Finally, 8 years in the making

So I have been waiting 8 years for a new president; one who isn't an idiot. I managed to score 2 tickets from the Senator Warner (D-VA), and Katie scored 2 tickets from some senator from Utah. Silly conservatives. I guess nobody came from Utah. My sister then bought a last minute ticket to come in. So at 8:15ish this morning, Katie, Mimi & I left the house to go downtown. Pentagon City Metro was jammed (you couldn't get down the escalator), so we walked over to the Pentagon. We caught the free bus (the best kind) to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (14th & C SW) and walked to Silver ticket entrance at 3rd & Independence SW. We then pushed our way to the ticketed area between 3rd & 4th (people were stopping there who didn't have tickets). They didn't check tickets and were letting everyone in. They weren't doing much for security either, just a visible check. After about 10 minutes of standing, they opened the gate to the block just east of W 3rd St (the reflecting pool is in this block). We went around and got on the bottom steps of the Ulysses S Grant Memorial, and could see the Capital. We stood there from about 10 to the start of the inauguration at 11.30.


It was really cool to see the crowd (it was huge), so see the Capital building all set up for something important and just to be there. We could see it all happen from where we were, no jumbotron or anything. It was funny, when they announced Bush to come out, the crowd let out the loudest 'booo' I have ever heard and then proceeded to taunt him. You reap what you sow, I guess.

After his speech, we walked back over to the far side of the monument facing the mall and saw more people than I ever have at one time.


Anyway, after they inaugurated Obama, we walked to Eastern Market Metro to hop a train. And who would be there of all people??? Michael. We met him in the station. Odd. And now I am home, getting ready to go out again.

Future Year, Future Me

So for New Years, Katie and I went to dinner, at PS7, a yummy restaurant in Penn Quarter (DC). The restaurant was good, but it seemed like it was nothing special. The decoration was trendy, but not really quite trendy. The menu was interesting, but the dishes weren't unique. Katie had grilled scallops, which she said were delicious. Further diverging from the relevance of the story, I love grilled scallops, but I'm usually still hungry afterward since you only receive a kids portion. I had the seared tuna with shellfish (clams) and an udon noodle cake (kinda like kougel). Katie also had wine, and I had beer.
Moving to the relevant part of the story--We got up to leave, and who was sitting behind us? (nobody famous) This couple, who both appeared in there 40s. He looked like me, and was eating tuna. She looked like an older version of Katie and was eating scallops. It was like us in a time machine!!! It was crazy!

Ah, 2008, I will miss you

So 2008 has come and gone for me, just like every year since 1977 (I know, I was born in 1976, but I didn't see it begin.). And it comes in and out with me in the same state of mind as it has for the past 15 years: drunk.
So this year, I decided to take a note out of David Letterman's playbook (not the one where he drags a joke), and list the

Top 5 Moments of 2008 and the bottom 1

Bottom #1: So when I was in Korea, we went to A-Town in Kunsan. The 5 of us who went finished about 4 kettle per person. (A kettle is served in a tea kettle and is a drink made with Soju and some random crap, kinda like a Korean Long Island Ice Tea.) On the cab right home, I stopped, and, "lost my soju." When I laid down to sleep, I got the spins, and, "lost my soju." I was so sick in the morning.

#5) January 15th, 2008: 안녕하세요 Bright and early, I left my house to spend almost two months in Korea. It was fun. I got to see a part of the world I have never seen before, and meet a ton of people who eat more rice than me.

#4) June 22, 2008: I bought my condo in Pentagon City. I have been doing an excellent job of destroying it since then. (Unless you are with Countrywide, then I have been improving it and you should lower my interest rate)

#3) April 15th, 2008: I went to this board game meetup. I missed my train going home.

#2) February 16, 2008: I crossed one thing of my lifetime to do list: Climbing the Great Wall of China. I managed to make it down and ride a camel in the same day!(This is only #2 because the same topic can't occupy both #2 & #1. That would be a lame top 5 list, not that this one isn't.)

#1) Fall 2008: Katie, the love of my life (and my girlfriend) decided to move in with me. By far, this was the best thing to happen to me this year!

Hopefully 2009 will be as good!

That time of year

So it's that time of year again, time to buy Christmas decorations at a discount, and time to renew auto insurance again. Actually, it's time to go buy a new calendar since the old run ran out of pages (stupid cheap calendar). But it's also time to make new years resolutions and look back at 2008.

This year I have resolved to make a new years resolution. So I thought long and hard, and I resolve not to make any new years resolutions. After all:
1) They are probably stupid
2) You will give up on them about February 20th
3) If you haven't given up on them, you will have no doubt forgotten about them by March 12th

This is why diet frozen lunches go on sale this week (the cheapest of the year!), why gyms suddenly buy up every airtime space on TV, and interrupt the shows themselves, and why people stop spending money in January (maybe they shouldn't spend it all in December!). And you know my resolution will work--because I will inevitably forget about it, and it won't be time to make a new years resolution in March.

It's Christmas time

Since it is Christmas time, and I love all my readers, I decided that in the spirit of giving and sharing, I would share things I love with all my readers. A few of the things I love (in no particular order):
1) Science (without science and nature, we wouldn't be here)
2) Christmas (without Christmas, I would have to go to work Thursday & Friday)
3) Alcohol (nuff' said)
4) Katie

However, since Katie isn't here, I decided I would combine the other three together into what I call

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS EXPERIMENT

The object of this is to use the scientific method (science) to determine which liquor (alcohol) goes best with Eggnog (Christmas).

