6.04.2003

you know, there are times when i think it's got to be me - that there's something about me, victoria, that doesn't quite jive with the joint and everyone else has made an effort. it must be, right?

but then something will happen, something will be said, when i realize that really, perhaps it is the case that things have, for whatever reason, not been examples of my stellar social skills, but it is a two-way street. for example, someone who shall remain nameless (but can be identified by my collegiate classmates as the person of note also attended our institute of higher education) walking through, introducing someone to members of the office, pointing out that the three staffers present were all graduates of the same journalism program and making particular note of the fact that one was editor of the online publication and completely failing to mention that i was editor of the print publication. the same person walking with me and two other staffers a couple of days ago and asking me what my plans were for the fourth of july and, after i replied that i wasn't sure, making sure to specifically invite the other two staffers to his hometown for fourth festivities (saying, "well, you know the two of you are more than welcome to ..."). another staffer stopping by to say hello and chatting it up with everyone else while giving me a "hey there," before continuing the chatting it up with everyone else. and similar examples of the general sense of enjoyment people have when i walk into a room.

know what? that's ok. really. because there are a lot of things that i don't have in common with everyone else, i realize more and more. and i haven't had a chance to really show them who i am because i did spend a lot of time trying to convince them - and myself - that i did have those things in common with them and belonged where i was. but know what? the basic, underlying fact is that they want to be a part of this group, part of this population working on the hill and serving as professional political employees. whereas i am becoming more and more aware of the fact that that is nothing remotely resembling what i want to do with my time and do not enjoy it anymore. and i don't want to play the little political social games and discuss the silly little political issues and focus on the little political goals. i want to focus on making myself happy and do what makes me happy - which is not in the political realm.

i have done a damn good job doing what i was hired to do. i have expanded and assisted in other things as well, doing a good job with those things too. i've shown that i am capable of handling anything thrown my way.

i just don't want to continue to do it. which is why i'm looking at options so i don't do it anymore. and that way there can be someone here who wants to be, who will jive with the rest of the joint and i will be free to do what i want to do with people like me who want the same things i do and who i can feel like myself around, therefore enriching their lives and mine.

not to mention that i'll be physically and emotionally stronger by then so i'm prepared to give them what i have to give and what i deserve to give.

whoo hoo!

anyway, that's my little tirade for the morning. the weather continues to be dreary and london-esque - bah. vermont will be a welcome change when i travel there this weekend to celebrate my mother's birthday. not to mention the V.S.B.T. - almost there!!! i have an appointment this afternoon that i am both looking forward to and dreading at the same time ... but it's another in a series of steps that i've got to take. that i want to take while wanting to hold back at the same time. i'm such a contradiction in terms, but i just have to fight through it.

quote of the day: "another odd feather of the parallel universe is that although it is invisible from this side, once you are in it you can easily see the world you came from. sometimes the world you came from looks huge and menacing, quivering like a vast pile of jelly; at other times it is miniaturized and alluring, a-spin and shining in its orbit. either way, it can't be discounted."

i'm on my way.

6.03.2003

SCORPIO: tuesday, june 3 - where do we go from here? and other tales. saturn, the supreme taskmaster, is arriving in the most adventurous sector of your solar chart for a prolonged stay. this visitation will, over time, encourage you to do the necessary to shake off the shackles, expand your range and broaden your horizons - even if it entails getting out of dodge.

"i've never met a person, i don't care what his condition, in whom i could not see possibilities. i don't care how much a man may consider himself a failure, i believe in him, for he can change the thing that is wrong in his life any time he is ready and prepared to do it. whenever he develops the desire, he can take away from his life the thing that is defeating it. the capacity for reformation and change lies within." -- preston bradley

"to know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice." -- confucius

"we all live in suspense from day to day; in other words, you are the hero of your own story." - mary mccarthy

"only i can change my life. no one can do it for me." - carol burnett

"each person's only hope for improving his lot rests on recognizing the true nature of his or her basic personality, surrendering to it, and becoming who he or she really is." - sheldon kopp

"if you have a skeleton in your closet, take it out and dance with it." - carolyn mackenzie

"when you are looking in the mirror, you are looking at the problem. but, remember, you are also looking at the solution." - anonymous

"i'd rather be a failure at something i enjoy than a success at something i hate." - george burns

"we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." - max depree

"my life has a superb cast but i can't figure out the plot." - ashleigh brilliant

can you tell i'm trying to psych myself up? ;-)

6.02.2003

sometimes if you want to know something, you have to look potential embarrassment in the face and say, "alright, i'm taking my chances."

whoo hoo!

5.30.2003

stupid, stupid, stupid ... i am so bitter.
ok, new musician time! check out gavin degraw - another product of richard young's program to let people know about up-and-coming musicians. i received a "chariot" sampler yesterday and, i've gotta say, was exceptionally impressed by what i heard. a very strong voice - shades of a ben harper-sounding voice but with more of a driven, forceful sound, if that makes any sense. and gavin's instrument of choice is piano - we know how much i like that! i'm a particular fan of the song "crush" - it's been in my head all morning.
friday, friday:

1. what do you most want to be remembered for?
my laughter, my ability to make people smile and my writing. that's the great thing about the written word - people come and go, but their writing lives on forever.

2. what quotation best fits your outlook on life?
life is not a dress rehearsal.

3. what single achievement are you most proud of in the past year?
taking a chance and striking out on my own.

4. what about the past ten years?
a single achievement? i guess the o'neill.

5. if you were asked to give a child a single piece of advice to guide them through life, what would you say?
never let anyone, including yourself, think you're any less than anyone else in the world. if you are confident in yourself, you can do anything.

5.29.2003

but how would the actors dance with the hobbit feet?
stolen from my brother's lj:

I AM: whatever you say i am (ok, i couldn't help the eminem reference - i'm a pop culture slave - go with it!) i am me.
I THINK: constantly.
I KNOW: far too than i generally think i do.
I WANT: nothing at the moment. well, that's not necessarily true: i want to want.
I HAVE: an appointment this afternoon.
I WISH: upon stars, candles, stray eyelashes and necklace clasps.
I HATE: indifference.
I MISS: feeling the spark.
I FEAR: much.
I HEAR: the television (did you know that you can test for diabetes while your child sleeps in your arms? well, you can, with the compact from accu-check. live life better.)
I SEARCH: for my passion.
I WONDER: where it's hiding.
I REGRET: not knowing then what i know now.
I LOVE: ...
I CARE: ...
I ALWAYS: manage to put myself into interesting situations.
I AM NOT: without pride.
I DANCE: with destiny.
I SING: harmonies.
I CRY: when the mood strikes me.
I DO NOT ALWAYS: know what i'm thinking or feeling.
I FIGHT: to overcome.
I WRITE: now so i can process and shape my novel later.
I WIN: points for durability.
I LOSE: my confidence.
I CONFUSE: myself.
I LISTEN: but don't always accept.
I CAN USUALLY BE FOUND: in the greater d.c. area.
I NEED: to figure some things out.
I AM HAPPY ABOUT: potential.
I SHOULD: be happier than i am.


[DESCRIBE YOUR]
[Jewelry worn daily]: a silver chain with a sliver celtic knot pendant and a silver ring with the drama masks on my left index finger.
[Pillow cover]: pale yellow cotton.
[Shoes]: black zip up ankle-high boots.
[Favorite top]: a black three quarter length sleeved shirt with a v-neck.
[Favorite bottoms]: my nice comfy lived-in jeans.
[Cologne/Perfume]: cocoa butter.
[CD in stereo right now]: a live mraz show.
[Piercings]: ears. that's it for now.
[Hair]: discontent.
[What you are wearing now]: the expected underwear beneath an ice blue long sleeved stretch t-shirt layered beneath a white fitted button down shirt, black pants, black and gray speckled socks, previously mentioned boots, two hair ties around my right wrist, a watch, previously mentioned ring and necklace, government id and glasses.
[In my mouth]: a stick of trident original flavored gum.
[In my head]: thanks to my earlier attempt at being funny, eminem.
[Wishing]: something exciting would happen.
[After this]: i will commence the rest of my afternoon, get a cup of coffee and then head out for the day.
[Talking to]: matt and erica.
[Something you're looking forward to in the upcoming months]: sunshine and friends.
[The last thing you ate?]: pita
[Some of your favorite movies]: numerous and varied.
[Something that you are deathly afraid of]: lack of change.
[Do you like incense]: depends on the scent.
[Do you believe in love]: yes.
[Do you believe in love at first sight]: while it's a lovely notion, no.
[Do you believe in forgiveness]: yes i believe in it - but believing in it and being able to achieve it are often two very different things.
[If you could have any animal for a pet]: a wallaby.
[What are 3 cities you wouldn't mind relocating to?]: boston, london, burlington.
[What are some of your favorite pig out foods?]: chipotle, chinese, pizza mart (when intoxicated).
[What's something you wish you could understand better?]: my mind.

[In the last 24 hours, have you]
1. Cried: no.
2. Bought something: an apple, dinner, a pack of gum, a bagel and a cup of coffee.
3. Gotten sick: haven't GOTTEN sick, but still have a cold and cough.
4. Sang: yes - in the cartman voice, no less (that was last night, right? beth - confirm? if not, i still sang "i don't wanna wait")
5. Eaten: yes.
6. Been kissed: no.
7. Felt stupid: does j. lo like diamonds?
8. Wanted to tell someone you loved them, but didn't: wanted to tell someone i cared about them, but haven't, but not love.
9. Met someone new: no.
10. Moved on: no.
11. Talked to an ex: no.
12. Missed an ex: no.
13. Talked to someone you have a crush on: no.
14. Had a serious talk: all i ever do lately is have a serious talk.
15. Missed someone: more than words can say.
16. Hugged someone: no.
17. Fought with your parents: define "fought" - had my temper flare, but we're on the same side.
18. Dreamed about someone you can't be with: i haven't had a dream in awhile.

