Chris Abraham » Capitol Hill

Do You Know this Capitol Hill Bowel Mover and Shaker?

Chris Abraham — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:48:53 +0000

I lived on the Hill for over ten years and am house-sitting here for a couple weeks. Do you know this guy? Via Consumerist and DC Metroblogs:

A Little More About Naval Lodge on Capitol Hill

Chris Abraham — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:13:09 +0000

Thanks to brother Jacob Wood I got turned on to this new article about my Masonic home, Naval Lodge 4, directly on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, just a couple blocks from the Capitol Building on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The article is called The Freemason Next Door and written by journalism professor Elizabeth Festa.

You should check it our as well as check out the NPR feature about Naval 4 from a couple years ago and the National Geographic special.

Don’t forget to connect to Naval 4 on Facebook Page, the Twitter profile, and the official Naval Lodge 4 F.A.A.M. website!

The Freemason Next Door
When my friend invited me to a Ruth Ann Overbeck lecture on the Masons and the Old Naval Lodge on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, I had no idea where I was going or what I would see, other than finishing up with a drink after the talk. I even went to the Old Naval Hospital by mistake, never having heard of the Naval Lodge, and was told to hightail it to 3rd and Pennsylvania Avenue SE, climb numerous flights of stairs and get ready for a lecture on symbols. I’d have a drink in hand in an hour, right?
A somewhat august group — some gray, many earnest — were gathered in the fourth-floor meeting hall with its vaulted ceilings, Egyptian Revival style and Masonic images of pyramids, obelisks and all-seeing eyes, when lecturer Gary Scott, a Freemason himself and Past Master of Naval Lodge No. 4, F.A.A.M., introduced the current Worshipful Master of and
I turned for a better look. And then, the Worshipful Master was revealed to me. He was a friendly, involved Hill Dad of three better known to me as my friend’s husband. Whoa! Who were these Masons among us and what were they doing below symbols of winged serpents? How do I square this (a masonic -derived phrase) with the fact that they sponsor the 4th of July parade here? I sought to find out.
David Johnson, last year’s Worshipful Master, has been one of the early supporters of this blog through his web hosting and journalism professorship at American University. “No, The Hill is Home is not a secret Mason project, but, yes, I host it on my servers and built the site and continue to consult with [THIH founder] Kate and everyone else as an aspect of my professional life as a professor of interactive journalism at American University,” Johnson said.
But to find out more about the Masons’ works and life here, I sought out the most amiable Michael Webb, Worshipful Master of the lodge this year, and Mason of only four years and asked him how he came to be involved in a secret society. Did his kids know? What ancient rituals did he perform when no one was looking?
He patiently explained the Masons are not a secret society–they have a webpage and a Facebook page, after all. Rather, they are, “a society with secrets.”
What’s not secret is that lodge members are deeply involved in community projects, especially Hill schools. The Naval Lodge itself was established in the Washington Navy Yard even before the District of Columbia itself was established.
There are about 225 current members of the Naval Lodge here, and many are local dads among us at PTA meetings, school auctions, the coffee shops, Tunnicliff’s, and Frager’s.
Several years ago, after some drifting from the community, a number of devoted community members rose to leadership positions in the lodge and rededicated the organization to reconnecting with the neighborhood. They declared that Hill schools were the key to our community, and, since then, the lodge brothers have raised thousands of dollars to support local schools through annual events like the Back to School Fun Fair and the Barracks Row 4th of July Parade and Family Festival, and Hands On DC.
On May 15th, the brothers of Naval Lodge will roll up their sleeves and put on their work gloves to support the annual Hands-On DC work-a-thon. The Freemasons of the Nation’s Capital team is the only $10,000 sponsor for the event – made possible by a grant from the Masonic Foundation of the District of Columbia. Members volunteer their time and will also spend a day to spruce up Stuart Hobson Middle School.
And when I saw via his wife’s Facebook page that Michael had shaved his head, little did I know that he was participating in a St. Baldrick’s Day fundraiser event – shaving his head in solidarity with the cancer-stricken children to raise money for childhood cancer research with the nine “shavees” from the DC Freemasons team who raised a total of $12,577 to help fight the battle against childhood cancer.
Later this month, Naval brothers will participate in the 1st Annual St. John’s Cup 2010 Fundraising Golf Tournament to raise funds for RiteCare – the Childhood Language Disorders Center of Washington, DC. In June, Naval brothers will participate in the Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure.
Freemasons are men only, with no plans to change that, and come from all professions and walks of life, just as they come from all creeds and colors. Most here are not masons or stoneworkers, although those that helped build many local buildings in years past, from the Washington Monument to Eastern Market itself were, indeed, members of the brotherhood.
Modern Freemasonry draws lessons from ancient architects and builders that are applied through allegory to guide men to be better “builders” of themselves and the societies they live in, according to Michael.
Although there are no formal tests, there are standards of proficiency to become a Master Mason. These are introduced gradually through education, experience, and ceremonies.
Every Mason must profess a belief in God and must swear oaths to the Book of the Sacred Law, which can be the Jewish Old Testament, the Christian New Testament or the Islamic Koran.
Masons are forbidden to ask others to join the fraternity. Instead, interested men of good standing must “knock three times,” that is, show continued interest and seriousness, possibly joining the Masons for a dinner.
“Joining Freemasonry is making a permanent life commitment to live in certain ways. No one should be ‘talked into’ making such a decision,” Michael said.
The Masons here meet for dinner at 6:30 on the first and third Thursday of each month except July and August.
So what do they do at their meetings? “In his most recent book, The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown states that we regularly drink wine from skulls in our meetings,” Michael said. “This is an outrageous lie! We only do this at our semi-annual conventions,” he joked.
“Our meetings are either some form of masonic education – which, more often than not are open to non-masons; and degree work, the ritual of which is sacred and performed through allegoric play acting. The big secret about Freemasonry is that Masons get out of Lodge what they put into it. If you don’t attend, you don’t get the benefits,” he said.
“I joined Naval a little more than four years ago out of a genuine curiosity of the antiquity and a desire for fellowship,” Michael said. “Like many men that I have met, Freemasonry runs in my family – both of my grandparents were Master Masons.”
Oh, and I was wondering about how I should address Michael when he noted that, “Although my title is ‘Worshipful Master,’ the term ‘Worshipful’ is defined as ‘full of worship for the Craft’ rather than ‘one who is worshiped.’” Phew.
The growth of a Mason is broken into three steps, called degrees: Entered Apprentice; Fellowcraft and Master Mason, which are composed of ceremonies and rites. When taken together, this is what Freemasons mean by their ritual, “which is wonderful beyond words,” Michael says.
Okay, now we are venturing into an area where I cannot follow. Sorry, dear readers!
Have a question? Ask your friendly, neighborhood Freemason or post it here!

Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol and Freemasonry in DC

Chris Abraham — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:38:52 +0000

I have been reading Dan Brown‘s The Lost Symbol since it came out yesterday while on machines at the gym and I must say that my brothers at Naval Lodge #4, one of the 39 lodges of Washington, DC, Freemasonry, are correct: The Lost Symbol is going to generate a lot of interest in Freemasonry in the next few months. Here’s a little article/post that David Johnson wrote to address the book’s topic and focus on Washington Freemasonry, Freemasons, and Washington as a Masonic symbol herself, Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol and Freemasonry in DC

The release of Dan Brown’s new book The Lost Symbol is bound to raise some questions and interest about Freemasonry in Washington DC. The Masonic Society has set up a site at www.freemasonlostsymbol.com/ that answers a number of questions and provides clear and accurate information about Freemasonry.
We also recommend people seeking more information read and listen to this 2007 story from NPR. Reporter Rachel Martin visited Naval Lodge on Capitol Hill and spoke with officers Alan Patterson, Michael Webb and David Johnson about modern freemasonry. Parts of Secrets of the Freemasons, a National Geographic special, were filmed at Naval Lodge.
Legends and stories are fun, and we enjoy them too. But the true story is more meaningful and deeper than any fiction and it is no secret at all. Freemasonry improves the lives of everyone it touches. And not just the lives of the men who join the fraternity: Caring for children in Shriner‘s hospitals, improving schools, or even fostering democracy, Freemasons work together to better our communities and the world every day through faith, hope and charity.

Birthday Picnic in Washington

Chris Abraham — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:33:48 +0000

My friends organized a birthday picnic for me at Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill

Posted via email from Chris Abraham

Reporting on the Inauguration from DC by a Non-Participant

Chris Abraham — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:19:56 +0000

I am in Washington, DC, for the inauguration, but aside from the excitement of seeing all of my global friends as they converge on DC for the inauguration, I am not participating to any great extent. Why? There are two reasons . . .

