Lessons learned in 06

I love this time of year because it is a time of contemplation and recommitment. 2006 was a good year to be 24. Here are a few lessons I learned.

In 2006 I learned to...

1. Stand up for myself.
2. Give when I can.
3. Eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.
4. Love where I live.
5. Take myself seriously (PA School, here I come!)
6. The value of doing my best and what happens when I don't.
7. Fall in love.
8. Let go of love.
9. The importance of establishing net worth when you're young.
10. The reward of living with wonderful roommates.
11. Exercize as much as I can.
12. I'm happy happy happy!
13. Not play games: be hard to hurt, not hard to get.
14. The power of attitude.
15. What I want to be when I grow up.
16. Set and accomplish goals.
17. What it's like to be in the lime light.
18. Make friends with strangers. (Don't worry - I'm not stupid about this one.)
19. Appreciate my body - I can't complain about what I've been given.
20. Love and share the Gospel!
21. Be confident - say what I know like I know it.
22. The joy of taking care of myself.
23. The importance of reporting, accounting, and saving.
24. What the hydrolic system of a car is.
25. Deal with insurance.
26. Stay put - be satisfied and grounded in the present.
27. Things don't always turn out the way I want them to.

These come in no particular order. Every lesson can be linked to a situation or experience that requires a greater explanation, but I'll save you the saga!

Christmas at the White House

Deck the Halls and Welcome All!



My roommate works for Mrs. Cheney, and she also plays the harp. She invited us to come enjoy an afternoon in the East Wing of the White House as she serenaded visitors with her talents.



My favorite tree:

Homeward Bound!

Quote of the day from a fellow homward bound travelor (stranger on the airplane):

"My grandpa lost his big toe to a combine -- that's South Dakota!"

I'm one of the lucky ones who slipped through this season's holiday trains, planes, and automobiles adventures and landed safely at the homefront with no troubles at all! If only traveling was always this smooth!

MOTO Award

A point of frustration in my life right now is that I'm 24 years old and my face is breaking out like I'm 16. I'm almost embarrassed to talk about it, but hey, it's not like no one notices. Speaking of noticing...

I work near Union Station. The area is a hot-spot, per se, for homeless folks (actually, they're in abundance throughout the entire city). I honestly can't afford to give money to them everyday (non-profit salary). So I've made it a personal policy to be friends with the needy and to treat them with respect. A few of them are regulars in my quotidian life. They know my name and I theirs. I expect a half toothed smile from them when I rush back and forth to the office.

So today, my buddy, Clayton, with his radio blasting Christmas music (surely an appeal for the season), said something as I passed by. The blarring stereo on his shoulder (no joke, we're talking 1980s style) made it difficult for me to hear. He repeated. Nope, didn't hear it. So this time he starts to touch his face - to my utter surprise, I finally understood the words he was saying...

Pointing out the obvious, he said, "You're breaking out, Charlee."

Ha! Thanks for the reminder! Like this isn't something I'm completely aware of! What, are you 4 years old or did you forget that it's not polite to bring this sort of stuff up? ok - calm down, Charlee.

It's not everyday that a homeless man tells me that my face has zits on it! Clayton wins the MOTO award of the day - master of the obsvious.

Haha! Really, how in the world do you respond to that?!?!?!? It's a good thing that I don't have self conscious issues about these kinds of things. Nevertheless, I am scheduling another appointment to see my dermatologist - soon! Ugh!

Lifetime Accomplishment!

Goal driven people often have a list of adventures, experiences, ideas, etc. that they hope to accomplish during their life. Does anyone out there want to climb Mt. Everest? How about run a marathon, ride in a helicopter, or cross the Pamana Canal? My best friend wants to be able to order "the regular" at a cafe.

Well, on Saturday, as I was running along the Patomac River, I put a big check in the box next to an item on my list! Are you ready for this?!

I was in the shadow of an airplane! I've always wanted to be in the shadow of an airplane!

Think about it - what are the chances? I'm a moving target; an airplane is a swiftly moving target; because of the rotation of the earth, the sun's angle is a moving target; skies could be cloudy; it might be night time.

So alas, the sun, the plane, and I aligned. For about .2 seconds I experienced pure bliss!

