See here and here for some comic-scans context from The Order, but doesn’t that sound like something Paula Deen would say? “Punching a bear in the face.” might just have to become my standard response to what’s up?

Just had another almost famous moment on the metro back from lunch. There have been camera crews swarming our station with the new stadium coming up and we got on at Archives to head back to Navy Yard. On the train with us was a guy with a camera and a perfectly coiffed blonde woman with a folder and a microphone. I was commenting to my co-worker that she looks exactly like the description of the god Media in the book “American Gods” when I turned around and she’s right behind me asking, “Hey do you mind answering some questions?”

She wanted me to talk about whether I was going to be in town and take metro this weekend or try to avoid it all due to the crowds. I think I gave her the responses she was looking for and I hope that I looked ok — ever since pollen season started, the nasal tickle makes me feel like I’ve got a bogey hanging outta my nose. After the camera shot was over she took down my name and where I lived and upon discovering I live in Mount Pleasant asked me questions about the street opening up and if any businesses had been displaced. I told her about the hair salon in the basement of the building moving a block down and she seemed happy for the free info. I guess I saved her a few minutes research online.

I think I started to ramble, as I often do, but maybe they’ll be able to cut some good footage out of it. If so, I might appear on Channel 7 tonight for a few seconds in one of their newscasts.

That would probably be the DC version of that old (and new) Chevrolet jingle. Clearly metro is ready, this cheesy (marshmallowy?) peeps video notwithstanding, for the throngs of baseball fans this weekend. The Washington Nationals season opener is this Sunday (Sunday… SUNDAY!!) and it’s pretty amazing all the construction that’s been going on around our office to make it look pretty. Potholes filled, new curbs being poured, new areas suddenly defined as parking lots. Though from walking outside I saw Parking Lots U and W, so I imagine those aren’t the choice lots.

I’m feeling conflicted about the cherry blossoms this weekend. I want to go, of course, even if they’re the same every year, they’re still gorgeous to see. But as a DC resident I feel I should show solidarity with the “Tourists Go Home!” sentiment I see in the local blogs and free papers. Still I wouldn’t want to miss the peak and since I’m no longer working near an Orange/Blue Line station, it’ll be more of an errand to hop the metro over there for a long lunch break. I wonder if it’s worth it to make an early morning trip just to have a nice long walk around the Tidal Basin and be done with it.

Truth be told, I don’t mind tourists all that much especially in large events like this or things on The Mall where they can’t really get lost or turned around. It’s a prime photo real estate so everyone’s going to be stopping every few feet to get another picture. If it turns out to be a nice weekend, the blossoms are a good launching point to make it a nice walking day for monuments and sights, at least see how far the Tulip Library has progressed, though that’s more of a April/May thing.

But no matter what, please heed the NPS Beaver: