I have no other excuse for my recent internet laziness other than The Wire, a fantastic cop drama that ran 5 seasons on HBO some time ago. I had heard about the show back in 2007/08, but decided to ignore it since the entire staff of the Michigan Daily was in love with it. It's not a judgement against any one particular person on the staff, it's just that I've read their Arts column and sincerely doubt their taste.
The point is that the show is great, and I've been consuming the DVDs for the past few weeks. The show is as addictive as the illegal substances it portrays.
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There are three items of particular importance that I will now address.
1. Claire Has Been Gone For Some Time -- Claire is still in Chicago, working diligently for the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. As part of her Masters program with George Washington University, she has to do so many hours of interning. Being a native of the North Shore, she chose to spend this summer working on restoring an Assyrian Frieze.
Her job involves a lot of washing, a lot of digital paper-pushing, and arranging photos of the puzzle piece fragments of the frieze over a 19th century French line drawing of the original. It's painstaking, but she really enjoys working in a museum.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to get any behind the scenes pictures from her, but I did visit the main exhibit a few weeks ago. However, I did snap a few quick shots of the pieces already on display. This one is my favorite:
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| From Chicago Oriental Institute |
Follow the link for a few more.
More info on the institute and it's collections can be found here, and Claire's project is here.
In other news, she just submitted her first academic article for publication. Here's hoping it gets accepted!
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This is starting to sound like a Christmas letter; I'm sorry for that.
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2. I Bought A New Car -- Times being what they are, I decided to single handily save not only the domestic automotive industry but my father's job and the global economy to boot. I am your hero. To quote the great Strongbad, "dudes, form a line to my left for high-fives; ladies, form a line to my right for makeouts."
The car in question is a candy-apple red 2009 Pontiac Vibe. I've been attracted to the Vibe since my father purchased one back in 2004. It's small, but eminently comfortable, and with enough interior space to haul stuff around. It's also a joint venture with Toyota, so it's famous for good build quality and fuel economy.
The purchase went down two weeks ago while I was in Chicago. I traveled down to the city's notorious South Side, where after months of trawling the internet I determined the best model available would be. We nearly drove right past the dealership, since they only had a store front on a mostly vacant and depressed street.
Roseland Pontiac was the name of the place. According to them, it's the oldest GM dealership in the world, with a near century-long history. It's certainly unlike any dealership I've ever seen. It's like walking into a small store in a historic neighborhood, except someone went and parked three brand new cars in the middle of the building.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to take any pictures of the new ride. Plus, it's pretty dirty at the moment. Another crappy iPhone photo will have to do for now.
There's been extensive discussion on naming the vehicle. Bucephalus, my truck, got his name after at least a year so I am in no hurry. Claire is particularly fond of Nessie, but I think Ogopogo would be a better cryptid name. I'm also partial to Elwood, since like that particular Blues Brother, my car hails from the South Side. What do you think?
3. My Family Visited -- and it was awesome! After spending some time in Philly and in New York, everyone rolled in to town for a lovely long 4th of July weekend. We played music, ate great food, saw some awesome fireworks, and enjoyed each other's company.
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| From Patriotic Familial Visit |
(As always, hit the link for more photos)
It's so phenomenal to see everyone; especially my siblings.
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| From Patriotic Familial Visit |
Of particular interest was the DC fireworks display. After a solid day of hemming and hawing about whether to sit out on the mall with half a million (actual count) people or try to catch a glimpse from elsewhere, we bit the bullet and hit the mall. Despite the crowds, belligerent club girls, poor bathroom facilities, and the knowledge that we would have to run to a Metro stop to beat the crowds, I have to say it was an amazing sight.
Unlike most firework shows I've seen, where one or two explosions go off at a time until the grand finale, the DC fireworks is all finale all the time. Also, we saw the whole thing with the beautifully illuminated Capitol at our backs and the Washington Monument standing resolutely between us and the fireworks. It was, no pun intended, a blast.
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| From Patriotic Familial Visit |
I was so sorry to see my family drive off into the distance, particularly because they took Bucephalus with them. But I know this isn't the last time I'll see them, or him, and should probably just swallow my drama and buck up.
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There, I think that just about covers it. Now, on to new business...
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