In no particular order...
Family, by blood or by bond. Chapstick. Memories. Heat. Taste buds. Chocolate. My literacy. Electric blankets. Men. Laughter. Smiles from people I love. Hellos. Mom and Dad. My metro card. Gloves. Sight. A job. Sunshine. GPS units. Salvation. Watermelons.
Photographs. Girlfriends. Words of wisdom. Air. Indoor plumbing. Touch. Grace. Hand sanitizer. Cell phones. My bed. Gouda cheese and brie. Friendships. Lotion. Music. Deodorant. First kisses.
Hearing my name pass over someone's lips.
Flannel sheets. Grandparents. The holy spirit. Gravity. Crushed red pepper. Patience. My education. Electricity. Contact lenses. Water. Aspirin. My sister. Toothpaste. The right to vote. Red wine. My Doc Martens. Prayer. Tears, but mostly the happy ones. Rain. Stars. Mistakes and learning from them. Love. Trees. Mentors. Democracy. My hearing. Snow.
Being a woman. Vacations. Rainbows. Forgiveness. Art. My health. Calculators. Seasons. Trust. Lunch dates. Margaritas. The ability to reason. Shopping carts. Goodbyes. Pillows. Strength. Hot tubs. The moon. Hugs. Zippers. My voice. Coffee. Creativity. Animals. Skin. Airplanes. Different opinions. Umbrellas. Good neighbors. Stop lights.
Picking up where we left off. Skirts. Civil liberties. Toilet paper. My passport. Brownies. For listening to me. Puns. Spontaneity. The beach. Second chances. Flowers. Washing machines. Hot water.
Life lessons. Humor. Home.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Salute y Bonjour!
I realized that I forgot to mention anything about Halloween festivities. Here's a link to some pictures that we took. Mallory came up to visit for the weekend, which was an added bonus. Marie went as Joe the Pumber, Mal as Sarah Palin, and I as the crazy McCain rally lady. We handed out candy to the kiddies who stopped by our house before we went to a house party (where most of the pics were taken) and then to Dupont Circle, a neighborhood in the NW side of town. The city was dressed up and everyone was festive. Mallory was even stopped by random people who kept asking to have their picture taken with her. It was a fun evening.
This week was pretty slow as far as weeks go. Most of my evenings were spent in, with the exception of Wednesday night. Marie and I went to an event hosted by Kat's office, at the Buxton Initiative. The topic of discussion was "What role does religion play in conflict resolution?" We were provided dinner and there was a guest speaker with a pretty impressive resume. It was a typical "DC Night."
Friday night was full of new places. I met up with Kat and some of her friends where we finally tried a restaurant I'd been wanting to try for about two years: 2 Amys. It's an Italian restaurant that specializes in pizzas. After one bite, I could tell they knew what they were doing! It was delicious and I hope it's not another 27 years before I visit. Once we were finished at 2 Amys, three of us went to see the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace in Georgetown. It was pretty good, but not as exciting as Casino Royale, the previous Bond movie in which Daniel Craig plays Bond. Now that is a good looking man! :)
Saturday was spent mostly lounging, with the exception of a gym trip and dinner with Marie and some of her friends in town from NC. It made for a lazy evening of SNL and phone call catch-ups. All in all, a very good Saturday.
Today was quite fun! Carlos has a friend, Jeoffrey, who is visiting from Colombia (his first visit to the US!). Marie, Carlos, Jeoffrey and I had a fun afternoon just chatting. Marie and I took a quick break to visit a local coffee shop for a bit while the guys went grocery shopping. When we returned, Carlos and Jeoffrey began making dinner- a yummy Latin American dish called ceviche. Mmm. It had some of my favorite ingredients: shrimp, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and celantro. The ceviche was spooned over fried rice with garlic. It was amazing! Carlos made fried plantains and we feasted. It was a very delightful meal. Jeoffrey graciously shared the recipe, so I have hopes of making it again.
In the pics below, Jeoffrey is on the left and Carlos is on the right in the first one. Then, there is one of the four of us (Marie, Jeoffrey, Carlos, and me). Aaron (our other roommate) is seated beside Marie in the third picture. In the fourth picture Carlos and Jeoffrey are being super goofy and high fiving each other for a job well done on the meal.
