Russian Influences on Music and Dance in America

In order to get in a little exercise and take a break from my desk, I've gotten in to the habit of taking a brisk walk along the hallways of the Library of Congress Madison Building where I work. Every once in awhile I stumble across new exhibits, or people of stature. And so was the case recently when I noticed several interactive screens in the Lobby. Upon closer inspection, the subject matter was all things Russian - specifically, the stories and visual films about dance, Russian music translated into American popular culture, and Russian music in America. My brother has a PhD in Russian, and our last name translated into English is Johnson. I took Russian for less than a week in college and learned how to write my first name, then quickly switched back to French. But I was always intrigued by the stories and films about this wonderful place. I rarely crossed paths with anything of significance when I took walks in Milwaukee. You could say that's a great reason to live and work in DC. 

 

Longworth Post Office - Open the Package First

I needed to mail a package and it is convenient to do so in the House Office Building that is connected via tunnel from The Library of Congress. It wasn't a problem getting it through the security checkpoint this morning in to the Library. But when I wanted to take it to the House Office building, I had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy - and it wasn't. I also thought I should bring some tape with me, but didn't. At the checkpoint in the tunnel the guard asked that I open the package for inspection. He even offered to help me cut the tape. Inside were four children's books I'm mailing to our son's in-laws. I then passed through the tunnel, saw the usual sights, Capitol tour lines, shoeshine, key shop, and interesting architecture. When I reached the Post Office they weren't too happy about letting me use their priority mail tape, even when I asked for priority delivery. That's why the next time we need to mail a package I'll let my husband do it, or I'll need to keep it open until I get to the Post Office. 

Dan Mattes - A Really Nice Guy

It was an odd combination. He was a finance guy and I was a nurse. Our paths crossed about ten or more years ago when I worked for then Covenant, now Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. He was my boss for a couple of years, and always seemed - but really was - interested in whatever I was talking about. He was so proud of his family, and never bragged about anything - and he had a lot to brag about. Once I brought in a Beevis and Butthead remote control to work, and he loved it! We obviously shared a sick sense of humor. I had to call Dan at home to see if he would mind being a reference for the job I now have in Washington. He thought nothing of it, wanted to know all about it, and was so happy to help - because that's how Dan was. So it was with a great deal of sadness that I learned the news of his passing this weekend. First I heard about it on Facebook, then through an email from folks I used to work with. He was only 46. I could only think about what his family had to be feeling, because I felt so very awful. These are the kind and dear people we left in Wisconsin. Living in Washington makes us think about them more, but in this case, unfortunately under such awful circumstances. All I know is that Dan will be remembered as a really nice guy, and I am so glad to have known him. 

Celebrate and Remember Veterans Day

Brita Water Pitcher Filter

About a year ago we bought a water pitcher. The only reason we had to buy one was because the water here in DC tastes awful, our three year old GE refrigerator quit making ice cubes and water in spite of our best efforts to fix it, and we don't exclusively like to use bottled water. But along with a water pitcher comes the need to change the filter, which seems to be more frequent than not. We need a lot of filters...for a Keurig one cup and a generic coffee pot, the refrigerator that doesn't work, and for this. Usually we try to order them all together from Amazon. But we ran out of one and didn't need the others, so picked up some replacement filters at the Home Depot. If you mind a little bit of charcoal in your water, the first two pitcher fulls should be dumped, but it's a hassle to stand around and refill these things. What did people do before all of this? I suppose you drank whatever came out of the faucet and lived with it. Not such a bad idea. 

Supreme Court Garden

For as long as I can remember, there has been construction going on around the Supreme Court - in particular on both the North and South sides, and the just completed front facade. I'm sure it has a lot to do with general wear and tear as well as security, but the end result on the South side is a wonderful garden. And the same is planned on the North side, but because it faces Constitution Avenue, a lot more security barricades are being constructed. When we took a walk on this brilliantly sunny day, it was the first time the wooden walls that surrounded the construction area were finally gone. So we strolled through the beautifully landscaped area, complete with marble benches to sit and contemplate... though today they were a tad cold! The gardens around Capitol Hill are always enchanting as anything that ever wanted to grow can be grown here. But with that comes allergies, and every time we walk outside, my husband gets to enjoy the scenery, but unfortunately can't easily forget it either. This season has been extraordinarily awful on allergy sufferers. But I can't say we can blame it completely on DC. It started in Milwaukee, and keeps getting worse here. But it sure is pretty!

Home Depot Big Purchases

It was a day for major purchases so we had to head out to Home Depot. We decided to take the scenic route on the George Washington Parkway towards Mount Vernon. Then we swung back up to the main drag and the busy highway and reached our destination. Everyone is always so helpful at the store. We were in search of a replacement toilet seat and cover. In Milwaukee, we did two major bathroom renovations and used only Kohler products. Here, we just needed a simple replacement. So we had pictures and measurements and had quite a variety to pick from... we couldn't believe how cheap they were! After checking out the assortment we decided on a product from a company in Wisconsin. Close enough! Then we headed to the picture hanging department as I was in need of Velcro to use to hang my dog art at the Wagtime "gallery wall." I use the heavy duty stuff because the portraits are in the front window where it can get very hot or very cold, and so far the Velcro works best on the foam board. The last stop was in the filter department - we needed Britta water pitcher filters. Usually I order them from Amazon because we need so many filters for so many things and try to order them all at the same time, especially since the minimum order amount has increased for free shipping. It wasn't really a day for major purchases, but I feel like we accomplished a great deal in one day! It doesn't take much, and we had a great ride doing it.