[Who]
01. Have you known the longest: out of...? i suppose technically, my mother. that whole nine months, womb, umbillical cord and birth thing, you know.
02. Do you argue the most with: my inner demons. bwahahaha.
03. Do you always get along with: paul.
04. Is the trustworthiest: there are a few wonderful people who qualify.
05. Makes you laugh the most: paul.
06. Has been there through all the hard times: my family and my sanity sistas (you know who you are).
08. Has the coolest siblings: would my brother kick my arse if he came across this and i said anyone other than me? probably. so me. ;-)
09. Is the most blunt: ed.
10. Is the smartest: in what sense? depends.

[Personal]
01. Who is your role model: various and sundry people. i like to take characteristics of various people and create a role model sort of like the good dr. frankenstein created his monster.
02. What are some of your pet peeves: at the moment, there are quite a few.
03. Have you ever liked someone you had no chance with: hasn't everyone?
04. Have you ever cried over the opposite sex: yes.
05. Do you have a "type" of person you always go after: male and, it seems, angsty. otherwise known as artistic.
06. Have you ever lied to your best friend(s): yes.
07. Ever wanted to get revenge on someone because they hurt you: of course.
08. dumper or dumped: both.
09. Rather have a relationship or a "hookup": relationship
10. Want someone you don't have right now: not someone specific. besides orlando, obviously. ;-)
12. Do you want to get married: ultimately.
13. Do you want kids: perchance.
14. Do you believe in psychics: not sure.
15. Do you believe you know the person whom you will marry at this point in time: good lord i have no idea.
16. What is your favorite part of your physical appearance: my eyes? i have no idea.
17. What is your favorite part of your emotional being: that i'm still here, in one form or another.
18. Are you happy with you: not at the moment.
19. Are you happy with your life: ...
20. If you could change something in your life right now, what would it be: if i knew what i'd do, i'd be doing it right now ...
i think i figured out something - i have no idea of whether or not this is going to make sense, but it does to me. at least, it's the closest i've come to figuring out what's been going through my head as of late. so here goes.

i have no wants. pretty simple. now, most people would consider this to be a good thing - no wants means no needs, right? which means that really, there is nothing lacking from a person's existance that would improve that existance. yay for everyone - revelrevel.

but that's not the "i have no wants" that i mean. i mean that i flat out don't want anything. not that i have everything i need, not that i have acquired everything that i want to acquire or anything like that. i mean that there has been nothing lately that stirs up any sense of anticipation, eagerness, excitement or even aversion. i just don't want.

some examples might clarify. as of late (which fits into the past couple of weeks as far as duration of time), i have been trying to make sure i do everything that i need to do - go to work, increase my nutritional intake (making sure i take in more carbs, protein, etc.), get some (but not too much) exercise, get enough sleep at night, etc. those are the basic necessary-for-daily-existance things. then there are the perk things - watch television or movies, listen to music, read and write, observe those around me, shop, etc. things that are supposed to spice things up and serve as icing on the cake that is doing all of the necessary-for-existance things. it all ties together into that which constitutes a life.

but there hasn't been anything that i've done that i've really wanted to do. nor has there been anything that i haven't wanted to do. they're just all sort of things that i'm supposed to do, so i do them. or don't, depending on the situation. today i rode into work and listened to someone talking about getting the paperwork finished for their new apartment and how excited she was - and i was envious of her because she was so psyched! even the fact that the lease finalization was more difficult than anticipated was something exciting. whereas i have been, for all intensive purposes, been waking up, going to work, coming home and exercising, "relaxing" and going to sleep, with all of the necessary breaks for eating and commuting and whatnot.

when i try to figure out what i want to eat for dinner, i don't have any preference - i don't want one of my dinners, i don't want to make anything from scratch, i don't want chipotle or the chinese that i get. since my grocery schedule was messed up this week, i've been rocking the takeout train this week, but i don't sit there and think that anything sounds particularly good - i just go with what i haven't had as of late. i don't particularly want to read the book that i'm reading, but i'm reading it. i don't particularly want to write in my journal, but i know it's important for me to do so right now because i need to figure out what i'm feeling. i don't particularly want to exercise, but i know i should do something so my body doesn't feel tired. i don't particularly want to go to work, but i know i have to and i don't particularly have anything i would want to do if i didn't. when i went shopping for a new shirt this past weekend, i didn't particularly want any of the items, but i knew the shirt i got was something i generally like, would serve me well and was on sale. i went to dccd in adams morgan to look at music and couldn't find anything that i wanted to pick up. save the dawson's viewing last night, i haven't had anything on television that i've particularly wanted to see. the movies that i rented this past weekend were good, but when i was perusing the selections at blockbuster, there was nothing that stood out as something i particularly wanted to see. i haven't particularly wanted to go to sleep at night, but it's what i should do and i haven't particularly wanted to do anything anyway.

and those are only the superficial examples.

i'm someone who has always - as a strength and as a result, a constant form of teasing from friends - wanted things, desired things, jumped into things and run with them. one of the things i've always liked about myself, even if it's gotten me into trouble at times, is the passion with which i approach the things i become involved with. there's very little that i view as something that should only be half dealt with.

which is why this lack of want is so surprising and disturbing to me. i'm hoping that my meeting this afternoon will help me figure out why this is the case and how i can kind of counter it. i am hoping that this weekend will also help - i think it should be a lot of fun.
happy birthday to bob hope on this, his 100th big day ... i think everyone has to have a special place in their hearts for mr. hope. personally, my first and best thought of mr. hope is always "the seven little foyts" - good ol' fashioned musical goodness that includes one of my favorite dance sequences ever - a tabletop dance with eddie foyt (mr. hope) and george cohan (james cagney) that just brings delight whenever i even think about it. he's had an amazing life, a fantastic career and is just an all-around hollywood and american institution. congratulations to him on reaching such a milestone!

i am utterly, utterly exhausted today ... just want to curl up and sleep!!! yet somehow i don't think that would be the best of ideas ... wonder why. hmm.

but nonetheless. i was able to see the final "dawson's creek" last night, which brought back all sorts of memories of college and otherwise growing up, not to mention general amusement by a number of different aspects of the episode. from the manner in which the show poked fun at itself to the way some of the characters' storylines were explained to the fact that they justified audrey's lack of presence with the fact that she was in europe working as a backup singer for john mayer (what's worse - that mayer is in "dawson's creek" pop culture or that they are saying he'll have backup singers in ten years???), i was thoroughly amused.

now i just have to see the final "felicity" - my other big college wb show - at least during my freshman year.

ok, MUST WAKE UP.

5.27.2003

the past few days have left me desperately in need of hugs. long, tight, wrap-your-arms-around-me-so-i-can-just-curl-up-and-hide-for-a-little-bit hugs.

if you can provide this service, please find me.

5.26.2003

i just wrote the world's longest post and managed to delete it.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

5.24.2003

someone (who shall remain nameless, obviously) should have gone away this weekend ... as everyone else under the sun (or at least, in the greater washington metro area) appears to have done so. the timing on this earns a big ol' not so much from the judges!

holiday weekend, but the sun is hiding beneath the permadrizzle we've been enjoying as of late (why do i feel as if i'm getting the london experience without crossing the pond?) and literally no one around. every single person i know in the washington area, save two, have plans. so i'm making the best of this situation and spending my saturday exploring the daylife of adams morgan - i figure it's about time i gave tryst (the area's "central perk"-like coffeehouse) a go. there's no way it can be a muddy's-worthy experience, but i'll take what i can get and it could be nice to curl up with a coffee and book on a couch!

i also seem to have developed a cold. not a fan.

gotta laugh at things, though - i was going to wear black to tryst (no, i wasn't trying to be all hip coffee girl, it's my favorite shirt) but decided not to on the grounds that i've got enough "angst angst angst, rage rage rage" going on - all i need to do is talk to someone there for five minutes before they realize i'm conflicted enough to be considered an appropriate twenty-something "reality bites"-like consumer of java to stake a place in the joint. ;-)

5.23.2003

oh wow, what a fun day.

i left the office around 3 today, as i would have had one of, if not a combination of, the following occur if i didn't:
- loss of sanity
- a lot of yelling
- the voluntary end of my time within the office.

honesty is desired. ok then, here's honesty (well, ok, admittedly, this isn't honest, this is sarcastic as hell). i have discovered that the following list of activities are all signs of my obvious desire to not gain the weight i need to gain but have as of yet, due to my messed up body, been unable to gain:

- increasing amount of food intake and food choice
- drinking coffee
- changing hairstyles
- not changing hairstyles
- buying new clothing
- not buying new clothing
- attempting to gain muscle mass through exercise, particularly weight training
- not attempting to gain muscle mass through exercise, particularly weight training
- taking medicine
- not taking medicine
- trying to talk to people
- not trying to talk to people
- replying to passing inquiries of "how are you?" with "i'm great, thanks"
- replying to passing inquiries of "how are you?" with anything other than, "i'm great, thanks"
- alcohol consumption
- lack of alcohol consumption
- caring about how i am perceived by others
- not caring about how i am perceived by others
- being honest
- not being honest by being honest
- inquiring about a recipe for coffee cake
- accepting the offer of candy
- not accepting the offer of candy
- setting up a meal plan
- not setting up a meal plan
- being in a good mood at work
- being in a bad mood at work
- showing patience
- showing inpatience

as you can see, ladies and gentlemen, there is, essentially, nothing i can do that does not make it blatantly clear to observers that i am, in fact, clearly not interested in gaining necessary weight. while i have made it a mission to do so, quite literally, the fact remains that i am simply not doing enough.

there has been concern at work for awhile now because i lost too much weight since arriving in washington. and i thoroughly agree that i have lost too much and have been, as a result, working my arse off (that figure of speech was just for you, bethy!) to gain it back. unfortunately, however, my body hasn't been listening to me (it's just as stubborn as my blonde lil' brain is - figures), despite my best efforts (much to the delight of local area food establishments - particularly chipotle). in fact, little pow wows featuring myself and two of my supervisors have become a semi-regular occurrance.

