DC

Did anyone ever notice that Steve Jobs kind of looks like Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ)??

Steve Jobs

v.

Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ)

Perhaps it’s a scientist thing?

You know what I’m tired of? People putting other people down because they don’t agree with their political beliefs. Guess what? Two of my best friends are Republicans, I’m a registerred Democrat who spent a year and a half volunteering and worshipping John Kerry. Do I care? No. Do I care that one of my bff’s dislikes feminism, and thinks that Bush is a God? No. She cares that what matters. I appreciate people who are involved, people who have opinions, even if I don’t agree with them, I value intelligent political conversation.

But guess what? I’m undecided. I don’t like Obama (i know *GASP*) but LOVE Biden, I appreciate and deeply admire John McCain’s experience, but aside from being a woman who can hunt a moose (like my Papa!) Sarah Palin’s politics kind of make me nervous.

I’m sick of people in the blogosphere, and the internets, and people in the real world getting up on their high horses because they think that X candidate is GOD and OMG IF YOU DON’T AGREE WITH ME YOU’RE CLEARLY AND IDIOT AND I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF EDUCATED! Seriously? What the HELL kind of attitude is that? Snarkiness to political comments that you don’t agree with are definitely uncalled for and unnecessary. Especially if you don’t know the person IRL.
Guess what people, I hate to break it to you…but….we live in A-M-E-R-I-C-A!!! It’s called Freedom of O-P-I-N-I-O-N. I have my opinions, you have yours. Let’s agree…to disagree. Really, it’s a simple solution.

I spent five years of my life worshipping and living by the principles of the Democratic Party, but as I’ve grown up, my values have changed. It was Winston Churchill who said “if you’re young and you’re not liberal, you have no heart. If you’re old and you’re not conservative, you have no head.” I agree with this statement. It was so very very easy to be idealistic when I was in college, I didn’t have bills to pay, debts burdening me. I didn’t think of buying a house, or the taxes I’d be paying. My priorities have changed a bit and while I will always be socially liberal, I can’t say that I’m financially as liberal as I used to be. If only because I had no value or appreciation of money back then.

My point is however, not to blab my own politics for the internets to judge and criticize (go head, I know you’re going to anyhow), but to say…”can’t we all just get along?” Many of the men I’ve dated, including my fiance, are/have been republicans (half of you are probably shitting your pants aren’t you?). The Ex? Was President of the College Republicans while I was president of the College Democrats - how’s that for different politics? He was a conservative from Ohio and I? A liberal from Vermont. No wonder we didn’t work out - nowadays, fiance and I are both New England Moderates - he a New England Republican which are a fast dying breed, and appreciates the true meaning of conservative. I? Well…I’m reevaluating my politics and plan on re-registerring as an Independent. Personally, I find it interesting and intriguing to pick people’s brains. Find out where they’re coming from. Share my own opinions. It’s fascinating that we live in a country where we can do this.

But for all you bloggers who think Obama is a fucking rock star? Please. Get off your fucking high horses and realize that there are people who may not think so, who may still be undecided and people who might think just the opposite with just as much passion as you. This does not make them wrong, stupid, or any other degrading name you can come up with for someone’s who viewpoints you don’t agree with. It just makes them informed and opinionated which in our society? Is never a bad thing. (FYI)

Let’s engage one another in conversation and stop throwing insults, let’s stop being douchebags because someone says something you don’t like. This goes for BOTH sides but in this neck of the woods? I hate to say it but the Obama-ites are much more guilty of it than the McCainsters (at least from what I’ve seen). So shut the fuck up and listen. Seriously. If you can’t listen and respectfully disagree then how much better are you than the person that you’re criticizing? Honestly?

I forget how the phrase goes but essentially, when the going gets tough, get a life.

I’ve had a bad case of bloggy block lately. Thus my MIA-ness. I don’t know what’s going on with it but my inbox has been sad with the lack of comments lately…so i figured it was time to make a comeback.

This past weekend was spent running, recovering, hibernating after a crazy week last week with things going on every night. Oh yeah, and hardcore cleaning - on Sunday we…

• Gave the dog a bath
• Cleaned the kitchen cleaned the bathroom
• did three loads of laundry
• vaccumed
• went grocery shopping
• AND started working on cleaning the bedroom (i gave away a bunch of clothes by making the seasonal swap)

What’s with all the autumn cleaning you ask? Aside from the fact that it was desperately needed…mostly because the parents are visiting.

I love fiancé’s parents, i think they’re great. But having my mother, her boyfriend and his parents together has been causing a great deal of worry for me. Mostly because Mom’s bf is well…kind of a redneck. I mean that in the nicest way possible, and fyi, he has all of his teeth. He just…well…Fiancé’s parents are both really smart, they both have masters degrees, you know…edumacated. Mom and her boyfriend? well…neither went to college, but they’re nice! (and i love my mother with all my heart fyi)

So i worry…how fiancé and his dad are going to entertain Mom’s BF while mom, FMIL and I go dress shopping Saturday afternoon. Which is another cause of worry for me - Where the eff do I want to go?!?!

