I read this journal on the rare occasions its author publishes. So I today I browsed over to read it and found this entry. Heart breaking.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Lu is quite unwell. She was pretty sick whilst I was away and had not told me about it so I wouldn’t worry and has gotten progressively worse since I got back. She’s also very bad about going to the doctor. To the point of feeling dreadfully unwell before she’ll admit she needs to go. So it all came to a head last night when she was sick, grumpy, irritable and had a meltdown at me. So after one of our monumental fights she finally agreed to go to the doctor today. Argh – she is a stubborn woman. Almost a match for my stubborn disposition. Must be one of the reasons I love her.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Well back at work. Actually feel kind of mentally quick on my feet and refreshed. *shrug* No idea why as my body is physically in partial melt down and according to my body clock it is yesterday somewhere in the Mid-Western United States. I just, however, knocked up a very impressive presentation in a very short period of time which after review actually made sense. Could have been a fluke I guess.

Damn. Yawning. Knew it couldn’t last.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Do not write stream of consciousness babble in the early hours of the morning whilst horribly jet lagged unless you want to look like a total wanker.

Looks around – yep. I look like a total wanker. I am not going to delete it. I’m going to keep it around as a reminder of why coherence is a good thing. I thought that the porn haiku writing marathon whilst hideously drunk had cured me off that particular trait but it seems not.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

It’s the beginning of a new engagement. The solidification of a hundred transient conversations. Disjointed pieces of thought across the ether. It is always hard to see the ending. Conclusions most engaging. Ideas that break away and become your own. The more I have turned it around to look at it the more I perceive the importance of that which has become my own. It is alive within me now. It has awoken my heart.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

I arrived at Chicago to discover all the flights to LAX were cancelled. A bush fire had forced the Southern Californian Radar Station (or something like that) evacuated and it apparently barely avoided being burnt down. And people say we should worry about terrorists – Mother Nature is a far scarier opponent. So after queuing forever no one could tell me what was happening or how I was going to make my connecting flight to Sydney. This resulted in distinctly increased blood pressure and with my face all but about to turn into a large red angry tomato I stalked about the airport trying to find some bloody answers.

Eventually I must have looked really desperate, pissed off and nearing a heart attack and one of the women I spoke to re-booked me onto the next flight – I suspect bumping another passenger off. It was a tight run thing and I arrived at LAX with minutes to spare. And now I am on my way home. Looking forward to Lu at the airport. And my own bed. And my cats. Oh and work. Looking forward to that. Not. Shit – I need a holiday.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Day 3 in Washington was somewhat of a washout. I ended up hitting the town on the night of Day 2 with the bartender from the hotel bar and ended up getting hugely blotto and rolling into bed at about 5am. The overall effect being a massive hangover and a desire to not go out at all that day. Also I was tired. Really tired. Travel starting to hit me I think.

So I meandered around for the day and relaxed. I had a pickup to go to Dulles at 2.50am to make a 6.20am flight to Detroit and then onto Madison. But naturally I couldn’t sleep beforehand – I was worried that if I closed my eyes I would sleep through the pickup. So I dragged myself downstairs and sleepily climbed into the shuttle bus. I kept falling asleep in the bus and most of the trip to Dulles is a blur. Then I arrive at the airport and find a spot to camp whilst waiting for the plane.

The usual TSA and other security madness ensues and eventually I find myself on a nearly empty flight to Detroit. I am across the aisle from Paul Bremmer’s 2IC on holiday to visit his family. I refrain from commenting on the CPA efforts in Iraq and he is obviously relieved I don’t want to talk about it. I suspect he thought I was one of the 80% of Australians who think the whole bloody thing is a stupid idea. But then again as the old adage goes – you break it, you bought it.

So jumped a Madison bound flight at Detroit and an hour and a bit later I was on the ground in the Mid-West. A tad nervous about meeting :Rane: which was partly disarmed because she – naturally – was late to pick me up So I wandered around the airport looking for a phone and then trying to remember where I put her number. Then I spotted her looking around the crowd for me and came over and introduced myself. Not quite sure what sort of greeting was in order I think we both of sort of looked at one another, smiling nervously, and said Hi. That seemed to break the last of my attack of the ‘will we like one another in person’ nerves I suffered on the plane. Definitely settled on the side of yes we seem to.

