I like Fridays. There's always some sort of clusterfuck when every is trying to figure out their plans for the night. For a while, everything is up in the air. And then things calm down and come together.
I will say one thing: I'm looking forward to going back to 4 (or less!) day weeks in college. It is SO nice to have very little to do on Fridays. I spent my Fridays this fall working, but it was still a break from class, a break from thinking.
Ironically, I had a very intellectual conversation at lunch about climate change. Some people have the coolest, craziest career paths. Like this guy--a former Math professor working in envrionmental policy sector. This guy changed jobs a decent amount, and it just seemed like he had a very rich career. Who doesn't want that?
It made me realize that I can do a lot of different things. I can change my mind. I can fast track to one thing, but that doesn't mean I work in something completely different 30 years down the line. For someone who likes a decent amount of uncertainty and tends to dislike committment, that's really refreshing.
So I'm zen: tonight will be good. My career, whatever the heck it is, will be awesome.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Best Wednesday Ever
Eve Ensler's name will forever be tied to the word "vagina," and rightly so. But hearing her talk and speak at Busboys & Poets tonight, she was so much more than that. Awe-inspiring. This is a woman who started a revolution; a revolution to love your body, not hate it. Radical, isn't it.
More than that, this is a woman who carries through. She has raised over $70 million dollars to fight violence towards women and girls. Let me say that again, just so you get it: she has raised $70 million dollars. Not for a politician, not for a political cause. To fight against violence towards women and girls.
Eve read a couple of passages from her new book I am an Emotional Creature. I got chills up and down my spine, not just because she's fabulous, but because what she wrote, is so much of what seems wrong with the world but no one talks about it. No one cares, no one wants to bring it up, because it isn't glamorous.
So here's a thank you Eve. Thanks for making it okay to say the word "vagina." Thanks for bringing attention to girls as emotional creatures. Thanks for raising money. Thanks for being inspiring. Thanks for being strong. Thanks.
Thing One and Thing Two
More than that, this is a woman who carries through. She has raised over $70 million dollars to fight violence towards women and girls. Let me say that again, just so you get it: she has raised $70 million dollars. Not for a politician, not for a political cause. To fight against violence towards women and girls.
Eve read a couple of passages from her new book I am an Emotional Creature. I got chills up and down my spine, not just because she's fabulous, but because what she wrote, is so much of what seems wrong with the world but no one talks about it. No one cares, no one wants to bring it up, because it isn't glamorous.
So here's a thank you Eve. Thanks for making it okay to say the word "vagina." Thanks for bringing attention to girls as emotional creatures. Thanks for raising money. Thanks for being inspiring. Thanks for being strong. Thanks.
Thing One and Thing Two
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Yearning for a 24 hour coffee shop...
AHHH I have literally been writing all night!
Today, I decided to be serious about life and get some school work done. School? College? What's that you call it? OH SHIT that's right I haven't graduated and am supposed to be doing some coursework. Never one to study well at home I decided to bribe myself with an adventure to a new place....
...so I went to Busboys and Poets! This place was fantastic! I happened over to the 5th and K location, which honestly I loved. It seemed to be an up-and-coming area...or a falling one. Either, a little seedy, a little shady, my favorite kinds of places. Not because I'm a drug dealer, but because I like to feel like I'm living on the edge (just run with it. I'm from the suburbs and hated it there).
ANYWAY I plopped the good ol' laptop down, ordered some fair trade coffee (told you I was white) and started writing. AND I LOVED IT. I was totally groovin--wrote a couple of essays. If you couldn't tell, my writing style is pretty informal. But why should fake my tone for a scholarship board? I'm kind of to the point where I want to say this is me, this is my writing style. If you don't like, it, then I don't want your money.
Okay, maybe not quite to that point; but almost. I would have kept working but I wanted to make it home at a decent hour. I had to use the ever-reliable metro, and we all know what that can be like...Anyway--try this place out! The service rocked, I got a great sandwich, and I was in a great atmosphere.
Also--awesome feminist author/activist/great human being Eve Ensler is doing a book signing at the 14th and V location on Wednesday night! Thing One and I are really going to try and make it up there. We'll keep you posted.
Today, I decided to be serious about life and get some school work done. School? College? What's that you call it? OH SHIT that's right I haven't graduated and am supposed to be doing some coursework. Never one to study well at home I decided to bribe myself with an adventure to a new place....
