25 March 2008

Dilated Pupils

I got my pupils dilated at the eye doctor's today. With a family history of eye problems, the discomfort is a small price to pay to find out I'm still nearly blind and still have astigmatism, but my eyes are healthy. Yay healthy eyes! But boo wandering around disoriented.

Today we went to Costco--the perfect place to prepare for a move to Africa. We are brand-new members now that we've discovered it's so much more than ketchup and shampoo in bulk. (I feel uber-American now.) We got eye exams and extra pairs of glasses (and I got contacts for the first time in over 15 years!) and we got new all-terrain tires for the new-old 4Runner.

This morning I also had to get fingerprinted for my job in Burundi. It's inkless now you know, all done with scanners and computers. Pretty nifty.

And to further our excitement over traveling to East Africa, a friend sent us a link to the tour company she traveled with in Rwanda to see mountain gorillas, Bizidanny Tours and Safaris. Tomorrow night we're going to a talk on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. It's a good thing Mike and I will both be working, so we'll have enough money for all these excursions we're planning.

24 March 2008

Trail Running: Fountainhead Regional Park

A few weeks ago we drove down to Fountainhead Regional Park for some trail running in the brisk chilliness. This was the kind of wooded, hilly trail that brought back a lot of East Coast memories. Trails in California just aren't the same as the wooded East Coast trails. We were plodding along talking and not really paying attention to the time or the hills. Eventually we reached water, the Occoquan Reservoir, and we stopped to look and realized we'd been out for nearly and hour. And suddenly we remembered all the hills! So we decided to head back to the parking lot, plodding and shuffling up those hills.

We could hear a lot of birds out in the forest and at one point we came to an area where the trees were covered in black and the bird sounds were deafening. There were thousands of black birds perched in the trees and when they noticed us running toward them they started to take off! We felt bad because the trail we were on circled their patch of trees so they probably thought we were chasing them. We tried to slow down and be quieter and less threatening.

There are few services at this park, at least from what we could tell. We were there before the bathrooms opened for the season so I had to use the woods. One of the parking lots was closed as well and the trails weren't open to bikers yet. I can't remember if there was an entry fee or not. If there was, it was something like $5 per car.

Trail Running: Manassas Bull Run

One area where my and Mike's workout interests overlap is trail running. We've been trying to spend nice Sunday mornings exploring local trails. Yesterday we ran the 5.3-mile First Manassas Trail at the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The trail circles a good portion of the field and woods where the Civil War's First Battle of Bull Run took place. It was pretty cool to be outside in the sunshine, running, and learning some history. It took us a long time because we kept stopping to read historical markers and look at deer and just enjoy the nature and history. We weren't there to be speedy; we were there to have fun.

The trail is pretty flat. I remember only two real hills, and they weren't that big. They're historical, so you can pretend to be a soldier charging up. Most of the trail is along open fields, so sun protection is a must. When the trail gets close to the actual Bull Run, it gets a little muddy and squishy, so be careful if you're there after it rains. There are some benches and even a picnic table or two, so you could have a very nice day of walking or running and lunch.

There's a small visitor's center with an interactive battlefield map, a book store, and restrooms. The park entry fee is $3 per adult for a 3-day pass.

I found this great map at HikingUpward.com, which is where I learned about this Manassas trail. Hovering over a number will bring up the trail name and a brief description. Clicking on a number will bring you to a new page with more detailed information.

23 March 2008

Cross-posting Love

A little round-up of recent blogging events, for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

At Flaming Tulle we have a new featured bride, so head over there and join us in welcoming her.

Pals Vicky and Lauren told me about a gluten-free restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland, called Lilit Cafe. I ate there weeks ago and finally got around to writing about it at What I Eat.

I've been Yelping quite a bit lately, so if you miss my writing that much, you can check out my reviews there.

Happy Easter!

21 March 2008

The McCain Girls

I started watching, and realized right away where they were going with this. It's a little painful.



Courtesy of Wonkette.

Macbeth at Folger Shakespeare Library

On Tuesday night Mike and I went to see Macbeth at the Folger Shakespeare Library. It's been extended to April 13 and they only have standing room available now, but if you have the chance you should go. It was awesome. One of the producers is Teller, of Penn and Teller, and he's incorporated some terrific illusions into the production.

