i love seeing how talented writers can find creative and vivid ways of describing a feeling or outlook--whether through an analogy, turn of phrase or basic style.

chad's latest journal entry, for instance. while i'm sitting here hoping that things are going alright, i'm also incredibly impressed by the style of the entry.

anyway...i had fully intended to comment on this in my earlier post, but i forgot, as i often to, so here goes.

while getting ready for work this morning, i put on a new outfit, picked out which heels would look best with it, pulled back my hair into something that would look both fun and mature enough for work, put on my ID badge, picked up my messenger bag and headed to the metro. i watched the rest of the daily commuters go through their morning routines--reading a few chapters from a massive book, one father reading a story out loud to his young son, some tuning out the din with walkmans and headphones while leafing through today's issue of the post. at union station, i left the metro stop and crossed in front of taxis and buses at the fountain and stood with the rest of the capitol hill commuters as we waited for the street light to switch to 'walk'.

a young man stood to my right and caught my eye--predominantly because he looked my age and was dressed in a black suit, crisp white shirt, shiny black shoes and a blue and gold-striped tie. the phrase "he is completely dressed the part of the young congressional staffer" crossed my mind and stuck with me for the rest of my walk and for a majority of this morning.

we both looked the part of young staffers--he in his suit and tie, me in my own crisp white buttondown, mauve plaid knee-length skirt (which, when i bought it, pleased me because i feel a little bit 1940s when i wear it), and black pumps. and i don't know exactly what it was that i was feeling. part of me is getting a kick out of doing something i never thought i'd do and wearing clothes i never thought i'd wear--assuming a new role (it's true, i am definitely picking up on the theatrical aspect of this experience). part of me feels like i must be playing a part more than assuming a new lifestyle (that's where the "it's only a year" part kicks in) and yet another part still can't believe that people my age are as old as they are--old enough to wear suits and professional wear every business day while talking into cell phones or sipping cups of coffee as they make the daily commute and briskly walk to their office buildings. when did this happen?