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.