drag racing, etc.

Greetings from Tynan, my new favorite tea shop in Columbia Heights. Tynan is like a tea-version of Starbucks (although yes, you can get coffee), and I'm sure once it becomes more popular, I'll start hating it. Until then, I am surprisingly content with the establishment, especially with my portabella mushroom sandwich, pumpkin chai latte, and free wifi.

In other news, life has been busy as always. Thursday was, once again, my one chance to sleep in, but was unfortunately ruined by a team of tree cutters deciding 7am would be a perfect time to cut down a few trees on my street. The noise was incredibly, painstakingly, and annoyingly loud, and woke me up from a wonderful slumber. I quickly closed my window (only to reduce the sound to annoyingly loud) and within seconds my bedroom became a human sweat box. I tried cracking the window (bringing us up to painstakingly and annoyingly) but the slight murky breeze wasn't enough to lull me back to sleep. So I got up.

This past Tuesday after work at the Smithsonian, I went to, yep- Tynan, and my friend Laura sent me this text message: Care to attend the high heel drag race tonight? near dupont circle, 9pm!" My response was an obvious: "umm...YES!"

Apparently, every year on the Tuesday before Halloween, thousands of spectators flock to Dupont Circle to watch costumed drag queens show off their elaborate outfits and race down 17th street. I tried to ask people how long this has been going on for; I talked to a handsome (but graying) man from Stockholm, and I THOUGHT he said the last race he attended was 50 years ago. Thinking this man was now about 70 and may or may not be hitting on me, I sort of ran away. Turns out it hasn't been happening for that long, so he must've said 15. Still.

Well, uh, here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

This last guy wasn't a participant; rather, he explained to us his undying love for "short shorts," and how he takes every waking possibility to expose his "good-lookin'" legs to the public. Hey man-more power to you.

Besides drag-queens and tree-cutters, I've also been thinking about, discussing, and engaging in race-relations in DC, classism, phone interviews, and life goals--both short and long-term. All very, very, VERY deep stuff. That being said, I think it'll be easier (and more exciting) for me to tell you about my potential halloween costume. I am thinking about buying a white sheet, cutting two holes, and draping it over my body. (Hopefully) most people will say "hey, are you a ghost?" (rather than "hey, are you a KKK member?") and then I can so cleverly respond, "no, I'm a sheet with two holes."

....Badum-ching!

OK, time to research grant-writing, finish my pumpkin chai, and jump on the metro to Bethesda for work. Bye bye odd blog world.

rhythms underground

After writing my senior thesis on Ghanaian rhythm in daily life, I have definitely found myself more in-tune to the unique rhythms I'm sensing in the places I've lived. New York has a defined rhythm on its streets; there is a constant sense of urgency as people walk. This urgency is especially abundant when hoards of businessmen, tourists, and starving artists alike collect at red lights and are eventually set free by that little white walking guy, letting them move uniformly across to the next block, only to be caged up all-together again at the next junction.

DC is different. It's smaller, less crowded, and these hoards don't really exist on street corners. They're underground.

The first thing I realized when traveling during rush-hour in the morning is that most people know the exact time the metro is arriving. I obviously don't put in enough effort to figure this out myself (they come every four minutes...), but I don't even need to. When I see people literally running down the escalator, I follow. The train's a-comin! This tactic usually works 80% of the time.

There are instances when some punk starts running for the hell of it, (or just to play it safe incase he doesn't have four minutes to spare) and then people see said runner and start to question their knowledge of the metro times. Result? They start running too. Before you know it, everyone is running down the escalator, only to finally see they still have three minutes before the train is actually arriving.

Another interesting robotic rhythm I've learned here is the correct way to use the escalators: walkers on the left, standers on the right. I'm not sure who started this rule, but somehow word traveled fast. Some escalators are REALLY long (ehem Dupont, Tenleytown and Bethesda) so I'm able to do "escalator intervals"-my creative invention. I start walking up the left side until I'm "feeling the burn," and then I simply move to the right for a break. I rest for a few seconds, then get back on the left and walk again. It really is quite the workout.

