Thursday, March 29, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
shoes! shoes! shoes!
My recent fetish is shoes! I never knew I had it in me, but I'm all about shoes lately. Someone once told me that I should always check out a guys shoes - it's what grounds them, it's their roots. That sounds kinda ridiculous, but I guess one could surmise a few clues about a person based on what they chose to put on their feet.
Here's a depiction of my most recent indulgence:
(That's 6 pair - it happens in Spain)
Now amongst this pile of is one particular pair that I'd like to talk about.
These are particularly sassy. They're totally Anthropology in a wardrobe of BR and JCrew.
Now look closely, and you'll see why I bought them...
They say "BUY ME"!!! So for 5 Euros, I obeyed.
Now, in case you didn't catch it from the top, here it is loud and clear on the bottom. Eeew! Forgive me for the nasty sole - I've already worn them a few times.
So there ya have it! Errr, I guess I should say, there I have it - shoes! shoes! shoes!
Now I ask, what would you surmise of me based on these roots?
Here's a depiction of my most recent indulgence:
(That's 6 pair - it happens in Spain)Now amongst this pile of is one particular pair that I'd like to talk about.
These are particularly sassy. They're totally Anthropology in a wardrobe of BR and JCrew.
Now look closely, and you'll see why I bought them...
They say "BUY ME"!!! So for 5 Euros, I obeyed.
Now, in case you didn't catch it from the top, here it is loud and clear on the bottom. Eeew! Forgive me for the nasty sole - I've already worn them a few times.
So there ya have it! Errr, I guess I should say, there I have it - shoes! shoes! shoes!
Now I ask, what would you surmise of me based on these roots?
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Why I Loved Spain...
Here's my first reason:
These trees explain my next reason:
I only stay in a room like this once in my life:
Playa de Oriente:
See through the Mediterranean Sea:
Some of these are pretty self explanatory:
The running man is the exit sign:
It was amazing! I spent a day exploring Madrid and a week soaking in rays in the Costa del Sol region. The Alambra in Granada was awe striking; the pueblos blancos and ravine in Rhonda were like nothing else; the bullring and paellas in Mijas were delightful. I did ti-chi on the beach; collected sea shells, rocks and glass; shopped tons; woke up to the sunrise; drove through the countryside; and celebrated my mom's birthday. And... My brother and his girlfriend got engaged on the beach!! Check out where we stayed. I could see Africa and the Rock of Gibraltar as I stared at the calm steady waves of the Mediterranean Sea while lounging on my towel in the sand.
Spain is definitely on my list of place to return to, and I highly recommend it!
These trees explain my next reason:
I only stay in a room like this once in my life:
Playa de Oriente:
See through the Mediterranean Sea:
Some of these are pretty self explanatory:
The running man is the exit sign:
It was amazing! I spent a day exploring Madrid and a week soaking in rays in the Costa del Sol region. The Alambra in Granada was awe striking; the pueblos blancos and ravine in Rhonda were like nothing else; the bullring and paellas in Mijas were delightful. I did ti-chi on the beach; collected sea shells, rocks and glass; shopped tons; woke up to the sunrise; drove through the countryside; and celebrated my mom's birthday. And... My brother and his girlfriend got engaged on the beach!! Check out where we stayed. I could see Africa and the Rock of Gibraltar as I stared at the calm steady waves of the Mediterranean Sea while lounging on my towel in the sand.
Spain is definitely on my list of place to return to, and I highly recommend it!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Where is for lovers?
I live in Virginia and have yet to figure out exactly how the phrase "Virginia is for Lovers" was coined. I mean, there is some beautiful scenary and all, but there´s nothing about the state has created a spark for me. Let me tell you about a place that is for lovers...
Cross the Atlantic and skip over the country of Colubus´ maiden voyage and you find the oldest country in the world. Spain. And yes, this place is for lovers.
I am here, in Spain, to spend a week with some family on the southern end of it, particularly Estepona. Í spent today in Madrid and one of the dominant observations i´ve made is that these people are all hooked up and they don´t mind showing it to the world.
Aside from lovers, I found myself a hostal for the night, figured out the metro system, fed myself, and spent the afternoon exploring streets and the halls of the Museo del Prado. It´s like walking through my art history text book.
Let´s just say, I love my life!!!
Cross the Atlantic and skip over the country of Colubus´ maiden voyage and you find the oldest country in the world. Spain. And yes, this place is for lovers.
I am here, in Spain, to spend a week with some family on the southern end of it, particularly Estepona. Í spent today in Madrid and one of the dominant observations i´ve made is that these people are all hooked up and they don´t mind showing it to the world.
Aside from lovers, I found myself a hostal for the night, figured out the metro system, fed myself, and spent the afternoon exploring streets and the halls of the Museo del Prado. It´s like walking through my art history text book.
Let´s just say, I love my life!!!
