Here We Go Again!

Well, apparently, we're stuck in some kind of crazy pattern where God has his finger stuck on the "Snow" button for DC. For the third time in ten days, we're expecting a snowstorm. Let's restore perspective a bit. The average annual snowfall for DC is 15". Last year, I don't even think we ever got any accumulation. At least, none that I recall. And, our total snowfall this season is at 45" already. And.... drumroll please....
--The National Weather Service has just put out a warning calling for 10-20" tomorrow!
DC is NOT equipped to handle this. I'm on snow day #2.5 tomorrow and I'm betting I won't see my office until Thursday, at least. Also, the name "Snoverkill" has been bandied about. I love it!

But, don't you worry! I'll keep you up to date. Snowcast will not let you down!
More soon ... and who knows, maybe one of these days, I'll post something non-snow related!

Snowcast final report

Well, it's debatable how much we actually got. I think a final estimate of 2 feet is more than reasonable, but there are places in the area that reported 36-40 inches. Definitely not a snowpointment! I already heard that the University is closed tomorrow so no work for me! Ok, in actuality, I'll probably work most of the day because I have my stuff with me and can work from home. But, I can at least sleep in and take it easy!

It was an absolutely gorgeous walk both to and from church last night. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea. The picture quality on some of these isn't great, but I wanted to give you an idea of what a the streets looked like last night ... and these were the "good" streets! More pictures on flickr momentarily.

Above: lumps formerly known as cars

Above: 3rd street NE, taken at the intersection of 3rd & F

Real-time Window Snowcast Update

It's time to start keeping track. Check back here regularly for updates!
Location: 15th & D, NE - Capitol Hill

12:30pm - Snow has been falling for about an hour. Steady, but fine snow. No evidence of sticking.
1:30pm - Still steadily snowing. Still fine flakes. Possible sticking on neighbor's steps, but may be remnant from earlier this week. Overall, no conclusive evidence of sticking.
3:06pm - Flakes are varying in size, but still fairly light snow. The first evidence of accumulation has appeared. There is officially a "skift" appearing outside my window right now. Snow is now beginning to stick to the tree in my neighbor's yard.
4:55pm - It's that really beautiful stage right now! Each branch of the tree is highlighted with a line of snow and everything is looking festive and wintry! Still firmly in skift territory, though. Time to finally quit working. We were dismissed at 12:30, but I was working from home so I ended up working all afternoon. yuk! More soon!
6:31pm - Just discovered a flaw in my window snowcast plan. Um... it gets dark. It appears to still be snowing and we may be around the 1-2" mark. Updates may be scattered until it gets light again... and while Hyla sleeps!
8:39pm - Ok, it is getting GORGEOUS out. The snow is thick and wet and everything is getting just gorgeous. The trees are just hanging full of snow! Winter is a pain in the city, but I really DO miss winters with lots of snow. Sigghh. My best guesstimate at the moment is 3-4".
10:30pm - Snowmygod! Operation Window Snowcast is being compromised. This snow is sticky! And, it's choosing my screen to stick to. After taking drastic measures (read: plastering my face up against the window), I've come to the conclusion that it is CRAZY snowing out. Huge flakes (I think) and current guesstimate nearing 6 inches if not already passed. It looks like the prediction of an inch an hour is coming true for now.
Saturday
11:49am - Wow. This is no joke. The snowdrift on my windowsill is a good 8 inches, but above that I can see the pile of snow everywhere outside -- and it is huge! We're definitely over a foot, but at this point, there's so much white that it's hard to tell exactly how much there really is. That poor tree in my neighbor's yard looks like it can hardly hold up the snow anymore. It's really sticky snow so there is 6 inches or more on its branches. I'm going to go to church as long as it isn't cancelled so maybe I'll have more exciting info then!

My snowcast

So, the entire DC metropolitan area is freaking out. I've heard predictions of 12-18, 18-24, even 40-60 inches (!! -- I'm truly not joking on this one, but it wasn't the most reliable source, mind you.) And, so, I thought it only fair to bring some reason to the table, for you, my few, my faithful, my dear-dear readers.
Factors for consideration in Snowcast:
1. Snow may start falling as early as 10am Friday and continue until 10pm Saturday. I do recognize that this is a crazy long time for snow to fall, if it, indeed, does fall continuously.
2. The temperatures are predicted to hover right around the freezing mark. Now, any good mountain girl knows that those temperatures make for a good, heavy storm. However, that also means there's a possibility that it will rain and freezing-rain for many of the hours of the storm.
3. People (and governments) in the metro area are crazy when it snows. (This one is for free and does not necessarily affect my snowcast.)

My Official Snowcast:
Either:
1. World ending Snowpocalypse: 26-30 inches of snow, requiring two days to clean up, snowman building, and at least one snowball fight in the District requiring police intervention.
2. Snowpointment: A dissapointing 6-10 inches of snow resulting from 2 hours of snow followed by 12 hours of rain/freezing-rain, followed by another few hours of snow. Along with this comes the terribly annoying sound of freezing rain that is likely to go on most of the night. Snowpointing, for sure.

Check back here for updates!!

Today's score

Awesome scenery thanks to beautiful thick snow on every branch this morning: +4
All the snow falling off the trees by noon: -1
Productive and relatively non-frustrating workday: +1
Not getting into my favorite kickboxing class even though I got there 15 min early: -2
Getting a pass into spinning class to try something new: +1
Not getting into the spinning class because someone must have snuck in and there weren't any bikes left: -1
The tv on the treadmill not working: -1
Realizing I was pushing the wrong button: +1
Getting a ride to and from work today: +2
Losing the war against the vanilla oreos: -2
-------------
Today's total: +2

Civil Rights and Snow Days

Two Things I'm pondering today:
1. Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the first sit-in. I was truly flabbergasted when I heard it on the radio yesterday morning. It just seems impossible that it was only 50 years ago. I guess that really put it in perspective that just 50 years ago segregation was alive and well. Or, at least alive. I suppose the chronological positioning of my birth has a lot to do with it. It does restore my faith in humans a bit, though, just to think that we are capable of making this much progress in just 50 years.
2. It is snowing again. Will it snow enough to get a snow day? I sure hope so!

Today's Consumption

I just thought this was a wee-bit humorous so I thought I would share my consumption so far today:
a banana
10 pretzel thins
seaweed (snack pack)
vitamin water

Today's score

+1 for awesome weather including a 60-degree morning!
+3 for super productivity at both work and home
+2 for getting a pass into zumba class (college girls are crazy in January!)
-1 for not being able to see the instructor from the back of the class
-1 for having to put up with screaming zumba instructor who insists we smile (I'm sorry, but I'm there to work out, not perform... sheesh)
+1 for relatively quick commute home (under 1.5 hours!!)
------
Today's Total: +5

Feelings of failure

Wow. I don't know what hit me today. By the time I left work today, I felt like such a failure. As I walked from the venue to the gym, I actually started crying a little. I really don't know exactly what was affecting me, but I think it was some compilation of a new, demanding schedule, plus the realization that the next four months at work are going to be quite intense. In addition, I went into the office today for one particular meeting and felt like a dismal failure in that meeting. And, then after that meeting, I worked on another project for an hour that I feel I've completely mismanaged. Put that all together and I guess you get some tears. The good news, though, is that I did get to the gym for a brief workout and I feel much better about things now. I'm going take the rest of the evening "off" and then dive into studying head-first in the morning. My goal is to do as much as possible tomorrow so that I might have a little time to play on Sunday.
Moving on.

2010 Suggestions - Update 2

I am chipping away at my objective to read 8 books this year. As of today, I have finished two books in 2010. I just finished reading Good to Great. I decided this book should finally move off my reading list and onto my "finished books" list, most especially because I am starting my MBA this week. I didn't want to show my face up in an MBA program without having read that book. And, actually, it was really quite good. Not only was it a good read, the points they made through the research are quite compelling. I would actually recommend this book for anyone who wants to improve anything - an organization, a team at work, a volunteer effort, a sports team, anything at all. It gives a really simple, focused way to look at things. And, if you're in a hurry, he gives summaries at the end of the chapters so you could really sit down and get the gist of the book in an hour if need be.
So, there we go - book 2! (I figured I'd need a head start since I probably won't have a lot of time for personal reading while the semesters are in action.)

