From the weekend...

• A plus one to my list of "people I know who I've seen on Metro" -- my boyfriend's fraternity big brother, spotted Friday in the Chinatown station.
• Went down to Williamsburg to ride Big Bad Wolf for hte last time, since it's being closed on the 7th. It's rarely one we ride, because the lines are always tragically long (my theory on why it's being closed, in addition to the cars requiring Cirque de Solei-esque maneuvers to get into and out of) but it is a really coaster and I'm sad it's going away.
• Sat in the pouring rain to see Carbon Leaf (for free! Thanks, W&M). They played my two favorite songs 3rd and 4th in the set, so we happily left very early on in search of some towels.
• I learned just how quickly the phrase "I'm an economist!" shuts down a conversation.
• Did a whole lot of nothing Saturday night/all day Sunday with my old roommate. Sometimes, that is the very best way to spend a weekend!

For-ev-ev-ever

Chris Brown sentenced to 6 months community service in VA? He should fufill some of it by preforming gratis at high school proms.

( I mean, how sweet would that be? and what other skills does the "country boy from Tappahannock" have?)

New Age Grafitti?

In most (all?) Starbucks stores, there are now these magnetic boards. Presumably, the store or patrons (with permission) could post information on them, but the majority I've seen are blank, except for the "We Heard You" memo held up by a single magnet (see below). Then, in the store closest to my job, this appered:



"NSDC Voyagers '09 was here!" written on the back of a receipt. Cute and innocuous, as far as these things go. I figured store staff would take it down when they noticed, but no... it remained for a few days, and then this:

"Thank a vetran today!"-- a nice sentiment, but they did cover the "voyagers" message. Two was too many, however, and both notes were gone the next day.

Wish you were here...

My older sister's husband is leaving today for "Mancation," where he and his high school buddies will go off hiking in the wilderness and endangering their lives in various ways for a week. In response, she and I are having Stay(and work)cation! While we will still have to go to our jobs (laaaame), we are planning on behaving as if we are on vacation at all other times. So far, this mostly entails eating whatever we want. We will be visiting our most favorite restaurants in the area (Mike's American, anyone?) and hopefully venturing to some new places (restaurant week for Baltimore has been extended through the 23rd!) .

I've been really wanting to visit a Sheetz lately (something about the huge variety of options and the intense colors really speaks to my 3rd-grade sensabilities). Maybe we'll roadtrip to one, since they are sadly few and far between in Northen VA!

Points for Politeness

Sunday morning, I was attempting to get back to my car in the parking lot of Target (always a challenge, since my Target is busy at all hours of the day and night, even when it's closed). Per usual, I had to cross in front of several cars and gave them my usual, timid "thanks" wave.

One gentlemen waited for me to pass, made his left turn and as he passed me, yelled "I wouldn't hit you; you're easy on the eyes, ma'am!"

I guess he didn't see where I'd spilled half my smoothie on my shirt. Or he likes his women unkempt.

Idle curiosity....

Over the weekend, my family discovered Comcast's "On Demand".

Expect a post in a few months wondering how we all now weigh three hundred pounds.

Contraband

On the speakers of a Yellow Line train, headed into VA...

"This is a friendly reminder to passengers that eating, drinking, and smoking are prohibited
on Metro. If you are caught, you will be fined."

...a few moments later...

"You know who you are..."

...and then...

"C'mon man! I'm right behind you!!"

Playing along...

Oh, Mishka invited her readers to take two photos of things in the room they are in and post them. I'm trapped in my cube and have only a camera phone, but it's a cute idea nonetheless.

These are my desk plants. Audrey III is the one on the left and the one on the right is too new to name. Both had to be transported in to work via the metro, which garners some strange looks, for sure.

This is my awesome new bag. It is the large Erica bag from Dooney and Bourke. I've never owned a D&B bag before, but this one has so many pockets inside, I couldn't resist. It holds everything (This mornings cargo: ballet flats, pencil case, book, planner, iPod, makeup bag, pens, gum, keys, phone, wallet, sunglasses. no joke.) in a Mary Poppins-esque way-- the bag itself is a very comfortable size. Plus, it comes in a billion colors and has a fantastic hot pink lining, which makes the stuff inside easy to find (a plus when you have a tendency to buy everything in black). I wanted something a little more grown-up looking than my messenger bag, but jsut as functional and this fits the bill perfectly.

Honest you do, honest you do, honest you do...

I just had my morning transformed in ten minutes.

I was all grumples, not looking forward to what promises to be a frustrating and idle day at work. I wandered over to Union Station to get some coffee (Alright Starbucks, you've made instant coffee. Now, when are you going to make a patch??), and the good forture began.

Adoreable yellow lab working as a police dog (yes, yes, I know better than to pet them or fuss over them. I just admire such well trained animals). No line whatsoever at the Starbucks. Lovely lady who told me about hearing her mother's favorite song, "You Send Me" by Sam Cooke, on the record player when she was little (it was playing in the store) and then thanked me for "sharing the moment" (truly, the pleasure was mine). Another friendly stranger who joked with me about Washington weather at the condiment bar. And then a second police dog, this time a black lab.

And suddenly, I was smiling.

Where (not quite) everybody knows your name...

Since beginnng my career as a federal employee and, subsequently, spending five days a week in DC, I've run into five familiar faces on four seperate occasions. Now, this doesn't count co-workers I see on Metro or out an about at lunch, who it would make sense to see around town. Check it:

1. At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival-- two friends from college. (This was also the run-in that involved the most girly squealing.)
2. The student center at GW-- an aquaintence from high school who is now a student there. This was the day right after the Folklife Festival.
3. Red line platform at the Chinatown stop-- a friend from my internship at the National Zoo was getting off of the car I was getting on
4. Red line, Chinatown, again-- an aquaintence from college (who I didn't stop- she looked in the zone and I'm not sure she'd remember me)

What are the chances????

Tax Free Weekend + Pay Day = Not looking like a bum at work for once

I made it a whole 2 hours and 32 minutes before spilling something on my brand new white shirt.

Unfortunately, most of that time was when I was at home or on the train, so I will spend the vast majority of my work day walking around with coffee drips down my left boob.

Also, proof that I am getting old (despite my inability to keep light colored clothes clean): I walk past American Eagle and think "meh." I walk into Ann Taylor and think "ooooh! cute!"