Now I'm set to work on my next big check off the list...

Car Story #3

It turns out that I finally had a real car problem. Last week, I pulled out of my driveway and only got about 50 yards from my house when the pressure on my clutch went out. Without the clutch, it's impossible to put the car in gear. Long story short... my hydrolic system needed help. Wajid, a sweet Afghan dude with the best deal around, replaced the master and slave cylinders for me.

Funny story:
So I have towing coverage on my insurance. I had to explain the location of my car to the dispatch lady. For some reason she could not find the street on her system map. So I spelled it out for her.

I-V-E-S.

The first thing that came to mind: I, as in YOU idiot! But I could not say that to this lady. In a struggle to find a word, I said Ingram instead.

Hahaha! Ingram, where did that come from?!?!

Neglect!

I've totally been MIA this past week... busy busy busy! I promise to keep you updated soon.

Stay tuned for:
1. Car Story #3
2. A Life Time Accomplishment
3. Stuff I Learn in 2006

K, I miss you and love you and will be back soon!

Christmas Music

I was just thinking about how cheesy some Christmas music is. I think that people actually prefer this inoffensive story-telling style of music. However, the sing-a-long holiday tunes are not the type to top the pop culture charts; therefore, no one listens to it the rest of the year. Do you ever hear Easter music played in the stores?

When Christmas comes around, people's true colors come out. They become merry by listening to Mannheim Steam Roller, renditions of Rudalph, and simple instrumental versions of familiar tunes. Any other time of year, Alvin and the Chipmunks would not make the Muzak CD that is sent to the Gap.

It's no wonder that pop stars like Mariah Carey and Clay Akin have tapped into Christmas music... they don't have to find excuses for their ever present cheesiness!

Cars, Cars, Cars

I have another funny car story:

My car failed an inspections test 2 weeks ago because the side mark lights weren't working. After changing the light bulbs without success, I figured that the problem must be electrical. I had an accident just months ago; certainly this problem was overlooked when the entire front end was fixed. So I took my car out to the service center in Lorton, VA, and this morning they called to tell me that everything works fine.

Most likely cause of the problem: I don't know how to turn the side mark lights on!! (Neither does my inspections mechanic; therefore, I don't feel so bad!)

After a flat tire with no holes in it last week and broken lights that actually work this week, I recommend you call me when you have car problems in the future!!

'Tis the Season!

I kicked off the Christmas season last weekend with a trip to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. This premier horticulture experience left me spellbound! The company was fantastic and the atmosphere poignantly memorable.


My dad has a poinsettia that he's kept alive and blooming for 2 years - not even kidding you!!


This is my paradise... I love plants!


Deck the Halls with balls of holly!!!


Doesn't this look like a Christmas card photo?

Car Story #2

Oh, the woes of owning a car...

I got a flat tire this week. Luckily, a few years ago, a friend of mine took me on as a service project and showed me how to take care of such mishaps. But sometimes the best way to get something done is to let someone more knowledgable do it. The gold star of the century goes out to a friend who graciously gave his time in the November cold to help me!

To our dismay, we jacked up the car only to find out that the donut tire was flat too! Instantly, our 15 minute job turned into a project. It was late and dark so it would have to wait for the morning.

The tire shop opened at 7:30 AM. I learned that in order to find the leak or problem in a tire, they (tire shop people) throw the tire in a big tank of water and watch for bubbles (kinda old fashioned, huh?). Well, my tire had no bubbles, so the just repressurized it and sent me on my way free of charge.

That's the cheapest car fix I've ever had!

Car Story #1

Attention everyone who's been in my car over the past 2 years:

I CLEANED IT!!!!!
Inside and Out!
Full Detail!
The Works! (even the tires glisten in the sun)

I paid a pretty penny for it, but she sure is pretty again! It's still good ol' Rusty, but, boy o boy, she's struttin' her shiny stuff now!

Honestly, the reason you should all be rejoicing for this effort is because Saturday's excursion to the car wash was the first time Rusty's been cleaned since she's lived in the DC area!! YIKES!!!

Let me just take a moment now and offer my sincere and utmost apologies to those of you who did endure a ride or two in the untidy, cluttered, dirty, beloved nonetheless, Rusty!

