PatCosta.com

Sorry I have not been posting. I prepared for an interview at Frederick County Public schools (near Winchester, VA) and it went HORRIBLE. It felt like I had no idea what I was talking about, I felt like I was being grilled…like they wanted to show the lack of experience I had. It also could be the four hour drive including a 1.5hr traffic jam around Manasas and me getting lost (twice) in Winchester and that it was over 90 degrees out and I was in a black suit. Or maybe it is because I really have no idea what I was talking about. ::Sigh::, All I know is that I hope my thank you letter scores some points.

At anyrate, I’ve also been applying to other positions.
Marietta,GA seems like a shot as does Anthony Wayne High School.
I’ve also been applying at Museum Education Positions. One in Rockford, ILL and another in Petersburg VA
I wil probably be applying to a Historical Prison in PA, apparently at one time home to Al Capone.
I’ve also been generating my own ideas on Museum Exhibts. I was thinking topics entitled:
1. Break your fast for Breakfast: The History of Breakfast
2. Money and Men: The History of the Mob
3. Tasty Creations: The History of American Brews and Beers (This would make sooooo much money)
4. Level Up!: The History of Video Games
5. The perfect slice: A History of Pizza.
–Feel free to add your own.

I still can not figure out where the hell to buy with a debit card at a decent price, fruit. I’ve been forced to eat fruit and veggies out of a can. My dinner today was Tuna and Carrots..straight out of the can. However, I still have flavored water!

Some of the random pictures of the city that I’ve taken-

Fantastic Museum, one of the newest ones. Parking was $12 dollars, however, I am sure you could park off the site and walk it in without anyone knowing.

Spent a good four hours in the museum looking and reading about aviation. Other cool items include Japanese, American and German experimental planes and guided rockets, along with, the Enola Gay and hte Concord (the Full B-29). The Enola is a HUGE airplane. Additionally, in the control tower they have displays and mockups of a modern aviation command and control.

The museum is still “in the works” some stuff is not out and the exhibits are not FULLY complete, but it is enough to get the gist. Another interesting item is a Vietnam era Huey and a collection of various early Balloon paraphenelia (like 1700s).

An interesting fact is the French at the seige of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War used balloons to lift supplies and people in and out.

Oh yeah, some other cool artifacts include coal from the Berlin Airlift, Eddie Rickenbacker’s uniform(totally cool!), a SPAD and Neuiport WW1 aircraft.

I almost bought a book by John Morrow on WW1 Aircraft, but I have too many books already. 🙂

The top five things I have learned after a week in DC.
1. Fresh fruit is a luxury. And fresh fruit at affordable prices are non-existant.
2. Buy Beer before 10pm.
3. Always be vigilent of loose change/dollar bills on the ground.
4. Peanut Butter and bread is a breakfast food.
5. When eating out, you had better make sure its the best damn food you ever had.
6. Starbucks and Subways (the food) are ubiqitious
7. Newspapers and books are plentiful.
8. Street urchins and beggers are awarkward to deal with.

Saturday:

Visted Winchester and Bull Run Battlefields.

Good times had by me and my cousin and his friend. Winchester seems to be a sleepy town, lots of quaint little shops scattered about. However, it is not without it’s basics like a Wal-Mart (a supercenter to boot!) and a Papa Johns. I took a look at the housing market (God damn bubble) and I can not afford to buy a house, UNLESS I want to una-bomber stlye it up in a shack near/in the Application or Blue Ridge Mts. Apartments, on the other hand, are plenty and affordable.

Saturday Night:
Apparently, beer can be had out of a grocery mart behind 10pm. And I did not want to pay 5 dollars for a drink at a bar (at least not yet…). So I basically hung out with some of the people who live in the dorm. I also found a cup full of change sitting outside the entrence to the dorm…Hooray, I can do Laundry!!

Sunday Morning:
Apparently breakfast can not be had at 7pm, as nothing was open I walked a total of 10 blocks to find breakfast. It was not until I got back to the general vincity of my dorm that I tried Au Bon Pain. As luck would have it, ABP was open. After an exhaustive search of looking at the selection; I settled on an Apple Dutch Bagel, a Washington Apple (which is rapidly becoming, by default, my favorite apple) and a large cup of coffee. Total cost was 3.25. I think I found my new favorite breakfast spot.

Thursday evening:
Apparently I have a birds nest right outside my window. I guess mama bird insists on chripping at odd hours including 2am, 3:20am, and 4:50am.

