Metro Adventures

I am very much looking forward to giving up my car, which will happen in February. Although I rarely use it even now, I'm still trying to make minor adjustments in my routine to begin to acclimate myself to the change. Last night, I took metro out to Bethesda to play some tunes, and I noticed the new SmarTrip Only fare lanes! For the uninitiated, these are lanes designated for passengers who carry the plastic farecards. These cards are simply scanned over a sensor placed on top of the fare gate. The other lanes accept SmarTrip and also the traditional paper fare cards, which are fed through the gate and spit back to you. Nerdy debates abound on which method of fare paying is faster.

Anyway. The phenomenon I witnessed must have a name somewhere in the annals of behavior psychology. Everyone with a SmarTrip was lining up at the designated lanes, leaving the traditional lanes free and clear and actually faster than the SmarTrip only lanes. In theory, during rush hour, the designated lanes would be faster because there isn't that split-second wait for the machine to process the paper card.

So for some reason, people in their head knew that, given certain conditions, the designated lanes would be faster. But last night those conditions weren't fulfilled and so the lanes were actually slower.

As I breezed my thinking-outside-the-box-self through the traditional lanes with my trusty SmarTrip, I thought... how interesting is human behavior.

WHY

Why can't I just watch a normal film every now and then. Why does every film I see have to have a castration scene, or unspeakable psychological brutality, or feature the real (yes REAL) killing of an animal.

WHYYYYY??????? Tonight's feature, Cache, was actually quite interesting, save for a few scenes and the overall feeling of doom. It's just the "few scenes" that will start haunting my dreams in about two months once the content finally makes it past the censors of my subconscious.

No wonder I'm in a mild depression. I need a good comedy.

THIS ONE comes to mind... I must have watched it a gazillion thousand times growing up and it always just got funnier... Netflix here I come.

Friday Afternoon Snooze

My Kind of Thanksgiving

Marinated artichoke hearts; shimp and prosciutto in melted butter; spring greens with cranberries, bleu cheese, and a pumpkin-seed vinaigrette; cured meats and cheeses; smoked salmon; olives. A fantastic glass of Pinot Noir.

A lovely setting on the Severn River at dusk overlooking the United States Naval Academy, wait staff to clear the table, a traffic-free drive home.

Half the evening left to enjoy before work tomorrow; then the weekend.

Perfect.

Cloister

I have been in a horrible mood lately. Conversations are boring and effortful, restaurants are typical, jokes are humorless. I just want to be left alone and not have to talk to anyone. This is an unfortunate state of mind, being that my mom and her husband are in town so we've been hanging out and sightseeing. I know my grumpy mood is bringing everyone else down, I can see it happening and it's as frustrating for me as it is for my companions.

I just want to sleep for a while, three or four full nights of uninterrupted sleep, intense exersize, time alone to think and read.

I actually believe that people are happiest when living in a [purposeful, not coincidental] community, but for me that must come with a guarantee of on-demand, prolonged periods of complete privacy.

In Support of Non-Materialism

JEEZ.

Lame Lame Lame Lame

I am so lame.

So. Lame.

I really wanted to go to the session tonight. I haven't been in a while and I won't be able to go on Sunday.

But:

1. It is cold outside and my hair is wet and I don't want to come down with something right before I have my mom and John come in from Michigan.
2. I haven't been able to breathe properly today. You all know that I have a breathing thing that's not physiological or medical. I had a speaking engagement this afternoon at Georgetown University and that's when it started. And so it's difficult to think about going out and being charming and social when I can't breathe. It's a really distracting phenomenon.

But:

3. I know I haven't been to a session in a while and I don't want my friends to think that I'm ditching them (I'm not) or that I don't like Irish music anymore (I do) or that I'm just totally lame (I am).

So I really shouldn't do something just becaue of what I'm afraid people will think (hello middle school?) and I'm afraid that if I go out that I will just wish that I had stayed home.

But:

I really don't want to get (any further) into the lazy, selfish habit of isolating myself from my friends. Sure, it's easier to stay at home warm and cozy in Rob's sweat pants with tea and kittens. But music is really important to me; the community aspect is important to me. So, as usual, I'm thinking way too hard about a relatively simple situation.

