#renovation washington DC

[maplefudge]

Revitalise the Capital Expert Tips and Trends for Home Renovation Washington DC

Washington DCa city rich in history and architectural diversity, offers endless possibilities for home renovation. Whether you're updating a historic row house, modernising a townhouse, or enhancing a contemporary home, understanding the latest trends and expert tips is crucial for a successful renovation. In "Revitalise the Capital Expert Tips and Trends for Home Renovation in renovation washington DC we explore how to navigate the unique challenges of renovating in the nation’s capital, from building codes to maximising small spaces. Discover the latest design trends, sustainable solutions, and expert insights to help you transform your D.C. home.

Maximising Space Efficiency in Urban Homes Renovation Washington DC

When it comes to home renovation washington DC space is a precious commodity. Maximising every square foot in urban homes requires strategic planning and innovative design. Small space solutions like open floor plans, built-in storage, and multi-functional furniture are trending. In older DC homes, maximising vertical space by incorporating wall shelving, hanging racks, or lofts helps enhance functionality. Additionally, converting unused areas like attics and basements into livable spaces is increasingly popular. These creative space-saving solutions not only improve comfort but also increase the property value in a highly competitive housing market.

Sustainable Renovation Practices Renovation Washington DC

As sustainability becomes more important in home design, many DC homeowners are opting for eco-friendly renovation washington DC practices. This includes using energy-efficient appliances, solar panels, and reclaimed materials. Green renovations also encompass better insulation, natural lighting, and rainwater harvesting systems to minimise environmental impact. Washington, DC’s stringent energy codes and emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint are pushing homeowners to embrace energy-saving techniques. Sustainable materials like bamboo flooring and recycled wood are trending, not only for their environmental benefits but also for their aesthetic appeal, ensuring your renovation aligns with the green movement while enhancing your home.

Embracing Historical Architecture with Modern Flair Renovation Washington DC

Washington, DC is known for its rich historical architecture, and many homeowners strive to preserve this charm while incorporating modern amenities.Renovation washington DC projects often blend period-specific details like crown moulding, original hardwood floors, or exposed brick with sleek, contemporary finishes. Adding modern kitchens,smart home technology, and updated plumbing without detracting from the home’s historical character is a trend in DC's home renovation scene. This delicate balance ensures the home remains functional and efficient while maintaining the integrity and elegance of Washington's timeless architecture.

Open-Concept Living Breaking Down Barriers Renovation Washington DC 

Open-concept floor plans are a popular trend in renovation washington DC,particularly in older homes where compartmentalised rooms are common. Knocking down walls to create larger, connected spaces helps foster a sense of openness and allows natural light to flow throughout the home. The open-concept layout is perfect for entertaining and makes smaller spaces feel larger. In DC homes, combining the kitchen, dining, and living areas into one cohesive space is a popular renovation choice, providing modern convenience while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the city’s traditional homes.

Upgrading Kitchens and Bathrooms Renovation Washington DC

Kitchens and bathrooms remain the focal points of home renovation projects in Washington, DC.Modern, sleek kitchen designs with smart appliances, granite or quartz countertops, and custom cabinetry are highly sought after. Bathrooms are also being transformed with luxurious upgrades, such as walk-in showers, heated floors, and energy-efficient fixtures. Adding custom vanities, statement lighting, and high-end finishes brings a spa-like ambiance to bathrooms. In both kitchens and bathrooms, functionality and style blend seamlessly, making these areas not only more enjoyable to use but also significantly increasing the home’s overall value,renovation washington DC.

Smart Home Technology Integration Renovation Washington DC

Smart home technology is no longer just a luxury; it’s becoming a necessity in modern home renovations. DC homeowners are integrating systems that allow them to control lighting, security, heating, and cooling from their smartphones. Smart thermostats, security cameras, and energy-saving devices help improve convenience while lowering energy costs. Voice-controlled assistants and automated systems are also trending in Washington, DC, making homes not only more efficient but also future-proof. Incorporating technology into your renovation adds value and ensures your home is equipped for the next generation of home living.

Outdoor Living Spaces for City Dwellers Renovation Washington DC

Washington, DC, where outdoor space is limited, making the most of your yard or rooftop is key to enhancing your home’s appeal. Outdoor living spaces are increasingly popular, with homeowners creating functional and beautiful areas for relaxation and entertainment. Decks, patios, and rooftop gardens allow city dwellers to enjoy the outdoors without leaving home. Adding features like outdoor kitchens, fire pits, or cosy seating areas helps create a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience.Renovation washington DC is all about blending the city's historical charm with modern trends and technology. From maximising space in urban homes and embracing sustainable practices to incorporating smart home features and creating outdoor living spaces,DC homeowners are finding innovative ways to enhance functionality and style.

Conclusion

Home renovation Washington DC is all about blending the city's historical charm with modern trends and technology. From maximising space in urban homes and embracing sustainable practices to incorporating smart home features and creating outdoor living spaces, DC homeowners are finding innovative ways to enhance functionality and style. Whether preserving historic architecture or upgrading kitchens and bathrooms, renovations are not only improving the quality of life but also increasing property value. By staying informed about trends and expert tips, DC residents can revitalise their homes, making them more efficient, stylish, and aligned with future living needs.

[dfchomeimprovement]

"Revamping with Reason: Budget-Friendly Home Remodeling Solutions for Washington, DC Residents"

Embarking on a home remodeling journey in Washington, DC need not break the bank. With strategic planning and a keen eye for cost-effective solutions, residents can breathe new life into their homes without draining their wallets.

1. Reclaimed materials and local resources: Utilize the plethora of regional resources that the Washington, DC area has to offer. Reclaimed materials give your house a distinctive character while also promoting sustainable living. Look through local online marketplaces, salvage yards, and neighborhood resale stores to find hidden treasures that can be used in your remodeling project.

2. Do-it-yourself Magic: Do not undervalue the potential of do-it-yourself tasks. Taking on some of the remodeling process yourself can result in significant cost savings on everything from straightforward cosmetic modifications to more intricate work. You may create a personalized place on a budget by following the many courses and online tutorials that walk you through the fundamentals.

3. Energy-Efficient renovations: If you decide to invest in energy-efficient renovations, think about the long-term savings. Modernizing windows, appliances, and insulation lowers energy costs and supports Washington, DC's eco-friendly initiatives. To make the initial investment even more affordable, look into the available rebates and incentives for green house improvements.

4. Strategic Planning and Prioritization: Have a well-defined plan before starting any remodeling project, and rank the areas that require the greatest care. You may make sure that your spending goes where it matters most by concentrating on the upgrades that are absolutely necessary first and addressing additional enhancements progressively as time goes on.

In conclusion Homeowners in Washington, DC can do bathroom renovation in Richmond, kitchen remodeling in Fredericksburg, and house remodeling without breaking the bank. Through the use of inexpensive materials, do-it-yourself projects, energy-efficient improvements, and thoughtful planning, homeowners may make a cost-effective makeover that adds comfort and value.

[renovationservicesdc]

Home Renovation Washington DC

Home Renovation Washington DC

Simpli Solutions is a full-service renovation company working in both the residential and commercial sectors. We manage a wide variety of requests for your home or business place, ranging from various flooring installations to timely and reliable plumbing repairs. 

[homebuilderwashington]

Steps To Creating New Home: Home Renovation Washington DC

A new home builds in Washington DC can be thrilling and fulfilling. But it also has challenges. From design to renovations to construction, there are a lot of steps to make sure your new home is up to par.

However, deciding on new home construction Washington DC can be difficult. Especially if you don’t know where to start. No worries! We can help you take the first steps toward your dream home in Washington DC with these seven steps to creating a new home in Washington DC.

By following these seven simple new homes Washington DC construction steps. You can go from dreaming about home renovation in Washington DC to actually being a proud homeowner of an amazing new home in no time at all!

Let’s look at seven essential steps that you should take when designing. And creating a new home that makes you feel comfortable, happy, and energized.

With these steps, you’ll be sure to create the home of your dreams in Washington DC!

Step1: Do Your Research

If you’re going to be renovating your home, you must do your research. There are many great resources available when it comes to planning out your project. Design magazines can inspire you, blogs and tutorials are filled with information. And before-and-after pictures will get you excited about what’s possible with just a little bit of elbow grease. The Internet has made it easier than ever for homeowners in Washington DC to learn more about renovations, new construction, and home remodeling. Before diving in, however, make sure you’ve got every piece of information necessary. You don’t want to end up with costly mistakes!