Froggy is a fighter!

Oh, how it's hard to give up sometimes!!!! At least he went in head first!

As long as I'm sharing hit on stories...

A few weeks ago I went to Salem, MA with my fam to celebrate Halloween. I've never really been a big fan of the pagan holiday, but this year we got all sorts of festive.

So the main party of the trip was the Halloween Ball at the historic Hawthorne Hotel. In her extreme excitement for the event, my mother had costumes planned and sent to my sister and I weeks in advanced. The three of us were witches. Original, huh?

The ball was a blast. There were three floors of dancing, food, and mascarading. The costumes ranged from bizarre to unique to creative to eccentric, to all out freaky. Most of the fun came in people watching that night.

Near the end of the evening, my sister and brother in law and my date and I decided to sit down at a table. I situated myself on the furthest, least accessible spot to make room for everyone else. We were comfortably chatting for a few minutes when I heard, "Hey sweetheart, want to dance?" In mid-sentence of conversation with my date, I turned around to see if there was any girls behind me. Then I hear, "Yes you, with the pretty smile... do you want to dance?"

Oh gees. The last thing I wanted to do was dance with a stranger. With complete surprise on my face, I turned and saw my mother. Excitedly, she was shaking her head up and down saying, "yeah yeah yeah, do it, charlee, go! dance with him!" I'm thinking, "Mother?!?!?"

I looked at my date, who awkwardly assessed the situation a little bit too slowly. He didn't quite know what to do.

So before I knew it, I was dancing with one of the Blues Brothers to techno hip hop versions of Madonna an MJ. The conversation is what cracks me up. What's with these weird question that people ask with the intentions of getting to know you on a deeper level?

First question he poses:
"Are you inside out or outside in?"

Huh? Oh, I get it. "Inside out... motivated mostly from the inside out."

Second question:

"Are we human being spiritual or spiritual being human?"

Ok, straight up weird! Given my understanding of our existance, this question made absolutely no sense to me at the time. The conversation just went down hill. After explaining the question to me a couple of times, I still didn't get it! Not until two days ago when I saw a bumpersticker did it make more sense. It read: We are spiritual beings having a human experience, not human beings having a spiritual experience.

My question is, would YOU hit on this?!?!?!

Holidating

Holidate: n.
1. a relationship between male and female friends wherein a mutual understanding to date each other for the holiday season is agreed upon.

While walking to work this morning, my mind drifted to a term that I like to think that I coined last year. Holidating. The first thing I wondered is if I really am the first to come up with it. After a quick google search I realized that nope, I'm not. I don't believe it's an official idea yet, but a few people, mainly bloggers-- one from Australia, caught on last year as well.

So the reasoning behind this idea is that during the months of November and December, and even into January (and a February extension is plausable), singledom becomes particularly dreadful at times. For example, let's talk about company Christmas parties. A friend and I are already brainstorming who her date can be this year. It's a big deal. Given that most co-workers only know you from work, the person who goes to such an event with you is a reflection of yourself and your personal life. You don't want to show up with a dud. And besides that, these parties, with the open bar, can create awkward situations for the non-drinker. In order to increase your level of enjoyment and pleasure of enduring your co-worker's awkwardness, you neet to bring someone with whom you can make light of your tipsy boss.

Other reasons for holidates are:
--The Nutcracker. Need I say more, ladies?
--Christmas shopping. Company is always fun.
--Christmas lights gazing. Driving around to see the twinkles... (sigh)
--Christmas decorating. Gingerbread houses, trees, window icicles, stockings... oh so much fun!
--Thanksgiving... If you're not going home, why not have someone a little bit (qualified- based on the fact that you aren't necessarily bf/gf) special to spend it with?
--New Year's Eve. Self explanatory.

ok, back to my walk to work this morning...

I decided this morning that I don't buy it this year. My attempt at holidating only caused trouble last year, and I do not intend to waffle with it again this year. Afterall, dating of all sorts renders expectations. Holidating, even with its mutual understanding, can potentially set up for a sticky situation somewhere along the line, and it only distracts the two of you from finding an authentic relationship. I'm learning that definitions of friendship with my guy friends are becoming more and more difficult to understand and maintain, so I'm not picking one to be my holidate this year. Why go through the trouble of defining a holidate when it requires yet another DTR... something I've done too many times lately!

