++ LESSON #5 of 7:

Washington DC
"Well, apparently the top 10 list has become the thing to do, and since I am easily convinced of anything and will clearly do anything popular to appear "cool" (is that the right word?) I shall also commit to a top 10 list...although to be fair I have to avoid those fascinating tidbits I mentioned in my first mass email...this may be difficult.
.10) Ethnically and racially diverse neighborhoods actually DO exist (just, apparently, not in the midwest).
.9) Nearly all office buildings in Washington are horrfically ugly. This must be in the zoning codes somewhere to prevent them from upsatging the monuments or something.
.8) There are parts of DC that are very beautiful, have really old houses, and havn't been overrun by a)yuppies, b)politicians, c)slumlords, or d)cockroaches.
.7) It is somehow relatively easy to work 4 buildings down from a previous employer (that has over a hundred people in the office) and still not run into any of them EVER.
.6) If i send an email to the person sitting next to me, the email must travel all the way to Portland and then back before it arrives at his/her computer.
.5) Discussing the War (or GDubya for that matter) is only a sensitive office topic if you happen to be pro-either of them (thankfully, I am neither).
.4) There is no justice in the world. I say this solely because the gawdawful Albert Speer-wannabe World War II Memorial has been allowed to be built on the National Mall.
.3) Malls without shopping confuse tourists.
.2) People voluntarily leave Portland. Yes, I know, hard to believe, but at least 4 people in my office lived in Portland and LEFT. To come to WASHINGTON, of all places. My personal theory: they were bamboozled into thinking they were going to Washington, the state. Actually, Otto (person at work) said the the quality of life in Portland is way too high and he felt guilty living there.
Which brings me to my next point...the VERY MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNED ON CO-OP
.1)Not all people named Otto or Fritz are large, bald, German men. Hard to believe but true." ++