Overcast, with a chance of precipitation

I decided to go and enjoy the cloudy/overcast weather we experienced yesterday for the first time in ages. The diffused light is gives is what I enjoy the most. I love autumn, because the weather is always like this. The only thing I don't like about autumn is that winter is next and that means cold.

Click on the pict for a larger version.

RSS

So I and at least one other person who peruses this site can't get RSS feeds on it. I dunno why. I checked my settings, republished the index, etc and nothing. So, if you are one of the few who read this and received feeds on it, lemme know.

The site feed is supposed to be:
http://susanpetheridge.com/blog/atom.xml

I just changed it hoping it will provide feeds. Lemme know if I am a complete idiot or if there is code that I don't know about that is messed up. Gracias.

Meh...It's August

I'm recuperating from a very stressful weekend. my brother and I visited family, some of which is the kind of family we just can't get along with no matter how hard we try. As a result, the family who visited me, my brother, became the victim of my snappy attitude. I tend to snap at people when I am stressed because something minor that they do will piss me off.
Also, it's August, the month that I have a bipolar love/hate relationship. I love August because it is slow, no one is around, and traffic almost disappears. I hate August because it means summer is almost over and the heat can become absolutely unbearable. Also, August is the month of Murphy's law, if it can go wrong, it definitely will go wrong in August. You know how some people name their kids after months of the year - like April and June -if I ever meet someone named August, I am gonna run away from them. They would automatically mean trouble or bad luck.
So more than a month ago I decided I was going to start a new project. I started it, but that's all I did. These past few weeks have found me doing other things, including being broke.
So what do I do when I am stressed and need and outlet? I start to work on my photography, or I clean my apartment (which I'll do tomorrow). This is a result of my efforts and part of my new project - the Potomac River. I have no clue where this is going. Unlike my thesis, not knowing where this is going isn't such a bad thing, because this isn't being graded and is being done for me and only me. I'm kinda excited. I chose the Potomac because after brainstorming on projects I wanted to do, they all had water as a theme. Being around water does something to my soul. I love the water, I love swimming.
Originally the thought came for this picture after driving to one of my usual haunts, looking to clear my mind. It was taken at Edwards Ferry in Maryland. The streaks in the sky are from airplanes flying in and out of Dulles.




Click on the pict for a larger version.

I spent $2.30 and all I got was a 2 1/2 hour Metro ride!

Metro Metro, how I hate thee, let me count the ways. Oh wait, I can't, it's impossible, there are too many ways I hate you.
So yesterday I get on the Metro at 5:20. I ride the Blue line from Farragut West to Braddock Road. Normally, my commute door to door is less than an hour. Yesterday, it took 2 1/2 hours, thanks to a broken train.

The train broke down conveniently in the tunnel, under the Potomac between Foggy Bottom and Rosslyn. That tunnel is a single track only, meaning both Orange and Blue lines share the track in both directions, which is why there are always so many delays between those two stations. Luckily in our car, the rear one, the A/C was still working, apparently it wasn't in one of them. We waited thirty minutes, while being told every two minutes our wait was almost over, for another car to come and tow us out. The Orange line was stuck directly behind us because of it.



Finally we arrived in Rosslyn and had to get off the train. The overpacked Orange Line was directly behind us and had to wait an additional 10-15 minutes for our train to leave the platform so it could unload. While we waited on the platform, we were told (angrily) that we needed to leave the platform and go upstairs, because more passengers would be getting off on it and the platform was too full. Both the lower level and upper level platforms were full.



Shortly afterwards we were told that shuttle busses were going to take us to the next stations, the ones we were just told were in the problem areas. Then the voice on the loudspeaker told us that the shuttle busses weren't coming and, "I don't know if this is true or not, its a rumor I heard from Central, but the train service will resume shortly. I don't know how true it is." After hating her previous anger filled announcements, I decided I liked our announcer. At least she wasn't trying to sugar coat things by telling us our wait was almost over.
I decided to stay where I was and just wait it out. Finally trains showed up. I am so happy I don't ride the Orange line because as always, those trains were overcrowded, and those people were gonna have to wait several trains before they would be able to get on. Its just the Blue line always seems to have delays.



After 3 packed Blue line trains passed, I decided to move up the platform and get on a train. Much to my surprise, the car I got on was almost empty, with available seats too. I got on that train at 7 pm. It arrived at Braddock Road at 7:20.
Walking home across the field, I noticed that the shopping cart that I had photographed in the football field a couple weeks ago moved. I guess it likes the shade more.