When I first heard "magic by Teller," I'll admit I was skeptical, expecting flashpots and obvious trap doors. But I watched carefully and couldn't figure out the tricks! And he has a sense of humor with his magic, too. At one point all the actors on stage crowd around a certain area and I thought, "Oh that's so obvious that's where the ghost will come from," but I was fooled! The ghost came from the other side of the stage.

This Macbeth is a very hip, very accessible interpretation. Many of the lines that come off as stuffy Elizabethan in other productions are delivered comically. And Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are making out nearly every time they're on stage together. She was one sexy Lady Macbeth who commands anyone's attention. I liked the stage fighting; Mike thought it wasn't quite violent enough. There was plenty of blood though. They can only spill so much blood onstage before it becomes a hazard for the actors jumping around.

The Weirds were a little scary and the "Double, double toil and trouble" scene was a real show-stopper. Often it's overdone because it's what so many people are waiting for that it's a disappointment. This was certainly overdone, but in a fantastic, loud, musical, over-the-top way that I was staring wide-eyed, not sure if I should laugh or be frightened, or maybe clap and chant along. It was a very satisfying scene.

When we bought tickets, only "partial view" seats were available and we had to buy seats one behind the other. The view was still pretty good, though. I had to lean forward a few times to see the left-most side of the stage, but it's a small stage and a lot of the action happened right in the middle. No one showed up to sit next to Mike so for the second act we sat next to each other. I imaging whoever came in with the standing audience decided that where they stood had an even better view than my vacated seat. I'd say it's worth standing for. Wear comfortable shoes; it's 2 hours and 15 minutes long (including intermission).

If you can't make it to the show or you're a Shakespeare-ophile with no money, you can still visit the Folger Shakespeare Library. They have a small exhibit hall that's free, they do lots of educational programs, and there's a book store. It's a few blocks from the Capital South Metro station.

20 March 2008

Burundi Morning News

I'm in research mode this morning. I don't feel like doing real work yet. I'm tired of all the preparations: paperwork for my new job, studying French, studying African geography, making lists of consumables to pack. So I'm browsing for more Burundi information. There's not a lot out there and there's not a lot I haven't heard yet. But this little tidbit from the CIA World Factbook struck me:
Airports: 8
Airports with paved runways: 1
Airports with unpaved runways: 7

Unpaved runways? That had not occurred to me. If they're not paved, are they dirt? Grass? I suppose there could be at least one water-landing airport on the lake.

Also, what does "sealed" mean in reference to roads? Does that mean paved? Or does it mean something more ominous involving checkpoints of some sort?

On a cheerier note, I also read a bit about the coffee industry. I'm very much looking forward to the coffee, even though I've heard from people on the ground there that I'll have to bring my own CoffeeMate because there's no good cream or half and half. I hate CoffeeMate and other non-dairy creamers. I'm going to bring as many of those irradiated half and half things that you see in hotel dining rooms and convenience store coffee bars. I'm sure I can get them in bulk at Costco.

Image from Lonely Planet.

19 March 2008

Thoughts from the Treadmill

I hate running on a treadmill except for the fact that it lets me turn on my music and zone out safely, ie, without worries of traffic or assailants. I can let my mind wander while I try to ignore the annoying numbers flashing every second and calorie in front of me. I consider it lazy running. Today I didn't want to deal with outside elements, so I took my lazy running butt down to the treadmill and tuned out.

One thing other thing I took from our safety overseas lectures last week was that diet and exercise are important. The stress of adjusting to life in East Africa will be difficult enough even if I'm not carjacked or taken hostage and many people cited their exercise routine as a base for staying sane and working through the stress. I started thinking I should get a regular routine in place before I go, so that working out will be even less of a shock to my system. I talk about running a lot, but my actual doing it has been pretty erratic for a while.

So, thinking of that plus the fact that my thighs are starting to touch each other, I decided I'd better get serious about running again. Yes, it's a well-kept secret of mine that I'm letting out now. Sometimes my thighs rub together. I'm thin, and you wouldn't expect that just by looking at me. You might wonder about it if you hear me walk by wearing corduroy pants. They go up and down, though. During periods of heavy walking and running, they slim down. During periods of massive cheese eating, they go up. And what's odd is I'm not losing or gaining a lot of weight, maybe a pound or two. It's just that the distribution changes.

