Washington DC - Day 94

This morning I attended a workshop seminar where Macromedia showed their latest installment, Studio 8. I received the e-mail invitation earlier this week from my boss, Graham, and decided to register and attend it. The room was packed, there were probably more than 200 people attended the event. Most of them were government and NGO employees, no doubt working with internet technologies and web implementations for their respective institutions.

Studio 8 hasn't been released yet, so the people attending were among the first to see Studio 8's capabilities. It is a powerful software, and even though it doesn't include Freehand (I never use it anyway), it includes Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Flash Paper among others. During half of the seminar, they demonstrated the new Flash improvements. It didn't really apply to me since I don't use Flash (no animation talent), so it was kinda boring. However, once the seminar resumed after a snack break, things were getting really interesting.

The chief software development showed us new features of Dreamweaver. It was great. The new Dreamweaver would provide more advanced support for CSS such as the ability to turn CSS on-and-off in mid-development, color each CSS box automatically, zoom in-and-out for more precise positioning, collapse codes for more portability, convert to XSLT for better RSS integration, and many more! It would've made my internship a lot easier. They also showed a new product called Flash Paper which would bring web multimedia to the masses. It's capable of converting almost any type of file into Flash SWF so developer can show documents directly on a given web page.

After the seminar, I walked into Borders store on the opposite block waiting for lunch time. Surprisingly, Borders scheduled a tour appearance of Josh Kelly that afternoon for his new album, Almost Honest. It was my first tour sighting so gotta include this in the blog. Honestly, I never heard about the guy, but his songs were very good. They're on the same genre as Mraz, Johnson, Mayer (what do you call that genre? I always refer to it as folk music since Yahoo categorizes them that way, and there're a lot of "J"s singers too like Josh, Jason, Jack, and John, go figure).

Washington DC - Day 4 (May 27, 2005)

I scheduled for an interview with Pat Taylor, a temp agency specializing in legal sector, this afternoon. I was referred to Pat Taylor by Salman, who had work for them since he came to DC in February. He got hired to a permanent position later in June by the client company.

The interview went well, and there was no test whatsoever unlike the other temp agencies. The interviewer seemed pleased, and she said she would try to find a suitable position for me. Eventually, I got no assignment from them. My guess is because I am a bit too "technical" for their openings, or because I didn't follow-through aggresively, or because they simply didn't have anything suitable for me. At least, I know from our correspondence that they tried, but for some reasons, it just didn't work out.

Later that afternoon though, I met up with Fari to pray together at the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI). I had forgotten how big the Embassy was. The Embassy building stands in stark contrast with the surrounding embassies. Not only it is large, but it has artistic Europen style, though the new extension is of modern design. The Minister of Forestry happened to be in DC, and he delivered the sermon that afternoon. I guess he was part of the President's entourage during the President's visit to the States that week.

Fari and I then had lunch in Malaysia Kopitiam, a Malaysian restaurant in downtown DC. Our server was in fact, an Indonesian, go figure. The food were delicious and filling, and it was a bargain given the price. I got myself Nasi Lemak, and if only they weren't out of Cendol, it would've been perfect.

We continued exploring DC and our destination was the National Air and Space Museum. I remembered visiting this place in '94 and I don't think it has changed a lot. Though, I have to admit that it seemed like an endless fun back then.

Washington DC - Day 2 (May 25, 2005)

Crap. I just found out last night that my internship didn't go through. CAIR just e-mailed me that I wasn't selected for the summer internship. Well, now what? Now, the plan could either be saved or let it fell through. I've traveled this far (3 hrs. flight but still), so I won't let it fell through. Today I set plans in motion, which over the next 6 weeks or so, would bring me through numerous job applications, several interviews, and a hell of a ride in between.

Still, the question beget, why Washington? After all, I could just stay in St. Louis and continued my job search there or at least until I got some sort of job offer before deciding to move out. Well, it didn't work. Externally, people would be unlikely to hire someone far away especially if it's just for entry-level positions. Internally, my motivation to keep this thing going was slowly dying out. There was nothing for me in St. Louis job-wise, so I better get back on track or it is time for me to go home.