Objective (since everything should be done for a reason, and unlike an audit, we can't just make them up at the end to justify our findings): Determine which alcohol mixes with eggnog to make the best drink.

Equipment:
The glass. I bought this glass in Puerto Rico when I was there and toured the Bacardi Rum It is fairly small (maybe 1 cup), says Bacardi ron 8 anos on it and is made of glass (duh, it is a glass!). I washed it between drinks.

The Egg Nog: Harris Teeter brand (aka "the Teeter," "Teets,") Light Eggnog. It has 3.5g of fat and 130 calories per serving. I am not willing to get fat in the name of science. I am however, willing to get drunk. The eggnog boasts that it is "rich and creamy" and can "make your holiday celebration extra special." It cost me $2.59 at the Teeter in Pentagon Row.
Without any alcohol, the eggnog looks a little yellow. It smells like eggnog (it would be bad if it didn't). If you swirl it around the glass, it has very long legs. tastes creamy with a sweet , and a hint of cinnamon. Although sugar is the 3rd ingredient listed (after milk & skim milk), cinnamon is nowhere to be found. It feels a little heavy going down, like if I were drinking half & half.

I also figure I need to rate them the drinks to give you a comparison. (PS don't take it to seriously)
3 wise men: This is good. Smart people drink up!
2 wise men: Eh...over half the wise men would like it, but you may not.
1 wise man: It's like ordering a cheeseburger, but only getting a hamburger.
0 wise men: If you like it, you aren't wise.

Test #1:

Bacardi Ron 8 Anos

So picking up the alcohol around my house, I decided I would start with the Bacardi Ron 8 Anos, since it matches the glasses. This dark rum was aged 8 years before being sold to me and then another 8 years ago after being sold to me. The bottle smelled very strong of alcohol when I opened it. After I poured it in, I was a little afraid because the alcohol all floated to the top.
Alcohol cost: ~$30, in a gift pack.
Time since purchased: ~8 years.

The result: Blech! It's kinda gross. I didn't taste anything at first, so I added a tiny bit more. It tasted like I was doing a shot even though the mix at that rate was 4:1 (eggnog:rum). I rate it 0 wise men.

Test #2:
Absolut Vodka OK, so after the last one, I thought I needed something lighter. If you haven't had Absolut, you don't drink enough. It's a midgrade vodka that is decent, but easy on the wallet. My former roommate Angie keeps a bottle in the freezer at all times.(I'm not sure why--she never drank it.)
Alcohol cost: ~$8
Time since purchased: 6 months

The result: It's pretty good. The vodka minimized the sweetness without deterring the cinnamon flavor. I think it is pretty good, but if you are into sweet things, you may not like it. I give it 2 wise men.

Test #3
Patron Anejo Tequila I like Patron. It is a good, drinkable Tequila which makes excellent margaritas. The downside: it's normally very expensive. I bought it as part of a two-pack which must have been mispriced.
Alcohol cost: $40-50, but I got a deal, buying 2 bottles + poker chips for $40.
Time since purchased: 14 months

The result:
It changed the color of the egg nog but reduced the smell. It's nice in that it also reduced the sweetness, but it gave it a slightly bitter or sour aftertaste. Not enough to ruin it, but enough that you can taste it. I prefer it slightly to the Absolut. I give it 2 wise men.

Test #4
Chococo (Chocolate & Coconut liqour) I'm really hopeful about this...Chocolate flavored eggnog. Sounds yummy. However it doesn't really smell like chocolate. Also, I couldn't get the cap off the top, and I bought it some time before the last cruise I went on (we didn't bring any back).
Alcohol cost: ???
Time since purchased: I have no clue. It comes from the Virgin Islands, so I must have gotten it in like 2002.

The result:
It smells really good! However I'm a little disappointed it didn't turn the eggnog more of a chocolate brown, like chocolate milk. It tastes really good. Really really good (as in I had two glasses.) I give it 4 wise men.

I feel like David Letterman now, with a running gag that just won't end. Maybe I'll be back for more next year?

Katie gets a lift at work, we both take a lift, and I get a face lift.

So it is that time of year again. The time when it gets cold and the snow starts to fall. It's time to go snowboarding!!! Yay!
So this year, I figured I would try something new. Last weekend, I went skiing. I took the beginner lesson. It wasn't so bad actually. I didn't fall down. Of course, I didn't make it off the green circle hill. So before lunch, Katie and I stuck to the bunny hill. After a deliciously expensive lunch of crap, we headed back out, except this time for a real hill. So we took the lift up and got off and got started. Then the trail hits a steep switchback, where it is definitely not a green circle. Katie named this "the hill of death." I call it "mislabeled." Katie did very well for a first time skiier too.

The night before that, we took a trip to Miller's Smorgasbord in Lancaster PA to meet my sister and brother. We ate too much, but it was yummy. Especially notable was the desserts: Shoofly Pie, Bread Pudding & Chocolate Pecan Pie.

In other, more important news, Katie got a promotion! Go Katie! She is now working Monday-Friday at Times Publishing. That means I get more "Katie Time!" :) To quote somebody, "It makes me happy inside my heart."

I'm famous too! I was on the channel 7 news in DC. They interviewed me about the Wilson Bridge Project last Friday. You can see it here. You see me talking, then see "David Hilburg, Arlington resident" on the bottom of the screen. While they were telling me about the project, I got very angry and morphed, just like the Hulk; I was bigger and look different (I apparently got a haircut too!). However, they blew my alter-ego, as it still said "David Hilburg, Arlington resident" on the bottom of the screen. You should definitely check it out.

I'm famous....and kinda different looking