The saying "Running amok" is a Balinese word describing a battle technique of suddenly going insanely wild against one's enemies in suicidal and bloody hand-to-hand combat.
Talk about the random facts that one learns by just reading a book. This little tid-bit was in the book Eat, Pray, Love. You should read this book because even if you can't relate to the character's personal or physical journey it is a true gem of whit and so well written that everyone will enjoy.
I had never wondered where this phrase comes from even though I use it regularly to describe crazy children or other people or things that are out of control. I wasn't using exactly correctly, but not far off. Tons of words we use are French, German, Spanish and even Latin. I would have never guessed a Balinese origin. Balinese is one of the hardest languages to learn, so if there's only one word you learn, your lucky because you already know this one.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Electric skies
Summer is officially here. Every night the storm clouds have been rolling in and treating us to roaring thunder, electric skies, high winds and an occasional tornado. I like a good storm every once in awhile when I don't have to travel and look nice at my final destination. I don't have curly hair, but the humidity manages to make my stick straight hair wave in all the wrong directions. I feel like every day after work its a race to beat the storm, or stay in place to let it pass. At least if this continues I will get to continue taking showers and things will stay green. Its much better than the droughts that sometimes hit this area. People keep pointing out to me however that the storms this time around are much more intense. After three days of observation, I agree. Can we blame this one on "global warming" and carbon emissions or is it just a weather cycle? (Environmentalists please chime in here. )
I wish I had a porch so I could watch the storms, falling asleep listening to the rain. In my DC apartment I'll have to settle for an open window.
But if the real storms aren't enough for you may I suggest a sound machine with a thunderstorm feature.
Golden Triangle Ambassador Business District
I thought that the only golden triangle I would find myself exploring this year was the golden triangle in north eastern India. But since my trip to India was postponed, thank god I have the business renovation and rejuvenation program in downtown dc...
I've been to Dupont many times and I've been to downtown, the foggy bottom area, and even the "golden triangle" though I never knew I had been there before. Its where the national geographic museum is located! The project is going ok, the place is starting to look nice. There are lots of nice stores and places to buy expensive jewelry, oriental rugs and yes, an abundance of lunch only sandwich shops and frozen yogurt places. Do not go to the area at night if you want to eat or even grab a cup of coffee...the only things that are "happenin" after 5pm are DC Improv and Washington Sports Club. DC Improv is great, but I suggest actually going to see real comedians, I went to the lounge to see a show where lawyers (yes real lawyers) attempted to be funny. I guess some of them were and with my one very strong drink under my belt as the night progressed they actually were funny. They serve food, so if you find yourself in the triangle past 5pm and are desperate for sustenance and don't think you can walk the few blocks north to Dupont the land of restaurants, pop into the lounge.
So they've created another neighborhood to further divide the district, but if you go exploring there after hours fill up before you make the march.
I'll be sure to keep you posted on the business ambassador progress of the triangle.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Nothing to do
During this period of “I have nothing to do” in my life, I have managed to completely fill my calendar. Ok, not completely, but what started as a joke google shared events calendar has legitimately become a jam packed social life and just plain life. My nights for the last week:
Sat: Drove to Raleigh, NC; Brother’s Wedding Shower
Sunday: Drove back from NC during the day; Driving range date, watched a movie
Monday: Best buy; bought plane tickets to Amman; organized life/paid bills etc
Tuesday: Dinner with Dad
Wednesday: night of crazy multi-tasking—cleaned apartment, laundry, cleaned room, made no-bake cookies, worked out and read my book
Thursday: Ballet
Friday: Comedy Club
Saturday: Lazy River Tubing
And somewhere in there I believe I will be Karaokeing and eating crabs.
Yes Liz, you have nothing to do, you only work 8 hrs a day and have something to do every night!
So if you are a new college grad like me and have “nothing” to do and can’t handle that, because you were used to spending 22hrs a day studying, trying to used the MIT sleep method to periodically nap to survive here are my suggestions or suggestions others have given me:
1. Create a google shared events calendar
- research everything there is do due in DC. Valuable sources are the Washington post.com, think tank websites, universities (speakers and cool seminars), Smithsonian, word of mouth.
- share the calendar with your friends so that everyone can join in.
2. Get into shape the fun way
- Join a gym, take fitness, dance or yoga classes –sign up for a session or do drop in classes. My roommates and I are going to take yoga classes together. Katie has beaten us all to it and already gotten her a** beaten in her first session of 90, 110 degree yoga. There are even classes like Bollywood dance.
3. Roommate night—Have one night a week where your roommates meet up to have dinner, go to the movies, happy hour or just explore your neighborhood. You could even make that the time you go grocery shopping. Everyone loves Whole Foods; it’s like a social event!
4. Girls’ night. It’s only been successful a few times, but we designated Wednesday night happy hour/girls night. We’ve made it to a wine tasting and saw Sex and the City.
