March 31, 2004
Power
Current flowing to and fro, makes a circuit of Electricity, Electricity. Voltage is the pressure that makes it go. It's pushin' uh...Electricity, Electricity... Watts will tell you just how much You'll be usin' Uh...Electricity, Electricity.
Don't you just love Schoolhouse Rock?
March 30, 2004
March 29, 2004
Street Parking
If you can't lock 'em out, give 'em nothing to steal. Parking in Dupont Circle is a nightmare—I circled nearby blocks for nearly half an hour the other day before I finally found a spot—but I haven't seen much evidence of break-ins or theft around here. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this is not true elsewhere in D.C. This sounds a bit like an urban legend, but a friend of a friend of a friend supposedly used to leave her car unlocked in a certain neighborhood where she lived because that was the only way to keep the windows from being broken by people trying to get inside. Is this why they call it city living?
March 28, 2004
Spring!
This work, apparently by a creative welder, sits in a little flower bed near the corner of New Hampshire and S streets NW in D.C., and even the daffodils must bow to its simple force.
All over town it seems the trees and flowers are just exploding with color. 
Perhaps it's just because the winter has seemed so long and grey, or perhaps spring really is a little more colorful in D.C. because of the variety of trees here, but for whatever reason, the colors seem vivid and abundant. These photos don't really capture it, but many times in the past week I've glanced up at a tree exploding in bloom against the backdrop of the blue sky and it has reminded me of nothing so much as the fiery burst of a firecracker high in the sky.
Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but it will take a photographer better than me to show you what I'm talking about. 
Bottom line: Spring in D.C. is a wonderful thing. If you ever consider visiting the city, this time of year would be a good time. Partly because of that, the National Cherry Blossom Festival has begun. If I make it down to the National Mall soon, I'll try to get a good shot or two.
March 27, 2004
Sunset, Dupont Circle
I haven't seen that many sunsets since moving to the city -- too many buildings blocking the view of the low horizon where all the color is. I miss them. On the bright side, when you see fewer sunsets, each one seems more beautiful.
March 26, 2004
Democracy 2.0
Yesterday, Howard Dean endorsed John Kerry for President. I wasn't able to make it into the rally at the GW University campus—I was there, I just couldn't get in. But that's ok, I wasn't really excited about seeing that spectacle. This just makes me sad. But that's ok. After the big spectacle w/Kerry, DC for Dean held its own little rally with the Gov. that was much more fun. It was in a small church downtown and there were probably only 100 people there, so I was able to get quite close, as the above picture shows. Dean was happy and relaxed and it was nice to hear him explain in a more candid way his vision for the future and his support of Kerry. Some kids in front of me scrambled through the crowd and had him sign the covers of the Rolling Stone magazine that featured Dean's picture. Now why didn't I think of that?
March 25, 2004
SCOTUS
The plaza in front of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) fills with people, police, and reporters after the court adjourns.
A visit to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) involves a lot of waiting. On a normal day—one where the cases the court is hearing aren't exceptionally well-publicized or controversial—you should plan to arrive by 8 a.m. at the very latest. Be sure to get a number from the guards near the front of the line, then wait. The waiting is exceptionally fun because the sun rises behind the Court building, ensuring you'll stand in the shade for at least part of the time. Think "cold." At around 9:15 or 9:30, the guards will let the first 50 people into the Court. If there's space (i.e., if a group w/reservations doesn't bring the numbers it reserved space for), the guards might let another handful of people in from the line, but it didn't happen the day I was there. I had number 59, so I didn't make the first cut. I arrived at 8 a.m.; if you really want to make sure you get in, arrive earlier.
Arguments begin at 10 a.m. and again at 11 a.m., so if you miss the first cut, you can wait and hope some people leave after the first argument so you can get in for the second. That worked for me; they let 25 people in at about 10:40. It felt great to get inside out of the cold! Plus, the building itself is beautiful (at right is the ceiling in the entryway), so there's plenty to entertain once you make it in. We waited until 11:10 or so, when we were finally ushered into the little chairs at the very back of the courtroom to watch the Justices and attorneys do their thing. Very cool. Highly recommended if you visit D.C.
March 24, 2004
excess
Spring is a time for ice cream, right? But must we have the candy sprinkles and chocolate wafflecone bowls? Of course!
March 23, 2004
spring purple
Spring means flowers in our neighbor's front yard but not in ours. These may be crocuses, but then again, they may not be.
