DC News

It's been a busy week. My work week was fast. I attended a conference on grant writing from Monday to Wednesday. It was a lot of information crammed into three days of sessions. I learned quite a bit and am excited about the opportunities to put my new knowledge into practice. Rich said that if it's something I enjoy that we may add it to my responsibilities at the CCCU. I may be able to write grants for them. It would be a great way to increase my salary while padding my resume.

On Tuesday night I went to dinner with some alumni from UNCG. One of my former supervisors (when I worked as a telemarketer for UNCG) emailed me a couple weeks back and mentioned that she'd be in town. She currently works in the fundraising office there and is in a position where she's bringing alumns together in cities across the U.S. Pretty cool idea. So, she wanted to have a dinner and reunite some UNCG alumns in the DC area.

Although the idea of dining with a bunch of strangers wasn't the most appealing and I was worried that it'd be a plug for UNCG all night, I decided to attend.

It wound up being a lot of fun! Ten of us met at an Italian place in Dupont and dined for about three hours! Everyone was happy to be there. We all shared about ourselves, learned about UNCG, and exchanged contact information. I feel that it was a good time had by all.

Thursday night I went to a play called Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. It was a five man show of 30 plays in 60 minutes. The concept and delivery were cool. When we walked into the theatre, we were handed a brochure that had the name of thirty plays on it that were in numeric order. Across the stage was a clothesline with thirty pieces of paper also numbered from 1-30. We were instructed that the play would be run by the audience. We got to pick which short play should be acted out next. For example, they began with #7 and at the end would yell "CURTAIN!" It was then our role as the audience to scream out another number. Someone on stage would pluck a number off the clothesline that was heard and that would be the next short play performed. The catch was that it all had to be done within one hour. Any play not completed within an hour went unperformed. To ensure that everyone was aware of the time, a giant clock was started at the beginning of the play. Thus, we could see the time ticking away as the night went on. Time ticked, numbers were shouted and plucked from the clothesline, and the plays performed.

It looked like they were going to be able to perform them all. They were on the last number when the alarm sounded on the clock. They stopped and shared that, "we were so close! There were about eight more seconds left in that last play."

So close... and now I'll never know the ending.

It was very cool. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone. Plus, at the end of the night they rolled a dice. Then, they explained that the number would be applied to Friday night's play list. The number was five. So, they were going to cut five of the shows on Thursday's playlist and add five new ones to Friday's list. Another great idea!

Last night I saw the movie No Reservations. It was a really cute romantic comedy. It had a little bit of everything- laughter, sadness, sappiness, etc. If you like romantic comedies, you should see this one. The little girl, Abigal Breslin, is a brilliant actress for her age. I'm always impressed with her.

Today I went to the beach with my friend Kat. She's a newer friend and I'm excited about our developing relationship. She's a really chill chick and she's spontaneous. She's also really interesting and has a great sense of humor. We packed a lunch and went to Breezy Point Beach in Maryland, which is only about 45 minutes from DC. Supposedly. I got us lost on the way there, so it really took like 1.5 hours. I know y'all are really surprised.

I found a lot of sharks teeth on the beach. It seems like everytime I looked down I found another one. I couldn't help but recall memories from my childhood when I'd visit my grandparents in Surfside Beach, SC and we'd spend HOURS looking for teeth and come proudly home with about 10 collectively! Good times.

In addition to searching for teeth, I caught some Zzz's, and read a bit. It was beautiful and relaxing.

For dinner, we went to a local seafood restaurant and gorged on yummy, fresh seafood. We had scallops, crab dip, shrimp, clams, and more crab. Mmmm.... tasty! I'm still full and we ate about six hours ago.

Because of my thick sunscreen application, I'm still as white as Casper, but it was fun.

We decided on a new roommate (finally!). Emily is moving some of her things in tomorrow. She actually lives across the street from us now in a basement apartment of some friends of ours. They mentioned last week that their tenant was moving and looking for a new place. They gave us her contact information and the ball rolled from there. Emily came by and likes the place and us. We like her. The arrangement was made! Pretty small world, eh?

