(no subject)

[kittydesade]

I did manage to get up at a reasonable time this morning! And got laundry put away, and brought the recycling trash can (as opposed to the big recycling bin that they collect from, this one goes in the house) back in, and picked up some more trash from upending bedding everywhere, and made breakfast, and did languages. Not exercise, because of course I had to leave early again and give a vial of blood for a thyroid check.

And now I'm exhausted again.

I did manage to remember before it was late and I really didn't want to go out in the fucking cold that I wanted a Hindi dictionary. Because the gloss in the textbook is worse than useless, I get assignments to translate "That is a very big boy" and I have "That" and I have "boy" and I have to reverse engineer "very" out of the answer key. Which, at least there is an answer key but that is not what I want to be doing. So I went and ordered one, and because I am physically incapable of going into a bookstore and coming out with only what I want (unless what I want is "all of X's books") I also picked up Karen Memory and since I spent over $NewYork I got to pick from their ARC shelf. So I picked up a book on NSA codebreakers in the Cold War, or at least the subtitle is something about Intelligence War Against the Soviet Union.

I've gotten through the author's note and so far the refrain is oh my god NSA why you so fucking dumb I knew you were dumb but oh my fucking god. I feel like this is both a product of my childhood and a product of having all the wrong kinds of learning tendencies? Inclinations? Something. Actually it's probably all a product of my childhood. When you grow up in DC, when you live in DC for any length of time (and friends can attest to this!) it's a requirement that you get lost in at least one of the several "secret" bases and facilities around the area.

Anyway.

In addition to the mild headache of oh my god for an intelligence agency you are the fucking dumbest I seem to be slightly stuffed up. The boy may or may not be better, we're currently debating whether or not it's the sandwich he ate. I'm slowly working my way through the day's tasks in between swearing at books, there was going to be Deadpool tonight but given how the boy feels I think we're going to have to give that a miss.

... Thinking about it, apart from hanging some hooks on walls and keeping up with dishes and laundry I think sitting in place and learning things is all I have to do today. Well, and writing and editing, but that's also normal and easy and quiet and restful. That's, I think, two whole days of that, plus Wednesday night. WOW.

Comments

[synecdochic]

I am convinced that the next major terrorist attack on the Pentagon is going to start with a minivan full of lost-looking people rolling up to the guard station and asking for directions, because that guard must see a thousand of them a day. ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE PENTAGON PARKING LOT.

(We were in Arlington last month and drove right past the Pentagon and did not end up in the parking lot. It was a miracle.)

[kittydesade]

I think it's the gravity well caused by so many people trying so hard to convince everyone around them that they're not doing anything intelligence-related. It pulls people in to be mildly curious at them.

[untonuggan]

...yeah, that is probably right

i think the only time I can't find the pentagon parking lot is the odd time I *want* to find the Pentagon parking lot

[untonuggan]

also some of the pre 9/11 stuff with DC area childhood and security agencies...

like my elementary school class took a field trip to the pentagon and also another year to dulles airport and we actually all sat on an airplane and got to take barf bags home with us. a bunch of elementary schoolers and their chaperones. it is laughable now.

i mean that and just waiting for people at the gate. there was also a time we took my dog to the gate to wait for someone's departure at the airport with the shuttle, and we stuck him in a backpack for the ride across because dogs had to be in luggage for the shuttle ride.

also when I was learning to drive stick, we had to find roads that were not used much but where you could get up into second gear. so there is one over by Claude Moore Colonial Farm which also happens to abut the CIA. eventually the very polite guard but slightly nervous asked us to practice somewhere else, but it was after I'd driven and stalled up and down the road about fifty times. it was also not a direct order or anything, just "please can you make my life easier and go elsewhere."

[kittydesade]

Oh god, I remember flying as an unaccompanied minor and my Mom meeting me right at the gate. Or leaving me off at the gate in high school. I kind of miss that, if only because it's a long and lonely schlepp now.

I BET. I don't remember where we practiced, somewhere in the mess of roads around the Carter Barron, I think. With fewer nervous security guards to twitch at my stalling out or grinding my poor mom's car's gears. ;)