Step2: Create Plans

Before you get started, it’s important to sit down and plan out your project. For new construction homes in Washington DC, some key questions need answering. Is your dream home going to be located in an established neighborhood? Do you already have builders in mind? Are you looking for move-in-ready homes, or do you plan on renovating an existing structure? These questions will help refine your plans and get your renovations off on the right foot. Designing every aspect of your renovation will help ensure that everyone is on board with what needs to be done when construction begins. Once your plans are complete, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions when choosing colors and materials for your home. And if you decide to hire someone else to do some of your renovation work, having detailed plans will ensure that any DC home remodeling contractor knows exactly what needs to be done.

Step3: Review the Scope of Work

Before signing any contract, take some time to review exactly what your plans entail. Take some photos or measurements of your current home and make sure that these details are included in your scope of work. If you don’t see something on there that you need for your vision, speak up! The architect will have his own vision. But you must define what your new home will be before jumping into construction. Also, it’s important to get everyone on board. It’s always best to create as much consensus among family members before diving into new construction in Washington DC. Remember, they will be living with whatever decisions you make for years to come.

Step4: Project Estimate

It is important to do an estimate for your project, whether you are undertaking it yourself or hiring one of the best new homes Washington DC construction company. You can find out how much new construction in Washington DC costs by referring to regional building cost reports (like those from Costar). You can call contractors in your area and get estimates that way for renovation projects. As you look into remodeling contractors, make sure you estimate what it will cost so that you’ll know how far apart each number is when it comes time to negotiate. Also, keep track of materials or a supply that’s not included in the estimate & add those into your budget as well—you want as accurate a picture as possible when looking at contractors and their prices.

Step5: Hire the Right Contractors

Choose your designer carefully; make sure you feel comfortable with him or her and that he or she has experience creating spaces like yours. Once you’ve chosen your designer, it’s time to get in touch with reliable home renovation Washington DC contractors, particularly electricians and plumbers. Because home renovation projects can be expensive and involve numerous tightly scheduled tasks, it’s usually better to hire one company for these services instead of different ones for each element of your home improvement plan. Even if you decide not to choose one contractor for all of your needs, it’s still a good idea to hire people who will handle all aspects of your project; they may even find ways to work together seamlessly.

Step6: Keep Track of Payments

Before you begin your dream home remodeling Washington DC project, make sure you know how much money you’ll have left over from what you initially paid for your home. When it comes time to close on your project, it’s critical that you and all involved parties agree on how the excess money should be used, whether that means incorporating it into your budget or allocating more funds to other areas of your home. Thanks to tools like online banking and bill-payment services, keeping track of payments is easier than ever. Many banks also offer mobile apps with account information, notifications, and even mobile check deposits available at a moment’s notice.

Step7: Enjoy Your New Home

When you begin thinking about your dream home, it’s important to know what you aim for. Have your goals changed? If so, know that now is your chance to go for it! Do you want a luxury DC townhouse? A luxurious condo overlooking The White House? Family-friendly home with plenty of space and game rooms? Your options are only limited by your imagination when it comes to remodeling homes in DC. Let your creativity flow and make sure that every family member has their own area they can call their own, and make sure that everyone agrees on where each of those areas will be. With new construction in DC comes many choices; pick wisely, and you’ll enjoy many years in comfort and style.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re moving into your first apartment or your family has grown. If you need more space, renovating your home is an exciting and rewarding process in Washington DC. Whether you decide to live in it yourself or sell it, an investment in remodeling will be worth it, even if it takes a while to pay off. You’ll build equity in your home and establish its value going forward. And, perhaps most importantly, you’ll create a beautiful place for your family. As homeowners, we all want our house to feel like ours; making renovations gives us something we can truly call our own. So whether you love fixing things up or just want some guidance on getting started. Consider these seven steps when renovating your new home!

Moreover, it’s important to know that your home builder in Washington DC is on top of everything. Whether you’re building from scratch or remodeling. If anything goes wrong during your construction project, having someone you can call and deal with makes a big difference. With Homednb, you can rest assured that your project will be under control at all times. So, contact Homednb to make the process of your home remodeling Washington DC project to turn your old home into reality hassle-free. And transparent with vetted contractors, a secured payment method. And expertise to manage and monitor your project; from start to finish!

[ura-okitu]

Transitional Family Room Large transitional open concept vinyl floor and brown floor family room photo with beige walls, a bar and a wall-mounted tv

[propagandagothic]

Basement in DC Metro Small 1960s walk-out gray floor basement photo with a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace

[zeeicecold]

DC Metro Basement Small 1960s walk-out gray floor basement photo with a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace

[thewulf]

Sir || Aaron Hotchner

Request: Do you think you could do a Hotch x ADHD reader where they are energetic and talkative all day since Aaron came back from a tough case. With the constant questions and comments Aaron gets irritated due to stress and says something like “can you be quiet for 5 seconds please” or “enough with the stupid questions, it’s annoying” and the reader ends up talking less with him and only responds with short answers and they try to suppress their ADHD ticks around him.

A/N: Well, I couldn't sleep on the plane home yesterday and I found a surge of inspo! Had so much fun writing this one. I just adore Hotch! Thanks for the request! @ghostridrr

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Y/N

Word Count: 3.9k +

You’d never expected to be dating an FBI agent nonetheless fall hopelessly head over heels for the guy in a matter of months. Coming from humble beginnings in a small southern town. Not many people made it out, but you did. You were determined. Determined to get the hell out and never look back. So, you did. You made it happen. Working your ass off through college becoming a civil engineer and finding a job at a firm in Washington DC you quickly found your groove. You worked your way up from an engineer to a manager to a project manager within ten years. Loving your job meant giving your all which didn’t leave much time for your personal life nor a love life. It’s not like you hadn’t tried you were just busy.

 It all hit you on your birthday that you wanted more. You wanted a partner. You wanted to have a life with somebody. For years you put in effort to try. Dating good guys and shitty ones alike. You were about to give it up for good after the years of trying. But the universe had a different plan for you.

It all started so casually on a sunny Monday morning at Quantico. Your firm had been contracted out to completely renovate the old Quantico offices and bring them into the 21st century. You’d absolutely fallen in love with your job, the project manager, over the course of the six months. Between working with the clients, budgeting, staging, and executing the demo and construction you’d found loved. It was the perfect job that kept your busy brain occupied and constantly moving. Always showing up to work with a big cheesy smile on your face and ending the day with an inevitable streak of dirt across your shirt or jeans.

Everything went so smoothly until your crew moved up to the sixth floor. The BAU. Whatever the hell that is. Apparently, nobody had warned the boss man and he wasn’t too thrilled to say the least. You were used to working around the residents of the floor, but this wasn’t starting out to great considering your crew would be working on the floor for the next few months.

“What the hell is all this? Why is there tarp in my conference room?” A strong voice broke you from the planning board you were reviewing with your construction Forman, Eric.

Snapping your head around you made eye contact with possibly the most handsome man you’d ever seen. Of fucking course he had to be hot as hell. This was certainly going to make things way more interesting for you.

Putting on your best smile you slowly walked over to him, hardhat and high visibility vest and all, “I’m so sorry sir. I thought somebody from your leadership would’ve informed you. My crew is starting some demo and renovations on this floor today. We’ll do our best to keep the noise down, but we might have to kick you out of a few spots every now and then.” Trying your best to charm the man with a big smile you only felt intimated when he simply just looked at you. As if he was studying you. Not frowning, not smiling, stoic as hell. You involuntarily took a step back. Intimidating the hell out of you.

He must’ve picked up on your discomfort as his straight-faced gaze softened ever so slightly. He pinched the bridge of his nose as you cocked your head to the side observing him. He must’ve been choosing his words very carefully.

“I don’t have time for this today. I’m sorry.” He sighed in clear frustration. A real frustration you’d seen time and time again on the job.

You frowned. Annoyed at his leadership for failing to tell him you were about to ruin his next few months as your crew worked through the floor. You had to think quick. This was your job after all, “I’ll tell you what sir. We’ll start over on those conference rooms this week. Hopefully that gives you time to sort it out?” You pointed to the rooms on the other side of the office, not the large one his team clearly needed.