5. Housewarming party—even when you haven’t just moved in, a party that takes on the ambiance of a housewarming party—dessert, alcohol, charades, board games maybe?
6. Create a restaurant guide
7. Learn how to cook
8. Or at least take up a hobby. (This is what Jon suggests.)
9. No not just reading, but read…create a list
10. Join the public library so your amazon account does not empty your savings account
11. Explore the neighborhoods around you and attempt to find every place that has free wireless and coffee
12. Walk everywhere, or bike. Its healthy and it takes time.
13. Join netflicks.
14. Become a social coordinator for your friends.
15. Write a blog.
The list could go on.
I’m fleeing the country for two weeks and going to Jordan and Israel, however I feel that even if I wasn’t leaving I would have something to do every day. I don’t know if it’s a complex, but I really don’t like doing nothing. Even if it’s nothing I say it’s something.
I probably need to work on this neurosis, but I’m trying to fit in as much of life as I can and this is the result!
Ulf--the ladies man ;)
Looking through the photos from parents weekend that my parents recently, FINALLY gave me I couldn't help but return to this photo. From parents weekends, birthdays, dress fittings, tearing up the dance floor at graduation, bubbles, moving to NH excursions and so much more he has brought the Swede out in all of us! While not in DC now, he will return to visit, so DC watch out, practice your Swedish...until then there is Lingo ;)
We love you!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Nacre
"What is Nacre? Literally, Nacre is the fluid which brings a pearl to life. The pearl — that exquisite specimen of priceless beauty and desire — will only begin to form a nucleus if an irritant happens to enter an oyster. This disturbing influence then stimulates this fluid within the oyster known as Nacre, which will proceed to cover the nucleus one layer at a time. As these layers of Nacre envelope the nucleus and keep multiplying, the pearl takes shape. Just as the pearl is created layer by layer, we, too, grow one layer at a time. The difficulties which each of us must face in our lives are given to us as gifts. Just as the pearl needs that irritant to become an object of beauty, we, too, must experience "irritants" in the form of obstacles and challenges to help us grow. As we learn to acknowledge and embrace our "irritants", we create the seeds of possibility within us to help us express our greatness."
After all the "irritants" in life we'll have enough to make a pearl necklace! I hope this is true...
I found this while looking up defense technologies. There was a company name mix up...clearly I was not on the right website.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Frozen Banana
First blog ARE YOU READY??
Good things to do with bananas that are too ripe, in ascending order of the product of a careful calculation that incorporates ease, healthiness, and deliciousness:
3. banana bread
2. banana smoothie
1. slice it up and put it in the freezer
0. put it on your FACE
Tip:
when opening a banana, try opening it from the bottom, where it does not attach to the bunch. THAT'S HOW MONKEYS DO IT!!
fin
The name: a tribute to Troy
June 9
"Saxa in the City" a clever play on the popular television show and a touch of Georgetown. While the blog is not about sex, it is about what rocks in the city. If your not from Georgetown, don't know Latin and don't have any friends from Georgetown then just to fill you in, "Hoya Saxa" is the Georgetown University chant and nickname...and in Latin means "what rocks."
We struggled with the name of the blog for a few weeks, trying to come up with something that represented our new apartment, the new neighborhood, the zoo, the number 3 etc. We had some interesting ideas and words being thrown around, but its was just starting to sound too thought out. Yes we live in 133 at 3000 there are three of us and but the number 3 was starting to show up in places it didn't need to be. When we tried to go with the zoo theme it got really interesting....leading people on safari's or the jungle of the capital. "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" We even attempted on our way back from the movie Sex and the City to identify which animal at the zoo we would want to be. We should have been listening to the signs more then, because clearly I am not a tiger and Katie really didn't want to be a bear. We also toyed with the idea of just starting with something like "not your typical DC blog..." 1. because its not and 2. because we want to make sure that everyone understands we are not dc interns or staffers that want to publish the details of their summer flings. And other openers like "working girls in the city..." I for one do not want to be identified as unemployed, but there is a lot more to me then my job, well hopefully there will continue to be after I start my real job.
So here you have it, a short and sweet little title that shows you where the roots of the blog come from. We are expanding our city research outside the walls of the Georgetown hilltop in the next stage of our lives. The "oh my god, this is the real world!" "DC really is amazing when you actually 'live' in the city" "we have income, but not that much money" stage of our lives. We're open to new things and exploring, but still have the all nighters stamina to take full advantage of what the city has to offer. For me this has been sleep (getting 8 hrs a night has been a fantastic addition to my life) and making sure that I have a full calendar so that I have something to fill the void in my head and time where my thesis used to be.