i decided to be proactive and tell them about the steps that i've been making lately, however, so i sat down with each of them earlier this week to let them know that i'm doing well and am psyched that i think my body is finally starting to get with the program, so to speak. that way, i am being open and honest while letting them know that the coming weeks are going to be a bit of an emotional and physical rollercoaster for yours truly (for example, going from my body feeling incapable of taking in any more food without exploding one day to feeling ready to gnaw off an arm by the end of the workday the next).

however, that was, according to the supervisors, clearly indicative of my desire to hide from them the fact that things are, in fact, not going well and i am not making progress. rather than being passively evasive, i was being actively evasive. obviously.

as well, the fruit, slice of coffee cake, chocolate chip bagel and bite of pastry consumed by yours truly at the office brunch/goodbye party this morning clearly demonstrates that my lack of willingness to gain. clearly. and asking who brought in the coffee cake so i could get the recipe and try making it at home sometime? good lord, that was obviously a cry out in refusal to even consider gaining weight.

the chipotle i intend to enjoy this evening with my blockbuster selection (of "catch me if you can")? further proof.

inquiries to coworkers about meeting up for lunch, dinner or coffee sometime to catch up and see how things have been? isn't the pattern clear by now?

i'm just determined to not gain weight - that should be clear to everyone. apparently, it is.

funny how i'm the only one who doesn't seem to accept that. i must be more messed up in the head than everyone thought.

anyway, our heroine was a bit, shall we say, frustrated by the time this afternoon's pow wow was underway. suffering from the fun, previously unknown side effects of medication, riding the breaking crests of a major sugar rush brought about by consumption of copious brunch food items and an upset stomach due to overindulging in said items while in need of mid-afternoon caffeine infusion, i was not in the best state of minds to hear that i'm not making any efforts. in fact, i was tempted to tell said concerned naysayers to take their concern, understanding (and admitted lack of understanding) and oh yes, my job and shove it all because it was all serving to demonstrate just how impossible it is to show anyone that effort is being made every day and every hour. rather than do the rash thing and run off cursing, i very honestly, very forcibly explained that said awareness of my lack of effort was, in fact, the farthest thing from reality as can be and was also, incidentally, making the process increasingly difficult and taxing, again, both physically and emotionally. that the concern expressed to said supervisors by others is serving to further isolate me, as i know people are expressing concern yet choosing not to express it to me (understandably so, in some respects, i will acknowledge, as i might hesitate as well were situations reversed) and instead not talking to me at all. that when told by others that they are there for me if i need them and i attempt to open that door of communication, i find it emotionally distressing to have that door shut in my face, leaving me less likely to initiate communication in the future. that all elements, when combined, leave yours truly feeling as if at the bottom of a ravine, trying to claw up to the top and finding bits of success, only to have buckets of rocks and dirt dumped upon me by those standing at the top who say they want to help. that there is very little in my current situation and environment that is serving as a form of positivity and encouragement. that i do care about what other people think of me because i've been spending so much damn time thinking about what i think of me and how i feel that i want an outlet from that thought from time to time. and because i, like everyone else on the planet, crave some positive reinforcement, particularly during such a frustrating experience which is riddled with feelings of self-doubt, from others. which i am, for the most part, not finding, instead being told that i'm not trying.

anyway, following this and further showing the good-yet-utterly-paradoxical nature of my office, i was given hugs, votes of encouragement and offers to be able to head home to vermont for a period of time if i need it - fully paid - as well as the rest of the afternoon off.

??????????

i need a vacation.
i might not have a voice this morning (well, forget the might part - i really do not have a voice right now!), but i can always type ... and since it's friday ...

1. what brand of toothpaste do you use?
crest at the moment, but my favorite, since i'm a cinnamon junkie, is closeup.

2. what brand of toilet paper do you prefer?
i'm not a particular toilet paper connoseuir - as long as it's soft, i'm happy. i tend to go with whatever's on sale.

3. what brand(s) of shoes do you wear?
i have my adidas sambas, but other than that, payless all the way!

4. what brand of soda do you drink?
i don't drink soda - i drink coffee, tea, water and alcohol! ;-) but when i do, it doesn't really matter to me - whatever's there. but i do not like mountain dew or other similar "jolt them with caffeine so they don't notice it tastes like hell" beverages.

5. what brand of gum do you chew?
trident. while i used to be a cinnamon addict, i've broken myself of that addiction and now chew original flavor, as it's tasty and the flavor lasts longer.

ohmigod, my throat is driving me insane - the medicine i've been taking showed some of its "side effects" last night. i felt like my throat was closing up and my tongue was twice its normal size (i know, great imagery, eh?). i couldn't sleep, i couldn't do anything but sit there, pray for the gods to be kind and let me get some rest (which they finally did around 3 a.m.). today i am dealing with the worst sore throat known to mankind, which i nursed this morning with some warm (but not hot) coffee and a very carefully consumed (and, fortunately, very soft) bagel ... i needed to get some breakfast in me, i could just imagine being at work without being able to speak very loudly AND ready to faint from lack of breakfast ...

good lord, i hope this isn't indicative of the day i am going to have. ;-)

5.21.2003

you know what? you can do everything under the sun to make someone like you - be nice, be sweet, be honest. show concern, ask questions. try opening up and then try to shrug off the less-than-open reactions. show strength, show weakness. flat out ask if you've offended someone. try to be a friend and figure out what is is that defines being a friend for the other person.

but the basic reality of the situation is, sometimes, that there's nothing you can do. there are someones out there (yes, i intentionally used poor grammar) who are just not, at least at this moment in time, willing to be a friend back. whatever the situation appeared to be in the past doesn't matter. whatever the future holds doesn't matter right now. the fact remains that for the present, it's just not going to happen.

and know what? that's ok. it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you, doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with the other person. it's just how things are. and that's got to be perfectly fine because there is nothing under the sun that will change the situation, so why worry about it and why fight it? there are more important things to focus on, more important things to worry about.

i'm here, i'm open to friendship and i remain determined to make my place here. if people don't want to be a part of that right now - or, if there's something making people hesitate, at least - i'm here when they want to be. if they don't, i'm not going to feel like there's something wrong with me.

how about that for being self-confident?
the walk from union station to my office this morning was absolutely glorious.

it really shouldn't have been, for all intensive purposes. crowded walkways filled with the commuters disgruntled by the downpour of rain and splashing of puddles as oblivious drivers navigated their cars and vans on paths incorperating the maximum possible splash factor while the morning news' promises of days of rain echo through their damp heads. the individuals who failed to either listen to or heed the warnings of the morning weather report glaring enviously at those who had actually brought umbrellas. grumblings of resentment about the lack of warm weather resonating through the masses while paper coffee cups threaten to buckle as the raindrops splash on them.

it really should have been one of those situations where i walked off the metro, bustled up the stairs and dashed to work as quickly as possible so i could avoid as much of the displeasure as possible. instead, it was glorious.

as i walked, my umbrella kept me nice and dry, the air felt thick and warm with the moisture and my footsteps felt confident and light as i dodged the splashes and navigated the cobblestones. a smile on my face, i was nestled snugly in the very center of a bubble of comfort and positivity - the sounds, sights, even smells of the city were soft and soothing. what was it that brought such a wonderful feeling about? the taste of the warm sourdough bagel this morning? the beckoning promises of the rich coffee kevin would have brewing when i arrived at the office? the way the scents of my new cocoa butter lotion and old chocolate chip cookie lip gloss combined to make me think of my mother's baking? or was it the way i could hear james cagney's voice in my head as i read from his autobiography on the metro on my way in?

a bit of everything, i believe. the individual pieces came from the potential jumble of daily life and clicked into place to produce a feeling of temporary perfection.

moments like that - sensations like that - make me realize just how wonderful life can be. it's a welcome feeling, as things have been physically and emotionally over- and underwhelming at the same time lately. there is a lot on my plate right now (ok, really bad, incredibly unintentional play on words there) while, all things considered, there really isn't. it is as if my life is one huge series of dichotomies and i just have to sort them out one by one - or accept the fact that i don't have to sort them all out, i just need to be for awhile. good lord, just start calling me kierkegaard already, right?

nevertheless. i sit here now, sipping my coffee, rambling onto the computer screen, the rain falling outside and a smile on my face. things are good.

5.18.2003

just because ... random survey.

// YOUR ROOM, WAKING UP //
01. What color are your walls? cream
02. What color is your bedspread/sheets? bedspread - light blue. sheets - pale yellow
03. What color is your rug? beige
04. Any posters/bulletin boards/designs in your room? framed posters/photographs/artwork/collages. theatre cards/programs in one corner. tickets and media passes in another corner.
05. Do you have a TV? Is it big? yes and no
06. Do you have a phone? land phone and cell.
07. Do you have your own computer? yep.
08. Do you have a desk? yes. do i use it for desk-like activities? no.
09. What are your most treasured belongings in your room? hmm ... my photographs.
10. What are your most favorite things in your room? besides the fact that the expression "most favorite" is gramatically despicable ...
11. Do you have any fancy lights in your room? i have a snazzy lamp that i like ...

// GETTING READY //
01. What is the first thing you do when you wake up? curse the clock.
02. Anything unusual? i don't believe so ...
03. Do you pick out your clothes the night before school? if i went to school, i might feel compelled to answer ...
04. Do you try your best to look cute for school? why do i feel like i should be responding with a valley girl attitude with these questions?

// HOME //
When you come home are you. . .
01. Miserable? isn't everyone sometimes?
02. Happy? see previous answer
03. Tired? see previous answer
04. LEAVE ME ALONE? see previous answer

// OTHER //
01. Do you take walks around your neighborhood sometimes? quite frequently.
02. What are some hobbies of yours? writing, reading, music, exercise
03. Do you collect anything? memories
04. What do you do in your spare time? work on my plan for world domination or write the great american novel.
05. Are you in love, or at least falling? nope.

