Things I'm so disliking
Archives-Navy Memorial Metro Station. The escalator to get on the platform is out. This wouldn't be so bad if there were low carbon emitting stairs. But there aren't. No stairs, so with one escalator out, the rush hour crowd gets to walk down one skinny escalator. Woe to you if you're going against traffic. Your best bet sometimes is the elevator.DC Public Library- I rarely check out books from the DC Public Library. I buy most of my reads, used books mainly. I wasn't always like this. I loved libraries. I studied to become a librarian. But the lack of finding the books I want just encourages me to head for the internet or my own agency library. For example, I wanted Sudhir Venkatesh's Gang Leader for a Day. DC Library did not have it, and does not have it. My old library, the Arlington Public Library has it. So does Alexandria's Public Library. And Montgomery County. Heck, even PG County has it. When I was living in Arlington, I'd give the library a chance and see if they had the book I wanted. Here I don't even bother most of the time. Well, at least the Washingtonia collection is good. Can't check out anything from there though. But for books, to check out, no.
Because of that (and some thoughts I have about government in general) I am in no rush to get the DC One Card. I've already got a Smartcard, and there is another one in the house somewhere. I rarely use the rec facilities, and I just told you about my relationship with the library. I'm not school aged so I won't be need it for DCPS. And I've only walked into an unemployment office once in my life, in Florida, and it was a most unhelpful experience.
Labels: city services
posted by Mari @ 25.7.08
7 Comments:
that happened at the chinatown station the other day. 2 way traffic on one still escalator.
Im glad you brought up the library, its a big issue. right now our choices are:
1. the green plastic 1970's era Sursum Corda temporary library at Kirby & NY. Not sure if its ever open but the bums sure do love the yard.
2. the fancy doublewide that is the Shaw Watha t. Daniel temporary library. Better than the 4 years shaw spent with no library & they have bike racks.
3. MLK aka the big ugly leaky unclean box everyone seems hellbent on "preserving". I could rant long n hard about the urine streaked walls, the bathroom trysts, the funky wasted space...The last time I went there a crazy man threatened my man with ripping off his head and defacating...well you get the gist. 3 big cops showed up for him so at least the staff is up on calling the police.
so I'm with you. its all about amazon used books & the DCPS book sale. bags of books for 10 bucks! but it was in april :( gotta wait til next year. oh another good spot is the quaker meeting house in dupont, they do an excellent yearly book sale. i think thats around april too.
si, i'd like to hear more about the MLK library on the subjects which you seem to know so much about. it's such a slow news day. haha rr446
ha! yer funny. I fully admit i get my bathroom knowledge from the media, im not setting foot in their loo. as for the walls, you gotta be blind to not see it. last time i went to vote I took the stairs in order not to be trapped in the death box elevator with the inevitable skeevy guy licking his lips. I remarked on the 2 inch gap between the stairway platform & the wall & said "oh look! perfect place to pee!" went down a little further and saw the streaks. not one spot, the WHOLE wall. all of the walls.
ok im done grossing you all out.
I don't know if this is something you would do, but you can still use the Arlington system if you are a DC resident. I use it all the time. What I do is put holds on the books I want online and then stop by once a week and grab what I want.
I don't know what the DC One Card is, but I have heard a lot of young women say "I'm overweight because I mostly sit on the couch. Who is going to pay $100 a month so I can work out at a gym?" In reply to this, there is a very nice new facility (gym, outdoor track, indoor pool) offering a variety of classes free to DC residents at Turkey Thicket, 1200 Michigan Ave NE. They received a grant for "Aerobics Hearts n Parks" and thus they are offering evening aerobics classes to adults with DC ID. It is a very middle class clientele. Now, I have also found out about free learn-to-swim classes for adults with DC ID; hand dance classes; tennis; kickball. I think that only weight-training and pool aerobics have a cost. You can swim free in the nice indoor pool at Turkey Thicket or the older but well-located pool at Marie Reed.
el guapo- woot! Yea, Arlington, this totally makes up for not having a commuter tax.
bogfrog- I haven't been to Turkey Thicket but it sounds nice. I have a gym at my agency that I try to get to once a week. One beautiful day I'll go 2x a week. When I was working in Maryland the gym at the facility was much bigger and better, but I was in such a rush to get the heck out of the building and get home that I barely used it. The tiny gym where I'm at now, is small and simple but good. Being only 20 minutes from home, I'm more willing to stick around. It's a workplace gym so it is free.
If the library doesn't have a book you want, just put in an ILL request. Easy. Free. Convenient.
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