I know, it still doesn't answer the question, why Washington? Well, Washington was on top of my list for a potential relocation city. Even before I graduated, it had been among the top three. The non-profit is one of the industry sectors I want to get involved in, and Washington is like the mecca of non-profits. I also flirted with the idea of working for public administration, so Washington is the logical choice.

I have visited Washington twice before, once in Summer 1994 and most recently on Summer 2002 (a road trip worthy of its own posting series). I like the city of Washington, DC. It's accessible and beautiful, it has good public transport system, and the city is moderately paced (not bustling like NYC, and not too laid-back like most cities I've been in). Boston and Chicago would probably the only other cities that rival Washington in that respect (I haven't been in Seattle so I don't know about it).

Well, I hope that answers the question, more about my adventure coming up.

Washington DC - Day 90

It seemed like a movie-out weekend or something. We ended up watching another movie last night. This time, it was the movie that we had planned to watch two weeks earlier, if only Salman didn't get into a car accident (don't worry, it wasn't his fault, read my Day 76 posting for more details). Yes, the movie was Star Wars: Episode III. Finally, after it has gone from most theater, we watched it at Arlington Cinema 'N Drafthouse. It is a bar/drafthouse that shows "old" movies which have been phased out from mainstream theaters. The place is rather unique. I personally haven't watched movies in a restaurant-like setting where servers come and go while people are munching their buffalo wings. But I digress.

The movie is by far, the best of the new trilogy (Episode 1-3). George Lucas finally got his act together. While the new trilogy won't be able to beat the old trilogy (Episode 4-6) in its masterpieceness, episode 3 ties all loose ends and provides good continuity with Episode 4. Maybe that's why it is better than the other two, because there are many more elements from the old trilogy in episode 3. It's a quite different type of movie I'd say, we knew what the end would be, but we didn't know how it got there. We knew that Anakin would become Darth Vader, we just didn't know how. Well, the movie answer this and then some.

Graphics are cool as usual, it's rather given since it bears the Star Wars franchise. Storyline, though much improved, still lacks the originality and depth of the old trilogy in my opinion. Overall, I probably gonna give it a maximum of 4 stars out of 5.

Washington DC - Day 88

This is a fun day. After I got of from work, I came back home to meet with Salman and we decided to spend the night watching Charlie and The Chocolate Factory at AMC Hoffman 22. We have been planning to watch this movie for a long time. It's among the top 3 movies to watch on both our list.

The movie is very entertaining. The graphics are as spectacular as expected. It's a far cry from the 1970's Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. Almost every aspect has been modernized, including the Oompa-Loompa's various songs. It's quite amazing to think that it has only been 35 years since the original was made. The core of the story remains the same, though some slight twists are added in Charlie and the ending is a major surprise. I won't spoil it for you but the ending is very different than the original, and there's also some scenes which are deleted from the theater release since I saw them on Yahoo's video clip before.

Like most movies I watched, I haven't read the book (of the same title, authored by Roald Dahl) yet, but Salman told me that it was dark and creepy. This movie is darker than the previous installment, but I don't think it is as dark as what Salman told me about the book. Oh, and one more thing, even though Johnny Depp denies this but his character reminded us too much of Michael Jackson. I mean there's the skin, then the voice, then the gloves, and not mentioning the hair! Still, I think it's a very entertaining movie and should deserve 3.5 rating out of 5.

Washington DC - Day 35 (June 27, 2005)

Today was the moving day to the new apartment, for me. Salman would join me later on Thursday, the 30th. The reason I moved earlier than planned was because Salman cousin, Imran, came to DC this week. He would continue his internship from Pennsylvania for the remaining two weeks. It's quite a long story though, but he finally came so I had to move earlier to make room for him in Salman's old apartment.