// NIGHT TIME //
01. What do you do before you go to bed? stretch, get everything set for the next morning, etc ...
02. Do you kiss your parents/guardians goodnight, or just say "goodnight"? while my roommates and i are close, we're not that close ... just say g'night.
03. What way do you sleep (ex: on your side, tummy, etc.)? on my left side.
04. Do you like your life? i'm workin on it.

Survey 2

[ Current Clothes ] black shirt and jeans.
[ Current Mood ] contemplative.
[ Current Music ] the television - "the osbournes"
[ Current Taste ] gum.
[ Current Make-up ] none.
[ Current Hair ] disheveled.
[ Current Annoyance ] shoulder injury.
[ Current Smell ] yankee candles - christmas cookie.
[ Current Favorite Artist ] musical - jason mraz. art - picasso or matisse.
[ Current Desktop Picture ] arcadia set.
[ Current Favorite Group(s) ] averi. radiohead.
[ Current Book you're reading ] dupont circle.
[ Current CD in CD Player] live mraz.
[ Current Color Of Toenails ] au natural.
[ Current Refreshment(it's called draaaank) ] coffee.
[ Current Worry ] physical health.

LAST PERSON...
[ You Touched ] ed.
[ You Talked to ] my mother.
[ You Hugged ] ben.
[ You Instant messaged ] erica
[ You Yelled At ] my brother?
[ You Kissed ] i can't even remember, to be honest ...

FAVORITE...
[ Food ] chipotle.
[ Drink ] coffee, tea, water. alcohol - vodka cran
[ Color ] black, blue, yellow.
[ Album ] jeff buckley - grace.
[ Shoes ] my sambas. or swinger shoes. or red sneakers. i like shoes. ;-)
[ Candy ] mike & ike. or jelly bellies.
[ Animal ] kangaroo.
[ TV Show ] west wing.
[ Movie ] many.
[ Dance ] ????
[ Song ] many.
[ Vegetable ] broccoli.
[ Fruit ] apple.
[ Cartoon ] as in comic or television? powerpuff girls, calvin & hobbes, the ever-classic peanuts ...

ARE YOU...
[ Understanding ] i like to think so.
[ Open-minded ] at times.
[ Arrogant ] have been in the past.
[ Insecure ] very much so.
[ Interesting ] yes, although i don't always make it evident or realize it.
[ Random ] i am nothing but randomness at the moment.
[ Friendly ] i like to think so.
[ Smart ] yes.
[ Moody ] i admit it - definitely.
[ Childish ] i certainly can be.
[ Independent ] working on it. and i alternate between extreme independence and extreme dependence.
[ Hard working ] yes.
[ Organized ] creatively.
[ Healthy ] working on it.
[ Emotionally Stable ] working on it. ;-)
[ Shy ] very.
[ Difficult ] i admit this too - i certainly can be.
[ Attractive ] ...
[ Bored Easily ] can be.
[ Messy ] can be.
[ Thirsty ] not at the moment.
[ Responsible ] yep.
[ Obsessed ] when i decide to do something, i embrace it 110%, for better or worse!
[ Angry ] not at the moment.
[ Sad ] not at the moment.
[ Happy ] not overwhelmed with joy, but not UNhappy ...
[ Hyper ] at times.
[ Trusting ] at times.
[ Talkative ] at times, but not as much as i should be.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO...
[ Kill ] my, we're bitter, aren't we?
[ Slap ] ???
[ Get Really Wasted With ] orlando bloom so i can take advantage of him in his intoxicated state. ;-)
[ Get High With ] if i were to get high, it would be fun to smoke up with mraz.
[ Look Like ] if i were to look like someone else, kate hudson. but i'd be happy with me as i hope to be shortly!
[ Talk To Offline ] ms. elizabeth!
[ Talk To Online ] whoever's also online ...

ok, and i'm spent.

hey, is the new radiohead album out yet?
my mother gave me the link to one of the funniest blogs ever ... the "dullest blog in the world." i love it!

i feel very odd today - but in a good way more than a negative way. i feel as if everything's kind of spinning about and i'm encountering the possibility of change and growth - which is frightening just as much as it is exciting. it doesn't make a lot of sense to me at the moment, so there's no way it could possibly make sense if i were to try to describe it here, so i'll hold off on that for now, but a couple of highlights ...

- i'm making big efforts to be more outgoing. this is so much more difficult for me to do than i think anyone realizes. but i'm trying.

- i love feeling like i have the possibility of making a new friend. :-)

- a really tasty drink: skyy vodka, ginger ale and a little orange juice. garnish with lime. better than a screwdriver - reminded me of what a mimosa must taste like.

- i ate red meat for the first time in months last night. i ate a cheeseburger. the world rejoiced. i was pleased with myself.

5.16.2003

of course, the friday five for the week...

1. what drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?
i've never been overly picky regarding that - tap, britta, whatever. as long as its water and it's not, well, nasty, i'm a happy girl. water = gooood.

2. what are your favorite flavor of chips?
i'm not a big chip girl - but tortilla chips are good and apple chips are good - which admittedly aren't chips in the strict sense of the word, but they're tasty nonetheless.

3. of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?
considering that i can barely cook anything to save my life ... my lasagna has always been successful and, as of late, the spinach spaghetti/veggie/gardenburger meal i've concocted is very tasty. i might go with that for an answer.

4. how do you have your eggs?
omlet with green pepper, broccoli, onion, mushroom and tomato please!

5. who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?
the chipotle woman last night. it was delicious. ;-)

i have never been a coffee drinker. in fact, up until a year or so ago, i hated the taste of coffee (save coffee ice cream, which is a whole other story - but, then again, isn't that always the case with ice cream?) and couldn't drink it at all. then, about a year ago, i tried iced coffee and enjoyed that, so i could drink coffee cold, just not hot. when i was freezing to death at the orioles game back in early april and warmed up over a cup of coffee, i figured the only reason i liked it was because i was so cold and it was a warm drink.

but this week, i discovered that coffee is another addition to the "list of tastes/foods/items vickie used to hate but now loves." i was at a reception at the library of congress during my lunch hour on wednesday (kevin had asked me to attend it at least for a few minutes and it was a 'chocolate extravaganza', so how could i possibly pass that up?) and decided, for whatever reason, that a cup of coffee sounded somewhat appealing. or at least the idea of it. so i gave it a shot and absolutely loved it.

yet again i thought it must be a fluke - the combination of chocolate and coffee had tricked me into thinking the latter was better than it truly was. but, this morning, my third coffee experience finally led me to realize that i have become a java fan - not to mention i've been reaping the benefits of the caffeine-buzz wave that has washed over me today! my cup o' joe this morning certainly gave me a little extra something for my tour of the capitol, which was, by the way, probably one of the most enjoyable tours i've given yet - score! and it's made the day go by quite quickly, which is always a bonus.

so i finally join the other legions of coffee drinkers in the world. if i have learned to like coffee, do you think beer's next?

i didn't think so either. ;-)

5.15.2003

so i could have gone home after work last night and enjoyed a very packed evening of television goodness. with "american idol", the last "dawson's creek" (gasp! tear!), "the bachelor" AND the season finale of "the west wing", it was a night of much must-see tv. not to mention the opportunity to relax, do some exercising, make some dinner, yadda yadda.

instead, i headed over to the warner theater for the washington premiere of "the matrix: reloaded", since the bossman was unable to attend and there a couple of spare tickets up for the taking. mary kate and i snatched them up and headed over with fellow lucky ticketholder chris (who scored his ticket through his girlfriend) after the close of business.

first of all, i'd never been to the warner before, where normally they hold concerts, comedians, traveling productions of plays or musicals ("rent" and "beauty & the beast" among them) and the like. the thought of seeing a movie there was intruiging, to say the least. and the place was absolutely gorgeous. ritzy lobbies and full gold and crimson curtained, gilded edges type of glamour going on in this place. akin to the style of the palace theater in albany, for those who enjoyed that spectacle at the tori amos show. our tickets were for the mid-balcony, so mk and i found seats almost in the direct center, about four rows back in the mid-balcony area and reveled in the randomness of the opportunity. then, after commenting on how it was nice to see how the ritzier half lives, we headed down to the bar, where i sipped a complimentary chardonnay (wasn't a big fan of that particular bottle - who would have thought i'd be getting a taste for the stuff?) before switching to coffee and then picked up our boxed meals from dean & delucca (bag o' chips, nice, soft cookie (mine was oatmeal raisin - yum!) and sandwich (options included roast beef, turkey, roast chicken and my choice, the vegetarian sandwich) before heading back to our seats to munch on our gifts and chat before the movie started. all was very tasty.

anyhoo, shortly after 7, the aol-time warner people came out and gave a couple of speeches, the most amusing being by one of the heads of the company commenting on how he had seen the movie four times by this point and still didn't fully get it - and asked if anyone can ever truly "get" a "matrix" movie. after the expected thank yous and applause, the movie began. without trailers! whoo hoo!

wow - anyone who enjoyed the first movie definitely should see this one - and see it in on the big screen! one of the things i love and hate about the "matrix" series is how there's an incredibly thought-provoking storyline without there necessarily being a storyline - as if keanu reeves could pull off a storyline, right? but the philosophical aspects of the plot is always so thought-provoking - and this one is no exception. the special effects and fight sequences are, naturally, absolutely amazing - they managed to raise the bar with this one, which i didn't think they'd be able to do, to be honest - although i had to chuckle during each sequence, as i kept thinking about how it reminded me of jackie chan with a much larger budget and slow motion. there are cinematic aspects of it that capture the essence of life and passion that just blew me away - and there's humor! in typical "matrix" deadpan fasion, of course. my "romeo & juliet"-loving self was thrilled to see harold perrineau, jr (who played mercution in "r&j" and was one of my favorite actors in the film), who proved to be one of the film's absolute highlights. and, with all "matrix" experiences, i made my way home wishing i knew kung fu. ;-)

but the good thing about the film is that it stands on its own as a film - you don't need to have seen the first one in order to enjoy the second (a fact confirmed by mk and beth, chris' gf). so i recommend it for everyone who likes a thought-provoking movie experience or a kickass cinematographic experience.

anyway - 'tis thursday - and 'tis nearly someone's birthday! on saturday, everyone must think happy birthday thougths for one imsopredictable ... otherwise known as the delightful paul!!!

