My "Soap"box

I am totally and completely in love with Soap.com. To be honest, it's a pretty simple concept - a website that sells drugstore/Target kind of stuff and then delivers it. Not earthshattering. It's not even the best deal... the prices are more than you'd pay at Target probably, but likely less than CVS. There are often coupons and special offers for 15% off, etc so I think it evens out. The thing that is awesome, though, is that all orders over $25 ship for free... OVERNIGHT! Yup, my shampoo and tissues and batteries and laundry detergent arrive the next day...via FedEx. Let's be honest. That's faster than Hyla's even going to get to Target. Plus, it eliminates my ability to throw clothes and shoes and cute dishes into the cart.

If you want to try it, use this code and get a discount (and a perk for me, too!): JUST428866

Retraction

I retract my former belief. Or, rather lack of belief... in baths. I thought they were overrated, a waste of time and kind of gross. However, it turns out that I was completely wrong.

Here I was, living in this apartment for nearly two years and I just took advantage of my tub with jets for the first time tonight. Foolish, foolish girl was I!! It was awesome. Like a movie bath. I was covered in bubbles up to my chin.

Yes, I confess. I've been a bath-hating fool. But, I'm turning from my errant ways. I repent. From now on, I am a bath-lover! Full of bubbles and hope. Yippeeeeee!

A reflection

I just got back a few days ago from a great visit with my family in Arizona that included a few days on a boat on Lake Powell. This gorgeous place on the border of Arizona and Utah had amazing views of rocks during the day and unbelievable starry skies at night. It was so good to just sit back and decompress, enjoy each other, and well... be inspired. Here are a couple of my favorite pictures and a poem I wrote while I was there. (The poem is a little rough, but I wanted to share anyway.)

Shades of Remembrance

Run up on shore

Rocks all around

Crisis or Opportunity

Captivity or Freedom

The sun falls on the rocks in gorgeous shades of remembrance

The reflections sparkle against the water demanding stillness to properly reflect their beauty

The shadows dance between crags

I look at the rocks, the barrenness, the difficulty, but all I see is beauty

I want to sit and stare, soak in the majesty until the sun demands a rest

This is not a posh overnight beauty of abundance

This is the beauty of generations

She who sits still, watching, will be rewarded

Shadows shift. New colors emerge. Shapes are revealed.

She could stare for a lifetime

Once Upon a Barstool

Once upon a time, I moved into a new apartment with a counter/bar that needed some barstools. I got this great vision for the space that involved some awesome green leather barstools. Once or twice, I gained a glimpse of the perfect barstool. After those first few glimpses, though, I never saw it again. But, I didn't give up hope. I kept seeking my ideal stool with its sleek shape, minimal footprint, funky green color, and uncommon height. I visited several specialty stores, looked at the Big Box stores, even tried to custom-order something. I scoured the internet trying to find the stool that by now I was afraid I had created in my design-friendly imagination. Eventually, I started thinking that perhaps my perfect barstool didn't exist.... that I may have to give up one or more characteristics I previously thought were mandatory...that I missed my chance for barstool happiness. I considered fabric rather than leather, legs rather than a pedestal, even trolled Craigslist for something used that I could recover. But, nothing seemed quite right. I always found something wrong with each one.

One day, I was looking once again at the Big Box and something caught my eye. It didn't meet all of my wishes or demands or requirements, but maybe this stool would be good enough. I kept walking that morning, but that evening when I sat down to eat my bowl of pasta with red sauce on my nearly-white couch, I realized it was time to give in. I carefully finished my potentially stainmaking dinner and then went directly back to pick up two barstools. They're not everything I wanted or thought I needed, but they're not bad. They look pretty good there and now I can actually sit at my counter to work or eat like a grown-up.

Perhaps if I ever see that perfect barstool again, I will feel a twinge of regret. But, I'll probably just keep walking, knowing that I have all I need in the barstools I have at home.

Dear SOVA

I absolutely adore your living room-style upstairs. I love sitting at the little tables in somewhat uncomfortable chairs staring out at the still somewhat gritty block of H street. I do NOT love your lattes.