Friday, February 23, 2007
random...
speaking of random, one time, my friend told me that nothing is ever random. then he went on to explain how every single event is the result of another happening and therefore, random doesn't really exist. for instance, although i would describe my awakedness at this late hour on a work night (yes folks, i think i just made up the word awakedness, but i could be wrong) as random, that's not really the case. i'm up this late because i went to dinner late, exercised late, talked on the phone late, can't sleep, etc. so really it's simply relatively aberrant from my regular behavior. i don't know why i said relatively in that last sentence... relative to what? the regular i guess... haha... i like it when my brain gets like this. :)
ok good night now.
ok good night now.
my brain
lately, i've entertained myself by thinking about my brain. for instance, today made me very aware of the fact that when I lack sleep, my brain suffers the most. sometimes it seems like i can feel my brain - like when i'm processing a heavy load of new information. also, i always complete sentenses and thoughts in my brain, but not always when i'm talking out loud, which, i do realize, is just my brain being lazy.
so then i ask myself, why in the world am i up at 12:30 AM mumbling about my brain when it's far past my bedtime? the answer to that question is two fold: my stomach and my muscles.
late running and late dinner = not tired at bedtime.
hmmm... actually, now that i think about it, i am sleepy. maybe that's why i'm rambling about this nonsense.... zzzz :)
so then i ask myself, why in the world am i up at 12:30 AM mumbling about my brain when it's far past my bedtime? the answer to that question is two fold: my stomach and my muscles.
late running and late dinner = not tired at bedtime.
hmmm... actually, now that i think about it, i am sleepy. maybe that's why i'm rambling about this nonsense.... zzzz :)
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
i miss the world!
I've been MIA! Totally out of commission. Fallen off the face of the planet. Hmmm... Gone. Not available.
Maybe a better word for it is... work.
Maybe a better word for it is... work.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
First Week
Holy cow! I feel like I drank out out of a fire hose. Starting a new job is exciting and exhausting. I survived my first week and here are a few of my impressions:
1. I fell into the perfect place! My five year plan entails becoming a physician's assistant. There is no better way to prepare for PA school than by working in a vascular surgery department.
2. So much to learn! I took a lot of health classes during my undergrad so many of the terms I heard this week were familiar; however, I now need a working knowledge of biology, anatomy, and health information. Already, I can tell that I will seep in so much of this practical understanding by being in this new environment.
3. Big organization v. Little organization: My previous employer was a tiny nonprofit. Now I'm working in a huge top ranked hopsital that's been recognized as one of DC's best employers. The contrast is interesting. The small nonprofit afforded me a lot of autonomy, while the hospital seems quite bureaucratic. But I think I'm going to really excell in the structural environment. And to say the least, heck yes for employee benefits!!!!!
Well, I have a lot of adjustments to make, but soon enough, I know that I'll love this new adventure.
1. I fell into the perfect place! My five year plan entails becoming a physician's assistant. There is no better way to prepare for PA school than by working in a vascular surgery department.
2. So much to learn! I took a lot of health classes during my undergrad so many of the terms I heard this week were familiar; however, I now need a working knowledge of biology, anatomy, and health information. Already, I can tell that I will seep in so much of this practical understanding by being in this new environment.
3. Big organization v. Little organization: My previous employer was a tiny nonprofit. Now I'm working in a huge top ranked hopsital that's been recognized as one of DC's best employers. The contrast is interesting. The small nonprofit afforded me a lot of autonomy, while the hospital seems quite bureaucratic. But I think I'm going to really excell in the structural environment. And to say the least, heck yes for employee benefits!!!!!
Well, I have a lot of adjustments to make, but soon enough, I know that I'll love this new adventure.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Day Club
I'm enjoying my first and only week of unemployment. Really, I have no excuse to not update my blog everyday this week. Well, maybe I have a few....
Here's what I've done:
- toured the East Wing of the White House
- ate Eastern Market breakfast
- saw all sorts of critters at the Zoo
- ran 4 miles with Amber (glad to have her back!)
- ate at Aria Trattoria
- ice skated at Pershing Park
- drove down the Washington Memorial Parkway
- went to the DMV to get new license plates
- Mano cut my hair
- paid for school and parking at NVCC (what! what!)
- stretched, balanced, and worked it at yoga
- met with an old work colleague
- read books
- shopped for groceries
- made dinner with Amber
- went to Institute
- ate lunch with Mel at Old Ebbett's Express
- saw increadible art at The Phillips Collection (loved the Rothko room)
- toured the Supreme Court
- did homework and attended my psychology class
- ate cookie dough with my roommates while watching Grey's Anatomy
- went to Home Depot and bought paint
- painted the ceiling in my room
- stayed up and read late into the night
- visited with friends
- organized my closets
- did my laundry and drycleaning
- took a donation to Goodwill
- drove around a lot
And now it's time for the weekend! I'm pretty much up for anything, so we'll see what excitement comes my way!
Here's what I've done:
- toured the East Wing of the White House
- ate Eastern Market breakfast
- saw all sorts of critters at the Zoo
- ran 4 miles with Amber (glad to have her back!)
