My name is Greta Schmidt. I am an astronomer (not an astronaut). And did you know that Batman is Russian!!!!!!!

Well my whole idea of blogging after I do something is slowly going down the drain.  It really should not be too hard to sit down at the computer (which I am at all the time) and write about what I did, but yet it seems like it is something along the lines of training for a marathon (although that is something that I have never done, but in my head they are kind of the same).  I am too old to be changing up my procrastination routine I think.  But now I have to go back into my head and figure out what I did these past couple of weeks that I want to comment on.  Along with old age comes my inability to remember things.  Damn you old age!!! 

I have heard many wonderful things about the International Spy Museum (http://www.spymuseum.org/) and so I decided to head there.  Note to people:  this museum was chalk full of kids....I mean chalk full.  They were everywhere.  Under your feet, above your head, anything that was interactive they were doing.  And if you know me at all, you know I have somewhat limited patience for children, so this was not the most funnest place for me. Also, this museum was one that you could not take pictures at, which normally does not stop me but a) there were a crap load of security people walking around watching people and b) I was paranoid that since we were at a spy museum, they had workers there dressed like lay people who were actually trying to catch people using their cameras, so I rarely took a picture (I took one picture and then panicked about it, thinking I was going to get deported, or my camera taken away from me - both equally problematic in my eyes).  But seriously - in a place that you have to pay, one would think that pictures were accepted.  And really, come on, were they afraid we were going to steal important spy secrets?  I need to get those glasses that has a camera built into them so when I look at something, I can take a picture.  Then I would be totally good to go.  In the beginning, we got to this one room and had to pick an identity and maintain it throughout the museum.  My identity - Greta Schmidt.  I am 33, from Germany.  I am an astronomer and I am heading to London, England for business for 4 days.  I was born in Bornstedt, Germany.  I repeated this information over and over again and for no reason - during the entire time there, I did not have to use this information; nobody pulled me into a room and interrogated me (thankfully as I would have had a heartattack probably) and at the end, I did not get a prize for remembering my true identity.  Nothing.  Kind of disappointing.  It was here though that they had the emblems of the security service associations from around the world were posted in the "briefing room" and on the Russian one - it was the Batman symbol!!!!!  I knew it!!!! Actually I didn't as it never occurred to me that Batman is Russian.  Throughout the museum, there were things from CSIS which made me happy.  I just imagined Riya saying something like "Canada has a secret service agency? What for??'.   Over all though, there is a shitton of information to read and look at and very informative, but the kids......man they were annoying me. 

Another thing that I need to remember about myself is that when I feel like doing a touristy thing, I need to put aside the whole day and not have anything to do afterwards.  So, people, if you ever hear me discuss doing something touristy and then planning on getting some school done or something like that afterwards, smack me across the head via the interwebs.  I haven't seen the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and it is right around my corner and with the way that the transit system was, I decided to do something close to me.  And, while there, I was going to hit Starbucks and get some studying done.  So - plan - hit the Basilica in the morning and then hit Starbucks in the afternoon for studying.  Sounds good, right? Not so much.  Get to the Basilica and holy crowballs it is amazingly gorgeous and wonderful and serene.  There is so much stuff to see and read - I think about 98 things to see and read and take in while there.  Yeah, I was not prepared for this.  When I go to a museum, I like to read and see everything so putting aside a couple of hours to get through this Basilica, not feasible at all.  I definitely have to go back and take it all in.   I also would love to go to a mass there - and I am thinking Good Friday would be a pretty spectacular one.  And I will have to say that I did not swear outloud while there - just in my head when a picture came out fuzzy.  I picked up some pamphlets while there and this one cracked me up:  How to Make a Good Confession.  Review your life with the help of some questions, which are based on the 10 Commandments.  The questions:

• do I pray to God every day? Have I thanked God for His gifts to me?
• did I take the name of God in vain? Did I curse or take a false oath?
• did I miss Mass on Sundays or holy days of obligation through my own fault? Am I attentive at Mass? Did I keep fast and abstinence on the prescribed days?
• did I get drunk?
• did I willfully look at pornography, entertain impure thoughts or engage in impure conversations or actions (sorry Ma and Papa for you finding out that I am not a virgin this way.....)? Did I use artificial means to prevent conception (sorry Ma and Papa for not providing you with grandchildren)?
• did I tell lies? Did I sin by calumny, or detraction, of others?
• have I envied other people?

I would be in that confession box for a very, very, very long time.  Abiding by all of those, in my eyes, would lead to a very dull life.  No swearing....come on......it is a perfectly acceptable way to express one's feelings.  If I ever become a counselor, I am going to encourage swearing.  Healthy.  Very healthy.  Anywho, I regress from the issue at hand.  Seeing as I didn't instantly burst into  flames heading into the Basilica, I think I am safe.  Maybe I should start going to church though to make sure when the unfortunate time of my demise comes, I am somewhat on the up-in-up on the good person list.  Does God look at Santa's list, cause if so, I should be fine.  Except for the fact that I call him a pedophile (Santa, that is) so probably am not on his good list anymore.  Crap.  Anywho, the place was amazing.  I am definitely going back to take it all in and experience everything and maybe cleanse the soul a little of stress and bad juju that may be in there. 

I am also learning a lot about my Canadianness in terms of Americanness.  First off, they do not call it toque's here.  I still do not know what they call them - caps, beanies, something like that.  Not toque's though.  Another thing, I say "zed"; they say "zee" down here.  I got pointed and laughed at when I said "zed".  I still speak Celsius and not sure about Fahrenheit for conversions.  I think I am missing another Canadian reference - oh, curling.  They call it 'is that the game with the brooms?'  And I am still thinking I am missing something.  It will come to me later. 

Hope everyone is doing wonderful, keeping safe and healthy and happy.  Miss you all and love you lots!!!! And thanks Ma for the kick-ass birthday toque - I LOVE IT!!!!