Thursday Thoughts

• I do NOT love Thursdays. Nor do I love mornings.
• Overheard from a teenager at the gym: "I think your hair is peanut butter color" Awesome. We should use foods as color descriptors more often.
• Today's awesome surprise: My favorite instructor was teaching kickboxing today. Yay for getting my sweat on!
• I am down both an Amy and a Robin. Sad face. (Good for homework accomplishment, though!)

A post from Hyla the kid

I went through a bunch of my old stuff that was in my parents' attic today. I've always prized my writing and so some very old English projects were left in there. And so, today's blog comes from Hyla of yesteryear. Hope you laugh and smile as much as I did!

From 3rd or 4th grade (spelling errors left in):

• I think that I would enjoy (water) skiing because I love being in the water and I sure wouldn't mind falling accidently!
• I prefer comedey and adventure stories more than the usual sit-down stand-up books. I only read those kinds of books through my eyelids.
• Outside of the United States, I would love to go to France. I love French food, so I would just have to go to restaurants everyday. I would probably go on a huge shopping spree for clothing. The rest of the time I'd just spend being lazy.
• After school, I am actually a very boring person. I sit around and talk to my Mom, practice music, (not very much, but some) and eat, eat, eat!

From Junior High:

• (In response to the question, Do you wish you were someone else? If so, who and why?) If I was someone else, I would be Candace Cameron. I would be Candace because she is not only pretty but also intelligent. She also has a lot of fun filming shows....

From sometime around age 12?:

• (About my future) I want to go to college.... My major will be music, possibly minoring in drama. After receiving my bachelor's degree, I may go on to get my master's. I hope to someday teach piano lessons and hopefully get married. I would love to someday live in New Hampshire or Vermont.

(Ok, I can't not comment on this. First of all, how could my parents not have seen my fettish for degree-collecting coming? And, Vermont or New Hampshire??? I had never been in either of those places and have NO idea why I would have been enchanted with them. In another place, I said I wanted to live in Vermont. Handily, I'm going to VT for the first time this week. Perhaps, it will confirm my childhood desire.)

Emergency and funny thing

Emergency: I found my first gray hair this morning. I'm hoping it was just a fluke. I rapidly pulled it out of my head. This is not funny. I do NOT want to handle this situation. I know I said I would grow gray gracefully, but screw that! I don't want to grow gray at all!

Funny thing: There is a sign at the end of my parents road with an arrow and balloons directing traffic to a wedding or reception or something. However, apparently, the bride's name was too long so it says:

Christina

and

DAVE

Pretty funny. I'll have to take a picture of it tomorrow if it's still there.

Life in the city or City in my LIfe

It's amazing to me how much I feel invigorated by the city. When I scanned my SmartTrip card at the other end of the metro to head back home, I instantly felt relieved. It's like I get a new burst of energy just knowing that I'm heading back into the city. Maybe I'm just making it up in my head. Who knows?

New requirement for Mr. Perfect

I baked muffins tonight. Everything that went into the muffins was wonderful. The muffins themselves... not as wonderful. Not terrible, but not great. This only reinforces the fact that I am not a good baker. But, you know what? I want freshly baked, healthy muffins. So, new requirement! Mr. Perfect must be able to bake yummy, healthy muffins.

Quarterly Buying: Brilliant or Bogus?

So, I have this harebrained idea I've been tossing around. I'm wondering if quarterly shopping would be profitable to me in terms of both time and money. At first, I was thinking just of my typical Target trips, but then I started thinking that maybe it would work for groceries, too. Here's how I think it would work:

• Make a "standard" list of all the things I normally purchase during the year other than clothing, furniture, etc. So, napkins, shampoo, cleaning products, make-up.
• For the first "quarter", I'd have to make an inventory of all of those items and then decide what quantity of each needed item to purchase.
• For later quarters, it would be a matter of monitoring how much I've used and purchasing anything I'll need for the next three months.

Eventually, I would fall into a rhythm where I would know what quantity I need to buy. In the past, I've been very against bulk buying because of limited space. However, quarterly buying seems like perhaps a happy medium. The groceries would be tricky, but I could at least stock up on dry items and maybe frozen items, too. I'm going to have to buy produce on a weekly basis anyway.

