, were flight attendant. I realized my error whe the guy was giving the safety demonstrations and the plane was moving.

It is a grey, rainy day. It would be good for napping – especially since I had to arise just after 3 this morning.
Maybe I’ll try.

The rest of my trip was very smooth (I found out later that R. and the kids had prayed for me that morning that the trip would go smooth). I made my connections, found my transportation and arrived at the Gaylord National Hotel in style in a shiny black Cadillac.

Our driver - a huge and gregarious African-American gentleman, treated us to Cool Jazz music on the radio and some tales of local political squabbles over the new 12-lane Woodrow Wilson bridge spanning the Potomac. He also compared the "stick-in-the-mud" nature of the Virginians as compared to the more elite nature of Maryland residents.


As I sit at on the banks of the Potomac, I am plotting strategy for the day - and plan to follow some of your suggestions toward making this trip significant from an American History perspective ( I did get some emails - thank you).