Suggestions update

I have an update on two of my 2010 suggestions. So far, I've finished one book: Primal by Mark Batterson. It's a book written by our lead pastor about getting back to the "primal" basics of Christianity - loving God with your heart, soul, strength, and mind. It wasn't bad. Since I get to hear him speak all the time, I had heard a lot of those thoughts at various times over the last few years, but there was also new material in there, too. I was pleasantly surprised. So, that's one of eight. (Sneak Preview: I'm more than halfway through my second book!)
By the way, my assigned reading for school doesn't count toward my goal of reading eight books.
Also, I am keeping up on my Bible reading. So far, so good. However, this chronological reading plan quickly took me out of Genesis and through the entire book of Job. That is one onerous book, let me tell you! In fact, I keep meaning to take a little time and dig up some commentary on it or read it in another version because so far, I'm not a big fan. And, I'm sure there's something good to learn there.
The health suggestion -- doing ok. Better on the working out than the eating well. 1% better every day. I need to remember that.
Eating out - not too bad. I think I'm roughly on target in that category. Yay! However, this means that I desperately need to go grocery shopping this weekend!

Generosity

I just gave my GMAT study book away to someone via Craigslist. I put it in a plastic bag for him, but, generously, didn't charge him for the bag. How nice of me! I considered making a joke about it, but I think he's from VA so I didn't know if he would get it.

Notes from today

New Word of the day: re-fangled (not new, just rethought)
Weird Happening of the day: Same boy that allegedly tried to hit on me at the gym yesterday was sitting at the same place in the gym tonight when I was there and gave me a similar look. This time, I fiercely avoided eye contact.
Accomplishment of the day: I ran for the second day in a row with very few walking breaks. My calves were killing for the first .5 mile, but then it was fine. I guess I just have to get past that. Will I ever actually "like" running? I have my doubts.
MBA News of the day: I got an email about orientation. Not only do I have to wear professional dress, I also have to read case studies and be prepared to discuss them at orientation. Pre-homework! Seriously, what is this about!!??

Today's slip-up

(Preface: The big street that runs North/South through Philly is Broad Street. The big street that runs North/South through DC is North Capitol Street.)

Me: So, I have a Dr. appt tomorrow.
Other person (OP): Oh yeah, where?
Me: Up on North Broad
OP: -silent pause-
Me: Did I just say North Broad?? I meant North Capitol!

I guess I subconsciously miss Philly!

How the Bag Act will discourage Hyla from recycling

The new "Skip the Bag, Save the River" law seems like a great idea. Encourage reusing and recycling and use the profits to clean up the river. If you haven't heard about this, it's our Great District's latest revenue generating scheme. Now, every time we visit a store or restaurant, we'll have to take our own bags or be charged 5 cents per bag. There are lots of arguments against this, as you can imagine. However, I have an argument that is perhaps less obvious. I use the paper bags from Harris Teeter and Trader Joe's to hold my recyclables, but if I'm not getting paper bags anymore, then I don't have anything to hold my recycling. This will actually discourage me from recycling! Ok, fine, I suppose that I can buy a new bin or something.
So, happy New Year and welcome to the newest tax in the District. Wait, what? What was that you said? Taxation without Representation? Oh, yes. Pile it on.

2010 Suggestions

This year, I will call the things I would usually label resolutions, "suggestions". Setting resolutions is a really good way to set myself up to feel like a failure. So, instead, I am making "suggestions". Here are the few I can remember right now.
1. Read through the Bible chronologically this year. I'm hoping that will help give me some perspective on the story.
2. Read eight books this year. I've realized that I've become an underperforming reader. This is particularly deplorable for a girl that has three hours of commuting several times a week.
3. Lose another 10-15 pounds. Continue to get healthier. Work out a minimum of 4 times a week.
4. Eat out less! This is to help me reach my health goals and my financial goals. Eating out soaks up a lot more of my income than it needs to. I'm going to attempt to eat out no more than three times a week. This doesn't count lunches at work, though, because I can eat for $5 and I still have to carry two meals with me since I am gone for such a long time each day.

I think there are more, but I can't think of them right now. I'll add them as they come to me.

Happy New Decade!

2009 Highlights #4: thearts!

Well, maybe this is cheating since the arts would land on any highlights list for me. But, I will be more specific and choose a few experiences that were particularly memorable for me.
Shakespeare: It was a banner year for me and Shakespeare. I was fortunate enough to take in at least three Shakespeare plays, including As You Like It, King Lear and Much Ado about Nothing. (Am I forgetting one? Maybe there were four...?) DC is a great Shakespeare town, with two great theaters entirely devoted to the bard's work and I have been fortunate enough to take in several of these great performances this year. King Lear was particularly notable.
Brandenburg Concertos: Or shall I say Concerti? This spring, we presented the Academy of Ancient Music at the Center for the Arts and they played a rare program consisting of all of the Brandenburg Concertos. What a great program! To hear them all together, in succession, on period instruments, and played with their historical expertise was pretty awesome. It reminded me how very much I do enjoy Baroque music. I've gotten so wrapped up in late romantic and 20th C. works that it is easy to forget both the simplicity and intricate complexity of those earlier works. Good for the soul, I say. Good for the soul.
Barnes Collection: I meant to write a more complete post on this weeks ago, but time just got away from me. At the end of November, I finally (!) made it up to the Barnes Collection just outside of Philly. This is one of the largest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art in the world. The art itself is incredible, but it's not just the art that is notable about this museum. The founder, Albert Barnes, purchased almost all of the art himself and arranged it in the building where it is currently housed so that it could be available to engage and educate "common" people, including the workers in his factories, etc. Maybe one of the reasons, this collection was so attractive to me was because Dr. Barnes passion is similar to my own -- to engage anyone and everyone in the arts. But, his collection is unique -- not only for the incredible depth of art, but the fact that it is housed on his estate. So, it's essentially just a building on private property out in the suburbs. It's pretty cool that way. The collection is going to be moved downtown into a new space within the next two years, though, so I wanted to be sure to get there while it was intact in it's original habitat. I think the most striking thing, though, is the arrangement of the art. This is no typical gallery. This is room after room after room with every wall absolutely crammed full of art. It wasn't unusual for one wall to house 9 or 12 paintings. And, every wall was perfectly symmetrical. Oh, there's so much more I could say, but alas, I will lose you, dear reader. So, here's a picture instead.

2009 Highlights #3: smaller-ness

How could I almost have forgotten this one!!?? I lost somewhere around 35 pounds this year. Though I still am not quite down to the weight where I want to be, I am so much healthier and am getting quite a kick out of fitting into a size that I've never worn before in my life. Yay!

2009 Highlights, #2: Alpha

One of the year's highlights is definitely the two courses of Alpha I helped to lead at Ebenezers. It is such a privilege to be part of something that allows people to re-engage in their faith, connect them with other people on a similar journey, or discover the joys of Christianity for the first time altogether. The team of people that have been working alongside me to make this happen are incredible and I couldn't have done it without the energy and spirit of people like JT, Kim, Aaron, and Min. It is so encouraging to see people developing their leadership skills right in front of my eyes. Plus, the group of people who just went through Alpha seemed to have an incredible experience and I can forsee many of them being an important force in the leadership at NCC in the future. Very cool!

2009 Highlights, #1

I thought I would write about a few of my highlights from the year. And, so, I will start with of my earliest experiences this year. In January, I joined a few hundred thousand of my closest friends (and a few of my actually close friends) on the National Mall for the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama. It was the first inauguration since I've lived in DC. And, of course, this inauguration held historical implications beyond that of most years. Not to mention the personal implications. Despite the near-frozen toes, claustrophobic conditions, and long walk, I am very glad that I braved it to go to this event. It is likely to be something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

Thundersnow pierogies!

So, our (fourth?) annual Bows not Bags Christmas party/gift exchange got postponed due to massive amounts of snow that prevented several integral members of the group from safe travel. But, in its stead, Meredith, Jeremy, Nathaniel, Colleen and I (and eventually Chris) gathered about for stew, Jeremy gift bestowment and my inaugural homemade pierogies. The general consensus was "awesomeness". Yay! I wasn't sure about the thickness of the dough, the dough to contents ratio or even the general structural integrity of these pockets of yumminess. However, they seem to have turned out well. This attempt included pumpkin pierogies (soon to make a repeat appearance at Kim's potluck) and cheddar potato with onion and herbs. Hmmm... if people continue to react so positively, this may well become my signature. Oh, them many ways I could customize them!!! I'm getting excited just thinking about it. There will be goat cheese pierogies and cheeseburger pierogies and cherry cream cheese pierogies and sauerkraut pierogies and, and, and.....!

Ok - my tired self is going to bed. Too much trudging about in the snow today!