First, I have attended inaugurations, inaugural parades, and inauguration balls for the last 20-years, starting with the election of George H. W. Bush, Bush senior, into the White House all the way through to the second inauguration of George W. Bush back in 2005, which was held on a very cold January 20th, if I remember correctly. While I had my plans set for Berlin, I didn’t have my plans set up in Washington, so I am just going to enjoy the pleasures on the fringe.

Second, while I am blissed out that Senator Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, I am allergic to two-million historical well-wishers crowding the National Mall.

I have to be honest, I am still dazzled that the United States elected an African American from Hawaii by the name of Barack Hussein Obama, especially in such jingoistic times. And I am proud and impressed and looking forward to not just the first one-hundred days but also to the second term.

The Obama White House really needs to be an eight-year presidency — two terms — because there is a lot of work to both do and undo.

What I do plan to do, however, is open up Naval Lodge 4 on Capitol Hill at 8 AM. I will be serving hot coffee and donuts from the 4th floor of 330 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. So, if you’re in the neighborhood and want some warm coffee, some company, and maybe a donut or two, please drop by for a cuppa.

The Economy According to Chauncey Gardiner

Chris Abraham — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:38:56 +0000

President “Bobby”: Mr. Gardner, do you agree with Ben, or do you think that we can stimulate growth through temporary incentives?
[Long pause]
Chance the Gardener: As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.
President “Bobby”: In the garden.
Chance the Gardener: Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.
President “Bobby”: Spring and summer.
Chance the Gardener: Yes.
President “Bobby”: Then fall and winter.
Chance the Gardener: Yes.
Benjamin Rand: I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we’re upset by the seasons of our economy.
Chance the Gardener: Yes! There will be growth in the spring!
Benjamin Rand: Hmm!
Chance the Gardener: Hmm!
President “Bobby”: Hm. Well, Mr. Gardner, I must admit that is one of the most refreshing and optimistic statements I’ve heard in a very, very long time.
[Benjamin Rand applauds]
President “Bobby”: I admire your good, solid sense. That’s precisely what we lack on Capitol Hill.

[Via Being There 1979]

Community Fourth of July Parade on Capitol Hill

Chris Abraham — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:27:07 +0000

Pre-parade prep:

More pre-parade prep:

Chris Abraham walks in the parade and sings band music:

Free Lobster Buffet plays at the Naval Lobdge 4 picnic:

Sweet photo of the crew by David Johnson:

My Pretty Fahrrad

Chris Abraham — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:22:34 +0000

My Pretty Fahrrad, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

Since I don’t have a car in Berlin I flew over my bike, a SOMA Delancey single speed with a Chris King headset, Miche Pista crank set, a Salsa stem and seatpost, and an awesome copper Brooks saddle. Not a fixie but single speed with a front brake, a Shimano 105. Thank you to the guys from Capitol Hill Bikes who helped me build her up from the frame and fork.

Tags, Topics and Categories

Chris Abraham — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 22:10:07 +0000

There are a lot of different topics to explore on this blog…

ATOM, Activism, Administration, Administrative, Advertising, Aggregation, Altruism, Amanda Congdon, Amazon Associates, America, American Idol, Angel, Announcements, Apartment Keepers, Apple iPod, Applications, Art, Attraction, Automobiles, Avian Bird Flu

BMW, Babies, Bags, Battlestar Galactica, Beauty, Bicycling, Biodiesel, BitTorrent, Blackberry, Blog, Blog Search, Bloggers, Blogging, Blogging Class, Blogging Strategy, Blogging Workshop, Blogosphere, Blogroll, Blogs, Blogs to Read, Bookmarking, Books, Brand Management, Brand Promotion and Protection, Branding, Broadband, Business

Cameras, Capitalism, Capitol Hill, Cartoons, Celebrity, Censorship, Charity, Chemistry.com, Chris Abraham, Citizen Journalism, Citizen Marketing, Classes, Code, Coffee, College, Comedy, Comics, Comment Spam, Commerce, Commercials, Commodities, Communications, Communities, Community, Company Blogging, Competition, Computing, Conservative, Conspiracy, Constitution, Cooking, Copyright, Corporate, Corporate Blog, Corporate Blogging, Courtship, Crime, Culture, Current Events, Cuteness, Cycling

