I realize that all families have their traveling woes, but my family is down-right dysfunctional when it comes to being anywhere other than our home. Seriously. I think we have major problems. It got so bad that my sister gave me an ultimatum today... If I didn't start changing myself and become nicer, she would no longer be traveling the family. EVER! After that loud, lovely speech, she stormed out of the restaurant. Yeah, and this wasn't the first storm out at a public place for our vacay!
Anyways, DC was quite a trip filled with monuments, museums and metros. Oh, and about a gazillion miles of walking. I packed 5 pairs of cute flip flops and wore them a grand total of 2 times. Instead of looking cute, I took one for the team and for my poor feet! I rocked the Nike shock tennis shoes almost every day. The ones that are so old the soles are peeling away from the actual shoe.
Yes. While I did look a bit like a 5th grader, I am pleased to say I only had 1 blister over the 7 day trip.
During this week in DC, recruitment was happening back in Stillwater, America. It took me about 2 days for it to sink in... I am old.
(Special shout out: Thanks for all the tweets and #hashtags that confirmed the worst had happened--I am officially old balls.)
And, as if that realization wasn't bad enough, I also discovered that I now wear the omnious “ALUMN” tag around my neck 24/7, which means I am inferior when it came to all things fun about recruitment. Scratch that. Let's go ahead and say I feel inferior whenever it comes to anything chapter related. It is like I graduated and became totally irrational and unable to comprehend what goes on... Which is scary because it has ONLY BEEN 4 MONTHS!
It killed me that I wasn’t there making decisions, bossing people around, and rushing girls for the future PC. Hopefully, it will sink in next year a little sooner and I won’t have to go through as many withdraws and angry patches as I did this year!
Bless my family's heart.... They had to hear ear fulls of, “Well last year....” and a few of the, “If I was there....” comments every day. By Saturday, they were so relieved it was Bid Day and that recruitment was over that they bought me a celebratory green colored drink and toasted another successful recruitment! So kind.
Let's just say trying to close the greek chapter in my life will prove to be difficult this year. I am still doing undergrad classes this next semester, so it feels like I am going to go back to the sorority like nothing changed.
REALITY! I will not have Monday night chapter requirements. There will be no pomping glue all over my new, favorite black t-shirt. I'll have $65 more each month for whatever I fancy. And I will have to make my own Biscuits and Gravy on Wednesday.
Total downer. I know.
Luckily, I will be teaching in Drummond for 12 weeks and can boss around my new students like pledges/babies/freshmen.... And, ironically, I will basically be back to being a pledge in the teaching world.
[Insert dramatic sigh here]
Oh man... School in 6 days. BUMMER!
While in DC, I documented my travel for a dear friend. Some of these may or may not be appropriate in the settings I took them, but take it all with a grain of salt. I had to share my adventure!
These are all shot with my iPhone 4, so don't think that your computer screen is scratchy/hazy/fuzzy. That is phone pic quality coming straight at you from yours truly.
(Yes I brought my fancy camera to DC, but who wants to lug that beast around the city for 7 days?? Not to mention there isn't a way to switch the fancy camera to the front screen so you can take lovely solo shots!)
Please also note that my face broke out like some 16-year-old the day before I left Oklahoma. I am talking high school acne from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks. Don’t judge me because I was too lazy to go into Photoshop and touch it up.
Heck! Who am I kidding? I have no idea how to even open Photoshop. Thanks #phototour2011.
BRING ON THE PICTURES
We hit the ground running on Sunday. The rain was coming down and we didn't bring the umbrellas, thus my drowned rat look. Nevertheless, we caught a glimpse of the White House!
Apparently there is a National Christmas Tree... Go figure.
Me and Abe. Just chillin in the rain with 100 other of our touristy friends!
This was taken looking back at the Washington Monument. What I want you to get from the photo is the fact that there is NO, I repeat, NO reflection pool. Basically it is a nuclear war zone of dirt and fencing. Oh My! I was so mad! My dad was livid! I don't claim to be a news buff, but surely I would have caught the news of this! Who just decides to rip up the best part of DC!?