Beautiful thought from my current read

I'm currently reading Transformation of the Heart by Dallas Willard with my fall small group. It is a deeply philosophical book that is, honestly, difficult for me to wrap my head around frequently. However, I've been enjoying the challenge and it's good to read and discuss something out of my comfort zone. Anyways, I came across this beautiful passage in the book today and just thought I'd share it here:

"Our soul is like an inner stream of water, which gives strength, direction and harmony to every other element of our life. When that stream is as it should be, we are constantly refreshed and exuberant in all we do, because our soul itself is then profusely rooted in the vastness of God and his kingdom, including nature; and all else within us is enlivened and directed by that stream."

Fall culinary experiments

I derive great joy from putting together a great meal with minimal time and money, particularly without a recipe. Experimental cooking that turns out tasty is its own reward! And, so two minor victories from earlier this week:
1 - pumpkin mashed potatoes -- simply made mashed potatoes and mixed in pumpkin puree (from Mom and Dad's garden!) These were good, but good have used a little more flavor. Next time, I will either add cumin and nutmeg or go the spicy route with cayenne.

2 - roasted butternut squash with turkey kielbassa on a bed of spinach - This was pretty awesome, but would be even better with a little goat cheese and some pepitas. I didn't have those things on hand so I went with what I had.

Just some simple fall meal ideas to put out there for ya!

Thanksgiving Quandries

Q. If there was no traffic between DC and Ebensburg, how long would the trip actually take?
A. 2 hours 50 minutes

Q. Will there be stuffing balls for Thanksgiving?
A. Yes!

With those two things, I am a very happy girl. Yay

End of an Era

It is getting late and I've been intending to do this all day so this will be a little shorter than I had hoped. Perhaps this will be a multi-part-post. Anyways, so, this morning, I walked into church at the theaters at Union Station for the last time. To make a long story short, the movie theater's lease was revoked, effective this week, so with very little notice, NCC is down a location... our largest, oldest location.

I wanted to go this morning, one last time, but I don't think it would hit me quite as hard as it did. I took a picture of the marquis outside the theater because I realized that the entrance to that theater was as much of a physical symbol on my spiritual journey as I have. When I walked into that theater the first time, I was professing with my mouth, but in my mind, I was contemplating walking away from Christianity all together. But, there, in an old, sticky-floored movie theater, I rediscovered God and my faith in a whole new way. And, I fell in love with NCC, discovered Alpha, and learned to embrace the rich life I am fortunate enough to have here in DC.

But, today, I walked out of that theater, along with hundreds of other NCCers who have invested their time, money and energy in that space, making NCC what it is today. NCC called that theater home for 13 years. Where next? No one knows yet, but it is sure to be exciting!

The defeat of Stench Monster and other kitchen tales

It all started on Thursday. Chris stopped by my place, thinking that I was working from home that day, and then promptly called me to tell me that a stench had overtaken my apartment. We both attributed it to trash that needed to be removed from the premises and left it at that. However, it soon became apparent that Stench Monster did not live in the garbage bag. After some rather extensive stench research, we came to the conclusion that Stench Monster resided in the refrigerator. I threw out everything that I could possibly attribute such a horrible odor to and wiped out the refrigerator. Stench Monster remained. At that point (already Saturday!), we decided that the stench was just lingering in the refrigerator and that if properly cleaned Stench Monster would leave us alone. So, while I was taking the GMAT yesterday, Chris got down and dirty with the fridge, cleaning it out with bleach and some good ol' elbow grease. And, yet, last night the stench remained. We even went out and bought two boxes of baking soda in hopes that they would soak up the lingering stench.
Now, at this point in the story, allow me to interject an important point. Throughout this War Against the Stench Monster, Chris kept asking me about the fresh-cut broccoli in a ziploc bag in the fridge. I was adamant that it could not possibly be the broccoli as I had just brought it back from my parents' garden and it seemed to just smell like broccoli through the bag.
Now, back to the story. So, this morning, I got something out of the fridge and when I did, the Stench Monster reared his ugly head again. And so, I threw out the very last thing that I could imagine to be the source of the smell -- the broccoli. I was still certain that it wasn't that and that somehow Stench Monster had imbedded himself in between the layers of my refrigerator door and would be a permanent resident. I then left for church, leaving the broccoli in the garbage can. When Chris and I came back a few hours later, the entire apartment, reeked of Stench. Indeed, it must have been the broccoli, whose horrible odor powers were released to permeate the entire apartment while we were off praising Jesus. So, now, the broccoli is removed, the apartment aired out, and it seems Stench Monster has retreated. So, fine. I guess Chris was right. (But, just this once!)

Also - I would like to know how there can be a metal rack in my microwave, but I'm not supposed to put anything metallic in it myself. Huh?! I don't get it. Any explanations?

Stars are good. Family is better.

It's good to be home. I was homesick. In fact, I was curled up in Chris' arms two nights ago with tears streaming down my face because I was just homesick. As I get older, the term homesick takes on some very different meanings, but I just missed family, MY family, my parents, the open space, the garden, my history. Coming out here every now and then helps to keep me centered. Just as I need some time alone every now and then, I also need a little time out here to help keep everything in balance.
Once again, I wish Chris was here with me. I know it will be culture shock for him, but I can't wait for him to see firsthand the surroundings that first shaped me into the Hyla I am today. Everytime I see something distinctively "smalltown", I keep thinking that I would love to see the expression on his face when he takes some of this stuff.... horse and buggy, clay targets for sale in the aisle at Wal-mart, a huge tractor driving down the road. I suppose those days will come soon enough. But, regardless, it's good to be here.
Mom helped me alter some clothing this morning. That was fabulous! Now a bunch of my clothing actually fits again. Yippity! It starts to make up for the 3 bags of clothes I had to get rid of (sad).
Tomorrow, church and then some sort of an event at an amusement park where my brother and his family will be, too. Monday, a quick stop at the county fair with Jan (she says they have a rabbit skills-a-thon!) and then back to my real life.
Well, I'm off... maybe I'll go out and stare at the stars.

Just three blocks, but a world away

I did something this morning that I probably should have done ages ago. I visited a church down the street. It was a small church (though larger than the many storefront churches in the neighborhood) with about a hundred people worshipping this morning. The music was good, the minister energetic, and the ritual of tradition deep. I never knew what to expect exactly when someone in the sanctuary changed position or we stood or there was a quiet pause. This was a church filled with traditions and practices that were largely unfamiliar to me. The style of the preacher, the combination of music with the preaching, the offering procedure, the songs.... all unfamiliar.
I knew before I walked in, though, that it would be unfamiliar. I would be lying if I said that I walked in confidently. I walked up the sidewalk to the front steps, took a deep breath, and said out loud, "I can do this." I knew that whatever was inside those doors would be unfamiliar to me. I knew that I would be the only white person in the building. (Incidentally, I was right.)
I didn't just walk into a different church this morning. I walked into an entirely different culture. Three blocks from my house! This was a mere three blocks from my house. I am living right beside people with such a different experience of worship than me. How can I live here and be ignorant to this culture? Better yet, how can I live here and endeavor to reach beyond my ignorance? Ignorance is not bliss -- Ignorance lacks love. True love does not live in ignorance. I want to be a part of the neighborhood, not be afraid of it. I want to love the people here, on my block, down the street, on the bus. But, how can I love these people if I don't understand them? Or, at least attempt to understand? And, how do I start to understand? Lots of questions. Not many answers.

A few books for a few prisoners

I went with a small group of awesome people to help out a local nonprofit that sends books to prisoners. For two hours, I hung out in a smallish, dank room in the basement of a church in Dupont Circle, filling requests from prisoners for books. We read their letters, then looked for books that matched their requests, wrote them a short note, and packed them up to be shipped off. Many of the requests were for dictionaries, fantasy and other sundry kinds of fiction, but I did fill one request for erotica. (He said it would fill a need of his. :) But, alas, that is not the point. The point is that I really enjoyed spending my evening that way. It definitely had the feel of a small, underground (literally!) band of mismatched people getting together to make a tiny little difference in the world. One person opened a letter from someone who said he'd been in prison for 40 years. I can't imagine what it would be like to spend 40 years - an entire lifetime - in prison. I can't even stand being in my apartment for a full day! I hope to make an effort to go back and help out again. And, now I will look at books at yard sales in a whole different light!