5.14.2003

i'm going to see "the matrix: reloaded" tonight at the warner theater.

special screening.

SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5.13.2003

last car ride: the trip to the airport yesterday morning - wasn't overly conscious for it.
last kiss: long time ago
last good cry: about a week and a half ago
last library book checked out: a whole batch yesterday. currently reading "dupont circle"
last movie seen: guffman?
last book read: last book finished was "kissing in manhattan"
last cuss word uttered: i'm sure it must have been fuck
last beverage drank: cinnamon apple spice tea
last food consumed: strawberry yogurt banana. the gum i'm chewing doesn't count, i've decided.
last crush: orlando bloom. ;-)
last phone call: someone who needed to talk to the press dept.
last tv show watched: the today show. still ongoing.
last time showered: at about 5:30 this morning
last shoes worn: my comfy brown leather slideons
last cd played: mraz, big surprise
last item bought: chipotle
last downloaded: tori
last annoyance: this damn pain in my left side (no, i'm not having a heart attack, thank you)
last disappointment: that the pain didn't go away while i slept.
last soda drank: diet coke (with rum in it)
last thing written: diet coke (with rum in it). or my cover letter for a journalism job.
last key used: .
last word spoken: 'mornin'
last sleep: last night
last im: last night
last sexual fantasy: aren't we risque?
last weird encounter: define 'weird' ...
last ice cream eaten: vanilla. part of an apple crisp dessert.
last time amused: this morning.
last time wanting to die: this morning, when i tried to hoist myself out of bed (did i mention the pain thing?)
last time in love: in love with someone? never. in love with life? always.
last time hugged: around 6 a.m. yesterday morning.
last time scolded: this weekend?
last time resentful: yesterday afternoon.
last chair sat in: the office chair my arse is currently parked in.
last lipstick used: dr. pepper lipsmacker.
last shirt worn: sage green long sleeved "rugby" shirt
last time dancing: need to work on that - been awhile
last poster looked at: a print here in the office
last show attended: mason jennings at the black cat (i suck!)
last webpage visited: google.com

1 MINUTE AGO: typing and on the phone
1 HOUR AGO: opening the office
1 DAY AGO: walking to work
1 WEEK AGO: doing the same damn thing i'm doing now
1 YEAR AGO: in disbelief that i had graduated college the day before

I HURT: on my left side. i think i pulled a muscle or two or something.
I LOVE: this tea.
I HATE: feeling tired.
I FEAR: being alone.
I HOPE: to regain strength quickly.
I FEEL: physically weary, yet emotionally vibrant.
I HIDE: more than people realize.
I DRIVE: an imaginary car when in d.c., a green 1992 saturn sl1 when in the northern part of the country.
I MISS: being a wiseass all the time.
I LEARNED: that i'm an overachiever. with everything.
I NEED: to gain back what i lost. in a variety of ways.
I THINK: i'm in a state of mind where i can. but it's hard.

current clothes: same shirt described earlier and camel-colored dress pants
current mood: spunky
current music: a loreal commercial.
current taste: trident original flavor. yum.
current hair: behind my ears.
current annoyance: there are a few of those!
current smell: cocoa butter. yay!
current thing i should be doing: working on tours.
current desktop picture: a digital blasphemy wallpaper.
current refreshment: tea's gone - now a bottle o' water.
current worry: this pain.

1. What do you most like about your body?: someone once told me my fingers were faerie-like. that's always stuck with me.
2. And least?: now is not exactly the time to discuss that with me ... let's say i'm a work-in-progress.
3. How many fillings do you have?: don't recall.
4. Do you think you're good looking?: i'm me, undergoing a renovation process. ;)
5. Do other people often tell you that you're good looking? i'm told that, yes. but in adams morgan at 1 a.m., there are a lot of "good looking" utterances made.
6. Do you look like any celebrities?: i don't know - do i?

5.09.2003

friday five time!

1. would you consider yourself an organized person? why or why not?
lol - i consider myself "creatively organized" - a term i've given my sense of organization over the years. most of the time, others might think there's no rhyme or reason to my madness. but 99% of the time, i know exactly where a specific thing is in my mess - it's when i take the time to "organize" that i forget where everything is! but i am, by no means, a slob or anything like that.

2. do you keep some type of planner, organizer, calendar, etc. with you, and do you use it regularly?
i'm really good about it for a little while, but then i stop forever. and then i go back to it. and then i stop forever. at work, i rely on my desk calendar to keep track of tours and various events (including my free massage, which i will receive on the 21st!), but as far as personal time, i just go with my journal, as i generally have notes in there with what i have going on and whatnot.

3. would you say that your desk is organized right now?
scary as it is to say - yes. everything is in its respective little pile or in its binder - it's actually quite frightening. i should work on that. ;) now my desk at home? that's a whole other ballgame.

.4. do you alphabetize CDs, books, and DVDs, or does it not matter?
hells no! why bother spending all the time doing that? as long as they're all together, i wind up looking through them all anyway and the order gets messed up...

5. what's the hardest thing you've ever had to organize?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA - defender photo archives. boxes upon boxes of photos going back a good five years. need i say more?

5.08.2003

GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

i have no time today to think. or breathe. or relax. runrunrunrun.

more than a little stressed. not the best state of mind for right before an interview. and i don't want to go to my damned appointment. and, thanks to my lovely day, i am totally not feeling the idea of happy hour. i just want to get all of this crap out of the way, get home, run (therefore getting rid of this damned tension), eat dinner and CRASH.

ah, how lovely a notion. we'll see what i decide to do.

oy.
while i'm not generally a big courtney love fan - ok, hell, i'm not generally a courtney love fan whatsoever - i have to give up a big "hells yeah!" to her for this piece, courtesy of rolling stone.

today is insane. truly insane. with random situation after random situation, peppered by random phone calls and a shortened, yet uber stressful day (heading out early for an appointment, but have an interview for an in-office position that i'm too far down on the seniority chain to realistically have a shot - it's all about gaining experience in interviews and promoting myself within the office, frankly), so the stress is up there. with tentative plans for happy hour shortly after appointment and whatnot, i feel like my "GOGOGO" feelings of yesterday have most certainly carried over into today.

but it makes the time go by and will make the vodka cran i will potentially have in my hand this evening all the tastier. ;-)

5.07.2003

whew!

i am taking a quick sanity break to force myself to take a breather - i don't know what it is about today, but i feel like i'm a mouse (or a hamster - those are cuter) on one of those fun wheels - i'm running running running but not getting anywhere! but at least it's making the day go by quickly, so in that respect, it's a blessing ...

tour this morning, followed by the launch of a project - i'm working on revamping the senator's tour page with updated information - hell, forget updated, i'm focusing on actually providing information, rather than the links to the various tour destinations' websites. it'll be a big help, i think - it'll make it a lot easier for constituents to have one site where all of the information is right there - plus it might save me the "hi, ok, i wanted to know what you offer for tour possibilities" calls where i have to run through the whole spiel.

so now i'm being good and settling in for the long haul of research and revising this afternoon - i want to have this whole thing done by the end of the week. add to that a trip over to the capitol to give myself a minibreak, stretch the legs and see if any flags are back yet and the various and sundry other things that pop up and my day is pretty much set. it's rather bizarre - for the past few days i have felt as if something is about to happen, something big, in my life and i'm just waiting for it to happen - rather like i'm hanging out by a cliff waiting for a breeze to push me over the edge and i'll be able to see if the ledge i'm thinking is there actually, well, is. it's an odd feeling, more than a little scary, but also exhilerating. i've been in the process of checking out job postings and whatnot to figure out what i want to do in the near and not-so-near future, and i think that's what's primarily contributing to it, to be honest. i don't know if i have any intentions of leaving the office soon - i suppose what comes from these job searches will play a major factor, obviously. i'm applying for things within the office as well as outside of it, but it's bizarre - i thought a year (or a chunk of a year) would help show me where i want (or don't want) to be, but i'm still in the same, "um...i dunno..." state i was in a year ago. everything is so open, in a lot of respects, while closed at the same time, and i'm sitting here trying to figure out what i want to do with it all. what if i try something new and i find out that i'm in an environment less positive than the one i'm in now? what if i stick with my job/situation here and i don't feel the exhileration i've been craving? what if i apply for 45 jobs and all 45 say, "hi, you suck, get out of here"? where do i want to be and what do i want to do? and, most importantly, why is it that i have absolutely no idea whatsoever?!?!?!?!

it's spring - it's been branded into my being that with spring comes change of some sort. so now that spring is wrapped around me, it's squeezing me to figure things out when the truth is that i really don't NEED to figure anything out. but i feel like i want to - which in some respects is just as important, if not more so. but is my overachieving (or, at least, overexpecting) personality demanding more than life is supposed to give? i think that's where most of my frustration generally stems from - i expect things to be Huge, Multicolored, Moulin-Rouge-like affairs and am upset when they're more realistic. how can it be that i am never satisfied by reality? and should i train myself to not be? i mean, really, the people i admire the most are those who refused to accept reality, instead shaping what they're given and demanding more more more until they get the reality they dream of - but how does that happen?

haha, deep thoughts by victoria.

did i mention that i'm journaling again? yes, the creative juices are flowing, as if you can't tell - at least that's an improvement for me, right?

ok, back to the role of tour (slave) girl.

