D.C. was a lot of fun. Meeting everyone was great. They were really good,fun people. I walked around a whole bunch. Didn't do nearly close to everything I wanted to do. There's so much to see! I walked around the National Mall and just enjoyed the experience of being there. I went to the Holocaust Museum which was very emotional and interesting. The architecture of that place is astounding. It matches the era of WWII but also evokes images of the camps. There's one part that you walk through that has all the pictures of these happy looking people in this small town. You walk through it once just appreciating the different images of everyday life. One had a woman with somebody dressed as Mickey Mouse bending on his knee in front of her. It was so cute. Then you walk through it again and see another plaque that tells you that all of the people in this town were murdered by the Nazis. Several people including myself just went pale and had tears in their eyes at this. Seeing images of skinny people in striped clothing at these concentration camps is something that all of us grew up seeing. You almost don't see them as as actual people. But the impact of all these pictures showing them as families, couples, friends....it hits you hard.

The part that was devoted to Anne Frank also made me cry since I've felt close to her memory all my life. Her lines in the diary about believing everyone is good at heart is just heartbreaking to me. Her words so eloquent and heartfelt. To think of that lost potential... They had one room where there were empty frames hanging on a wall to symbolize the many artists that were snuffed out. The children of the many that were killed who could have helped the world so much.

So, yes, it was a powerful place to visit.

I should have the pics back in a couple days and will post them in my flickr account that is linked over there on the right.

The message that I sent Jim on myspace... well, the gooberhead doesn't read his messages that much because of all the spam. So I c&p'd it into an email and sent it a few minutes ago. I had sent him an email last night telling him about DC and when I signed on to IM today we conversed a bit about it and whatnot.

Anyway...I really did enjoy meeting up with everybody. My roomie,Jen,was great. It really was like we'd known each other forever. Of course, we've been posting on the message board for four years so we know each other's problems, tastes and sense of humor pretty well. We both loved sleeping in so we were slow to stir and get the day going but that was ok with me.

I'm feeling alright mentally but emotionally I'm sticking my head in the sand. Self-preservation? Maybe. But it isn't good either. It's mainly dealing with finances right now. I want to get into a dark closet and shut the door so I don't have to think about it. And yet...I'm not doing anything about it. Because if I do something then that is making a real statement that I need more money. I didn't spend that much when I was up in DC. My dad let me borrow a couple gas cards and a credit card for emergencies though I didn't use that for much. I don't regret going up there at all. I just wish I'd saved up in all the months I knew about it. But when have I ever been able to plan ahead?

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