Our new friend Troy helped us out with the title, thank you for your creativity. The other title options he came up with were a little inappropriate, but still funny...considered for a moment until their origins were explained, laughed at and then rejected. But they were funny buddy. I mean, he really is funny, and sarcastic. Something he didn't know he was until revealed to him recently. Some how, despite the fact that he is himself uptight has helped me to be less uptight and recently, I think funny. I've never been the funny one in my family. My older brother was always the funny one, and then my younger brother came along and it was just like, um, watch out! but recently people have been laughing. Now they could be laughing at me, but I actually think having a 60+ page thesis and trying to graduate off my chest has allowed me to be a little more me. I owe my witty moments to Troy....he really is a wit "inspirationalist". I just can't help but create one liners to make him laugh or rebound off his one liners. our g-chatting is like one punch line after another. The majority of the conversation is us realizing that we are the coolest most important social organizers in the dc area (or at least for our friends) and are secretly fighting for the attention of the special person in our lives. The high five line was all for you Troy!
So thanks for the blog name, Sandra Bullock and here we come Holyland!
"Saxa in the City" a clever play on the popular television show and a touch of Georgetown. While the blog is not about sex, it is about what rocks in the city. If your not from Georgetown, don't know Latin and don't have any friends from Georgetown then just to fill you in, "Hoya Saxa" is the Georgetown University chant and nickname...and in Latin means "what rocks."
We struggled with the name of the blog for a few weeks, trying to come up with something that represented our new apartment, the new neighborhood, the zoo, the number 3 etc. We had some interesting ideas and words being thrown around, but its was just starting to sound too thought out. Yes we live in 133 at 3000 there are three of us and but the number 3 was starting to show up in places it didn't need to be. When we tried to go with the zoo theme it got really interesting....leading people on safari's or the jungle of the capital. "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" We even attempted on our way back from the movie Sex and the City to identify which animal at the zoo we would want to be. We should have been listening to the signs more then, because clearly I am not a tiger and Katie really didn't want to be a bear. We also toyed with the idea of just starting with something like "not your typical DC blog..." 1. because its not and 2. because we want to make sure that everyone understands we are not dc interns or staffers that want to publish the details of their summer flings. And other openers like "working girls in the city..." I for one do not want to be identified as unemployed, but there is a lot more to me then my job, well hopefully there will continue to be after I start my real job.
So here you have it, a short and sweet little title that shows you where the roots of the blog come from. We are expanding our city research outside the walls of the Georgetown hilltop in the next stage of our lives. The "oh my god, this is the real world!" "DC really is amazing when you actually 'live' in the city" "we have income, but not that much money" stage of our lives. We're open to new things and exploring, but still have the all nighters stamina to take full advantage of what the city has to offer. For me this has been sleep (getting 8 hrs a night has been a fantastic addition to my life) and making sure that I have a full calendar so that I have something to fill the void in my head and time where my thesis used to be.
Our new friend Troy helped us out with the title, thank you for your creativity. The other title options he came up with were a little inappropriate, but still funny...considered for a moment until their origins were explained, laughed at and then rejected. But they were funny buddy. I mean, he really is funny, and sarcastic. Something he didn't know he was until revealed to him recently. Some how, despite the fact that he is himself uptight has helped me to be less uptight and recently, I think funny. I've never been the funny one in my family. My older brother was always the funny one, and then my younger brother came along and it was just like, um, watch out! but recently people have been laughing. Now they could be laughing at me, but I actually think having a 60+ page thesis and trying to graduate off my chest has allowed me to be a little more me. I owe my witty moments to Troy....he really is a wit "inspirationalist". I just can't help but create one liners to make him laugh or rebound off his one liners. our g-chatting is like one punch line after another. The majority of the conversation is us realizing that we are the coolest most important social organizers in the dc area (or at least for our friends) and are secretly fighting for the attention of the special person in our lives. The high five line was all for you Troy!
So thanks for the blog name, Sandra Bullock and here we come Holyland!
Strange encounters in the neighborhood
June 6 2008
I know that DC is a tourist town in the summer, but man, as the temperature rises so has the number of crazy outsiders. When deciding to live right across from the zoo I never considered the fact that my neighborhood and path to work every morning would be invaded by strollers and tour groups, but it is! And while Georgetown is a touristy place and gets way too crowded in the summer the zoo is a whole different kind of crowd. I didn't even know these types of people existed in the city. I mean the fanny pack wearing, wobbly stroller pushing, words on your oversized t-shirt kind of folk. And I wouldn't be mentioning this, but they're not nice, they stare at you....I want to scream some morning (and I'm a morning person) "you are not at the zoo yet, what you are looking at has the right to hit if annoyed!" And even then it would be ok, but they manage to take up the whole side walk and have been known to shout profanity and throw soda on innocent commuters (shout out to my roomie). Come to the zoo, see the animals, but be respectful, we live here and unlike you we have to go to work and don't have the day off!
