Friday, June 30, 2006

This weekend

I feel like a little kid at Christmas. It's a little after three o'clock and I've less than three hours before I get to leave.

Dave and Mike are coming to town for the weekend. I am excited about being here with them and exploring new sites! Mal and I have talked about a tentative schedule. It's hard to decide what to do because there are so many options. Basically, we've talked about seeing super touristy stuff (think: White House, Capitol, and Chinatown) to other low key stuff (Eastern Market, Smithsonian Festival) with other places thrown in the mix. Also, hard to narrow down restaurant options, but we definitely want to check out the Ethiopian place in the Adams Morgan area and take them to Bistro Italiano (our fav. restaurant in the neighborhood). Mmm...

Also going on this weekend: New roomie moves in. Katie (spelling may be wrong), an intern in Mal's office, will be moving in tomorrow. She will be living with us for the months of July and August. After that, roomie options are yet to be determined.

It will be a busy weekend and I can hardly wait! Pictures and updates will follow as the weekend progresses...

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

A Devilish Evening

Mallory and I had quite an adventurous evening. Since the time she won tickets Monday morning, we were anxiously anticipating viewing a press-screening of the movie, The Devil Wears Prada (this is a pretty good review, in case you haven't heard of it). I have never been to a movie before its release. The place was packed!

We arrived in plenty of time (as suggested), but were still surprised to find the majority of the theatre full even thirty minutes before its start time. The prime seats (ie. seats right smack in the middle with the best view) were "reserved" for the press. The rest of us "ordinary" people were forced to sit on the rim of the theatre. Mal and I found two seats together on the third row and left side. Yeah... not exactly amazing, but still free.

The radio station promoting the party gave out gifts to winners who knew answers about the movie. You know, the people who actually read the book. They also handed out tickets to a local club to anyone who wanted them. Mal and I scored two for Thursday night.

The movie started at 7:45 and was over at around 9:30. It was an entertaining movie and I couldn't help but feel dizzy as all the fashion industry's big names were dropped. At one point, when Andy (the main character played by Anne Hathaway) first starts her job at Runway, she is standing doe-eyed and overwhelmed as her boss (Maryl Streep) rambles off about five names. Only one of whom I knew. It's amazing to think that there really is such a world of hard-core fashionistas and that their world does affect me (as a consumer) whether I'd like to admit it or not. This point was emphasized in a scene between Hathaway and Streep where Streep critiqued Hathaway's sweater based solely on its color and texture. Overall, two thumbs up and definitely worth watching.

After the movie, I dragged Mal in search of the "holy champagne." Monday night I promised Drew that we would celebrate his vacation to Germany (he leaves today) with a special European champagne concoction that he was eager to share. Well, as of 9:30 I still hadn't picked up a bottle.

Normally, this wouldn't pose too much of a problem. A couple importances to note, however, between NC and DC... one, Mal and I were in a completely unfamiliar area of town. I mean, we were just proud of ourselves for finding the theatre once we stepped out of the metro center. Second, DC stops selling alcohol after ten o'clock. So, Mal and I had to find champagne to make Drew's "Creme Royale" in thirty minutes.

Oh, and it was pouring rain.

So, after the movie, we dashed out of the theatre and into the street. Funny, because once we got out there, we had no idea where to go. We went right towards the neon signs and beckoning lights. As we walked beneath our umbrellas, all we passed were restaurants and closed dry cleaners. Within five minutes, the bottom of my pant legs were completely soaked.

After we hadn't found any store that sold the precious champagne, we broke down and asked a couple that was walking by. There's nothing more humbling than asking where a booze store is as you are standing, drenched, in the pouring rain with hair as big as Einstein's. They graciously told us a couple of places we could try and pointed us farther down the block to the Safeway (you know, the grocery store I wrote of a couple weeks ago).

We checked our watches- we still had 15 minutes to make it to the Safeway (the other places were closed), which was about four blocks away. Relieved that our quest was almost over, we slowed and talked about how wet we were and what a good story we had to tell Drew about getting this bottle.

We arrived at Safeway and began scouring the aisles. No alcohol was in sight. A clerk explained that not all Safeways carry alcohol. We were lucky (dripping with sarcasm). Of all the Safeways in the area, we had found one that didn't.

It was five minutes after ten o'clock and we found ourselves outside the store. As we opened our umbrellas and prepared to step back into the rain, we changed our game plan. "Well, we can go to one of the restaurants and buy a bottle to go," Mal suggested. It was our only option. Admitting Safeway defeat, we trudged back towards restaurant row.

We arrived at the first place that we found. It was a beautiful Tapas restaurant complete with table clothes and tea light candles. We stepped inside and immediately attracted the attention of all the dry patrons. Stepping past the hostess stand, we made our way over the hardwood floor to the bar. My shoes seemed extra loud and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of water trail we were leaving.

The bartender was like a beacon. As we stepped closer to his domain, a man rose from his perch at the bar. His drink sat before him. He was obviously the owner as he asked what he could do for us. A bit embarrassed by my physical state, I told him that we wanted a bottle of champagne and added that we were looking for a Brut. He left his drink where it sat and walked behind the bar. Behind him stood a cooler with a glass front. The glass frosted as he pulled out a bottle of Don Perignon. I recognized the bottle and braced myself for the price.