Meta: Shutterbabe says she's not "a macro of flowers kind of gal," (in the 3.19.04 entry). I understand that, except... flowers are so pretty! And, more important, they're easy for novices to make acceptably nice pictures of.
March 22, 2004
jyoti
If you're in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of D.C., you can't beat Jyoti (scroll down) for great (and relatively cheap) Indian food. Their chana masala is the bees knees. L. and I went there Saturday to celebrate her current and future success as a writer, details about which she has sworn me to secrecy, but you can congratulate her anyway.
Meta: As you can see, I'm really just a snapshooter; sometimes my snapshots work, other times not. After only two weeks of posting daily photos, I can say that this project has had many benefits so far, but the best is that I'm already starting to look at the world a little differently. I'd like to say I always have one eye on the lookout for good shots, but that would be an exaggeration. However, I do keep my camera with me, and as close to hand as possible, much more of the time these days. I have no great ambition to become an accomplished photographer, but I do hope the practice will make even my snapshots a little more enjoyable to look at.
March 21, 2004
sElph Portrait
Your ambivalent photographer says hello. And welcome to the newly-redesigned ambivalent images. Important changes: The date and title are now in the title bar of your browser, and the header graphic is a slice from this picture. Let me know if you have any thoughts. I like the colors, but I wonder if it's all just a bit too busy and distracting for a site that's theoretically supposed to focus on the images. Thanks to rodolfo and a photolog's "about movabletype" page for ideas.
March 20, 2004
RDB Chewbacca
If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must vote for Bush this November. But wait, that does not make sense! Even this Super Deformed Chewbacca can't understand it. I guess we'll just have to RDB instead.
March 19, 2004
Political Evolution 2000-2004
It looked like tweedledee and tweedledum in 2000, but boy, did that turn out to be a mistake. We suffered for two years while just about every Democrat rolled over and played dead, then in 2003, Howard Dean came along to give voice to the fact that tweedledum is destroying America. And now, well Dean's no longer in the running, but it's A New Day! Welcome to Democracy for America! It's time to ReDefeat and/or Pink Slip Bush.
March 18, 2004
All Lights "Go" for Dean
Howard Dean didn't win the Democratic nomination, but he may have done something better by gathering and mobilizing a movement of progressive voters. Today he'll announce what comes next for the organization. (It looks like it's going to be called "Democracy for America."
March 17, 2004
Drivetrain II
The super-neato Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub is supposedly sealed, but it's certainly starting to sound like it's full of sand or something. Not a good sign as the spring biking season begins. Still, it's too cool to criticize too much. Can you shift through all the gears on your bike while sitting at a stop sign?
March 16, 2004
Drivetrain
After a winter of daily commuting rides through the often wet, always grimy, and sometimes salted streets of downtown D.C., my bike's drivetrain is now a little worse for wear.
March 15, 2004
Monopoly Rejects
These poor pieces were not chosen to play on game night. The wheelbarrow, thimble, and cannon I understand, but leaving the car in the garage and the horse in the stable!? What is the world coming to?
March 14, 2004
Beat Bush Game Night
We played Monopoly at an ABB (Anybody But Bush) fundraiser last night at a friend's house in Arlington, VA. We made $560 to Redefeat Bush! I thought ti was a little funny to be playing Monopoly, because to me, Monopoly seems like a Republican game—the richest player wins! Of course, the game was supposedly invented "at the height of the depression" by Charles P. Darrow, but does that mean it's not Republican? Anyway, it appears the Darrow story is highly contested. Was Monopoly really invented by a woman? Read all about the ongoing litigation here.
March 13, 2004
Franklin's Friday Firkins
L. and I had dinner last night at Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery, and General Store in Hyattsville, Maryland (close to where L. works). Like this review says, "Franklin's is a hoot," with a quirky menu, decor, and these novel but tasty beers they serve on Fridays. A "firkin" is a "small wooden barrel or covered vessel," so I assume these beers are specials the brewers create in small quantities and serve only on Fridays. Highly recommended if you're ever in Hyattsville.
March 12, 2004
Angel Fish
L. has had this Angel Fish in her aquarium for something like five years now. His friends don't like the camera so much, but he doesn't seem to mind it. (UPDATE: Ok, this isn't an angel fish, it's some kind of Gourami (either a blue or opaline, I think). Sorry about that. I don't know my fishes.)
March 11, 2004
Poop Scoop
These signs are all over our neighborhood, and I assume they're all over D.C. Ah, the joys of having a dog in the city! (Do people who don't have dogs even notice these little signs?)
