West Coast Girl

Here's some ideas on what to give people who don't like "stuff." Unfortunately, it's not for people who don't have "money."

Okay, today is that day where I don't have a lot to do and so spend my time looking at everything online. Wait a minute, that's what I did yesterday too...

Anyway, so far this morning I've learned the term "manscaping" and how to spell tjuzing. It's onomatopoeia, which I also didn't know how to spell until just now. And as I was looking it up, I had the thought "I wish my browser could read my mind. That would make my life so much easier." Psy-cho!

There's an article about a five-legged dog on CNN, with a picure. Really. Also, Krispey Kreme is coming to DC. Life just keeps getting better. There's some other stuff out there about the jobless rate being the lowest it's been in while. Whatever.

This morning, just as I do every morning, I thought about how much I love coffee. On this side of the country, they've realized the brilliance of the peppermint mocha, and have it available year-round. It's a lovely change from the Nantucket Blend of my everyday.

T minus 5 hours.

Same old city
What can I do, I'm fallin' in love,
Oh Atlanta,
I hear you calling
I'll be coming back to you
one fine day
No need to worry.
There's no hurry
I'm (bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum)
on my way, back to Ge-or-gia

I saw Allison Kraus sing this song at some outdoor amphitheater in Mass. that I can't remember the name of. And this weekend it's coming true.

After much debate over what my holiday plans would be, I decided Sunday to drive to Georgia to see Stephanie over the Thanksgiving holiday. When am I ever going to live within driving distance of Atlanta again? I'm leaving tonight after work, to drive to Kodak, Tennessee (not Kodiak, like the bear), where Steph celebrates Thanksgiving with her extended family. We'll drive back down to Atlanta on Thursday for a weekend full of fun and adventure. I'm very excited. I like meeting new people and making new friends, but there's nothing like time spent with old friends. It's a refreshing drink of water for my heart.

Last weekend was very fun. Saturday I went to Annapolis to see the Navy/Central Michigan game. (Navy won 63-34.) Being around that many men in uniform was everything I hoped and dreamed when I was 14. Except now, all the guys that were so hot because they looked mature (and awesome in uniform) looked young and uncomfortable -- because they're 18. They're all younger than me. I don't know if they should give uniforms to guys that young. It's dangerous. Fortunately, I didn't risk violating the recently re-instituted 3 M's rule of dating, which has been revamped and upgraded to the 4 M's.

We had to leave before the game was over to get back to DC, but took a few minutes to drive around Annapolis, which is adorable. It reminds me of the small New England shipping towns we used to drive through, except that it's all brick instead of clapboard. I'm looking forward to taking day trips up there in the future.

Saturday night was girls' night with the roomies. We watched Chicago and made mudslides (no pillow fights). Sunday was church, lunch with people from church (neato), nap and football. My Pats are leading their division. Redskins -- not so much.

The weekend was gorgeous. It was clear and sunny and in the 60's. I got out onto the trail by my house both days. Someone told me that the tricky thing about DC weather is that every season before it turns bad, there are a few days where everything lets up and it's absolutely beautiful. I think this weekend was it (and not just because it hailed on my car on Monday night). Now it's time for winter.

I have two job interviews in the next couple of weeks for part-time jobs I found on craigslist. They couldn't be more different from each other, but I'm excited about both of them. One is a nanny position for a family with 16-month-old twins in Georgetown, and the other is an copy editor/writer job with a company that does contract work for credit unions. There are great things about each of them. I'll keep you posted.

My little brother apparently had a good birthday last week, and enjoyed the cookies I sent. He didn't comment on the card/wall poster I sent of The Rock. I don't remember exactly what it said, but it contained the word "jabron". (It was a card and a poster.) I'll have to look for it in his dorm room next time I go visit.

Okay, for all of you math geeks out there (led by my brother Stephen, aka Captain Math) who were always a little bit shocked that I never took a math class in college (or chemistry. Am I ashamed of that? Not at all) your day has come. In preparation for the GMAT/possibility of business school, I spent some time today looking at math classes at my local community college. That's right, math. Give me an M A T H. Ick. So I would like to rescind the earlier geek reference I made, because now I need you. Very, very badly. Will trade chocolate chip cookies for math help.

I watched all two hours of the Bachelor last night, and am proud to say that I called it from the beginning of the episode. I won't bother you with the smarmy details, but Bob made the right choice, and not just because she's a California girl.

There was something else...I can't remember. I've been online a long, long time.

