Domestic Psychology

Big red bullseye store

// November 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // Doug

The only thing that we didn’t pack for our trip to DC was Amy’s sneakers. Because of that, our first outing began with a trip to Target. I listened to one half of a conversation.

Doug: “Hello.”
“We’re at Target.”
“We forgot Amy’s shoes. I’m making a video.”
“The escalator! It’s awesome!”

I missed the rest of the conversation because I wandered off to avoid being a part of the video. Later that night, I heard about the caller’s side of the conversation.
Danny: “Where are you? What have you seen so far?”
“WHY are you at Target?” thinking - Don’t say it. Don’t say it.
“A video of what?” thinkingHe’s going to say it. Here it comes.
“Oooookay.” thinkingI hate that stupid cart escalator. Why does everyone who visits want to talk about the cart escalator?

Memorial Day

// November 11th, 2010 // No Comments » // flickr, holidays

easily amused

// November 10th, 2010 // No Comments » // flickr, play

Five bazillion museums, memorials and monuments to see in DC, but we had to stop and play on the lawn.

I love this picture

// November 6th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // children, flickr

Halloween 2010

// November 5th, 2010 // No Comments » // flickr, holidays

Wasn’t expecting THAT

// November 4th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // people

Before we left for DC, we had multiple conversations with the children in an attempt to prevent problems. Although the most repeated topic was what to do if you get lost, we also talked about big city manners and safety. “Always look both ways.” “Don’t kick the seat in front of you.” “Use your inside voice.” “Don’t walk away from your stuff.”

Our second day there, we walked toward the Metro in our too slow pace that didn’t improve no matter what we tried. As we neared the intersection where we had to cross the street, I surveyed the organized chaos. Marked and unmarked police cars, multiple police dogs, curbs filled with a seated audience and a heavily uniformed officer carrying some sort of sealed canister. I guessed they were disposing of meth or meth lab materials. We continued on our journey unphased. I don’t think the children noticed anything except the street signs they were counting as they touched them.

Later that night, we reviewed our day’s adventures. I said we saw a drug arrest of some kind and our hostess went to check the story out on their neighborhood blog. “That wasn’t drugs. They were cleaning out a house and found grenades.” Grenades. Not once did we consider grenades in our conversations with small children, the girl teen or other adults. I’ll be sure to add cannonballs to our next safety chat.

On Saturday, we . . .

// November 4th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // flickr, people, travel

On Friday, we . . .

// November 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // flickr, travel

locals make the best tour guides

// October 21st, 2008 // 7 Comments » // politics, relatives, travel

I owe a big thanks to my brother for playing tour guide while we were in DC last week. If not for Danny, I wouldn’t know such valuable things as:
“This is where Monica Lewinsky was deposed.”
“This statue made so many people angry that the compromise was to place it outside the memorial.”
“That’s where Chelsea went to school.”
“This is where the media set-up camp to monitor Gary Condit.”

Always take a local along as a tour guide.

BlogHer DC 2008

// October 17th, 2008 // 2 Comments » // blogging, blogher, travel

Sunday – After what shall forever be known as the week of a zillion hysterical Tweets, Sarah, Missy and I piled into a Saturn VUE and drove from Knoxville to DC. Okay, we drove to Bethesda, but that’s like DC’s version of Farragut. Actually, the only thing Farragut and Bethesda have in common is that they are both charming towns close enough to a city to be suburbs. Missy made treat bags and Sarah happily lived on a steady intake of sugar and starch the entire trip. I couldn’t complain (much) since, Missy and I were fueled by Starbucks and Slurpees. The junk food distracted us from the fact that our lungs are coated with green slime that the Ghostbusters failed to remove. If DC shuts down due to illness next week, it’s our fault. Fueled by anticipation (and caffeine), we made it to our destination, cheery and excited. We were treated to a delicious dinner of steak and lobster where Sarah ordered macaroni and cheese. I don’t think I have ever seen a waiter do a better deer in headlights expression than ours did when Sarah ordered.

Monday – I started the day seriously contemplating staying in the shower all day. I decided to leave the blissful hot water and brave the crowds in the deepest dungeon of the Bethesda Hyatt. Cell phone reception was spotty at best, but we Twittered too much anyway. Unlike conferences where you have to visit the hotel suite of someone selling something to get food, BlogHer has food magically appearing in the foyer throughout the day. Breads, cereals, fruits and coffee morphed into an incredible Asian buffet which became a cookies and candy table. Sarah just ate breads, cookies and candy.

The conference began with a PowerPoint review of a BlogHer survey. The survey shoved me into the Baby Boomers when my technology usage fits Gen X, so I think I will start lying about my age now. Michael might be interested in page 10 and 15 of the survey. I like page 17.

The blogging community is passionate – before giving up participating in the blogosphere:
– 43% would give up reading the newspaper or magazines
– 50% would give up their PDAs
– 42% would give up their i-Pod
– 55% would even give up alcohol
– BUT, some things are sacred … only 20% would give up chocolate!

The audience was a mix of women who wanted to learn and prepare before starting their own blogs, women who were blogging but wanted more out of it, financially successful bloggers, popular bloggers, bloggers there for the sense of community and men who wanted to know more about women who blog. After the opening program, we broke out into smaller groups for focused panels on different topics. The programs were educational but motivational. My very favorite panel was the non-profit panel. I love, love, love the idea of blogging about something that you feel passionate about, to increase public awareness, instead of spending all your time writing grants and pushing paper for foundation boards. I don’t know what you would expect the mood to be in a building packed with females, but I promise that it was the happiest, friendliest crowd I have ever seen. This was a crowd of intelligent women who are passionate and involved. Okay, one person seemed a bit stiff, but I’ll guess that’s because she was in a crowd which was largely passionate about politics that differ from hers.

Although she spent the cocktail party playing laser tag with Lisa Stone‘s son, Sarah came away from the event with a very clear plan for her blog. She’s actually more excited about it than I am, she’s just too cool to show it. If there was a tag cloud for the day, the largest word would be Twitter. It wasn’t just that Twitter was open on so many laptops, it was a hot topic in almost every panel, including the keynote with Lesley Stahl. BlogHer was amazing and I want to do it again when I don’t feel like I’m breathing water. I hear there will be an event somewhere in July 2009. Somewhere not yet revealed, but rumored to be on the upper East Coast.

We ended Monday with my DC brother, at a Lebanese restaurant where I ate delicious food that looked like tiny fried pies with meat and cheese in them. Sarah ate bread.

Tuesday – After we checked out of the hotel, Sarah spotted a McDonald’s less than a block from where we had been starving her for the past two days. I think she wept.