He gave you a curt nod. His gaze almost fully softening as you tried to compromise with him still with a genuine smile on your face. Even he had to admit that smile was breaking him down far faster than he would’ve thought possible. He had yet to even look at a woman since Haley’s death, that was years ago now. It freaked him out a little. He’d been so fine on his own. Figuring out a good routine with Jack and Jess. Getting too complacent. He knew it wasn’t fair to Jack. Especially since he was getting to an age where a mom was crucial. Jack needed somebody to lean on and it certainly wasn’t fair to Jess to pick that up.

“It won’t mess your plans up?” The handsome stranger asked you. Your smile grew as you knew he was going to be willing to work with you. More often than not you’d have to get into with whomever was arguing back with you, often the government trying to shut you down. But you knew better. You always had all the permits you needed and knew the rule book like the back of your hand. That’s why you excelled. You never let anybody get the better of you. ADHD was a curse and a blessing at the same damn time.

Shaking your head you continued, “Not at all! That’s construction. You plan, and then it changes 45 times before you actually start. It’s no big deal at all. Really.” You tried to reassure him. He looked embarrassed that he was so upset only a few moments prior. The last thing you wanted to do was make him uncomfortable. You knew you had at least two months of face to face with the guy. Starting off on the wrong foot was the worst thing you and the crew could do.

“I’m sorry. If you wouldn’t mind. We have a crucial case involving some kids…” He stopped himself before he divulged too much. He didn’t want you to get kicked out on his own accord. He knew you only had a clearance to enter the building. Nothing more, nothing less. He wouldn’t risk that at your stake.

“No explanations necessary sir. We’ll find a better day to demo.” You never dropped your smile as you maintained eye contact with him. You found that making sure to look whomever in the eyes always met you with better than looking around, looking scared.

“Aaron. Sir is too formal. Aaron Hotchner. My team, whenever they get here, will call me Hotch. Call me whatever.” He stuck his hand out for you to take. Gently you set your hand in his. You’d always been taught to go for the death grip when shaking hands. It established dominance or some bullshit like that. Especially since you were a woman in such a male dominated field. Working in a man’s world was exhausting. But something struck you as different with the man. So gentle it was.

“Nice to meet you, Aaron. I’m Y/N.” He shook your hand just as gently as you set your hand in his. You weren’t sure if he felt the pull that you felt but you simply couldn’t take your eyes off him.

“It’s nice to meet you to Y/N.” The handshake when on for a little too long. You were positive Eric was going to give you hell for this when you walked back over, “And again, I’m sorry for the outburst. These cases get stressful.”

You laughed a giggle that shouldn’t have come out of your mouth at work. His stoic expression tweaked into a soft smile after hearing your laugh, “Believe me when I say that was tame. The yelling matches I’ve gotten in with men twice my age are too plentiful to count.”

He laughed this time finally dropping your hand, gently of course, “I’m sorry you have to deal with that.”

You shrugged, “Part of the job. Plus, it’s fun to yell back sometimes.” His small smile grew into a much larger one, eyes crinkling and all. You’d done it. You’d charmed him.

“Hotch!” A female voice came yelling out of the conference room, “Round table, let’s go.” The pretty blonde-haired lady smirked at him before turning back to the room. The two of you failed to see his team file in during the conversation.

He broke his gaze turning around to see his agent vanishing from the doorway, “Got to go. Nice to meet you Y/N. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

You nodded your head, “Likewise Aaron.”

The rest was literally history. He ended up bringing you some sort of coffee or baked good every morning he was in the office, which you learned very quickly wasn’t all that often. He and his team seemed to be away more than they were actually there. You took advantage of that and fixed their office spaces and conferences rooms right as they left for their trips. You’d check in with Penny to make sure you weren’t in the way when they got back.

Small chit chats in the morning turned to lunch “dates” as Eric so kindly called them. You’d refused to call them as such, not ever truly able to gauge whether he was actually interested in you or not. You tried to make it as blatantly obvious as possible, but he was Aaron. Calm, cool and collected. The two of you had even been the butt of office jokes as you got closer. You didn’t seem to care though. It felt too good with him to give whatever you had up.

Lucky for you those lunch dates turned to dinner dates and before you knew it you were meeting Jack and spending time at his place. Weeks turned to months, and you were spending almost every night at the Hotchner’s. You and Jack were getting along as thick as thieves. Aaron even trusting you to watch him while he was gone. You made Jack promise not to tell his daddy that you gave him ice cream almost every night. It was a secret between the two of you.

Jack was off on a summer camp, and you’d just wrapped up the Quantico project leaving you far too bored sitting at Aaron’s place. So, you did what you always did when you had nothing to do. You cranked up the music and started cleaning. It was a Tuesday morning, and you really weren’t expecting Aaron to get back from his case. It was a long one out in Colorado. He never gave you the specifics, but he sounded horribly upset each night when he was on the phone with you. Distracted and distraught.

You hadn’t heard the door open and close as you were upstairs cleaning. But when your music abruptly stopped you hightailed it downstairs to get it going again. To your surprise your boyfriend was standing at the kitchen island rubbing his temples. You should’ve known there that he wasn’t going to be in the best of moods.

“Hon.” You grinned ear to ear seeing him standing there, “Your home! How was the trip? Happy to be home? I missed you tons. Especially with Jack being gone, I haven’t had anybody to talk to.” You wrapped your arms around his front, hugging him from behind. You were usually really good at picking up on social cues, but you must’ve been too damn excited to see him to pick up on his mood.

“Y/N.” He gave you a half smile before squeezing your hands tightly but gently. Like he was afraid of losing you.

“Aaron.” You let go of him brushing the now overgrown hair out of his face, “Are you alright? Was the trip okay? I just missed you so much. Hopefully it wasn’t too bad. I’ve really gotten used to having Jack around. I wish you didn’t have to go so often.” You admitted.

He sighed a deep one, “It was a tough case.” Was all he gave you. You should’ve known there that he wasn’t going to give you much else. But your stupid ass brain decided to ignore the cues. It wasn’t really your fault that it bounced around so quickly. You’d even taken your meds today. It was something about Aaron that seemed to break anything those meds were holding back.

“Want to talk about it? I know you never do but it could be good for you. You know? It’s not great to hold that kind of stuff in. It’ll eat away at you.” You just wanted him to be the Aaron you knew. Not the ball of stress standing before you.

He shook his head, “Not this time.”

“You sure? You look upset hon. I don’t like to see you like that.” You continued not noticing him closing his eyes. Surely more than irritated with you at the moment. But were you going to catch that? Nope.

“Positive.”

You nodded, “Alright. If you say so. Are you hungry? I can whip you up some lunch…”

He interrupted you before you could go on whatever long winded rant you had built up, “Y/N, can you be quiet for five seconds please? I’m trying to think.” You were turned away from him and didn’t see the immediate regret that washed over his face. He didn’t really mean it he just needed you to stop for a moment. He wasn’t expecting you to be home and wasn’t ready for the bombardment of questions. After cases that involved so many deaths it took him a moment to come back around. He needed a second to himself. The job was hard and you knew that.

And with that you felt your heart deflate right then and there. The smile that hadn’t dropped since he came home immediately vanished without a trace. Your happy eyes immediately dropping and filling with hot, wet tears that desperately wanted to spill over. You’d been with him for almost half a year and that had yet to come out of his mouth. It took you by surprise, to say the least.

“I’m so sorry.” You squeaked out before walking out of the kitchen hastily. You weren’t good with conflict. Always running away from it.

He knew he fucked up. You weren’t overly sensitive, but he knew what he said was over the line. Especially since you were simply trying to help him. But he also needed that moment. So, he shamefully let you sit upstairs with your thoughts. You had an issue of letting things ruminate in your head for far too long.

Letting the tears fall you continued to clean the bathroom in silence. Why were you like this? As soon as you got comfortable with someone you seemed to ruin it with your dumb ass brain. You should’ve known he was exhausted. He’d been gone for nearly two weeks. Cases never ended well when he was gone for over a week let alone two. You should’ve backed off the second he started giving you short answers. Stupid stupid brain ruining everything.

Once you finished you thought it best to spend some time back at your own apartment. The last thing you wanted to do was annoy him into breaking up with you. Tip towing downstairs you found him asleep on the couch. Biting your lip, you scribbled a note letting him know you went home making a dumb excuse that your friend needed you. As much as you wanted to spend the night with him, he clearly needed it alone.

