#7 And they're off!!

#7
I am now officially living out of a backpack.
As we all know it's been a little more than warm around the US, including my first stop in DC where it reached over 100 degrees on my first day. What better to do on a day like that then walk around for hours sightseeing.
I did arrive last night to the open arms of the first person I will mooch off of during my trip; Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Tom L. (we'll leave his last name as that in case we end up getting into some trouble which if you know who I'm speaking of know it's a good possibility).
While Tom went to work today I decided to see our nations capitol since I've never been to DC before.
My first stop was a the US Capitol building where I was told to go into another building because our Senator Levin from Michigan might have his office open and then I could get special passes which others could not get. After picking up my passes I headed to the entrance where I was directed for the next 10 minutes through security and put into a group to follow a leader. After following this leader and the group for another 10 minutes we entered the building on a different level that people we could see from below couldn't get too or haven't gone to their senate's office yet. As soon as we entered, a large man in a uniform told me to come with him and that I was not supposed to be there. He then asked me a lot of questions on how I got there; I think he was dissapointed when I could only say I've been following that group like a cattle in his herd. The large man kindly brought me to where I was supposed to be which was in the Senate Gallery which is the area that is shown on TV; you know the channel we quickly pass on the way to something better; a soap, a movie, even a dull commercial. Is it better in real life you ask? Not at all!!! There was a senator talking non-stop with more stuttering than the poor kid in Billy Madison. There were only 3 other senators in the room and two of them were talking to each other during the whole thing. The President (not THE president) of the meeting who he was addressing didn't look like he cared to much about anything today, he was reading notes, talking to other people who came in and out of the room, and I think daydreaming about something good; at least better than what this guy was going on about.
I'll tell you what did impress me. It was the guy who stands and listens to every word that everyone says, not because he's interested but because he has to type the whole thing as they talk. He can't sit and type, he must stand like 6 feet in front of the person and facing them with straps around his neck and this computer in front of him not missing a beat; and all I could wonder was if he writes the stutters when they talk. He often finished typing what they said before they finished saying it.

Museums. I'm not a museum guy, I find it boring overall; I'm sorry I just do. I do like that they have air conditioning though. I don't think most people like them overall, I just think that it is something to do to fill their day while they are on vacation and that way they have something to say they've seen and only have to use real simple words to describe it. It was cool, neat, impressive; you get the idea.
Maybe I just wasn't in the right state of mind, but these museums that they said was good just didn't do much for me, they weren't necessarily bad either. (By the way: they said goes right along with I read somewhere, or someone once told me. These are all very vague and I feel people say these things only when something is unsure or could be bad so they can't get blamed. If it were great and there was no doubt people would want credit for the info or idea and therefore would make sure the person knew where the information came from)

By the way, I won't be writing everyday of the trip, but today was a big day.

When I was getting closer to see the White House I was suddenly following a path with many others and there was no getting off the highly secured path that led you to the gate at least a quarter mile from the white house but where you could see it from the front. Once in front everyone there was mobbed around to take pictures and trying not to get strangers heads in their photos. While I was standing there looking at this large white house with a huge front yard, a large fence around it and plenty of security in the area two ladies walked up to me from that path that we all followed and asked me if THAT was the white house. On that note I had had enough touring and went home (home being Tom's home).

I hope I offended noone who loves museums. Or anyone who saw the white house and didn't know what they were looking at.