"A Brut," he said as he showed me the bottle. I asked the price and was proud of my "flinch control" as he rattled off one twenty five. I told him that the bottle was a bit out of our range. He placed the bottle back in the cooler and pulled out second. "This one is not a Brut," he said as he showed me the bottle and quoted the price of twenty five. While easier on the ears, I knew it wouldn't work. I could hear Drew in my mind. You two walked all over town and this isn't even a Brut. I shook my head and again repeated our need. He pulled out a third bottle. "This is a Brut." He quoted us forty dollars, which was the highest that Mal and I agreed to go in on.

"Would you like to drink it at the bar," he pointed out into the dining area, "or would you prefer a table?"

Here we go. "Actually, we want it to go." It was a stretch and I knew it. That got his attention as well as a couple patrons sitting nearby. He laughed. "I can't do that. It's against policy. We could get our license revoked," he explained. Another guy (who the owner had been sitting beside at the bar) jumped in, "Yeah, they could get shut down for that." Thanks, buddy.

We told them our situation and both of them were eager to help us in our quest. The second guy said that we could still get alcohol from stores in Maryland (they sell until midnight). "It's only one metro stop up," he explained. "You just have to get out of The District." They then told us where we could go once we got off the metro.

So, out we went. It was about ten thirty. We hopped on the metro and made our way into Maryland. The rain was still relentless and we were officially soaked. As we exited the train, we checked the map for the name of the street that the two guys shared with us. It was a three block walk to the street and the street itself was about four blocks long. So, worse case scenario, we had to walk another seven blocks to get there.

By 11:15 we'd found it. We only got off track once. Thankfully, I only had to ask one person where we could find our store. I figured by this point I just looked scary and desperate (I was, basically). And Mal looked the same, only she was also tired and had a headache. What a trooper.

I can't explain the feeling that I had as the cashier bagged that stupid champagne. I think Mal and I even exchanged a high five at some point? Either way, we finally walked through our apartment door, soaked, but pleased with ourselves, at midnight.

Drew was appreciative and it made our adventure worth while. Mal went straight to bed (she did have a headache, remember) and Drew and I toasted to his trip with his "European" drink recipe.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Lunch Date

Last week my mom called with news that she had run into Melissa's mom. Melissa was my best friend (BFF!) when we were in middle school. After talking with Angie (Melissa's mom), mine discovered that she lives in Arlington, VA, not even thirty minutes from me! Our moms exchanged our numbers before departing from each other.

Therefore, I was not surprised to hear a message from Melissa as I left work on Thursday afternoon. When I called back, we briefly caught up with each other and made plans to eat together for lunch today.

It was such a great time! I met her in my building and we went to a Mexican restaurant a couple blocks over. I recognized her immediately. She quickly morphed from my early year's memory into the woman in front of me. Besides having no braces, and shorting a curlier (she used to straighten her hair) look, she hadn't changed too much from the last time I saw and talked with her (about eight years ago!).

As we walked to the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice her fidgeting with her ring like she always used to. I guess some habits never change!

We had a wonderful time. The hour flew by quickly as we touched on college experiences, the city (and DC in general), our jobs, and families. A couple of times I caught myself disbelieving that we were actually eating lunch together in DC, of all places.

On my quest for new friends, I am excited to have rediscovered an old one.

Monday, June 26, 2006

My sister is a winner

Ha ha! Mal just won a radio game show!

What a way to start out a Monday!

On my walk in to work, my morning show was giving away tickets to the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" showing for tomorrow night. It's to be a "Ladies Night Out" affair.

I was dialing furiously on the cell phone for the second half of my walk. What a randomly fun, last minute outing that would be.

Busy.

Busy.

Busy.

I arrived to the office and shared with Mal over IM about the tickets. I told her to dial, too. Surely, between the two of us, one of us would make it through and score some free tickets.

"How do I play?" she asked.

There was no game. I explained (over IM) that all she had to do was call.

After I had been dialing about five minutes, I made it through. I am on hold!!!

Then... beep, beep, beep. I was no longer on hold. Sadness. My call had been dropped and I was forced to try again.

In another few minutes, Mal IM'd that she was on hold.

"There are rules," she wrote. Rules? Why would there be rules to requesting movie tickets? I didn't even think the movie was rated R or anything. Maybe you have to be 18. Weird. Especially since I had heard other women calling in earlier and getting tickets with no problem.

I continued to dial and simultaneously IM Mal. I was getting no response from either. Figuring Mal was talking to someone from the station and coming to terms with the fact that no one was going to answer my call, I finally gave up and just waited to hear from Mal. Besides, the phone here in the office was ringing off the hook.

Just kidding... just thought I'd make you do a double take!

"I won!" Mal wrote.

Won?? Didn't know it was so hard to "win" free tickets.

"I had to play a game," she continued to fill me in on her morning adventure. Apparently, between the time I turned off my radio and the time Mal made it through to them, the radio dj's had turned the "free tickets" into a game. Setting two listeners against each other in a "Who Knows More About Aaron Spelling" competition. FYI: Mal knows nothing about Aaron Spelling (as most everyone else on the planet).