So what's my solution for the '06 holidays ? I'm mostly dating myself for the next couple of months. Narcisistic? Probably. However, let me explain... Recently, I've really enjoyed investing in me. I do things I enjoy. I serve my friends. I get involved in many activities. I keep myself quite content with working toward my goals and becoming my best self. I don't need to be with somoene just because it's the holidays.

That being said, I'm not eliminating the possibilities and am more than happy to go to someone's Christmas party; I'm just eliminating the neediness for a significant other that seems to be intertwined with all the hustle and bustle of the season.

Now that wasn't so bad!

It's incredible how quickly time flies when you're under pressure. I was on the radio today in Texas. I spent most of the morning analyzing a recent Lancet study that gives outrageous recommendations on sexual behavior. They even call for decriminalize prostitution claiming that doing so will likely make it easier for them to negotiate safe sex. Bizarre, huh? I meticulously critiqued the study to prep for a radio show interview at 1:15 (see "help me out").

At 1:15, my phone rings. False alarm... it was the home office.
At 1:18 the Ron Thulin Show rang in.

I was on live radio!

It was such a blur! It went so fast, I don't really even remember the discussion, but I recall being articulate and on message!

It wasn't so bad afterall!

help me out

ok, if you were in my shoes, and you were asked to go on a live radio show tomorrow to talk about a very technical article in the Lancet about worldwide sexual behavior, er, rather behaviour :), for 15 minutes live, would you do it?

My boss said it was up to me, and that being said, it's easy for me to just say no... but this is a challenge and an opportunity to prove myself. It's also an opportunity to be in WAY over my head. It's friendly media and not in debate format, but 15 minutes is a long time to talk about the a study that shows western countries are more promiscuous than developing countries, but developing countries have more STDs. I think if i had an economics background, this would be a piece of cake, or if it was about being a 20 something virgin, that's another thing. Or even if it were about the latest report from Congressman Sauder's office about abstinence... i can do all of those... this one... scary!!!!!!!!

eerr.. wait... uh...
hahaha! I just got off the phone and i'm doing it.... YIKES!!!

Famous for a Day

At about 4:30 on Tuesday afternoon I received a call at work from NBC's Today Show. They needed a 20 something single virgin from the DC area and wondered if I knew one of those who could comment on a USA Today article about abstinence programs for 20-29 year olds.

hmm... do I know one of those?!?!? Try, I hang out with, like, 5 congregations of assumed abstinent folks in the DC area. I kindly took the call like a press secretary would. Then, after a half hour of trying to get some brave soul to come out on national television as a virgin on Halloween, I found myself roped in.

Before I knew it, I was prepped by my boss and roommates (thanks girls), changed into my new black suit, picked up by a car, driven to the studio, wired with a microphone, and interviewed by Kevin Corke, an NBC correspondent.


I never imagined that I would be famous for a day because I am a virgin. Of course, he asked a million questions and only gave me about 12 seconds in sound bites. He didn't make me look radical or crazy like the media so often tries to do with abstinence so I'm quite satisfied with the segment. Check it out at NBC's Today Show: Abstinence is Not Just for Teens


It all happened so fast, but here's a few of the questions I was asked:
- What is Abstinence?
I simply said it's a lifestyle choice. It's a decision I make. It is the only 100% effective way to eliminate risk of STDs and unwanted pregnancies. I consider it an investment in myself and my future.

- The media makes a joke out this. We have the 40 Year Old Virgin, Sex in the City, etc. Do you get made fun of?
No, I don't usually get made fun of. People make jokes but I never take it personally.

- Isn't there a lot of pressure in your relationships?
I have made my decision already. I know my lines and I'm not going to cross them.

- Is it realistic for the government to fund abstinence programs that target 20-29 year olds?
Yes, you'd be surprised how many people in our peer group are virgins or are refraining from sex. The government should provide people with the best information. Abstinence is about healthy relationships and healthy choices. Again, it is 100% effective. It safeguards physical,mental, and emotional wellbeing, prevents heartbreak, and empowers self esteem. What 20-29 year old wouldn't want that?