In other news, I did make a big purchase this weekend... I bought a plane ticket to Paris!! I am flying out in March, to be joined by Marie and possibly Mallory. Marie bought her ticket immediately after I bought mine. We will be staying with Drew in the middle of Paris. I'm SOO excited!!!
The upcoming week is pretty full already. I'm getting together with two of my favorite friends from the office tomorrow night and we are making tons of cookies. One of them, Jennifer, just bought a magazine with 100 cookie recipes in it. So, the plan is to make three types tomorrow. I don't really know what we are going to do with them all. We haven't really talked about it, but I imagine the office and all of our roommates will be happy that we tried the new recipes. On Tuesday I have the pregnancy center and then on Wednesday I am attending a going away dinner for my friend Christine. It's never a dull moment...
This week was pretty slow as far as weeks go. Most of my evenings were spent in, with the exception of Wednesday night. Marie and I went to an event hosted by Kat's office, at the Buxton Initiative. The topic of discussion was "What role does religion play in conflict resolution?" We were provided dinner and there was a guest speaker with a pretty impressive resume. It was a typical "DC Night."
Friday night was full of new places. I met up with Kat and some of her friends where we finally tried a restaurant I'd been wanting to try for about two years: 2 Amys. It's an Italian restaurant that specializes in pizzas. After one bite, I could tell they knew what they were doing! It was delicious and I hope it's not another 27 years before I visit. Once we were finished at 2 Amys, three of us went to see the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace in Georgetown. It was pretty good, but not as exciting as Casino Royale, the previous Bond movie in which Daniel Craig plays Bond. Now that is a good looking man! :)
Saturday was spent mostly lounging, with the exception of a gym trip and dinner with Marie and some of her friends in town from NC. It made for a lazy evening of SNL and phone call catch-ups. All in all, a very good Saturday.
Today was quite fun! Carlos has a friend, Jeoffrey, who is visiting from Colombia (his first visit to the US!). Marie, Carlos, Jeoffrey and I had a fun afternoon just chatting. Marie and I took a quick break to visit a local coffee shop for a bit while the guys went grocery shopping. When we returned, Carlos and Jeoffrey began making dinner- a yummy Latin American dish called ceviche. Mmm. It had some of my favorite ingredients: shrimp, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and celantro. The ceviche was spooned over fried rice with garlic. It was amazing! Carlos made fried plantains and we feasted. It was a very delightful meal. Jeoffrey graciously shared the recipe, so I have hopes of making it again.
In the pics below, Jeoffrey is on the left and Carlos is on the right in the first one. Then, there is one of the four of us (Marie, Jeoffrey, Carlos, and me). Aaron (our other roommate) is seated beside Marie in the third picture. In the fourth picture Carlos and Jeoffrey are being super goofy and high fiving each other for a job well done on the meal.
In other news, I did make a big purchase this weekend... I bought a plane ticket to Paris!! I am flying out in March, to be joined by Marie and possibly Mallory. Marie bought her ticket immediately after I bought mine. We will be staying with Drew in the middle of Paris. I'm SOO excited!!!The upcoming week is pretty full already. I'm getting together with two of my favorite friends from the office tomorrow night and we are making tons of cookies. One of them, Jennifer, just bought a magazine with 100 cookie recipes in it. So, the plan is to make three types tomorrow. I don't really know what we are going to do with them all. We haven't really talked about it, but I imagine the office and all of our roommates will be happy that we tried the new recipes. On Tuesday I have the pregnancy center and then on Wednesday I am attending a going away dinner for my friend Christine. It's never a dull moment...
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
DC Madness
I was ecstatic to live in DC last night! What better city in the world could I have been taking in the elections? From the start of the day, the air was electric. People were abuzz with talks of voting and plans for watching the results.
Have you voted? What were the lines like? What are you doing later? Which party are you attending? Who do you think will win?
Two years of campaigning, months of advertisement brainwashing, and days of high energy chatter were climaxing. Yesterday was it!
