Super Storm Sandy

Some of the photographs of the carnage waged by Sandy are just incredible.

Some of these before and after shots say it all.

The waters will recede, the subways will reopen, and life will go back to a new normal.

But images like these tell you that there is a long way to go before all of that happens.

The Coming Storm

I guess this title can refer to the Frankenstorm coming: It's the worst storm in a century! Or the election. Obama's firewall of Wisconsin is coming down.

Or it could come to the disaster befalling the Tigers unless they win. One fan is ready to offer their home for World Series tickets. Ah, Detroit. 

The storm could be a $500 trillion tax cut (thanks, Bidenism!) that is threatening our fiscal stability. It could really be anything.

To the weekend...

Thirteen Days to Go....Thirteen Observations

1. I have absolutely no prediction on how the presidential election will go.  Current polls suggest that Romney retains a small lead, about 50-46 or 50-47. Whether any candidate can translate this into a majority in the electoral college remains to be seen. 
2. Donald Trump and Gloria Allred are both publicity idiots.
3. I don't think the Republicans will win back the Senate, though.
4. I can and can't believe that the media is giving Obama such a pass on botching up Libya. Would not be such a big deal if no one died. No, still would have been a big deal.
5. Napolitano is such a hypocrite and sorry excuse for a DHS Secretary.
6. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is tops in world opinion.
7. I find it interesting that Romney discusses poverty more than Obama. But of course. He knows how to create jobs to bring people out of poverty. Obama just wants to cover up his bad jobs record.
8. I find it remarkable that a newspaper would endorse Obama but keep an interview off the record. While they changed their mind, it took resistance.  Who is hiding what?
9. Most undecideds are in Ohio. No surprise.
10. Will Romney/Ryan lose their home states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts and still win? I guess they could. I wonder if that's unprecedented?
11. OK, I'll guess Dems retain Senate 51-49.
12. I'll guess Romney wins 52-48. But I retain the right to change my mind.
13.Truth on the moderators. The men--Bob Schieffer and Jim Lehrer-were far, far better than Abby Raddatz and Martha Crowley. 

California and Home

Work trips always blend together somewhat, and I'm glad to be back. It was a hectic 48 hours in humid northern California. I ate enough, drank some Peet's, survived two events, and endured 10+ hours on planes. I saw People Like Us, which starred a fantastic Elizabeth Banks. The acting was good, though the plot a bit confused at times. I never figured out what the point was in Chris Pines' corporate bartering problems, and the subtext of the secret sibling relationship seemed weird. All I could think was: Wow, there is now way this single mom is not going to start to have romantic feelings for this mysterious stranger who all of a sudden is being so very nice to both her and her bratty pre-teen son.  It just defied common sense, right? The EW review is right on about how hard it tries to be heartfelt, but just too much was going on.

I also read a lot of the new Melanie Kirkpatrick book on Escape from North Korea. While Nothing to Envy featured tales more from the refugees' perspectives, Kirkpatrick's sensitive description of those rescuers provides another view on this horrible situation.  It's shameful that the U.S. took North Korea off of the terrorist list. The nuclear weapons and the torture of their own people warrants higher scrutiny. I have about 1/4 left to read.

On to the week ahead...Lions tonight, the World Series starts, and one last presidential debate.

Last Night's Debate

Romney blew the Libya answer, no thanks to a botched quote by the biased moderator. His answers on energy and the economy were much stronger. At best it was a draw, but media will want to claim an Obama win. I don't think it will sway many undecided his way.

That was last night's debate reaction...today, I am heartened that Romney still seems to have the lead. Anything can happen...less than three weeks to go.

Girl Time

With Steve gone, I've been catching up with friends. An unexpected dinner on Friday night with Cindy, the White House garden tour with Elizabeth on Saturday, and a fun dinner at Liz's with Ann and Mary on Saturday. I was grateful to have yesterday to veg out watching football and cooking butternut squash lasagna. So good.

So that was my weekend, and with any luck, I'll get another workout in tonight and then have dinner with Katherine tomorrow night, all before going to California later this week. I wish I could say that things were going by fast, but not quite. Not fast enough. Miss husband.

Two Great Victories

I grew up a baseball fan; I'll admit that. I loved the Tigers, and remembering their 1984 World Series victory was a highlight of being a kid. 

