I was walking home from downtown when I saw a man bleeding from his head on the sidewalk. Another urban injury, a bump on the head in the night from a tripping mishap. A few Fridays ago I saw a woman trip and knock her two front teeth out on the curb. The sidewalks are dangerous out there.
Today was the last day of my internship at Sandy Spring Friends School. I'll miss my slow, un-crowded commute out of town in the mid-morning. I'll also miss the school, the instructors and students, and the memories they bring back from my earlier years. Like when I was in the library and saw three middle-schoolers making Xerox copies of a drawing book - it reminded me of my past fascination with copy machines. The sun coming through the window, reminded me of an interesting website of high contrast "street photography." The website is called In-Public.Com.
Many Sundays I never leave my apartment. Today was one of them. Then I attempt to take an interesting picture at home. This is one of them.
I took this picture just as the wind caught this stroller. Its two front wheels are nearly 6 inches off the ground. See how the shadows line up?
Today I had a mid-term test in David Haberstich's History of Photography Class at 8:30am. We met at The Smithsonian Museum of American History; Haberstich is their curator of photography. After the exam we looked at numerous invaluable photos, plates, and prints. One of the most intriguing objects was a glass color plate (Lippmann Plate) that dates back approximately 100 years made by Gabriel Lippmann. Amazing, considering color photography has only been in mainstream use since the early 1980s [actually 1970s]. Lippmann won the 1908 Nobel Prize for Physics for his color photography.
This is Yemi at the security desk on the ground level of the Corcoran Gallery. He has lived in the United States for approximately a year. He emigrated here from Nigeria. His people are the Yoruba. I analyzed some of their artifacts for an interesting history class I took last year. I didn't ask him why he moved but when I look at this picture I like to think it was in search of a better life and opportunity. The same as when the young people of America move from rural to urban areas.
A bus load of kids ride home the day after election day. The elections have a pivotal effect on the future. It's good to remember the future doesn't lie in the hands of a single person.
There was a lot of talk about young people not turning out to vote as projected. I didn't vote the first nor the second time I was eligible. I would have been an extra vote for my parents. Democrats need to have more children.
I went and voted mid-morning today at the Mount Pleasant Library, Ward 1, District 39. The line went down the sidewalk, across and alley, and down the side stairwell into the basement of the Mount Pleasant Library. Right at the bottom of the step going into the basement doors was a leaf-covered specimen of human feces. I couldn't wait to get through the door!
When I got through the door I was breathing again, and talking to the people in front of me. We noticed some of the election officials turned their attention toward the door. We turned around and saw that the woman who was directly behind me had stopped at the door, 50 feet behind. I yelled back asking if she couldn't smell the "poop"? The officials made her move forward through the door. She may have been drunk.
I saw my friends Solomon and Susan, and Michael a customer from Swing's Coffee Shop, and my old neighbor Spencer at the polls. I joked loudly with Solomon about voting for George Bush. I had the choice to vote by pencil ballot or electronically. I chose paper ballot, as did most people. I fed my vote for John Kerry into the mouth of the electronic ballot box. On my way out the door I pointed to the leafy pile, revealing the source of the stink to the other voters in line (to their chagrin).
This is Stich the Hairless Cat in his owner Moana's travel bag. I lifted this cat out of its bag and it bit me. It didn't have sharp teeth though. When petting this cat, your finger will stick to its skin.
It's Halloween and Sunday. This is Saint Augustine's Church on 15th and V Sts NW. Today the Redskins determined the outcome of the election by losing to Greenbay. The NFL has voted for Kerry.