After leaving the pregnancy center last night, I met Marie, Carlos and others in the northwest section of town. We made our way to a party at the Washington Hotel (fitting, eh?) where we met up with about twenty other people and watched the election results pour in. I'm pretty sure everyone at the party voted for Obama, which made it more exciting. Everyone was on the same team and cheering for the same guy.
About thirty minutes after we arrived, VA was declared Obama's. It was then that we knew... this election would go to Obama. Still, we watched as mid-west states were counted. McCain's electoral numbers grew, but seemed weak against Obama's lead. Besides, the deal was pretty much cinched. Knowing that CA has 50 electoral votes and Obama would reach his required 270 with that count, we were all just waiting for the official announcement.
Another thirty minutes... polls close on the west coast. Eleven pm. Two minutes later, CNN announces "Obama!" The party went nuts. Skeptics switched to FOX. Surely, if FOX declares Obama it will be true. The crowd erupted again as FOX declared McCain's defeat. People screamed. Cheered. Cried. Called loved ones. It was bigger than New Years, bigger than any single event I've ever witnessed. It was history! We flooded the balcony. People were yelling from balconies in hotels across the street. Others were walking in the streets and cheering. Cars rode by with horns honking ecstatically.
We came back in to hear the speeches. McCain's speech was gracious and I was impressed. He is a good man and there is no doubt that he's honorable. We waited, anticipating the president to be's words. Champagne was poured. More hugs exchanged and calls made. Pictures were taken. Everyone was taking in the moment. Eyes glued to the set.
Obama's speech was eloquent and well delivered. He is a master orator and I've since learned that he writes many of his speeches. The ease in his delivery is impressive and his promises are inspiring. When he was done speaking and exited the stage one of the women in the room declared, "I could listen to him for hours." I had to agree. He is captivating.
The party cleared out pretty fast. We were all anxious to join our fellow DCers outside. People began flooding the streets with talk of going to the White House. Besides, it was only eight blocks away. How could we not?
Marie and I began the walk. Some people ran. I even saw some skipping. We all moved towards the White House. Cars rode by with screaming passengers. Obama's name was being declared from all around. Cow bells pierced the night. Horns blasted to the syllables of his name. O-ba-ma... O-ba-ma... O-ba-ma. Over and over. High fives were exchanged by all. One guy even ran up to me, picked me up, and carried me a little ways. There was pure elation. Marie and I had perma-grin as we took in everything. This was history and we were in the middle of it!
As we neared the White House, the crowd thickened. People with signs, cut-outs of Obama, and cameras above their heads swarmed to the gates that surrounded the House. People chanted. "Yes we can!" Others sang. Marie and I joined the crowd as we gazed at the White House and sang the national anthem. Everyone was proud to be alive and joyous about being in DC.
What a moment... moments, rather.
I'll never forget last night. I can't believe I was here. I experienced a historic moment in the most watched city of the world last night. And I stood outside the White House.
Have you voted? What were the lines like? What are you doing later? Which party are you attending? Who do you think will win?
Two years of campaigning, months of advertisement brainwashing, and days of high energy chatter were climaxing. Yesterday was it!
After leaving the pregnancy center last night, I met Marie, Carlos and others in the northwest section of town. We made our way to a party at the Washington Hotel (fitting, eh?) where we met up with about twenty other people and watched the election results pour in. I'm pretty sure everyone at the party voted for Obama, which made it more exciting. Everyone was on the same team and cheering for the same guy.
About thirty minutes after we arrived, VA was declared Obama's. It was then that we knew... this election would go to Obama. Still, we watched as mid-west states were counted. McCain's electoral numbers grew, but seemed weak against Obama's lead. Besides, the deal was pretty much cinched. Knowing that CA has 50 electoral votes and Obama would reach his required 270 with that count, we were all just waiting for the official announcement.
Another thirty minutes... polls close on the west coast. Eleven pm. Two minutes later, CNN announces "Obama!" The party went nuts. Skeptics switched to FOX. Surely, if FOX declares Obama it will be true. The crowd erupted again as FOX declared McCain's defeat. People screamed. Cheered. Cried. Called loved ones. It was bigger than New Years, bigger than any single event I've ever witnessed. It was history! We flooded the balcony. People were yelling from balconies in hotels across the street. Others were walking in the streets and cheering. Cars rode by with horns honking ecstatically.