I like Madison. It is a cool town. I think that probably stems from the fact it’s a University town. I like the feel of it and it appears to be a fairly moderate, even liberal sort of place in many ways. Also they have more bars than you can poke a stick at – a distinction that ranks highly in the Kartar Town Appreciation Scale. Also for the first time since I got to the US I was meeting people who could cope with reasoned argument (hell even dissenting opinion) about their country, politics and foreign affairs.

Rane was a fine hostess and I saw a fair bit of the city during Saturday and then we both retreated – me to my hotel and her to her home – for a nap – because at that point I had been awake for more than 24 hours – something that does not generally make me predisposed to being friendly.

We met up later that afternoon and as is the nature of these things we ended up bar hopping after a pretty good Japanese meal. Which was fun – with the exception of a place called Red Shed – which I hope burns to the ground and they salt the earth it stood on. Hideous. Evil and hideous and full of obnoxious people and loud, crap thumpy music. But we thankfully spent minimal time there and the next place we ended up was fairly cool. I even sung along to a few songs – showing my age I fear throughout. And shockingly when they played a Michael Franti track there was a distinct lack of knowledge about him or his music. Unacceptable I suspect a CD will need to be burnt and sent over to correct this – I may swap for Rufus Wainwright – I quite liked what I heard of him. I got to try, after all these years, Rolling Rock beer too. Nice beer. Not Red Stripe but nice beer. I felt all Spenser-like – without the faux literary references and the annoying Susan Silverman.

At last bells I walked back to my hotel down the main drag. It was a bit rough. There was the aftermath of a minor punch up the police were sorting – more I suspect to calm the participants down than actually arrest anyone by the look of it, crying women – obviously low on life, high on alcohol and mourning some boy drama and general drunken ducking and weaving. My kind of place on a Saturday night.

Sunday morning Rane kindly took me to a traditional Mid-West Pancake place breakfast. My arteries are still complaining (I know I’m such a whinger). And the less said about bumping into people at breakfast the better. *sigh* But it was nice – just too rich for my palate. So we meandered back to Rane’s place, talked, I dragged her to the second-hand bookshop to buy crappy travelling books, talked some more, moved an air conditioner, played with the cats and then she kindly drove me to the airport for my return to Oz. Indeed a very fine hostess. Very pleased about the RL introduction. Nice to put the rest of the person to the personality.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Well I’ve been scanned, screened, poked, prodded and otherwise pushed through almost every security checkpoint in Washington. Washington is not overly good at the tourist thing – no where near enough signs – nothing in LOTE – and people who work places just don’t seem to know what the scoop is. I spent a lot of time wandering trying to find the entrances of places and discovering the rules for entering and the like.

I started at the Library of Congress – where the queue was so long that I gave up. Then I went to the US Supreme Court – which was very cool. Great tour and excellent tour guide. A little 22 year old university intern but he was great. Very impressed. Beautiful building too – the court room has some marvellous fresco work and the ceiling is magnificent.

Then meandered down and got my Capital tour ticket (mine was for 2.30pm so I just got in the last few tours). Went to the Space Museum – very cool toys. A real boys toys sort of place. I even spent five minutes in a F-18 flight simulator that made me quite disturbed. It’s a sort of total immersion thing that is like a ride at an amusement park – it spins and turns and you go upside down and flip over. It was – for someone who is not a fan of flying (look don’t ask me it seemed like a good idea at the time) – a bit of an icky experience. Then off to the National Archives via the Sculpture Garden – some great pieces in there. The National Archive was packed so I just bolted around to the key exhibits – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I gather or I think anyways they have the Magna Carta in there somewhere too but I couldn’t find it.

On to the FBI building – which was closed for tours – and then to Ford’s Theatre to see where honest Abe bought it. Not a very interesting exhibition and packed with annoying school kids. I meandered back and forth a bit – went up the old post office tower and took some photos (up to three rolls of film now – a travel record for me – normally I am a dreadful taker of photographs – the recording thing is much more Lu’s style).

Then found the Natural History Museum – which is fantastic. Wonderful – can’t say enough good things about it – wish I had more time to meander around it a couple of times but I have got a lot to pack in. Well worth a couple of visits. Except for the security guard who patted my arse whilst searching me – would have been all right if he hadn’t been a 20 stone, cross eyed freaky looking white guy. I might even have been flattered. But saw some good things – the Hope Diamond, a great exhibition on giant squid and the very cool Insect Zoo – four types of tarantellas – and active ant farms and scorpions. It was cool. Lets just say about a hundred eight year olds and me had a great time.