Friday:

I went to my internship and took photos of dermatology equipment (for the smithsonians imaging database), researched more medical devices and the highlight was working two hours in the polio gallery. I talked to many people but two kids stood out. One must be destined for greatness (or an ass-kicking in high school) as he was wearing a T-shirt with the periodic table of elements and new way too much about science for his age. The other was a girl who was rabidly interested in the science stuff we had out. She came back numerous times and asked intelligent questions.

Also, check out this link to Giant Microbes. They have plush microbes for sale, including black death, lice, the common cold, the Clap and syphilis etc.

So I was walking through Lafayette Park
Enjoying the brisk afternoon, when suddenly, a protest of a seemingly spurious nature erupted. I found myself watching in awe as the protesteers were from various age cohorts. They were protesting Social Security Privatization with a chant of “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Privitization has got to go”. The chant was very medicore, however, catchy as I found myself several blocks away saying it under my breath (and I am for SS privitization).

I came back, had dinner which consisted of a can of chicken and freezedried fruits. I proceeded to the Rec Center and ran for an half an hour and lifted for about 20min; focusing on my lower body.

As luck would have I came back and a group of my dormmates, whom I met yesterday, were going to see the movie Crash. We walked to Dupoint Circle and at a little Italian Cafe. The interesting thing about the Italian Cafe, was that the sounds and sights in the Cafe were not italian. Up on the walls were french cafe paintings and playing overhead was Blue’s Travelers “Hook”. An odd juxtaposition, if I do say so.

There at the cafe I had two beers. Yuengling, which was a pleasent diverson from that mornings Smithsonian activities and a Foggy Bottom, which I will never order again. FB tasted rather bitter and “brunt”.

I decided not to go to movie, as I really just wanted to hangout with people of my own age for a bit. On the way back I stopped at a bookstore (which I will have to return too) and bought a book, “US Cold War Uniforms: 1945-1973″…its more of a reference book than anything.

Today, I will be heading to see some Civil War Battlefields and the city of winchester.

I went to the library of Congress for research today. The LOC is actually three different building. I went to the John Adams Building and conduct about two hours of research on medical history and devices.

I got a lot of information that I will need to sort out in the coming weeks, lots of references and citations. However, I got a free meal out of the deal, as I was able to save enough $ from the amount given to me for photocopy purchases. I bought pizza, flavored water and, of course, an apple.

I was also surprised today as I have a roommate. His name is Felix and he is from…Canada…the French part. And yes…its a lot of “eh” and “oh”. He is also an intern but at the Canadian embassy doing Transportation policy. He is apparently finishing up his Masters.

Additionally, I sent out two more job applications. One for Marietta Schools in GA and another for an Admin Assistant for a local county historical museum. Even better, I got calls yesterday and today about Job interviews at Frederick County (that’s winchester) and Anthony Wayne HS. I have an interview with Frederick County next week and I am sure I will be heading back to Pburg for an interview.

Go me!

Also, Congrats Gillian on getting the job!! 🙂 Maybe you could use the money to buy a new car. 😛

Good News:
Gillian got home safe and I got home safe from last night.
Great News:
I got called today by two school districts (Frederick County, which encompasses Winchester and Anthony Wayne School district) and I will have to call them back to begin the interview process.

I spent a fanastic weekend with Gillian. We laughed, we cried and we damn near died (on several levels). It was great seeing her again after a two week interlude. I hope she is able to come down again. I took her to have, for the first time, ethopian food, and she liked it. We went to this place called Das Ethiopian Cuisine (originally called Zeds) and the meal was great! If you ever come down to DC this summer…I will take you there. We also, for breakfast today went Park Place Gourmet (everything in DC seems to be “gourmet). Park Place is a “breakfast buffet”, basically a buffet with food.
Needless to say…the whole time with her was one big (mis?)adventure. 🙂

I also got my car paid for and a parking spot and my internet hooked up…and yes I even have coveted cable tv for once! I have a car on campus, which means, I can take trips outside of the Washington DC area. I am hopeful that I will get to go to Baltimore, as it is less than an hour drive away.

To get an idea find Foggy Bottom-GWU (Follow the Orange line)...I am 1 minute away from that Metro Stop

Or this Map may help too:

Find H street and find the Hippo...I am diagnally top left from the hippo...living in Crawford.

So if you ever come down to visit you know sorta where I am, however, it would be BEST if you do not bring a car down...rather take a bus,plane or train in.


All the Picures below were taken from a back room at the Smithsonian. They are of course of everyones favorite sci-fi robot…C3p0