We came back in to hear the speeches. McCain's speech was gracious and I was impressed. He is a good man and there is no doubt that he's honorable. We waited, anticipating the president to be's words. Champagne was poured. More hugs exchanged and calls made. Pictures were taken. Everyone was taking in the moment. Eyes glued to the set.
Obama's speech was eloquent and well delivered. He is a master orator and I've since learned that he writes many of his speeches. The ease in his delivery is impressive and his promises are inspiring. When he was done speaking and exited the stage one of the women in the room declared, "I could listen to him for hours." I had to agree. He is captivating.
The party cleared out pretty fast. We were all anxious to join our fellow DCers outside. People began flooding the streets with talk of going to the White House. Besides, it was only eight blocks away. How could we not?
Marie and I began the walk. Some people ran. I even saw some skipping. We all moved towards the White House. Cars rode by with screaming passengers. Obama's name was being declared from all around. Cow bells pierced the night. Horns blasted to the syllables of his name. O-ba-ma... O-ba-ma... O-ba-ma. Over and over. High fives were exchanged by all. One guy even ran up to me, picked me up, and carried me a little ways. There was pure elation. Marie and I had perma-grin as we took in everything. This was history and we were in the middle of it!
As we neared the White House, the crowd thickened. People with signs, cut-outs of Obama, and cameras above their heads swarmed to the gates that surrounded the House. People chanted. "Yes we can!" Others sang. Marie and I joined the crowd as we gazed at the White House and sang the national anthem. Everyone was proud to be alive and joyous about being in DC.
What a moment... moments, rather.
I'll never forget last night. I can't believe I was here. I experienced a historic moment in the most watched city of the world last night. And I stood outside the White House.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Some More Pics from October
Click this link to see some more pics (including the ones in the previous post) from my month of travels.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Reflections
I took a hiatus from posting any updates, though it wasn't intentional. Life has just been busy.
I went to NC a few weekends back. Hopped the train to VA, where I met Mal, and then we went home for a long weekend. It renewed my spirit to return, especially since my last visit before was for Mal's wedding. It was nice to visit without wedding chaos all around.
Two weekends prior to this, Kat and I drove to SC to visit my grandma in Surfside Beach. Kat had never been anywhere south of VA and it'd been Christmas since I last visited the beach. Even that trip was only about 24 hours. So, it felt good to go back. Plus, it's basically been the only vacation I've taken all year, minus about four days in Orlando in June.
While Kat and I were at the beach, it rained pretty much the whole time. The first day we got about a half day of sun, but even that disappeared in the late afternoon. So, we spent a lot of time indoors, where relaxing was inevitable. We did venture to La Belle Amie winery one day. It was about 45 minutes north of Surfside and made for a great day trip. The winery was quaint and sat on a good bit of land tucked off the highway. Two friendly dogs (Amy and Bella) roamed the grounds. Kat and I tasted just under 10 wines for $5. They also had lots of marinades and goodies that made great souvenirs. We purchased some wine, sat on a porch that overlooked the vineyard and munched on cheese, crackers and grapes. It was delightful.
That evening, Kat and I went with grandma and Joan to a nearby restaurant in Murrells Inlet called Divine Fish House. It was a very fitting name. The fresh seafood was mouth watering and the company made a fine compliment!
After bidding farewell to Surfside Beach and family, Kat and I made our way south to an overnight B&B trip in Charleston, SC. I'd never been, but had been wanting to visit the beautiful city for years. What a city! There is so much to do and see there. Twenty four hours was not enough. We squeezed as much into our trip as possible, however. After arriving and checking into our B&B, Kat and I made our way to the downtown area where we took a carriage ride of the city. The Cannonboro Inn, where we were staying, offered a free wine and cheese "mingle" in the late afternoon. So, after our carriage ride, we went back to the B&B and got to know some of the other guests while we swapped stories and sipped on vino. When happy hour at the Cannonboro Inn wrapped, we went to a local restaurant recommended to us, Fleet Landing, where we each tried shrimp and grits for the first time. Mmm. Before the night ended, I went on a ghost tour of the old jail (Kat wasn't feeling well and bowed out of that adventure). Pretty spooky! The next morning, we enjoyed a homemade breakfast of lemon poppy seed waffles with blueberries on top served with a side of sausage, fresh coffee, and juice. Yum. Kat and I then hit the local market before the road called us home.