Now, I bring this up because my roommates and I keep having these weird encounters with people right outside our apartment or on our way to the metro/work. Yesterday morning I was in the Starbucks in my building minding my own business and a women told me to find a husband! When I was ordering my coffee the woman behind me tapped me and told me that the bottom button of my dress was undone. I replied, "oh, i know thank you, I can't reach it." Her reply, not, "do you want me to do it for you?" or nothing, she says, "you should get a husband, they are good for that!" um, I want to know who her husband is so I can take him out for a drink or something, because if that's all he's good for I have a feeling he probably needs a drink. It would have been ok if she stopped there, but oh, not across from the zoo...there is something in the water here...its the too much sharing tap or something. She preceded to keep talking about how I needed to find a husband and that people are getting married to late now, etc etc etc. "Yes thank you I know I am pretty." "No I don't plan on getting married anytime soon." "Thanks for the advice." ....thinking...."now let me put some milk in my coffee and get to work before I pour it on you." This was all before I had my morning coffee! No one wants to be told to find a husband before they have taken the all-empowering morning chug!
So this is one encounter, then today I was handed a little pamphlet with the title, "Will you make it to Heaven? take this test and find out" Thank God she didn't stop to talk to me about it for hours, but she did chase me down and manage to get a few words in while I was waiting for the light to change. But it was comical, she was a completely normal looking women. Looked like she had just spent her day at the zoo, minding her own business and then "bam!" the pamphlets came flying out of that fanny pack. Even funnier was the actual quiz that one is supposed to take to determine whether or not one will make it to heaven.
Add on top of these the dog chasing, stroller that made me almost fall on my face, the lady that fell and almost killed her child trying to beat a cross-walk sign and I had to pick her up and push the stroller before we all died, the Mcdonald's bum that whistles at me almost everyday and my favorite example of metro compliments...the 15yr old girl who seeing me in my bright coral pumps and orange dress ran after me to ask me where I got my shoes screamin, "girrrrrrrl, I love those shoes, where did you get them!" "those are niiiiiiiiiiiice!" Thank you, thank you for drawing attention to the fact that I am clearly wearing my clothes from the night before and while not taking a ride or walk of any shame can't inform the general public of the fact that I was just with my boyfriend and am NOT a hill intern.
While I thought my husband story was pretty good, Alexandra has informed me of an encounter that takes the cake. A misbehaving out of control flat out bitch of a middle school girl hit her then yelled at her and actually had the nerve to throw a soda at her. I told Alexandra she should have fought back or at least yelled something back to get the attention of the group leaders or something. her response, "are you crazy, that girl was way bigger than me, I couldn't take her." From the way she said it I heard, "a large black girl that could sit on me and kill me." so I get the lack of retaliation. But to all you middle schoolers out there, I would have fought back, i'm normally holding hot coffee in the morning and probably would have thrown that on you. Because while you might be younger and clearly were not taught manners....your old enough to know better and probably need to be hit up-side the head, HARD.
I mean these school groups can be dangerous! She has had some nicer encounters where a little girl said she wanted to eat her pear-decorated bag.
My reactions could all be due to the fact that the past four years I have basically lived surrounded by people my own age plus the few occasional profs who are older. I didn't interact with the young or the old really at all, and despite the tutoring I did at the beginning of college; the diversity of ages present on my street is a little overwhelming sometimes. I mean I keep seeing these women that don't look much older than me pushing strollers and I'm hoping they're just babysitting, but no, they're not...its a constant reminder that our day will come.
Another neighborhood with a different age problem
Where do all of the young people hangout in old town Alexandria? I know that its called old town, but I didn't think that was because it was filled with old people. I know its a little pricey and its normally people who are older that like to stroll around eating excessively, buying overpriced clothes that don't really look right and finding antiques, but its so nice down there and I know people my age keep saying they hangout down there, so where? Last night I was down there with my boyfriend and it was really nice, and I had a great time, but there were basically no young people there. This could be because we were in the wrong place, or no one in their right mind our age would go there on a Thursday night...I don't know, you tell me. But at least there were no crazy women with strollers...a huge relief!
I know that DC is a tourist town in the summer, but man, as the temperature rises so has the number of crazy outsiders. When deciding to live right across from the zoo I never considered the fact that my neighborhood and path to work every morning would be invaded by strollers and tour groups, but it is! And while Georgetown is a touristy place and gets way too crowded in the summer the zoo is a whole different kind of crowd. I didn't even know these types of people existed in the city. I mean the fanny pack wearing, wobbly stroller pushing, words on your oversized t-shirt kind of folk. And I wouldn't be mentioning this, but they're not nice, they stare at you....I want to scream some morning (and I'm a morning person) "you are not at the zoo yet, what you are looking at has the right to hit if annoyed!" And even then it would be ok, but they manage to take up the whole side walk and have been known to shout profanity and throw soda on innocent commuters (shout out to my roomie). Come to the zoo, see the animals, but be respectful, we live here and unlike you we have to go to work and don't have the day off!