Dream of the Day

Last night I dreamed that I got a tattoo. This is strange for several reasons:
1 - I've never considered getting a tattoo and don't reckon that I ever will.
2 - It was on my upper arm, near my shoulder. If I was ever going to get a tattoo, it definitely wouldn't be on my arm or any other place where it would be easily visible.
3 - It was some sort of cheesy looking banner thing that said Christie Jean IV.
4 - In my dream, I had a conversation with someone in which it became apparent that I didn't actually want it to say "Christie Jean IV".
5 - I concluded that I could probably have it "fixed" to say Christopher and make the IV into a heart!

It amuses me to no end that I came up with all of that in my sleep! Fortunately, when I woke up there was no tattoo on my arm.... or anywhere else for that matter!

Today is Amy's birthday!! (and other stuff)

Nightmare on 15th Street - The other night I dreamed that someone stole my flute. I woke myself up crying. Sadly, this is not the first time that I've had that dream, nor the first time I've woken myself up crying in my sleep.

Runnings-Into - As aforementioned on this blog, I love randomly running into people around town. In the last few days, I've run into several people. Last night, on our way home, Chris and I saw Ian and Bekah (super cool folk from my small group who are moving to "East Asia" next month). A few days ago, I saw Candace (of Grand Jury Fame), but we were in a car and I thought it might be weird if we stopped so we just kept going. Then, this morning I ran into Molly in the metro station. Speaking of Molly, she just started a new blog. I haven't even visited it yet so don't yell at me if you don't like it. :)

Also, I would like some frozen yogurt please. sigh.

Second Grade expert

I remember being in elementary school and thinking that anyone who passed second grade was then qualified to teach it. That made sense to me. After all, as third-graders, we were second-grade experts! Of course, now I realize that there is a lot more to teaching second grade than just having been through it. However, it seems like that elementary school logic is applied in a lot of situations. Frequently, people come to me or my friends (maybe even you!) and ask for advice about something that I've just barely been through. Lately, it seems to be related to relationships. I guess people have always come to me for relationship advice (which was VERY strange when I had never even been on a date and people came to me for advice!), but now it's more specific and drawing on my experiences. Anyways, that happened again today so I will attempt to be helpful and draw on what little wisdom I have to share. :) So, as a wise old third grader, I will bestow my knowledge on a second-grader!

Thursday Thoughts

• When one shops for a new skirt, one should try sitting in said skirt before purchasing, lest the new owner discovers that it falls open in a not-appropriate-for-the-office kind of way
• I'm hoping bad stuff doesn't happen in threes.... at least not this time
• 2 hour commutes are so overrated
• I am so thankful for my close friends and for Chris who truly have operated as a family recently.
  

Little things for a Wednesday

One of the things I love about working from home a few days a week is being able to cook a quick healthy lunch for myself. Today I had sauteed green beans with corn and spinach over a bed of whole wheat couscous. So yummy! And, nutritious! And, I got to eat so many veggies that I am very very full now. It is hard to get many vegetables when you eat out.

Also, I really need to go buy some fruit. I just can't decide which grocery store to go to. The Safeway on Bladensburg is closest, but the one down on 14th is probably a safer walk. I really hate having to consider that every time I go out. I do NOT want to live in fear. I WILL not. well, maybe just a little. sigh.

I'll let you know how my attempt on a new tofu and broccoli recipe works out tonight. I'm pretty excited about it. By the way, I thought maybe I could add some turkey bacon to it and tried to look for recipes like that, but apparently tofu and bacon don't show up in the same recipe very often. Psshaw.

Tears of Joy

Something fairly uncommon in my life happened this morning and so I just wanted to be sure to make a note of it. I cried tears of joy this morning. I was sitting in my awesome red chair finishing up a banana from my breakfast/brunch/lunch when suddenly I was just struck with deep joy and happiness. I don't know entirely why. I was just looking around and thinking how very much I love my apartment and though, I don't have everything exactly as I want it, I just absolutely love my space... it makes me happy to have such a great place to live life. I think that's what triggered my joy, but then I started thinking about how I have a job and work arrangement (work from home two days/week) that I love. And, I'm with the man that I love so much and he adores me. And, I love my new smaller, healthier body. And, my God is so good. Even when life is difficult and deals us a crappy hand, there is joy and rest to be found in Him. Today is probably extra joyful because it is Baptism by the Bay day. This is my absolute favorite NCC event each year. We all head out to Sandy Point and hang out, picnic, then go down to the water to worship with some music and then, the main event... baptism! People make a public confession of faith with this very symbolic act. Right there in the Bay... it is so exciting to be there with people as they begin their public faith journey ... some for the first time... some with vigor for the first time. And, every year, among those baptized, there are people who have been touched by Alpha getting baptized. It reminds me why I do what I do and gives me a tangible moment to be grateful that God allows me to be a tiny part of those people's journey and experience of Him.
And, so, this morning.... tears of joy.

What fruit am I?

So, one of our assignments for small group this week was to ask someone which fruit of the spirit they thought was most evident in our lives. Of course, in the spirit of under-achievement, I waited until the day before small group to do this. But, in the spirit of over-achievement, I am asking more than one person. So far, I have 1 love, 1 joy, 1 patience and 1 watermelon. (One of these things is not like the others.)
What do you think?
As a refresher, the choices are:
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
gentleness
faithfulness
self-control

I'm not dying!

And, rusty nails will not harm me!
I went to the doctor today. A real, run-of-the mill, everyone should have one and go once a year or so, doctor. And, she says I'm not dying.
Normal blood pressure - check!
Normal cholesterol levels - check!
Normal red and white blood platelet levels - check!
She poked and prodded and inspected and listened to me and pronounced me to be healthy. Plus, I got a tetanus shot so now I don't have to fear rusty nails and wild chipmunks. Life is good!

Sport Identified!

Meredith, you were right!! It's bicycle polo. Remember a few months back when I was so intrigued by the random sport I stumbled across on my way to the store? Well, apparently, I'm not the only one that's intrigued. Check it out:
The Washington Post picked it up: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/07/02/GA2009070201500.html
http://www.dcfixed.com/teams/polo/

Playgrounds and airplanes and transformers, oh my!

So, this last week has been fun! Caryl (my sis-in-law, by way of Scott) and Johnny (my nephew, by way of Scott) have been in town. We've been to playgrounds, the Air & Space Museum (at Dulles), Eastern Market. They've been on the mall, seen dinosaurs, animals at the zoo and lots and lots of Firetrucks! Here are a few fun pics from the weekend.

Caryl and Johnny in front of National Airport at Hains Point. We went down to watch the airplanes land.

Me and monkey boy! At one of many playgrounds.

At the air and space museum at Dulles. Notice which boy is NOT behaving!

This is the face of a boy who demanded a repeat visit to Jaleo. (Yes, an upscale tapas restaurant.... they've created a monster with a sophisticated palette.)

Behold! "Clean-out-the-freezer" eggs

For those of you who keep returning to my blog for more punishment and only to find it not updated, you may recall my earlier fondness for "clean-out-the-fridge" salad. Tonight, I ventured into a new land that I will call, "Clean-out-the-freezer" eggs. I ate way too much for lunch so I was trying to figure out something to eat tonight with lots of veggies and without lots of calories and fat and such. This fit the bill. And, fortunately, it turns out that spinach, roasted corn, shrimp, eggs, feta, salt, pepper and dill is really quite, quite tasty. I think perhaps I shall try this method again soon. (But, not too soon, I did, after all, make a dent on cleaning out the freezer.)














In other news: Screen on the Green is saved!!

The Long Way

Tonight, I had a first. For the first time in my life, I swam an Olympic length pool, the long way. And, guess what? It kind of is a long way! I was disappointed to realize how very slow my 50 is, but oh well.... I guess that means there is plenty of room for improvement. Plus, the workout goes fast because each length takes twice as long and I swim half as many.
Anyways, just thought I would share! (LOVE my gym!)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is why I love my job!















When I brought up the fact that we really needed to get my 6-month review done, my boss promptly grabbed a post-it pad and gave me this. Seriously.

Today's score so far

Walked outside to discover 92nd day of rain this month: -1
Caught bus immediately: +2
Was bigger person and said hi to girl on bus who seems to routinely ignore me even though we've gone to the same church for a long time: +3
Passed Calculus (with an A- !!): +5

Total so far: +9

Derivatives Be Done!

