Let it Snow!

Iwo Jima Memorial

Iwo Jima Memorial

Georgetown game where Dr. Joyner played

Snow!

So, one of the first things I was told when I came to DC was that when it comes to the weather, natives of the area do not know how to deal with snow. I laughed at first when I heard this, since there are people back in Minnesota who have no clue how to drive in the snow, but people were not kidding when they told me this! I had my first experience in the snow on Saturday, when the metro area got about 6 inches of it. I have attached some pictures here to show some of it. I went to the grocery store that morning and it was hilarious to see people try and drive through it! Or even worse, dress for it! There were some with umbrellas, which did no good since it was also windy out. There were some who were bundled up in multiple layers, save for their eyes and it wasn't even that cold out! (By that I mean it was like 20 degrees above 0, a heat wave where I am from!) The best thing I observed though, were the looks I got from people as I ventured out in a coat and mittens. I laughed as the stared and then just shook their heads at me.

Because of the snow, there wasn't much of a chance to get out and see DC. So, instead I spent some time seeing more of the Rosslyn area. I went to a Georgetown basketball game with a few friends and watched our dean, Dr. Nancy Joyner play in an exhibition basketball game. She is a member of a traveling senior league, and it was so fun to see a different side of her. On Sunday, I went out and visited the Iwo Jima Memorial, which is just steps away from my apartment. I had been here before a few years ago when I was last in DC, but it looked totally unique with the snow dripping from it.

In terms of the Archives the past two days, it has dimmed down a bit as I have more independent work to do. I started a project on curriculum development on scientific innovations through history. Whew!- that's quite a mouthful. Let's just say that it so far has been a great way to jump right into research at the Archives. Today, I was back at Archives II in the stacks playing the role of a preservation archivist. I got to look through books and books of World War II embassy files. Some of these were a bit dull, but others were espionage files, filled with old codes and locks! Some of these records had not even been opened since they were placed there almost 40 years ago. Who knows what's in those boxes!

As I write this, DC is bracing for a second snowstorm of the week. People were on edge once again, trying to leave work early, and prepare for the worst should they not be able to make it into work. I tried not to laugh, but I'm hoping that tomorrow when the snow stops that the federal government doesn't.