My twitter-narrated journey around the National Mall...

I'll let twitter tell this tale.  Included are some of my friend Tyler's replies to my tweets.

JeffffRicks 

  

I've gotta get out of the house. Might go wander in DC.about 7 hours ago via webJeffffRicks 

  

Dear george mason, your monument is still ugly. Sorry dude. It has awesome quotes though.about 6 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

About George mason: the 1st declaration of rights which truly deserves the name is that of Virginia, and its author is entitled to the eternal gratitude of mankind.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Haha, i'm kind of walking for exercise, just got passed by an old dude. At least i'm not doing the power walk he was doing.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Just had a staring contest with tj. Thomas jefferson with the win.about 5 hours ago via txtalltyler 

  

@JeffffRicks You are having too much fun. It's killing me!about 5 hours ago via web in reply to JeffffRicksJeffffRicks 

  

@alltyler twitter is keeping me company. Sorry, but you get to hear even more as i stroll around my new neighborhood.about 5 hours ago via txtalltyler 

  

@JeffffRicks I will enjoy every second of it vicariously through you...about 5 hours ago via web in reply to JeffffRicksJeffffRicks 

  

Love the same obnoxious summer cicadas making noise here at Fdr memorial that bugged me on my mission in georgia.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Disturbed by the wear on Fdr's finger. Evidence of thousands of children that grab it and say, 'pull my finger.'about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

I never forget that i live in a house owned by all the american people and that i have been given their trust. -Fdrabout 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Squirrels! I'm anxious to see the MLK monument when It's done.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Must say that the korean war memorial is my favorite of the war memorials.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Proud to report that abe lincoln is also very good at staring contests.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Hard to imagine the mall crowded with the thousands and thousands at MLK's i have a dream speech. It seems crowded just with the day's tourists.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

I've heard about 7 different languages today.about 5 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Glad i'm not the only person that is a big fan of squirrels.about 4 hours ago via txt

JeffffRicks 

  

Staring contest with a goose. i win. Finally! Ugh, wrong choice of footwear. Both feet blistering.about 4 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Fortunately for all of you who haven't unfollowed me, i'm quitting due to my shoes. (as i run into a low tree branch.)about 4 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Really want to cool off my feet in the tidal basin. Where's my camera, missing a great photo op.about 4 hours ago via txtalltyler 

  

@JeffffRicks What shoes are you wearing? I wish I could walk out of my house onto the Mall in DC.about 4 hours ago via web in reply to JeffffRicksJeffffRicks 

  

@alltyler Haha, i had to drive over the river, but i'm wearing Crappy target flipflops. Both feet bleeding now.about 4 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

I love that people are actually using the Bball fields between the river and the mall. Never seen them in use before today.about 4 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

See you later george mason, author of america's first bill of rights.about 4 hours ago via txtJeffffRicks 

  

Had a nice stroll. Back across the Potomac i go.about 4 hours ago via txt

Check out where I live!

As I have VERY FREQUENTLY had to do over the course of the last few days, I was just checking out Google Maps to find my way to places around the city.  I just realized how cool the location I'm living really is.  I'm SO close to so many cool things!  Look at this screenshot from Google Maps.  I'm living where that star is in the bottom left corner.  I'm right by Arlington Cemetery, the Pentagon, and of course just across the bridges are the memorials, the Capitol, Smithsonian, and the National Mall!  I really love DC, and I'm happy to be here.  I'm still scared for school, but I'm excited about whatever time off I may have... uh... after finals?  Anyway, I suppose I'm also in the worst place possible should anyone decide to attack the US again, but I'll hold that has a seriously implausible event for the three or so years that I'm here.  I've got a pretty sweet pad for visitors.  Not that we have a lot of nice stuff or furniture for people to sleep on, but there's space.  Let me know!  (Preferably well in advance.  I think I'm going to be pretty overwhelmed this semester.)

The other point:  The original reason I was getting a screen shot is because of the fun TANGLE of roads I live right next to!  I have to do some crazy merging no matter which direction I'm headed.  I live in the middle of all that orange and yellow road-spaghetti.  It is a little chaotic, and to say I've come close to mangling my car over the past few days is a bit of an understatement.  But hey, at least I found out yesterday that my brakes really work!  (Quit worrying, Mom.  I'm fine!)  It is a downside of getting to live here, but I'll take it.  Unless I get in an accident, then it's unacceptable, right?

In other news, I like my ward a good deal.  I've never been so well fellowshipped.  (They have a very active fellowship committee, and they hold a class every week during Sunday School for the newbies.  It was actually pretty awkward because they had 6 or 7 people assigned to attend the class, and yesterday I was the ONLY new person in the ward.  I got a lot of attention.)  I knew this ward was pretty stacked with impressive people when, A) I listened to an operatic performance like I've never heard before for the (more than just) special musical number, and B) heard that there is a baptism for almost every weekend this month.  They're obviously great at spreading the gospel!  This is a great ward!  Hope I don't throw off their balance too much!  Only kidding, but it is a bit intimidating.  I'm still just me though, and that's all I can be.  I'm not a huge fan of starting church at 3pm, but I'll adjust.

Well, sorry about the novel.

K, bye.

Havin' a blast!

I LOVE Washington D.C.  I don't know exactly why I love this place way more than other cities, but I do. I've seen quite a few unexpected sites and people.  I saw Joe Biden in a presidential motorcade.  (I think we were on the wrong side of the Capitol to see Barack Obama.)  I saw John Mccain from about 20 feet away, Senator Dodd, Senator Sessions, Senator Thune, and a few others from even closer.  I saw all of them on a special tour of the Capitol.  I also got to go back today and sit in the Senate Gallery up above the Senate floor.  Unfortunately, we pretty much only got to see Al Franken decide to recess the session until Monday.      I'm really tired, but I've quite enjoyed myself.  Tonight we went to a sweet Chili place called Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street.  It was crazy-crowded, but fun.  I also got to go see George Mason yesterday.  It was a really tiny campus.  It's not part of the regular campus, and I felt like the whole building kinda smelled like cigarette smoke.  However, they're building a large new building.  It's in a really new and nice area of Arlington.  I sat in on a class.  It was Contracts.  I was really impressed with the camaraderie of the classmates and the professor.  It was a particularly funny and nice professor, but still.  It seemed like a fun learning environment.  I actually kinda understood what they were talking about despite not having read the cases before hand.  I'm havin' fun, but I'm going to have to write more upon my return.  Boo.  The weather has been SO perfect.  In the high 60's, low 70's every day.  And sunny.  I'll HATE going back to the cold of Utah.  But alas, it must be done.  Well, see you later.

K, bye.

OH, also, William and Mary has waitlisted me.  That's what I expected, so we'll see if an offer comes up before I make my decision.  I wish BYU would HURRY UP!

Hi!

I'm in DC.  Crazy tired.  I will never do two stops when I could possibly do a non-stop flight again.  Just sayin'.  Cleveland's airport is ghetto.  Our cab driver ripped us off I think.  I wish I had energy to stay up and write, but alas.  I do not.  I will say that I'm REALLY grateful for the gals that are letting us crash at their apartment this week and house-sit for them.  It's great.

Well, I'll see you on the flip-side!