I just finished my calculus exam a little bit ago. Whew! I am so glad that's done. And, I think I did surprisingly well on it. At the minimum, I am confident that I passed. And, let's be honest. That was the goal here. For those that don't know, I was taking calculus this semester as a pre-req. to get into the MBA program at Mason. Let's just say that it wasn't a walk in the park. The professor was less than stellar (he actually answered his phone during class one night!) and well, calculus is hard! Well, it's difficult for a girl that hasn't done high-level math in about 15 years! Anyways, so it's over.
However, I have to get a tetanus (tetnus? huh. I don't know how to spell that. That's embarrassing. embarassing? eh - I must just be tired) shot before I can find out if I passed the class. I never turned in my immunizations so my account has a hold on it and I won't get my grade until I do that. Since I haven't had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years, I have to do that first! So, if I have to go get a shot and then find out that I failed the class, that's going to be a real double-downer. Hopefully, that's not the case.
Hmm... lots more to say, but I'm wilting.
Ciao

Thoughts from a Seashore

A few random thoughts from today:

• It must not just be the swimming that I enjoy. I think I enjoy the repetitive motion of many activities that I like. Today we went for a fairly long bike ride and I had the same experience - where I could just put my body on autopilot and zone out, allowing myself to think and reflect and observe whatever I wanted.
• My father and I were walking on the beach. He picked up shells that were pretty (his word) and perfect (my word). I was looking for unique, interesting shells. I have a feeling that says a lot more about our differences than just our shell aesthetics.
• I never want to take the ocean for granted. I could sit and listen to and watch the waves for forever. Here are a few random shots just to make sure I don't take it for granted. (There are a bunch of other vacation photos here, too.)
  

Today's to-do list

• Cuddle with my nephew
• Hang out with parents, who I rarely get to see
• Drink diet coke
• Sit on deck listening to ocean
• Lay on beach reading a magazine and getting some sun
• Give hugs to Scott and Caryl for first time in 9 months.
  

Good stuff!

A Walk Across Philly

I love walking around cities/towns that I love. Yesterday, I spent all afternoon just walking across Philly, stopping wherever I wanted to check out a shop, get a manicure, have a mojito, take some pictures, whatever tickled my fancy. It was very hot, but I did get to at least go to Reading Terminal Market, Elfreth's Alley, Jeweler's Row and walk by Independence Hall and City Hall.

I realized that I really miss a few things about Philly. I miss the grit... the blue-collar working-class feeling you can get there. I mean I met a machinist one night. I can't imagine meeting a machinist in DC.

I also miss the rich, rich homegrown arts scene in Philly. One of the best orchestras in the world, dance companies, Curtis Institute, lots of visual artists, a culinary canvas to compete with any city... there is a lot to miss. Like many things in DC, the arts are often (or at least feel) imported. Of course, that's one of DC's strengths: an internationa population and attraction. Even for a city, I suppose one's strengths can be one's weaknesses.

Maybe, though, what I should really do, is make an effort to do a better job of living in DC... finding great restaurants, unique shops and neighborhoods that love me back. I mean I love my neighborhood, but there surely aren't any designer boutiques there. I should go find them. They're not going to come to me.

If only I could get Philly pretzels in DC!!

A Beautiful Mix

I am officially on vacation. Whooo! My first stop is Philadelphia. I arrived here yesterday for a 3-day visit to a city I loved while I lived here and continue to love since I left. Last night, I went and took some pictures of the cross-street signs at the first place I lived here. (see below) I'm working on an art/decor project with black and whites of the signs from all the intersections where I've lived... or at least lived somewhat recently. Then, I snabbed some chicken fried rice from the yummy little Chinese place right there. It was good, but not as good as I remembered. That's a good thing. It means that I don't have to fantasize about it anymore.
Today, I checked out my old church and nearly froze to death, then headed to Manayunk and nearly sizzled to death. Manayunk is this great little neighborhood of shops and restaurants and generally interesting things and people. However, it was very, very hot so I basically went in one or two of my favorite shops and then sat in a coffeeshop for a few minutes before heading back. I tried on this shirt of total awesomeness, but couldn't justify spending $70 on a trendy shirt that I would probably only be able to wear a few times. Maybe I should have bought it anyways. Too hot to sit out and people-watch or comfortably stroll along the canal.
Then, tonight, Missy was totally awesome and cooked a phenomenal meal for us and some mutual friends here in the area. She is a great, creative cook and, as always, whipped up something totally tasty and healthy. Oh, I almost forgot! She also made smoked paprika hummus for me!! How awesome is she! She saw it on my gchat status a few weeks ago and researched it. It was really good. Thanks Missy!
Good food, good people, no work... what more could I want?

Wow. Just wow.

Wow. Today's just one of those days. The sun is shining on me... both literally and metaphorically. I love my life. Ridiculously. sigh.

Now, if only I can actually get some sleep tonight.

Oh yeah, and also, Amy had her baby. He is CRAZY-cute. Seriously. And, newborns aren't supposed to be cute.

Dear dude on the Cue bus,

I'd prefer not to hear about your controlling ex-wife and the resulting divorce.
Thanks.

I can't believe I'm typing this....

There is a very good chance that today is the day that my Amy sees her baby for the first time. They decided to induce her and so if they can "fit her in", she'll be having a baby today. Holy crap! It seems like just yesterday that I was bonding over our latest crush or bad date on her futon and today, she and Luke are having a baby. Ok, so to be fair, "yesterday" really was only about 2 years ago (maybe even less), but still.
Anyways, if you think about it, send up good thoughts and prayers and stuff for Amy today. And, for the baby, of course, too. According to her blog, she's having a little freakout, but I feel like that is to be expected.
I love you Amy! Good luck!

Dear girl in front of me on the Cue bus,

If I can hear your phone conversation over Mahler, you are talking too loudly!

Thing 9

Thing 9: On one side of my extended family, there are lots of dairy farmers. As a result, I learned the proper way to "moo" as a child. Cows don't actually say "moo", you know. They make this other sound more like "mrrrrr". I used to say that my father made me moo the "right" way and I would get in trouble if I said "moo", but now I'm wondering if I didn't just make that up. Anyways, that's thing 9. I can (or at least could at one point) moo like a cow.

Unidentified Sport

So, today, I walked. A lot. And, along the way, I saw lots of interesting things. One of those things I have yet to identify. Perhaps you can help. It involved the following things:
1 - a game/sport of some kind
2 - six guys on bikes in what appeared to be two teams of three
3 - a long-handled hollow mallet type thing for hitting a ball
4 - a ball
5 - some cones that seemed to serve as goal markers

What IS this game??

31 year old resolutions

I like birthday resolutions. No pressure to make resolutions when everyone else does, plus it can be completely individual. I get a whole fresh year on a completely different day than everyone else. I like that. Anyways, so a few 31-year old resolutions.
1 - I'm going to start getting to work on time. As has been reiterated numerous times on this blog, I am NOT a morning person so my 90+ minute commute combined with the fact that the workday is supposed to start in the morning has not resulted in a very on-time Hyla. But, now I only commute 3 days a week so I need to make an effort to actually get there by 9am. Ok. I can do this. Strategy #1: earlier bedtimes.
2 - I think I will floss more. I like having good oral hygiene, but I haven't been flossing as much as I should. Yes, I will do that.
3 - While I'm thinking about body-things, I'm going to take better care of my skin. I'm not a spring chicken anymore... I should spring for some good age-defying something or other. Or, at least, moisturize regularly.
4 - I resolve to spend at least 4 hours a week intentionally alone. Not just time that I end up accidentally alone. And, sitting at Ebenezers hoping for someone to come along and talk to me so I don't actually have to be alone doesn't count. Doing house-stuff (condo-stuff) and running errands does. No making phone calls. (But, if someone calls me, that's not my fault!) I feel much more balanced when I have a little alone-time, but I just don't like it. I like the being productive and getting things in order part, but I just don't like the alone-part. But, I know it makes me a happier, healthier Hyla and that's what we need.

Thing 7 and Thing 8

7. I am physically incapable of standing still and brushing my teeth. Actually, I'm not very good at standing still at all. I even pace when I'm waiting for the train.

8. I have a little crush on Usher. Ok, not really on Usher so much as his music. I identify with his lyrics a little more than I should probably admit.

Thing 5 and Thing 6

Thing 5: I love being single.

Thing 6: I hate being single.

This wasn't in the fairytale

I'm going to do one of my typically cryptic personal posts. Today is Easter. Easter is supposed to be filled with joy. And, it was joyful. But there was some sorrow, too. Although, by the time I was 15 or so, I started to be disillusioned and began to perceive that there was some sort of uniqueness about me that was going to pervade my relational life, when I was a truly small girl, I thought the fairytale would be for me. The fairytale where you grow up (well-educated, strong-willed and totally capable of surviving on your own, of course), meet someone who "gets" you at the deepest level, get married, have/adopt an adorable, well-behaved child and live happily ever after. Of course, I believe Easter is about Christ, but after Christ, it's also about kids. But, my Easter activities were noticeably devoid of children and full of adults.

