State of the Union

That picture means that I was in attendance for the President's State of the Union address on Tuesday! It was a total "DC Bucket List" sort of experience. Absolutely incredible.

I sat on a stair across from the Speaker's desk and just a bit left of center. I didn't even have a chair, but I really didn't mind one iota. I figure I was lucky enough to be there. The world's focus was centered on that room for that hour or two, and I was in it. If there is one thing I'm good at, it's participating in unique opportunities (and somehow managing to talk my way into them). 

I liked being in the House chamber listening to the speech without media commentary, without friends voicing their agreements or disagreements. I got to watch to see who clapped for what points, who refrained, who stood up in support. Most importantly, in real time I was provided the opportunity to watch and listen to the event unfold and form my own opinions before I heard anyone else's. 

It was a great experience, and it's easy to see how sweet life is when I get to be part of stuff like this. I wonder what other opportunities await me down the road...

love always.

Bella

Dear DC,
You looked beautiful yesterday.

Love,
Me

3.14 elves enjoying life

As I walked home from work last night, I passed a car parked along the side of the road that had the license plate "NJOY LF". Don't mind if I do. Thanks for the reminder, car! It was parked next to a tree that, during the Christmas season, had a little Christmas elf-type-thing on it that cracked me up.

Then, walking down the same street on my way to work this morning, I realized that one of the houses, 314, has a symbol of pi above their door instead of using the typical Western Arabic numerals "314". Nerdy but also awesome. Look, I drew pi for you!

Although, I think technically if they want to use Greek, the number should look more like this:

I like silly little things like the license plate, elf, and house number. Hopefully you're able to "NJOY" the little things, too. Love always.

Coffee Coffee Coffeeee

I have had much more coffee than usual today. Too much, in fact. Also, my creativity is at a possible all-time low right now. This is not good for at least 2 reasons.
1) I want to write a really great blog post for you, my beautiful readers, and
2) Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I need to start making a multitude of glittery, heart-shaped, construction paper notes so that all of my dears know that I love them! I wouldn't want anyone to go without receiving a valentine from me or WORSE--> receiving an ugly valentine devoid of creativity. I need inspiration! Pronto!

See that little break in writing right there? I stared at my screen for a good handful of minutes. Nothing. So, without further ado, please enjoy this video and my wishes for an excellent Tuesday!


Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

love always.

and the tree was happy

"Anything is possible. Anything can be."
— Shel Silverstein

 

 

happy weekend :)

Great Night for a Water Baby

So swimming went well last night! I was nervous about the new pool for no reason. It's so great. It's an Olympic size pool (Long Course Meters) but 25 yards in width (Short Course Yards). There was a swim team practicing, but there were also 8 lanes set up for lap swimmers and still an entire shallow end for people to putz around in or have swim lessons. Other than the swim team and one gentleman, I was the only one in the pool. So excellent. I shall return tonight. I also registered for a swim meet today. It will be my first race is 7 1/2 years. Excited, nervous... so many emotions. All I know is that I'm not ready, and I had better step up my game NOW.

It was doing this icy rain thing as I walked home from work last night and continued as I drove to the pool. It was slick enough to where I was sliding around the sidewalk while walking. I probably shouldn't have then put myself on the road, but all is well. It was snowing a bit by the time I got there, and an hour and a half later, it was snowing big, beautiful, goose-feather flakes! I might not be in Wyoming anymore, and I might whine an awful lot about my discontent with cold weather, but g-dangit, I love snow! It's so gosh darn fantastic. I had to laugh to myself on my ride home because I was singing along with Michael Franti & Spearhead's "The Sound of Sunshine" while at the same time enjoying the fluffy stuff. Sometimes silliness is just what I need.

I seem to be a water baby in the pool, in my ideal geographical location (on the beach), and in my love for the snow (hey, just because it's frozen, doesn't mean it's not water). 

Here's what I woke up to this morning. The world looks so good with a fresh layer of sparkling snow.

My darling Capitol Hill in the morning

 Love always.