Enter: Google.

Apparently, Mal explained, she googled all the questions to get the answers. Smart thinking, eh?

She had me rolling when she called later to tell me that they wouldn't give her the tickets (even though she won) until she screamed.

OK... she was sitting in the Senator's front office. She had to explain to the dj's that she had to walk away from her desk, take her cordless office phone, and go to the office bathroom to scream. They waited while she did just that.

Mal said she only got a few funny looks when she opened the bathroom door!

Looks like we'll be seeing a movie tomorrow night. Along with movie tickets, Mal also won tickets to a Washington Nationals Baseball game (next Wed.) and some Crest Whitening package. HA! Who needs caffeine when Monday morning greets you with Aaron Spelling trivia!?

Friday, June 23, 2006

Dinner Paaaaarty!

Last night was an unexpected and pleasant blast.

I arrived home from work to find Steve, our neighbor that lives in the apartment below us, sitting on our stoop. He was enjoying the shade and breeze while reading. Even though it was warm, it was a perfect evening to be sitting outside. Shortly after Steve and I began chatting, Mallory arrived and we began throwing around some dinner ideas.

We invited Steve for dinner and the three of us moved our party inside to begin cooking. Well, Mal began cooking. After I started "helping" her, she quickly decided there was one too many chefs in the kitchen (that would be me) and said, "You can cook. The kitchen is too small and you seem to want to, so you can make dinner."

So, I did.

Mal had this chicken kit that she shared. Y'all, those kits are great! And so easy. They are made by Campbells and include all the ingredients (besides the meat) needed to make a scrumptious meal. So, last night I made lemon chicken with herb rice. On the side we had green beans and crescent rolls.

While dinner was cooking, Mal, Steve, and I chatted. Drew called and said he'd be home for dinner and had invited one of his coworkers over to assist him with some work. Knowing that we had plenty of food, I quickly realized that this would be the first dinner party we've had in our house! Yay for new friends.

Steve went downstairs and reemerged with a bottle of cabernet and champagne. We set the table and Drew and Marie arrived just as the food was finishing. Perfect. Drew picked up a Shiraz on his way home. We toasted first with Steve's cabernet.

Conversation flowed freely and we had lots of laughs. And the food rocked!!! Phew.

Drew is travelling with us down to NC this weekend because he is interviewing for a scholarship to study abroad in Africa next year. He asked the four of us to do a mock panel interview (which is what he'll be faced with Saturday morn) with him, which we all gladly did. He's gonna do great!

After Drew's "interview", Mal made brownie "cupcakes" for us and we indulged in chocolate and more red wine. Marie stayed until about 11:30 and Steve stayed until about 3!

We had a beautiful storm here last night, er, early early this morning. I was thankful to be awake and awed by it.

It was an incredibly fun evening and it's great to be making friends! I love spur of the moment dinner parties. How fun!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Another weekend in NC

It's become second nature to pile into the car with Mallory on Friday evenings. This weekend was no exception. We decided to go home to celebrate with our "dads."

Friday we hit the road after grabbing some pizza from our favorite Italian place- y'all remember me mentioning Bistro Italiano? Well, after work, I ran into Mal walking home (imagine that... this big ole city and I ran into my sister on Constitution Avenue!) and we called in a "to go" order. After they quoted us 25 minutes, it definitely sent us into full gear. After finishing our walk home, we changed, packed, and were standing at Bistro (salivating) within 30 minutes. Not shabby, eh?

We ate our pie in the car and hit the road to Fayetteville, where our grandparents live. We arrived about five hours later, around midnight. My mom and aunt were there, so we had quite a welcoming committee! My grandpa was sleeping, so all of us women caught up on our news. After about an hour, my grandpa joined us and the conversation turned to him. He wasn't feeling well and my heart broke as I sat in the chair across from him and could do nothing to make him feel better. His breaths were short and raspy and his flesh was ashen. It probably would have been cold to the touch if it weren't for his fever. He sat wrapped in his blanket and dozed in and out of conciousness as my aunt and grandma doted over him.

We were satisfied that he was able to sleep, and eventually went to sleep ourselves. I awoke Saturday morning to discover that my aunt had taken him to the hospital and that he had been diagnosed with a respiratory infection.

"They're pumping him full of fluids and antibiotics as we speak. He already feels better," my mom assured me. Thank you, Lord. I was relieved to hear he was feeling better than he did the previous evening.

Mallory slept. Mom read in the living room. I got dressed. I had plans to leave there and drive to Winston to see my own dad. When I learned that Papa would be at the hospital for a little bit longer, I loaded my things in the car, passed along some kisses to him, and hit the road.

Dad was supposed to get off work at four. It was almost two o'clock and Winston was over two hours away. I had plans later in the evening, so I was pressed for time. I arrived (thanks to some traffic in Winston) in the driveway at five. As I approached the house I was a little relieved when I didn't see his car. I knew there was still wrapping to do!