It wasn’t long after you got home that your phone buzzed. Looking down you saw Aaron was calling. Deciding it best to give him space you decided not to pick up. When it rang for a second time you answered, “Hey.” Why were those stupid tears threatening to spill again?

“Sweetheart where are you?”

You frowned, “Home. Emma needed some help with a dress.” You partially lied. Your friend Emma really did need help hemming her dress, something you were oddly good at. But she wasn’t coming over until the weekend.

“Oh, are you coming back after? We can make Spaghetti, your favorite.” You knew this was his attempt to apologize. Quickly realizing in the relationship that Aaron was a quality time kind of guy, his true love language.

Should you? You weren’t feeling great about the whole thing and a night away might make the heart grow fonder, “I don’t think so Aaron. I’m tired and she’ll be over for a while.” Another lie. You hated doing this to him but you just couldn’t confront it head on. It just wasn’t something you were ready for.

“Oh, okay.” He sounded sad. It made your heart lurch just thinking about it, “Come over tomorrow after work?”

“Yeah, sure.” You knew you were being short with him but God, you just didn’t want to annoy him. A specialty you’d seemed to master.

“Everything alright sweetheart?”

Everything was not alright, “Yeah, just a bit tired. I should get going, she’s almost here.” You hardly heard the confirmation on the other end of the phone before you hung up on him.

You didn’t sleep well nor work great the next morning. Aarons comments ringing in your ears over and over again. When it came time to go home you took his route home. Knowing you had to confront this at some point. Aaron would make you. He always did. As bad as he was with words, he always made sure to talk things out.

Somehow, his black SUV was parked in the driveway. You had an inkling feeling he was going to beat you home no matter what. He might’ve even taken the day off today. Walking through the front door you found Aaron in the kitchen cutting up some tomatoes.

“Sweetheart.” He smiled while dropping the knife and walking over to you. Wrapping you in a tight hug he made sure to give you an extra squeeze. He was a profiler after all, he knew something was amiss.

“Hi.” You mumbled in his chest. Breathing him in completely you let your eyes close as you leaned into him. He was clearly trying to make it up to you now, might as well let him.

“Have a good day?” He asked while prying you away from his chest.

Shaking your head you decided to answer honestly. The little white lies you told yesterday making you feel gross, “No, not really.” Yawning you leaned your head back into his chest.

He starting brushing through your hair with his fingers having an inkling as to why, but he needed to know for sure. He hated hurting you. You were nothing but sweet to him and he returned it by snapping at you? He’d done it to Jack as well. He knew it was something he needed to work on even if he wouldn’t say it out loud.

“And why’s that?” He asked softly making sure not to startle you.

“Didn’t sleep great. Then my boss decided to put me on the worst project. Pipes.” You sighed. It wasn’t an attack on you, every project manager had to have a hellish utility job. You were just next on the list. It couldn’t have come at a worse time though. Pipe work meant constant oversight, and anything could shut the project down. Tedious and annoying but necessary, you knew it.

“I’m sorry honey.” He confined brushing through your hair.

“It’s fine.” You signed closing your eyes as you listened to his heartbeat. You weren’t in the mood to talk which was strange for you. You always wanted to talk. To dive a little deeper. Understand him a bit more. But you weren’t feeling it. Was it actually your mood or were you just terribly self-conscious now? You refused to ask that question as you shoved it to the back of your mind.

“You sure it’s fine? You’re awfully quiet. I miss my chatty girl.” He knew he needed to apologize. He should’ve just spit it out already. But he wanted to see if he could see if it was anything more. He’d never seen you so down and out. You were always there with a smile and seeing you so sad had him worried. Had he done that to you? Did you not sleep because of him?

You nodded into his chest, “Yeah, ‘M just…” You paused. Was it really worth not telling the whole truth? Aaron would figure it out. He probably already had. He was doing that profiler shit on you now. As annoying as it was you grew to love it. It was him. You loved him. Everything about the man intrigued you, “Tired.” You finished. Not the whole truth and you knew it.

“Honey.” He kept brushing through your hair knowing how much it calmed you.

Feeling a little surge of bravery, you looked up to him, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dismiss you yesterday.” He paused giving you a brief kiss on your forehead but not giving you enough time to respond before he continued, “I love all your questions. I really do. It’s just this last case was rough. And I know that’s no excuse to treat you like that. It’s just… this guy. He targeted women that looked just like you. It’s been an awful two weeks. I just miss you. Please stay?”

“Oh Aaron,” You frowned but squeezed him tightly, “I’m so sorry. If I had known…”

“I should’ve told you. Don’t apologize. I should be the one apologizing.” He kissed your forehead again holding it there. Just holding you in his arms.

Feeling so safe and secured in his arms made you feel every emotion all at once. Thrilled that he still felt the same about you. Embarrassed you took it so personally. Scared you would mess this up. So in love with the guy who recognized so easily what was bothering you. It was all too much for you. You couldn’t try to stop the tears that flowed down your cheeks even if you tried.

Aaron pried you away from him taking your head in his hands. Softly he wiped away the tears with his thumbs with a sad look on his face, “I’m so sorry sweetheart.” His eyes searched your face for anything. His heart breaking just a little more seeing your hurt expression across ever feature.

Nodding, that’s all you could do. Absolutely you accepted his apology. He was so sincere with it you know he meant everything with his entire heart, “It’s okay.” You managed to choke out between breaths. After a moment the tears finally stopped. You’d normally be horrified by the sudden outburst but with him you weren’t. You knew he had you.

“It’s really not. I’m so sorry. I won’t do it again.” He assured you wiping away the final tears.

“Thank you, Aaron.”

He pulled you back into him, “I’m not perfect but I promise you I’ll try.”

“I know that.” You beamed up at him. You felt so much better. Words always helped, running away never did.

“I love you, my dear.” He smiled down at you while rocking you back in forth in his arms.

“And you know, I love you too.”

Taglist: @twilightlover2007 @morgthemagpie @ashie-babie @buckybarnessweetheart @wendy234678 @adhdannieedison @emilykolchivans @aurabambi @pipecleanerweyesfp @simp4f1 @ghostridrr @sunflowers-4

[eopederson]

Bas Relief, "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Folger Shakespeare Library, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, 2014.

Over the past several years the Library has been undergoing expansion and renovation and thus closed to the public. On Tuesday we attended a patron's cocktail hour to introduce the new facilities and also the programs for the 2024-25 theatre and music season. We are looking forward to the plays and to the Folger Consort concerts. Meanwhile, the Folger Library is now open to the public and has extensive display spaces where one can examine, among many other treasures, some of the collection of first folios. Only a block from the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court and two blocks from the Capitol building, the Folger should be on the agenda for any tourist visit to Capitol Hill.

The first play in the 2024-25 theatre season is "Romeo and Juliet," and the bas-relief on the exterior wall has been cleaned.

[zrtranscripts]

Season 10, Mission 4: Can't Stop the Boss

Not My Apocalypse

~

[van creaks]

BRENT VALMONT: Alright, Five. Let’s hash this out. I really hate to show my temper, but you’ve left me no choice. Are you sitting comfortably in the back of that van? Got your Valmont headset tight? Good, because I know you’ll want to hear who I’ve got speaking next.

[tape recorder clicks]

SAM YAO: Five? Five, it’s me. It’s Sam. It’s going to be okay, Five. Everything’s going to be alright.

[tape recorder clicks]

BRENT VALMONT: Spoiler alert: it’s not.

[tape recorder clicks]

SAM YAO: Valmont said I have to tape this message. I... I don’t know how long it’s been since Tunisia. He showed me the footage of your last run to the Maghreb border. Oh, you were so fast, leaving the whole Red Scorpion Army behind! They never would have caught you... if he hadn’t have been waiting in that boat. Amelia always said we shouldn’t trust him. Of all the ways to find out she was right.

Valmont says he’s got a mission for you, Five. He showed me the brief. It’s just a simple item grab. I don’t have every detail, but nobody’s about, nobody gets hurt... and what they’ll do to you if you refuse... I think you have to do it, Five. Just this once, I think you have to do his run.

[tape recorder clicks]

BRENT VALMONT: I know you miss him, Five. I can see it on your face. Those Valmont headcams work both ways! So I’ll make this really simple for you. You turned down all my other jobs. The assassination in Bolivia, the firebombing in Berlin! But this one’s non-negotiable. Get it done within the hour or Sam loses a thumb.