I wore a skirt last night (we saw Macbeth and it was awesome--more on that later) and I could feel the rub-rub and it had been over 2 weeks since the last time I ran. I knew it was time to get back on my feet. Rubbing thighs should be enough of an impetus for anyone to get up and workout. It's so gross. And I lived for so long without this phenomenon, I can't believe it started happening to me! Not that I totally loved my body when I was 22, but it was a heck of a lot easier to maintain than it is at 32. I should have been more appreciative of my younger body. It's only going to get harder to maintain from here.

I was looking over my poor, sporadic entries on Facebook's RunLogger this morning. I'm a pathetic excuse for a runner. I have to get over how easy it used to be and make it easy again. The only way to do that is to keep running.

So, yeah, my mind wanders quite a bit on that stupid treadmill.

18 March 2008

A Little Vacation

Due to the noisy high-powered fan that's not really drying the carpet as quickly as everyone hoped (see previous post), we were given a second room to sleep in last night and for me to work in today. Our room is so damp and musty smelling now, I wonder if we should move in to this new room permanently. It's like being on vacation! It's just like our old room, only uncluttered with the stuff you collect when you're living somewhere rather than staying somewhere.

17 March 2008

We've Sprung a Leak!

A little over an hour ago I heard some dripping sounds. I half ignored it, thinking it might be someone's tub or shower and I noted the time in case it was still happening an hour later. I started thinking that we've lived in this room for two months now and it doesn't sound like someone nearby using the shower or tub. But I didn't want to be an alarmist and call in something that wouldn't be a problem.

About 30 minutes later I was on hold with our insurance company, pacing the floor, when I stepped in a patch of wet carpet. Okay, time to call the front desk as soon as I get off hold with the insurance company. Waiting, waiting... the wet patch is spreading. Cripes. Finally I talk to an insurance person and she straightens out that problem. (I'll receive a notice in 30 to 45 days to find out if the proper action was actually taken.) Now time for the next problem. I hung up my cell phone with one hand and picked up the hotel room phone with the other and urgently made my plea to the front desk.

Someone from the maintenance team popped in, felt around the floor, heard the dripping, and said, "It's dripping." (If he wasn't George Takai, he had to have been his twin brother.) A few minutes later the dripping was still going on... so they didn't turn off the water, which would have been my first step. A few more minutes go by and a second maintenance guy shows up with a handful of towels. They prove to be not that effective in wiping up water from carpet. So he leaves and comes back later with even more towels. As he's trying to sop up water from the carpet a third guy comes in (who is the regular guy they send to our room--we've had a handful of problems here) with a giant wet-dry vac. Yay, power! He starts sucking up the water and then the first guy shows up again with another wet-dry vac. Our regular guy tells George Takai that he'll take it from here. 

Our regular guy spends a few minutes sucking up the water, then says he'll be back with a giant fan. While waiting for him to get back with the fan, Mike comes home to find the room in damp disarray. He hadn't gotten my voice mails. But he was glad our regular guy was on the case. When he came back with the fan they chatted a bit.

Now the industrial fan is blowing and I'm contemplating finishing my work with the wireless Internet in the lobby.

Iwo Jima in Lego and other stuff

My dad was in town this weekend so we treated him to a tour of tourism delights. Saturday we drove South (in to The South) to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico. It is so awesome. If you have even the slightest interest in American history, you should check this out. The exhibits now focus on WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, because it's the veterans from those wars who are getting older and they wanted to show those folks their exhibits before... you know. They're expanding into more modern events.

It's totally interactive, and fun for kids and grownups. You start off as a Marine recruit, standing in line for the barber's chair and getting on the bus. You can simulate drill instructors yelling. You have to examine a uniform and find the infractions. You can even take a crack at the shooting range.

Then you move through the wars timeline. The exhibits are incredibly realistic. They used as much original machinery (jeeps, planes, tanks, etc.) as possible, and you can smell the oil and grease and mustiness. There's a living room set up where you listen to FDR's radio address about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, complete with a woman who dropped her teacup when she heard the news. You walk through a battle scene at Chosin and the air conditioner is pumped up because it was so cold there. You walk through Khe Sanh and the heat is blasting. Unfortunately the interactive landing at Iwo Jima has been broken, but the docents will still bring you in to the mess and give you a briefing on the invasion. They rotate between displaying the two flags that were raised at Iwo Jima. (The gift shop has the Lego display of the Iwo Jima memorial.)

