Moon Rise over The Rotonda at Tysons, VA, 06 November 2025

So there is something natural to celebrate this morning as opposed to the election news. The Creative Section continued Happy Hour through a little after six when Vapor announced he could see the moon rise, which was actually sort of a diagonal appearance from the 4th floor of The Rotonda condominium complex across International Drive.

Section Leader Miles has had an inkling of the stories that have occurred over there in the recent past. He asked the Chairman if there was sufficient petty cash to rent one of the units and talk to the help to get the low-down on who has lived over there. Built with the big 1970’s Tyson’s boom when the farmer sold out his pastures to erect the massive SAIC world headquarters on the spot now occupied by The Trillium. There is a story in that, too. But not for this morning. It needs more investigation.

You can imagine the young contracting force that initially occupied the hundred-odd condos. They could walk to work from there, across the now-broken asphalt down below our 4th floor conference room. Meanwhile, in the here-and-now, the lunar orb stayed visible once it had shaken off the shackles of the Rotonda and the weight of it’s association with go-go young folks who have now aged and fled the McLean area for something more relaxed.

We took a poll and agreed to let things roll for the 45 minutes it took for the glowing orb to pass diagonally upward across our floor-to-ceiling view. Then, the GenX and Z folks who still have energy went out and the usual circle of Boomers opened the case of tomato juice they had borrowed from the building kitchen on the 6th floor.

Their scheme in this was simple. The cheapest bulk consumable social drink at the VABC goes well with the little cans of tomato juice in about equal parts, laced with Cholula Original Hot Sauce the kids can swipe from condiment rack in the dining hall. The Chairman is willing to fund some of the basics at Big Pink and The Trillium, but also believes that failure to sponsor recreational social events gives him the distance to look vaguely disapproving but keep the team onboard. And the party going.

Once the Boomers could no longer see the big glowing thing passing beyond the sight-line, the kids were out for social activities in the Boro, the mixed use social area that bounds The Rotonda and The Trillium.

The Boomers went to bed in the straggle that kept who was bedding down with whom as a matter near the elevator bank. And a tribute to the memories of what it had been like to be young and vital and ready to go after eight in the evening. Vapor turned to Splash and Rocket and made his usual evening pronouncement:

“The off year election is now done. We expect some press releases on the mid-term elections this afternoon, and the fight about that will start rolling up next week. The noise about that will start rising through the holidays and swamp us over the next dozen months.” He closed his notebook and rose from his chair. “I am not going to make any pronouncements about what is coming next. I am taking the weekend off.” He gave an ironic salute with his right hand and Melissa looked over with vague interest.

And with the moon gone on to the fifth and sixth floor, we decided to call it a week. There will be more civic hysteria coming soon, so we are going to take it easy while we can, you know? And maybe look to see if there is anything in the heavens worth watching.

Minuteman 3 Test, 06 November 2025

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