I began unloading my bags and walking towards the door when I saw his car. I suddenly didn't care that there were still gifts to wrap. I was happy to see his smiling face and get a "dad" hug. Inside, we quickly caught up on Papa, on why Mal wasn't there (she'd stayed to spend more time in Fayetteville), on his day, on DC, on my plans for the night (I was going to dinner at Mike's), and other things. He changed while I slipped away and wrapped.

We had a little Father's Day celebration. I told him that I was the official representative for the rest of the women (ie. mom and Mal) in his family who would normally be there. I snapped a couple of pictures as proof that he didn't get neglected and we ate some cookie cake. Mmm.

After visiting a bit more, I rushed to change before heading to Greensboro, where Mike was cooking and waiting for me to arrive. I placed the dessert and the bottle of wine (my small contributions to dinner) in the car. It will be nice to be there and just stop. No where else to be. Nothing else to do tonight.

Thirty five minutes later, Mike opened the door, and thus began an enjoyable and relaxing evening. I met his roommate and the three of us engaged in easily flowing conversation while Mike manned the stove. He made shrimp pad Thai, a delicious dish with all fresh ingredients, and served a vegetable egg drop soup on the side. He really is an impressive cook and I couldn't help but smile as he thought of every detail- even the sliced lime and cilantro flowers that sat on our plates for "presentation" purposes.

Later, he took me on a "tour" and I saw his garden, before we paused for dessert (he'd made banana nut bread with a cream cheese icing and I'd brought ingredients for strawberry shortcake). It was a relaxing evening and I was happy to glance into his daily world.

Sunday was wonderful as well. I got to go to my home church and see friends that I hadn't seen in over a month. After church, I visited with dad a bit more before heading back to Fayetteville. By this time, Papa was home and other family members were there too. We had a quality afternoon filled with new memories. Shortly after six, Mal and I jumped into our familiar places (ie. the front seats of our car) and drove back to DC.

It was a weekend of going. Can't say that I'd like to be that busy every weekend (and covering that much terrain), but it was fun this time around.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Church Experience

**This one's for you, Dean**

Mallory and I went to Capitol Hill Baptist on Sunday morning. By the time we got there (just a few minutes late), the service had begun. We walked in downstairs and were told that the pews on the lower level were all full, but that there was seating in the balcony. Hurrying up the stairs, a very friendly usher directed us to some open seats.

The ceilings were high and the light streamed in from the left through some stained glass windows near the top of the church. Because the sun was shining in all its glory, the lighting was welcoming against the dark red carpeting. The congregation sat in a U-shape around the pulpit, which was perched on a modest platform only about 15 feet long.

Our seats were very comfortable (they had about eight inches of padding on them) and I couldn't help but think about halfway through the service that they were the most comfy church seats I'd ever sat in. Plus, they had these fabulous arm rests on the side that were the perfect height. Y'all know what I mean... sometimes, they're too low and you have to lean halfway over to just prop your arm. That just defeats the purpose.

The service was very traditional and I was transported back to earlier days of my youth when we'd sing out of the hymnals. They had a couple different hymnals and once we got an understanding of which one we were supposed to sing out of and when, we did alright.

The regular pastor wasn't there Sunday because he was (ironically) down in Greensboro, NC, for the Southern Baptist convention. So, a younger pastor (intern?) delivered the message. While I was a bit disappointed that the regular pastor wasn't there, because I'd heard such awesome things about him, I did enjoy the message.

Taken from Psalm 117 (the shortest chapter in the Bible, with only two versus), the message was on praising God. It was a great message, one that filled my (very) thirsty spirit.

When the service was over, Mal and I slipped out the same way we came in. Once we entered into the basking sunlight, I looked her way with anticipation.

Smiling because of what I got out of the service, I asked, "Well? What did you think?"

She brushed her hair behind her ear and returned my smile with a smirk. "Eh, it was okay." She looked ahead and we continued walking towards the apartment.

Shocked and dismayed at such a different response, I probed for her reasoning. "I just felt like he was trying to sell me something." How did she get that from a message about praising God? "I don't know why. It was just something about his tone. I just didn't like it."

I reviewed the message in nanoseconds in my head, searching for his tone. There was a tone. Not sure whether "selling" would be how I'd label it, but from my reaching, I could understand what she meant. She obviously didn't like it.

We talked about how he was filling in for the regular guy. She's agreed to go back with me. We're gonna check it out before we make a decision between Capitol Hill and National Community where Mal has been attending. They are both very different churches, with the first being very traditional and the other quite modern. If it helps in painting the picture, the second meets in a movie theater in Union Station and has very different music, featuring a worship band. The words to the songs are projected on the screen instead of read from hymnals.

So, we'll visit again before we make a new church home in the DC area. And really, I think either one would be fine with me. It's not where we are, but why and who we're there for that matter anyway.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Lunch break

On my lunch hour, I walked a few blocks to the DC Botanic Garden.

Limited by time, there wasn't nearly enough room to see everything that it had to offer. However, I did make a beeline for the orchid room, which was the room I was most anxious to view.

