November 11, 2009

Crime and Punishment

My wife and I went to the Crime and Punishment museum in Washington, DC today. I had seen the museum ad on the back of a bus in the city, and it's been bugging me to go there. I wanted to see the forensics exhibits at the museum and the visit turned out to be educational. They had an exhibit discussing reality vs. TV in forensics, which I thought was pretty cool because I know that Hollywood is always fucking up the computer field when they dramatize it for TV. It was nice to know that my career field isn't the only one with its mouth agape staring at the TV thinking 'What the HELL are they doing?' while watching NCIS or Law and Order.

I probably shouldn't rag on NCIS. They try to get the tech right, but it's definitely dramatized for the viewer. Other shows are much worse, and movies are just outrageous. It turns out that forensics is a very sensitive science and that evidence examination isn't quite as expedient as they would lead you to believe. DNA testing, for example, can take days just for a preliminary match and even longer to be sure.

Afterwards, we hit up the District Chophouse and Brewery which is next door to the museum. The calamari appetizer was a meal in and of itself. I had a sirloin tips salad that was probably healthier for me, but ended up eating almost half of my wife's calamari to help her with it...yum. They have the brew vats upstairs, but I didn't take the time to go check out the brewery as we had to get back home.

All in all, it was nice having a day off work to go into town. I find that we're doing more things together without the child. I hope this is a good, slow adjustment back into life together as a couple as he grows wings and leaves the nest over the next few years.

No comments: