Right now, the Captain and the Genius are downstairs in the living room and watching a movie together. I am upstairs in my bed and thinking about how much fun I had today and how much more at home at feel in my new environs.
It probably helped my mood that today was a rest day on my marathon training regimen.
Even if I'd had to do a training run, though, today couldn't be beat. To start, and as I said before, the Captain and the Genius are downstairs watching a movie together. I find this adorable. The Captain might be fixing up a beat-up house and trying to find a job, but he still takes time to take care of his little brother. Reason #49810 I am glad I went to that bar review two years ago.
Second, I found a fantastic, delicious, affordable sushi place in DuPont circle. Ms. J dreams of someday eating sushi with impunity, and I definitely resonate with that dream. Today, however, I needn't have worried about cost because the lunch special I had was so fresh and so expertly executed I thought I had died and gone to gustatory heaven. Even better than the food itself, though, was the discovery of the restaurant. It was packed...with locals. Scarcely a tourist in the joint; it was filled to the gills with professionals on their lunch hours. I felt so proud to have found a place claimed by the locals. It's only been two weeks for me, but I'm trying to learn as quickly as I can.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Things you don't think about
After living by myself for three years, I was apprehensive about moving into a place with two, soon to be three, new roommates. I was worried about all the usual roommate worries: dishes in the sink, leaving on the lights, late rent payments.
So far, it's been all right. (It's also only been one week.) But there is at least one thing I didn't think about, when moving from a studio apartment to a three-story townhouse: having to lock the door when I'm in the bathroom. That's a habit I'll have to revive.
So far, it's been all right. (It's also only been one week.) But there is at least one thing I didn't think about, when moving from a studio apartment to a three-story townhouse: having to lock the door when I'm in the bathroom. That's a habit I'll have to revive.
Monday, September 8, 2008
My ride
I love public transport. Really. Even with its interminable delays and innumerable service interruptions, I love public transport because when it is working well, which is more often than you think, it offers a valuable, valuable service. It is a service so valuable I cannot believe I get to use it. It is, to me, magic.
My love for public transport stems directly from my hatred for driving. I love public transport so much because I get to have someone else do what I most abhor, and for a paltry, paltry sum at that. With me, riding the bus has nothing to do with not being able to afford a car of my own, but everything to do with not being able to afford another minute of road rage. Indeed, I road the bus to church yesterday in all of my newfound Georgetown splendor: silk dress, patent flats, cashmere wrap, pearls. Did I look a little out of place? Maybe, but only because it was my first time on that particular bus and I didn’t know exactly where it picked up.
I love public transport.
My love for public transport stems directly from my hatred for driving. I love public transport so much because I get to have someone else do what I most abhor, and for a paltry, paltry sum at that. With me, riding the bus has nothing to do with not being able to afford a car of my own, but everything to do with not being able to afford another minute of road rage. Indeed, I road the bus to church yesterday in all of my newfound Georgetown splendor: silk dress, patent flats, cashmere wrap, pearls. Did I look a little out of place? Maybe, but only because it was my first time on that particular bus and I didn’t know exactly where it picked up.
I love public transport.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Church
Today I went to church, and it was great. As some of you know, one of the only disappointments I had with Boston was that I never found a suitable church. I more or less grew up Presbyterian, and Boston is so Catholic a town that few people even know what a Presbyterian is. Week after week I would try various Protestant churches, some as far as Wellesley, in hopes that I’d find a new church home. I never did, and I gave up somewhere around final exams 1L year.
Imagine my delight, then, when I found online a Presbyterian church near Metro Center that described itself as all-inclusive and outlined its homeless ministries right on its home page. I found that incredibly telling, that the church’s mission to the needy was so important it appeared front and center, rather than behind a link. To Metro Center I went.
I loved it. It was a small, [FN1] but robust congregation. A man with a beautiful tenor voice sat down next to me and sang the hymns with such sincerity I thought his singing another form of prayer. An elderly woman on the other side of me asked me if I ever had been to that church before, and whether I had met any of their “young people.” The Associate Pastor was a young woman, perhaps even younger than I, whose updates about the life of the church were so thorough and so earnest I was inspired. The only downside was that the preaching was mediocre, and had any of my mentors from Princeton been there with me, they probably would have turned up their noses. Thankfully, I am not so exacting after three years without a church home.
To Metro Center I’ll return.
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FN1. My idea of small is probably skewed. My church in New York had 3,400 members.
