Adventure of the month

Like every other sentient being on this planet, I have a long list of things I want to do/ places I want to see that I never seem to get around to. It is only when I find myself with a lot of time on my hands and feeling restless (the two do generally go hand in hand) that I started mentally reviewing this list, eager to go into planning mode. This is what happened to me last month, when crap weather had me stuck in a hotel room in Leipzig (or soggy and looking for Hefeweisens, but that's another story). While surfing the internet, I stumbled upon a saved link about kayaking with Orcas in the San Juan Islands, something that has always been high on the afore-mentioned list. I sent said link to my friend, Diana. Diana was enthused. I was enthused. We were going kayaking. I called and set up the tour with the helpful people at SeaQuest. They responded by e-mailing me a comprehensive list of what to bring, what to expect, even a helpful suggestion that I might want to consider ...

The Capital two days before the festivities ... And on January 20, 2009. Exiting towards the Purple Gate. Karen and I holding our Purple Passes as seen through the eyes of a drunken Jamaican photographer. Our view during the Inauguration. Photo taken by Karen Farquharson . The famous Purple Ticket along with the much more effective Marc Train ticket. Eight years ago, I was invited to one of the official Presidential Inauguration Balls. I gave it some thought, reasoning that it was a historic event that I may never have another chance at, my friends were going and someone else was footing the bill, so why not? The problem was that my rage at the outcome of that election was so raw and so visceral and my self-control so completely lacking that I could not envision an end to the evening that did not involve the Secret Service dragging me away as I screamed "Hail to the Thief", "Cheater" or just plain "Asshole" in the direction of the guest of "honor...