3rd Day in DC

Yes I wrote in my first post that this blog is partly inspired by the book I've been reading these days: The Reagan Diaries.
I thought if the Commander in Chief could write a few lines a day, I could always find the time to do so as well.
And as days go by I realize how much commitment that is: all that makes me admire one of the greatest presidents even more.

Okay so this is my 3rd day in DC. Going back home tomorrow afternoon.
The talk yesterday morning went pretty much as I had expected, no surprises: it's just a ten minute talk. The only regret is how I might have better managed my time so I could have got more results into the talk, but again that's not of much helping thinking that over now.
Went over to the "GOVERMENT" area yesterday afternoon with friends. Got off the Metro at Smithsonian and walked to the Capitol, and then back along Penn. Ave. all the way to the White House. Across the Washington Monument and back to the Metro station near the Post Office. It is very much a pity not being able to see the Wall(it was getting late) or Arlington(closed due to the weather), but again the highlights: 1. Got to see the J.Edgar Hoover building. I guess most of my smiles over the trip was left there. (Okay I admit I watched too many TV shows about the G-men.) 2. After walking several miles through 15 or more inches of snow on 3 inch thin heels, I gotta be somewhat proud of myself.

Went to bed at 11pm last night after reading the Time publication "Year 1968" for about half an hour. Slept till...12:37 pm today, just in time to get myself ready for the T.D.Lee talk at 1:30pm about his mentor Enrico Fermi. Some fun talks in the afternoon. Gotta finish reading the book on 1968 tonight: WHAT A YEAR was that.

I know it has been a few days, but for quite a whilte I have not mustered up enough courage or composure to write about this: the passing-away of our Alexander McQueen. I just cried out in my office when I saw the news after class on Thursday.
Really, what should I say? This is different. For the past 5 years when I slowly nurtured my love and understanding for fashion, there has been the passing-away of Gianfranco Ferre and Yves Saint Laurent among others; but they had their fair share of years for the most part, and the world had the luxury to prepare themselves for this to happen some day. But not in the case for Lee McQueen. This past winter I was eyeing on a McQ dress at Neiman Marcus, (it's a beautiful blue sheath with nice details), but then I said to myself there's no rush to get it since Lee was going to bring to us better pieces in the future. And now the dress is no longer available, neither is the genius mind behind it. Who would have anticipated, and who would be able to take over and resume his legacy?
The world awaits for an answer, while Lee went forever away into his world where every brick of the castle, every leaf of the tree and every snow flake that fell has a spirit singing silently the song of life and mystery.
R.I.P Lee.

Weekend in DC

Arrived in DC this afternoon. A brisk 1 and half hour flight from my city.
It's a peculiar sense seeing the Washington Monument from the plane's window right before touch down. My first trip to the Capital. For the APS meeting though.
I have blown up my budget for this month already, and still I keep finding lovely stuff that I wish I could own. Call me out-of-date but I just got to know the wonderland of Etsy, either vintage or hand-made, it has so many unique and absolutely adorable pieces. Hopefully the items I've been eyeing on will still be available when I get back and get reimbursed for the trip.
Meanwhile I saw this lovely dress from Anthro. I found I have absolutely no immunity towards two-bodice contrast dresses: I already have one from Calvin Klein and one from Tadashi Shoji; I tried on one from BCBG and it did not fit though; and I still whine over one from Trina Turk that sold out of my size before I could snatch it.
How could I ever manage to save money out of my grad student's stipend if I keep shopping like this? Well now there's always that line from "Confessions of a Shoppaholic": "when I shop the world gets better."
I made the last minute decision that I'll not bring any of my textbooks or homework sets over, just the stuff for my talk and a book: Time's special hard-cover on the year 1968, what a year, and how much I look forward to reading it.
I guess I should get back to preparing my talk. After the talk tomorrow morning, I can assume I'm here in DC for a 2 day vacation: sleep, reading, and hopefully some sight-seeing. Of course 2 days is much too short for seeing the nation's Capital, hopefully I can come back around sometime later this year, if I can save up enough for a trip.

God bless all.

A Room of My Own

Virginia Woolf said, a girl needs money and a room of her own to write fiction.

I live on a grad student's stipend, 1/3 of which goes to the rent of a two-bedroom apartment I share with my roommate; however I'm not tempting to write fiction.

Have been blogging on another site for a year and a half now, a site in my native language, Chinese. I still post there about once a week. But still I wanna a place with more freedom, and more privacy; a place where I can just record my everyday, and by everyday I do mean every single day, hopefully. Started reading "The Reagan Diaries" this week, and I have to admit that served as the final straw for me to start this new blog. While my other blog becomes more of a show spot, I sincerely hope this place would be my backstage, a room truly of my own.

This is a truly beautiful dress from Anthropologie; tried it on at store; still waiting for it to go on sale. The name adds to its appeal:" Great Heights Shift". And the patterns, the skylines of some city, somehow I can just take it as the city I'm living in. From the height of this place, let's wait and see.