The tenant from the new apartment was still living there until July 1st. He was Salman's high school buddy, Chris. I met Chris several times before my move-in day, but we didn't really know each other aside from knowing Salman at some point, so it was quite awkward. But we managed.

I didn't have a lot of stuff so it was pretty quick. I only need one trip. Let us review again: 2 luggages (big and heavy), 1 duffel bag, 1 folio bag, 1 messenger bag (yeah, an addition from the original trip), several loose items, pillow and blanket. I knew these would grow with the addition of Dita's stuff (another story for this), items I bought here or online (hey, you gotta read something?), and trinkets. I am not looking forward to my trip back to St. Louis carrying all these stuff, so I might send some of them earlier. We'll see.

[job-tip] Consider Relocation

[I got this idea of sharing some of my experiences, good and bad, in my job-hunting so other people don't have to make the same mistakes as I did. I hope the information will be useful for you, and you can comment to share your own should you want to.]

After I graduated last year, I got so confused between two geographical job-hunting strategies. One, I could relocate to a particular city and search for jobs there directly or - Two, I could search indirectly without relocating first. Obviously each has its own pros and cons. I chose the latter, and switched to the first only recently. I asked a lot of people for their opinion, and they almost evenly split in recommending one over the other to me. Since I did both, I knew which one is working and which one is not, at least in my case.

With the second choice, I could save money since I lived in a small city and there was less pressure in my part because I could stretch my saving for a longer period. Searching indirectly is very much doable by using the Internet. This option is obvious if I didn't have any preference to a particular city. Even though I do have a preference (if it's not apparent to you yet, I'm writing from DC), there were several reasons which prevented me from opting with the first choice from the get-go. Everyone situation is unique, and I think in most cases, they would choose the second option.

With the first choice, I hardly know anybody living in the new city at that time, and I was opening my option too wide by considering other places such as Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Clearly, there would be much pressure in my part since I could only stretch my saving for much lesser period. Unless you already received a job offer while you are still in college, the first option is the way to go, in my opinion. Recent grads will be hard-pressed in finding a job with relocation benefit since most positions open for them are entry-level. Plus, relocating will open other channels which were not available previously such as networking, classified ads, and temping.

In hindsight, I should have made the decision to relocate earlier. I realized that it'd be difficult to decide it immediately, but I should have given myself a timeframe which I had to adhere (say within three months or otherwise relocate after that period is reached). So, if you just graduate or will be graduating in the near future, consider relocation seriously and make necessary preparations so the decision can be made in a timely manner. The shorter you are out of job, the less psychological (and financial) pressure you will face.

Washington DC - Day 7 (May 30, 2005)

Today I bought a travel guide for myself. It's called Not For Tourists Guide - Washington DC edition (official website available here). Apparently they are also making other editions including Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Unlike mainstream guide, this one is created for newcomers to the city, those intending to live for extended period. Therefore not only you can find the usual recreational destinations such as the Smithsonian complexes, the Zoo, and historical sites in DC, but also the more mundane but essential spots for residents such as post offices, banks, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

The book's content is dedicated in the most part to providing readers with series of maps, 46 to be exact, and several sub-maps. So, instead of telling stories behind such-and-such place, the book will show you the map of the place so you can figure out yourself how to get there and what stuff is available in the surrounding neighborhood. The maps are very reader-friendly and interconnected with one another. So, instead of carrying a huge map everywhere (and being obviously tourist-acting), I just need to carry the book and stroll along.

In the following month during my stay, the book would provide tremendous help in getting me up to speed with DC's public transportation routes, key neighborhoods, street names, and essential venues (banks, post offices, etc). The book is still useful every now and then, even when I already familiarized yourself with key areas important to me.

I highly recommend this book for those of you who will move to DC or just recently moved here. I haven't read editions for the other cities, but assuming that they will all be similar, then you can get yourself a copy depending your destination cities.

