I'm back

Got in a few hours ago. It was a good trip - got the training I needed and was able to do a little sightseeing yesterday. Working on a military base was interesting; unfortunately photography was discouraged so I didn't do any. So I'll just describe what I would have taken photos of . . . first of all, the restrooms were not labeled "ladies" and "gentlemen" or even "women" and "men," but rather "female" and "male." Nobody that worked there admitted to noticing this(!). About half the people working in the building were active duty military, so it was a bit strange (at least to me, having never even visited a base before) to see scientists and lab techs wearing Army camouflage and Navy unis. Apparently they are only required to wear them during business hours; one Navy woman in the lab I was visiting changed into jeans when she worked late. Rank is more important than advanced degrees - if you have both they only put your rank by your name on your office door. And this little detail cracked me up daily: all the little signs you see in the workplace, like "Clean up after yourself!" in the break room and "Don't waste paper!" near the photocopier . . . they all had Uncle Sam pointing at you!

I'll be uploading my touristy DC photos over the next few days. Props to Evan for letting me know about the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. It was indeed incredibly impressive, as you indicated. I didn't have time to really check out many of the other attractions in depth, and I missed the cherry blossom "peak bloom." Oh well, I'll have to come up with a reason to go back next year!