From there it was on to my Capitol tour. Very interesting. Loved all the statuary – each State sends two statues of famous residents of their state to be displayed in the Capitol. One of Louisiana’s was Huey Long – I am not sure how old Huey would feel about being displayed there but it’s a fine statue and he is a good commanding spot in the old House of Representatives Chamber.

Now going to find a drink and a place to rest my very tired feet. Tomorrow the Holocaust Museum and the Arlington National Cemetary and then off to Wisconsin.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Came to Washington early. Was well over Baltimore and my conference. Caught the Amtrak to Union Station and then went to my hotel and checked in. Then picked up my camera and guidebook and started walking. I am staying near Georgetown and near George Washington University so I close to all the things I wanted to see.

Went first to the Lincoln Memorial. Which is an impressive monument. And the Gettysburg Address has always moved me.

Then I walked down to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Don’t know what I expected. I just walked up and down and looked. I took some photos and then wandered some more and watched and listened to people. It is an incredible monument. It’s powerful and moving. It’s hard to get your head around the fact that there are 58,000 names on those pieces of black stone. 58,000 men who never came home to their families and loved ones. Who never had the chance to live. Ask the mothers, fathers, lovers and friends of those people whether any war is worth it. Incredibly sad and incredibly frustrating. This is the true cost of war. The only thing I think could add to the message of the monument is that they need enough panels to write the names of the 3 million Vietnamese who also fell in that war.

There were quite a lot of older people there – several older couples – men and women in their seventies looking at names and taking rubbings of them. A group of immaculately dressed older women – like they were on their way to church on Sunday – holding one of their number and patting her on the shoulder as she cried quietly against the Wall. From their accents and conversation I gathered they were from somewhere in the south. I don’t know who the boy the woman was crying over was but from her age I would guess it would be a son. I wonder if she’d been there before and whether seeing that name was a comfort or a curse?

Then a group of laughing and mocking schoolboys walking past me – no interest in where they were at all. Then one of them stopped dead. He’d found someone with his exact name on the Wall – down to the middle name. They clustered around the name and looked serious – all their humour seemingly gone. Their teacher gathered them up and I watched them walk away – no laughter now.

Eventually I walked away too.

I walked up to the Washington Monument but couldn’t work out how to get a ticket to get in so just had a sticky beak and kept walking. Went all the way around the White House – got several stares from guys in black jump suits with Secret Service caps – I think partially bearded men with black overcoats and black jeans are probably on their list of potentially suspicious characters. Took some photos and kept walking. Walked all the way through Downtown and then up onto Dupont Circle. Then back to my hotel. Feet were bloody sore.

Tomorrow I’m going to hit the Library of Congress, the Capitol building, the Smithsonian, the National Archives, the Holocaust museum and whatever else is in that general area.

Warning: array_keys() [function.array-keys]: The first argument should be an array in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1310

Warning: shuffle() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1311

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/kartar/www/www/wp-content/plugins/simple-tags/inc/client.php on line 1312

Again with the weird sleep cycle. Woke up at 5am. Maybe it is some kind of weird delayed jet lag. Whatever. The bad thing is that those of you who know me are aware I am not a morning person. At all. Ever. Which does not bode well for my disposition during the day as it progresses.

So I got up and watched some TV and ate some breakfast. Then wandered downstairs and checked out what was happening. I always feel so uncomfortable at these things. I deal much better with the one-on-one thing and in an environment where you can sort of introduce yourself not where you sort of stand around looking at all the people and going ‘Is it going to be rude of me to start a conversation.’ I always feel like a right idiot. And guess what? In combination with lack of sleep that is exactly how I felt.

Conference sessions are not so crash hot – I was expecting a bit more hard edged and technical stuff but it’s all a bit soft. Lots of project methodology and management process – which is useful and all – but it’s stuff you can learn from a book. I was hoping for real world examples of who is doing what and why and how they achieve it. Only one session all day came close and I am going to have difficulity picking that guy’s brains because he is a competitor in our part of the world and I imagine will be somewhat relunctant to share what is essentially commercial in confidence information with me. Hmm perhaps if I stick my hand over my ID and pretend to be from an evil pharma company. I don’t think I cackle well enough though.

Meet with some suppliers, drank some drinks with them and then went to bed early. One more day in Baltimore and onto Washington.