So much to do, so much to say! I think my first shout-out has to go to my Patriots, who shut out the Cowboys in Foxboro on Sunday night. Sometimes being a Boston sports fan is the best thing ever. It teaches you faith in a way that few things in this world do.

My weekend was pret-ty cool. I went to Justin's surprise birthday/dinner party and then bowling on Friday night. I had a good time (partially because Kim came out to play -- yay Kim!) and re-learned the truth about myself and bowling. It's alway fun for the first game, so I'm easily suckered into playing another one. And two frames into it, I think "This isn't that cool. I want to go do something else. What's going on over there?" But by that time there are other people involved, so I have to finish. It was fun to hang out with people that night.

Saturday was chock full of nothing. I tried to get my car inspected for the state of Maryland, but evidently there's only one mechanic in my area that works on Saturdays, and he was busy. I went for a run with Laura, which was awesome. It's so good to be outside! Why do we design our lives so that all of the daylight hours are spent indoors? I will never understand that. I feel like a little bit more of a runner now, because I had a cold this weekend and I blew my nose on my sleeve for the first time since I was about 3 (which was before I understood how gross it is). I made Laura promise not to tell anyone, so you can't tell either, okay?

Sunday was church and football. I found out there are pictures in existence of Halloween night this year, which you can see by going to this site, and click on the Halloween picures.. I think that you have to download them, unfortunately. If you look at the group picture Drew is the one with the tin foil on his head (He was a Chipotle burrito -- hot on the outside, hotter on the inside), Sarah is the flapper, Seth is Neo (he usually has blond hair), and Bobby is Indiana Jones. I'm the bunny.

Yesterday was a pretty big day for the Weir's as a whole. My parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in high style. Actually I don't think they did anything to celebrate yesterday, but it's a big deal nonetheless. I can't imagine doing anything for 30 years, so spending that much time with one person seems like a big deal to me. They've raised three kids, lived in eight states (counting Europe as a state) in a bunch of different houses, excelled at their jobs. I think it's been a good run. I hope there are 30 more exciting years ahead.

It was also David's 19th birthday yesterday. I talked to him last night about his life and times, and Halo came up at least 3 times. Now he wants to beat it on the highest level. I don't get it.

On a tangent brought on by my parents, they went to see Master and Commander this weekend. My mom really liked it, as she did Gladiator. This confused me at first, because neither of these movies seem like spectacles my mom would enjoy, but then I realized: she has a crush on Russell Crowe. I confirmed this with her last night on the phone. I think this speaks very well of young Russell's acting ability and longevity, because the last two actors my mom has followed in this was are Robert Redford and Charleton Heston. This endorsement is worth more than any Oscar.

Other big news in the Weir/Miller collective is that my cousin Ashley got engaged to Nathan! Yay, Ashley and Nathan! That means I get to go to Nashville next summer too!

My plan for my life of the moment: I'm thinking about applying to business school to get my MBA in Marketing. I don't have a great idea of the timeline for this yet, but I'm looking into GMAT books and application deadlines. This is somewhat of a transition in what I've been thinking. I think on some level I always thought I'd be married by the time I turned 25, or at least close to it, and since that isn't the case I'm looking at a bunch of other options (Does this make them plan B? Maybe). It's really exciting -- it takes my breath away right now. What an amazing and interesting world! My life is nothing like I thought it would be 5 months ago, let alone 5 years ago. Wow. Who do you want to be?

I walked outside my house this morning and the wind took my breath away -- not the beautiful, awe-inspiring, thank God I'm alive take my breath away, but the bone-chilling, gasping for air, praying that I can travel the 15 feet to my car in less than three seconds take my breath away. I think I didn't move quite far enough south to avoid winter.
The wind has been pretty crazy for the past two days. There was no power on my block when I got home from work last night. I almost turned around and drove anywhere else, but decided to take a nap instead. Thankfully it came back on within 10 minutes of my arrival home, but there are still thousands of people without power in Maryland. After the adventure we had with Hurricane Isabel (and by adventure, I mean six days without power) losing electricity no longer seems like a neat thing. I have very little patience for it.

On a follow-up note to Halloween, I received an e-mail from Sandra today telling me about the sexy ketchup costume she saw this year. Yup, sexy ketchup. I couldn't find it online anywhere (and by anywhere I mean the first three Google pages). There were lots of ketchup costumes, most sold with the tagline "Now you can be everybody's favorite condiment." Dreams can come true on Halloween.
The best part of the costume Sandra saw was the relish purse that went with it. I'm not really even sure what that means.

