Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Greater expectations...

Merely one item in a long list of firsts this past week, I saw (and touched of course) the ocean!
It was amazing. The ocean! You all know how I feel about water in general; how could I not fall in love with the Atlantic? It was amazing. The entire island was amazing. Or at least that's what I extrapolated from the fair bit of it that I saw. I'll not pretend that we went over every inch of it, but what we did go over was awesome. And I mean that with the "awe inspiring" definition of the word, rather than the skaterboy "totally rad" definition. Though it was also totally rad.
I picked up a couple of shells, and that was totally rad too. Assateague has an open policy about shell collecting, which is nice, so long as you don't sell them or "take more than you need". How many is more than you need? According to their brochure, it's more than can comfortably fit in a gallon sized bucket. That may seem like a lot, but a gallon of shells go nowhere when you're trying to mosaic all your bathroom porcelain in them, let me tell you.

In other news, I may have been the first (pfft), but I sure as heck wasn't the last person to begin singing Welcome To The Jungle upon entering the main atrium (the jungle room) at the US Botanic Gardens. That's right, Paul scoffed at me for singing it on the way in, and on the way out we met a group of three kids doing the exact same thing as they entered. So much for originality. I really need to go there later in the year sometime though, when the outside gardens have a better chance of being in bloom. Still, had a great time there, and got some shots that I'm pretty sure will make darn good stereos...once I get around to making time to tinker with them...

I'll probably post a couple of pictures and more Adventures of Spring Break later. Woo! Spring Break!

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I thoroughly enjoyed the U.S. Botanic Gardens as well although I did not sing welcome to the jungle. I should have, that would have made it slightly more enjoyable.

I also liked how you could call an answering machine and it would tell you more about the flora you were seeing. The Air & Space Museum had that as well. Sometimes I will just call the number and press a random number in to learn something new.

Renee L. said...

What!? I saw nothing about an answering machine to call either time I was there! That's awesome. I love learning new things. About plants and planes. (Sidenote of excitement: Last year I was *this* close to flown Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo craft. How sweet is that?)

But, answering machine or no, the USBG did have various plant quiz things in a side room, which I (we) rocked.

Confidential to Paul: THOUSANDS OF SPECIES!

Paul Kuliniewicz said...

Psst, Renee, posting a comment on your blog isn't an effective way of keeping something confidential.

Renee L. said...

You mean you don't follow the honor code and not read things marked as "confidential"? *gasp* And you in a position of trust!

Ryan said...

Dunnnanannaaa
Dunnnanannaaa
Dun dah dun dah dun dah dunn
Dun dah dun dah dun dah dunn
(oh my god...)
Dun dah dun dah dun dah dunn
(ooooooooOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAHHHH)
Dun dah dun dah dun dah dunn
(AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)
Dun dah dun dah dun dah dunn
(AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)
Dun dah dun dah dun dah dunn
DUANNNNNNNNNNNN
DUNNNNNNNNNN
DUNNNNNNNN
dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun

dun dahdah dun dun dun dun
dun dahdah dun dun dun dun
dun dahdah dun dun dun dun
squeeeeeedlymeeeedleyMEEE

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
we got fun n' games
we got everything you want
honey we know the names

We are the people that can find
whatever you may need
if you've got the money, honey -
we got your disease

In the jungle- WELCOME THE JUNGLE
watch you bring it to your sha-na-na-na-na-nannananana KNEES, KNEES
I wanna watch you BLEED!

Renee L. said...

That's one of the things I like about you Ryan; you sing (and transcribe) the guitar parts.

Paul Kuliniewicz said...

Ahem, I didn't tell anyone about what you wrote. I can't be responsible for what other people post on their blogs.

Unknown said...

I searched through my archives and sadly I could not find the number. Basically you dialed the number and it then asked for a two digit exhibit number which you would then press and you would hear a recording about the diverse flora and fauna of Hawai'i, or you'd learn more about the acacia tree, etc.

And when I was in DC, being *this* close to the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo craft was definitely a highlight.

Ryan said...

Thank you for appreciating, it makes it all worth it

Ryan said...

http://ihatemyparents.tumblr.com/post/481164917/they-call-me-the-axl-rose-of-the-first-grade

Renee L. said...

Haha, I love the tiny monkeys.