Being sick / Another rip-off / On SUVs / On un-American / Good places to eat in…

If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times. Saint Augustine

Being sick

In 2005, I was not sick for once, at least if mild migraines do not count. Thus, I assume that it is just right for me to start this new year, 2006, by coughing my lungs out of my chest. Right, but not too much fun. So, nothing much has happened since we returned from Washington, DC, on Monday. S has got much better and has spent her time outside our cave, I have been resting, writing job applications, and reading.

Another rip-off

I was extended an offer by a large multinational company, orally, not in writing. Being naive, I took the offer seriously and was quite sure that I would have a nice job in February. Being naive is not wise! They withdrew the offer, for I do not know their systems well enough - kind of funny since the whole organization has 40 people. So, not much change for me to know their systems. I am sure I would have learned their systems in less than 2 months, but I could not convince them. Most likely they have never seen anyone with my intellectual capabilities. And they will never do so. I wish them good luck in selecting their systems architect from their existing personnel.
So, I have resumed my job search. It has taken all my time and energy during the last three days. This time I will wait until I have signed a contract before I start celebrating.

On SUVs

SUVs are not selling well these days. I would blame their sissy names. The SUVs should have proper names, not something like "explorer. What about selling "Chrysler Crusader" to the born-again "Christian". For balance/equality, selling "Jaguar Jihad" would also be a good thing to do. Futhermore, "Dodge Destroyer", "Buick Bomber", and "Acura Al-qaeda" would also sell well. Maybe also "Honda Harmagedon" would entice gas-guzzling?

On un-American

Thomas L. Friedman put is better than even I could today in this column in the NY Times:

Enough of this Bush-Cheney nonsense that conservation, energy efficiency and environmentalism are some hobby we can't afford. I can't think of anything more cowardly or un-American. Real patriots, real advocates of spreading democracy around the world, live green.

Good places to eat in Washington DC

Washington DC has surprisingly good foreign/ethnic restaurants.

• Burma-restaurant (740 Sixth Street, N.W ) of which I wrote earlier. Interesting food.
• Ghana-cafe (2465 18th St. NW) for enjoying authentic food from Ghana/West-Africa. S had "Red Red", which was said to be popular among office workers in Ghana. No wonder, it was very good. I took a vegetable sampler, which was good as well.
• Meskerem - an Ethiopian restaurant. I had never had Ethiopian food before, but I will surely want to have again. I took a vegetarian sampler, which consisted of vegetarian sauces and stews served on a sour-dough pancake/bread. Excellent.

A superb budget hotel in Washington DC

We stayed in the Anna Cooper-room of the Bloomingdale Inn in Washington, DC. I am somewhat picky about hotels, but Bloomindale Inn is certainly the most comfortable, home-like, quietest, and has the best value for money I have experience ever. And they even have two beautiful and friendly cats there. I just do not understand anyone, who does not (try to) stay at Bloomindale's while in DC.

Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs January to February 2006".