I'm fine, how are you?

I told everyone I'd keep this blog to let you all know how I'm doing but somewhere along the line it took a turn and became a collection of silly adventures and shoe mishaps. I suppose I can't help it that sometimes my shoes are the most interesting thing about me, but I guess I should hold up my end of the "keeping in touch" deal. Plus, I keep getting the same questions. So, without further ado, here's the real answers to the questions I answer with, "Fine" or "good" or whatever.

#1) How am I doing? I don't usually answer this one honestly b/c I don't want anyone to worry about me and if I said what I was thinking: "Well - I work seven days a week, I chipped a tooth and the dentist told me it would be $650, Everything is ridiculously expensive so I could really use a day off work but I can't afford it, I'm getting fat, and the other day my toilet overflowed at 11:00 at night and they didn't come fix it until 9:30 the next morning.

Now, don't get me wrong. It may sound like I'm miserable out here, but that's not true at all. Although, it would be true to say that life is fully of annoying krap no matter where you are. Even when things are going great, you can always find something to make you feel depressed.

#2) How is work? Great Actually! Things are going better than expected at work. My job is pretty much the same kind of work I was doing before as an administrative assistant, it's just really far away in a really expensive city at a fairly well-known non-profit organization. In the beginning, I was so envious of the people upstairs (our offices are on two separate floors.) I really wanted to be doing research and it was frustrating at first to be fixing the copy machine and typing memos instead. After a few weeks, I have a new perspective.

Part of my new perspective is because I was asked to help with the newsletter. It's not part of my job or anything, but someone in the fundraising department asked me to help proofread the monthly newsletter. I sat in on the meeting and offered to help with a few different things. It was nice to have a creative project and it's made life more pleasant. I have to admit that even though my current position wouldn't have been my first choice, it is a great experience as far as entry-level work goes. After I came to terms w/my envy for the researchers upstairs, I noticed that they don't seem to leave their offices very much. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I still hope to do that job someday; but in this administrative position, I interact with everyone. When I move up - whether it's within the same organization or a different job entirely - I will take with me experience working with all of the departments as well as some outside connections. It's definitely to my benefit to be on a first name basis with the directors. Plus, I pitched a new idea today that the president and chief of staff were both very supportive of. I'm really excited about it. It's 100% my project, so it will involve a lot of work on my end, but everyone else will be able to reap the benefits once it gets going. I don't want to make too much of it because I don't know how it will work out in the end, but if I can get the word out and build some interest it could be noteworthy. If it doesn't work out, no harm done - but if it does it could be a nice feather in my cap. More on that later.

#3) Have I made any friends yet? I hate this question!! People ask me all the time and much like question #1, I don't know how to answer it honestly. I have the best friends in the world and they're located in the Midwest. I have such a strong connection with my friends back home, I couldn't imagine finding that here in DC in a million years. It works out well for me because I am constantly in contact with people who are not my "friends" - neighbors, co-workers, co-workers [other job], people on the Metro... there are people everywhere out here. Hell, there's about twenty five people standing on the sidewalk on the next block in front of the movie theater! [Yes, they were lined up for Batman when I got home at 7:30] So, if the question is - am I lonely? The answer is no. Have I made friends? Yes - back in Iowa. It took me ten years to do it and they are only a phone call away.

#4) How is DC? Fun, fascinating, and expensive!

#5) Isn't it scary to live so far away from home? No. That's not scary. Living in the same place your entire life is scary.

#6) Is it dangerous out there? When it comes to crime in DC, there is definitely a pattern. I was just reading a blog by a friend from U of I who is working for a program teaching special ed in a neighborhood called Anacostia. I've never been to Anacostia, but I know that it's not a place that a whimsical Iowa gal like me should just wander into (nor anyone else who uses the word "whimsical" for that matter.) [Although there was an uncharacteristic shooting a few miles from my apartment on Sunday. It happened at noon, someone was shot in the leg and the witnesses chased the dude down until the cops got him. That's a hell of a neighborhood watch program.] It's interesting to me to think about how different our experiences are. We both wrote a column for the DI, both graduated from the U of I this year w/a Communication Studies degree, we both moved to Washington, DC immediately after graduation, but when he goes to work every day it's in a neighborhood that, according to wikipedia, "is primarily known for its excessive crime rates." We should get together in a year and exchange stories. That would make a good movie plot.

