It's Springtime!

Monday = 68 degrees
Tuesday = 72 degrees
Wednesday = 60 something degrees

I post for the first time in six months to honor this gorgeous, strange weather we are having. Maybe now those global warming naysayers will shut up.

I'm not complaining about being able to break out my cute summery work wear in January, but these last three days have had my subconscious yelling "we're all DOOOOOMED!" at regular intervals. Seriously, I would much rather have DC pick a season and stick to it, preferably winter since that's what it's supposed to be right now. I don't mind mild, but this is ridiculous.

Cheers.

RandomDC

So I've been on a personal campaign to be nicer to people I randomly meet. I feel that one of the biggest downers to anyone's day is when people are just cold and rude. I figure if I smile at someone and say thank you every once in a while, maybe it will make that person's day a little better. But today I found a problem with this theory.

While walking to work this morning with my headphones in and doing my usual speedwalking, I heard a faint "Good morning" through my music. At that moment I had two choices: I could be like 99% of DCers who would continue walking straight ahead and never look back, or I could be nice and respond. Being on this try-and-be-nice-kick, I took out one headphone and turned my head responding "Good morning" back. Now in no way did I slow down or invite more attention, but rather plugged my headphone back into my ear and continued walking briskly. But luck was not on my side this morning because the next thing I hear is "Do you work around here?" which I politely but vaguely answered and continued on my way. Only to be followed by: "What's your name?" which I also politely answered.

By now I had gotten the fact that he was trying to pick me up which of course meant I got asked the eventual, "Can I take you to lunch?" to be followed by "Are you single?" and "I would like to be friends." UGH. No matter how politely I said "No thank you" or blatantly passed over his questions, this young, black man named Amir who works at the construction site across the street from my office didn't seem to take the hint that I wasn't interested. Nor did he seem to get that badgering me was only going to piss me off. So in the end I was completely rude and ignored him flat out while waiting to cross at a light (he was turning right).

And to make matters just plain weird, this guy gets half-way down the block and then crosses the street and starts coming back up the block towards where I was walking to... Uber creepy! So to ditch him, I ended up walking all the way around the building and cutting in a side door just to make sure he wasn't following me. Not what I needed this morning...

And to make matters more interesting, apparently my boss was in his car at the light debating whether to honk at me or not... Of course, when I told him what had been going on, he said that he wished he had honked b/c then the young guy would have been really confused as I got into a strange Mexican's Mercedes when the young guy couldn't even get to first base. (Yes, that's really what my boss said.)

I still don't know what to think, but I'm really hoping I don't run into this guy on my way home.

So in the end, I'm left with a dilemma: Next time, do I be completely rude and cut this crap off at the beginning, or do I continue to try and be nice and then get harassed by guys who don't understand the meaning of "No." Thoughts?

Everyone loves the BeeGees!

Check out the second part of this video... Yes, I know it's from American Idol, but where else can you see LeBron James, Hugh Grant and the guy who plays House lip-syncing "Staying Alive?!"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xT5sh0vCR8c&mode=related&search=

I don't think this was in my job description...

I have a new skill that I can add to my resume!

Sure I have the standard skills of most people my age: Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, etc... and even a few that might make me stand out from the pack: Conference organization, planning and execution, Newsletter editing... But now I have the best trump card ever: Ability to staple my boss's shirt back together when it rips at the elbow...

Yes, that's right; after fearless leader mysteriously managed to rip a 2-3 inch hole in the elbow of his shirt yesterday, I had to go fetch the stapler and scissors and patch him back together. Awkward? A little. Hilarious? Definitely! Going to let him live this one down? Never!

Now that I have this on my resume, maybe I should ask for a raise...

Cheers!

Did I do that?

I find it funny that every time I go "out" I've been feeling like a complete imposter. For some reason there is a part of me that can't believe that I'm getting to live the "twenty-something" lifestyle. Thus, every time I go out to a bar, have dinner with friends on the rooftop of some cool place in Adams Morgan, or go to a baseball game and get a Guinness, I feel as if I'm living someone else's life and that I'm getting away with something.

This feeling probably extends from the fact that I really didn't do the stereotypical college party scene. I never had a fake ID, didn't go to bars until I was of age, didn't do the walk of shame after a night of partying til dawn, didn't drink myself into oblivion Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, only went clubbing a couple of times, etc. So I guess now that I am part of that more mainstream scene, it seems odd to me.

Obviously this means that I should be going out more so that it doesn't seem so strange... hint hint hint

Cheers.

Quotables

On coming back stateside.

Tony: "You should do something very American... like eat apple pie, watch baseball, and judge people different than you."

I promise I will get stuff about Florence up here.

Quotables

TMNT:

"Cowabunga, dudes!"

Classic.


Cheers.

Caution: Wide Load

Lately, I've been finding myself getting really annoyed at people with large bags, especially when I'm on or around the metro. I always seem to be stuck behind some guy with his gym bag on the escalator or the lawyer who needs her file case beside her as she walks or the lady this morning who almost hit me in the face with her purse that was big enough to hold a small child as I was sitting reading The Express on the metro.

Now I understand the need for an extra bag or a larger bag to hold all of one's stuff. That's not my problem; my problem is more that people don't seem to realize just how big their bags are nor do they pay attention to how much room they are taking up while carrying them.

You would think that in a city where commuters get really annoyed when they can't walk on the left of the escalator a guy patiently standing on the right would realize that his gym bag is effectively cutting off the whole left hand side. And it wasn't like the bag was large; the man just needed to carry it 3 inches out from the side of his body.

Or that when the metro gets rather crowded and people are jostling around trying to let more people on, a woman with an extraordinarily large bag with hard sides and corners would pay attention to how close she's getting to the people sitting near her. Or maybe that she would pull her bag in closer to her body to take up a little less room. But no, she just swings the thing around on her shoulder and smacks into my Express a couple of times (one would also think that the noise of her hitting newpaper would have alerted her) almost hitting me in the face as she moves even closer.

I do realize that most people tend to zone out on the metro and won't always be aware that they're blocking someone behind them, but I think a little courtesy is in order. I can't see how it would be that hard to pay attention to the other people around you as you commute. It's not like having someone else around you should be a surprise during rush hour...

On a side note: No, I did not apologize to the girl I accidently kicked this morning when she literally moved right in front of me to avoid a biker (who was no where close to hitting her) even though we had been walking almost even. I'm talking moving a half foot in front of me with no warning at all. Pay attention people! This is not the world of ME!

Cheers.