Things, events, people are annoying me! My next 3 blog entries, starting with this one, will be dedicated to the biggest offenders. I usually can let most stuff roll off my back and move on, but not this. Enjoy these rants and if you wish, feel free to write in with your own annoyances. It is freeing getting them off your chest.
The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. is having an amazing Lego exhibit. On display are large-sized replicas of famous landmarks (St. Louis Arch, Empire State Building, etc). My Toppall team and I found ourselves with a rare, free afternoon on a recent Sunday and decided to head downtown to visit the museum. I had heard from my friend Amy, who went the day before, that tickets had been sold out on that particular Saturday and they purchased tickets to return the next weekend.
I looked online at The National Building Museum's Website to see if tickets could be purchased online or through a phone call. No. The only way to get tickets was to go in person. Tickets could be purchased up to 2 weeks in advance. Jeff and I decided we would arrive before they opened and hope for the best that same-day tickets were available for those that didn't get them in advance.
Upon our arrival, which was 15 minutes before the doors opened, there was a sign posted stating that tickets for the entire day were already sold out. Ugh! So we went with our back-up plan to get tickets to return on Sunday, August 29th.
Here is my big-time frustration: In this day and age of technology, why is it not possible for them to have ticket purchase available online? Why must you go in person to museum? Why do they not state somewhere on their Website which days are already sold-out before you pack up the kids and schlep (Yiddish for: A tedious or difficult journey) down there? Furthermore, why in the world do they not keep a small reserve of tickets available for same-day purchase? This makes no sense!
I am beyond annoyed. The only good thing is that we live close enough to be able to come back and visit. I can't imagine the disappoint of tourists who are out of state and are not able to fit this in to their sightseeing because of the antiquated, ridiculous ticket system they have set-up.
I always try to look at the bright spot and focus on the good -- once we got the tickets for our return viewing of the Lego Exhibit, I had Jeff and the kids accompany me to The American Art Museum, which was only 3 blocks away. They have a Norman Rockwell exhibit that I was dying to see. I love, love, love Norman Rockwell art. Other than Sam screaming almost non-stop from the minute we got in (they said no strollers were allowed and she was very relaxed when we had to surrender the stroller) and Ian complaining about needing to eat lunch (because, you know, we starve the kids), it was a wonderful exhibit. Kudos to Jeff for realizing how important this was to me and helping to do damage control while I looked around at the paintings.
But in the true fashion of what Norman Rockwell created in his art, you can't get more every day Americana than a two-year old screaming, a five-year old complaining about being hungry, a mom doing her best to ignore the chaos that is following her from exhibit room to exhibit room and an exasperated father wishing with all his might that this turmoil would end as soon as possible. I am sure Mr. Rockwell would have had a field day recreating our outing to the museum.
Stay tuned for annoyance #2. :)
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