Last note about the escalators. Oftentimes one of the two escalators that lead people in and out of the metro needs to be repaired. To solve this problem, while one is being repaired, the other turns off and becomes a two lane set of stairs (insert famous Mitch Hedberg joke here if you know it). This makes sense, but oftentimes there is only a heavy flow of traffic in one direction. Still (stillllll), a huge line will form on the platform as people slowly make their way up the shut off escalator, leaving a whole half wide open for a sporadic three or four people to conveniently make their way down their respective side. Not once have I seen a guy skip traffic and run up the escalator on the left. Not once.

here are some things...

i've been doing:

-taking pictures of pumpkins

(my housemate John made this sucker)

-going to the gym

(i got a gym membership, and the frugal girl in me is internally freaking out about another monthly bill. still, there are televisions on all the machines, free yoga and african dance classes, and really, really, really good looking personal trainers)

-writing on this blog

(duh)

-frequenting coffee shops, le pain quotidien, and the smithsonian more than my REM cycle

(who needs sleep?)

-going out on U street during the week, since social weekends no longer exist in my life

(my friends Martha and Ibrahim)

-eating out

(ethiopian food.is.amazing.)

-eating in

(apparently my breakfasts and lunch sort of resemble one another)

-being forever witty, imaginative, and charming.

(and modest)

feels like finals week- yet it is only october

I have been meaning to write another blog posts for days now, but everything time I open up this new post page, I freeze. Laura has been managing to find the beauty in the simple things she comes across in her everyday life, and well, i've only been coming across mountains of homework, quizzes, tests, papers, and group presentations projects. The subjects are definitely interesting (ahemmm methane clathrates- a frozen form of methane that has the power to greatly enhance global warming but could also provide the world's energy needs for the next several centuries), but it becomes hard to appreciate them sometimes when living the life of a 24/7 student. aka little sleep, little eating, no social life.

I don't want to complain, I am trying to embrace this program wholeheartedly- but I wish I had some beautiful simple moments outside of the academic realm. But for now, I will appreciate the cram sessions with my fellow classmates, the sunny afternoons walking to and from class, the fact that coffee is available free in the lounge, and that knowledge of a matlab code or dynamics process is considered a bonding point. I will say that the people in my program are beautiful- beautiful for the fact that they speak many different languages, come from all over the world, and have an undying commitment to helping each other out - no questions asked.

i apologize if this post is a ramble- i think studying for my quantitative analysis (lovingly referred to as quant) test has fried my brain a bit.

tono tuesdays

Every Tuesday, my friend Martha and I go to Sushi Tono in Adams Morgan for sushi-happy hour. Rolls are an incredible $3-5 dollars, and sashimi is a mere buck. Even so, the bill somehow manages to come out to $50 each time, which goes to show we order a lot of sushi (and get sake).

I love sushi. I love Martha. I love Tuesdays!

pictured: eel, mackerel, tamago, salmon, yellowtail, and tuna sashimi; spicy scallion, spicy crunchy tuna, and shrimp avocado roll. heaven.

not pictured: me. martha. the alcohol.

Also, on the way to terrific tono tuesday, I passed these lil' boogers:

Two posts in two days? Crazy town usa!

the little things

I'm finding that amongst my crazy schedule, there are nuances in my day-to-day routine that I find particularly pleasant. Moreover, I think these are what keep me sane. So, if you care (you should care), keep reading. I'm about to tell you what they are. I might even make a list.

1) Redwood.

This the a bar/restaurant right across the street from LPQ; I almost always go here for a drink after I get off with my friends. I'm quickly becoming friendly with their waitstaff, who always over-generously calculate our bar tab to be a whopping $4. In any case, I love to just sit at the bar after a crazy nine hour shift and unwind with a glass of white wine, an old-fashioned, orrr a shot of tequila. Woops.

2) Pleasant Customers

People in Bethesda suck. A lot. So when you wait on them, it can be a borderline awful experience. "Can I get water without ice and an extra lemon?" No. "You can make my nonfat skim latte with extra foam and half-caf?" Hell no! (Soy milk is not even nonfat, genius). But, there comes a time when I have great conversations with my tables, and it makes me have faith in the human race once again. For instance, I finally have my first "regular." He's an older man who comes on Sunday's and always asks to sit in my section. He gets an avocado/tomato omelette with an extra side of baguette and a pot of coffee. This last Sunday he learned about my story and I found out he's an international business/economics professor at Georgetown. We talked for awhile about economics, culture, and other random stuff, and he gave me his card at the end of his meal, telling me to call him if I'm ever in any trouble. I also had a lady today who I ended up talking to for an hour after my last table was closed. I left with a paper filled of contacts in the DC area who she said would love to talk to me about my interests.