In it, there were many varieties. I quickly spotted some favorites, which popped due to their vivacious colors. There were some very intricate flowers, like something you'd see on another planet, and others that looked less like orchids and more like daffodils. I did spot this one that I fell in love with. Guess it kind of reminded me of a painting... a white canvas with a sunburst explosion. I enjoyed the clean feel and the energy contained in its center.

There were many other rooms too. I quickly smelled my way through a room featuring spices of all kinds. Pausing to sniff a few, I was relieved that I had already eaten- they would have made me hungry!

There was an adjacent room that had several endangered plants. In it, were a lot of cacti and orchids. There were some humorous looking cacti. Some with "fur" on them. One was called the "old woman cactus" or something like that. As I peered down at it on the ground, it looked like the top of an older woman's head, covered in this gray fuzz.

I couldn't help but wonder who gets to choose the common names of plants? And how did that "nervous plant" get its name?

I am planning to go back more in the week. It definitely will require some more trips if I'm to see it all on my lunch breaks.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Government Spending

Just thought I'd give you a head's up on where your tax dollars are going on any given Monday in the Library of Congress.

There's me... I've caught up on the news on both CNN and AOL.com. If you're curious- there really aren't any more stories on either one. I just check both to occupy another twenty minutes or so. Also, I've checked my email, written email, and glanced at a local church's website. Well, I write "glanced", but I really mean "meticulously read over". I'm on a mission to find a small group to join. I've also IM'ed several people today, checked Myspace, and even completed a phone reference for a friend who's applying for a job back home. Finally, I'm adding another blog post.

There's Tilya... she sits behind me and I can't really see what she's doing on her computer, but I guarantee it's about as much work related activity as I have done on mine. Oh, plus... she's been talking on the phone.

I just ran an errand upstairs (remember, I do manage to actually DO work for about 5-10% of my day) to our copy center. I encountered a classic LOC situation.

Copy machines were running, creating a hypnotic drone, and the room was pretty warm. As enticing as a nap would be, you wouldn't actually be doing it at work, would you?

Ha! Not at the LOC. It is here that we scoff at such outrageous expectations within a work environment!

I approached a desk where two ladies sat... wait a sec. One lady sat and the other had her head on the desk. When I reached the desk's edge the first greeted me, barely glancing from her computer screen.

Well, at least someone's working in here.

The second lady lifted her head from the desk and smiled. Not a genuine smile... one of those "well, guess I'd better acknowledge you too" kinda smiles. Do those really qualify as smiles? Seriously.

It was not two seconds later when I heard the first PING.

PING.

BOINK.

PING.

The sounds were errupting from the first lady's computer. I mean, at least turn the volume down if you're gonna play a game, I thought. Being a rookie, I even know this.

Alas, she was a pro, though. How do I know? She managed to converse with me about what I needed (23 colored copies, stapled in the corner), give me a time when they'd be ready, and point to a pen sitting on her desk when I had to write my phone number down.

Whoa. The woman had game.

So, I've concluded that part of your/our tax payers moolah goes to a program that trains employees to be incredibly skilled at multi tasking. What other government agency can teach their employees to play computer games, converse intelligently, and use mobile skills to point to writing instruments? On top of that, an employee at the LOC is imparted with the knowledge to handle the work load that a napping employee beside him does not carry!

Amazing.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

A Simple Saturday

It was a pretty busy Saturday. It started off relaxing enough... we did sleep in and hang out at the apartment until about three. From there on, however, we were on the go.

Last night, I mentioned to Mal that I wanted to visit a museum today. She suggested that we go to the National Gallery of Art, which is conveniently located just a few metro stops away. She wanted to get print of a painting she'd been eyeing and I simply wanted to get lost in the museum.

We arrived about 45 minutes before the museum closed. I know... pathetic. Mal, having already been there and not exactly an art buff, was thrilled at our timing.

I'll come back. I'll enjoy what I see today and just come back again.

We approached the entrance to the museum and were distracted by the Sculpture Garden located out front. We walked around in it for about 15 minutes, taking the pictures shown below. I am excited, because a sign was posted that mentioned "Jazz in the Garden" every Friday night. For a few hours every Friday, they feature live jazz performances. I'm sure it's something that we will be checking out in the near future!



After we took some pics with the sculptures, we made our way to the middle of the garden where they have a beautiful fountain. During the winter, they freeze the fountain over and make it into an ice skating rink. Today, however, ice skating is a distant adventure. The fountain flowed freely and the water only spritzed us a little when the wind blew in our direction.




After we checked out the garden, we made our way inside. I had exactly 30 minutes. Mal stayed mostly in the gift shop (go figure!). Although I looked in the shop for a little while, I was still able to take in about 15 minutes of the gallery. I can see how one could spend hours in there. I can't wait to go back and see it all. We've talked about going back tomorrow. We'll see.

Mal bought her picture (see her with her new art below) and then we left, er, were kicked out.




We made our way across the Mall and snapped shots of the Washington Monument.

"We look like tourists," Mal commented as I snapped the third picture or so.

I grinned. Mostly because I feel that I am one. How long do I have to live here and what all do I have to see to not qualify as a "tourist"?




After taking a few more shots, I tucked my camera away and we headed to the metro in search of dinner.