5.03.2003

so just when i'm convinced that things are a certain way, life - as always - throws a curveball my way.

i've been emotionally drained for the past week, week and a half - really frustrated and feeling a little on the empty side at the same time. it's been an odd, paradoxical state to be in - while i feel like there are so many emotions, fears, hopes and what have you bottled up inside me so much that i feel as if it's going to burst out at any second, i have had no means or no desire to get them out of my system. it's like i want to explode but completely lack the energy or enthusiasm to do so.

the whole zen/lucas-from-"empire records"-like existance has persisted throughout the week, leaving me feeling as if i'm in some introspective rut the size of a grand canyon. i've been walking around, examining things and looking for Deeper Meaning so much that i've been completely incapable of focusing on the little things about life that make it good. in addition, it's made some of the smaller things that come with day-to-day interaction with people seem like huge things - signs about the general status of my life and whatnot (if that makes any sense). in a lot of respects, it's just been that i've been incapable of just letting things roll off my back. granted, i've never been particularly good at that (damn my angela chase-like introspection!), but it's like i somehow stepped it up to the next level. so i've been left feeling especially sensitive and vulnerable and questioning so much about Everything. you name it, i've been questioning it - both good and bad.

on thursday night, a bit of the tension bottled up inside broke through, through a couple of phone conversations and, while i felt a little better, i woke up friday morning feeling blue and resigned to feeling frustration and tension. not exactly the best mentality to have starting off a day, but i rationalized that it was better than trying to force optimism when it just wasn't going to be there.

i kept my game face on, however - i wasn't going to let everyone at work see that i wasn't in the greatest of moods - it wouldn't be professional of me. so i just tried to keep myself optimistic and whatnot until the workday ended and the curveball was thrown my way.

the first office happy hour in a couple of weeks - originally the plan was to head down to tortilla coast (on the house side by the cap. south metro), which i was psyched about because i'd never been there (i'm always down with checking out a new place). while ted, chris, janice and i were heading down, janice said that she had heard from the rest of the gang (the office technically closed at 4:30, but i had to cover phones til 5 and the others were finishing up work, so we were meeting the rest down there) that they had moved down two doors to bullfeathers so everyone could sit outside and enjoy the gorgeous warm weather. so we headed there and met up with everyone and enjoyed the really good drink specials ($2 rail drinks during happy hour? this brings me great joy - even if the service was atrocious - what waiter tells patrons that if they want to know what the drink specials are, they should go inside and check out the board? not to mention that you should never list schmirnoff ice as a happy hour special if you're out of schmirnoff ice.) and being out of work for the week. i had fully intended to stick around for a couple of rounds and then probably head home and take it easy, as i had planned on Going Out tonight when we head into adams morgan, but the conversations were amusing and we were all having fun, so i stuck around and was talking with beth, chris' girlfriend, who met up with us there.

one thing led to another and chris, beth and ted were going to head to cap lounge to get dinner, as beth's old roommate from college was a waitress there and beth said to me, "you're coming, right?" feeling really good about that, how could i say no? so the four of us settled up at bullfeathers, told everyone where we were going and that they should come along and then headed over to cap lounge, where we decided to split a pizza and whatnot. the food was good, the drinks were great and everyone else showed up, so we were all crowded around a big round table, laughing, drinking and whatnot - and it just felt good. i felt good about being there, i felt included, i just felt like things weren't as dreary as they had seemed before.

i guess i just needed an evening like last night. i stuck around until a little after nine and then headed home to crash and relax, exchanging numbers with beth with tentative plans to meet up in adams morgan with her and chris when i head in tonight.

i don't know - i guess when it all boils down to it, if i had to describe what i've been feeling as of late, it's just that i've been feeling as if everything is in a whole whirlwind around me and i've been trying to settle down one thing - anything! it's left me feeling very isolated and i've wanted to feel someone reach out and make me feel as if i'm ok, i'm fun, i'm someone that they want to be around so i feel as if dealing with everything i'm dealing with has some sort of purpose (if that makes sense). and having such an enjoyable evening last night made me feel as if i'm not totally lost out there and things can be good and fun.

i don't know - i haven't been making a whole lot of sense lately, not even in my own head - which contributes to why i haven't been all about posting lately. how is one supposed to be capable of describing things in a lucid manner to others when one is incapable of making sense to one's own self? but it all boils down to the fact that i'm aware yet again of how i can overdramatize things and i am determined to just enjoy things more and not necessarily look for the Deeper Meaning - i've just got to enjoy being 22, being where i am and having the opportunity to do whatever it is that i want to do. another goal to add to my ever-lengthening list of goals ... but hey, we know that i'm a girl who likes to have goals. ;-)

5.02.2003

ok, a post of substance is to follow later in the day, but for now ... i know it's hard to believe, but the friday five on friday!

1. name one song you hate to admit you like.
hmm ... there are a few of them ... i think i'll go with, since i heard it from a passing car while i was walking home from the store yesterday evening, "back your ass up." so many memories associated with that song (asuka!!!), plus i was rocking out to it, i admit.

2. name two songs that always make you cry.
there's a country song that came out way back in the day called "a dozen red roses" that i cannot hear without crying. this is made even worse when i would hear it in the car with my father (it deals with a young woman's wedding day and her father, who had died years before but had arranged to have a dozen red roses delivered to the woman on her wedding day - it's gorgeous). then there is "baby got back", which always makes me emotional, not necessarily to the point of tears, but it's an emotional song for me (i smile at the same time whenever i think of it - i know it's surprising as hell to those who don't know why, but trust me, there's an emotional link there). honorable mentions go to john mayer's "not myself" and tori's "gold dust".

3. name three songs that turn you on.
hmm ... van morrison's "moondance", just about any jeff buckley song and the doors' "who do you love".

4. name four songs that always make you feel good.
just about any jason mraz song (early in the mornings when i'm on my way to work and need a kick start, "the remedy" works particularly well), justin timberlake's "rock your body", howie's "after you" (the 6-18-00 live version) and dave matthews band "warehouse".

5. name five songs you couldn't ever do without.
you know i could never just name five.

4.28.2003

ok, i was set to do this on saturday and would have, therefore, only been off by one day, but blogger was proving uncooperative, thus i had to hold off until today. that said, here is the friday five on monday, followed by an actual post of substance, shockingly enough (and yes, i use the term "substance" loosely):

1. what was the last tv show you watched?
the today show this morning (i'm not even going to try to answer this like i would on friday - go with it).

2. what was the last thing you complained about?
lack of tours today. yes, i'm just as scared as you are that that complaint left my mouth. but i actually preferred having tours to look forward to - the people were always cool, it got me out of the office for awhile and it made the day go by faster. i'm bored today.

3. who was the last person you complimented and what did you say?
emily - i commented on how i really liked the shirt she's wearing today - it's this very cool cranberry color and i'm a big fan of it. then we discussed our mutual appreciation for the various shades of pink and i discussed how i have finally embraced my appreciation for the color (although i tend to go for more rose-based hues, darker than cotton candy pink). yes, it was a very indepth philosophical discussion. did i mention i'm bored today?

4. what was the last thing you threw away?
gum wrapper.

5. what was the last website (besides this one) you visited?
yahoo mail to check my email.

and now for the post of substance.

good weekend all in all, gave myself the opportunity to relax and, on sunday, enjoy the absolutely gorgeous sunshiney weather (it continues to be glorious today, although a little breezy, which wouldn't be a problem in the least if i wasn't wearing a long wrap skirt, if you know what i mean). georgetown barhopping was the name of the game friday evening, where i finally found a cute guy (with an accent, no less) to flirt with and chat with a bit - of course it's my luck that the accent (new zealand) should have been an indication that said guy might be a tourist and, oh yeah, leaving the area the next day ... but nonetheless. i'm not a fan of gearing up to going out on friday nights - happy hours are great because you just leave the office and go, but for really "going out" one needs time to be able to relax. therefore, register my vote for taking it easy friday evenings and going out on saturdays.

but it was still a very fun time - new area of nightlife to check out and whatnot. there are some very chill places in georgetown to carouse (sp?) in, although i overall prefer adams morgan to gt. more life there, i suppose - more options, more people, etc.

saturday and sunday were spent doing whatever. not much to report, but my body appreciated the chance to relax and recharge the batteries as much as possible. my fascinating saturday night? chipotle, a couple of phone calls and the second harry potter movie. fun times indeed. yet i was perfectly content with it. :-)

so i think i figured out why i have been going into some rather odd philosophical tangents as of late - and i suppose i can consider this a showcase of some of my best and worst traits. first, the backstory: lately i've been thinking about why we do the things we do. professionally (why we have a certain job), personally (examining the claim that the meaning of life is the relationships we form with others) and basic human necessity (what brings happiness? what brings sorrow? what is the difference between the two?). and i've been thinking about these pretty indepth whenever the thoughts pop into my head. it makes me want to ask people why they do the things they do. why do people walk around the neighborhood where i live during the weekends - wandering from store to store looking for clothes, food, music, etc. what fuels people to go out weekend after weekend, looking for people to meet and experiences to be had? let's say someone is doing everything he or she is supposed to be doing - going to work every day, working 40 hours a week, bringing home a paycheck, etc. - what is the deeper reasoning behind these actions? why, really, are they doing it? what is the infinite payoff? if you had to break it all down to a basic, fundamental explanation, what would that explanation be?

during the end of my lunchbreak today, as i was attempting to psych out the huge yellowjacket that was lurking menacingly around the area i was soaking up sunshine in, it hit me just why these thoughts have been popping into my head. for as long as i can remember, really all of my life, i've been doing things in anticipation of the next thing. you go through elementary school each year with the promise of another year, something new, approaching late the following august. then you get into junior high and it's all about reaching the next grade and becoming that much older, that much cooler - all the while the thought of COLLEGE looming ahead (this brings, depending on the age and whether or not you're waiting to hear if you were accepted or not, both excitement and dread.). college hits and it's great because you have four years to study exactly what it is that you want to study, molding and shaping yourself into What You Are Going To Be When You Grow Up. so you're anticipating your first steps into the real world and the rest of your life.

and then there's after college. you've got your job, you've got your place to live (whether it be an apartment, a house, your family home, etc.) and you can just focus on the status quo - doing what you're doing, what all of the work before got you to. you don't have to worry about not being able to make it - you've made it. you just have to focus on your job, your relationships and whatnot. that's really just about it - enjoy yourself and be happy.

but i've always thrived on focusing on The Next Thing. it's always pushed me, fueled me, driven me forward. so to have to suddenly put the brakes on and accept the fact that i should be enjoying the status quo doesn't work for me. i still want to know what's next. i still want to figure out what's around the corner. i want to get to wherever it is i'm supposed to be going so i can reach that checkpoint and move on to the next one. i don't do stationary. i move, pulse, gogogo.

basically i feel as if i'm supposed to reverse 22 years worth of thought process. and i don't want to.

does anyone else ever feel this way or is this just yet another example of how i can be truly batty sometimes?