- Now you believe (false assumption) that abstinence isn't for everyone, right?
No, I disagree. Abstinence is for everyone. We cannot discriminate against anyone because of previous choices they've made or because they belong to a certain demographic that puts them at high risk. Anyone can choose today to refrain.

That's all I can remember now. As a result, a flurry of media calls have come into my office including the NY Times. I'll definitely post info on any further moments of fame that come my way.

Candy Craving

I don't crave candy very often. I love sweets, but generally go for baked goods verses pure sugar. But when I do, the solution is simple: Mambas! Mambas are fun for many reasons.

1. They are the perfect combination between chewy and soft.
2. You never know what combination of flavors you're going to get.
3. No matter what combination you get, you're going to be happy because all flavors are tasty.
4. They come in sub-packs. I think that makes intake control more feasable and then they last longer.
5. The sub-pack makes you feel like you get 3 candies for the price of 1.
6. They're my favorite candy.

Just a few minutes ago I experienced the crave. I set out to give it satisfaction and thus paid a visit to the nearest street corner hot dog stand. The man in front of me ordered a dog with onions, one strip of katchup and lots of mustard. He noticed me behind with just Mambas in hand. After making a comment about how I stand like a ballerina, he asked the lady to not make me wait and let me go ahead of him. For a second, I thought I was going to get the cute girl discount. That was not the case, but I appreciated his kindness altogether.

I HATE it when I'm in an elevator and someone holds it for a late comer. I impatiently think, "we have 4 floors to stop at already and here's another one." So coming back from my Mamba acquisition, an elevator door in my lobby started the shut-down just as I approached. To my surprise, a nice person reached out to stop it so I could board. I stepped on and thought, "I'm the annoying elevator person today." So to make up for it, I turned around and offered Mambas to the whole elevator! I had no takers, but everyone laughed.

This series of events got me thinking about how kindness isn't hard to do and how it really can make someone's day.

And just fyi... I got strawberry, rasberry and lemon in today's package. Better luck next time, Orange.

Great Girlfriends!!

Every day should start like today and end like yesterday.

Just before my alarm was scheduled to start my day, I rolled over in bed and thought, "YES! 5 more minutes!" It was 5:45 am. Typically, I set my alarm for that time with the best intentions of an early morning run; however, convincing myself to stay in bed for an hour longer and save the run until after work is commonly occuring lately. But today, I committed to my girlfriends. We've taken to the old lady bonding activity of walking. Having done it a couple times now, I think there's something magical about the moments shared with other women, my girlfriends. We talk about everything and what's said on the road, stays on the road. As early as it was and tired as I might be, I always feel excited for the day after an hour of walking as a pack up and down the hilly neighborhood. This was a good morning.

In addition, my roommates are amazing. Seriously, AMAZING! Let me tell you a few reasons why...

1. so one of my roommies is under the weather a bit with an ear infection. She slept all day yesterday and as a result was up and at it by 5 this morning. She cleaning our house when I woke up this morning.

2. I invited her along for the walk. The more the merrier!!

3. Then, since she is not going into work again today, she made the rest of us breakfast-- eggs, bacon, and cinnamon coffee cake.

4. She's an angel. Seriously. She serenaded breakfast with harp music. The theme song to Anne of Green Gables brings tears to my eyes!

The rest of my roommies are just as wonderful! We have an attitude of service in our house that makes it wonderful to come home.

And one more comment about amazing girlfriends. A bunch of girls gathered last night for joint visiting teaching/pizza/movies night. I ended up hanging out with them late into the evening, and what a joyous occasion it was! I might not have gone to bed when I was planning, but friendships are worth it.

More Grey's

Yup, it was another girl party this afternoon. No joke: another 4 episodes of Grey's Anatomy. Dr. McDreamy is beautiful, however, I'm really disappointed that the writers of the show make viewers want him to leave his wife so he can be with Meredith. We're in the middle of season two. Has anyone seen the episode where the train wreck happens? I literally cried. I was sobbing because the young girl who had a pole through her stomach, which pole also happened to be through man as well, died so graciously. Only one of them could survive and the doctors chose the man because his injuries were less severe and he had a higher chance of survival. It must be so difficult for doctors to decide who to save in situations where one must die for the other to live.