[van door slides open]

Back of the trucks’ cracking open. Look at all that daylight spilling in! I know I’ve got you fighting mad, so let’s channel that rage! Down the ramp, full speed ahead, just follow the street, straight along the cobbles, under the big stone arches. Don’t think of it as helping me. Think of it as saving him. Here, I’ll even let Sam play you out!

[tape recorder clicks]

SAM YAO: It’ll be okay, Five. I know it will. Remember what Janine’s always saying? When things are at their darkest, a runner strikes a match. You keep the hope. No matter what, you keep that flame alive. And promise me, the first chance you get, promise me you’ll run.

~

[birds coo, wings flap]

BRENT VALMONT: Mind the pigeons, Five! But take in the sights! Italy, the Vatican, St Peter’s Square itself. Look at those grand colonnades on either side, the great Egyptian spire in the middle. Though the basilica’s looking a bit dowdy, isn’t it, the way the dome’s collapsed in? Head straight for its entrance, past the burned-out popemobile. It’s through those great big pillars where the tourists used to queue.

It’s been hard on landmarks, Five, the end of the world. The Eiffel Tower, Washington DC, poor old Red Square. Not exactly sitting pretty since Van Ark’s Armageddon did the renovators in. Oh, I know. I told you the apocalypse was mine. I didn’t mean it literally. It was Sigrid’s passion project, Van Arks’ silly plague. [sighs] He was such a stupid genius, wasn’t he? Took the blame for the disease to please that humorless wife of his. Invented immortality, but he couldn’t get the hang of spin.

ANNIE knew what they were planning, Five, long before it happened. I had her watching Sigrid, Van Ark, Moonchild, too. You don’t become a billionaire without probing your rivals. We caught their little scheme to end the world, and yes, I could have stopped it, it’s true, but I know a bargain when I see one. The whole world on fire sale! I’m not the one made the end, but I like to think I’m who it’s for.

[door clatters open] This is a grand old entrance, isn’t it? That distant gilded ceiling, the sunswept marble floor. All those saintly statues watching with white eyes. [building creaks] Careful! Sidestep to your left. The ceiling isn’t stable. Some of it’s coming down.

You, me, mortal peril! It’s just like the old times, eh? Admit it, I was quite the charmer, running with your Abel crew. You were all so wonderfully obliging. I always needed Sigrid gone, and V-types can be a pain, but I never lied about it being a good time, Five. As far as handy decoys go, your lot were the best.

See that body, beneath the fallen pillar? That’s Valmont Runner Sixty-Four. Last one in before you. I warned her that this mission was a risk, but still, she volunteered! It’s amazing, the loyalty people give you in a post-apocalyptic world. So much for so little. You dig them out of burning rubble, offer them beans and a bed, and suddenly their life is yours. I used to run orphanages on the same principle. Shame my finest runner’s busy on assignment. She’d have at least survived the masonry, unlike poor old Sixty-Four.

I know what you’re thinking, Five. How many have gone in ahead of you? Oh, I’ve lost count! There’s something I need in that city, something hard to find, but you’ve got an advantage. You’ve seen it before. We just need to be careful, with all that panacea in your blood. My doctors have been draining what, a pint of plasma at a time over the last few months? That’s plenty of samples. Your body’s a little panacea factory now, thanks to that injection you stole! But we’ve got big ambitions. Things will go much smoother if they can harvest a whole lot more!

[building creaks] Better get a move on, Five! That building really doesn’t like my people. The ceiling almost sounds upset! Turn right at the papal altar, take the tour guide passage to the Sistine Chapel. And ignore the fallen runners up ahead. There’s no point dwelling on them, Five. There’s no profit counting the dead.

~

BRENT VALMONT: Look up at the ceiling, Five! Soak that culture in. The Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s masterpiece! All those gorgeous frescoes painted on the walls. Saints, sinners, serpents. And Adam, on the ceiling, about to high five God! [sighs] I was planning to steal this, but ANNIE says it wouldn’t survive the airlift. [sighs] Follow the frescoes down the corridor, the one with all the maps. Try to find an open window. You need to get outside.

Moonchild used to say my collections were “bad karma,” that it was wrong to try to cage the world. This, from Lady Mind Control. She reminded me of my mother, Five. Ghastly, hippy-drippy woman. Stole my father’s fortune, frittered it on “charity.” Said the world was full of wonders, but not a single one was ours! A thing’s not beautiful until you own it, that’s the dirty, ugly truth. Knowing something might be taken is a spoiling blemish. I used to tell Amelia that. Maybe when I take her world, she’ll learn.

It’s hard to find people who understand, Five. I wake up every morning with this screaming hunger in my heart, the torture of ambition. No matter what I have, no matter who I own, I know I can do better. It’s like an engine in my belly. I know I can own more!

There, an open window. Climb out to the courtyard, quick! Have you heard much lately from that Moonchild in your head? I bet you haven’t. Maybe my panacea killed her. Maybe she’s finally dead. The Cortile del Belvedere A pope once paraded his elephant here. That’s my kind of style! Just parked cars and a broken fountain now. See that big beige building over there? That’s the Vatican library with the Apostolic Archives next door. Those archives hold the secret storeroom of the Catholic church, and what we want’s inside.

[laughs] I know what you’re hoping, Legs. You think my wife will come and save you, Amelia and the rest. But the truth is, they’re not even in the game. I’ve got decoys with your shirt on from Peru to Paraguay, corpses with your DNA slung into shallow graves. I’ve got moles in the Maghreb, spies in the UK. I’ve got Amelia spun in circles, always looking the wrong way.

Sigrid, Van Ark, Moonchild, they were all small fry. Couldn’t even keep their Armageddon to a timetable. ANNIE didn’t expect their gray plague to get loose so soon. I wasn’t quite ready to put the Ministry straight down. But I was miles ahead in stockpiling, and I’ve had eons to prep since. I knocked down half the satellites, razed the global village. No more cheap communications, no calling distant ears for help. The market should be nice and manageable, survivors stuck in isolated pockets. I’ve got bases like Red Scorpion all over the world, allies in armies you’ve never heard. I know what happened to the last aircraft carrier, why zombies scream on roads. I am a one-man superpower. Your friends don’t have a chance!

Uh-oh! Zombie priests crawling out of the cars, and those look like Swiss Guards lurching from the buildings, the elite protectors of the Vatican with feathered caps and halberds high. Well, that one’s got halberd sticking through his chest, but what can you expect from zoms? They’re closing in behind you, still guarding the library even in death. There’s a car crashed through the archive wall. That’s your way inside. Get into that building, then down to the basement. Do not let them catch you! Go!

~

BRENT VALMONT: That’s it, Five. Keep going straight. They call this part of the archive the Bunker, where the most precious texts are kept. Frankly, I’m disappointed. I expected flaming torches, spotlights, demons dancing around the Holy Grail, not just endless dusty bookshelves. [zombie growls] Careful, there are zombies crushed together between some of those shelves. Stay clear of the books. Their arms are clawing out between them.

Do you know what the worst part of this church is, Five? It’s that it isn’t dead. There’s a whole new pope in Istanbul readying teams to nab these treasures, and they’re not the only holdouts. There are still rabbis, and imams, Buddhist monks, Mormons, Quakers, Sikhs. People who believe in gods, or hope, or just each other, joining hands to cope. Little groups like Abel brightening the dark.

It makes me so damn angry! It’s... not the apocalypse I bought! I wanted Mad Max, the Walking Dead, the first bit of The Road! Ruins, misery, hopeless dread, and I’d swoop in with my hoarded cans and lift the peons up, have them rebuild in my image, grateful for the helping hand. ANNIE predicted overwhelming collapse, once the dust settled. You were supposed to get nuked offing Sigrids or implode like Sage. Those Last Riders had the right idea, until they turned V-type. But no, you had to flourish, didn’t you? All over the world. The groups that defy the odds. The Maghreb, Arcadia, Abel, Vashisht. That galling, glowing 1% like aniseed in the stew!

There, see that staircase behind the red cordon with a vault door in the bottom? That’s the hidden heart of this bunker. A room that’s not on any maps. If there were demons locked away, that’s where they’d be. It’s time for the big drum roll, Five. The reveal of why you’re here. Remember your trip to Moore Island, the [red god] and the cult? Amelia never let me read the Edda, but the church has another copy hidden in their vault. Moonchild stole a partial transcript before they upped security. My runners don’t know what it looks like, but you’ve seen it before.