Now, I bring this up because my roommates and I keep having these weird encounters with people right outside our apartment or on our way to the metro/work. Yesterday morning I was in the Starbucks in my building minding my own business and a women told me to find a husband! When I was ordering my coffee the woman behind me tapped me and told me that the bottom button of my dress was undone. I replied, "oh, i know thank you, I can't reach it." Her reply, not, "do you want me to do it for you?" or nothing, she says, "you should get a husband, they are good for that!" um, I want to know who her husband is so I can take him out for a drink or something, because if that's all he's good for I have a feeling he probably needs a drink. It would have been ok if she stopped there, but oh, not across from the zoo...there is something in the water here...its the too much sharing tap or something. She preceded to keep talking about how I needed to find a husband and that people are getting married to late now, etc etc etc. "Yes thank you I know I am pretty." "No I don't plan on getting married anytime soon." "Thanks for the advice." ....thinking...."now let me put some milk in my coffee and get to work before I pour it on you." This was all before I had my morning coffee! No one wants to be told to find a husband before they have taken the all-empowering morning chug!
So this is one encounter, then today I was handed a little pamphlet with the title, "Will you make it to Heaven? take this test and find out" Thank God she didn't stop to talk to me about it for hours, but she did chase me down and manage to get a few words in while I was waiting for the light to change. But it was comical, she was a completely normal looking women. Looked like she had just spent her day at the zoo, minding her own business and then "bam!" the pamphlets came flying out of that fanny pack. Even funnier was the actual quiz that one is supposed to take to determine whether or not one will make it to heaven.
Add on top of these the dog chasing, stroller that made me almost fall on my face, the lady that fell and almost killed her child trying to beat a cross-walk sign and I had to pick her up and push the stroller before we all died, the Mcdonald's bum that whistles at me almost everyday and my favorite example of metro compliments...the 15yr old girl who seeing me in my bright coral pumps and orange dress ran after me to ask me where I got my shoes screamin, "girrrrrrrl, I love those shoes, where did you get them!" "those are niiiiiiiiiiiice!" Thank you, thank you for drawing attention to the fact that I am clearly wearing my clothes from the night before and while not taking a ride or walk of any shame can't inform the general public of the fact that I was just with my boyfriend and am NOT a hill intern.
While I thought my husband story was pretty good, Alexandra has informed me of an encounter that takes the cake. A misbehaving out of control flat out bitch of a middle school girl hit her then yelled at her and actually had the nerve to throw a soda at her. I told Alexandra she should have fought back or at least yelled something back to get the attention of the group leaders or something. her response, "are you crazy, that girl was way bigger than me, I couldn't take her." From the way she said it I heard, "a large black girl that could sit on me and kill me." so I get the lack of retaliation. But to all you middle schoolers out there, I would have fought back, i'm normally holding hot coffee in the morning and probably would have thrown that on you. Because while you might be younger and clearly were not taught manners....your old enough to know better and probably need to be hit up-side the head, HARD.
I mean these school groups can be dangerous! She has had some nicer encounters where a little girl said she wanted to eat her pear-decorated bag.
My reactions could all be due to the fact that the past four years I have basically lived surrounded by people my own age plus the few occasional profs who are older. I didn't interact with the young or the old really at all, and despite the tutoring I did at the beginning of college; the diversity of ages present on my street is a little overwhelming sometimes. I mean I keep seeing these women that don't look much older than me pushing strollers and I'm hoping they're just babysitting, but no, they're not...its a constant reminder that our day will come.
Another neighborhood with a different age problem
Where do all of the young people hangout in old town Alexandria? I know that its called old town, but I didn't think that was because it was filled with old people. I know its a little pricey and its normally people who are older that like to stroll around eating excessively, buying overpriced clothes that don't really look right and finding antiques, but its so nice down there and I know people my age keep saying they hangout down there, so where? Last night I was down there with my boyfriend and it was really nice, and I had a great time, but there were basically no young people there. This could be because we were in the wrong place, or no one in their right mind our age would go there on a Thursday night...I don't know, you tell me. But at least there were no crazy women with strollers...a huge relief!
Treasure Found
Tuesday, June 3
Walking home from work, down Florida then left on 18th and I have found this place, this place that on weekend nights when the bars let out I really don't like. Well at least I didn't like to, until I went to Big Slice with Jon after Bourbon...and followed it up with another Bourbon visit three months later for a night I will never forget. But Adams Morgan is seedy at 2am and frankly a little aggressive...not exactly my typical scene, and my high heels do not appreciate the holes in the sidewalk. however on a Tuesday afternoon, this part of town looks nothing like I had seen it before. 18th street looked like a cultural mix of food and drink that was waiting for life to be shot into it, but perfectly content with the calm rhythm of a normal Tuesday and the routine of daily lives...a calming routine of relaxation, where a few people were sitting outside there smoking a cigarette, others enjoying their iced latte and free wireless at a true gem for coffee house regulars.