I'm reminded of when I interned in a heath services department for my church. My mentor handled all the major medical cases that came to the church. One case he had was a family from Mexico who flew to the US with hope that the church would assist them with expensive medical procedures their 12 year old daughter needed to treat lukemia. They desperately sought help for their 12 year old; however, they did not adhere to church procedure which starts with local leaders offering assistance and goes up the authority line from there. Basically, they landed on the doorsteps at the children's care hospital without anyone knowing they were coming and no idea of how they would pay for the care. It was my mentor's job to decide how to handle the situation. After consulting many doctors and church leaders, the ultimate decision was made: she must get treatment in Mexico. This was primarily based on the fact that the treatment would cost over $250,000 and her chances of survival were very slim.

First of all, I keenly remember the parents. They could not understand English so translators were necessary to give them the news. They looked so desparate and scare, yet brave at the same time. It must have taken so much courage for them to go to such measures for their child. Doing so may have even saved her life. Even though their little girl would not get kemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant here, what the doctors did to stabalize her health gave her more possiblity to survive care in her homeland.

I'm disturbed that medical expenses have so much to do with whether doctors will save a life or not. But if the hospital treated this girl or anyone without insurance, the cost must be covered from somewhere. That somewhere ends up being the other patients and their insurance companies.

Health care becomes invaluable when it comes to one's own health. I wonder if I'd pay anything for a treatment that would save my life if I was dying. The spenthrift in me says no. But does the spendthrift have a say when the other alternative means there will be no spending to save for in the long run since I'd be dead? I think I would pay anything for more life to live. The first reason would be for my family and loved ones. The second would be to accomplish a few more great things and to learn and serve as much as I can.

hmm... there's a lot to think about here.

Grey's Marathon!

Watching medical sitcoms is my latest craze. My roommates and I cozied up this rainy evening with pizza, carmel corn, and blankets to watch hours on end of Grey's Anatomy.

And, I watched 4 episodes of House last weekend. I like it better than Grey's because they spend more time figuring out diseases than they spend focusing on the soap opera-esque love lives of the hospital interns. No health care professional should be as rude and tactless as Dr. House is. He is a jerk. I appreciate his stark honesty, but I like to think that he can find a kinder way to make his patients face the truth in their lives. Also, I think some of his decisions and approaches are less than entirely ethical.

I wish I would have been a doctor. I think it'd be really cool to know all the things they know about the human body and to help people who are suffering. I also think it'd be interesting to solve the problems people come in with. To take in all the evidence, then to apply my knowledge to diagnos and treat them.

I admire something about the doctors I know. They sideline experience a part of life on a daily basis that the rest of us only deal with when we or someone near to us is ill.

To give = kindness; To express annoyances = ???

I feel a great deal of compassion for the homeless people around my office. DC is teaming with them, especially the area of Union Station. I don't have tons to give nor do I typically have spare change in my pockets, so the least I can do is treat them well and respectfully. I've even made acquantances with a few of the regulars around here.

I buy lunch at the Subway around the corner from my office about two times a week. There is a homeless man who stands in front of the store and asks for any spare change customers have when they come out. It's actually a clever tactic. However, I wonder if it's illegal. I'm sure if the franchisee knewn it was happening, he wouldn't put up with it. For some reason I was really annoyed by him two days ago when I went to get lunch. So yesterday as I approached the store, with little premonition I asked him his name before he could ask for my change. He told me it was Melvin.

"Melvin," I said,"Sometmes I get annoyed when you ask for my money every time I come to this store."

He just looked at me, taken aback. The thing is, I surprised myself just as much as I did him. I briskly turned to avoid the awkwardness and said, "I will give to you today, Melvin." So I went in the store, bought my food, then gave him a dollar.

As I walked away, I couldn't quite believe what I said and even now, I'm debating if my assertion to the needy man was necessary and unkind. It probably wasn't very Christian of me. Does the harsh word and the giving cancel each other out in this instance?!?! The look on his face, mouth gaping showing off a gap between dingy teeth, will forever stay with me.

I chuckle as I tell you this...

Forget something?!?!

