life is dynamic...: May 2013

Well, the news is this: I finally finished my PhD. Can you believe this?? Before I get to graduation, I wanted to add some photos from DC, a trip that kicked off my graduation celebration. We got to go to DC a few weekends ago for a nice long weekend with the parents. It was a graduate present, dad and mo treated us to a little getaway. I have been to DC numerous times, but this might have been one of the very few times, in which, I had no work to do, it was all play. Just in the last few years, I have been to maybe 10 conferences or meetings in DC and always managed a tiny little hour or two of play, but this weekend - it was all fun.

We stayed at an amazing hotel, probably my favorite hotel ever. It was just the little things - warm cookies at 2pm, wine and olives at 5, a self-named goldfish for your room, the green glass chandilers, the aminal print robes for use during your stay. It was modern and very funky. Also reminded us of 'red rum' but in a good way. When our room was ready, we were surprised to find flowers and fancy chocolate and champange waiting inside. Thanks dad and mo!

When we arrived, we hit the ground running with a tour of the capital building - my first time, and a special pass to the House of Representatives gallery (we literally missed the House in session by aboout 10 minutes) and got to sit in the room where the President gives the State of the Union address. We had to leave our cell phones behind so I couldn't take a picture - but this is the room we sat in!

Off to a good start, we proceeded to eat amazing food, went to all of the memorials, spend some time in the Arlington Cemetary, went to the Natural Museum, went to the National Gallery of Art, ate more good food, saw an awesome Imax movie about the flight of the monarch butterflies. It was SOO fun and an amazing graduation present and kick start to celebrating.