Wassup 2008

Most Importantly...

we can't forget the kids. Every holiday season we are inundated with requests from charities and various organizations seeking donations, never without good cause. Every holiday season they tell us "never has it been more needed or more important to these families & children."

I think that for the first time in my adult life this will hold true, home foreclosures are leaving children out in the cold, lost jobs are leaving families hungry, and state budget cuts are leaving less money for safety net services.

Given that I am relatively insulated from financial turmoil (thanks to the Gates Foundation & people who like to drink alcohol) I find it especially important to increase my charitable giving this holiday season. I am a committed fan of the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, have just made my 2nd annual purchase of pies from local Food & Friends, and will be scoping out more ways that I can give back to people who make my easy life possible. I encourage everyone who reads this to do the same, whether you buy an ornament on the Giving Tree at your local mall or send an anonymous check to a familiar face, that kindness will go along way to make life seem worthwhile for a lot of people.

That's my inspirational message for the year.

Take the Day Off!

In my office, I get to be paid to do this (in a non-partisan fashion). Give it a consideration, could be a lot of fun to phone bank from my house :)

Brothel? Columbia Heights? What?

Totally hysterical story, so I am pilfering it from a friends blog (verbatim):

Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Columbia Heights/Petworth brothel robber gets his thumb chopped off

What!? I just got sent this from NBC4, apparently two men tried to rob an alleged brothel somewhere in Columbia Heights, and in the ensuing struggle, one of the victims chopped one of the robber's thumb off with a machete. Wow. The thumbless robber, named Bryan Perez, went to the hospital, the police brought the thumb, and there was a match. Busted.

That is probably the weirdest Columbia Heights crime story ever. I'm trying to figure out where the brothel was, but now you can have fun with your friends by sending them the article and saying "sorry your house got robbed."

UPDATE: Wait a minute, there was a shooting at a brothel last week too, on 14th Street near Quincy. Maybe it's the same place? Is there a rash of brothel crime in the neighborhood? Are there really that many brothels in the hood? What is this, Amsterdam?

UPDATE 2: The Examiner has the full story on the machete incident - the address is 3827 14th Street NW, which is in fact near Quincy - maybe it's the same place as the shooting. The article says there was an underground gambling establishment on the first floor and a brothel upstairs. What in the world.

And technically, the location is in Petworth. Dang news always trying to make Columbia Heights look bad.

UPDATE 3: The two events are actually the same thing - there was a shooting and the thumb chopping off happened at the same time. Geez.

Posted by Andrew at 12:01 PM

San Antonio

So, much like Chimney Fall Mike often is, I am in San Antonio for work right now. I am only here until tomorrow afternoon, so I will not have much time for fun things, but the hotel that I randomly picked is superb! So much so that I feel the need to blog it...ok, so maybe I'm also looking for something to blog since I won't be doing anything terribly fun. However, the hotel is gorgeous...a converted bank building, so you kind of feel as if you're in an apartment building, all retro and fun. Plus, there's real free breakfast, a free happy hour (that would be enough in itself) but there is also free internet, free long distance phone calls and a microwave and refrigerator (empty) in my room.

I am shocked because I am at the Drury Plaza Hotel and the pictures that they supply on their webpage are not indicative of the quality of this property. I know Chimney Fall Mike's favorite property is the Hotel Valencia, which I am going to peek in on at some point, but I highly rec this place for that upcoming San Antonio trip that none of you are taking!

I've never watch PerezTV...

but a friend had this as her gmail status this morning, so I took a look. And, I liked it too:

Ben's II

I passed by Ben's II last night (as I schlepped to the 10th ST CVS, as I await MY new CVS) and noticed that they are coming quite along. Looks like it's gonna be a fancy-pants Ben's. Wood bar, modern lighting, quite a change from the Ben's that we're used to.

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS DAY

my personal baby (no need to be frightened, Dancin') is coming due tomorrow...I speak of the 2nd Annual Columbia Heights Day!! While we worked very hard last year, this year has been a tremendous amount of work and I feel that it is really going to pay off. We have 300% more participants confirmed than last year, and a PETTING ZOO! Yes, there will be a llama, a camel (miniature), a zebra, bunnies, goats, ducks, etc... all things that Columbia Heights kids have the privilege of seeing at the free National Zoo, but 1) from afar, and 2) only when a kind soul takes them. We are bringing the zoo to them. Can you tell? I am terribly excited.

I have been consumed by board meetings at work this week, which has require 20 hour days for awhile, so tomorrow may be painful but it WILL be fun. We have food this year and mariachis...who could ask for more on a gorgeous (75 degree) saturday afternoon?

So, if you'd like to join the fun please stop by the Tubman Elementary School soccer field on 11th & Irving ST anytime between 11am and 6pm!

Hope to see y'all there! And, area restaurants will have specials all day long!

www.columbiaheightsday.org