On Being a Queen: The devil went down to Georgia...

...and so did I! Alright, it's time to report on my trip to Atlanta! I went for the Council of Science Editors Conference, which was most informative. However, we did a lot more during our stay in the Peach State. While I was there, I compiled a list of all the cool things I saw and the unique experiences I had. Sorry the list is kinda long! I broke it up with pictures, so :P on you.

- I walked up the longest staircase in the world! Okay, maybe not, but it sure felt like it.
- I saw a mockingbird! We don't have those in the West. I also saw a cardinal--a flash of red feather in a pine.
- The view from my hotel room was amazing, and I could not get past how tall the Bank of America Plaza is!

The cityscape in a thunderstorm!

Tall buildings!

- We walked through Renaissance Park and I saw a piece of litter that looked like a page torn from a book. Upon closer inspection, it was a title page that read "Elric: The Stealer of Souls." Who is this Elric and why does he steal souls? Only in Georgia. You know, because the devil goes there to steal souls with his fiddle.
- I watched the Mary Poppins Broadway musical in the Fox Theatre, which has been made to look very antique and posh. I loved it! (Oh, and I cried all the way through the "Feed the Birds" song.)

Practically perfect in every way!

- I found horses in Atlanta! We took the Marta trains every day, and one day they took us past a field where I saw a palomino and a draft horse. Practically in the city!
- There were a lot of junkyards.
- There were also a lot of ancient trees.
- Every old house had a fantastic wrap-around porch!
- I walked past the World Trade Center - Atlanta every day.

This building makes us feel contemplative.

- I saw a lot of people with crutches and canes for some reason.
- I met a wonderful Arabic woman named Veera who now calls Tennessee home. Hello, Veera!
- I also met the nice caterer who talked to me about Georgian peaches.
- We found muscovy at the lake. Basically, it's a turkey-duck.
- There is a lot of Greek influence in Georgia. I am going to investigate this. I love Greek culture!
- I ate tomato jam. It was delicious!
- I met men from Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Brazil, and I even met Mario! Well, I met a man who looks very much like Mario. He had a great mustache.
- I learned that editors are professional idiots. We ask all the dumb questions so the readers won't have to.
- I saw the CNN building. Yes, I asked Anderson Cooper if he would marry me. No, he did not accept.

My would-be castle with the most-attractive Anderson Cooper.

- I also met a beautiful Jewish woman named Devora. She was leading a blind British man around the conference.
- I discovered that my boss loves Star Trek, which is good because so do I.
- I saw blue jays!
- I saw a gold Bentley at my super-fancy hotel.
- We played the elevator game in our hotel. I'd push the button and we'd all choose an elevator, guessing which one would open first. I failed. I am the biggest loser. My boss had the golden touch. How did she do it?
- Speaking of elevators, I rode the glass elevator all the way to the top floor. 50 floors up. Yipes!
- I saw a dragon on a rooftop.
- I saw graffiti with incorrect grammar: "The Last Days Has Begun!"
- I saw this really eerie abandoned building with the name "The Medical Arts Building." Medical arts? Sounds like a euphemism for experiments. It's totally haunted.

My favorite place was definitely the Olympics Park. I touched an Olympic torch. O glory be!