OMG...

Work has been a mess. For those of you who are reading and are project managers on software, please test the system in a live environment, not just staging, before you implement it. Your help desk will like you for it.

Yet another thing to add to my resume...

I've joined the Society of American Archivists now too. Since I volunteer, and I'd like to do more work professionally in archives and libraries than I do now, I figured it was time to sign up.

Remedial Reading...

I just finished Nelson's Trafalgar. I had started it a while ago, put it down, stuff came up and then I found it again. I'm glad I did.

Overall it was a good popular history of the Battle of Trafalgar. I would have liked to have seen footnotes, but the sources were rather solid and I did enjoy the first person accounts of the battle by the sailors who fought it. That's something that has been lacking in popular history books, an embrace of the available primary source material. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book took advantage of the excellent libraries and archives in Europe that had letters, diaries and official documents relating to the battle and its participants.

Well, now I have something else to add to my resume...

I joined the American Library Association today.

Whoopie!

Ice Station Zebra...

Well, no snow, but ice on the 13th and 14th. 5 inches of sleet at the house. That's right, SLEET. I didn't go into work yesterday but cleaned off the driveway and my car. That was an experience. It's cold and windy today.

The government shut down at 2pm in the DC Area Tuesday, which was great, except that the MARC trains west didn't begin to travel in any frequency until 3:35pm. I tried to get out early to make the 1:45pm train, but missed it. So I had to cool my jets at Union Station in Washington, DC. I caught the 3:35 though, along with a ton of other people. It was standing room only all the way to Germantown. We left 40 people on the platform at Rockville, MD who wanted to board but we had no more room.

Nevertheless, I got home, got comfy and waited for the storm to begin.

Happiness...

Is a warm bed.

(Insert theme from...)

Oh, let's say Airport...

Why?

Because we are all gonna die. That's right everyone, there's a Significant Winter Storm approaching us.

Yes, time for the local TV stations to gear up for their usual hype-fest that is a snowstorm in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area. If you can watch Washington-Baltimore local news I can guarantee the following:

The will be hyping the storm now. (Sunday) Two days before we are expected to deal with it.

There will be one reporter at a salt dome. The shot will be set up so they have highway trucks getting loaded up with salt/sand mixtures behind them. Very dramatic.

There will be at least one reporter at a supermarket.

There will be one reporter at a home supply/hardware store.

There will be a reporter out in the snow talking to people who are out.

There will be footage of cars off the road or wheels spinning.

There will be at least 1 segment with a meteorologist on a "weather terrace" or outside in the elements.

Kim added a good one I forgot: Someone with a ruler outside or one of the field reporters using a ruler for their segment. Thanks Kim!

Hunker down everyone and remember my favorite movies for a snowstorm: Airport, Ice Station Zebra and The Empire Strikes Back

Note: That's the ORIGINAL Airport not the 75, 77 or 79 versions. While Charlton Heston is fun to watch, it's just not the same as Dean Martin as a pilot...seriously people...DEAN MARTIN!!! Accept no substitutes.

Hmmm...

I'm not a really religious person, but I do have a thing for this hymn. And I may go see this movie.

Dude...

You're not even supposed to be here today!

Seriously, this train is not supposed to be in this convenience store.

Put THAT in Clerks Mr. Kevin Smith!

OMG...

It is COLD!

There's ice on the Potomac and it was 4...that's right 4 this morning at Frederick.

In other news...

This weekend was the train show in Timonium. I worked the B&ORRHS tables both days. That was ok, hard on my feet but ok. We did very well. It was the first show we did that allowed credit card sales and nearly 50% of our sales were on plastic.

Sunday was of course the Superbowl. I went to an excellent party hosted by Kim and Todd. (Great cupcakes, but I could only eat one...too much junk food=problems.) The Bears couldn't cover and Grossman fell apart. Well, better luck next year.

My prediction: at Bears' training camp this summer; Rex Grossman will not earn the starting job.

Oh yah...fer shure...

YAY!

This is great!