...so I went to Busboys and Poets! This place was fantastic! I happened over to the 5th and K location, which honestly I loved. It seemed to be an up-and-coming area...or a falling one. Either, a little seedy, a little shady, my favorite kinds of places. Not because I'm a drug dealer, but because I like to feel like I'm living on the edge (just run with it. I'm from the suburbs and hated it there).
ANYWAY I plopped the good ol' laptop down, ordered some fair trade coffee (told you I was white) and started writing. AND I LOVED IT. I was totally groovin--wrote a couple of essays. If you couldn't tell, my writing style is pretty informal. But why should fake my tone for a scholarship board? I'm kind of to the point where I want to say this is me, this is my writing style. If you don't like, it, then I don't want your money.
Okay, maybe not quite to that point; but almost. I would have kept working but I wanted to make it home at a decent hour. I had to use the ever-reliable metro, and we all know what that can be like...Anyway--try this place out! The service rocked, I got a great sandwich, and I was in a great atmosphere.
Also--awesome feminist author/activist/great human being Eve Ensler is doing a book signing at the 14th and V location on Wednesday night! Thing One and I are really going to try and make it up there. We'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
DC is like Crack
[Author's note: I have never done crack, so I don't know if this is an accurate comparison. However, it sounds right, so I'm gonna run with it.]
DC is awesome. It's fun, it's crazy. There's always something to do or see, from exploring new neighborhoods to the multitude of national museums. The energy is absolutely addicting. There's no way not to look out from a high spot and not feel a rush.
But this place is also surreal. Things that matter in DC, don't matter anywhere else, and things that would matter other places don't matter in DC. It feeds the addiction, living in this bubble. The economy is fine here, but people are still trying to fix it for everyone else. It's almost not real.
I guess the only thing left to decide if DC is as debilitating as crack.
Thing Two
DC is awesome. It's fun, it's crazy. There's always something to do or see, from exploring new neighborhoods to the multitude of national museums. The energy is absolutely addicting. There's no way not to look out from a high spot and not feel a rush.
But this place is also surreal. Things that matter in DC, don't matter anywhere else, and things that would matter other places don't matter in DC. It feeds the addiction, living in this bubble. The economy is fine here, but people are still trying to fix it for everyone else. It's almost not real.
I guess the only thing left to decide if DC is as debilitating as crack.
Thing Two
Monday, February 15, 2010
It's Monday...
The worst part of being here is not being able to be around the people you love and care about, especially in their time of need. I'm the kind of person that doesn't always know the right thing to say, but when a friend is in need, my first reaction is to want to provide any support necessary, even if its just my presence.
So the lesson of the day is kind of an obvious one, but here it is: living hundreds of miles from your family and friends means you can't be there for them when they're hurting. And ya know what, I gotta be honest-- that one kind of sucks.
Thing Two
So the lesson of the day is kind of an obvious one, but here it is: living hundreds of miles from your family and friends means you can't be there for them when they're hurting. And ya know what, I gotta be honest-- that one kind of sucks.
Thing Two
Saturday, February 13, 2010
What's your flavor? Part II
I love good inspiration, and I'm a sucker for good quotes. But I also really appreciate bitter and sarcastic humor, and so this site is fantastic for a laugh. While I wouldn't call it overly clever, the humor is definitely outright, its still pretty funny.
I've found that the worst pitfalls come when you take yourself too seriously. There's just no need for it, and everyone else around probably thinks you're a stuck-up idiot. Which, to be honest, you probably are. I've heard sarcasm called the "tool of the weak," but I'd like to make a case for it, and instead call it the tool of the non-serious potentially intelligent being. If you're being sarcastic you're poking fun at a situation and thus are most definitely not being serious. Since you've taken the time to come up with a sarcastic comment, one that not everyone will necessarily pick up on, you've put some thought into the situation and can therefore be classified as potentially intelligent. Ergo, I would like to designate myself as a "non-serious potentially intelligent" being.
Sarcasm shouldn't be written off. You can get away with making fun of things that other people might not pick up on, I recently finished reading the classic novel "Catch-22" which highlights the craziness of the world through the frame of World War II, a pretty important event that I think most people would probably call fairly serious. But I would opine that the point Heller is making is that you can't take anything too seriously, every event, not matter how large or how small, is at least somewhat ludicrous.
