But for the I-35 500 yesterday, it's been a blessedly smooth trip so far. Today was a nice, quietly productive day. The conference has been great (with just the one requisite terrible, read-from-PowerPoint presentation); I see why people in my field rave about this gathering and the organization that put it on each year.
After the meeting broke for the day, I walked over to Dupont Circle, to check out the shops. On the way, I got as close to the White House as I'll get on this trip (click through for notes).
A few minutes later, I got to the business district centered on Dupont Circle. I'd been there when I was in D.C. doing dissertation research in 2000 or so and a few years later for a job interview, so it was pleasingly familiar - if even more high-end. The density of BMWs was on a par with Mill Valley, California, or Gold Coast Chicago. I bought a cup of coffee and a book for the girls. I also saw some workers opening some crates with a funny warning label on the side: "These goods is fragile." I couldn't get a picture.
I did take a picture of a beautiful little modern building wedged between two other structures somewhere on Massachusetts Avenue NW.
This building embodies two of the coolest things about "the District" - the constantly interesting architecture, and the sheer density of Important Stuff: this unknown-to-me building and institute was basically across the street from the Brookings Institute, for instance. Even my little hotel has a set of SUVs out front that look like the damn presidential motorcade.
Now I'm sitting on the bed in my small but tidy little room, watching The Bourne Ultimatum and trying not to let the high tension get to me.