Imagine my delight, then, when I found online a Presbyterian church near Metro Center that described itself as all-inclusive and outlined its homeless ministries right on its home page. I found that incredibly telling, that the church’s mission to the needy was so important it appeared front and center, rather than behind a link. To Metro Center I went.
I loved it. It was a small, [FN1] but robust congregation. A man with a beautiful tenor voice sat down next to me and sang the hymns with such sincerity I thought his singing another form of prayer. An elderly woman on the other side of me asked me if I ever had been to that church before, and whether I had met any of their “young people.” The Associate Pastor was a young woman, perhaps even younger than I, whose updates about the life of the church were so thorough and so earnest I was inspired. The only downside was that the preaching was mediocre, and had any of my mentors from Princeton been there with me, they probably would have turned up their noses. Thankfully, I am not so exacting after three years without a church home.
To Metro Center I’ll return.
-------
FN1. My idea of small is probably skewed. My church in New York had 3,400 members.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Only in Washington
The Captain and I went to dinner the other night with the Coxswains, two of his friends from college and now two of my friends as well. As we were making our way to the Tombs (I put that in for the Hoyas), we saw a young man wearing a bright red hat walking towards us. We paid him no mind as we passed him by, but he immediately recognized Mr. Cox and wanted to catch up. By now I was close enough to see that the friendly young man was wearing no ordinary hat, but... a hat for McCain.
I think it shows how thoroughly flawed the Republican nominee is this year that my Captain, a gun-toting, Bronze star veteran who voted for the President - both times - said to me later, "At first I thought that hat was ironic, because surely, no one would have actually worn that in public."
I think it shows how thoroughly flawed the Republican nominee is this year that my Captain, a gun-toting, Bronze star veteran who voted for the President - both times - said to me later, "At first I thought that hat was ironic, because surely, no one would have actually worn that in public."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
All-American Family
As I mentioned last night, the Captain and I have moved into a townhouse with his youngest brother, the Genius. What I didn't mention is that the Genius has special needs which warrant some supervision. He's remarkably intelligent, hence his alias, but he still benefits from the occasional reminder about social norms and the like.
He also benefits from the Captain's supervision of his homework. The Genius is a math major so he doesn't require any actual help from either of us. But when the Captain asked the Genius about whether he'd reviewed his homework, the Genius paused, then replied, "I'll be back." Next he proceeded up the stairs to prepare more thoroughly for class.
Which prompted me, of course, to remark that our new set-up felt like the all-American family: a house, a college-aged "son," a (potential) dog.
It's good practice.
He also benefits from the Captain's supervision of his homework. The Genius is a math major so he doesn't require any actual help from either of us. But when the Captain asked the Genius about whether he'd reviewed his homework, the Genius paused, then replied, "I'll be back." Next he proceeded up the stairs to prepare more thoroughly for class.
Which prompted me, of course, to remark that our new set-up felt like the all-American family: a house, a college-aged "son," a (potential) dog.
It's good practice.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
My new digs
I'm a Washingtonienne! This morning I boarded the train from NJ to DC and officially moved into the townhouse in Georgetown. I've moved in with the Captain, and even though we've been planning this for weeks, only today did it occur to me that we were moving in together. The Captain's baby brother lives here, too, so I suppose that's why I hadn't thought of it as moving in together - I was just getting two new roommates. When my feet crossed the threshold, however, it hit me: the Captain and I are a cohabitating couple.
Wowie.
This new reality will sink in over time. Until then, some reflections on my new digs:
I love it. There's free transportation to the center of town, and I'm walking distance from all sorts of fun amenities: the gym (yes, I already have a gym), a running shop, two bike shops, a shopping mall, a cupcake shop, and...A RED SOX BAR.
There is a Red Sox bar just blocks from my house. I am thrilled. The Captain already has warned me that it's really a meat market, but I'm a tough cookie. I'll keep my eye on the ball.
Wowie.
This new reality will sink in over time. Until then, some reflections on my new digs:
I love it. There's free transportation to the center of town, and I'm walking distance from all sorts of fun amenities: the gym (yes, I already have a gym), a running shop, two bike shops, a shopping mall, a cupcake shop, and...A RED SOX BAR.
There is a Red Sox bar just blocks from my house. I am thrilled. The Captain already has warned me that it's really a meat market, but I'm a tough cookie. I'll keep my eye on the ball.
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