Sometimes I ride my bike to the office. Sometimes I run home from the office. Sometimes on Saturday mornings I run to the office to get my bike and ride home becuase I left it over night. So this Saturday morning, I ambitously ran from the concrete forest of Crystal City, along the Potomac, across the 14th Street Bridge, down the Mall to make the final length toward Union Station. On my way, I kept thinking about how tragic it would be if I got to my office and was unable to ride my bike home because I forgot my access key to the building. I felt for it in my running shorts pocket several times to reassure myself it was in there.

I got into the building and grabbed my helmet. I went down to the parking garage and as I entered into the dim yellow lighted area, I realized....

I FORGOT THE KEY TO MY BIKE LOCK!!

I took the metro home because honestly, 6 miles back did not sound fun.

Rise and Shout!

One of the hardest parts of graduating from college and becoming what I like to call "a real person" is not being closely connected with the team any more. Sure, I check out the BYU website for sports updates, and fortunately, I am surrounded by enough fans of the alma mater here on the east coast that I keep up on the buzz of how we're doing. However, I genuinely miss being a fan. I get more into a game when I'm there. Gearing up in cougar attire, being in the stadium, and witnessing the battle first hand grabs my attention and is a full body experience not matched by my couch and TV. I went to Boston this weekend to quench my craving for fan-dom. BYU football played BC. The game was close. The Cougers had a great start and held it together, but then... well, let's move on. A few bad snaps and a goal post that got in the way of some kicks didn't help. Double overtime gave the game to the foe. Our defence was doing its thing quite well, and I must say that Beck, our QB, had a few really good passes.

Land of purple doors

The hallway is straight and long. The vains of a newly constructed apartment building, it usally tipped comments like "I feel like I'm in some crazy Willy Wanka land." Purple doors and striped carpet stretched for nearly 2 blocks in length. I often found myself wishing someone would do something with the mundane walls, at least add bad hotel art. Over the course of a year, I've become accustomed to it. I walked in and out of the clean concrete stairwell with the FAB sensors that allow access to residents. It became familiar somehow. I felt temporary until very recently, even though apartment 309 in the Lofts 590 was my home.

I moved there a year ago. I saw roommates come and go and now it's my turn. All of our turns. The lease is up, which marks the closure of a phase in the land of the purple doors. Our apartment was notorious for housing cute girls... My roommies became by best friends. We started with Kimber, Tracy, and Diana. Kimber left quite abruptly but brought us Caroline. Caroline and Diana moved out in the Spring. Then Laura and Noelle came in. We hosted frequent chocolate fountain parties. The after party run-down girl talk always resulted laughs about the 30 guys there for the four of us. Girls came too, but not very many and we didn't pay much attention to them. :)

Yesterday I moved out of the land of purple doors. I locked the door, walked down the hall, and the funny familiar feeling of the unfamiliarity that comes when leaving what's become an old place touched me poignantly. The Lofts are a catalyst for the next phase of my life.

Pandora Tunes

This website is really cool. The Music Genome Project has gone through and classified thousands of songs by certain characteristics of music. When you type in something you like, it will play other music to you that is similar to what you like. It also explains to you how the new song is similar to the one you submitted. It really helps to fine tune the music you like because when you don't like a song, you tell it so and won't play it again.
http://www.pandora.com/

That's all! As you can tell, I'm searching for ways to fill the silence this afternoon. I'm tired of my regular playlist, and it's terribly boring here today, but I'm getting stuff done.

Weekend Update

I never understood why people would claim they lived for the weekends. There are seven days in a week, and not enjoying the majority is quite unfortunate. However, after a year and a half of working full time, I'm beginning to understand that proclamation, and half heartedly admit that I, too, live for the weekends. (You should already know that I certainly don't live for Tuesdays.) Weekends like this last one rectify this line of thought.

Friday night, I put on my cute Adidas tank top and shorts and ran off to the courts to play in the Blake Carter Invitational tennis tournament. Ha!! Me playing tennis: a joke! Enough said before I embarrass myself. When given the choice to play more, I quickly opted to turn in the tennis shoes and raquet for a chill evening at Summer's house. Ah! I felt SO normal and comfortable hanging out with friends that I'm very much at home with... a big contrast to the foreign environment the courts offered. The evening wrapped up with conversations that put my brain into a whirl. You know, the kind where you're not sure how to interpret what was said or how you feel about it. But I will assure you that it's SO rewarding to come to a correct and full understanding of something rather than make assumptions on what you incorrectly inferred.