Cleaning Schmeaning

Here is how my life seems to go much of the time:

I spent a lot of time this weekend cleaning my kitchen ceiling to floor and everything in between (including the catches under the stove burners!). While I was on a role, I decided to clean the downstairs bathroom in the same manner. After that, I figured the mop was out, so why not clean all the floors in the house?! I swept and mopped every floor in my house except for my roommates' rooms. It sparkled and shone, and there was not a speck of dust or crumbs or whatever else one finds on the floor. As a matter of fact, last night I was walking barefoot all over the place just relishing the cleanliness of my living space. 

Bubble Dishes!

Beautiful kitchen, shiny and clean

Then, today I walked into the house for lunch, and there were pieces of plaster E V E R Y W H E R E. Plaster dust and footprints coating my stairs that I had just days before so diligently cared for. Plaster chunks all over my downstairs hall. Workmen upstairs and downstairs snaking pipes and such through the walls, sopping up water in the hallway, and removing pieces of my ceiling. My beautiful, spotless masterpiece had transformed into something more closely resembling a war zone. Heartbroken.

The pipes in our upstairs bathroom do not drain, and so a request to the landlord turned into a visit from a plumber which turned into the discovery of more serious pipe issues. I'm glad everything will be in tip top shape as far as flushing water out of our plumbing is concerned. Now if only there were a house cleaning fairy that followed... Looks like there is more quality time with a mop in my future.

Love always!

Ps, I'm trying out a new pool tonight! The pool in my neighborhood has a busted heater (NOT awesome when it's freezing outside), so I'm venturing further away to a pool that is way better anyway. I'm nervous. It's like starting a new class. Will I be able to find it? What if it's busier than I'm used to? What if all the other people are better than me? Wish me luck!

Happy Economist Friday!

Today is Economist day! I used some airline miles to subscribe to the Economist. I'm convinced that it has everything I could possibly need to know each week about the world's state of affairs. I look forward to walking in the door on Fridays and seeing the magazine in my mail pile, just waiting for me to become more knowledgeable.

It also, like most things in this world, sparks my apparently constant need to plan trips and think of adventures I'd like to have. Last night, I received a text message from one of my closest friends who is working as a snowboard instructor this winter. It read:

"Today in a lesson, I asked a little kid where he would go if he could go anywhere in the world. Without thinking twice, he said, 'Ohio'."

I wonder what he possibly could have found out about Ohio that puts it at the top of his list. Maybe I should look into it... :)

Have a fun weekend! Love always

Wyoming (as seen through my cell phone)

Here are some more pictures from my time in Wyoming. Again, these are poor quality as they were taken on my cell phone which is old. Enjoy!

My high school!

My puppy Wrigley being good and listening. His tail is wagging so fast!

Wild Wyoming

It got really windy and blew a semi over on the highway.
This is typical for Wyoming. Hopefully everyone was OK.

The snow began right after Christmas.

Wyoming is frigid. Literally says that on the newspaper page.
In better quality, the report for Washington, DC shows 50 degrees. Figures!

Careful on the driving there...

The sun looked pretty from beyond the snow clouds

The view from the plane leaving Wyoming and headed towards Denver

There ya have it. Love always!

An elaboration on Glamour's ideas for life

So, I read this blog called Single-ish that is on Glamour's website. It's mostly amusing to read, sometimes full of good insight and sometimes absolutely not. Way back in June they had a post entitled "36 Things Every Single Girl Must Do Before She Settles Down".

Here is what it suggests for ladies who are on the market but don't really feel like being on the market but like to be active and busy. I approach it as more of a micro-bucket list. I will elaborate on most of these for entertainment's sake, but I'll X off all of the items I think I've done anyway.