Well, I think that covers it. Let me know if I missed anything, and congratulations if you actually read this entire entry. I'm never at a loss for words. But, now that we got this out of the way, the next time you call me we can talk about you!!

I have been told I have two left feet...

I can't blog for very long tonight, I have a boy coming over. Seriously. What? You don't believe me? Okay, fine - he's not actually coming up to my apartment, he's just going to pull up in front of the building and bring me a shoe. No kidding.

Shoes have become very important in my life. A lady at work told me, "You are the walkingest girl I ever met!" (or maybe she meant I was the "Walken"-est. Marsupials scare me.) I do love to walk and I do a lot of it out here, but I didn't realized how ill-prepared I was for the amount of walking I do. I can't wear tennis shoes or flip-flops to work, so I can point to a corresponding bruise, blister, or scar on my feet for each pair of dress shoes that I own. Yesterday I went to a mall in Arlington and bought a comfortable pair of sandals. When I put them on this morning I was rushing around getting ready for work half asleep and I put the shoe on the wrong foot. Then I switched them and I still had a shoe on the wrong foot. What the hell? Upon closer examination, I realized... I had two shoes for the same foot.

How does that happen? Can anything be un-complicated? Can I just go to a friggin' shoe store without it turning into an adventure?? Apparently the answer is no.

So I was really annoyed b/c I already spend $4.00 a day to ride the Metro to work and back, it would cost a couple extra dollars to go back to Arlington and exchange the shoe. I called the shoe store and explained, waited for the guy to finish laughing, and he told me to bring it in, no problem. Clearly there was no other way to make the exchange - it would be a bigger debacle to try and ship the shoes or something like that. It would be in their best interest to accommodate me - as long as I have two left shoes, they've got two right shoes they're not able to sell. I didn't get too bitchy about it, but I did make it clear that I was not happy about having to go all the way back & I wasn't sure when I'd have time to do it.

He said: Okay wait, let me talk to my manager. [whisper-whisper-whisper] Uh, okay. My manager says he'll bring the shoe to you if you give us the address.

So yes, I do have a boy coming over. His name is George, he manages a shoe store, and I told him parking would be a problem at my building so I'll meet him out front.

"Okay. I'll be in a Camry."

"Great. I'll be... the girl carrying the sandal."

And there you have it. A really bizarre turn of events and all I wanted was some comfortable shoes. I'm pretty happy about the service. Today at work we were discussing how to exceed peoples' expectations. It's pretty rare when someone you do business with goes out of their way to accommodate you, but when it does happen - they never forget. I definitely never expected that I would do a shoe exchange right in front of my apartment.

Before

After

I'm home; my luggage is still on holiday

My boss walked into my office on Thursday afternoon and said, "Are you running away from home?" It was a logical assumption considering the giant green suitcase by my desk (J has renamed the day-glo color"Random Bag Check Green.") Yep, I packed up Wednesday, left work at 5:30 on Thursday and headed to the airport for a depressingly short trip back home. Since then, my RBC Green suitcase and I have parted ways.

This is not going to be another slam like the one on Delta recently. Delta still sucks, but Northwest Air (or, NWA as the kids say) turned out to be my favorite of my four recent airline trips, despite the fact that my suitcase is still travelling the globe. (If you're keeping score that would be #1: NWA, #2: United, #3: American Airlines, and #1,024: Delta.)

Because nothing can ever go smoothly for me, here's how this trip worked out:
I booked the cheapest flight I could find which included 2 layovers on the return trip. Moline to Detroit, Detroit to Newark, Newark to DC. I made it to Detroit without incident, but the Newark flight was delayed an hour. Fearing a reprise of the Delta situation, I asked a representative for help and was told, "Your connecting flight leaves at 5:05 and we're due in at 4:35. 30 minutes is a legal connection time." I expected to spend the night in Newark tonight. Luckily, the flight was delayed again and the arrival time was 5:07, 2 minutes after my next flight leaves. I don't know the rules, but surely -2 minutes would be an "illegal" connection time. She conveniently disappeared, so I called the 1-800 number.