We hopped on it with no particular restaurant in mind. We knew that shopping would follow dinner, so we got off at the metro stop where the mall is. After discussing eatery options, we both concluded that it would be fun to try somewhere new... somewhere only DC offers. We stood and observed the possibilities in front of us. Mal let me decide and I chose Thaiphoon. Thai sounded yummy and I thought the name was clever.

The food was delicious and the atmosphere was enchanting. With bright colors all around (from the walls to the plates and even drinks!), it was hard not to smile in there. On our table were freshly cut, amazing orchids.





It's definitely somewhere I'd like to go again.

After we ate, the night was still young, so we made our way to the mall (with a lowercase "M"!). Mal found some shoes. I somehow refrained myself at the shoe store, but caved later when I saw a black dress with my name on it.

"It's classic looking... like something out of the fifties," Mal commented. She's right. I can't wait to wear it somewhere.

After closing down the mall, we made our way home. It's late now. Our plan is to check out the church down the road tomorrow. I'm really excited about it. Coincidentally, several people have referred this church to us.

Perhaps it's not so coincidental after all.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Only here...

Mallory and I rarely use our car. Really, there isn't much use for it once we are in the city. There's the occasional Wal-Mart run or grocery shopping, but usually it just remains parked on the street.

This week, Drew has the car in NC because of a family situation. Meanwhile, Mal and I have been content despite its absence. Except for Tuesday.

Our kitchen cabinets, though stocked with enough Ramen noodles to feed a small tribe, were looking a little scarce in terms of other necessities. Mainly, bottled water and other such importances like cookies, juice, and spinbrushes. Hey, we have priorities.

So, we composed a list of about twenty items and decided that we could just walk to the store (about ten blocks away) and carry our parcels home. Being the genius that I am, I suggested that we tote some suitcases. I mean, they have wheels and, though significantly smaller than a car's, would be helpful in transporting the items back.

I strapped on a backpack and grabbed two suitcases. One is extra large and the other slightly under it in size. Just convenient enough to slip inside the larger. Mal grabbed her purse (which in all honesty is also comparable in size to the extra large suitcase!) and we set out for Safeway.

Though a bit awkward and cumbersome because of its size, the suitcase rolled surprisingly well over the brick sidewalks. The evening was beautiful and the weather perfect for a grocery stroll. About halfway there, we time checked ourselves. Mallory stressed the importance of a quick shop so that we wouldn't "find ourselves on the South side of town with suitcases after dark." Good point. After picking up the pace, we arrived in plenty of time to shop without feeling stressed.

We split up the list and I kept the cart because my half had most of the heavy items on it (bottled water, detergent, milk, juice, sodas, etc.). As I attacked the aisles, Mal occasionally showed up and added her listed items to the cart. My concern mounted as the “20 items” was threatening to spill over the cart’s capacity. Does she realize that she just picked the largest shampoo and conditioner bottles on the whole isle? I was just as guilty, however. My Capris Suns and DiGiorno pizzas weren’t exactly on the list either.

We made our way to the checkout. Mallory only had to leave twice to get more items as I waited in line.

“Do we really need two boxes of strawberries this trip?” I asked as she held the boxes over the cart.

Blinking, she replied, “Well, they were buy one, get one free.” I nodded and she added them to the pile. Might as well.

We paid and made our way outside to divvy our purchases up between the cases and backpack. Most of the larger items had to go in the largest case. There was no getting a box of 30 water bottles into the smaller of the two. Along with the water went the detergent, juice (and Capris Suns), Dr. Peppers, and milk. Inside my backpack I stuffed lighter items. Mallory packed her case with the leftover items and was forced to carry the eight rolls of paper towels (there was no fitting them anywhere!).

I leaned over and picked up my case. Mallory laughed as my face betrayed me. This was not going to be a leisurely stroll home. The suitcase probably weighed at least half as much as I do. I have a new respect for ants and their ability to carry ten times their body weight.

We began our journey home. I knew before we even left the parking lot that this wouldn’t rank in the “Top Ten DC Moments”. Not that I have a top ten… but if I did.

Two blocks later my calves felt like they would burst through my skin. Mal was ten paces ahead of me. Realizing that my voice (and grunts) weren’t as audible, she stopped to check on me. I switched the suitcase’s handle from my left to right hand (for the fifth time already). Thankfully, it was staying in tact under the burden of the load. Laughing at me she asked, “You okay, sister?”

I lied. “I’m good. This is just heavy.” I paused and looked at my calves. Sadness, they don’t look any more muscular. Glancing (was that a pity face?) at my load, she offered to take it from me. When I refused, she suggested that we swap our loads halfway. There were at least four more blocks to halfway. I heartily agreed and we continued.

Another two blocks. “Man,” she commented, “my hands are hot from carrying these paper towels.” Is she kidding? She persisted. “From the plastic, you know?” I refrained from feeding the conversation. She was somehow ten paces ahead of me again. I felt like a two year old trying to keep up with a mother’s larger stride. I was failing miserably.