3) The Living Room

I really enjoy when all my housemates are home at once and we gather in our living room with the TV on (football). We usually just talk about random stuff, but it's great to feel comradery with them. Beyond the living room, the other week we all went to my fourth housemates trivia night at a local bar. We didn't win, and Adam probably answered 90% of the questions asked (I think my contribution was recognizing a song by the Pussy Cat Dolls...). It was still fun though.

4) Crisp Mornings

I'm usually up early. Really early. But it also takes a good hour or two before my body is all pissed at me for not getting enough sleep. I love to step outside with my cup of coffee and greet the still, peaceful mornings that are becoming chillier by the day. I hug my mug, sit on my front stoop, and see if my breath is visible in the morning air. It's simple. It's nice.

5)Red Derby

There is a bar right by my house that reminds me of DA's in Saratoga. It's pretty small and laid back, but exudes a really awesome energy. There's a pool table, darts, andddd a juke box. You can also get $2 PBR's, play jenga, and sit outside next to space heaters. I definitely frequent this bar, and enjoy going to the back where the chalk board is. Here is my friend Ibrahim creating some art.

.

In other news, I'm about 65% sure I got stung by a bee today for the first time in my life. To be honest, it was more exciting than it was painful; I've been waiting for the day! Seriously. But then again, I'm only 65% sure.

rain

Thursdays are my one full day off, so of course it rained. All day. Not to say I'm a hater of rain, but a pesky cold, steady rainfall really makes things difficult when you live in a city and want to get around. Especially when you don't have an umbrella.

For whatever reason, I've never owned an umbrella. I don't really know why; I think sometimes I imagine I am superior to weather.... I can conquer the rain! I don't need a shield! It's just water! I think my dad hassled me for ten years to buy a raincoat, and I finally did a year or two ago. It's salmon colored.

In any case, I wanted to walk to a nearby coffee shop to do some reading and tea drinking-fitting for a gloomy day. Problem was, it was pouring, and I also wanting to bring my laptop. Rain+computer+lack of umbrella= a potential disaster, so I sucked up my pride and asked my housemate for his umbrella. I guess it came in handy.

To take extra precaution, I made a poncho for my backpack out of a garbage bag. I made sure the umbrella covered the bag more than me, so while my computer and books were salvaged, I got pretty wet. ( I probably shouldn't have worn skinny jeans with Birkenstocks, but I also don't own rain boots. Obviously).

Moral of the story? I should invest in an umbrella. And maybe even rain boots, if I'm feeling extra adventurous.

The reality of it? I probably wont. Maybe I'll put them on my Christmas list.

ps) Totally unrelated but we all know pictures are exciting: I've learned that Zoe likes to sleep in my bed. Maybe she's sensed that I'm the only other female in the house and she wants to bond. I dig.

I went for a walk

and took my camera. What enthralls me most about my new neighborhood is the diversity I encounter from block to block. I'll show you what I mean:

I leave my house and encounter autumn. I love to see how my neighbors decorate their front porches. (Ours is currently full of bikes and cigarette butts. I didn't take a picture).

As I head south on 14th street, I breathe a sigh of relief. I now know that if I ever feel like my casual alcohol consumption starts to become a concern, there is a support system right down the road! Now all I have to do is learn Spanish, develop a drinking problem, and I'm all set. And after I go to alcoholicos anonimos, I can buy a fresh mango from Maria. Mmm!

I've been eying this eatery since I moved here, yet I still haven't walked inside. Gloria's seems to be calling my name though, and I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's just that those hole-in-the-wall places are usually the most delicious.

Wait? What's this? Gloria's is two blocks behind me and I encounter some kinda cool, kinda cheesy geysers. And whats in the background? Oh, a mall. I can go to Target AND work out in the same complex!

No need to panic, I can keep walking and contemplate hopping on the metro. Once underground, I can literally go anywhere: southeast to hang with the crack addicts, downtown to hang with Obama, or directly west to hang with elephants and monkeys (aka go to the zoo). Instead, I keep walking, read up on some cultural facts of Columbia Heights, and continue south.

