psssst, meara! Stamford and Springfield are both close enough! Springfield is closer! We could also have an East Coast mini-f2f at our place this summer.

pssst, Abi! Even though you're leaving us, you still count as an East-coaster!

meara, you rock! Must. have. quality. meara. time. On a regular basis. IJS.

Start climbing again, Abi. I forgot to join the tackle hug pile. Consider yourself blitz-hugged.

in Italy, they won't be able to understand what we're saying. I say we're golden.

NSM, I think. You do remember the theatrical hand-gestures and facial expressions that ND and MM used to great effect? Pretty much the universal language and will be understood by nuns, priests, monks, and Swiss Guards alike. Arrested is a very likely possibility.

Domestic it is.

Diner is fabulous, I wish I could go eat there RIGHT NOW!

I'm home. Well, stopped at the office en route home from the airport to use the computer so I could check out the pics and read up. I had a great time at the Prom, during which I grabbed nearly everyone, as many as I could, and proceeded to boss them around to get the photo I wanted. The camera is ND's and it was the first time I'd used it. I didn't get exactly what I saw through the viewfinder, but if there's another chance to do photos with that camera, I think I can improve on them. I'm most happy with the one of Aimee, which composition occured to me that afternoon (no doubt from viewing Italian portraits at the Nat'l Gallery.) I'm inside their closet to get the one I like the most, where you see her face in the mirror and the back of her head & tiara straight on. I'm the most disappointed that the exposure is off on the pics of JZ, because outfit #1 was just amazingly beautiful. Everyone looked great, really.

Chiming in with Sean on the not wanting to be in New Orleans in late May next year. The horror of the heat & humidity in DC were mitigated by the loveliness of it being warm enough to not have to bundle on jackets at night, the way one does in Nor Cal, but still. Cleveland is a gorgeous city. I believe it's also quite cheap to fly there. Isn't it the hub for something major? America West maybe?

DC was so great for the sightseeing. I don't have my "must see" list with me here, but I'm comfortable that I got everything in that I possibly could have, with the possible exception of a last swim before leaving for the airport. The hotel rooms were nicer than the hosp. suite, but it worked, too, actually. There is the option of relenting and letting me and/or ND simply tell you where it will be, too (planting a seed, heh heh.) I should go home and see how my Java cat is doing. It was so wonderful to meet new people, and say hi to those I knew, and sightsee, and take photos and all that!

actually, I should applaud Hil for teaching me just now

Ack. I knew there was something I forgot to do. Thanks Hil!

t smacks self on forehead

psssst, meara! Stamford and Springfield are both close enough! Springfield is closer! We could also have an East Coast mini-f2f at our place this summer.

Yes. That would be fun. Yes, I am inviting myself.

I missed DANCING TO NINE INCH NAILS WITH HOT WOMEN?!

Maybe it was the Maxwell version.

Howdy y'all!

I'm posting from the hotel's business centre and catching up here because I couldn't wait until I got home. I will post much more when I get home tomorrow night, but I just had to read your thoughts (and see sweaty pictures). Today was another good day in the neener!extendo f2f that ND and I have been enjoying. We got to have dinner with the lovelies Vortex and meara and after meara and ND dropped me off at the hotel, MattTBF came by and we grabbed some food for him and some beer and had a great conversation about Buffy and Angel (no, really!), a couple of Bronzers recapturing our shared past.

So I'm off to bed, with still a little more f2fing for tomorrow, as ND and I are planning to get together for lunch, so if any localistas can pry themselves away from their obligations (Maria!), please do, before we catch our flights in the afternoon and finally wing our way back to ordinaryspace.

Two things: I am hereward on Livejournal and on ICQ, and Nsquireboy1 on AIM, and I will fire up AIM more, I promise. Please feel free to add me in those places.

Also? If you wanted to say a few words in my memory book and didn't get the chance or wanted to say more (you know who you are), please send email to profile addy and I will paste your words in (yes, I am a huge geek, thanks for noticing). I very much appreciate the words that are there. I treasure them.

I miss you all so much.

More when I get back home.

Love, JSw

sj, you don't have to invite yourself. You are invited.

I missed DANCING TO NINE INCH NAILS WITH HOT WOMEN?!

Maybe it was the Maxwell version.

Oh God, I haven't laughed like that all day. Thank you.

PS Lee: this one IS good, but you were right about the other one. [link]

Kramerbooks and Diner are great places to eat in DC, those who are left. Good AND relatively cheap, my fave combo.