Looking up, I could see the park- our halfway point! It was inspiring. Not inspiring enough to cause me to forget for a second what I was toting, but inspiring enough to get me there. We sat on a bench and watched the people in the park. Someone rollerbladed by. A family was playing football. Was that… fencing? Fencing with sticks, a couple practiced about fifty yards away. For a second, I forgot about our daunting task.

I rolled the suitcase to the edge of the park and Mal and I exchanged loads. In a half second after she took the handle from me, her face showed full appreciation of all my grunts and pauses. She understood.

“Wow,” she laughed.

I smiled, nodded, and replied with a simple, “yeah.” We set off again. Mal set the pace and kept it. We made it from the park to the apartment in about ten minutes.

Upon our arrival, one of our neighbors saw our ordeal and helped us carry the cases inside. The larger was carried by Mal and him because of its weight.

We concluded a couple things. One, that we enjoy having the car for grocery shopping and two, if we EVER have to do that again, we’re sticking to the list.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Richmond Memories










What a fun weekend that Mallory and I had in Richmond! Friday night we drove down after work and met friends from Winston at Brooke's parent's house. We spent some time catching up (and stretching after our ride!) before we were on the move again. After chatting a bit, we went to see the movie The Break Up. I think the movie was liked by most, although I was slightly disappointed in it. The funny parts were hilarious, but it also stressful. Of course, it was about a couple breaking up, so I'm kinda silly to expect "pleasant fights". The fights were pretty intense and the language a bit over-the-top. However, I was satisified with how the director ended it.

Friday evening, we relaxed after the movie by hopping in the hot tub at Brooke's parents' house. I love hot tubs! Friday ended at about 3 AM for some of us.

The pictures above were all taken on Saturday. The first five were captured at Bell Isle as we stood on the rocks while the James River flowed around us. Although cloudy, the weather was perfect. You can see that the clouds shielded us from the sun (I didn't have any sunglasses at this point) and the rocks were set throughout the river, providing easy access to the water's edge. The river was amazingly warm. Unfortunately, none of us donned our swimsuits, so jumping in wasn't an option.

The first two shots are of the group. Between the two of them, all of us who went to the river are in them (with the exception of me). Picture number three is of Brooke and her beau, Jason. Number four is of Mal and her friend (and my blog fan!), Dave. The fifth is of Dave, Jason, me, and Mike (the same Mike (#3) in my previous blog).

After we left Bell Isle, we went to some Outlet stores and did some quick shopping. Mike and I hit the kitchen store (he loves to cook) and then the Sunglass shop where I picked out some shades (yay!). He graciously bought them for me and made my afternoon.

We departed from the Outlets and went back in time to Colonial Williamsburg, VA. We all split up and spent a couple hours walking around the grounds. There were some shops that provided yummy treats (grilled cheese sandwiches, boiled peanuts, and chocolate covered pretzels). After Mike and I checked out some shops and ate lunch, we walked around and explored the gardens, businesses, and homes of the early settlers. It was fun. The sixth picture is of Mike and me in the stocks. Oh no! You can tell that we were miserable.

After our time warp, we had dinner at the house (see last pic) where Brooke's dad grilled out for us. Mmm. Some more of Brooke's family came over and we played Taboo later. It was a night of many laughs (thanks, especially to Dave!) and fun memories.

Sunday, we awoke for church where we were highly entertained by the "children's choir". A group of about eight kids stood on the stage and sang to pre-recorded kids' songs. About two of the eight kids actually sang along. One "played his arm" the whole time. This was an amazing feat where the boy stood and blew on his arm while rubbing it up and down against his mouth. All the while humming off tune with the song. He did this for all three songs and no one took him off the stage. The congregation was split between being mortified and rolling.

I, of course, was rolling.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Testament of Faith

I know most of you have heard the sad story of the two girls whose identities were mistaken. They were both in an accident and one died while the other survived. The one that survived has been in a coma. It's been about a month since the girl who died was buried. Now, just this week, they've realized (as the girl in the coma has been recovering) that they mistook who was whom.

All this time, one family thought that their daughter was dead and has been grieving. Meanwhile, another has been fighting by "their" daughter's side and tracking her progress. The family was keeping a blog, which is hosted by the same site as mine, and wrote details about "their" daughter's progress.

It truly is an amazing story and I'd encourage you to read the blog of the young woman's progress. The family that thought their daughter was alive has such an amazing testimony, of which they write and praise God for everything.

Throughout the girl's recovery, they give Him the praise and even on the day (May 31st) where they write of discovering the truth about their own daughter (she was the one who died) they continue to praise Him.

The news has made little mention of the family's faith. However, it is the first thing that stands out on the family's page. If you think you can handle it, I encourage you to read some of the entries. I can't imagine the emotional roller coaster that both of these families have been on. Yet, He continues to receive the glory- what a testament of faith!!

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Random Coincidences on an Otherwise Slow Wednesday

Well, I've sat here at work for about thirty minutes. The phone has rang once. Three people have walked by, only one of whom I know. The others are faces. I think they work down the hall and just frequent our office for fun. Because it's so much fun in here.

Uh huh.

