I Didn't Need to See Your Pajamas, Thank You

It's good to be back in Atlanta.

I spent last week in Washington, D.C. attending Sharepoint training. Actually I was in Reston, VA, 30 minutes to the west, but it's within the Metro area. My plan ticket even says Dulles Airport, Washington, D.C., but Dulles is in Virginia, not D.C.

Anyhoo. The worst part of flying is going through security. And that's for domestic flights; I can't imagine the horror of going through customs. Once aboard my flight to Dulles I couldn't help notice the young family to my left. Because I had to listen to their daughter's music for most of the flight. Over the jet engines. She'll probably be deaf in a few years. I don't know what kind of music that was, but it sounded like someone in severe pain accompanied by guitars and drums. I think she was around eight years old. The girl on the plane, not the person in pain (hey, I made a rhyme!).

On the flight back I noticed a woman pushing a baby stroller talking to some people she was traveling with. She asked someone if her baby looked like "Robert". She didn't think so. Someone asked if she missed "Robert". Yes, but she tried not to think about it, because it made her cry. Her, and and her young approximately 12 year old traveling companion were dressed in what appeared to be pajamas. I won't be more specific, but 'twere skanky. She looked like she were hunting for a "Robert Replacement".

After walking up the steps to the Lincoln memorial, I stood staring off at the Capitol dome far in the distance, watching the barely clad tourists come walking down the National Mall. You can't stand in the Lincoln memorial without thinking reverent thoughts of how the United States began, founded by men who seem a thousand times better than, well... I won't go there. But men with character, who had seen troubles and trials and developed an unshakeable faith in God.

But I digress. I think the D.C. area is one of the nicest cities I've ever traveled to. And I've been to, let's see...

- Des Moines, Iowa
- Chicago, IL
- Newark, NJ (gag)
- New York, NY
- Cincinatti, OH

Maybe I liked D.C. because it was warm. I traveled to Chicago, Newark, New York, and Des Moines in the cold winter months. Des Moines has a nifty walkway between all the downtown buildings (and Chicago does in parts), so you can walk around without going outside, 'cause if you go outside your nose will fall off. And that's if you're lucky. It's that cold.

But back to D.C. The views from Arlington Cemetery were spectacular. Traffic was a breeze even at rush hour (coming East from Reston; compared to Atlanta, anyway). The city was beautiful. The weather was perfect. And I love history, which D.C. has in spades. You could spend a month visiting all the sites, from civil war battlegrounds, memorials and landmarks, to all the (14?) Smithsonian museums (with free admission!).

Maybe another trip is in order, with the kiddies.

But hold the pajamas, if you please.