4.18.2003

the friday five - on friday, no less! i think this is, what, the second time it's actually worked out this way? nevertheless ...

1. who is your favorite celebrity?
favorite? hmm ... this is tricky. i mean, there are so many different kinds of celebrities - music, film, tv, basic pop culture people (honestly, what of merit has paris hilton ever done? partied - that's about it.). and then you have to think about what you mean by "favorite" - the one you'd most like to hook up with (hello, orlando bloom)? the one you most admire (i've got a lot of respect for nicole kidman right about now)? the one you love to hear about because they always crack you up (anything involving j. lo is just too cheesy to not laugh at)?

i think, all things considered, i'm going to go with three people, three that i would love to sit down and have a conversation with. and those three are, in no particular order: robin williams, billy crystal and bono.

2. who is your least favorite?
anyone who hasn't done anything substantial to gain their fame. and yes, substantial in my eyes. so anyone like anna nicole smith, paris hilton, kato kaelin - someone who just clings to their fame and don't bother accomplishing anything. more of the infamous type of celebrity.

3. have you ever met or seen any celebrities in real life?
it all depends on who you call a "celebrity" - a bunch of theatre types (the original mimi from rent, who was nominated for a tony; christine baranski; miguel from "passions" - haha; various musicians; senators; this year's miss universe; mr. valenty of the mpaa; john walsh; sydney pollack; sarah jessica parker; and some others that i can't think of right now, i suppose.

4. would you want to be famous? why or why not?
yes. so i can attend the functions i've always dreamt of attending (golden globes, sags, academy awards, grammys), so i can see things from that point of view, for material for my novel, for the opportunity to let others know of my thoughts, opinions and dreams and to be able to meet the people i've always followed from my non-famous perspective. i'm sure i'd get tired of it, but i'd rather be able to say that i'm tired of it than never have experienced it in the first place. oh, and also to meet orlando bloom so he can marry me and become one of my multiple future husbands. ;-)

6. if you had to trade places with a celebrity for a day, who would you choose and why?
besides the obvious of the girl from "blue crush" who is supposedly dating my orlando (this switch would be for obvious reasons, eh?), i think ... ok, this is going to sound so cheesy. and she's not even regarded as a celebrity by most people - in fact, most probably don't even know who she is. but ms. winer of "newsday" - new york theatre's only female first-string theatre critic. i worked with linda last summer at the o'neill and i think she is amazing. i'd love to be her for at least a day to expereince what she experiences as a theatre critic and so i could have her incredible writing ability for just a few hours.

ok, i'm back in vt - ready to run out the door. this week has flown by - nothing but tours tours tours. but until i can properly blog about the rest of the becca adventure and the rest of my week, i'll say thank you to becca for gracing me with her presence in dc and i'm so happy to have been able to show you life a little outside of the box! lots o' love.

and paul - YEAH MRAZ IN DC!!!!!!!!!! i'm there. so incredibly i-cannot-wait-about-damn-time there.


4.13.2003

ok, time for the belated friday five!

1. what was the first band you saw in concert?
technically, the first "concert" i ever saw was sharon, lois and braham on the "elephant show" tour - yeah, skinamarinkedinkedink! but the first official CONCERT was new kids on the block when i was in fourth grade and my father drove me down to virginia so i could go to the concert with my two cousins. yeah joey joey mcintyre!

2. who is your favorite band/artist now?
*hysterical laughter* like i could possibly answer THAT!!! i will go with jason mraz and howie day for this answer.

3. what is your favorite song?
HAHAHAHAHA - ok, there are the all-time favorite songs, there are the now-favorite songs, there are the favorite songs by certain artists ... there's no way i can pick one particular song as "favorite" - it's like showing someone every flavor of jelly belly jelly beans and telling her to pick one particular bean as the best one. so i'll go with the right NOW favorite song - probably "unfold" by jason mraz.

4. if you could play one instrument, what would it be?
GUITAR!!!!!!!!!!

5. if you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why?
well, besides jason mraz, as he needs to meet me so he can love me already (hehehehe), it would certainly be jim morrison. as if this should surprise anyone ... ;-)
ok, now that i have reclaimed the computer (silly girl beat me over the head with the laptop and knocked me out - forget having to worry about a hangover after adams morgan debauchery when bec's around! hehehe):

- i fully admit that i embraced my touristy side - it was lots of fun! we did go up to random people and get photos of the two of us and whatnot, twas grand fun. and the shot glasses were wonderful! good times, good times ...

- of course becca was feeling it after two drinks - that's what happens when one of those drinks is a long island! ;-)

- i can't believe the guy at the brass monkey ... i leave for a couple of minutes and next thing i know, becca's being accosted by the thickest moron on the planet (thick as in moronic) ... she didn't mention the fact that this guy came over to our table and was talking to all of us for eons, or at least trying to, but just would not realize that there was no one at the table interested in talking to him ... so he finally goes away and i head over to the bar to get another trusty vodka cran, and next thing i know, the moron is BACK! dense moron ... i felt so bad!

- while i will comment more about the weekend, as well as the becca visit in general when i'm at work, i will say all parties involved are having a marvelous (to be read with an accent as "MAH-velous") time and are preparing to hit up arlington and iwo jima (another roommate gem came from her convo with becca this morning, when becca told her that we were going to arlington: r: "what are you guys up to today?" b: "we're heading out to arlington." r: "oh! i've got a friend in arlington! what are you doing out there?" b: "we're going to the cemetery." r: (pause) "oh, what's fun about that?" b explains what's in arlington. r: "oh ... i'm not really much of a history person.")
Guest Blogger: So I have decided to steal Vickie's computer and make my own entry. Let's see- the weekend started off with Vic meeting me at the airport. She went to a different gate then the one I got off so we didn't catch up for a little while (darn those people at Southwest). It was the first time I have been on the subway. Good times. the best when was my card kept getting denied so I went up to the guy and ask him what I was doing wrong. At this point Vic has already gone through the gate and can't get back. The guy was a dork and wasn't very helpful. He was like where are you going and I was like I have no idea. So from that point on I have been going through the gates before my dear tour guide Vickie.
On Sat. we went and toured the Mall. It was fantastic. We met a lot of people and took lots of pics. The guy with his dog and daughter and the family from Michigan were two favorites. We were in all ways tourists. Sorry Vickie-but you too were one of us. :) We went shopping for fun little things to bring back to the family. Vic suggested a shot glass for my mom. if you know her you would understand how funny that idea is. This woman next to us laughed. We offered her one of the shot glasses (they were really cute, vic-we may need to go back there) and she said 'What you want me to but this shot glass for you....well you are too young to have a shot glass'. I was like not really- I am 23 (ok-I am still 22 for 4 more days but it sounded better). She said that was a compliment...SURE........
So we went to Chipole- it was all that Vic said it was...After dinner we got ready to go out on our night of fun. I finally met the man of my dreams. It was surreal b/c I have had dreams about him so it was like I already knew him. He was very nice and was everything I hoped. It is wonderful to know that Vic has a friend that she can count on down here.
So we go to the bar and by VT standards it is really crowded. We were lucky to get a table. I only had two drinks but I was feeling it. I haven't party since the college expereince. I have no tolerance (boy do I miss college?). So there was this stetchy guy at the bar that kept hitting on everyone...He kept coming over. I wouldn't even look at him..so Vic and Paul had gone to the bar and they were talking. He came back over and sat next to me. He was rubbing my back and saying some of the sickest things I have ever heard....If you know me you know how traumatizing this expereince would be. He wanted to know all the positions I like and other really personal stuff. At this time everyone at the table isn't there and I just want to hide under the table (although he would have thought it was an invitation to f*** under the table). So I tell him that Paul is my "friend" and he wanted to know if all that we do is f***. Finally his friednd's come and make him leave before his parting words "Well at least you'll have a story to tell". That was the only thing he was right about the whole evening. So I can Lucas for words of wisdom. We left the bar and got pizza and headed home after a long day that I will not forget we crashed. We are off again to tour some more....I will try to blog again beforeI head home. Thanks Vic for letting me be a guest blogger....DC look out...here we come.........:):)
ok, i love my new roommate dearly. she is very sweet and very kind and fun to talk to and hang out with. so she's totally cool. that SAID ... a conversation yesterday afternoon ("r" stands for roommate, "v" obviously stands for me):

r: "hi guys! how are you?"
v: "great, but wow, we're tired!"
r: "what did you do today?"
v: "we walked the mall. like the WHOLE mall!"
r: "oh wow! what mall? tyson's corner?"
v: (slightly confused pause, then reality dawns) "oh, no, i meant the NATIONAL mall."
r: "the national mall? where's that?"
v: "um ... it's right downtown. it's where all the monuments are and where the smithsonians are ..."
r: "oh, ok! that's cool!"

um ... yeah. :-)