And then there were the kids that brought a smile to my face, even bigger than my curious eyes that were taking in every sign, color, foreign script and ethnic food menu I could see. I found myself staring at these kids that were playing at this Community Center/School right on 18th street, across the street from this Ethiopian restaurant. Standing in front of the restaurant a man, who had to be almost 75 years old, smoking a cigarette on the patio of what had to be his local spot, caught me in the middle of my moment and asked me, "why are you smiling?" I replied, "They are just so full of life!" And they were, the kids were running around like crazy, having so much fun...and there was so much diversity, the kids were all different colors, were wearing all different colors and were running around, jumping up and down, screaming and laughing....and it was just priceless. The man replied, "well you look pretty full of life, you look so happy." "I just found a gem in my city." I found myself saying...it truly was a gem, sort of like a precious stone that's found in the ground....before it just looks like a rough around the edges clump of "who knows what," but if you really look at it, get to the heart of it, you see there is something there, when you least expect it, and when your not looking for it. He said, 'what is?!" pausing, I gave him a smile and said "you are." laughing, he said that I was mistaken and that I must be talkin' about the food at the restaurant....he continued to ramble on about Ethiopian food for the next three minutes, I can't remember what I was told to order. Which is a problem because I've never had Ethiopian food before and my roommates and I have decided to all go eat Ethiopian food together. I'm hoping it will come back to me and I will just know, but I fear I was too content, to in the moment to actually listen and remember what was being said to me.
But what's so great about it is that it started out as just another day as a working girl in DC in the summer (but i haven't started my real job yet and can still work whenever I want). No I'm not one of the many interns that flock to the sticky, humid DC summer to run the government and "sexually experiment with the entire Hill." I am finishing my job with the Institute...I won't give the full name in fear that the entire place crumbles to the ground shortly after I leave when my boss' craziness reeks full havoc like a tornado on a hot Midwestern night. I was supposed to go running this morning, but have finally allowed myself to sleep in and relax...I'm still not that great at it and as a true morning person, I still find it difficult, but Jon has helped me grow more accustomed to it. Soon enough I will have to start getting up very early, and will not be able to decide what days I play hookie just because the weather is nice outside (though in DC if its 70-75, sunny, blue clear sky and no humidity I suggest you cherish that day, even if it means you just take a very long lunch and have to stay late in the office because those kind of days do not last forever.) Oh, you think you like DC in the summer, because you came to DC before it was summer—it was still "spring" when you arrived, summer is the 100+ and very humid late july and august that hasn't hit yet, but when it does its like a mac truck, whose transmission dies right when its square over you, and your just stuck there, can't move. I mean, you can actually feel the air here in the summer! its horrible! Do not, I repeat, and I'm saying this to myself as well, wear a lined suit if you are walking to work. Just buy a summer suit, or wear the skirt. My mom always told me to never buy pants that weren't lined, so I get it if you are a little confused, but pretend like your in the Bahamas or something, unlined pants are necessary!
So back to the day. I walked to work today, like the past few days, across the bridge on Connecticut over Rock Creek Park to the Dupont area. It was really nice out, did my same old boring work, but besides the fact that I had heartburn all day, from I don't know what...the day managed to go by relatively quickly....helped by the fact that I calculated how much money I should be receiving in my next pay check....it was a large sum, that convinced me that I must go to Jordan/Israel to visit Kate—if she would only make up her mind/summon the Israeli university Gods to tell her where she was going so I could make my travel plans. Because in my new life, where I have nothing to do after work because I'm no longer in school and only work 8 hrs a day at my job and my boyfriend works late/really late, I decided to walk back from work through Adams Morgan. The weather forecast aka weather.com, the most inaccurate weather projection in the world I'm convinced, said it was about to storm, and when I went outside earlier to get Mylanta it was windy and cooling down...I booked my ass to Adams Morgan. I just had to make it to Tryst! Along the way however, I couldn't help but fall in love with my life and the neighborhood. DC I've decided....probably from the many conversations I've had with my roommates who have similar opinions....is so cool because its a bunch of neighborhood, that all have their unique characteristics, and while it can be spread out, it never feels overwhelming like the skyscrapers of NY, but like a bustling city like NY there is always a new thing to be found, a new area to explore. DC reminds me a lot of many of the things about London that I love, and I am so glad that I have finally gotten my ass of the hilltop. I've moved my ass to another hilltop, one with, if you can imagine, an even more reputable address. But what's so great about 3000 Connecticut, not focusing on the fact that I have a queen size bed and no snoring roommate is the fact that my "neighborhood" is like four neighborhoods and maybe five if I include the fact that I still go to whole foods in Georgetown. I walk through Woodley park everyday on my way to work, run through it on my jogs, Cleveland park is where I joined the library today and where I finish my jogs and where the first roommate dinner, a Monday night tradition that will be transformed from our first where we ate Mexican food, to a much healthier Yoga followed by sushi or salad. To make sure that our Mondays are never as rough as the rest of the working world! Then I basically feel like Dupont is almost like my neighborhood, because I walk there everyday, my office for now is there and its close, and then there's Adams Morgan.