The lady at the 800# was very nice, and after I spent a few minutes on hold, she had me booked on a flight directly to DC, boarding in the next 20 minutes. That was awesome! Because of the layovers I wasn't due in until 6:30, this got me home 3 hours early. Of course, my suitcase didn't get the memo and was sent on its way to miss the connecting flight.

When my Detroit-to-DC flight landed and there was no suitcase, I was told that it was headed to Newark but they'd send it on the next flight to DC, then they'll deliver it to my apartment. Then she gave me some paperwork that had coupons for $25 off my next flight, 1,000 bonus miles, and $10 off from an airport vendor. (you had me at $25 off!)

As it turns out, my connecting flight is now delayed and isn't due in until 8:46 pm. Thanks to good timing and NWA's customer service, I made it home at 3:35. If I hadn't made the phone call, I would have my luggage but would still be in the air right now. Plus, I'd have to carry it home on the Metro instead of having it delivered. So, let's recap - I'm home 3 hours early, my luggage will be delivered, I'll save some $$ on my next flight, and I made it home before it started to rain an hour ago. Not a bad deal for having to wait a few hours for my dirty clothes.

It was a weird experience altogether. In Detroit I walked by a woman whose carry-on was meowing. (Can you really carry on a kitten or is TSA screening really inadequate?) On the flight from Detroit, there was about 5-10 minutes that were so turbulent, my Pepsi can almost jumped off the tray and into my neighbor's lap. If I hadn't been wearing a seatbelt, it would've been me in his lap. It was a crazy bumpy ride. I've never had an experience like that before. Well, I take that back, I had a similar experience in my brother's boat when it was windy outside and the waves were tossing us around. It would've been kind of fun had I not been sitting directly in front of a screaming infant. (Common courtesy, people - if you bring an infant on a plane, you have to bring enough pairs of earplugs for every other passenger on the flight!)

So why have I written all about the flight instead of my trip home? My flight is much less depressing. I still had some things to take care of at my apartment, so I shelled out $385 for a flight home so I could see my friends and clean up so I can get my $500 deposit back. I spent most of the weekend cleaning instead of hanging out w/friends. I arrived Thursday night just before midnight and had scheduled carpet cleaners at 8:30 Friday morning. Stayed up all night cleaning & vacuuming, slept all day, woke up late in the afternoon and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom all night. If I had stayed in DC, I could've been watching fireworks over the Capitol. I chose poorly.

It wasn't all bad. I had breakfast w/Keisha, Tom & the kids; my dad showed up and took Jenna and I to Amana & Williamsburg; I got to see Angie and J and Pops; and even though I didn't get to meet Anthony's new lady-friend, I did get to have ice cream with him. Plus, I spent $20 on products that would cost me $50 out here, changed my watch battery for $5.00 and found two pairs of work pants at Kohl's for $10.00. That helped curb some of the anxiety of the high cost of living out here. I just wish I could've spent more time w/all the people I miss. It felt wrong to be ignoring them to try to get my security deposit back. Lame. I will definitely have to make up for lost time in September - wherever the Brewfest ends up being held, my friends and I will be there!!

Update: As of 8:00 EST, the flight status on the Newark to DC flight is "Departed Gate 2 hours 19 minutes late, taxiing to runway (Departed Gate - takeoff delayed due to taxiing time)" Wow, I'm home in my jammies and my luggage is driving aimlessly around a runway. New ETA: 9:12 pm. Did I mention I made it back by 3:35?

Woke Up This Morning, Got Myself a Gun

Okay, I didn't actually buy myself a gun this morning, nor did I watch the Sopranos but I could have! Yesterday the Supreme Court declared the DC ban on handguns unconstitutional. Since 1976, the District has had the strictest gun laws in the country. Until now, the Court has neglected to interpret the Second Amendment and the meaning of the right "to keep and bear arms" or the definition of "well regulated militia." It's a landmark decision and I'm excited that this is happening while I'm living in DC and working with so many conservatives. One of the guys at work said that he used to live in DC (he now lives in Virginia) and said, "It's the only place I've ever lived where I couldn't have a gun and the only place I ever felt I needed one."