I'm gonna put on some tea and crack open a new book. And chill out.

P.S. Can everyone please refrain from advising me to go to a doctor about the breathing thing? I can run miles at a time and do yoga and climb stairs and so I am not in danger of a heart attack. When I have time to actually find a physician that is not my ob/gyn then maybe I will tell him/her about the issue and get some advice. But finding a doctor is not currently high on my list of priorities.

Confession

I do not like Thanksgiving food.

Turkey is blah... and the side dishes are uninteresting. Potato-based something... cranberry sauce... stuffing... ugh.

I would much rather have a main course of duck accompanied by a spinach salad with cranberries, walnuts, and brie; stuffed portabella mushroom caps and red wine.

Chocolate mousse for dessert.

But I guess, yeah, Thanksgiving food is supposed to be indiginous to America, stuff that the first settlers would have had on hand. So my suggestions wouldn't really work. I can't help it, though, the traditional menu is just not my taste.

Domesticity

Tonight I am cooking dinner for Rob! Something other than cereal!

We are having whole wheat angel hair with chorizo sausage, kalamata olives, and shiitake mushrooms in a garlic oil sauce with garlic bread and Rob's choice of wine.

I am cooking in my pajamas because I have been dressed all day and don't feel like wearing real clothes anymore right now. I know that's probably the sign of a very comfortable relationship, but for some reason Rob thinks I look stunning no matter what (who is he looking at??).

Also, I just have to say that Pier One is having a massive sale and I got a large plate, two salad plates, and two bowls, all in a chic Asian design for $23.

John 2, 1:11

There is a fullness of time for everything, and in our fullness of time we lost our matriarch, our equestrienne, and a piece of our identity.

I think my family has a lot of prayer ahead of them and that, in itself, is a comfort.

Thoughts On Yesterday

Yesterday was the two year anniversary of my marathon. I thought I would post my race report from that day! The title was, "FINISH OR DIE!!!"

FINISH OR DIE!!
I guess I get to live another day! Thanks to everyone who kept track of me online while I was running. The thought of letting you down kept me going during some hard times. It was because of you guys that I ran hard through Haines Point and "beat the bridge" with hours to spare, making it across the 14th St Bridge before the Marines re-opened it to traffic. Those runners who did not beat the bridge were picked up and escorted by bus to the finish.
Here are some of my personal race statistics for you:
Number of miles run: 26.2
Number of runners: 18,000
Miles with Kristen and Mika: 1-3
Miles with Joe: 3-18
Miles with Jeremy (NOT entered in the marathon!): 22-23
Miles by myself: 18-22, 23-26.2
Number of times I wanted to quit: 3
Number of times I wanted to throw up: 2
Number of times I actually threw up: 0
Number of times someone in the crowd cheered me on by name: too many to count
Moment when I knew I would finish: mile 26.1
Mile when my feet started to ache: 11
Mile when knees, shins, and hips started to ache: n/a
Number of cups of water I dumped on my head: 7
Number of people in the crowd who knew me personally: 2
Runners in costume dressed as: Madonna, several witches, batman, superman.
Marine Marathon regular/famous runners I saw: the guy who runs backwards the entire way, the guy who jumps rope the entire way, the guy who runs dressed as Kermit the Frog.
Marine Marathon regulars I did not see: the guy who juggles the whole time.
Number of Marines who untied my shoes and removed my computer chip for me when done: 1
Best part of the race: approaching the 10k mark, running up the Rock Creek Parkway. The trees and changing leaves were beautiful
Worst part of the race: miles 17-20, Haines Point. Long, flat, desolate, no crowd cheering us on. And our reward for completing Haines Point was to run the 14th St Bridge - LONG, hilly, and the mile (21) where you feel like you'll never, ever finish.
Areas of body currently sunburned: face, neck, hands, forearms.

I want to send out a HUGE thank you to all the Marines who planned, organized, and executed a flawless race. They were lining the course, handing out water, PowerAde, pretzels, oranges, words of compassion and encouragement. They were polite, enthusiastic, and attentive. They were amazing. Oohrah!