I haven't had much going on and have had some time for reflecting on yesterday (and that I should paint my fingernails). I only talked to three people on the phone yesterday. And all three of them were named Mike (well, besides when I talked for a few minutes to Dave, my newest blog fan- hey Dave! That's right, there are now two of you fans out there).

Hold on, y'all. If you are thinking that I'm going anywhere deep with this, I'm not. Let's face it- it's been a while since I've been remotely deep.

So, bear with me as I just tell you about my Mikes.

The first is one whom I've never met. I mean, I feel like I have. I've "known" him for about ten years. We began talking online shortly after our family got internet in the mid nineties. I know what you may be thinking. But, alas, we all know I am a nerd and I have come to terms with this. I began "chatting" with Mike my sophomore year of high school. He lives in California and has lived there all his life. What started as innocent, high school chatting has developed into a true friendship.

When we first started talking, my mom learned about it and freaked out when I told her I wanted to start writing Mike (snail mailing him).

"Don't give him your address. You don't know who he is." Indeed, she was right. I really didn't know him. After telling Mike my mom's reaction, he had his own.

"What can I do to prove to your mom that I'm not a crazy person?"

Her answer: Have him meet your uncle in California.

Looking back, I can't help but laugh. I laughed then, too, but so did Mike. And you know what he did after he laughed? He agreed to it!

My uncle worked in Huntington Beach, just about thirty miles from where Mike lived. Mike took his package he had addressed to me (mostly pictures and some CA memorablia) to where my uncle worked. After arriving and learning that my uncle wasn't there (and believe me, mom confirmed later with my uncle that he really wasn't there during the time Mike dropped by), Mike dropped the package off and left.

To make a long story short, mom eventually realized he wasn't a psycho killer. Mike and I began conversing online, then via letters, and then (eventually) over the phone.

I've grown up a lot since we first started talking, but so has he. Being five years older than me, there have been stages in our lives where we didn't have much in common. For the past few years, however, we've been on an equal playing field. He's supported me through several boyfriends and one fiance. We've chatted about life, dreams, and whatever new girlfriend he has. He makes me laugh and he's heard me cry.

I'll never forget the moment (I was a freshman in college) when his friend wrote me with news that Mike had been in an accident and was in a coma. By the time his friend had written the email, Mike had been in the coma for about three days. His back was broken and doctors were unsure if he'd survive. The wind had been knocked out of me and my heart sat in my gut. I was stunned and for the following weeks, tracked Mike's progress through our mutual friend (Mike's "real life" friend and one whom I'd conversed with online and by phone). Suffering no brain damage and overcoming amazing odds, Mike survived and was left paralyzed from the waist down.

Today, despite what doctors told him, he can walk with the assistance of a cane or walker. Preferring his wheelchair, he leads a "normal" life and works in the CA public school system as an area director.

He's an amazing person who has a lot of inner and outer strength. I enjoy his calls and yesterday was no exception. He can always make me laugh- especially when he imitates my accent.

The second Mike I spoke with yesterday was like the ghost from Christmas past. He was a close friend of mine in college. I met him my sophomore year in a class that we shared. He graduated with a major in Communication Studies like me, so we actually shared several classes together (later, we coordinated them that way). When I first saw him I thought he was hot- smoking even.

He reminded me of one of my favorite characters (Ben) that played on Felicity, a popular show during that time. With dark blonde hair, green eyes, and beautiful smile, I was psyched to be randomly paired up with him on a class assignment. We hit it off and developed a pretty close friendship during our last two years of college. One that even borderlined as "more than friends" a time or two.

He graduated a semester ahead of me and, despite promising to keep in touch, we both failed miserably. Well, last week I was editing phone numbers in my phonebook and saw his. I called him on my lunch break and we chatted for a couple of minutes. He was at work and we agreed to talk later.

So, last night "later" arrived as I dialed him again. I don't know what I was expecting (if anything), but it was fun briefly catching up. He thought I was married. Last time he'd heard anything about me, I was engaged. We covered the past three years in a few minutes, caught up on where we are now (he's in Chapel Hill), and established that not too much had happened. Well, at least with him.

We closed, promised to catch up with each other if I ever go through Chapel Hill (why I would, I can't imagine), and left it at that. I don't know if I'll talk to him anytime soon. Maybe I'll wait another three years to call. Either way, it was fulfilling to answer the question "Wonder what Mike's up to?"

Finally, Mike number three. Y'all still with me? Ha ha.

The last Mike is one from back home. He's a friend from church whom I've been talking to a lot more since I moved. We were starting to hang out a bit in the weeks before I left town. A few weeks ago, we had some good conversations when I joined him and my other friends at the lake house that I wrote of.

Anyways, I'm not sure of too many things, but I do feel good about this developing... whatever (?). He's actually going to ride up to VA this weekend with Brooke and her boyfriend to see me. :)

So, I ended the evening after he called. We spoke for quite a while. We still have a lot of new things to share with one another and it's exciting. I'm anticipating a fun weekend and am patiently taking one step at a time. Unsure of timing and placement, there are still lots of questions to answer.

And that's all I have to share about that right now.

Well, there you have it. My Mikes and the random Wednesday connection of all three (you can't say that you weren't warned about this posting).