An acquired skill?

I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's a different social culture or my comfort level in this city or pure dumb luck, but I had three good conversations with guys just sitting at bars today. Ok, that sounds raunchy. Nothing flirty or anything like that. Just random conversations in contrast to eating or watching the game alone. It makes me feel more like Hyla-- the girl who loves people and loves listening to them and discovering new ones.
Maybe there's just something about this city that "fits" me.

DC ballot box

Remember that picture I said I wished I had taken? Well, I got it. How great is this!

Wow.

That's the best word I can use right now. Here's a smattering of the thoughts bouncing of the walls of my brain.
- I cannot explain the feeling I get every time I'm in San Francisco. I only lived here for 6 months and I was so sick for half of it I couldn't even enjoy it. Yet, I always feel like I belong here. Maybe saying it feels like home is too dramatic, but it does seem to fit me.
- I'm going through a high-communication period with God. This is good. But, it's a little scary, too. I'm not ready to make any more big decisions or anything... who knows what will come of this.
- I was oddly emotional on the trip out here... what's up with that? I cried at Evan Almighty! Are you serious??? weird

Random people meetings, vol.2

So, my plan of recording every person I ran into didn't last long. However, today I ran into Amy (blonde Amy, for those of you that know of my long list of Amys) on the mall. I hadn't seen her in a long time! That was fun! I think it may be time to start coming out of my hole. I spent a casual afternoon with Jenn and it was great. I haven't done that in so long. I've been so focused on decompressing and now, I think I'm recovered. Time to come back out of my hole! yay!

I must start carrying my camera at all times!

Two funny things I wish I had pictures of from this week:
-- A plain white sticker stuck on a trash can in Georgetown: "DC Ballot Box (Your vote goes here)"

-- A man dragging two large suitcases behind him.
In giant letters on suitcase #1: MINE.
In giant letters on suitcase #2: NOT YOURS!

Today's score

Oversleeping the pool: -1
Getting to sleep in: +1
Finding money on the sidewalk: +2
A relatively quiet day at work: +1

So far: +3

Oh how I love thee, pool

I just had a fabulous swim in which I swam two separate 250's. Yay! I think that was the first time I swam a 250. I'm proud of myself. I shall do that again tomorrow. Yippee!!

Adventures in Oregon

So, I had this GRAND plan for Sunday. I was going to get up early and drive out to the coast to watch the sun come up (or probably, finish coming up) and then come back to watch the Steelers game followed by a few winery tastings and then the wedding. Well, it didn't quite work out that way. Kurt and I left the hotel at 7am to drive out to the coast. At approximately 7:02, we got a flat tire. (See photo illustrations below.)

At least we laughed a lot about it. So, we changed a tire and went out for breakfast instead. Not quite the ocean, but oh well.
I didn't make it to the ocean or the wineries, but I did make it to Jonathan's wedding. Congrats guys!! I have a few pics on flickr. (Warning: they're not so great)

Worst fortune EVER!

Well, I've arrived in Oregon (officially, my 40th state... I counted today... I was off, I guess.) Anyways, I decided to chill in my hotel tonight with some chinese take-out... a mistake in a small town... when will I learn?? Anyways, I got the worst fortune, EVER:
You will make many changes before settling satisfactorily.
What!?! That's horrible. Anyways, tomorrow, Jonathan gets married! Yay!

Stew bumper

I feel like I've had the depressing post up for too long so this is intended to bump it down on the page. I think of brilliant things to write every day and then every night when I actually have time, I forget what that brilliance was. More soon.

big, stewy mess

I've been a bit messy on the inside for a few weeks and it was just tonight that it hit me. It hit me that I have so much stuff spinning around in my head and in my heart. So many issues -- surface, and way, way below. And, it's hard to figure anything out when another issue keeps coming up and another and another and pretty soon it's a big stewy mess. Oh, isn't life fun? Man, I guess God never said it would be easy.