[zombies moan] Damn! Coming up the stairs, are those - red robes and pointy hats. Oh no, lots of zombie cardinals, and they’re in your way. The others are closing in behind you, too. Swiss Guards, priests, tourists in backpacks. There’s no going back. Forward is your only shot. Those are halberds lying on the floor. The guards must have made a stand here. Quickly, pick one up. [metal clinks] You’re going to have to rush them straight down to the vault. I can hack the door with ANNIE. That blade looks blunt, but you can at least push them back. Move it, Five, get down the stairs! Not sure what a zombie bite will do with all those Valmont patents in your blood. Don’t let the cardinals grab you. Run!

~

[door clatters open]

BRENT VALMONT: Now this is more like it! Big, oblong chamber full of sealed glass cases. Ancient scrolls, mysterious parchments. No sign of the Holy Grail, but I bet it’s around here somewhere. Find my Edda, Five. You don’t have much time.

[alarm blares]

This room is pumped full of an inert gas to preserve the relics. We don’t have the proper codes. I can’t hold it open long. See those dead runners on the floor? They all thought they’d find my prize, and they all died choking anyway. Funny thing, Five. None of them blamed me. Now that’s lasting ownership, the kind that leaves them dying but still feeling the love.

Aha, you’ve spotted something. The big tome on the plinth. Smash the casing and grab it! Use that halberd, now! [glass breaks, alarm beeps, zombies growl] Those zoms are pouring in behind you, they’re blocking the way out. There’s another vault door straight ahead, right across the archive. Move it, Five, and hold the Edda tight! If you die of oxygen deprivation, Sam’s the one I’m sending in there next. Speed up, before the door snaps shut. Run!

~

[birds caw, wings flap]

BRENT VALMONT: You did it, Legs! You’re clear of the archive and clear of the Vatican, footloose on the streets of Rome. And you’ve got my Edda. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, you could destroy it, tear it up and run, but what would happen to poor Sam, and Janine, and Peter, too? That’s right.

[engine rumbles] My truck’s approaching. Drop the halberd, get inside. [metal clinks, van door slides open] There you go, Five. Straight into the back. I’ll see you get a raise for this. That means extra cushions in your cell!

The apocalypse hasn’t gone as planned, it’s true. But I’ve had a fix brewing for years. You pushed up my timeline with that scramble through Tunisia. I was worried we might not pull it off, but now I’ve got the panacea and the Edda. I’m all set for the apocalypse, take two.

The panacea, Five, that’s my little joke. You see, it is a cure, of sorts. The cure for all my ills. Soon, I won’t have any rivals. The whole world will be my orphanage. Amelia, Abel, and the rest, they’ll be swept away, or transformed, replaced by broken, helpless, loving people. Like Adam on the ceiling, Five. They’ll all be looking up... to me.

~

[dailyrothko]

Hi! Love your blog. I really enjoy Rothko's work and I was curious about your statement that museums over-light Rothkos. My main exposure to Rothko's work is Rothko Chapel in Houston which is quite brightly lit, and I was curious - what in your opinion would be the ideal lighting for Rothko's works in general (if such a question can be answered) as well as for Rothko Chapel? Thanks so much - have a great day!

It's pretty well documented that Rothko wanted the work seen the way he saw it as he painted it. That was close up (18 inches from the painting but take into account Rothko was very nearsighted) and in low light, "Religious Twilight" Stanley Kunitz called it. There are people who attest to this environment who have very firsthand knowledge of the work and explain a feeling that the color comes alive in lower light, penetrating it, sort of night blooming.

For reasons both good and bad, museums do what they want. Rothko did not want frames on any of this paintings but you see them anyway, especially in Europe, where, ironically, the light tends to be lower in the exhibits. To make matters more complicated Rothko was not keen on his work being seen with other work, he wanted one painting alone or a group of paintings alone but that's a highly impractical thing for a lot of museums. The National Gallery In Washington DC has a Rothko room as does the Tate in England, but this is the exception, not the rule.

Some museums really do struggle to stay afloat, people don't like to walk around in darkness where it's hard to see things, practically everything in America is brightly lit, loud and ample. I think there's a desire to give the public what they want that has inevitably resulted in this practice spilling over to museums. To make matters worse, the kind of light museums use (warm or cool, LED etc) affects greatly the presentation of color. This is the reason photographs of Rothkos often swap blue for green or vice-versa.

I'm not an expert in any of this or, sadly, wealthy enough to travel and see every Rothko exhibit. But I think this problem is getting better as art museums, sort of like restaurants, have entered the modern age of forensic examinations and chemistry. New attitudes about restoration have gained a lot of ground, mostly because computers are so sophisticated they allow technology to take a larger role. It's good, I think. A lot of people care about the art and that's where it has to to start. With Rothko, luckily there are some good people working on it including members of his family, who are steering things in the right direction as much as they can. We're going to see some really good reproductions coming out and I think this is due to that kind of care.

As for the Chapel, I have been but not since the renovation. I am told it's very good but will have to experience it myself.

Matters like this are sort of art projects themselves. As we saw in the Harvard Mural restoration, a lot of trouble was gone to to save these damaged works without doing what the used to do for centuries to art which was basically repainting it.

as i have veered off into more than one subject, I'll leave you with an anecdote. I post these on my instagram but have not done it here as I have not been sure of my old guard Tumblr followers wanted the addition of Rothko quotes with the paintings (perhaps they can tell me)

"(Rothko) wanted a dim light for his show at Janis. Janis thought the lighting "made the gallery so dismal, but he wanted some kind of mystery attached to his painting." When Philip Guston accompanied Rothko to one of his shows at the Janis, Rothko turned off half the lights in the gallery."

[bigtimesinsmallspaces]

Post 11: The End

While it seems I could write about trains all day, the reality is that I’m back to my real life which means packing up and getting ready for the summer in New England. I can’t just sit around all day long and think about trains. Writing this blog has been fun and has served as a great way to help me process and think through the trip. And it’s given me a chance to have a lot of interesting conversations and communication with people. So if you are still reading, I thank you! Here are the final questions and answers in case you find yourself curious about train travel; and at the end my favorite video and two pictures.

Q and A Part Two

What are the train stations like?

I could do a blog about train stations. Some of the city stations are beautiful. Union Stations in both DC (opening in 1908) and Chicago (opening in 1925) are beautiful and designed by Daniel Burnham. They are iconic historical fixtures in both railroading and architecture. Both have survived some hard times and undergone many renovations. Today these stations have restaurants, retail, marvelous halls and waiting areas (including the Metropolitan Lounges for sleeper passengers.)

Washington DC Union Station

In contrast the smaller stations on both the Empire Builder and Zephyr routes provide historical portrayals of rural America and a local history of railroading. Stepping into these stations is like going back in time, reminding me of being a little girl in Pulaski getting ready to board the train to Baltimore.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado station

Where did you shower?

Yes we did shower. Let me make that clear. But this required some planning. Showers were available at the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago. These showers are surprisingly outstanding— they resemble a spa— very large walk in. But the process itself is entertaining. When you arrive you put your name on the list. They announce your name on the loudspeaker and you report for your shower. It’s like the dirty person walk of shame. Regardless, it was a shower! We also had access to a shower when we were located in the sleeper. Now these showers were tiny and it was a bit of a trick to even stand as the train was bouncing down the tracks. Nonetheless, this too was a shower. Finally, we were in hotels for three nights, providing shower access for six days. In the end we had access to a shower on 10 out of 15 travel days— not ideal perhaps, but not bad. Meanwhile there’s always soap and hot water on the train!!!

The tiny tiny shower in sleeper car!

Were you able to sleep on the train?

Sleeping in coach isn’t easy. But it’s not impossible. It’s also nothing like an airplane. First they dim the lights at 10 PM and declare quiet hours. Also they stop announcing the stations— attendants wake up people to deboard the train. The seats are really big. They recline way back and there’s no fighting with the person behind you for reclining— there’s plenty of room. Also, there is a footstool that goes out— it’s really like a big recliner— it’s actually quite comfortable. PG and I would watch a couple episodes of Northern Exposure— with our ear phones of course— just to get sleepy. I usually then tuned into my Spotify playlists or a couple of podcasts (I’m still following those crazy Murdaugh murders) that I downloaded before the trip. And I put on an eye mask to totally block out the light. I had a light blanket (thanks to Pyper and Nicholson) to cozy up with. My Turtl pillow, specially ordered for this trip, was worthless. I managed to sleep maybe three or four hours each night, and PG did a little bit better. (that’s not really that different from a lot of nights for me!!) But toward the end of the trip I was definitely dragging.

