4/30/2010
Washington D.C. is a very intense city. The first day we got there we were riding a escalator that was probably a good half mile straight up. About a third of the way up the escalator decided not to work anymore. Mike Sweeney being the hero that he is pushed us to walk the rest of the way. When most people wanted to give up Sweeney put his life on the line to make sure everyone made it up the escalator alive. After that we arrived at our hotel. It was probably the nicest hotel most of us have ever stayed at. We were in D.C. from Sunday to Wednesday and overall it was a good time. We visited Ford's Theatre, saw all of the monuments, and the White House. On average we probably walked 2-3 miles a day which forced us to sit in the hot tub for a good hour every night. The highlight of the was eating nice Italian food and visiting the DEA. The DEA was very difficult to find but once we got there it was a lot of fun. I believe a lot of students left there wanting to apply to the DEA.
Posted at 10:17 AM by Jordan Ayers
Part Two
4/29/2010
I am sitting in the Metro Lounge in Chicago waiting for my train to Quincy as I blog this. The first part of this was abruptly truncated because I must have clicked on something before I was done writing and proofing the post. Sigh. So, this is the continuation of that first post. One of my student's parents showed up to the alumni dinner and I was so glad to meet them. It was Aaron Vinnick's parents and they live in Washington, DC and came to meet me and greet our other students. I sat next to them at dinner and was able to visit with them extensively. Aaron's Dad is an attorney in Washington so we had lots in common. His Mother is charming and so gracious that she invited me to bring my class next year to have dinner with them when we come to Washington. What a nice offer. One of Culver's alums organized the dinner and spent quite a bit of time describing how she wound up in Washington and what she did right after graduating from Culver. She emphasized to our students that sometimes career paths take turns that are unexpected. She shared lots of stories about living and working in Washington that I found quite fascinating. We left there and returned to our hotel. We all formed up on the patio to talk about the itinerary for the next day and to listen to the Dean's daughters talk about their lives and careers in DC. They had different perspectives about life in a big city, how expensive it was, and how you can live quite nicely without a vehicle. It was getting sort of chilly outside so we packed it in for the night. The kids adjourned to the hot tub and I retired to my room. That was how our first day in DC ended.
Posted at 3:26 PM by Judy Abbott
I am sitting in the Metro Lounge in Chicago waiting for my train to Quincy as I blog this. The first part of this was abruptly truncated because I must have clicked on something before I was done writing and proofing the post. Sigh. So, this is the continuation of that first post. One of my student's parents showed up to the alumni dinner and I was so glad to meet them. It was Aaron Vinnick's parents and they live in Washington, DC and came to meet me and greet our other students. I sat next to them at dinner and was able to visit with them extensively. Aaron's Dad is an attorney in Washington so we had lots in common. His Mother is charming and so gracious that she invited me to bring my class next year to have dinner with them when we come to Washington. What a nice offer. One of Culver's alums organized the dinner and spent quite a bit of time describing how she wound up in Washington and what she did right after graduating from Culver. She emphasized to our students that sometimes career paths take turns that are unexpected. She shared lots of stories about living and working in Washington that I found quite fascinating. We left there and returned to our hotel. We all formed up on the patio to talk about the itinerary for the next day and to listen to the Dean's daughters talk about their lives and careers in DC. They had different perspectives about life in a big city, how expensive it was, and how you can live quite nicely without a vehicle. It was getting sort of chilly outside so we packed it in for the night. The kids adjourned to the hot tub and I retired to my room. That was how our first day in DC ended.