The beginning and the end

They say that people remember the first thing and the last thing... that's why programming for things like recitals is so important. Or, why we generally over-rehearse the opening and closing of a work. I'm thinking that maybe that is also true for days. Or at least my day today. This morning started out great with Starbucks and seeing what I can only explain as a baby raccoon on a leash. Hey, I only report what I see! Then, somewhere between that and 7pm, there was a minor work tragedy that I won't detail here b/c I'm just beginning to experience a duller pain. But, then tonight, I went to a birthday gathering for Elizabeth (who is fabulous, by the way!) and I had a really good time. I thought I would be in a pseudo-crappy mood, but it was exactly what I needed. We had conversations about our hometowns and how to get free tickets to stuff and the probability of Hyla surviving the Peace Corps. It was pretty awesome. As is Elizabeth, the birthday girl! Happy Birthday, Ms. Fabulous!
So, the beginning of today was good... and the ending was good. The middle was somewhat questionable, but we'll leave that for what it is. On to Friday!

Big shout-out to Dell

I requested a new charger/AC adapter for my laptop last night via chat at approx. 6:15pm. My charger was on my desk by 2:40pm today! I love my service agreement! Thanks, Dell!
(and, yes, Stephen - you could say, "easy as dell")

Yay Dell!

My charger (AC adapter) for my laptop died so I contacted Dell since I have the super-duper warranty and service agreement. They're sending me a new one!
Yay!! That was easy!

GJF, Vol next-to-last

Well, we thought today would be our last day for jury duty, but we got called back for yet another day. It's like the never-ending jury duty!

In other news, I didn't run into anyone today. hmmm....

A new series

One of my favorite things about living in the city and commuting via foot and metro is running into people randomly in the course of a day. So, for a week (or maybe two -- we'll see), I'm going to log my running-intos. So, here we go.
This morning, on the metro, I ran into Pat, from our grand jury.
Then, on the other side of the metro, I ran into Sarah, also from our grand jury.
On the way back to the metro, I saw a former board member (he didn't acknowledge me).
Tonight, I ran into another Sarah on the metro (this one is a musician I know from church).
Then, when I was almost home, a familiar green car drove by... with Amy!

Today's random highlights

This morning, I heard a new announcement on metro. (my paraphrase) "Metro now has new, more secure trash cans. So, throw out your trash without fear." What? Um.... was this a problem? Were people fearful when they threw out their trash?

I did my laundry tonight and it was cause to celebrate. drum roll please...... Both of my dryers worked on the first try!! That is a sheer miracle.

And, now smashed eggs with goat cheese, asparagus and sweet corn. yummy (It was supposed to be an omelet, but um, apparently, I haven't yet acquired omelet skills.)

The silver lining...

on the cloud where I always lose my phone is that when I leave the charger at my brother's house, I have 2 or 3 extras at home!

An Open Letter

I hate that you never pass me as I walk home anymore.
I hate that we never run into each other outside the building anymore.
I hate that when I yell your name outside the window, no one yells back.
I admit it, I miss you.
I miss our late night giggle-fests.
I miss seeing your green car in the questionable parking spot.
Maybe we could at least have a date night.

Defy expectation

Every once in a while, I pine for that American dream of a house and a marriage and a dog and 2.67 kids. Today's one of those days. It just hit me suddenly. I was scrolling through a couple blogs of my friends and I was hit with some pangs of jealousy of my friends that are getting married and another who posted adorable pictures of their kids peering out the window. I guess I'm allowed to think about it every once in a while.
And, now I'll just shove the lump back down my throat and go on in my life of strength where I am independent and get to do my own thing and live my life differently... the life where I have frequent culinary experiments, I can work as late as I want and move at the drop of a hat. I'm not trying to fulfill the expectations of my parents or even the expectations of my youth. I'm just living my life full and experimentally. Perhaps that's what's so nice about the grow up - get married- have kids - stay in one place ideal. There's a template to follow -- there's some security in that. I have no template. Just a challenge.