Now sleeping in the sleeper car was a totally different experience. The roomettes are tiny. But they do provide privacy— which is a nice thing after days of overstimulation in coach. Peace and quiet is a premium. And being able to stretch out is a luxury for sure. No doubt, this is the preferred way to travel. And you get to wake up to a fresh pot of coffee right outside your room!! All in all I’m really glad we did the one 24 hour segment in a sleeper. It was worth it. And PG slept well.

What did it cost?

PG and I bought Amtrak rail passes. These are $499 for ten travel segments within a 30 day timeframe. We lucked out with a winter sale for $449! A travel segment is defined as anytime you board and then deboard the train. (It’s possible to travel Chicago to California, over 2000 miles, and never get off the train— this is one segment. Or you can go Charleston to Savannah—around 100 miles—and this is one segment.) Obviously each time you transfer to a different train you begin another segment. We used eight of our ten segments and bought one segment separate so we could experience a sleeper.

The rail pass is a great value. To put it in perspective the cost to travel this itinerary in coach without the pass would have been around $900 each. (It will probably always bother me that I had two segments I did not use!) To put the cost of a sleeper in perspective, consider that that one 24 hour segment in a sleeper cost $771 (for two)! But keep in mind this figure included the rail fare, the room, and six full service meals. Still— not exactly a bargain. But it certainly was an experience.

If we had made the entire trip in a sleeper the cost would have been around $6,000 for the two of us.

Regardless of what you plan to book you will do better by booking early. Prices go up and availability go down. If prices do drop— and the cost of our sleeper actually dropped by $71– Amtrak will refund your credit card. Of course you must track this yourself—another great tip I learned from folks on the Amtrak Facebook pages.

We found that the price of hotels at our stops were reasonable, especially considering that we were traveling in the spring— between ski and summer seasons. The hotels averaged out at $150 a night.

What are the things you did that most contributed to a positive travel experience? Are there things you would do different?

There are a few things that really helped us as we traveled:

Lots of planning— We were familiar with the routes and how things worked on the train. We also knew the hotels and even restaurants along the way that we wanted to check out. This also helped us when we had to redo and reticket the entire trip in two hours.

- Packing light— It’s great to be able to jump off the train and walk to a hotel. Even lugging stuff on and off the train can be daunting. Also babysitting tons of stuff across the country would be tiring. It’s a challenge to pack light but it’s so freeing in how you can move about.

- Enjoying nights OFF the train— The train is great but if you’re exhausted how can you even enjoy the scenary? We limited train overnights to two or three at a time. This enabled us to replenish supplies, exercise, and do laundry. This also gave us the chance to enjoy some beautiful places. While the train trip itself was our main focus, the bonus is getting to experience other places. Both Montana and Colorado were amazing.

- Taking advantage of the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounges— These turned out to be lifesavers. Not only do they offer comfortable seating and convenient snacks, but you could refill your water and ice supply, and in Chicago you could shower. In addition, Amtrak customer service folks staff the lounges and in DC were hugely instrumental in assisting us to totally rebook our trip in light of the cancelled Zephyr. They also guide you out to the train platform for early boarding— very helpful in allowing PG and I to get seats together. We were able to use Amtrak Guest Rewards miles to gain access to these lounges even when we were not booked in a sleeper.

The Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago

- Spending one travel segment in a sleeper— While the cost of first class train travel is prohibitive, we were thrilled to have one 24 hour segment in a roomette. Eating in the dining car was so nice. It was a great diversion from traveling in coach.

As we sat in the observation car coming into DC at the end of the trip we discussed what we might have done differently, and literally nothing came to mind. We mentioned that we might have enjoyed another night in both Whitefish, Montana and Glenwood Springs, Colorado. But overall, we decided we had the most amazing, epic, beautiful, fantastical train trip ever— or EVAH!!! (for my MA friends and family).

BEST OF:

-Best Video: Taken out the back window of the last car on the Capital Limited. I love this video.

-Best place to Visit: Train pulling into Glenwood Springs

-Best scenery: Outside Glacier National Park

[dfchomeimprovement]

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[pixeldistractions]

Grad school is happening at Magnolia Graduate College.

Leading our group is Dr. Heather Thompson, Dean of Students. She specializes in biology. (Hi, Ingrid’s mom!)

Our students this year:

Andre, Calvin, and Steven are all working on their medical degrees, and Amy is doing her nursing clinicals.

The others are non-medical graduate programs. Justin (architecture) and Natty, (teaching).

Justin may be a workaholic, but he’s still a geek. He’s studying on nights and weekends while maintaining his home renovation business and blogs, and being a newlywed husband and father of three. Overachieving much? That’s nothing new for Justin, the workaholic that he is. Workaholic except for when the video games are calling him.

— from “postcards from grad school” (1/4)

some gameplay notes on grad school:

The way I’m doing university in my game is that nobody is allowed to do a distinguished degree until they’ve completed a regular degree first. Regular degrees are undergraduate programs where my sims will usually reach level 3-6 in their core skills, while distinguished degrees are considered graduate programs and they are expected to reach levels 6-10. 

I play all three of my own colleges and all of my students are living “at home” in residential lots, so it doesn’t matter which in-game college they attend. So, for undergraduate students, it sometimes requires picking the “wrong” college so that it won’t be a distinguished degree. 

Because I only have one grad school for everyone to attend, I’m not too picky about travel distances being realistic. Many of them are commuters. The med school students need to be residents, but Justin lives in Michigan, and Natty is in Nevada, and Amy is in Washington DC. Considering most of these grad students are in their mid-late twenties, some will be even older, they would have families, jobs, or serious relationships at home. Since this grad school is their only option, I won’t make them spend long times away from their life to go here. They will do most of the semester from home, then commute to campus for a couple of days to take their exams. 

[lucienmelaina]

Name: Lucien "Luc" Melaina Age: Forty-six Gender & Pronouns: Cis-male, he/him Sexuality: Gay Time in Redwood: Two years Resides in: Second floor of the library building Previous occupation: Author Community occupation: Librarian

musings // answered // mirror // wanted connections

An old soul, that’s what they called Lucien ever since he was a kid. And as if in a hurry to catch up with that old soul, the oldest Melaina son walked and talked and read earlier than all other kids his age, impressing parents and teachers and everyone who came to know the little guy who spent his days with his nose stuck in a book. They talked about how he would become a scientist, a politician, a lawyer, half-joking and half-hoping and doted on his every need.

But Luc didn’t share any of those aspirations. Luc only needed his books and his few good friends and his peace and quiet in order to be happy. He never excelled at school the way everyone expected, his mind wandering to far away worlds, or trying to keep his eyes open after having pulled an all-nighter to read just one more chapter. He didn’t get invited to many parties and he never found the appeal in sports, but even though he lived in a different bubble than the popular kids, no one dared to bully or make fun of him.

Even his college years were quiet, his degree in English Literature coming almost easily to him. He spent his hours in the library and next to the sea and in cute little coffee shops with his laptop and his books, reading and writing and daydreaming until he found himself scrolling through pages and pages of his own creation.

His first novel did well enough, especially for a debut. His second one, even better. His third one changed his world forever. Luc doesn’t know how and he doesn’t know why, but it apparently hit the right chord– there was success and money and awards and a movie deal. And there was a thrust into the spotlight that nobody could have prepared him for.

Because Hollywood was very different from the peace and quiet he had always tried to maintain. He tried to be grateful for the kind words and the selfies and the interviews, but he found himself returning home exhausted and empty and with zero energy or interest to turn or write a single page.

When the virus hit, Luc was on a promotion tour for the movie that was set to premier at the end of the year. Every day he put on a mask of excitement and answered the same questions and said the same catchphrases and ignored his true feelings. He did everything the publicists and managers told him– so when they said that this virus was nothing to worry about, he believed them.

They were in Washington, DC when the outbreak became impossible to ignore. The tour and the premiere and everything was ‘postponed until further notice’, flights were canceled, panic spread. Luc stayed in town for as long as he deemed safe, and when everything became too suffocating, he joined a group that fled to the countryside.