I'm hoping it would save me time because I'd only have to do major shopping 4 times a year. And, I'm hoping it would save me money because perhaps the items I buy more than once a quarter, I could buy in multiple and take advantage of a deal.

Anyone out there that's tried this?

Successes!

Success #1: I changed my headlight today. And, I didn't even call my dad for help or advice. Oh yeah!

Success #2: I ran 3.2 miles this morning! Yippeeee! I am so excited. I've been hovering between 2.5 and 3 for a while now, but today I did it. Part of it is just making sure I run a big enough route to be that long, but also, feeling good enough to keep running that long is quite an accomplishment. Yay! That was longer than the 5k I'm going to run in November. My goal is to be able to run five miles by that point. Then, I'll probably just maintain the distance and try to get a little more speed. It just seems so crazy to me that I am able to run that far. I'm the girl accused of cheating on the one-mile run in the fifth grade. Anyway...

Various and Sundry Thoughts

1 - The fact that my middle-aged stats professor drinks juice boxes in class is awesome.

2 - Today, I drove by that tuba-playing guy on Braddock Road again. Hilarious! Also, his tuba has a license plate that reads "TUBA"

3 - Last night I followed someone whose plates read, "CMYKRGB" I thought that was pretty dorkily awesome, too.

4 - I FINALLY got back on track with the Bible reading plan today. (Our church is doing a year-long reading plan called From Garden To City) Today's reading was Proverbs 3-4. Wow... that's some challenging stuff. This passage has a beautiful contrast between seeking wisdom and the value and glory in that and yet not resting on your own wisdom. It's pretty profound stuff. Proverbs 3:7 particularly hit me-- "Do not be wise in your own eyes." How often do I pat myself on the back for how very wise and astute I am!? Ahh... but to seek after a higher wisdom. Humbling, terrifying, but yet exciting.

5 - I've been working out a lot (for me, at least) lately and I'm starting to feel perpetually achy and sore. It's a good feeling, but for the first time in my life, I kind of want a massage. Ack! I do NOT have room in my budget for another luxury item!!

A few random updates

• Today, I ran 2.8 miles. I'm getting there. I was hoping it would be 3mi, but when I got home and tracked it, it was not. I can almost taste the 5k!
• I got a new shiny computer. yay.
• I do not enjoy the discipline of studying. I'm not doing so well with the transition back to school this semester. Oh well... it will happen.

Yesterday....

I saw a giant green John Deere tractor going down 8th Street here on the Hill.

Hilarious and Bizarre.

More weekend thinkings

There are lots of things that I wish I could do every day or most days, but alas, my schedule is just not conducive to that. Other things (like work and MBA) kind of get in the way. If I could I would do the following things most or every day:

• read scripture
• play flute
• work out
• cook

I played flute several times this weekend. It was so so very good. This marked a break in the longest playing hiatus yet. I played two weddings in 2008 and I honestly can't remember if I've played at all since then! I definitely felt some fear getting the instrument out of its case. I was afraid that I wouldn't remember how to play.. that I would sound so awful that I wouldn't want to play anymore...that my technical ability would be so far gone that it would just be ultimately too frustrating. I can't quite explain how I felt when I started playing. I put Mia (that's my flute's name) together and started with some long tone exercises just to warm up a little. I was nearly overcome with emotion. I fought back the tears, but they were close. It was beautiful. Such a warm, beautiful sound that was so familiar... like someone's voice you haven't heard for years. Comforting, intimate, mine. This may sound corny, but I felt whole again.

It feels so good to be playing again. Right now, I'm not sure exactly where this will go. If I'll find an ensemble to play with, start playing at church again, build a teaching studio, or what. But, I absolutely can't stop playing. This is part of who I am and I never want to lose it again.

Fatgirl's triathalon thinkings

I am considering doing a sprint Triathalon next June. It is a .62 mile swim, 17.5 miles biking, and 3.4 miles running. I am no athlete by any man's standards. However, there is something in me that makes me think I could actually do this.

Reasons I think I could do this:

1 - Though I haven't been swimming for a while, I was regularly swimming a mile as my workout so .62 mile wouldn't be that bad.

2 - I don't really find biking all that hard. 17.5 miles is kind of far, but if I actually trained, I think I could do that without much trouble.

