ambivalent images

Blossoms on Bark

Cherry blossoms sprouting directly from the trunk of a tree at the Tidal Basin. I took this yesterday and the cherry trees are currently in about peak bud so if you're around today or this weekend and can make it down, I highly recommend it.

halo

The sign for halo, a bar or restaurant or club-like thing on P St. NW between 14th and 15th Streets. We were in the neighborhood last week to see “Fat Pig” (an excellent performance!) and I just thought this sign was cool.

Do Not Cut the Roses

A rose bush sans bush and roses. This spiky branch was in a flower bed along with many other similar branches sticking up into the cool spring air. The flower bed was infested with signs asking people to refrain from cutting the roses (click thumbnail at right to see one of the signs). I just found the scene amusing because at this point I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to cut these roses, and also because they look like they've already been cut to within an inch of their lives. I'm sure those signs make a lot more sense in the summer when the roses are in bloom.

Bike Valet Parking

Valet parking for bicyclists attending the Cherry Blossom Festival. I'm sorry this is such a bad picture, but I just couldn't pass this up. Will I ever see such a thing again?

George Mason

A statue of George Mason, one of the least known “founding fathers” of the United States and namesake of George Mason University, which is having quite a run right now w/its basketball team.

This statue sits behind the Jefferson Memorial in the shadow of the 14th Street Bridge to Virginia.

Cherry Blossomlets

Delicate unopened blossoms on a cherry tree at the Tidal Basin. The National Cherry Blossom Festival officially started yesterday, but the trees are still a few days away from peak bloom. I took the above picture earlier today, along with the smaller one at right showing one of the blossoms fully opened (click to enlarge). It's too bad the peak blooming isn't going to be on a weekend, but I'm thinking that next Saturday might actually not be too bad to see the blossoms because most of them still have quite a way to go before they're fully open. But who knows? Maybe once they get to this point they go the rest of the way pretty fast.

I'll be heading back down once or twice more this week to try to capture the full monty and will post more if I do. For now, I've posted a few more photos on Flickr.

The Presidents Call Box

Another of the historic call boxes in the Kalorama neighborhood of D.C. I didn't find this one as interesting, but it's colorful and someone else might like it, so here you go.

Click the thumbnail at right to enlarge and read a blurry bit of explanation about this callbox painting.

Women of Influence Call Box

A painting inside an old emergency call box in the Kalorama neighborhood. The call boxes were the 18th century's version of a 911 emergency system:

The boxes, typically cast-iron, approximately 4-foot-tall structures topped by a gas burner, were used by citizens and law-enforcement officials to report fires and crimes; upon activation, the boxes would transmit an alarm to the appropriate emergency office and flash a red signal-light. In the 1920s, the gas lamps were removed from many call-boxes and the alarms became electrically powered. With the advent of the 911 system 50 years later, the boxes became obsolete, and many were destroyed. But in Washington, D.C.—where, in 1926, the amount of functional boxes reached an all-time high of 12,371—hundreds remained standing, and preservationists became interested in the future of the sculptural structures. Now, a D.C. neighborhood group is campaigning to transform the unused, weather-beaten boxes into art-installation pieces.

If you click on the little thumbnail above right you should be able to read the text explaining the meaning of the painting in this particular call box. I thought it was interesting because it points out where Justice Sandra Day O'Connor lived in the neighborhood at some point.

Embassy of Iceland

The coat of arms outside the Embassy of Iceland in the Kalorama neighborhood.

Our New House Not

A big house for sale in the Kalorama neighborhood of DC. L. and I wandered over there on a walk the other day and couldn't believe what we found—a little enclave of huge houses like this,all w/finely manicured yards and big expensive cars in garages and driveways. Something like this located so close to downtown DC must cost a mint.

Monkeys on the Zoo

Kids play and pose on the big concrete “zoo” letters at the National Zoo. At right is a shot of the crowd at the entrance to the zoo about two weeks ago (click to enlarge). The weather was gorgeous that weekend and people were out and about taking advantage of it. Today? It snowed. Oh, and wasn't yesterday the first day of spring? The weather is so screwy sometimes...