I'm not sure what this weekend holds, which is sort of exciting. I'm going to a surprise dinner-birthday party tonight, and then bowling in Bethesda. For Saturday I forsee college football in my future, along with a trip to the mechanic to get my car inspected for registration in the state of Maryland. Wa.Hoo.

I went to see Mystic River last night with Drew. The acting was absolutely amazing. When did Sean Penn become the Robert DeNiro of our generation? (and I mean Taxi Driver/Godfather II DeNiro, not Analyze This). He communicates more depth with the lines on his forehead than I've found in anything else I've seen recently. Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins were great. Laura Linney looked beautiful, but her accent fell a little flat.
The movie dragged a bit overall, but in some places the slow pacing worked well. Mystic River is about how the choices we make affect our lives and the lives of the people we know. It's set in Boston, and pretty close to where I used to live (although it seemed like the Boston places they mentioned were in Central Square.)
Then I went home and had a glass of wine with my roommate and watched The Bachelor. Yes, I watched The Bachelor last night. Who thought this show was a good idea? Is there some kind of recovery group out there, because those girls are going to need it!
I was going to try to see the Matrix:Revolutions this weekend, but then Brian described it like this:

"SCENE: White train station

NEO: Whoooooa. Where am I?
CHILD: Where do you think you are?
NEO: I don't know.
CHILD: Think.
NEO: Am I in the Matrix?
CHILD: What do you think the Matrix is?
NEO: Who are you?
CHILD: Who do you think I am?

Blah blah blah. I was like, "Where's the fighting?!?" Get ready for
an overly-philosophical, waiting for Godot-like first 30
minutes...there's no action sequence. Boooooooo."
Yeeeaaahhh, I don't think I need to see it now. Not when Elf is still out there unseen.
And speaking of Office Space, is it weird to anyone else that Gary Cole is now playing the Vice President on West Wing? Is he going to ask the country to come in on Saturday?
There's lots of good football this weekend!

I heard Hotel California twice on the radio yesterday. On my way to work this morning, I drove part of the way behind a white Acura with plates that read HUMBLE1. I sneezed 4 times today. And on the Onion for this week, I found this article. (Careful mom, it contains profanity.)

Coincidence? I think not.

wan·der·lust ( P ) Pronunciation Key (wndr-lst)
n.
A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[German : wandern, to wander (from Middle High German) + Lust, desire (from Middle High German, from Old High German. See las- in Indo-European Roots).]

So I've been here in DC about six months now. During that time I've been to San Diego, Atlanta and Charleston, West Virginia. My next planned trip at this point is back to Dallas for Christmas, but there might be time to squeeze something else in. North Carolina? Massachusetts? Ohio? Pennsylvania? I'm pretty sure the world is my oyster. And did you know the Olympics are next summer in Athens? My little brain is a-ticking.

I was fairly disappointed with the dictionary definition of wanderlust. It has always seemed to me to be a much more mysterious and enticing idea -- I think of the French Foreign Legion and wagon trains. I think of exploring uncharted landscapes and leaving behind what is know just to see what else is out there. I think of doing things just because I've never done them before. Maybe I should be a cartographer.

The weekend was interesting. And by interesting, I mean interesting. Friday night sushi gets two thumbs up, but dancing was not that cool. We went to the VIP Club in DC, and it was very much about being seen. Soon after we got there they stopped the music in the hip-hop room so they could put on a fashion show with a few especially beautiful people pulled from the crowd. The people were pushy and in five differently-themed rooms I couldn't find any music I wanted to dance to. (to which I wanted to dance.) Two thumbs down.

Saturday morning I got up early to go a Bible study affiliated with the church I've started attending. The draw to this particular Bible study is that it is led by two older women in the church who are both married and professionals (although one of them recently quit to take care of her children). All of the other people there were professional women in their 20's (or girls like me, which is what I typed first). I have been so frustrated with the church's lack of ideas on what to do with young single professional women that it is a relief to see it addressed at all. One interesting part of it from my perspective was that I turned into "funny girl" Katherine, inserting quips into every blank moment. In retrospect I was amused that this was my gut reaction in meeting a group of Christian girls -- to keep things on the surface and let them know I could take care of myself. I'm so unsure of how they're going to see me. I think I'm afraid that they're going to judge me. I'm okay with the life I'm living -- why am I afraid of what they think? Hmmm...

Saturday was a beautiful day, and I spent part of it watching football. Then Peter and I re-discussed and confirmed the break up we had started earlier in the week (i.e. we broke up).