Washington DC - Day 82

I was reunited with a very good friend from college, Melissa. She has planned to visit DC today from Charlottesville, Virginia. It had been almost a year since the last time I saw her, so we were excited to catch up with each other.

I wasn't sure earlier that the plan is still on. We relied too much on Friendster for communication, and true enough, it was down this morning! So, I crossed my finger and hopped the Orange Line to Vienna, hoping that somehow I could find Melissa there. She drove for about two hours and parked her car in Vienna station, at least that was the original plan. Lo and behold, the Orange Line was down as well! Vienna station was closed and people had to ride a shuttle to the next station. At about 11:30 AM, my train stopped at West Falls Church station. Passengers had to come down and transfer to Vienna via free shuttle. And just when I was about to exit, I saw a tall figure wearing hijab. Melissa!

Gosh, we arrived at the station at exactly the same time! We were cheering, laughing, and catching up with each other immediately and non-stop until we arrived at McPherson station for breakfast. We ate at Au Bon Pain and continued out conversation. Among other things, she told me that she has been engaged! I am so happy for her! And we kept chatting like teenage girls on a reunion. She told me that his name is Jahangir, and immediately I thought of the character from the Taqwacores, and she said there's a lot of similarities between the two.

After breakfast, we went window-shopping at the Fashion Center at Pentagon City. We didn't really shop (though she bought a couple items), we just a need an indoor place where we can talk and walk. At lunch time, we went to Old Town Alexandria and Salman joined us. We went back to the apartment afterward for pray and further discussion. We discussed a lot of things ranging from nostalgic moments in the MSU (the three of us served at the same year) to the philosophy of reincarnation. When we were in college, we had this type of discussion frequently, but it's more of a rarity nowadays. I'm gonna miss those moments...

Jahangir called and said that he could come by for dinner. He has been driving from Princeton, New Jersey to Virginia to visit Melissa. It turned out that he could come, and they would driving back tonight. We decided to pick him up from I-495 after we waited for three hours. There has been road constructions that just halt inbound traffic so we decided to "rescue" him from this traffic. Surprise, surprise, he actually had cooked Biryani rice so we all went back to the apartment to enjoy his cooking. It was delicious! Melissa has chose wisely indeed.

At about 10 PM, Melissa and Jahangir left to continue their journey. Thanks for visiting, guys! I hope I can see you again before I left, if not, well I'm just gonna wait for invitation in the mail. ^_^

Washington DC - Day 81

Today I met with Fari for lunch. Up until a month ago, this was almost like a scheduled appointment. We meet at the Indonesian Embassy, pray Jum'ah together, have lunch, and then explore DC. Before today, I tried setting up a similar meeting again in mid-July and it didn't work out very good. I ended up coming late for the prayer, scrambling for a fast-food lunch, and rushing to get back to work, all in the middle of an afternoon rain.

So, I tried something new today. I scheduled to meet up with Fari for lunch in Georgetown. He happened to plan on visiting Banana Republic. Since the store is just 2 blocks away from where I work, I can easily meet up for lunch. And instead of doing the prayer at the Indonesian Embassy, I did it at the basement of the Presbyterian Church near George Washington University (intersection 24th and G). Turns out that the MSA of GW has organized it regularly for the whole summer. I don't know if they always had it there or is it just for the summer. Regardless, I could come in just 30 minutes from my workplace, instead of almost an hour trying to get to the Embassy.

I found the khutba (sermon) here to be intellectually stimulating. The speakers talk about contemporary and philosophical issues instead of repetitive ideologies and dogmas. So, I found it very refreshing and engaging to listen to what the speakers had to say. It's been awhile since I listen to khutbas of this type. I am not sure if it's indicative of DC sermons in general, or if it's an isolated case. Consider this speech from last khutba, "...Islam has lost its heart, its conscience, its morality... why is it that when people face crises, they turn to the trivialities of religion such as hudud laws..." Hmmm...

Anyway, the lunch went through albeit a slight hitch (Fari took the wrong bus in the opposite direction, but he made it nonetheless).