Randomly ran into Katie and Josh at Tryst. I feel horrible for being so anti-social last night, but I'm reading Eat, Love, Pray and was in the middle of a chapter and couldn't put it down (if you ever read this book you will think I'm crazy for saying in the middle of a chapter because the chapters are either a page long or if thought of differently a third of the book.) I'm talking the sections, I was in the middle of Italy and had to finish so that I could start on India the next day. Everyone should read this book. I am not thirty years old recovering from a divorce and depression, and I'm hoping you aren't either, but that doesn't matter. This book is hilariously written, full of wit and truly speaks about human nature and life in general. There are certain people in my life that have to, have to have to read this book, because her insight on some subjects is exactly what I want to tell some of my friends/family, but don't have the heart, or am not the right person to tell them. I mean the main character went crazy at one point almost, telling someone you love that they basically have/are going through a similar situation or act very similar to that is not exactly easy.
We sat and talked and I fell in love with the atmosphere of the place and their iced skim latte blended....and i haven't tasted them yet, but their waffles that come in a variety of flavors are going to be the death of me, as well as the cinnamon buns. I have self control, but I mean, no really...in the past two weeks I've eaten two boxes of cheese cake! ps. frozen deserts from Trader Joe's are to die for! get in on some of that goodness however the peppermint cheesecake while an interesting experiment for the taste buds if you like the cream cheese flavor of cheesecake don't bother with experimentation.
Then back to the apartment, there were 3 NATS tickets left for us for a 7.10 game, couldn't make it and there was rain, then I joined he neighborhood library, my first step in officially joining the neighborhood (besides contributing my trash and recycling). They know I'm here now....I have a library card!
Day 1 attempting to be a blogger = success
I will return again to hopefully bring more random facts and neighborhood finds and remember to check your google events calendar for daily events and fun gatherings!
ps. it eventually did storm.
Walking home from work, down Florida then left on 18th and I have found this place, this place that on weekend nights when the bars let out I really don't like. Well at least I didn't like to, until I went to Big Slice with Jon after Bourbon...and followed it up with another Bourbon visit three months later for a night I will never forget. But Adams Morgan is seedy at 2am and frankly a little aggressive...not exactly my typical scene, and my high heels do not appreciate the holes in the sidewalk. however on a Tuesday afternoon, this part of town looks nothing like I had seen it before. 18th street looked like a cultural mix of food and drink that was waiting for life to be shot into it, but perfectly content with the calm rhythm of a normal Tuesday and the routine of daily lives...a calming routine of relaxation, where a few people were sitting outside there smoking a cigarette, others enjoying their iced latte and free wireless at a true gem for coffee house regulars.
And then there were the kids that brought a smile to my face, even bigger than my curious eyes that were taking in every sign, color, foreign script and ethnic food menu I could see. I found myself staring at these kids that were playing at this Community Center/School right on 18th street, across the street from this Ethiopian restaurant. Standing in front of the restaurant a man, who had to be almost 75 years old, smoking a cigarette on the patio of what had to be his local spot, caught me in the middle of my moment and asked me, "why are you smiling?" I replied, "They are just so full of life!" And they were, the kids were running around like crazy, having so much fun...and there was so much diversity, the kids were all different colors, were wearing all different colors and were running around, jumping up and down, screaming and laughing....and it was just priceless. The man replied, "well you look pretty full of life, you look so happy." "I just found a gem in my city." I found myself saying...it truly was a gem, sort of like a precious stone that's found in the ground....before it just looks like a rough around the edges clump of "who knows what," but if you really look at it, get to the heart of it, you see there is something there, when you least expect it, and when your not looking for it. He said, 'what is?!" pausing, I gave him a smile and said "you are." laughing, he said that I was mistaken and that I must be talkin' about the food at the restaurant....he continued to ramble on about Ethiopian food for the next three minutes, I can't remember what I was told to order. Which is a problem because I've never had Ethiopian food before and my roommates and I have decided to all go eat Ethiopian food together. I'm hoping it will come back to me and I will just know, but I fear I was too content, to in the moment to actually listen and remember what was being said to me.