He felt terrified and exhausted and completely useless– he couldn’t run very fast, he couldn’t cook very well, and he definitely couldn’t fight. People came and people left and people died and somehow, probably through pure luck, he survived day after day. Months later, he found himself at Redwood, dehydrated and starving and with a broken and infected leg.

And the people of Redwood took care of him. They let him rest and gave him food and water and clean clothes and a place to stay. So he gave back what he could, even if it was just a few kind words, a good conversation and a renovated library– after all, he knew from a very young age that sometimes a few good friends and a few good books are enough to make you happy.

With the understandable shortage of new items coming into the library, he is very strict with return deadlines and demands all the books remain in the best possible condition.

His leg has good and bad days, sometimes he can barely get out of bed, others he can almost forget the pain is there. Still, he always carries his cane with him and leans into it whether by need or habit.

There’s always that one orange cat in the library- Luc calls him Gatsby, feeds him, lets him sit on his lap while he is reading, has him sleep on the foot of his bed, but is not willing to admit that the cat is his at this point.

Before the outbreak, he used to be a vegetarian, but since then he has had meat on various occasions for the sake of survival. When there are other options, he always goes for the vegetables.

He knows that it’s a weird thing to say, but he is happier during the apocalypse than he was before it, getting to enjoy the slow life of Redwood after so long in the spotlight. However, the thought of what is going on outside the walls never really leaves his head, as he knows that if the city falls, his chances of survival are next to none.

[beardedmrbean]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Already struggling to keep his Chinatown bar afloat, Yousef Tellawi felt a sense of impending doom when he learned that the owner of Washington's Capitals and Wizards wanted to move the teams out of the neighborhood and into northern Virginia.

The departure of the teams from their home at Capital One Arena, he said, “would completely pull the plug on Chinatown,” an area that's already been hit hard by a post-pandemic decline in the number of downtown office workers and a sharp increase in violent crime in the district.

Across the Anacostia River, another fragile Washington neighborhood is dreading the ripple effects of that stadium deal — which still needs approval by the Virginia General Assembly and the city of Alexandria.

Congress Heights is one of Washington's poorest neighborhoods and, like Chinatown, also has suffered under the current crime spike. And it, too, has pinned its economic hopes on a sports arena and the crowds it draws to games, concerts and other events.

The 8-year-old Entertainment and Sports Arena is home to the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the NBA G-league’s Capital City Go-Go and also serves as the Wizards' practice facility. If the deal goes through, Ted Leonsis, majority owner of all four teams, is proposing that the Mystics move from their current home to the much larger Capital One Arena, once it is vacated by the Capitals and Wizards.

“We’re all pinning our plans on that arena to help feed the east side of the river,” said Ronald Moten, a longtime local activist and community organizer. "This would take away a lot of the credibility we’ve built.”

The fate of these two vulnerable neighborhoods now hangs in the balance during what could be several more months of political wrangling. Leonsis’ announcement of a tentative agreement with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has touched off a flurry of public maneuvers, lobbying and negotiation-via-press conference. The deal, according to preliminary numbers, would cost $2 billion, with about $1.5 billion of that coming in the form of bonds that would be repaid by a mix of tax revenue from the stadium and surrounding complex, lease payments and other sources.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser’s government, seemingly caught by surprise by the Virginia deal, has responded with a slightly dissonant two-track strategy. She convened a high-level task force to develop plans for a reimagining of the Chinatown district in the absence of the arena. But simultaneously, Bowser and the D.C. Council scrambled to put together a $500 million offer to renovate Capital One and are not-so-quietly hoping the Virginia deal falls apart.

Council President Phil Mendelson recently summed up the mood by saying, “I wish no ill will on anyone. But if the deal falls through in Virginia, we’re ready to pick it up.”

For Tellawi, who manages the Bulldog bar around the corner from Capital One, the potential loss of the venue is an existential threat. His most profitable nights are when the arena hosts a major concert that floods Chinatown with fans. Home hockey games for the Capitals generally produce a moderate bump in business. And for reasons Tellawi struggles to understand, Wizards home games barely make a dent.

Tellawi has to innovate to draw crowds. He hosts stand-up comedy events three nights a week with the first drink free, but notes that most of the female comedians insist on finishing before 10 p.m. due to safety concerns about the neighborhood.

“Right now, we’re still fighting," he said. “Maybe you could say we’re on life support.”

In Congress Heights, residents and business owners have similarly been counting on its 4,200-seat arena to anchor the neighborhood and help lift the neighborhood's fortunes. Moten, the local community activist, envisions the arena spawning “a new Black Wall Street,” and offering opportunities for a fresh generation of Black entrepreneurs.

A recent visit to Congress Heights revealed some signs of what Moten is hoping for. The arena, located on the sprawling campus of the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, still feels slightly isolated — largely surrounded by red brick former hospital buildings in various states of construction or disrepair. But directly next door stands the gleaming blonde wood of Sycamore and Oak, a multi-level commercial center featuring a food court, boutique grocery stores and multiple shops — all Black owned.

For the business owners at Sycamore and Oak, which opened in summer 2023, the arena’s foot traffic for basketball games, boxing matches and the occasional concert is already an important lifeline.

“We definitely get a rush before and after games,” said Dante Brown, owner of Triceys DC Afro-Caribbean restaurant. “It’s very important. And look around, this is just the beginning of what we’re trying to do.”

So far, the threat remains a distant one. Bowser has flatly rejected Leonsis' proposal to move the Mystics to Capital One if the Wizards and Capitals leave, saying the WNBA team's shorter schedule would leave Capital One vacant too often and that she has “zero interest in an underutilized arena.”

She notes that the Mystics are committed to play in Congress Heights through 2037 unless the city chooses to release them. Leonsis also has a long-term commitment to Capital One Arena through 2047, but could buy himself a 2027 exit by paying off $35 million in outstanding bonds. Officials with Leonsis’ Monumental Sports maintain that Capital One would thrive in the absence of any sports teams — freeing up the schedule to host entertainers and events seeking multi-day commitments that the arena can't currently meet during basketball or hockey season.

Moten has thrown his support into the Stop The Arena movement — which recently sent a busload of activists to Richmond, the state capital, to lobby legislators. The prospects for the legislation underpinning the deal look uncertain as the Virginia General Assembly’s session nears its scheduled March 9 end date.

If the deal does pass the state legislature, the final major hurdle would be a potentially raucous public showdown at the Alexandria City Council. Opponents cite objections to the public expenditure and a belief that traffic to the proposed new arena would overwhelm U.S. Highway 1 without massive infrastructure upgrades.

Leonsis has responded with a public letter claiming the envisioned sports and entertainment complex in Alexandria's Potomac Yard neighborhood would be, “like nothing ever built before in sports and entertainment.”

The letter played down any divisions between the District of Columbia and the intertwined communities of northern Virginia and southern Maryland, claiming they were all part of the same “supercity” and would all benefit from the new venture.

Leonsis also diplomatically pointed out one of the uncomfortable truths of the Chinatown issue — the fact that public safety in the area around Capital One has deteriorated badly in a way that may be scaring off potential customers.

“It is clear to us, and many of our neighboring businesses and residents in Chinatown that the needs of downtown Washington, DC and its businesses and residents are significant and challenging for the city,” the letter stated.

Violent crime in Chinatown rose by 36% in 2023, according the Metropolitan Police Department — part of a citywide spike in homicides and carjackings. In August, months before Leonsis announced his Virginia deal, a public meeting on Chinatown safety featured multiple residents complaining to city and police officials of worsening conditions and what they claimed was an open-air drug market right outside the main Gallery Place Metro entrance.

Michael Shankle, a member of Chinatown's Advisory Neighborhood Commission, says the idea of deteriorating safety in Chinatown is part-truth, part perception. Smash-and-grab break-ins on parked cars and storefronts have shot up since the pandemic, he said, along with occasionally aggressive panhandlers and a 24/7 marijuana smell outside the Gallery Place escalators.

“I think people have a sense of greater vulnerability” Shankle said. “I don't feel unsafe walking around, but I see where that perception would come from.”

Tellawi, of the Bulldog bar, feels those safety problems personally. Four people have been shot on the surrounding block since the bar opened — he said he witnessed one of the shootings. Last year, somebody broke into the bar, raided the refrigerators and was caught by police doing drugs upstairs.

“Honestly, things haven't been going great here even with the arena,” he said. “If the teams do leave, my only hope is that the city government takes that $500 million they're offering (Leonsis) and pours it into making this neighborhood safe again.”