Saturday night I went to party in Virginia with some of the people I met at the Halloween party. It was pretty fun. Sunday was early church, and then people came over to watch the Redskins game, which they actually won. The Chargers won on Sunday too -- they beat the Vikings. Last night the Eagles beat Green Bay at Lambeau Field, which I wasn't expecting and was a little disappointing. I really like Brett Favre, and would like to see him succeed forever.

UCLA lost to Washington St. this weekend, which was also disappointing but not unexpected. They play Oregon and SC in the next two weeks, both of which will be tough games. I'm sad to realize that football season is officially winding down. I know there's a couple more months and big games left, but I can't help picturing long winter months with only basketball and hockey to keep me warm. March will be fun, but other than that... I have a hard time caring about hockey at all, and professional basketball doesn't exactly stir my grits either.

Shoot. I was almost done with this post when we lost our remote server connection. Here we go again (although no one out there needs to know that, or is affected by it in any way).
Fall in New England is all about smells. Outside it's the slightly musty smell of the leaves that pad the ground beneath your feet. Inside it's apple pie and cinnamon spice, and the peppermint mochas that are my seasonal treat at Starbuck's (where they use peppermint syrup, instead of throwing in a candy cane like they do at Coffee Bean.) Of course, I haven't had an Iced Blended coffee in December since I was in college.
Here in DC, the smells are a little different. There are still leaves around, and even cinnamon, but my floor sort of smells like green peppers -- tangy and fresh, and sneeze-inducing. I'm not sure what that means or where it's coming from, but peppers it is.
This week has been long and slow, although I haven't paid as much attention to posting here as I thought I would. I haven't been sleeping very well, and the thing that strikes me the most about that is how long it makes the next day. It hasn't helped that there isn't much work to do at work this week, although I'm scavenging for extra projects.
I'm going out to dinner with my roommate tonight, and then we're meeting up with some friends to go dancing in the District. I never thought I would be one of those girls who liked to get dressed up and go dancing, but I have several times here and it's been pretty fun. It's still really hit-or-miss, depending on who I go with, and also where we go. Just going with one other girl is not always fun, because so much depends on who you meet and are dancing with (and in dancing, as in life, the line between nice guy and skeezy guy is sometimes crossed). Going with a bigger group is more fun because there are more outs.
I'm not going to North Carolina this weekend, even though Tim and Karon called to lobby for my attendance earlier in the week. I"m excited about staying here and spending some time with new people. I've been in touch with a couple of girls I met at the party last weekend, and I think we're going to hang out sometime soon. There is also much football to be watched this weekend. We'll see.

It was a long and fantastic weekend (yet not long enough, and not fantastic enough). (I don't know exactly what that means, except that it left me wanting...more).
I went to a great Halloween party in Virginia, where I met lots of fun people. Once again, a good time was had by all, and there are pictures out there somewhere. The bunny costume was a success, although the tail kept on falling off. Saturday Peter and I went hiking at Sugarloaf "Mountain" and then made dinner and watched Signs (with Mel Gibson). It really is about aliens -- who knew?

All of this brings me to thoughts on next weekend. The aforementioned Deep Fried Turkey festivities are happening in Charlotte, NC, and several of the people who I met in Ireland two years ago are going to be there. I would love to hang out with them, and this is the first time I've been close enough to drive to something like this.
On the other hand, there are several things happening here in DC that I would like to do this weekend -- hang out with roommates, go on a hay ride with some kids I know, try out a new Bible study (more on that later). There are definite pluses to both things, but I feel like I'm choosing between my past and my future.
There is an intentionality in moving that acknowledges that your life will be different in the new place. You won't do the same things all the time, or hang out with the same people. It doesn't mean that you will lose all the friends in the place you moved from, but it does mean your relationships will change. There's no way to get around 5, or 100 or 3,000 miles. And you can still spend your time and energy on friends in the old place, but you won't build friends like that in the new place if you don't put some time and energy there, too. Maybe this is all too simplistic, but I feel like I have to remind myself of it all the time. It's so frustrating not to have my good friends close.

I don't want anyone here to replace them, I want them here.

However, stating that, and wanting that, does not make it so, and I have to figure out what to do in the meantime. And I'm guessing that the answer includes putting some time and energy into friendships here. It's so frustrating to have to explain myself over and over again. I miss having people around who know my stories, and who know how to read me. Both of those things just take time, and shared experiences.

Each of my options next weekend are good ones, but I think I'll probably stay here. It's not as dramatic as my past and my future really, but it's weird to think about friendships in such definite and intentional terms. I'm very concious that I'm choosing for one set of friendships but against another one. That's sort of a great problem to have, because I have two options I like instead of two I don't like.