Posted at 3:26 PM by Judy Abbott
Our Trip to Washington DC
4/29/2010
I arrived at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in D.C. before everyone else because I took the train instead of flying. The hotel was gorgeous. The foyer was entirely marble with door men all over the place to carry your bag and help you check in. The reception area was lined with huge, comfy couches, arrangements of roses in large colorful planters, and lovely orientals gracing the marble floors. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Checking in was a breeze, everyone working at this hotel was very friendly and I was quickly up into my room to change. What a suprise...my room was actually a suite of rooms with a gigantic walk in closet, a dressing room and a sitting room...it also had a stately granite bathroom. My room overlooked the pool and the hot tubs...The beds were the most comfortable thing I have ever slept in. I plugged in my computer and started organizing all the pictures I took on the train trip out. I was trying to find my land legs because I still felt like I was on the train...and any time I got up to move around I felt like I was lurching back and forth. Quite unnerving. After about 30 minutes I decided to go back downstairs to scout around in the hotel for a bit and wait for the Dean and my students. So, I started poking around the shops, scoping out the dining room, and checking out where to get some Starbucks in the morning. Once the students got there, we were to go over to the Capitol to have dinner with some alumni. The Dean showed up followed by a group of students who had been on a plane, a bus and the Metro...quite the transportation buffet. They hurried to change their clothes and we were off to the alumni dinner. We all walked a few blocks to get back onto the Metro and I had to get a Metro card so that I could ride that nite. Luckily, we had the Dean, his wife and daughter who knew the Metro system or I would have wound up in Cleveland. The first thing I notice right away about the Metro was how clean it was...and how people were so willing to help me out when I was getting boloxed up in different places. Getting onto the Metro was easier said than done...once our train showed up and the doors opened it was clear there wasn't going to be enough room for everyone to get on. The Dean's wife, Mary, just grabbed me and pulled me onto the car while the Dean blocked the door from closing on my head. Thank you Dean. The metro ride took me all the way back to the days I was growing up in Chicago and all the rides I took on the El. Squishing in and hanging onto the rails to make sure you remained on your feet when the car started lurching. I also spent a good amount of time watching all the people coming and going. People sure look different out in Washington...everyone is in a hurry...and lots of them dress more formally than we do here...you will see people running to catch a train in a suit and a pair of sneakers... We got to the building near the Capitol and were greeted by one of our alumni
Posted at 2:31 PM by Judy Abbott
I arrived at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in D.C. before everyone else because I took the train instead of flying. The hotel was gorgeous. The foyer was entirely marble with door men all over the place to carry your bag and help you check in. The reception area was lined with huge, comfy couches, arrangements of roses in large colorful planters, and lovely orientals gracing the marble floors. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Checking in was a breeze, everyone working at this hotel was very friendly and I was quickly up into my room to change. What a suprise...my room was actually a suite of rooms with a gigantic walk in closet, a dressing room and a sitting room...it also had a stately granite bathroom. My room overlooked the pool and the hot tubs...The beds were the most comfortable thing I have ever slept in. I plugged in my computer and started organizing all the pictures I took on the train trip out. I was trying to find my land legs because I still felt like I was on the train...and any time I got up to move around I felt like I was lurching back and forth. Quite unnerving. After about 30 minutes I decided to go back downstairs to scout around in the hotel for a bit and wait for the Dean and my students. So, I started poking around the shops, scoping out the dining room, and checking out where to get some Starbucks in the morning. Once the students got there, we were to go over to the Capitol to have dinner with some alumni. The Dean showed up followed by a group of students who had been on a plane, a bus and the Metro...quite the transportation buffet. They hurried to change their clothes and we were off to the alumni dinner. We all walked a few blocks to get back onto the Metro and I had to get a Metro card so that I could ride that nite. Luckily, we had the Dean, his wife and daughter who knew the Metro system or I would have wound up in Cleveland. The first thing I notice right away about the Metro was how clean it was...and how people were so willing to help me out when I was getting boloxed up in different places. Getting onto the Metro was easier said than done...once our train showed up and the doors opened it was clear there wasn't going to be enough room for everyone to get on. The Dean's wife, Mary, just grabbed me and pulled me onto the car while the Dean blocked the door from closing on my head. Thank you Dean. The metro ride took me all the way back to the days I was growing up in Chicago and all the rides I took on the El. Squishing in and hanging onto the rails to make sure you remained on your feet when the car started lurching. I also spent a good amount of time watching all the people coming and going. People sure look different out in Washington...everyone is in a hurry...and lots of them dress more formally than we do here...you will see people running to catch a train in a suit and a pair of sneakers... We got to the building near the Capitol and were greeted by one of our alumni
Posted at 2:31 PM by Judy Abbott
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A Blog is a site designed to help you share information. Blogs can be used as news sites, journals, diaries, team sites, and more. It is your place on the World Wide Web.
Blogs are typically displayed in reverse chronological order (newest entries first), and consist of frequent short postings. With this Blog, it is also possible for your site visitors to comment on your postings.
In business, Blogs can be used as a team communication tool. Keep team members in touch by providing a central place for links, relevant news, and even gossip.
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