I know where I'm going. As much as I love a city atmosphere, I need my green. Thankfully, I find my sanctuary:

I sit at the park for awhile, get my nature fix, and head back home. Actually, thats a lie. I go to Target. I buy coffee , juice and body wash. Then I see a group of business men listen to an executive guy speak right in front of Five Guys. I laugh. Then I go home.

along the same lines...

It's ironic that Nic's post below is similar to what I've been thinking about lately. While we're both no longer in the middle of nature-our shared love-we are in the middle of culture--both living in two of the most populated cities in the US (New York being #1, and D.C. being #27...but whatever). So this is what brings me to realization #2...I am no longer living in white-suburbia land (hellooo Saratoga Springs and Northport, NY).

Similar to the ten different languages Nic will encounter at any given time at Columbia, I am also hearing so many varying tongues, stories, and life realities that are so different from my own. The diversity of friends I am making range from privileged college graduates trying to start anew in DC, to District natives that have grown up fighting their way through poverty, to ex-convicts, African and European immigrants, and independent musicians and artists. Moreover, my understanding of "privilege" is taken to a whole new level when I see how hard it can be to fight the cycle of poverty, drugs, and violence, when ones upbringing begins in this atmosphere. More importantly though, I'm learning that these people aren't "stupid," "evil," or "uneducated." They are fascinating, hardworking, creative, and genuine. (Sometimes I feel like this new life is one big anthropological study... how I wish I took more urban-anthro classes in college).

I'd like to delve into this further, but quite frankly I am wiped. Referring back to realization #1, my weekend was filled with 6am wakeup calls, 7am metro rides, and 8-10 hour back to back to back work shifts. Might I alsooo add that tomorrow just so happens to be Columbus Day, so I have the fine privilege of working another 8 hour shift starting at 8am to serve all you fine white-collar-off-from-work-for-the-worst-holiday-ever-patrons.

To end with a light anecdote.... on saturday I woke up at 6:30am to severely blood-shot eyes, which may or may not have been due to a mixture of vodka and a mere four hours of sleep. In any case, I wanted to get to work with clear eyes, so I started fumbling around my newish bathroom for some eye drops. I finally found some, and realized they were unopened. No worries, I'm sure my new housemates wont mind. After I open it up, I see that it expired in 2007. Eh, oh well...it was unopened anyways. I'm sure it's fine. Drop solution into (my) left eyeball and immediate, awful stinging occurs, followed by cursing and confusion. I look back at the bottle.

They were ear drops. My bad.

Off to bed, happy 10/10/10 everyone!

a world of Languages

i just want to document the appreciation that i have for my fellow Columbian classmates. I was sitting in the DEES student lounge the other day working on my ridiculously long, hard dynamics homework when my peers began discussing the emotion of the Bulgarian language compared to that of the English language. It occurred to me, that of the 10 or so people in the room, that the Chinese, Farsi, Bulgarian, French, a Nigerian dialect and Spanish languages were all represented. i am so blessed to be amongst such great diversity.

the beauty of morningside heights

Laura has followed and chronicled our summer adventures of living and traveling on the road so poignantly and with such a humorous, realistic voice. I can only hope to write half as beautifully when I guest write on her blog.

I honestly miss reliving my past life every few days through those blog posts. Besides our roadtrip being the opportunity of a lifetime to spend some time together with my best friend, one of the main things Laura and I learned on our trip is the wonderfully beautiful idea that (and im stealing this from Laura’s blog post) the beauty of the States, and our world is not just found in a national park , tropical beach, or historic city, but is lived out everyday ---whether it is a 500 mile drive away or right around the corner.

I am a nature girl at heart. I feel most at home when I am barefoot in a field with the mountains as my guardian. This same sentiment is one of the most fundamental things that bond laura and I so closely, as wild girl soul mates if you will. Now I don’t know if you are a loyal reader of camping across America, but if you are then I’m sure you know that I am currently living in Manhattan.

YES MANHATTAN- A CONCRETE JUNGLE !!! Who would have ever though? But I had the great opportunity to get my masters in Climate and Society at Columbia (still staying true to my nature girl instincts). I am learning all about the climate, greenhouse gases, clouds, earth resources, etc. Hey, a girl’s got to learn about it to protect it, right? Anyways. When I first arrived in Manhattan I was unsure of how I would possibly manage to survive in the craziest city on Earth coming from Stonehill’s 375 acre wooded campus. If anyone knows anything about me it’s that I like my trees, my grass, my big sky, my flowers, my trails and my animals. That and that I love to paint landscapes. In fact, the second week of laura and my friendship (dating way back to the year 2006) we crept away into the night to paint a masterpiece (ok, maybe not) using our bare feet, sticks and leaves. Yes, I kid you not. (Laura, btw where is our painting—its gonna go over our fire place whenever we get the chance to live together).