It's no secret that DC has had a bit of a crime problem. It's interesting to talk to people here about the decision. I don't see the logic of those who are afraid that allowing law-abiding people to keep handguns is going to somehow make the crime rate skyrocket. I guess we shall soon find out - in 21 days or how ever long it's supposed to take the city to redraft their laws. I admit, I speak from a position of privilege. I haven't lived here that long, and have never lived in a neighborhood where gunfire is a nightly occurrence. Those who have are insistent that any guns in the District will eventually end up on the street. Where I stand (which is admittedly farther out of harm's way) it looks like there are plenty of irresponsible people who are breaking the law by owning handguns. Putting an end to the ban would permit law-abiding citizens to have guns in their home. In the end, I don't know that much will actually change. Certainly the possibility of an in-home accident with the weapon increases, but there's no way in hell DC will ever have a carry law, so we really are talking about allowing people to keep a gun in their home for the purpose of self-defense. Virginians love their guns and they have concealed carry and open carry laws, and from what I've seen - the areas of Virginia nearby are quite a bit safer than DC. It's impossible to determine how the gun laws affect the crime rates and vice-versa; there are just too many factors involved. What we can do is argue the language of the Second Amendment, and I've had some fascinating conversations. I have spoken with many DC residents, and they're strongly divided on this issue. Of course, some take it all in stride. Tonight someone told me, "People like me shouldn't have guns. If you knew my ex-husband you'd understand why." She was quite relieved that she didn't have a weapon by her nightstand during that ugly divorce. But you still have to admit - if she really wanted to off the guy, she could've found herself a gun - ban or no ban.

Of course she didn't really want to murder her ex-husband, she was making the point that perhaps guns shouldn't be available to women every 28 days or so. Let's test the constitutionality of that idea!

A friend you haven't met

Tonight was the George F. Will event at Politics & Prose, and I did not ask him to sign my Newsweek as I quipped last week but I did get there early enough to get a seat. He didn't get quite the audience of McClellan last week, but it's easy to fill a room with Bush-haters. An intellectual conservative is a harder sell. Even if you don't share George Will's sensibilities, it's hard not to appreciate his wit. I tend to do both. He took Q&A from the audience after offering some well-articulated opinions (his Doctor saw his Medicare card and said, "Great! Now we'll send your bills to your children.") He is a conservative, but I think of him as more of a libertarian. When one questioner asked about teaching Intelligent Design in the classroom, Will compared it to teaching alchemy in a Chemistry class. He's smart, he's funny, and I'm in awe of his command of the English language.

At the end of the event, I looked around for a bit (how cool is this - they have my U of I professor's book in stock!) I tried to decide if I wanted to look like a dummy and ask Mr. Will for a picture or not. I didn't feel entitled to take up his time when I wasn't shelling out for his book, but I eventually decided it might amuse my dad. Surely he'll feel better about me being so far away if he sees me hangin' w/George F. Will.

There were only a few people left in line when I mustered up my nerve, but the guy in front of me could not stop talking when it was his turn. It prolonged my wait, but it was quite endearing. The man was buying four books and had them signed and personalized for friends while he repeatedly expressed his appreciation for Will's work. After all four books were autographed, he handed George Will a gift he'd brought him - a book by another author that he thought he would enjoy. Yeah, it took a while - but it was fun to watch the enthusiasm; and what the hell do I have to complain about? I wasn't even making a purchase.

When it was my turn, I gave my rehearsed explanation that I had just moved to Washington after graduation and apologized that I could not yet afford the book, but I was hoping he might have a picture with me. (If you've skipped to the end of this entry, you've aleady seen the spoiler on that one. Don't skip ahead - you'll miss the best part of the story!)