- ate at Aria Trattoria
- ice skated at Pershing Park
- drove down the Washington Memorial Parkway
- went to the DMV to get new license plates
- Mano cut my hair
- paid for school and parking at NVCC (what! what!)
- stretched, balanced, and worked it at yoga
- met with an old work colleague
- read books
- shopped for groceries
- made dinner with Amber
- went to Institute
- ate lunch with Mel at Old Ebbett's Express
- saw increadible art at The Phillips Collection (loved the Rothko room)
- toured the Supreme Court
- did homework and attended my psychology class
- ate cookie dough with my roommates while watching Grey's Anatomy
- went to Home Depot and bought paint
- painted the ceiling in my room
- stayed up and read late into the night
- visited with friends
- organized my closets
- did my laundry and drycleaning
- took a donation to Goodwill
- drove around a lot
And now it's time for the weekend! I'm pretty much up for anything, so we'll see what excitement comes my way!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Saying Goodbye
This is my last week at my current employer. Exciting and wonderful as change is, it still tugs at my heart strings when it comes to actually doing it. For much of the past 2 years, I ran a one man, er - rather woman, show as the Director of Government Affairs for a non profit organization Washington, DC.
Today, I attended a regular meeting on the Hill where I see the same people every week. As we've worked on common issues, pushed legislation, signed and circulated group letters, supported efforts, activated grassroots, attended events, battled against "the other side," held meetings, and been through thick and thin to accomplish good in the federal government, these folks have become my co-workers. They're the people I see regularly, even though we aren't employed by the same people. I've had the honor to speak to them and keep them informed about my particular issue, abstinence education. Just last week, I spoke to them about our 2007 expectations.
At the end of today's meeting, the magnitude of what goes on there and all that I've been a part of blew me away! As I said goodbye to dear friends, I couldn't help but think about how the fight keeps going, even while the fighters come and go. I felt grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something huge - to contribute to something that I feel strongly about and to actually make an impact. When one friend said, "Charlee, you can't go!" I cried! (I'm such a baby, I know, but sometimes when i'm ineffable, I cry. In that moment, my heart filled with gratitude, and I realized how important my part has been.) The affirmation encouraged me. I am proud of what I've done here!
On my way back to the office, I said goodbye to a few other people who are part of my life. They're the folks in the street who smile at me everytime I pass by. Clayton, my homeless friend, kindly told me he'll miss me (after mentioning that he's broke! I told him that it's ok because I am too!) Then he informed me that he's still reading the Book of Mormon. Now that's AWESOME! I hope that is how I influence people in all areas of my life.
So I'm going to go learn something about the world. I'll be back someday. I am excited for the new path I am embarking on!
Today, I attended a regular meeting on the Hill where I see the same people every week. As we've worked on common issues, pushed legislation, signed and circulated group letters, supported efforts, activated grassroots, attended events, battled against "the other side," held meetings, and been through thick and thin to accomplish good in the federal government, these folks have become my co-workers. They're the people I see regularly, even though we aren't employed by the same people. I've had the honor to speak to them and keep them informed about my particular issue, abstinence education. Just last week, I spoke to them about our 2007 expectations.
At the end of today's meeting, the magnitude of what goes on there and all that I've been a part of blew me away! As I said goodbye to dear friends, I couldn't help but think about how the fight keeps going, even while the fighters come and go. I felt grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something huge - to contribute to something that I feel strongly about and to actually make an impact. When one friend said, "Charlee, you can't go!" I cried! (I'm such a baby, I know, but sometimes when i'm ineffable, I cry. In that moment, my heart filled with gratitude, and I realized how important my part has been.) The affirmation encouraged me. I am proud of what I've done here!
On my way back to the office, I said goodbye to a few other people who are part of my life. They're the folks in the street who smile at me everytime I pass by. Clayton, my homeless friend, kindly told me he'll miss me (after mentioning that he's broke! I told him that it's ok because I am too!) Then he informed me that he's still reading the Book of Mormon. Now that's AWESOME! I hope that is how I influence people in all areas of my life.
So I'm going to go learn something about the world. I'll be back someday. I am excited for the new path I am embarking on!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
Watch out, Tiger!
Watch out everyone - I'm a golfer now! I recently received my very own set of golf clubs. I'm just an amateur, but I think I have a bit of a natural knack for it. The weather in Washington has been phenomenally balmy for January; yesterday we had sunny skies and temps in the sixties. The perfect day for the inaugural use of my new club.
Guess how far this one went!
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This is Brian - he's great for tips and buckets of balls at the driving range.
Four!!!
ps - I'm still figuring out how to do pictures on this thing!
Guess how far this one went!
.JPG)
This is Brian - he's great for tips and buckets of balls at the driving range.
Four!!!
ps - I'm still figuring out how to do pictures on this thing!
Friday, December 29, 2006
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!
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!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
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:
Friday, December 22, 2006
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!
"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!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
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!
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!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
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...
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...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
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?!?!
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?!?!
Monday, December 11, 2006
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!
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!
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