4.10.2003

my apologies for all-around sucking in the communications department this week - i feel like i haven't had an opportunity to be in touch with anyone as of late, for which i am extremely sorry.

it's strange - the past week has just been a blur. at this time last week, i was preparing for the family visit, which then kept me busy busy busy during the weekend and whatnot. on sunday i learned that my partner in crime here in the front office had been diagnosed with mono, so this week has been a series of open to close shifts for me. fortunately, a former intern is filling in as a temp, so i'm not doing all the work by myself, but there was also the process of showing him the staff assistant ropes, so it made for busy days, to say the least, plus some tours and a few various other random tasks, so i've been bustling about and trying to get everything taken care of. today is my first day resuming a normal schedule, so i'm looking forward to getting out at 5 and being able to get home and relax a bit in the evening. the way things had been going, it felt as if my routine was: wake up, get ready for work, eat breakfast, go to work. go through morning, go to lunch, go through afternoon, get home. by the time i get home and use up some energy exercising (or, as the case may be, use up some energy deciding not to exercise) and eat dinner, it's time to talk on the phone for maybe an hour and then get to bed early because i have to be up early the next day. not to mention that i've given tours of the capitol every day this week, which adds to the weird feel of things - giving a couple of tours a week is typical, five in five days is certainly not - and i'm just waiting for the weekend to arrive!

so it's not that things aren't going well, it's not that i'm being antisocial or anything, but i'm in this tight little coil of a tight schedule and the need for sleep (an added annoyance - i haven't been sleeping well for the past week and a half or so, grrr ...) and will be making a very big effort to restablish some ties and let everyone know that i haven't fallen off the face of the planet (bethy - expect a phone call tonight if you're around!). in the meantime, know that knowing you're all out there and sending me love is helping me get through the crazy rush - i'm thinking of you and you're helping me through the insanity, even if you don't realize it!

4.08.2003

ok, i finally found my dream job. this is the job posting that will finally lure me away from jenkin's hill:

Reporters wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter Cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. Write to ...

yes, i am being sarcastic. but the ad is genuine, i promise you.

how smc are you? i wound up with 85% - haha!

ok, will post during the workday. thank you, becca, for the link!

4.07.2003

of course the friday five wouldn't be answered on friday - that would be too logical for moi!

1. how many houses/apartments have you lived in throughout your life?
hmm...ok, let's think about this. there's the house in massachusetts i started out in, then we moved to the country store in vt, followed by my current homebase home and now my apartment down here. so there's four - then you add the college years: my room with alison starting off college, then moving in with michelle on the same floor second semester of my first year, then 411 for two years (with a summer back in the room i lived in with michelle, but with asuka then, but that's still the same room, so it can't count as an additional room), then the room with becca during the beginning on the second smc summer, then 203 senior year. so that makes nine, if i've done my math correctly.

2. which was your favorite and why?
know the expression "apples and oranges"? this is a whole fruit basket. there's no way i could pick a favorite because each has its own special memories attached.

3. do you find moving house more exciting or stressful? why?
i hate to sound wishy washy, but both. i mean, it's always exciting to have a new location, new surroundings, new possibilities, but there's also the stress of relocating and the fear that balances the anticipation and excitement. so i find moving to be a mixture of the two.

4. what's more important, location or price?
if money was no object, obviously it would be location. however, situations as they generally are, price is often the case. now, in college, it was always location and who you were living with, because there was no difference in price. fortunately, where i am now, i've got a pretty sweet deal in both respects (although one obviously always wishes rent was never something one had to think about, but that goes without saying).

5. what features does your dream house have (pool, spa bath, big yard, etc.)?
it's constantly changing - the constants? a big window with a windowseat where i can read in the sunshine and look out at the world, a nice kitchen that i'll feel compelled to use (and learn to use), a nice big bathtub i can soak in (with a jacuzzi feature, preferrably), a fireplace. other than that, it changes, depending on where i imagine the house/apartment/etc. being location-wise. but sunlight and warmth are the big key factors.

today has been random, to say the least. the weekend was great - i'll write more tomorrow, when i hopefully have more time - and i'm riding the waves of familial love from the weekend and the sendoff early (very, ridiculously, bloody 6 a.m. early) this morning, which counters the feelings of exhaustion (for whatever reason, i was incapable of sleeping past 7 a.m. this entire weekend - depsite trying and trying!) and the kindly reminders from my legs this afternoon that we walked all over the greater dc area this weekend ... who got her exercise and then some? it's me ... it's me ...

but i can quickly say that the cherry blossoms here truly are one of the most gorgeous things i've ever seen - they lived up to and exceeded the hype. and i can say that i am very much looking forward to the close of business today, at which point i can leave the office, head to dupont, complete a mission i've been meaning to complete, get home, make dinner and CRASH!!!!



4.03.2003

file this under "no shit sherlock ..." (from msnbc.com):

A bullet missed the unit's commander by three inches. At one point, Arnot was forced to dive to retrieve an abandoned Iraqi helmet for his own protection.

Pressed by an MSNBC anchor for reassurance that he was not in danger, Arnot replied, "Frankly, we're not safe. We could get hit by a rocket at any time."
today feels as if it is racing to sunset at warp 5 - work, calls, responsibility flying around me, attempting to push through me, and i am riding the wave until the clock hits 5, i'm allowed to race home, finish cleaning, briefly work out and then welcome my loving family for a weekend of enjoyment.

it's just getting to 5 that will be the challenge! at least i have an hour of fun in the sun to look forward to in a few minutes. ah, lunch hour - you are never more appreciated than when the weather is warm, the sun is shining and i can relax with friends outside!

4.02.2003

i like this survey. others should play this game too.

Five songs that make you happy:
1. dream life of rand mcnally - jason mraz (and any other mraz song).
2. bubbletoes - jack johnson.
3. barrel of a gun - guster.
4. lie in our graves - dmb.
5. flutter - averi.

Five songs that make you cry:
1. lilac wine - jeff buckley.
2. so long - guster
3. not myself - john mayer.
4. gold dust - tori amos.
5. stronger - britney spears (if you don't know, don't ask).

Five songs that remind you of love:
1. lilac wine - jeff buckley.
2. brace yourself - howie day.
3. yellow - coldplay.
4. last goodbye - jeff buckley.
5. tonight (not again) - jason mraz.

Five songs to hook up to:
1. she says - howie day.
2. nightswimming - rem.
3. with or without you - u2
4. say goodbye - dmb.
5. crush - dmb.

Five songs that remind you of you:
1. the blonde waltz - charlatans uk
2. gold dust - tori amos.
3. 3 x 5 - john mayer (old school live version).
4. unfold - jason mraz.
5. #41 - dmb.

Five songs to be played at your wedding:
1. moondance - van morrison.
2. comfortable (old school version) - john mayer.
3. the way you look tonight - frank sinatra.
4. tripping billies - dmb.
5. crush - dmb

Five songs to be played at your funeral:
1. shine - pmb
2. two step - dmb
3. dragonfly - josh clayton-felt
4. darkest hour - glen phillips
5. sha sha - ben kweller (let them have fun figuring out why i would want that played!!)

Five songs to dance like a maniac to:
1. you outta know - alanis.
2. wide open spaces - dixie chicks (if you don't know, don't ask).
3. anything on the justin timberlake album.
4. you can do it - by i'm not sure who
5. peace frog - the doors.

Five songs to help you sleep:
1. kristina (piano version) - howie day
2. covered in rain - john mayer
3. anything on norah jones "come away with me"
4. january rain - david gray
5. say goodbye - dmb
better late than never - the latest installment of the friday five on any day but friday (ignore the fact that i'll have another one of these to answer in two days - whoops!):

1. what was your most memorable moment from the last week?
oh good lord, this would have been so much easier to answer last friday - probably? um ... the realization that april was descending upon me at breakneck speed, the feeling that family and friends would be arriving in my little neck of the woods in a matter of days and weeks and that spring was finally looming before me, dripping with potential and the fragrance of the soon-to-be-blossoming cherry blossoms. either that or the feeling i had on the metro on my way to work on friday (which i blogged about).

2. what one person touched your life this week?
a lot of people touched my life last (which should be read as "this") week, but i think the top props should go to blythe or robyn, both of whom showed me that i have closer relationships with people at work than i realized. this brought me great joy. :)

3. how have you helped someone this week?
i hooked people up with mad tour love last (this) week.

4. what one thing do you need to get done by this time next week?
i need to tame the wilderness that is my room by the time my family arrives on thursday (note: i write this on wednesday, which means i need to accomplish this, well, tonight).

5. what one thing will you do over the next seven days to make your world a better place?
i will make an active effort to discern between the things i can change (and improve on them) and the things i cannot change (and not let them drive me bonkers).
this is absolutely hysterical. i don't know about you, but i know i'll be following this story.

the word of the day is, quite simply, glorious. in all facets. the word has been in my mind all day - as i made the walk to the metro this morning, as i walked out of union station ("out past the fountain, a left at the station ...") and made my way up to the office. it continued throughout the morning until i was able to escape outside for my lunch hour, at which point i sat on sun-baked sandstone, ate my lunch, read my book and periodically closed my eyes, letting the sunshine spill over me without any other thought or distraction. and it was in my mind as i walked back to the office just now, past a woman in a sharp black suit with a gold shirt underneath, her just-past-shoulder-length white hair cast behind her shoulders as she leaned against the back of a bench in the shade, her eyes closed, face tilted up slightly with a content smile on her face.

she didn't see me pass by, obviously, but i felt that at that moment, we had to be sharing the same thought, as there was no other way of describing the moment: glorious.

4.01.2003

i just want things to be simple. i'm about ready to scream.
oh what a shame that your
pockets did bleed on st. valentine's
and you sat in a chair thinking:
"boy i'm such a prince!"
well life's a train that goes
from february on day by day
but it's making a stop on april first ...

- rufus wainwright, april fool's