I also didn't know there would be so much heartache in the story. I never imagined that I would come home alone at 30, try to convince my mind to stop thinking and eventually fall asleep with tears in my eyes. I didn't think that love was complicated. I wish someone had told me that relationships can be really complicated and they may make your life less simple, even more difficult that it was previously. So, you should make very wise and prudent choices. And, then I think that I wouldn't want to trade any of my experiences away for the world.

When I was 25, I made a list of goals to accomplish by 30. One of the goals/hopes was to be married. I turn 31 this week. I'm pretty sure that ship has sailed! Don't get me wrong. There are many many days when I love being single and can appreciate all of the luxuries I have because I am single. It's just that today is not one of them.

Does still = still?

I am frequently accused (usually lovingly) of not being able to relax, to slow down, to just do nothing. And, I will admit that I can struggle with this. I like being productive, active, and busy. When I'm honest, I have to face the fact that sometimes this is my mechanism to avoid being alone with my thoughts. But, I think my personal time is just a little different than many other people's. Often, my alone time is not alone and my time being still isn't actually still. For example, I consider my commute to be alone time, even though I'm surrounded by "the masses" on trains and buses.
There is a verse (in Psalms?) that says, "Be still and know that I am God." This is a verse and a concept that I've thought about a lot. And, though, I understand that I do need to have a discipline of solitude and silence and stillness in my life (I'll blog about the great book that's from some other time), I can't help, but think that sometimes I am still without actually being physically still. I think the perfect example of this is my time in the swimming pool. I am alone. Sure there are other people swimming, but there is no interaction. I can't hear them. All I hear is the awesome, rhythmic sounds of the water and the thoughts inside my head. It is so repetitive that I find it to be almost therapeutic. And, once I hit my stride, I can just let my thoughts wander and pray and, well, "be still". In those times, I sense the power and wonder of our God. And, so I suggest, that even when I'm cutting through the water at blindingly fast speeds (what!? you've never seen me swim.... shush, Amy), I am, from time to time, still before my God.

Thing 4

I learned how to swing poi when I was in grad. school. I had a colleague/friend who performed with her boyfriend, a circus artist of sorts. She taught me how to swing and also that it can be a great escape to do something physical and repetitive when you are spending a lot of time in intense thought. I'm still not very good at swinging poi, but I enjoy it.

My new hair - the straight version

You can't see it all that great because of this shirt, but I wanted to show you anyways.

Hyla.com is taken!

So, every now and then I google my name just to see what people can find about me out there on the interwebs. Today, I went to google it and noticed hyla vacuum pop up in the drop-down suggestions. Not only is there a Hyla vacuum... the website is hyla.com! Awesome (and strange) things from the website:
- a graphic with a mailbox that simply says, "Hyla"
- "HYLA will support you so that you can achieve your goals."
- "You can build a professional future with HYLA."

Also, please note their logo.

http://www.hyla.com.au/home

Thing 3

Thing 3: I love being around people, but I prefer to spend time with one or two other people rather than with a large group. Maybe it's because I'm selfish and a spotlight hog, I'm not sure. It's one of the things I love about being in a relationship, too, because I get someone's undivided attention.

Hot water and stressful dreams

I got the hot water fixed! Yay! I had been taking super-quick showers since I moved in here b/c my hot water (which really wasn't all that hot) was only lasting about 5 minutes or so. However, I adjusted the hot water heater (apparently, it's a double-boiler... who knew?) and now I am able to have a comfortable shower. That's a relief. I have a few little kinks to work out in this apartment to make sure this is a place I want to buy. That's one more down.

I think that our dreams probably tell a lot about us. My recurring nightmares aren't so much scary as stressful. The common theme is not being able to get somewhere or to get something done. Last night, I dreamed that I was trying to get home, but I kept missing my train stop. Then, somehow I ended up at someone else's house and in the morning, I gathered up all of my stuff, but everytime I went to get it, it was missing. I couldn't find my belongings, which meant that I just kept getting later and later. I was so frustrated I almost started crying in my sleep. So, apparently, I have a fear of being late. Ugh. I hope I don't have that again for a while.

This is what I live for!

I spent the last 24 hours or so on the Alpha Getaway. I got to see people visibly wrestling with their beliefs. I heard people discussing the ways their thoughts and lives were being stretched. I got to see people praying together, building really meaningful relationships and bonding over deep spiritual issues. Seeing people discover a new dimension of God or find a slightly new way to view their faith.... for me, this is the stuff of life. And, I'm so grateful that I get to be a part of it.

The Garbage Truck Time Warp

So, I was walking home tonight and a garbage truck passed me and all of a sudden, I realized something. At all of the places I've lived in the last five years or so, the garbage collectors have come at 6am. How do I know that, you ask? Well, when a huge garbage truck pulls up, picks up a dumpster and empties the contents into the truck and then compacts them with world's loudest trash compactor, you notice. Especially, if it's 6 in the morning. So, this brings me to the weird part of this realization.
How is it possible for all the trash to be collected at 6 in the morning? Either I have extraordinary luck in moving to all the places scheduled for 6am trash pickup or there is something fishy going on here. I propose that garbage trucks actually live in some sort of parallel universe where time is warped and they can continually be picking up trash and it will perpetually be 6am at each of their pickup stops. Who can confirm this? Surely, there must be someone out there who is a DC trash collector.

Things 1 and 2

So, this is the first of a series. You may have seen the "25 things about me" posts on Facebook. Well, I am tempted by the idea, probably mostly because I have unhealthy self-obsession, but I am overwhelmed by trying to do that in one sitting. So, instead, I have decided to jot down one or two here when I think of them. Then, I can compile them later if I decide I want to share them on another forum. So:
Thing 1: I confess that I have fallen asleep in my bed cradled by only the glow of my laptop on more than one occasion.
Thing 2: I don't own a car and yet, still insist on taking the bus the whole way across town to Trader Joe's rather than walking four blocks to Safeway.

Fighting through

I'm gonna be honest here. This isn't the greatest weekend of my life. I have absolutely no reason to dislike this weekend. It's actually very quiet... absolutely no plans and plenty of time to organize, clean and plan my life (and oh, how I love planning!). But, I'm not loving it. I'm begrudging it. This is one of those times that I really hate being single. What, you ask, does being single have to do with this? Well, here's the thing. If I was attached, this weekend would be the perfect opportunity to actually spend some relaxing time together. We could laze around, run errands and I wouldn't feel so lonely doing "nothing". However, doing nothing alone is really hard for me to get excited about.
Perhaps, it also has something to do with the fact that I'm essentially trying to get over a break-up all over again. I really am trying to move on, but it is so very, very difficult when you really love the person and you're the one shutting the door. It just really isn't fair. Never in a million years did I think I would be in this situation. Or, that this was even possible.
Ok, off to the store. I have to try to get myself out of this funk. More later.

A gorgeous spring weekend with a friend

Well, this is just all very intimidating. I haven't blogged in such a long time that I can't even begin to catch you up. Nor can I do an adequate job of picking a topic or two that would bridge the gap. And, of course, when I feel pressure to write, I can't write at all. So, who knows what the next paragraph or so out of my fingers will end up being!
This weekend, my dear friend Gail came to DC for her annual visit. In the past, she's come in January when it is freezing cold and we kind of shuttle from indoor event to cab to indoor event, etc. But, this year, it was absolutely gorgeous out... in the 60s and 70s. So, we took advantage of the weather to stroll around some great areas, like Eastern Market and Georgetown. And, of course, we hit a good restaurant along the way. Last night, we had dinner at Proof. Yummy, yummy. Great wine, perfectly prepared food and a really nice server. I give them two thumbs up and a "Y'all should go there." I had duck. I love duck. Yummy. (hee -- I accidentally typed yuppy.. lol)
Now, I have all of Sunday evening to just decompress and prepare myself for the week. Maybe I'll just go home and make a yummy little dinner. well, hopefully, I will be a better blogger from here on out.

