Picture Of The Day: April 28, 2007

Fort Stevens, 13th Street @ Georgia Avenue

Picture Of The Day: April 27, 2007

Paris... on Georgia Avenue

Chateau Mad Dog 2006
...Al Fresco

S.I.F.A.: A Rip-Roaring Way To Start Your Week

I was in a local lighting store, searching for those brass strips of pinpoint lights you can angle above shelves and bookcases for ambient lighting, and I was being helped by an older man with an upright bearing and closely clipped hair. When he went into the back room to research something, his other co-workers behind the counter started debating the all important topic of employees anywhere: what should we do for lunch? When the man helping me returned, they pulled him into their conversation, asking him if he would go and bring food back for them. He turned to one and said, "You aren't a S.I.F.A., are you, Theresa?"


I had to ask. "What is a S.I.F.A.?" A wry smile twisted at the corner of his mouth, and he said, "I really couldn't tell you, beyond the fact it was an expression we used when I was in the military." "I've been exposed to many military acronyms, growing up in Washington," I told him, "so please tell me as I'd love to learn a new one." "Well," he said. "Whenever someone was being demanding and trying to force their viewpoint or needs on you, we would call that person a seefah (S.I.F.A.). "In other words, they were a self-inflicting flaming asshole..." Chuckling, he turned to the woman next to him and added, "....of course, not you, Theresa."

I suppose we all have seefah's in our lives. If you see one today, hand them a match:

TV Tramps And Drive-In Girls

Who's What's On TV Tonight?

(Uh...Lost, CSI and Medium)

My friends Tony and Kathy were preparing to leave town before Easter for a well-earned rest in Key West: scuba-snorkeling, Hemingway's cats, and a lot of rum. I had wanted to capture them on one of the web cam's situated around town, but I was under the gun to get so many things done in a defined span of time that I failed in that effort. This is my "thank you for thinking of me."

Tony had a birthday while he was gone, and Easter would be missed (Happy Birthday, Lee) so our group of friends were sending out last minutes greetings and gifts to cover their departure. Tony and Kathy also knew I was facing surgery last week. Just prior to going in, these arrived in the mail. I've created captions using the text on the postcards from the tanned duo, now back in dreary D.C., followed with my reply:

This Movie Has Been Rated: _____

("G" For Get Back In Your Car,
Yer Blocking The Screen)

A Good Pair Of Bongos Makes A Great Sound
(I have Red Metallic Bongos...
This Is Where Lee Says, "Of Course You Do.")

Turn Up The Music!!!
(Yanno...I was just reading, that we all need
to continually have a music soundtrack for
our lives: an ever evolving list of songs we can
be listening to, as each phase of our life changes,
that reflect those times. I can't remember where I
read that...Rolling Stone? Soldier of Fortune?)

Let's Dance!!!
(P.s. guys...I actually know how to cha cha.
I learned when I was twelve. Don't ask.)

She Also Supplies Cheese On Her Cracker
(I know who wrote this one...but is the cheese E-Z?)

Wish You Were Here!!!
(surprised Tony didn't write "her.")

...and then there was this: Peeps Lip Gloss Keychain.

Peeps are on on-going joke in our social circle. We have taken them on trips and created photo essays. Thanks Tony and Kathy. I'm marshmallowishist! Mwah.
















This Easter I attended a large gathering, and I took purple Peeps to teach the children how to blow them up in a microwave. It was a huge hit. This is Tyler before setting the group record of his requested eight minutes of charred Peeps. Thank God I have a loving friend/hostess that didn't kill me for this one.

Friday: Howzit Going....Good For You?

I was thinking about Arthur Blessitt today, the man who has pimped Jesus in 307 countries and walked the distance of the equator one and one-half times. I first stumbled upon Blessitt back when I was a student, growing up in Washington, D.C. He was hard to miss, as there weren't many men walking around with an oversized wooden cross on their back and rubber wheels on the tail end of things. http://www.blessitt.com/

I remember I drew a cartoon of Arthur's cross having a flat tire. He was standing down by the Washington Monument, passing out peanut butter sandwiches to homeless people, and I approached and asked him for one. Obviously Arthur had his spiritual (and visual) credit check going when he denied me one, proceeding to lecture me about people with true need. Following his harangue, I formed my own opinions about him. I stumbled on Arthur a few years ago, driving along Route 6 on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, dragging his cross. "Still at it," I thought.

Ever wanted to make your own cross? http://www.blessitt.com/makecross.html


A mental image of Arthur popped up today, and it started with police cars and singing. I was cutting through an area of Takoma Park on my way to help a friend pick up his car that was having transmission work done. Roads were being blocked off by police, and as I hit the side streets, I remembered today was Good Friday and Takoma Park was having it's annual 5K Cross Walk. Every year more than 1,000 Hispanic parishoners of Our Lady of Sorrows walk in commemoration of Christ's walk to his crucifixion. The bilingual Via Crucis included a living Stations of the Cross, ending with a “crucifixion” and prayer at St. Camillus Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. This was also occurring on Rhode Island Avenue, with the faithful ending up at St. Matthew's.

WRC-4 was there. Wave, camera guy!

Calvary Escort

I was standing in a suburban yard, and two little children were jumping up and down, hearing the singing coming down the road. I asked the girl if she was ready for the Easter Bunny, and she told me she had dyed "hundreds" of eggs and that she was at her grandmother's house. I told her that her grandmother had decorated her house and made it pretty for the Easter Bunny and that he would be bringing lots of chocolate and jelly beans (so much for the religious aspects of the moment: "He dyed for you.") She said, "Your purse is really pretty." I said, "Thank you. Your jacket is really pretty," and she said, "Thank you." The child knew her accessories.

Wheeler For The Healer

In Takoma Park, monks wear Earth Shoes

Re-up For Resurrection
DC Hopper For JC

This guy blew the shot by turning, but I loved him. He was covered in bling, beaucoup gold chains, and this big cross. Back in the day in D.C., when a man wore his knit cap loose on top of his head, the look was called "D.C. Hopper." I have no idea if this terminology is still around. In Baltimore, "Hoppers" are drug dealers.

Here Come Da Judged

At this point I was standing in alignment with the pole of a stop sign, because a huge crowd was coming right at me, and I wanted the sign to part the seas, as it were, so I could take some pictures. The crowd was spilling out of the street into yards. You could hear the singing from a distance and it never stopped. Plus, there was trombone accompaniment. Wa Wa. Wa. (Am I going to hell, yet?)

"Are We There Yet?"
Extras From Rome HBO

Okay. Now, I am going to hell.

More penitents. Check out the guy on the left.

At this stage, I felt emboldened and walked out into the middle of the crowd. It felt eerie having this moving mass of people around me, singing and looking solemn. Well. Most of them, but not the cutie in the cap giving me the eyeball. Peccavi.