Visa = Risk

An ad inside the Gallery Place Metro station. When I saw this I couldn't believe it—Visa is advertising itself as risky! And what's shocking about that is that it's so honest. If you take on too much credit card debt, you're risking your entire future b/c credit card companies have managed to get so much legal protection there's almost no way to get out of paying back that debt (declaring bankruptcy won't get you off the hook anymore). Meanwhile, they will continue to charge you unconscionable amounts of interest until your debt is all paid off. So yeah, using Visa is substantially risky. I'm just surprised such a greedy franchise would be so honest in its advertising.

Honor, Mourn V

At the corner of 18th and K St. NW: The regularly-updated display of the number of U.S. soldiers killed and wounded so far in Iraq. The U.S. invasion of Iraq started three years ago and we've been at war there ever since. In the U.S. people expressed their displeasure at the war by marching in the streets.

Previously in this series:

1. Dec. 23, 2005
2. Aug. 15, 2005
3. March 07, 2005
4. Dec. 18, 2004
Posted by mowabb at 08:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Our St. Patrick's Day meal. This was my first attempt at cooking corned beef and cabbage, but it turned out so well I'll probably be making it again. I used this crock pot recipe, but instead of cooking the cabbage in the same pot with the meat and potatoes I just steamed it for a few minutes right before serving. The combo of fresh, juicy, slightly crunchy cabbage with your super-flavorful and tender meat and potatoes is an excellent one. And, as Chicagoist suggested, it does all go great with a good stout beer.

A Few Good Men rock wall

The distinctive rock wall across the street from the Airy View apartments. Just in case you didn't believe from the photo yesterday that the Airy View apartments appeared in “A Few Good Men,” I also took a shot of this wall. Compare it to the scene in the movie where the camera looks at Tom Cruise from the perspective of his buddy who is on the steps of the apartments. That's the wall!

Yeah, I know I'm the only one who thinks this is cool. I'm done now.

Oh, but thinking about this movie: How much is just about everyone in the Bush administration just like the Jack Nicholson character? Basically all they ever say is, “You can't handle the truth!”

A Few Good Men at Airy View

The Airy View apartments on 20th St. NW. I've wanted to take and post this picture for a long time because I pass by these apartments all the time and have always thought it was an interesting building. However, what really grabbed my attention was when I was watching “A Few Good Men” a while back (it's got some great trial scenes) when I saw the Airy View apartments on the screen! The small picture at right is a photo of the movie on pause; if you compare the two, I think you'll agree that the Airy View was used as a scene in the movie. This comes about a third of the way through the movie when the Tom Cruise character is getting ready to visit Guantanamo and he's walking with his colleague who is pushing a baby in a stroller as they talk about the case.

I know this is no big deal, but I think it's cool. It's not everyday you're watching a movie and suddenly see your own neighborhood on the screen.

The Rapture Is Not An Exit Strategy

A bumper sticker on a sign in the middle of Connecticut Ave at R St. NW.

Busy Borders

Every cash register is busy at Borders. This was on a Thursday at the the 18th & L St. NW location downtown. I was there picking up one of the last books I'll ever have to buy for law school.

Beer Box Hat

The Beer Box cowboy hat: A fashion statement that just might get you a free drink.

I actually thought this hat was great and also perfect for the Idiotarod, which is where I took this pic.

Idiotarod DC

A crazy cart team heads off to the first stop in the DC Idiotarod. It seemed like a good time was had by all. Many more photos available here.

Awesome Photo Elsewhere: Sirius In Pines

Thinking of Glue?

A large popsicle-stick sculpture in the atrium at Connecticut and L St. NW. The sculpture is by Malcolm Halley and it's called “Thinking of You.” I thought a more appropriate name might have been “Thinking of Glue,” but then, that's probably why I'm not an artist.

Ambivalent Images Turns Two

The Snowy Range in southern Wyoming. My sister took this picture during a hike we took with my mom in about July or August, 2003, the summer I first moved to DC and the summer before I started law school.