Inaugural Thoughts

I have been absent from here for too long and there is much of my life to fill in here and I will do so, but I just felt inspired to write something here this evening. Also, I have a few moments to actually reflect and write so I will.
Today, I did something that I didn't really expect to ever do. I went out to the mall for the inauguration. It was a little crazy, I suppose. We left around 8:30 so not that early and walked around the south side of the capitol to get onto the mall. We ran into a few super-crowded snaggle messes, but all in all it was an orderly, though crowded, march toward the mall. We were told by the police and volunteers that the 14th street entrance was still open, but when we got there, it was (recently?) closed. Long story short, we ended up jumping the fence and only got a short ways onto the mall before we were essentially body-locked into place. The good news, of course, is that all those bodies made for some supplementary heat.
But, it was definitely worth it. To have lived in DC and not have attended at least one inauguration would be regrettable, but this one, with such historical presence would have been especially unfortunate to miss. I wasn't sure how I, as a firm fence-sitter, would react internally to be surrounded by so many excited Obama "fans", die-hard liberals and Bush haters. I did have a few uncomfortable, maybe even embarrassed, twinges when both Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. were boo'd. I did have a lot of respect for a mother nearby, though, who responded to her teenage son's booing by saying, "Don't boo. He's still your President for 45 more minutes."
But, of course, all of that was subsidiary to being there to see and hear the swearing in and speech of not only the first African-American President, but the first President identifying with any ethnic minority group. Naturally, many of the people on the mall were excited to see our last President be ushered out and the ideas, policies and hopes of the new administration ushered into Washington. As for me, I'll wait and see.
Some things I already know, though. I know that I felt the weight of today. I know that I teared up. I'm not entirely sure at what point I teared up, but I do know that it was an emotional reaction to the significance of a non-white man taking the highest office in the land. If this is even a smaller step toward a country free of bigotry and underserved prejudice, then this was a wonderful, wonderful day. I do hope that today marked even a bit of social progress.
Racial prejudice hits me very close to home and it is so painful, frustrating and at times infuriating to think that some people I love have trouble accepting other people I love merely because of their skin, background or culture. I can only hope and pray that this is a step in the right direction to join divided people.
Man, I could write so much more, but I really must get to sleep soon. Happy new administration to all. And to all, a good night!

Christmas Eve

Growing up, I was never really drawn to traditions. I prefer inventive and fresh to repeated and consistent. Many things in our house were constant and repetitive, like dinner together each evening and doing laundry on Mondays. But for some reason, holidays didn't seem to fall into that category. I seem to remember more consistency from when I was a small child, but by the time I was a teenager, every Christmas was different from the one before. Some years, we would have Christmas dinner at our house. Other times, we would go to Grandma and Pappy's. Sometimes one or both of my brothers would come home and other times, we would travel to them.
For many years, it never really bothered me, but as I got into my mid-twenties, I started to itch for my own traditions. I've tried coming up with different rituals, but most things haven't stuck. I decorated my apartment, complete with garland, lights, a tree and even mistletoe three years in a row. But, this year, I just didn't feel like I had time so I didn't. I decided one year that I would go to the National Christmas Tree every year. So far, I'm 2 for 4. Last year, I decided I would start getting a real tree each year at Eastern Market. That lasted one year. It's hard to have consistency when every year, I'm living in a different place and/or spend Christmas in a different way. I have some ideas of ways I can start spending Christmas when I'm staying in DC. I would hang a stocking on the fireplace, get my real tree again, go to Christmas Eve service and then go to the Capitol Christmas tree on Christmas. I would walk down by the skating rink and eventually make my way back up Pennsylvania Ave, stopping at any place that was open for hot chocolate. Then, I'd come home, watch Love Actually and wait for relatives to call me.
But, until then, I do have one tradition that I seem to have held onto for a long time. Every year on Christmas Eve, I sit by myself in front of the tree and read the Christmas Story from Luke 2. After all, that's what we are celebrating. Even I, a girl self-proclaimed as pro-Jesus, can forget that all too fast. Then, I sit and stare at the lights on the tree until they get blurry and I decide to go to bed. In fact, that's pretty much where I am right now.
And so, with this one, lone tradition in my pocket, I'm off to bed. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Christmas Letter Season

It's that time again. You know it well: Christmas Letter Season. I was always vaguely aware of the existence of this season, but it's only been in the last few years that my awareness has grown acute and personal. It seems that as my friends have begun acquiring spouses, pets, children, mortgages and careers, they have also acquired a desire to share their lives with their rolodex once a year, in the form of a Christmas Letter. And, so, I thought that perhaps I should share a bit of my life with you as well. However, I will follow the sentiment of a friend of mine who stated in her letter, "2008 has been a rich year filled with ups and downs and simple memories made in the routine of life." Though I was elated that according to the content of the letter, they had actually only had ups, I was just a wee bit sad that it didn't actually share the downs with me. And, so, for you, dear reader -- My Reality Christmas Letter. May it leave you with tears and joy and laughter.

Dear family and friends and foes,
I can hardly believe it's Christmas already! I'm nowhere near "ready" whatever that is, my gift list is nonexistent and my decorations are still firmly in their tupperware bin. But, I noticed the other day that the wreaths are up in Union Station so it MUST be Christmas. I know that no one really likes reading these so I will make it easier for you by skipping the flowery droll and giving you my year in bullet points.

• Last Christmas, I started dating Chris. Sometime in February, I fell in love. By summer, I wasn't sure. I broke up with the absolute love of my life in October. September-November was a living hell. I cried all the time. I'm doing better now, but it's still hard. I still love him and don't know what to do with that. It's very confusing. Thanks for asking.
  
• The job I had at the beginning of the year was kinda crappy so I quit in March. I was unemployed for four months. I found a job in July that I really like. I now do marketing for the Center for the Arts at George Mason University. The commute is 3 hours/day and that sucks.
• The apartment I lived in last year had roaches and water damage. The building management didn't seem to care. So, while I was unemployed, we had to move. We found a house that is big and nice. The problem, of course, is that it's big. Taking care of a yard is no fun. Plus, it's hot as hell here in the summer and who wants to mow? At least it's close to the metro. And, no roaches.
  
• My brother and sister-in-law have had a great year at their church. Unfortunately, finances are a bitch and they lost their house. That totally sucks. Their son is pretty much the cutest thing on earth, though.
• Mom and dad and my other brother and his family seem to be doing well, though.
  
• I'm still pro-God.
• My good friend Amy moved away, got married and knocked-up (in that order). She's psyched.
  
• In the next year, I plan to implement my secret plan to take over my workplace and then start pursuing my MBA. That will take a long time, but it's free so that's cool. Too bad I have to take the GMAT.

Thanks for reading. Until next year, have a merry and roach-free year!
Hyla

Overheard in the kitchen

Maybe our Saturday mail service was discontinued because we voted Republican.

smarties

When I was a child, I sorted smarties by color and stacked them. Then, I ate from the tallest stacks until all of the stacks had an equal number of smarties.

Sometimes, I still do.

I love smarties.

Quote of the Day:

Guy sitting at light in DC to me (in Steelers hat):
"You're too pretty to be a Steelers fan!"

Attacked?

Maybe I'm just being oversensitive. Maybe I'm hug-deprived. Maybe it's an emotional re-allocation because I'm not dealing with my breakup. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive because it's election time in DC and of all the times I hate, I hate election time the most. Whatever the cause, I'm feeling attacked today. Maybe I'm just taking purely benign statements personally. Or, maybe people are just being borderline mean to me. And, it's about really stupid stuff, too. I mean, who cares if someone else mislabels a neighborhood low-income? Who cares? Who cares if someone thinks I'm fat? It shouldn't matter. But, it does. And, so, I will just stay in my little shell (aka office) and wait for it to be 5. It can't be 5 soon enough.

Ghost or Witch?

Well, Halloween is creeeping up on us so the inevitable question will be raised. What will you be for Halloween? This year, my lovely mother is coming to visit me for Halloweekend so I get out of deciding which parties to go to and can just hang out with her instead. However, this brings to mind my experience of Halloween as a child.
My mother was not ever very big on Halloween in general. We didn't do much in the way of trick-or-treating since our neighbors were all about a quarter-mile apart and necessitated driving to each house. Not really the traditional Halloween method. Regardless, as a kid in a public school, it's a requirement to dress up. And, so, each year, a week or so before Halloween, my mom would ask me, "So, whaddya wanna be this year? A ghost or a witch?" The answer to this question was highly dependent on what last year's answer was. I mean, I wouldn't want to be a ghost two years in a row! We would march up to the attic and retrieve the white pillowcase already outfitted with eyes and a mouth or the witch hat and any of several witch hair options and that would be that. And, so that's how it came to be that Hyla always dressed as a ghost or a witch or a witch or a ghost.
What will YOU be for Halloween?
(Warning: The preceding story could possibly have flourished and developed over the years.)