3 - I'm learning to run. Today, I ran 2.4 miles (my longest run ever) so 3.4 doesn't sound so scary anymore.

4 - I have friends that are not in the best of shape and they did the sprint tri without dying.

5 - I am generally capable of doing most things I set my mind to... this should be no exception.

Reasons I think I could NOT do this (or obstacles):

1 - I have never done a workout consisting of two different activities right after each other... let alone three!

2 - I don't even own a bike right now. It is difficult to train for a bike ride without an actual bike.

3 - I am fat. lol Ok, so, I am considerably smaller than I once was, but I am still a big girl and this sounds scary to me.

4 - This will require some serious training, which I don't really have time for given the MBA program, work, intense commute, etc.

5 - I might die.

All of that considered, I think I'm going to give it a sot. Time to start finding a training schedule, I guess. Registration starts 9/20 so I guess I have until then to chicken out.

Today's New Experience

A few days ago, I finally ran into the clarinet player that I've heard practicing in the building over the last year. It turns out that she and her boyfriend play in the marine band and she is working on a masters' program in the area. Anyway, she mentioned that she was playing a solo tonight at a concert on the capitol steps and invited me to come. So, I did!
Shamefully, I have never gone to any of the concerts on the capitol steps, even though there are concerts four night s a week in the summer. It had also been a LONG time since I had gone to a wind concert at all. I have to say that I enjoyed myself. It was 95 degrees, at least, so intonantion was a challenge at points, but there is just something so gratifying in watching people do what they absolutely love to do. Plus, I was introduced to some new music. She played a piece by Andreas Makris called Intrigues. It turns out the composer has deep local connections. Anyways, it was an interesting piece with some real challenges... especially in the heat.
So, there we go -- I discovered a new, fun activity for the summers... and met a new person and a new piece in the process.

Notes of Joy from a Long Trip with a Short Boy

Backstory: Yesterday, I got up early and flew with my 6-year-old nephew back to Phoenix and then immediately turned around and flew back home. The boy was safely delivered back to his parents and I was safely, but tiredly delivered back to DC.
Small Joy 1: Just hanging out with my nephew. I rarely get to see him so it was fun to get some one-on-one time with him. Who knows? Maybe this will be something he'll remember when he's grown up.
Small Joy 2: Watching him from a distance and seeing a little piece of my brother's wonderfulness in him. We had about an hour to wait for our first flight so we went and sat at the gate at the end of the terminal so he could watch the planes. He walked over to the window and within two minutes had made a friend with another little boy who was five. One of Scott's great attributes (in my humble, yet accurate, opinion) is that he can engage anyone in a conversation and make them feel special and included. It looks like his son is well on his way to mastering that art.
Small Joy 3: Watching my nephew study the step-by-step safety guide in the seat-back pocket. Seriously. He studied that thing front and back for a good 20 minutes on each flight. If the boy doesn't become an engineer or an architect, the world will be a worse place for it.
Small Joy 4: Getting to see my sis-in-law's excitement at having her little boy back after more than three weeks away from home!
Small Joy 5: The descent into Salt Lake City. Holy cow! What a gorgeous, gorgeous sight. I had been in Utah, and even Salt Lake City, but I had never flown into it. That was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen from the sky. And, it was a total surprise because I didn't even look to see where I was connecting until that morning. Very cool.
Small Joy 6: Making it back home and falling into my bed. A pillow rarely feels as good as it does after a 19-hour day filled with 6000 miles of air travel.

Good times.

Caring for a Small Human

This evening, I'm hanging out with my little nephew before we fly back to his home tomorrow. We went to the park, looked through all of his pictures from his Pennsylvania vacation, grabbed some dinner, and then pretty much hit the hay. He must have been tired... I don't think he even moved after he laid down. Tired little boy, I guess.

I love this kid. I gave him three choices for dinner. 1 - sushi, 2 - Thai food, 3 - pizza. The kid chose Thai! How awesome is that. Now, to be fair, I knew ahead of time that the kid loves Thai food and that was pretty much what I wanted, but I thought it might be a crapshoot with the pizza thrown in there. Anyway, that was awesome.

Tomorrow: 4 airports, 4 flights, 1 6-yr old, and an awful lot of work time