Papa

There've been some busy times lately. The most being the loss of my grandpa, Papa. Last weekend was a flutter of time between when he was here and when he went Home on July 13th. He was a brave man. Full of integrity, truth, and love. He didn't know a stranger and made everyone feel important. When he spoke to you, he made you feel like the most special person in the world. When he opened his mouth, everyone listened. Not because he demanded it, but because you knew that whatever was said was something worth hearing.

"I love my God, my family, and my country," he said many times. And he lived it. There's no doubt. There are some big shoes that lie empty in a quieter house in Fayetteville now. They won't be filled. There's no one who can.

He was a big man. A walking mountain. His hands swallowed other mens' in his own. But they were tender too. They checked my car's oil almost everytime I visited. They wrapped me in hugs. They handed me a daily morning biscuit. They touched my hair. They had my genes.

His voice was deep and loud. One that led troops in WW 2 and Korea. One that said vows 58 years ago to his young sweetheart and the woman who was his soulmate. His voice was loud even at a whisper. In fact, I don't know that he was physically able to really whisper! His voice told stories of war, life, love, jokes, memories, and dreams. His voice echoes even in his absence. It still is heard. Clearly now in my memories. I pray that I don't ever stop hearing it.

He was a good man- big in character and appreciative of life. He was jolly. He was a fighter, even to his last breath. He was brave. He gave even when he knew nothing could be returned. He was respected and for good reasons. He set the bar for those around him. He was a giant. He was my grandfather.

I'm thankful that I knew him and that I could call him Papa.

A little bit of action

I can't believe that it's almost the middle of July. The month is going by quickly.

Last Thursday I had the chance to be observed by one of the Directors at the Pregnancy Center. My observation would determine whether or not I am ready to "go it alone" and counsel on my own.

It was a smooth evening. There was another counselor there and between the two of us we had four appointments on the books. I saw two very different women and was reminded that each client who walks through the door is so unique. I was humbled by their stories and perseverance and find myself changing because of them. There's much to be offered, but also much to learn.

At the end of the evening, I got two thumbs up and "passed" my observation test. The Director gave me several touching compliments and said that I will be receiving a certificate! Nice! So, I've passed the easy stuff (written course, observation hours, etc.)- now comes the real journey. I'm planning on seeing clients two to three nights a month. I feel really good about this and am anxious to see where this path leads. I know that I am on it for reasons bigger than I can understand.

Last weekend was fast and enjoyable. Robby had a friend in town who stayed at our house (in Mal's empty room). Also, Drew and I had a friend who was visiting from out of town. While she didn't stay at our house, we met up a few times throughout the weekend. One night we all went out dancing and played pool with some other folks. On another day, we caught the new Transformers movie. Awesome, by the way. I was swept back to my childhood as the 80's memories washed over me.

On Sunday, I joined some much missed friends from church. We had brunch in Union Station and then I headed home for a relaxing Sunday afternoon and evening.

This week has been a little slower at work. My boss is in Africa and there's only so much busy work I can do without needing a break from the boringness of it.

Tonight Drew and I are going to a play- Dead Man's Cell Phone. It sounds interesting and it's been a while since I did anything culturally engaging. So, I'm looking forward to it. It's playing at a local theatre located right off the bus route that runs in front of our apartment. Yay! We don't have to walk far in the sticky, muggy DC weather.

Soon enough Drew, Robby, and I will begin looking for a new housemate. Mallory has moved her things and the room looks empty and sad. I'm open to living with three guys, so I think we'll interview guys and gals for the room. While living with three guys is a bit scary, if we find another guy similar to the ones I live with now, I'll be okay. Plus, it would force me to make some deeper female friendships here in DC. I'll be wanting to get out of my testosterone filled house and hang out with a sane (read: female) person!

Seattle Adventures

Seattle was WONDERFUL. It was great to get away from the chaos that DC was presenting me before I left. The night before I left, Mallory informed me that she'd be moving to NC and leaving me alone with Drew and Robby. Kind of hard to swallow.

So, needless to say, a vacation from DC was just what I needed! What better way to face reality than run from it? heh.

My flight to Seattle was flawless. I felt like a character in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles as I caught the MACR train from Union Station (DC) to Baltimore on Friday afternoon. From there, I grabbed a shuttle bus to the airport. I sat in the airport for a little over an hour before my nonstop flight to Seattle.