Oh Rachie (pronounced Rocky), how I love thee

(Rachie as in Rachmaninoff, of course)
Last night, I took an orchestra virgin to the NSO (and for some Rach nonetheless!). It was awesome. I mean the concert was fair enough and everything, but the experience of introducing someone to live classical music for the first time... that's awesome. My friend is fairly stoic so she didn't say too much, but I could just see her brain taking in all the new sights and sounds and strange procedures. I don't know that much about her upbringing other than that she grew up mostly in Nigeria, but everything seemed really new to her. I even identified a bunch of the instruments for her and everything. Anyways, it was cool. That's me. Wiping out orchestra virginity one person at a time.

The "S" word

Last night, I watched Baby Mama with Amy (yup, Washington Amy -- in Washington!) and one little snippet of dialog really caught my attention.
"Being single is NOT an alternative lifestyle"
"It is when you're 37!"
Of course, this was in the midst of lots of humorously biting dialog about the main character being career-driven at the expense of her personal life, yada, yada. But, I just couldn't get this line out of my head. It resonates with me... maybe with a dull ringing in the pit of my stomach.
There was a time, not so long ago, that I was really happy to be single. But, as I looked down that path of being single, it didn't look very worn. It looks indefinite and a little lonely. It looks like a place of great reward if the pioneering is successful, but if it's not, then it looks a little scary.
And, I realized recently that one of the reasons it looks so scary is because in my world, being single is not the norm nor the goal. And, if I was to be single, then I think my path may look a little different from others. It affords me the time to pour myself into my career and overcommitment at church and excessive education, yes. But, what about other things in my life? I've wanted to adopt for a long time. I originally thought that meant falling in love with a man who also wants to adopt and then naturally going through that process. But, what if I'm single? Well, guess what? I still want to adopt! I still want someone to pour my life into. I still want someone to be responsible for and to teach and inspire. I want to experience family as an adult. I wonder, though, what people would think. Would people smile to my face, but say disparaging things behind my back or feel sorry for me?
Oh, I don't know... I think I got way off on a rabbit trail. The point is that it upsets me that in my little corner of the world, I think being single really is viewed as an alternative lifestyle. And, not alternative as in A vs. B, but as in good versus subpar. As a girl in the "B" world or "subpar" world or (gasp!) single world, I wonder how it seems so easy for some people. A lot of people seem to date one or two people, fall in love and everything lines up. Before you know it, they're in love, engaged, and married with a puppy and a spare bedroom. I don't know that world. I know a world where there have been more men in my life than I care to count. I live in a world where I fell madly and deeply in love with a man and for some reason couldn't seem to make it work. I live in a world where I don't understand how something that seems so natural is so very very difficult for me. I just don't understand.

30.5 and other sundry thoughts from a Friday

Today, I am 30.5 years old. Yep! It's my half birthday! I know I'm way too old to celebrate half birthdays, but I do anyways so whatever. Here's me at 30.5 years of age. Also, I had a raging nightmare last night that one of my good friends died. I was crying out loud, sobbing actually. I could hear myself crying, but I couldn't wake up enough to make myself stop. My eyes were all pasty and gross when I finally woke up.

In almost exactly 24 hours, I will be claiming a hug from Amy! Yay! This makes me thankful for airplanes, aeroscience, good friends, zipcars (to get me to the airport), and muffins (that's a hint, Amy).

appley goodness

So, we went apple picking this weekend. It was a good time. Mostly. I mean, I loved hanging out with my friends and everything. I just can't get over my general displeasure for picking fruits and vegetables, though. I mean, I don't mind going out and gathering a few things for dinner from the garden. Or, digging potatoes. I really like digging potatoes! That's so fun because they're totally hidden so it's like going potato hunting. Anyways, I digress. The point is that I had fun with some apple-picking cronies this weekend. (Meredith posted some pics here.)
And, so last night, I had some apples to use. So, what else? The apple-themed dinner. I had baked chicken and apples with cranberry chutney, stuffing with apples and apple crisp. Once again, my cooking skills outshine my baking skills. Seriously, apple crisp is supposed to be the easiest dessert on the planet, but I wasn't 100% happy with it. It tastes really good, but I don't like the way it looks. Oh well. I should really just stick to cooking. Really.
Anyways, that's all. Just a little apple tale.

Surplus!

I've been slowly trying to clean up my space and make it my own here in the office. That meant getting rid of one file cabinet and a gargantuan bookcase. However, now I have need for a smaller bookcase and a bulletin board. So, I decided to take a fieldtrip... to surplus! Surplus, the fabled land where computers and office furniture goes to die, but gets one last chance to be claimed by employees like me looking to repurpose it. I had decided in my brain that surplus was going to be beyond my wildest dreams, filled with awesome furniture, random campus extras and things that would generally make me happy. Well, guess what. It's not. It's not filled with fun things. It's just a bunch of dead desks and filing cabinets and a giant computer graveyard. It's a very sad place, actually, filled with the smell of office carnage and an aura of "all washed up". The feeling of glory days gone by and a longing for former usefulness was almost palpable. I wanted to save them all. I wanted to tell every computer that it had done a good job, that it did the best it could with the limited ram and memory it was given, that we were proud of it, but I knew that the next truck to the state auction was really the best place for it. And, so, I came away empty handed, leaving behind the computers, the chairs, the televisions to go on to their next life.

I'm going to try NOT to worship google

They did it! They finally did it!
I've been complaining for years about how someone needs to develop a function to prevent forgotten attachments on emails. You know what I mean. You carefully craft an email to a new contact with some sort of business idea, detail the contents of the attached proposal and then promptly hit send. Two seconds later, you realize that you've forgotten to include the attachment and about 4 seconds after that are fully convinced that that business deal will never go through. So, I've been saying seemingly forever that Google (gmail) or Outlook should develop a little pop-up reminder function if it detects the word attach in any of its forms in the email to say, "Well, pardon me, super-fast-email-writer, but I believe you may have forgotten an attachment." And, by gum, Google did it! Unfortunately, I won't be gaining any financial stature for my idea, but I'm just happy to get to use the feature. It's apparently still in its testing phase, but if this provides you with even a fraction of the excitement it provides me, you should hop right over to your gmail settings, go to the labs tab and enable it (and maybe a few other fun new features, too!).
Attach without fear, my friends. Attach without fear!

Reconnecting

Wow. It's been a while. I can't believe it's already October. And, yet a part of me is so glad that it is. I do love the fall and want to embrace this month for all that it is. Anyways, I've been very irregular in my posting lately. I feel like my life is evolving very quickly and it's been all I can do to keep up with it. I have so many thoughts in my head and I'm not sure which ones are most important to share right now. So, I will resort to bullets (god, my coworkers must hate me).

• I am taking this fall to recharge and recalibrate. I was feeling a little worn out after finding a new place to live, a new job and working on several volunteer efforts this summer. Not to mention trying to steer myself through the most serious relationship I've ever attempted. I'm less social than usual in an effort to make sure my focus is in the right place. I say that God is the most important thing in my life, but I was living my life as though other people were. And, that's not a bad thing to focus on, but I wasn't being true to myself or my God. So, I'm taking this fall to read a lot of scripture, memorize some scripture, write, meditate, pray and generally recalibrate.
• On a smaller scale, I decided to fast this week in order to try to get my head wrapped around some things in my life. I will stay cryptic on this one, but I'm sure there will be more to follow in coming days. The current update, though, is that I am not good at fasting. I like eating. :)
• I've suddenly gotten the home-ownership bug. Ok, more accurately, I've gotten the "want to live in a place that feels like home and I can make exactly the way I want it to be" bug. There are a few obstacles in my way, though. So, I've started climbing over and around them. One is my credit card debt, which I just transferred to a 0%apr card so I can knock that out in the next year. (Thanks for the kick in the pants on that one from Colleen.) Another is the whole down-payment issue. I will have to apply for lots of homebuyers' assistance, but in DC, there is a fair amount available (hopefully, that remains the case for a year or so until I am ready to buy).
  
• Also, the Steelers have a severe running-back shortage. Well, had. They just signed Russell and Davenport back on. I really liked Davenport so I'm glad to have "Naj" back. The boys are really injury-plagued this year... running backs, Hampton, Kiesel. In spite of it, I'm kind of excited to see what the game will be like this week with a short week and different personnel.

K - enough rambling. I'll try to stay more connected!