To Build Your Confidence…
1. Go to a movie alone. One time I went to meet friends at E Street Cinema for a movie, and I couldn't find them because there is no cell service down in their theaters, so I sat down to see "Waiting for Superman" which I had wanted to see and was almost done in theaters. But, then they found me, and I watched "Fair Game" with them, and it was fun. So, I haven't done this, but I came close and would be fine with doing this.
2. Lift weights. I swim. It's free for DC residents and my current financial situation (the rent is too damn high) does not really allow much for a gym membership. I'll stick to the chlorine routine, thank you.
X3. Try surfing, water-skiing, or some activity you don’t already know how to do. Could be riding a bicycle. Boxing!
X4. Take out the trash, set a mousetrap, do your taxes, build a bookcase. I take out the trash, and just last night I killed a spider in my kitchen (first by yelling and then by wadding up paper towels and going in for the kill).
5. Live alone, or at least move apartments in NYC without the help of family.I will live alone when the rent is not so damn high.
6. Train for (and finish) a huge physical test like a half-marathon. USMS does a one hour swim during the month of January. I'm doing it. Half an "X" for this one... >
X7. Go to a scary doctor’s appointment by yourself. So far, thank God, I have not been critical enough to merit a scary doctor's appointment. But I have gone to the doctor by myself like a big girl and got a shot. That's pretty scary for me. I rocked this one.
8. Quit your job. It feels so good to take a job and shove it (and not be affecting anyone else’s livelihood). Not on your life. Have you looked at the jobless rates right now? I will strategically transfer careers when the correct opportunity presents itself.
9. Fly to a foreign country by yourself. I like to travel. Lots. I fly by myself all the time and have since I was, what, 11? Flying to Hawaii from DC is a chore, but since it's not a foreign country, I'm going to play by the rules and not X this one off.
X10. Learn to stand up for yourself.This is not a problem for me in any way, shape, or form. As a matter of fact, I could probably benefit from learning to let things slide from time to time.

To Be Able to Look Back and Say “I Had Fun”…
X11. Witness something once-in-a-lifetime. I keep a list of "things that would be on my bucket list except that I've already experienced them". I'm pretty good at finding these opportunities.
X12. Revel in being able to watch all the reality TV you want. I'm going to count this, but with an asterisk (*). I don't have TV channels, and I don't like reality TV. This would be more like torture for me. I do, however, have Netflix. Enough said.
X13. Get drunk during the day, just because you can. Day drinking is not fun for me, but alas, I have done this on more than one occasion because sometimes it just has to be done.
X14. Go on a date with someone who actually makes you nervous.
X15. Go out with an older man who takes you somewhere nice and makes you feel like a million bucks. Um, not a million bucks. How old are we talking here? Gross. I like to keep it in my generation. But I appreciate when I am appreciated.
X16. Go out with a guy who makes you laugh ‘til it hurts. Kenny, you win.

To Get Perspective…
X17. Be a good wingwoman. It’s not always about you. It's important to be a good friend.
X18. Chill with your widowed and single grandma. She knows “alone”! I love hanging out with both of my grandmas. And I like hearing them tell of their youth and how they came to make the decisions in life that they did. Stellar women.
X19. Volunteer. I'm big on volunteering, though I don't make nearly enough time for it.

To Make You Appreciate the Next Guy…
X20. Do at least one Valentine’s Day alone.Glitter, hearts, candy... single or taken, I dig this day. It's so dang pretty!
21. Attend a wedding (or 15) alone.
22. Date the creeps. You’ll really value the nice guys afterward. Can I amend this to say "date the nerds, they are the nice guys"? (I think people in touch with their inner nerd are fantastic, for the record.) I will not go on a date with a guy who creeps me out. I can value a nice guy without having to feel unsafe with a creeper.

To Make You Feel Sexy and Attractive…
X23. Buy yourself some flowers. Thank you, Eastern Market.
X24. Invest in a LBD (little black dress) and some sexy stilettos. Done and done.
25. Sit at a bar by yourself and drink a martini. How very "Sex and the City" of them. There are a billion things I'd rather do alone before drinking alone.
X26. Buy something frivolous and expensive that you LOVE wearing. See #24 above. 2 birds with one stone. Woo hoo, I'm efficient!

To Make the Most of Your Free Time…
27. Finish all your schooling if you can. Learning is an ongoing life process. Bachelor's degree will suffice for now.
28. Throw yourself into something time-consuming, like learning a foreign language. You may not have time to do this again until you retire and the kids are off to college. I'm in the works... more on this at a later date.