BUT how can I complain about Manhattan? My block is beautiful; on one corner I have the famous Seinfeld restaurant TOM’S and at the other end is the biggest catholic cathedral in the word (unfinished, but still). Riverside Park is a mere three blocks away. The subway station, my 24 hour grocery store, my 24 hour Duane Reade, a post office, Columbia’s campus, a plethora of shops, restaurants, and bars are literally a skip away (a skip being 4 blocks max---my post office is 10 feet to the left of my door).

I am taking the lesson that laura and I so humbly learned on the road—that beauty and adventure is everywhere. And I am lucky with my busy grad student schedule that beauty and adventure are right around the corner.

rest.

Thursday's are the one day I have off from both jobs, so I try to find a genuine balance between productivity and vegging out. This Thursday was no exception, as I found myself both relaxing and getting some stuff done. For instance,

autumn not only equals changing of leaves and cooler temperatures. it also means cooking and baking scrumptious foods like roasted sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie:

I use much of my free-time to cook, since this has always been a hobby of mine. The other night after I came home from the museum, I whipped up a fall-friendly meal for my friends Ibrahim, Dashawn, and Laura. On the menu: stuffed peppers with apple-chicken sausage, cheddar cheese, spinach, and sauteed apples and onions. I am especially digging the pumpkin (after buying a huge can of it at the grocery store), and have used it to make pumpkin oatmeal and the pumpkin bread above. Next venture? Pumpkin black-bean burgers!

Aside from cooking, free-time in autumn is a wonderful chance to go on runs and walks in my neighborhood without wanting to keel over in the 90 degree heat. I live right by Meridian Hill Park, which has hosted a drumming circle for over 30 years. I went a few weeks ago with my friend Laura and hope to go back again when I have off from work:

On the productive side, I have been trying to go for runs on my days off. I miss running so much--its such a stress relief--but I'm oddly finding that I am so sore from waitressing and the last thing I want to do before or after a shift is put more physical stress on my body. Oh well! I've been to yoga a few times and have really enjoyed it, but there is just no time! And no money! Oy vey. I'm also trying to find other internships/jobs for the winter and spring, study for the GRE's, and potentially apply to grad school, all the while keep up on the news and reading for pleasure.

When I do read, I read here:

I'm currently enthralled by A Time to Betray by Reza Kahlili

That couch is where I'm actually laying right now as I type. And it's where I'm going to now get back to my book before I fall to sleep soundly next to my friends on my nightstand:

-the doll is from my friend Alex, who is from El Salvador. It's a worry doll-she gave it to me during the final stages of thesis-writing and told me to put it under my pillow.

-the log cabin is an incense burner from the Adirondacks. The scent is a mixture of pine, balsam fir, and smoky wood.

-the bears in the back are also from the ADK's, and are the base of my table-lamp.

-the odd guy on the right is also a bear I got in Albuquerque. He is supposed to have special powers...

Goodnight!

new realities

Sorry that it has been a little while-I swear I am trying my best to keep up with this. I have really been looking forward to writing another post, yet I have been so swamped and exhausted lately that I haven't had a moment to breathe. Which leads me to realization #1: I actually want a 9-5 job. Now, this is not to say that I want a mindless paper-pushing cubicle job where I sit in my business casual for eight hours minus the lunch break and the staff meetings. Rather, I simply yearn for the ability to be home by dinner time and to have my weekends off. Currently, my schedule is kind of insane. I'll walk you through it.

1) Wake up at 8:30. Put on coffee. Take a shower. Eat breakfast, watch CNN.

-This is my favorite part of the day, and no matter how early I have to wake up, I make sure I have time for a good breakfast, a hot cup of coffee, and at least 30 minutes to watch the news.