Dating, Design, Development, Diet, Dining, Diplomacy, Disaster, Disease, Diving, Drinking, Driving, Drugs, E39 5-Series, Economics, Economy, Edelman, Education, Elections, Email, Emergency, Entertainment, Evolution, Exhibits, Family, Fashion, Feminism, Fiction, Filesharing, Film, Fitness, Food, Free Market, Friends, Fundraising, GNU Linux, Gambling, Gaming, Geek, Globalism, Google, Google Adsense, Google Adwords, Guerilla Marketing, Hacking, Hawaii, Health, History, Home, Homelessness, Hosting, Housing, How to Start a Blog, Humor, Ice Hockey, Innovation, Intelligence, International Affairs, Internet, Internet Marketing, Investment, Iran, Iraq, Jobs, Joss Whedon, Journalism, Knitting, Language, Laser Hair Removal, Law, Liberal, Lifestyle, Lindsay Lohan, Literacy, Literature, Lori Gottlieb, Love, Luxury, Magazines, Main Stream Media, Management, Market Economy, Market Research, Marketing, Marketing Blog, Marriage, Mathematics, Media, Media Relations, Medicine, Memetics, Military, Misogyny, Mobile, Mobile Phones, Money, Motorcycle, Movable Type, Movies, Museums, Music, NLP, National Gallery, Net Neutrality, Networking, Networks, New Media, News, Newspapers, Nicole Richie, Nonfiction, Novel, OPML, Offshoring, Oil, Online Brand Intelligence, Online Brand Promotion, Online Brand Protection, Online Dating, Online Virtual Communities, Open Source, Opinion, PR, PR Blog, PR Blogging, Paleoconservative, Paranormal, Parenthood, Parenting, Party, Passion Chamber, Patriotism, Personal, Personal Essay, Personal Grooming, Personal Responsibility, Personal Training, Pets, Photography, Ping, Podcasting, Podcasts, Poetry, Policy, Political Blogs, Politics, Polling, Pop Culture, Popularity, President, Press Release, Privacy, Professional, Professional Blog, Professional Blogger, Professional Blogging, Programming, Promotion, Promotional Blog, Propaganda, Protest, Protocol, Psychology, Public Affairs Blog, Publicity, Publicity Blog, Publishing, Quantum Mechanics, Quotes, RFID, RSS, Radio, Reading, Reciprocal Links, Recreation, Regex, Relationships, Religion, Republican, Riding, Romance, Rowing, Running, SEO, SMS, Sailing, Satellite Radio, Scams, Sci-Fi, Science, Scull, Sculling, Search Engines, Security, Seduction, Sex, Sexism, Sexuality, Shaving, Shoes, Shopping, Skype, Social Bookmarking, Social Networks, Soft Drinks, Software, Spam, Spirit, Sports, Spycraft, Star Wars, Statistics, Stocks, Story, Style, Subscription Feeds, Success, Syndication, Tagging, Talk Radio, Teaching, Technology, Technorati, Telecommunications, Telephony, Television, Terrorism, Test, Theater, Trackback Spam, Trademark, Tradition, Training, Travel, Trends, University, Urban, VOIP, Video, Video Games, Video Podcasts, Viral, Viral Marketing, Vlogging, Warfare, Washington, Washington Capitals, Washington Sports Club, Washingtonian, Wealth, Weapons, Web 2.0, Web Hosting, Web Statistics, White House, Why to Blog, Wi-Fi, Wiki, Wildlife, Windows, Wine, Wireless, Word of Mouth Marketing, WordPress, Words of the Day, Work, Workshops, World, Writer’s Center, Writers, Writing, XM Radio, Zoology

Bad Carma

Chris Abraham — Wed, 11 Dec 2002 14:13:55 +0000

Today, I locked my keys in Mark’s POSi. Last night, Wendy had her Escort towed. I think its not about a bad biorythm, its bad Carma.

I just stoped in the lot of SunTrust‘s Capitol Hill branch. Instead of putting the car in Neutral before disengaging the clutch, I disengaged. Klunk. It startled me, so upon exiting, I left the key in the ignition. The windshield wipers wiped, intermitently.

I called on a cop, but after 20-minutes, and a head full or icy rain, I walked over to the 4th & Penna filling station.

The fellow there charged me $25 and drove me over in his Toyota pickup. He placed a bloodpressure monitor cuff into the sill and pumped. I used my Concept II oar keyring to start him out. Then he pressed in a long wire, and before long, it was open.

I took care of my banking and am only beginning to warm up.