As of today, ambivalent images has existed for exactly two years. I chose this photo to mark the day for a couple of reasons. First, my sister just sent it to me to remind me how beautiful Wyoming is. After two years of taking pictures mostly in and around D.C., I appreciate Wyoming's particular beauty all the more.

But the other reason this is a good 2-year-anniversary photo is that I hope it foreshadows a year of similarly spectacular views. For the last few days I was seriously considering calling an end to this little experiment. After posting one photo every day for 730 days, the whole thing can easily begin to lose its charm. And yet, the very monotony of it, the habit, is what makes it worth doing. And as L. reminded me, the coming year is going to to bring all kinds of change and I'm definitely going to be taking photos of all that, so why not continue posting them?

So, continue I will. At least for now. I'm not sure if I can make it another complete year; once I start working a “real” job I have no idea if I'll have anything to shoot or any time to post. Time will tell.

For now, it's fun for me to look back on the last two years via the photos I've posted here, and I hope you have enjoyed one or all of them and will enjoy more in the future. As I said at this time last year, I'm very thankful to everyone who has visited the site and especially to those who return regularly and who comment now and then. Your comments make the whole thing worthwhile, so keep them coming whenever the urge strikes!

Plecostomus

The plecostomus in L's aquarium as it was feeding the other day. After having some of her fish for close to 8 years (a very long life for freshwater aquarium fish, I'm told), this hearty fellow is now one of only two fish left in the tank.

G Vogue

Young G, our friends' daughter, strikes a pose at the National Gallery. Ain't she sweet?

D A D A

The DADA exhibit sign at the National Gallery of Art. It's a great show; highly recommended if you're around while it's here (until May 14). The Dadaists seemed to be having a great time attempting to create their own little revolution in art and culture and basically giving the finger to the status quo.

Brushstrokes

A closeup of Roy Lichtenstein's brushstrokes in “Painting with Statue of Liberty, 1983.” At right is the ID tag for the painting so you can get all the details.

I've long been a huge Lichtenstein fan. He was such a master of precision and satire. My main complaint is that he seemed unaware of or unconcerned with the politics of his work, going so far as to say:

“I paint my own pictures upside down or sideways. I often don't even remember what most of them are about. I obviously know in the beginning what I'm painting, and that it will be funny or ironic. But I try to suppress that while I'm doing them. The subjects aren't what hold my interest.”

Is it just me, or is this pretension at lack of pretense highly pretentious?

EBM II

A full view of Calder's “East Building Mobile” from the third floor of the National Gallery's East Building. I really love the light and color in this space.

Calder: East Building Mobile

Looking down on the mobile from the third floor balcony in the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. At right is the mobile as seen from the lowest floor. The last time I took pics at the National Gallery this mobile was out for cleaning and renovation and I had to settle for taking pictures of its miniature version. The real thing is incredible to see.

Polygraph

The output of a polygraph exam in progress. The big peak on the left in the third line from the top is where the pre-planned lie was.

I took this during my “Forensics and the Law” class last week when an FBI polygraphist visited our class to sing the praises of the polygraph. It was fairly fascinating to hear all about these tests from someone who does not question their value or validity in the least. He bragged that the polygraph is a “springboard to confession,” virtually admitting that the whole point of it for purposes of law enforcement is to intimidate interrogation subjects into making confessions. While this polygraphist described the process as nicely as possible, I've seen videotaped polygraph exams and know they can be very harrowing for the subject. In fact, the polygraphist said that the procedure can be so stressful that the FBI has a policy of not testing pregnant women unless absolutely necessary.

I should have asked him how he felt about being a thug, but I don't think he would have understood the question.

Thermostat

A thermostat without its cover inside GW's Lisner building.

Dropped Drop Ceiling

The “guts” of the ceiling in GW's Lisner building. The nice drop ceiling that usually hides all these internals from view has been removed for purposes of asbestos removal. This is all part of a law school expansion plan that will include “the addition of a food vendor on the 1st floor and a student conference center on the 2nd floor.” These are all very welcome changes for a school that currently seems to be packed to the gills.