To Make Yourself a Better Partner in the Future…
X29. Make a list of all your faults. It's a mental list, but I'm counting it. I'm also a work in progress on this.
30. Learn to cook well.  Not my strong suit, but I have started planning my meals for the week. I shall be the Yan Can Cook in no time.
X31. Get some hobbies. Something’s gotta keep you occupied—plus it’ll make you seem interesting. Swimming, arts and crafts with Emma, reading, blogging, etc
32. Let your married friends edit your online dating profile. Um, first I'd need a profile. This is for people who are on the market and are concerned with being off the market.
X33. Get your finances in order. Easy. Step one, pay check is direct deposited. Step two, write a rent check. Step three, finances are in order as balance is even.

To Appreciate Being Single…
34. Babysit someone’s baby for an hour. I have babysat babies many times, but not recently. Hey Rachel, can I book a trip to Phoenix soon?? :)
35. Help a friend through her divorce or a bad break-up. I hope that no one has to go through a divorce, and I am here for anyone with a bad break up, but I don't wish for that to happen to anyone either.
X36. Host a girls-only night. I think some coupled-up women forget how much we need each other. If there is one thing we're good at, it's getting together for girly time.

This post is like a mix between those surveys that used to fly around in junior high and using someone else's blog entry to create my own blog entry. Creativity abounds!

Love Always.

Sometimes I'm a brat

Last month I was catching up with a good friend of mine, and we were talking about everything from jobs to boys to family and holidays. Both of us are outgoing people. We were frustrated because, well, simply stated- we want it all.

When it comes to life, there are so many things that I want, and I’m realizing for the first time that I won’t be in my mid-20’s forever. I’m in this totally delightful part of my life where I am responsible only for myself. I am not married, I have no kids, and I am fortunate to have a job so I can pay rent and live where I choose.

I want to have a career working on issues that are important to me and spend my life trying to make the world better, even if it’s just one person at a time. I want to travel. Lots. It is much easier for me to list the places where I have no interest in going than listing where I do want to go. I want to learn the languages of the countries I visit. I want to have enough time in each of those places to understand the culture. I want my family to live close to each other. I want to have the luxury of staying home and being a mommy. I want to give my time, effort, and love in full to my children. I want to go on lots of dates with different people just for the heck of it. I want to settle down and devote my life to the chance to grow old with the man I love. I want to live in the city and be involved in the hustle and bustle. I want to live in the country and spend time looking at the stars. I want it all.

But that’s not how life goes. I guess I have to recognize where my skills and talents are needed and then be unafraid to follow that route, wherever it takes me.

On a completely different note, I just caught my nylons and have a run in them now. Gosh! It’s as though purchasing nylons is mostly just like throwing my money away. All I had was glue to temporarily keep it from getting larger. How terribly classy of me. I seem to be a hazard today. I found a swimming partner though! It will be good to have someone to workout with and push my limits. Last night my swim was pretty horrendous. Not swimming during my time in Wyoming + eating lots of Christmas cookies = my swimming more closely resembling drowning. It will be better tonight.

I sound whiny. I promise you that I am happy with all of the opportunities I have, and I am thankful for having the freedom to want and to dream.

"Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground." -T. Roosevelt 1904

Love always.

New Year, better you?

HaPpY nEw YeAr!

2011 is going to be a good year.

What are you going to do to make sure it's amazing? 

I'm going to do a better job of not spending wastefully. 

I'm going to continue to put effort into staying flexible enough to take advantage of good opportunities and to appreciate each experience I have, the good and the bad. I can learn from every experience, even those that don't go the way as I envision, and being able to learn means that I will always have something positive to take with me.

I'm going to be better about keeping in touch with family and friends. More letters! More emails! More phone calls! Lots and lots of love, always.

I think I said in an earlier post, last year, that I don't really do New Year's resolutions. Looking at this post just now, all of those look and sound like resolutions. So, um, I guess I do do resolutions, as long as I continue to work towards these things indefinitely, not just until the year is up.