2) Walk to the metro and head to the Smithsonian. Work from 10-3

-This internship varies from being awesome to being...not so awesome. For instance, one of my assignments was to research the Gullah, an African American community that resides in Georgia/North Carolina and are known for preserving more of their African linguistic/cultural heritage than any other African-American community in the U.S. I got to read about this fascinating group for hours, write up summaries of films that we're showing, and research books that the museum should buy as part of a suggested reading list.

On this flip side, my current project is taking the Smithsonian handbook--a confidential,crazy important 700 page binder--and making 16 replicas for some committee. So let's do some math: 700 pages x 16 copies = 11,200 pieces of paper that I have to make copies of. And reorganize into the correct order. And re-hole punch (no one told me the copy machine could do that..damnit).

3) Walk to the metro, and head out to Bethesda for work

-I try to read on the metro since I am always too tired to do so when I'm home, but I usually just fall asleep.

4) Work from 4:30-close, which can vary from 10pm to 11:30.

-Light candles, polish silverware, sweep, mop, serve tables, pour wine, constantly sneak pieces of bread and butter, go slightly delirious, hopefully make some money.

5) Usually go out afterwards. This is what kills me in the end, but I am making so many new friends and there is always a lot going on! I have fun, but it all comes with a price. Why? Well, because even though the next day is Saturday, I have work from 8-4:30. And it will be very busy. And I will be very hungover and going on five hours of sleep.

With all this being said, I wouldn't trade anything for being in D.C. right now. It's sort of a rite of passage after graduating to submit yourself to a crazy schedule, and I am still enjoying myself immensely. Moreover, it really hasn't hit me yet that this is LIFE, a life I am choosing for myself, and that I have the ability (more or less) to form it any which way.

This is kind of cool. And crazy.

That's all the rambling I'll do for now. For a future sneak peak, I plan on posting realization #2 soon, along with reasons as to why I am loving autumn so far.

Cheers!

New Homes

So, I decided I might try to keep this going. I think I got over my initial fear of blogs--just as long as I refrain from telling you about mundane, daily nuances, or start showing you pictures of my children on their first day of school (kidding). Those blogs are the WORST. In any case, I'll try my best to be witty. Maybe informative. Imaginative. Who knows! For now though, I miss writing for an audience, and a blog seems to be a good way to fulfill this need.

Okay! Well, since you guys followed the life of me and Nic on the road for a month, I guess I'll do a "where-are-they-now?" type thing. My dear friend Nicole is up in Morning Side Heights in Manhattan--a far far far 300 miles from me. Miss. Intelligent is getting her M.A. in Climate and Society at Columbia University; the program is a year long and allows her to conduct her own field study/research next summer anywhere in the world! She is also interning at the Earth Institute with their tropical agriculture program. I really wish I understood more of what this all means, buuuut I don't. You should e-mail her and ask yourself! ncrescimanno@gmail.com

As for me, I am finally settled in a new house (as of yesterday...the white one pictured above) and really feel like I can finally take life by the reigns. I moved to College Park, MD about a month ago to start my internship with the Smithsonian African Art Museum. I lived in Danielle's basement living room for most of September while I looked for housing in DC. While College Park was convenient, I am so happy to finally be in the district.

This was my room in MD--quaint, but as you can see, I didn't have a door. Or windows.

Here is the entrance. Not quite burglar proof.

Here is my room now; I'm not totally unpacked or decorated, but you'll get the jist:

I'm going to find out if I can paint the walls, in which case, there will be a 30% chance that I actually will. For now, I am just happy to have some real sunlight.

I live with three dudes, which is awesome. They are 25,31, and 32. They all have real jobs and are super friendly and chill. Hopefully they'll become a big-brother figure for me. I also live with a girl, her name is Zoe:

So, on top of interning, I am also a server at Le Pain Quotidien. While I've waitressed before and KNOW how much I despise it, the money is good and everyone at the establishment is super awesome. Le Pain and its frenchness attracts many French West-Africans, so a good portion of the wait-staff, along with one of my managers, is African. So between the museum and the restaurant, I am surrounded by the love, comfort, and familiarity of all things African. I couldn't ask for anything more.

As I wrap this up, I realize that while I said I would refrain from writing about mundane shit, I just posted pictures of my bedrooms. At this rate, I'll post a few more of the house (for you, mom) and then promise that the next post will be more exciting. Maybe.

I'm off to explore my new neighborhood!

(you cant see it, but there is a beer tap attached to that fridge.)