One of my questionable photos at the Vietnam Memorial. My dad was horrified when I took this picture... Whoops!
Department of Agriculture! Right at the top of the Metro Exit! It was like it was meant to be.
Aerospace Smithsonian! This was a real bust and bore!
The next few were at the Natural History Smithsonian...
Fish Hat!
Kissing the prehistoric dino fish
Monster Alligator!
Moose Antlers!
Hippo Yawns
I thought this was pretty dang graphic for a free, family museum!
Walrus Tusks!
The Capitol
Holocaust Museum was that afternoon and I DEFINITELY wasn't going to take pictures in there. So mom and I prepped while waiting for the metro. Sad faces.
Ag Building
Red Mango -- Like the skinny, northern version of our Orange Leaf. It was CULTURED yogurt. I am not talking just a little culture.. I am talking it might as well of walked off my spoon into my mouth because it was so potent and alive with bacteria. The other way it differed from OK yogurt stores was the whole part where they did it all for you. You didn't get to choose your fate with toppings or yogurt amount. It was all them with STEEP prices... Not done by weight. So not only was it sub par, but I felt way jipped. However, I think I discovered one of the reasons why obesity wasn't as evident in DC as it is in OK
American Art Museum - Smithsonian - It was such a treat. One of my favorites to take pictures in, but it was hard dodging Museum Cops who were in charge of making sure I didn't take pictures or touch the art.
Good ole MJ in his PRIME
Selena!
George Bush!
My less than delighted face at the zoo. It sucked... And I am a zoo snob/brat/expert, so I can say that. Boo for the DC zoo.
Yes this is a pig trash can. Yes. I did buy it. Perhaps. I might try to stuff it in my suitcase to get it home.
Jefferson Memorial!
Goofy at the memorial. I started to get bored. Don't get that confused with disrespectful!
Me and my sister! This was when she was in a good mood
Trolley--- Please look at the action shot I got behind me!
We went to Truckeroo! Basically a bunch of food trucks meet up and you grab some lunch! It was so much fun!
Lobster Roll! 30 minute line for this bad boy!
Nationals Stadium!
These are at the American History Smithsonian Museum!
Julia Child would have totally been in my sorority....
Julia Child and me!
Shout out to Oklahoma at the museum!
This is the ACTUAL grocery cart!
I just can't get enough of Niagara Falls!
This reminded me of a scrapped Hoco idea we had last year. Route 66.... Yeah... Good Times.
Dorothy's slippers from the Wizard of Oz! SO NEAT!
Um, this is George Washington without his shirt on and in a Toga. My dad said in a direct quote -- "I don't like seeing my president's nipples." Well put dad, well put.
A shot with the Obamas while in DC was a must!
This sad, old life preserver was all they had of Titanic memorabilia. I was so disappointed that there wasn't anything cooler in the Smithsonian for my favorite historical boat tragedy turned raunchy movie plot!
This is the final inappropriate smiling picture -- at Arlington. My apologies.
Me in the Metro! Would love one of these bad boys at OSU!
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial!
Theodore's dog. This is my favorite memorial/monument!
Eleanor Roosevelt!
So I love the Food Network, and I love the show, The Next Food Network Star. They did a little promo for the Best Thing I Ever Ate, and crepes was one of the featured foods. While we were at Eastern Market on Saturday morning, I saw this little crepe stand. I thought, "Gee! Let's test this theory." Well, hate to break it to you, but it wasn't the best thing I ever ate. It was so disappointing! Dang you Whitney and Mary Beth!
Line to get into Georgetown Cupcakes. The place where DC Cupcakes is filmed. I have never watched the TV show, but we stood in line for 30 minutes and got 6 delicious cupcakes!
Me and the cupcakes!
And that wraps it up! I hope you enjoyed your trip through DC with me.
Soak in the last few days of summer while you can!
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