The museum is free and you don't have to go through the Quantico gate to get to it. There's a mess hall and Tun's Tavern for food. It's just off I-95.

After the museum we headed another 15 miles or so south to Fredericksburg. The sun was warm, the dogwoods were blooming; it was just a great afternoon to be outside. First we stopped in town for lunch at an olde-timey drugstore lunch counter. This place, Goolrick's I think it's called, hasn't changed its format in at least 50 years. You get simple sandwiches, real cherry Coke, and ice cream sodas. And everything is served with a handful of chips and a limp pickle.

After lunch we went to the site of the Battle of Fredericksburg. It was my first Civil War battle site. There's a trail that's a nice short walk with signs along the way to tell you what you're looking at. Suburban sprawl has covered part of the battlefield, but you can still get a sense of what went on. If you feel up to it, you can continue walking up the hill to two cemeteries. One is a family plot that was in place long before the battle took place and some of the original headstones are still there. During the battle it served as a field hospital, due to its thick brick walls. The second cemetery is of Union soldiers who died during the battle. They gathered up the remains and identified as many as possible. Even if they couldn't identify the person, each body got a headstone. It was quite impactful.

Even though we uncovered some pretty grim themes throughout the day, it was a great day. And easy to do without too much time and effort. The Fredericksburg site is also free, so you're only paying for lunch and gas. We left Fall Church at 8:30-ish to hit the museum when it opened at 9:00 (good idea, since on a weekend it fills up quickly with tour busses). We were home from Fredericksburg around 4:00. (Plenty of time for a nap before dinner--which was at Arlington Cinema and Draft House while we watched No Country for Old Men.)

D.C. photos on flickr

12 March 2008

What would you do with...

What would you do with 125 Gillette Sensor razor blades? We put them away to use for 2 years in Africa! Mike just called me from Costco to find out how many blades I use per week. Crickets... I don't know, less than one. Crickets... I'm thinking, I'm thinking... One every other week? I really have no idea and I wasn't prepared to answer that question. When I asked him to buy razors in bulk because he was at Costco, I was only thinking of one box for the near future. At least they don't really spoil, so if we have some leftover when we get back home we can keep using them.

But it's exciting! This is our first major grocery purchase to put away for a rainy (African) day. Every few days something happens that makes the move seem more real and more imminent. We brought the 4Runner home today and then Mike bought the razors. I guess the preparations are becoming more concrete and much less abstract than reading bullet points on a website.

The last two days I've been at a seminar sponsored by Mike's employer on safety and security overseas. After two days' worth of lectures that induced various degrees of boredom, I'm confident that... maybe I should stay home.

No, I'm kidding! I'm still excited to go. But I can't help feeling extra-aware and maybe a little paranoid. Anything that could harm you at home seems even more dangerous and scary in a foreign country. We learned about random street crime, carjackings, hostage crises, sexual assault, kids drowning in swimming pools (because apparently no swimming pool outside the U.S. has a fence around it), espionage, surveillance, natural disasters, bombings, and chemical and biological attacks. Basically, Americans overseas are targets, especially for spies and hostage-takers. So if we see someone coming toward us with either a camera or a gun, we should run in a different direction.

06 March 2008

...A New Car!!

Wooo! Yaaaay! I'm jumping up and down and screaming as if I were on the Price is Right. A new car! Yippeeeeee!

Oh, wait.

It's new to us. It's actually an old beater. Yesterday Mike bought an '88 Toyota 4Runner for bringing to Africa. It's not exactly my dream car but there's something very endearing about it and for some reason it solidifies the fact that we're really making this move. (And I thought our Subaru was utilitarian; it's practically a luxury car compared to the 4Runner.)

The gas cap has a key lock, so no one can siphon our gasoline. (Which is something that hadn't occurred to me until Mike mentioned it.) The front passenger seat is stuck in one position, which is fine for me as the front passenger but will suck for anyone climbing into the back seat. It has a few dings and scratches, so a few more won't be a big deal. When you think rugged African countryside, this is one of the cars you think of. I don't quite feel like Ernest Hemmingway, but I do feel... cool.

My sweet new ride:



Oh, and I got the job I applied for in Bujumbura!