What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0020

951.  Fortunately, difficult times have their rewards;

952.  If you’re saving cooked rice, don’t put it in any kind of liquid (like soup), it’ll just absorb it and puff up;

953.  What flavor ice cream would Justice Stephen Breyer be?  The answer is: Chocolate chip cookie dough (according to one U.S. Supreme Court reporter);

954.  The Jamaican style empanadas at Julia’s Empanadas are tasty;

955.  When you’re touring the ground floor of the White House, the First Family could be standing ten feet away from you behind a set of screens, however, the Secret Service agents aren’t allowed to tell you;

956.  On the weekends, there are pick-up, roller hockey games on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and Lafayette Park;

957.  Around mid-November, the fountain at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is transformed into an outdoor ice skating rink;

958.  Dog hair gets everywhere . . . and sticks to your clothes;

959.  During John Marshall’s tenure, the U.S. Supreme Court used to meet in Richmond . . . and they all lived in the same boarding house together;

960.  Not all three-dimensional (3-D) glasses are created equal;

961.  With liquor, the higher the proof, the higher the calorie count;

962.  Ranch dressing is made with mayonnaise;

963.  Tires and asphalt curbs (on the interstate) don’t mix;

964.  If you get a flat tire and you can’t patch it, (because of the tread wear) you’ll have to replace both tires on that axle. . . . They can be really expensive (especially at a specialty tire store).  You can get them cheaper at Tire Rack (TireRack.com) and have them shipped to you;

965.  The club level seats (behind the Washington Capitals’ bench) have a great view of the ice for hockey games;

966.  The D.A.R. (i.e., Daughters of the American Revolution) Constitution Hall (DAR.org/ContHall) is by the White House;

967.  Don’t just look . . . observe.  Don’t just swallow . . . taste.  Don’t just sleep . . . dream.  Don’t just think . . . feel.  Don’t just exist . . . live;

968.  Forget about the people in your past. . . . They didn’t make it to your future for a reason;

969.  A true friend is someone who says nice things behind your back;

970.  Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there;

971.  Control the controllable;

972.  It’s cheaper to have your tires mounted at Wal-Mart;

973.  Swedish centers can chug beer better than American defensemen (specifically John Carlson of the Washington Capitals);

974.  Life is an art not a thing which one can work out successfully by abstract rules.  It is like painting a picture;

975.  It’s crazy how life can change in an instant.  One day, someone is in your life and the next that person’s gone . . . never to be seen (or heard from) again;

976.  Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Willard (InterContinental) Hotel in D.C.;

977.  Abraham Lincoln had a dog named, “Fido;”

978.  I can say I’ve touched the Berlin Wall;

979.  Former, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Hugo Black, was a member of the KKK (i.e., Ku Klux Klan);

980.  It’s interesting how some people come into your life and they’re the flavor of the month.  They instantly capture your attention, but the fascination fades.  Others grab a hold of you and you always think of them.  They leave your life, but the thoughts linger.  You haven’t heard from that person in a long time and you decide to move on . . . trying to forget that person.  Then, all of a sudden, from out of the blue, you hear from that person. . . . Is it a precursor to the future? . . . Is it fate? . . . Or is it simply cruel coincidence? . . . Only to have the cycle start all over again;

981.  Restaurant Week in Alexandria (VisitAlexandriava.com/Restaurants-Nightlife/Restaurants/Alexandria-Restaurant-Week) is the week after D.C.’s;

982.  How can you tell if someone is a serious piano bar singer?  The answer is: They bring their own sheet music;

983.  Piano bars are karaoke places for lounge singers;

984.  Bell Wine & Spirits (BellWineShop.com) in D.C. has (usually free) wine tastings on Friday nights (from 5 o’clock to 8 o’clock) and on Saturdays (from noon to 3 o’clock);

985.  The Library of Congress actually has concerts.  They’re usually classical music and they’re free.  You only have to pay the convenience and (order) processing charges (from Ticketmaster);

986.  I think within five minutes of meeting somebody, you can decide if you like that person and that you’d like to get to know her/him better through dating.  However, if you’re already thinking about a long term relationship or marrying that person, you just don’t know her/him well enough.  I think you’re idealizing that person and mentally filling in what you don’t know about her/him with what you’re looking for.  It’s not fair to the other person because you’re creating a (mental) standard that s/he can (almost) never live up to.  In the end, you’re not going to be happy because your expectations of that person won’t be met because they were never based on actually knowing her/him;

987.  Efficient market theory states that prices of stocks and bonds take into account all available information.  The more efficient markets are, the harder it is for you to beat them.  Most investors underestimate this fact;

988.  Managing risk is part of living life.  That’s not to say, however, that we always do a good job of it.  Our ability to manage any particular risk is really a matter of practice and feedback.  (Psychologists call this “calibration.”);

989.  Admission to Mount Vernon (MountVernon.org) is free on (George) Washington’s birthday;

990.  Apparently, “cougars” think I’m “very cute” and that there’s only about a five percent chance that my name is really “Hubert;”

991.  George Washington’s favorite breakfast was (three) hoe cakes served warm with butter and honey;

992.  Hoe cakes taste like toasted, English muffins;

993.  In the 1700’s, Virginian hospitality meant that you had to lodge, feed and entertain family, friends and (total) strangers whenever they showed up at your door, whether invited or not. . . . It also meant you couldn’t ask them how long they were going to stay;

994.  The Royal Restaurant (TheRoyalRestaurant.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria has a great buffet brunch for $12.00 on weekends;

995.  Single engine, light aircraft are tiny and cramped.  They’re only about four feet across;

996.  Garmin makes avionics and GPS equipment for planes;

997.  Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable;

998.  If you take the top 10 percent of mutual funds in a given year, by the next year 80 percent of those funds have dropped out of that top 10 percent ranking.  For the top 20 percent of mutual funds, 73 percent drop out the next year.  For the top 50 percent of mutual funds, roughly 45 percent fall out the next year;

999.  Lindsay Czarniak (of NBC4) hangs out at Public Bar (PublicDC.com) in D.C.  So does Nicklas Backstrom, Marcus Johansson and D.J. King (of the Washington Capitals);

1000.  From Investars.com aggregate data, we learn that analysts rate a remarkable 79 percent of companies as likely to outperform the market (a “strong buy,” “buy,” or “outperform” rating).  They rate only about 20 percent of companies as likely to perform about the same as the market (a “market perform” rating).  That leaves only 1 percent that will underperform the market (an “underperform,” “sell,” or “strong sell” rating);