But what's so great about it is that it started out as just another day as a working girl in DC in the summer (but i haven't started my real job yet and can still work whenever I want). No I'm not one of the many interns that flock to the sticky, humid DC summer to run the government and "sexually experiment with the entire Hill." I am finishing my job with the Institute...I won't give the full name in fear that the entire place crumbles to the ground shortly after I leave when my boss' craziness reeks full havoc like a tornado on a hot Midwestern night. I was supposed to go running this morning, but have finally allowed myself to sleep in and relax...I'm still not that great at it and as a true morning person, I still find it difficult, but Jon has helped me grow more accustomed to it. Soon enough I will have to start getting up very early, and will not be able to decide what days I play hookie just because the weather is nice outside (though in DC if its 70-75, sunny, blue clear sky and no humidity I suggest you cherish that day, even if it means you just take a very long lunch and have to stay late in the office because those kind of days do not last forever.) Oh, you think you like DC in the summer, because you came to DC before it was summer—it was still "spring" when you arrived, summer is the 100+ and very humid late july and august that hasn't hit yet, but when it does its like a mac truck, whose transmission dies right when its square over you, and your just stuck there, can't move. I mean, you can actually feel the air here in the summer! its horrible! Do not, I repeat, and I'm saying this to myself as well, wear a lined suit if you are walking to work. Just buy a summer suit, or wear the skirt. My mom always told me to never buy pants that weren't lined, so I get it if you are a little confused, but pretend like your in the Bahamas or something, unlined pants are necessary!
So back to the day. I walked to work today, like the past few days, across the bridge on Connecticut over Rock Creek Park to the Dupont area. It was really nice out, did my same old boring work, but besides the fact that I had heartburn all day, from I don't know what...the day managed to go by relatively quickly....helped by the fact that I calculated how much money I should be receiving in my next pay check....it was a large sum, that convinced me that I must go to Jordan/Israel to visit Kate—if she would only make up her mind/summon the Israeli university Gods to tell her where she was going so I could make my travel plans. Because in my new life, where I have nothing to do after work because I'm no longer in school and only work 8 hrs a day at my job and my boyfriend works late/really late, I decided to walk back from work through Adams Morgan. The weather forecast aka weather.com, the most inaccurate weather projection in the world I'm convinced, said it was about to storm, and when I went outside earlier to get Mylanta it was windy and cooling down...I booked my ass to Adams Morgan. I just had to make it to Tryst! Along the way however, I couldn't help but fall in love with my life and the neighborhood. DC I've decided....probably from the many conversations I've had with my roommates who have similar opinions....is so cool because its a bunch of neighborhood, that all have their unique characteristics, and while it can be spread out, it never feels overwhelming like the skyscrapers of NY, but like a bustling city like NY there is always a new thing to be found, a new area to explore. DC reminds me a lot of many of the things about London that I love, and I am so glad that I have finally gotten my ass of the hilltop. I've moved my ass to another hilltop, one with, if you can imagine, an even more reputable address. But what's so great about 3000 Connecticut, not focusing on the fact that I have a queen size bed and no snoring roommate is the fact that my "neighborhood" is like four neighborhoods and maybe five if I include the fact that I still go to whole foods in Georgetown. I walk through Woodley park everyday on my way to work, run through it on my jogs, Cleveland park is where I joined the library today and where I finish my jogs and where the first roommate dinner, a Monday night tradition that will be transformed from our first where we ate Mexican food, to a much healthier Yoga followed by sushi or salad. To make sure that our Mondays are never as rough as the rest of the working world! Then I basically feel like Dupont is almost like my neighborhood, because I walk there everyday, my office for now is there and its close, and then there's Adams Morgan.
Randomly ran into Katie and Josh at Tryst. I feel horrible for being so anti-social last night, but I'm reading Eat, Love, Pray and was in the middle of a chapter and couldn't put it down (if you ever read this book you will think I'm crazy for saying in the middle of a chapter because the chapters are either a page long or if thought of differently a third of the book.) I'm talking the sections, I was in the middle of Italy and had to finish so that I could start on India the next day. Everyone should read this book. I am not thirty years old recovering from a divorce and depression, and I'm hoping you aren't either, but that doesn't matter. This book is hilariously written, full of wit and truly speaks about human nature and life in general. There are certain people in my life that have to, have to have to read this book, because her insight on some subjects is exactly what I want to tell some of my friends/family, but don't have the heart, or am not the right person to tell them. I mean the main character went crazy at one point almost, telling someone you love that they basically have/are going through a similar situation or act very similar to that is not exactly easy.
We sat and talked and I fell in love with the atmosphere of the place and their iced skim latte blended....and i haven't tasted them yet, but their waffles that come in a variety of flavors are going to be the death of me, as well as the cinnamon buns. I have self control, but I mean, no really...in the past two weeks I've eaten two boxes of cheese cake! ps. frozen deserts from Trader Joe's are to die for! get in on some of that goodness however the peppermint cheesecake while an interesting experiment for the taste buds if you like the cream cheese flavor of cheesecake don't bother with experimentation.
Then back to the apartment, there were 3 NATS tickets left for us for a 7.10 game, couldn't make it and there was rain, then I joined he neighborhood library, my first step in officially joining the neighborhood (besides contributing my trash and recycling). They know I'm here now....I have a library card!
Day 1 attempting to be a blogger = success
I will return again to hopefully bring more random facts and neighborhood finds and remember to check your google events calendar for daily events and fun gatherings!
ps. it eventually did storm.
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