Before that photo came to be, the guy in front of me heard my question and immediately turned to me and said, "You want a book? I'll buy you a book." He insisted that I needed one and my Iowa hospitality prompted, "Oh no, I couldn't accept that. A picture is fine... it's for my dad." But the man was a dedicated fan and wanted to share his favorite author with anyone who wanted to read it... even if it's just the young lady standing in line next to him. I was shocked by his reaction and didn't know what to say. I protested again until George Will nodded at me and said, "Take the book."

"Okay, if George Will says take the book, I will take the book."

So, I am now the proud owner of an autographed copy of One Man's America. The only thing better than an autographed book is an autographed book with a fun story behind it. I walked to the cash register with the enthusiastic fan and between my "thank you"s, he raved about the book and explained: It's a collection of essays, something easy to pick up if you just have a few minutes here and there (like on a 20-minute commute on the Metro, for example!)

MSNBC won't be happy until I cry my eyes right out of my head

I'm watching the repeat of Meet the Press on MSNBC and it's a continuation of their "Remembering Tim Russert" weekend memorial. It takes a lot for me to shed a tear; I don't really cry very often. But when I see Tom Brokaw try not to break down on the air, saying, "I don't know if I can get through this..." well, I certainly couldn't make it through watching that.

It's not because I have any attachment to Brokaw; he always sounds to me like he's tossed back a few drinks before his broadcast. The sad truth is that we all suffer a loss with the passing of Tim Russert. When it comes to television journalists, it just doesn't get any better than Russert. If news & politics isn't your thing, maybe I can explain with a sports comparison.... Think of a player on a rival team that you hate to see your team go up against. The one guy who is so good that you would love to see him wear your team's jersey, but when he plays against your guys, you pray he'll be on the injured list. He's the Michael Jordan when your team plays the Bulls; he's Wayne Gretzky if your team plays the... er, Rangers, Kings or Oilers... depending on what year this particular analogy takes place.

That's the best way I can describe Russert, but it's not an ideal analogy. He doesn't play for a side. When he interviews politicians, it doesn't matter what their political affiliation is, he puts them all on the spot. If it's someone I don't especially like, I cheer when he catches them off guard. But last year when he interviewed Bill Richardson, I cringed. I have a lot of respect for Richardson, and Russert nailed him on everything. He even called the Governor out for claiming to be a Yankees fan at one time, and a Red Sox fan another time. It was brutal. I sat in my living room waving a white flag back and forth for poor Richardson.

It's really unfathomable that Russert is gone. I can't imagine who could replace him on Meet the Press. Surely there's someone with the same qualities as Russert - hard working, unintimidated by powerful people, someone who refuses to back down. Unfortunately, Big Media seems most interested in having a pretty face read soft news. Anything even resembling investigative journalism is rare.

I'm afraid that one of the last great journalists died suddenly on Friday the 13th, and left behind some impossible shoes to fill. It's sad to think that he's gone, while we're left with the mass of talking heads and partisan hacks. It's incredibly sad, but like I said - it takes a lot of heartache for me to shed a tear. I must admit that I've shed a few this weekend while watching the retrospective on MSNBC. They've repeatedly shown footage and interviews with Russert -one can imagine the amount of grief that is undoubtedly being suffered at NBC. The clips show Russert beaming and speaking about his father over the years. His Dad, "Big Russ" was the subject of his book, and watching the old footage of Russert speaking so proudly of his father is heartbreaking.

It's sad for us all that we no longer have Tim Russert to hold our elected officials accountable. But when I think of today - Father's Day; it's hard to hold back the tears when I think of what his father and his son must be going through. My heart goes out to the family.

You win, MSNBC.

Now if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to go call my dad.

Mark Your Calendars for the Iowa City Brewfest!

It's a tradition and it's officially on the calendar - the Iowa City Brewfest is on Saturday, September 20th from 11am to 5pm. I will be booking my flight back soon, and I can't wait to come back and see everyone. Many of you have told me you were "definitely coming" to the brewfest this year. I'm giving you plenty of advance notice so you can put your money where your mouth is. (and in a couple months put your lager where your mouth is... and your porter, your ale, your cider, your lambic, etc...)