Upon arriving, I met Mike in the airport (who was about 45 minutes behind me on a plane from NC). Mike's friends (Melissa and West), with whom we stayed, picked us up after 12:30 AM (Pacific Time) and took us to their house.

Day One (Saturday) was busy. We awoke and went to a local restaurant for breakfast. The food was delicious and the menu featured a rotating section that had a specific country's theme. June's theme was "Jamaica" and featured dishes cooked with Jamaican spices. Also, the restaurant's decor was changed to fit the menu. There were tropical paintings, signs, and tapestries to enhance the experience. Pretty cool idea.

After breakfast, we packed our overnight gear and fishing snacks and set sail for Bellingham Bay, WA. We had plans to go deep sea fishing the next morning (Sunday) and opted to stay in the beautiful Hotel Bellwether on Saturday night. During the two hour drive to Bellingham Bay, we stopped at Sakuma Bros. Farms and picked FOUR buckets of strawberries! The ripe strawberries were delicious and made a fun "popping" sound as they were plucked off the plant. It's now one of my favorite sounds and ranks up there with snow crunching under my shoes and rain on a tin roof.

After our strawberry adventure, we finished the drive to the Bellwether Hotel. The hotel's view of the bay was gorgeous. We had appetizers and drinks on their outdoor patio as we watched the sun slip lower on the horizon. Since we had to be up early for fishing (read: at the dock by 5:15 AM), we called it an early night. Sunset was close to 10:30 PM.

It arose shortly after 4:45 AM and so did we. We met our fishing guide, Darryl, at the dock for the opening day of King Salmon fishing. The five of us took a twenty minute ride out into the bay and began a six hour morning of fishing. Melissa caught the first and only salmon about 45 minutes into the day. It was over 20 pounds and easily fed ten of us at a later time. The rest of the morning, we caught a few sharks, another kind of fish that was happy to be returned to the water because of his small size, and some sun. Oh, and a seashell.

Our guide felt bad that we only caught one fish that we could actually keep, so he treated us to four crabs once we returned to the dock. Pretty generous guy.

When we got off the boat, we gorged on some fresh hotdogs at the dock and then headed back to Seattle. It was already a full day. After returning to Seattle, West grilled the Salmon on a plank and we had fresh salmon topped with a mango salsa, steamed crab, and a yummy salad that Melissa prepared. Mmm. It was delicious.

That night, we bought jars and necessary ingredients to turn our fresh strawberries into jam. In the course of the next two days, we made over 25 jars of fresh strawberry jam.

Day Three (Monday) was just as busy. We slept in a bit (til about ten) and then went with Melissa and West to the famous Pike's Place Market. It was there that I saw the well-known fish market, tasted some highly suggested donuts (fresh!), saw beautiful artwork, tried "world famous" Mac & Cheese from Beecher's, and delighted in fruits that were the freshest I'd ever tasted (and biggest I'd seen!). It was fabulous!

After the Market, Mike and I parted ways with our hosts and took a bus to the Space Needle. It was one of my requested places to visit. We rode an elevator to the top of the needle and walked around the 520' high deck. From there, we had a clear view of Seattle, Mt. Rainier, and the mountain range that connects the U.S. and Canada. It was breath-taking. City life went on below us, boats and cars went their destined ways, and I even caught a glimpse of the Seattle Ducks! Apparently, those Ducks span from DC to Seattle!

When Mike and I returned from our Space adventure, we had another freshly caught dinner of salmon (tacos) with West, Melissa, and their neighbors.

Day Four (Tuesday) was an adventure too! The four of us loaded back into the car and headed for Mt. Rainier. We spent the day picnicking and hiking close to Paradise, Mt. Rainier. The mountain base had patches of snow that thickened as they continued up the slopes. We hiked on a trail that was over a mile. Some sights included: waterfalls, wild flowers, snow covered meadows, and pine trees that stretched towards the sky. In the visitors center we spied about a dozen climbers through a powerful scope.

That evening, we were all pretty tired, so we stopped by a Vietnamese Restaurant and had pho' (pronounced fuh) for dinner. Mike taught us all how to eat the "make your own" soup. It was tasty and a great way to end the day. From there, we went back to West and Melissa's and relaxed. Our plane left early on Wednesday morning. I was back in DC for the fireworks and excitement of the 4th.