For a good time, I don't recommend Midas at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. After years of dealing with an okey rigged exhaust system, I finally went back to the stock version. The car sounds like new... well sort of... it's over 10 years old!

I have this friend whom I LOVE spending my weekends with. We're always in the mood to leave our lives and get out of town for an adventure (and we're really good at doing it, might I ad). This weekend, in order to satisfy in some minute fashion our joint longing to be in the mountainous west during the last week of August, we trekked out to Shenandoah National Park for a hike. The forest and unpaved cobweb strewn path is exactly what we needed. My great friend Caitlin was there too, and I will never forget running up the mountain on that path with her.

Who loves the Counting Crows?!?!? Who loves the Goo Goo Dolls?!?! Well, if you do, you're jealous of me! I saw them both in concert at the Nissan Pavilion Saturday evening. Aside from being surrounded by more cigarette smoking 14 year olds than I've seen in one concentrated place since I left South Dakota, I loved it! The crowd was young, the weather was perfect, and the rockstars were fabulous ;). The music, the ambiance, and most importantly the company made me feel alive and happy.

What an August weekend! I always say that July is my favorite month... not this year. August is taking the lead this time around.

East Coast Portrayal

By no means am I condoning Smirnoff, but this clip is hilarious! It makes me want to bust out my argyle socks and play croquet.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PTU2He2BIc0

Tuesdays

This morning when I was not getting out of bed after my alarm went off, I realized that I'm never very motivated for Tuesdays. Mondays are not the dreaded days in my book. For some reason, Tuesdays are slow... right from the start. I'm slow getting ready. I won't hurry for work, even though I'm late. I'm typically tired. And is it just me or does Tuesday tend to be the busiest day of the week?

While I took the long way to the metro this morning (which only added to my lally-dagging), my mind raced toward the quotidian thoughts that usually occupy my morning commute. What happened yesterday? What do I need to do today? How do I feel about this, that or the other? How do others feel about me?

I began to ponder upon my lack of zeal for these third of seven days. In a quick moment, you know, the powerful kind that comes in that split second that you decided you want to change the course the day, I changed my question. What do I want to be today? The answer is simple and motivating. I want to be me today. Me as determined by the choices I make and the attitude I maintain. Regardless of the to-do list, the what-happened-yesterday list, the want list, and the many other lists that cause dissatisfaction and anxiety, I am in charge of today. I can be great today!

So how am I going to be great today? Something amazing happened in that moment I mentioned. A mere a paradigm shift occurred! Rather than expecting a mundane day after Monday, I switched gears entirely. I thought about the characteristics I value and wish to uphold... charity, faith, love, kindness, and being active, creative, honest, diligent, focused, insightful, etc. Just allowing those words to resonate in my mind gives me a lense for which to answer the rest of the questions Tuesdays bring.

And alas... Tuesdays will never be the same.

Lunch anyone?

It's restaurant week in DC! I am not making that up; check out http://washington.org/restaurantwk/. My awesome intern, Heather, and I took advantage of this event yesterday at Galileo, one of the area's premier Italian dining experiences. You'll never believe what I ate... octopus!!! YIKES! What a delectable delecacy adventure! I actually liked it. It tasted like calamari except it wasn't as chewy. The texture on the tentacles weirded me out. I don't eat octopus everyday, so I decided not to let the funny bumps bother me. As for asthetics, which from what I understand is a major aspect of fine dining, those little 8 armed fishies just aren't pretty. No swirling pesto sauce and diced cherry tomatoes are going to redeem the strange looking grill on my plate. So, would I eat it again? Certainly! And I highly recommend the restaurant.

huh?

I don't quite know what to do with this! I have all these friends who write blogs, so I thought I should jump on the bandwagon. I went through the motions and within minutes, wah-la! Now I have a place to write anything and everything to the rest of the world. Imagine that! But the instant it was created I suddenly fell blank. I have no clue what to say or what anyone would be interested in. I will get used to it, I guess! Here goes my newest hobby... Look, Mom! I'm a BLOGGER!