philadelphia

A raven sculpture outside the Poe National Historic Site in Philly.  I never made it inside while it was open from my training in August, but I’d really like to go back.  This is the bicentennial of Poe’s birth, and we’ll have a grand celebration in Baltimore, too, I’m sure.  How cool would it be to get to travel up and down the coast to the cities he’s called home?

I’ve had Poe on the brain lately. I have re-memorized “The Raven” just, well, because. If you’re interested in his death, I’d recommend Matthew Pearl’s The Poe Shadow.  It contains some “original research” into Poe’s mysterious death in Baltimore, 160 years ago this month.

You should see all the Poe toys I’ve collected. Rather, I should take some pictures of them.

For Photo Friday: Athletic.

Back from a week for training in Philly.  I slept for almost eight hours last night like, well, like a stone at the bottom of Walden Pond.  I actually had a lot of fun, learned a lot, met some nice people, got charged up for my “year of service” and got to explore Philly a bit.  Among my other adventures, I broke a Teva, rather than my foot, walking to a cool bookstore in the dark with my mind on musty volumes.  I have to get new sandals before reporting to my office Monday.  But it beats, you know, having a broken foot or toe[s].  And I have to get my bike all commuter-ready this weekend.  I think I might finally put that milkcrate on.  I don’t know.  It would make changing a tire harder.  But that stinky Slime did last week.  I’ll write about that on the bike blog.

Don’t have a whole lot I have to do this weekend, which is awesome. You should see the stack of books we bought on our travels. Or how much coffee I drank in Philly. I was so dehydrated that I drank a wine bottle of water before bed last night and didn’t have to pee this morning. I know you want to hear about my urinary tract. Right.  I haven’t had spicy food since Monday!  Need.  Peppers.  You should also see my pepper crop.  Holy hot sauce!  I am getting a new camera for my birthday, if heads have to roll.  Too many of the photos from our trips didn’t turn out.  Thank you, and good day to you.

Also for Photo Friday: Garden.

For training until Friday around dinner time.  I know that’s New York in the photo.  I didn’t go to Philly yet.  I was asleep on the train both times we passed through last week, too.  Turns out I didn’t have much time to format and post photos from our traveling last week.  I will, though my “year of service” starts the Monday after I get back (one week from today, that is) and though I really don’t fancy spending that weekend on the computer.

There’s an issue with my tickets, that being that they were delivered but disappeared, all while I was away, despite providing another address and despite the fact that said carrier was supposed to get my frikkin signature and obviously didn’t.  There’s another reservation for me, but I’m nervous that there will be crap about it.  So I’m getting to the train station with more time to kill than my trip will actually take.  I have a lot of good books to read and haven’t had time to read lately.  So I’m very Okay with this.

I was told by three people today that my hair has gotten too wild and needs to be cut.  I think this is funny.

I wonder what the reaction of my assigned roommate this week will be to the idea that I don’t use deodorant or toothpaste in the usual sense.  I wonder if he will want to try my peppermint soap or my baking soda.

I get to put some miles on my Klean Kanteen that someone who is very nice bought me two weeks ago.  I like to take tap water from one city to another.  I once had a canteen of grotto water that I kept for a year or two, taking sips of the sweet stuff from time to time.  I still have this canteen, though it’s plastic and has seen better days.  I like the water in Baltimore city.  It is a grotto in its own right.  The water fountain at Druid Hill Lake is my favorite in the world.  Right now.

I am tired and stressed out.  This VISTA thing requires a hell of a lot of paperwork, online paperwork and a lot of rules.  They make sense and all.  It’s just a lot to remember.  I will not convert anyone to my religion (whatever that is) or campaign.  Okay.  I can handle this.

I think the coffee I just drank is putting me to sleep.

Be back Friday, if there is no peep tomorrow before I leave.