Catch-22 is awesome because it teaches without being preachy. It's clever humor-my favorite type. You have to both pay attention and understand that you have no idea what's going on in order to fully appreciate the book. I read it right before snowmaggedon hit the DC area, and it kind of fit with the situation. People who took life and their jobs so seriously weren't able to work for a week. They were forced to do all sorts of terrible things like embrace week-day bar specials not because work had got them down, but because they had nothing better to do. A city usually engulfed in go-go-goers was suddenly filled with people starting huge snowball fights and sledding in the streets. Of course, I'm sure there were those dedicated workers being productive, but sometimes, you just have to embrace chaos.
So the wisdom I will impart upon you this Valentine's Day-another crazy holiday-keep your head in the game, but in reality, you've only got so much control. And when all else fails, make fun of yourself. The smart people will get it.
Holla,
Thing Two
I've found that the worst pitfalls come when you take yourself too seriously. There's just no need for it, and everyone else around probably thinks you're a stuck-up idiot. Which, to be honest, you probably are. I've heard sarcasm called the "tool of the weak," but I'd like to make a case for it, and instead call it the tool of the non-serious potentially intelligent being. If you're being sarcastic you're poking fun at a situation and thus are most definitely not being serious. Since you've taken the time to come up with a sarcastic comment, one that not everyone will necessarily pick up on, you've put some thought into the situation and can therefore be classified as potentially intelligent. Ergo, I would like to designate myself as a "non-serious potentially intelligent" being.
Sarcasm shouldn't be written off. You can get away with making fun of things that other people might not pick up on, I recently finished reading the classic novel "Catch-22" which highlights the craziness of the world through the frame of World War II, a pretty important event that I think most people would probably call fairly serious. But I would opine that the point Heller is making is that you can't take anything too seriously, every event, not matter how large or how small, is at least somewhat ludicrous.
Catch-22 is awesome because it teaches without being preachy. It's clever humor-my favorite type. You have to both pay attention and understand that you have no idea what's going on in order to fully appreciate the book. I read it right before snowmaggedon hit the DC area, and it kind of fit with the situation. People who took life and their jobs so seriously weren't able to work for a week. They were forced to do all sorts of terrible things like embrace week-day bar specials not because work had got them down, but because they had nothing better to do. A city usually engulfed in go-go-goers was suddenly filled with people starting huge snowball fights and sledding in the streets. Of course, I'm sure there were those dedicated workers being productive, but sometimes, you just have to embrace chaos.
So the wisdom I will impart upon you this Valentine's Day-another crazy holiday-keep your head in the game, but in reality, you've only got so much control. And when all else fails, make fun of yourself. The smart people will get it.
Holla,
Thing Two
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Bonding with your Boss: Part I
One of coolest things you can hear your boss say, first thing in the morning, is "I'm so glad you're here!" That and "I have a project for you" definitely top my list. Like most people, I want my presence to be appreciated, even if my main job is to provide moral support. Unlike most people, I actually like being busy, and I work best when I have a long to-do list.
I find that my best boss-bonding time comes later on in the afternoon. We've had the entire day to either get stuff done or get ready to go home, and the office atmosphere feels more relaxed. I'm usually an overly eager beaver in the mornings, chomping at the bit to do some important errand like sort the mail or deliver a transcript. That's if I've had my coffee; if not, well, then, I'm nodding off over the NYTimes and not making any conversation. Good bonding also comes when no one else is around and we can make jokes. However, I still long for the Happy Hour invite (even if I would turn it down). Eventually...maybe...hopefully? Haha, I'll keep you updated.
Peace out,
Thing Two
I find that my best boss-bonding time comes later on in the afternoon. We've had the entire day to either get stuff done or get ready to go home, and the office atmosphere feels more relaxed. I'm usually an overly eager beaver in the mornings, chomping at the bit to do some important errand like sort the mail or deliver a transcript. That's if I've had my coffee; if not, well, then, I'm nodding off over the NYTimes and not making any conversation. Good bonding also comes when no one else is around and we can make jokes. However, I still long for the Happy Hour invite (even if I would turn it down). Eventually...maybe...hopefully? Haha, I'll keep you updated.
Peace out,
Thing Two
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