This weekend, Tim came to visit from Philly. On Saturday we enjoyed beautiful weather at the zoo. Plus, all the animals that we went to see were actually out! In the past, they've been hidden away or certain exhibits were closed.We spent several hours there and were exhausted upon our return to the house. A night in was welcomed and needed after walking miles all afternoon. 
Today the two of us and Marie went to Crumland Farms, where the main attraction was a huge corn maze (a maize maze?). We also slid down a giant slide, drank hot apple cider, and took pics with local farm animals (goat and llamas, anyone?). Oh, and Marie and I did cartwheels. The day was much fun and was topped by a crisp coolness in the air.
Fall is here.
I went to NC a few weekends back. Hopped the train to VA, where I met Mal, and then we went home for a long weekend. It renewed my spirit to return, especially since my last visit before was for Mal's wedding. It was nice to visit without wedding chaos all around.
Two weekends prior to this, Kat and I drove to SC to visit my grandma in Surfside Beach. Kat had never been anywhere south of VA and it'd been Christmas since I last visited the beach. Even that trip was only about 24 hours. So, it felt good to go back. Plus, it's basically been the only vacation I've taken all year, minus about four days in Orlando in June.
While Kat and I were at the beach, it rained pretty much the whole time. The first day we got about a half day of sun, but even that disappeared in the late afternoon. So, we spent a lot of time indoors, where relaxing was inevitable. We did venture to La Belle Amie winery one day. It was about 45 minutes north of Surfside and made for a great day trip. The winery was quaint and sat on a good bit of land tucked off the highway. Two friendly dogs (Amy and Bella) roamed the grounds. Kat and I tasted just under 10 wines for $5. They also had lots of marinades and goodies that made great souvenirs. We purchased some wine, sat on a porch that overlooked the vineyard and munched on cheese, crackers and grapes. It was delightful.
That evening, Kat and I went with grandma and Joan to a nearby restaurant in Murrells Inlet called Divine Fish House. It was a very fitting name. The fresh seafood was mouth watering and the company made a fine compliment!
After bidding farewell to Surfside Beach and family, Kat and I made our way south to an overnight B&B trip in Charleston, SC. I'd never been, but had been wanting to visit the beautiful city for years. What a city! There is so much to do and see there. Twenty four hours was not enough. We squeezed as much into our trip as possible, however. After arriving and checking into our B&B, Kat and I made our way to the downtown area where we took a carriage ride of the city. The Cannonboro Inn, where we were staying, offered a free wine and cheese "mingle" in the late afternoon. So, after our carriage ride, we went back to the B&B and got to know some of the other guests while we swapped stories and sipped on vino. When happy hour at the Cannonboro Inn wrapped, we went to a local restaurant recommended to us, Fleet Landing, where we each tried shrimp and grits for the first time. Mmm. Before the night ended, I went on a ghost tour of the old jail (Kat wasn't feeling well and bowed out of that adventure). Pretty spooky! The next morning, we enjoyed a homemade breakfast of lemon poppy seed waffles with blueberries on top served with a side of sausage, fresh coffee, and juice. Yum. Kat and I then hit the local market before the road called us home.
This weekend, Tim came to visit from Philly. On Saturday we enjoyed beautiful weather at the zoo. Plus, all the animals that we went to see were actually out! In the past, they've been hidden away or certain exhibits were closed.We spent several hours there and were exhausted upon our return to the house. A night in was welcomed and needed after walking miles all afternoon. 
Today the two of us and Marie went to Crumland Farms, where the main attraction was a huge corn maze (a maize maze?). We also slid down a giant slide, drank hot apple cider, and took pics with local farm animals (goat and llamas, anyone?). Oh, and Marie and I did cartwheels. The day was much fun and was topped by a crisp coolness in the air.
Fall is here.
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