Yesterday marked two great baseball victories. For my first Nationals game of the season, I saw a walk off home run by Jayson Werth to force a decisive Game 5 of the NLDS.  And several hours later, Justin Verlander pitched a gem of a complete game shutout to send Oakland packing. He truly is the greatest pitcher in baseball--is there anyone else you'd want on the mound to win a game for you?

So hopefully the momentum of the yesterday won't be a damper on tonight and tomorrow's games. NY and Baltimore are going to have to rebound quickly, and I think that'll be a positive for Detroit.

Go Tigers! (and Nats...for now!)

15 Year Old Self

I saw this on CNN and thought it was neat: What advice would you give to your 15 year self?

I would tell her to embrace being a nerd. Care about the world, and don't care so much about what other 15 year olds think of you in a classroom.

I would tell her you'd make your best friends and college.

I would tell her she was attractive enough and confident enough to meet a boy. She never needed a boyfriend at 15, anyway.

I would tell her to take risks, and don't be so concerned with whatever people think. Because only you can stand up for yourself.

I would tell her it is ok not to be perfect.

And I would tell her that it gets better.

So Bad I Vacation in Detroit

As always, cheery Detroit headlines. Like cops warning people not to enter into the city because it is so risky.  The mayor warning residents that things won't turn around overnight (shocking, I know). The chief of police resigning in a sex scandal. And Detroit residents have lost their faith yet again.

Washington, DC's Building Museum will show an exhibit on the disintegration of Detroit.

The urban worst-case scenario known as Detroit has been compared to Pompeii and circa 1946 Hiroshima. But the erstwhile Motor City wasn’t destroyed by a natural disaster or an atomic bomb. It succumbed to sheer carelessness. It’s as if a major metropolis shriveled in the dryer or rotted in the back of the refrigerator.

While the exhibit is only on view in Washington through February 18, it will be on view in Detroit permanently.

Once again, the city looks to its sports teams. The Tigers need to win, this can be their year. And as my brother pointed out, it could be vs. the Reds or the Nationals. Chances are slim. But it would be something. The conversation needs to change somehow.

Friday Anticipations

There is nothing better than a holiday weekend, particularly when the next two weekends husband is gone and work will be hellish once again.

I am looking forward to...

Quiet Friday night
Saturday football and date night
Frightened Rabbit
Dinner with C&L
Target shopping
Getting in at least three good workouts.
Limited shopping? Columbus Day sales!
Maybe some work around the house
Lounging around when I should be productive
Getting some reading time done
Grocery shopping

Life is too exciting, is it not?

Chicago

What made the work event in Chicago worthwhile was seeing my friends. It was nice to be with friends, hanging out and eating and getting frozen yogurt. Seeing hipster Wicker Park and visiting the Bongo Room (oh what a delicious brunch!) and dinner at Bar Toma. It was nice being with "my" friends for a change, too. And to feel like I was being an ear to listen. 

Life is so hectic sometimes. OK, most of the time.  And it's trendy to say just how busy you are all of the time. But having a Saturday where there was no real agenda was nice. Seeing a friend you had not see for at least five years, wow. And being there for the good times and the bad. Love Chicago. Love it.

Local Flavor

The Post Style section featured a neat profile of Brian Weitz from Animal Collective on his life in the H Street corridor (he lived three blocks from us!). I thought it was interesting that he kept his Hill job while he was starting with the band. You have to pay the bills somehow, right? I also thought it was interesting how rarely he was recognized in DC. Perhaps I've seen him on H Street or Eastern Market, right? I guess this is another indication we're up for the hipsters.

And this is a neat anecdote:

But most interactions have been harmless, even sweet. Weitz remembers the shock of his first encounter with an excited fan. He was buying bagels in Brooklyn when the clerk blurted out a question about Animal Collective’s next gig.
Years later, Weitz was at a Williamsburg bar where Chris Taylor, bassist for the band Grizzly Bear, approached him: “ ‘I don’t know if you remember me, man, but I was working at this bagel place . . .’ ”

And this:

He didn’t always love it. After a Philadelphia childhood (he’s loyal to the Flyers), a Baltimore adolescence and his studies in New York, Weitz says he’s struggled to find his footing in the transience of Washington.
“I just decided if I’m going to be here, I should stop complaining about it and engage,” Weitz says. So he bought a house and signed on as investor in Toki Underground, the ramen shop on H Street NE.
“He’s just very polite, quiet and to himself,” says Erik Bruner-Yang, chef and owner of Toki. “But when he does say something, you should pay attention. . . . He understands the balance between doing what you love and trying to be able to make a living.”