Oh and this weekend? We get to speak to his mother about the guest list which we took an axe to last week because really? I think fiancé said it best when he said about a couple that his mom wants to invite: “I’m sure they threw a very nice party for their friends honoring their daughter.” (the bride was an only child. only grandchild. Need I say more??) Unfortunately, since Fiancé and I are shouldering a large burden of the costs ourselves, we get a larger say in who gets in and who doesn’t. I should note that my parents aren’t big on the friends side, and if my stepmother even TRIES to invite her family? That will get ixnayed faster than you can “NOT SO FAST BIA!” Especially since her family has never ever done anything to make me feel included. [I'll stop here before I say too much...]

Now if she’d* pony up and pay for the reception? She can invite whoever she wants. Unfortunately, that ain’t gonna happen. *sigh* (note: by her i mean dad.)
So anyhow, this weekend is going to be…fun. But stressful. We’re taking the fams to dinner friday for mom’s birthday Friday when they get in, on Saturday we’re going to the National Book Festival, then having lunch at our reception site, then dress shopping followed by dinner. They leave sunday afternoon, so it’ll be short. but sweet. Then we head up to CT in two weeks for the marathon to see his family again.

It’s going to be…ridiculous to say the least. I’ll be happy when I can breathe again, (stop breaking nails on my damn keyboard!!! WTF!) and not stress about all this. Wait, after marathon training I’ll have MORE time to stress about all this wedding stuff….crap.

*sigh*

Needless to say, I’m back from a mini-hiatus.

So this week I have a couple of wedding things to share.

1. I’m thinking of changing the venue - to this place. On the water. In old town Alexandria. It’s incredibly beautiful, right on the water and in various Bridal Magazines, is listed in the same price range as Clydes. We’ll see?

2. i decided I want navy shoes. I know I know, i don’t even have my dress picked out. Whatever, my shoes will be blue.

3. I got my first (unpaid) blogging gig! I’ll be writing 3-5 times per week over here. Go check out for all your wedding planning desires. And because you <3 me. Even if you don’t live in DC and aren’t planning a wedding still, go read me
4. Going wedding gown shopping again this weekend with Liz and another friend of hers/ours. Pretty excited if only because the two dresses I tried on last time are so pretty, and i want to try them both with navy sashes. We’re also going to check out I Do, I Do. And then… we’re going to karaoke. I’ll be running my 18 miler in the morning so we’ll see how long I last I’m excited. It’s going to be a good weekend.

Anyhow much to do before i pop up to a briefing on the hill. Happy Hump Day!!!

I have previously blogged about finding a new hair stylist. Whining about the woe of being unable to fly home to get my hair cut at my long time stylist. The struggle to find someone that you trust enough to chop off your beloved hair uncertain if it’ll make you look like a goddess or like Jesse Camp via 1999 on MTV…

I’m sure you can see where I’d be concerned….

Needless to say, I was a bit hesitant to go back to the other place because while the dude did a great job with the color, the cut left much to be desired. I decided to keep him in mind and use him as a last resort let’s say. So I was on the prowl. I had intended on getting it cut this weekend but since it was anniversary weekend in Old Town, I didn’t. So yesterday I searched high and low for a good salon.

I had intended on going to the Aveda Institute up in Gallery Place but umm..they’re closed on Mondays and while I could have waited till today to get my hair did, I was DETERMINED to get it done last night. So that ruled out a few possible places. One place that had no appointments so I was stuck.

I had gone to Bubbles a couple years ago, paid the absurd amount of $55 for a hair cut by a fabulously homosexual Italian man (though I forget his name). So since I knew Fiancé had gone to the Bubbles on capitol hill, i decided to check it out.

I was a little nervous because i was going for a more…slightly…drastic cut. Random I know but i was fed up with my mane. The receptionist was ehhh, the magazine selection was m’eh also. But Dawn who did my hair was friendly, she communicated and though I got a little nervous with her technique to cut clumps off, it turned out fabulous. The length is perfect, the style is perfect though i’m still learning how to work my bangs, she told me how to make it look pretty like she did. Though she kept telling me i have bad roots (i know), and trying to get me to do highlights (sure, but not for $90…and not tonight) and sell me all the products she was using on me (m’eh I have products at home). All in all, I left satisfied. The cut itself was $35 which is incredibly reasonable, and I know that based on the convenience factor to home, I’ll definitely go there again.

Here’s what I was going for something kind of like this…

but not quite so short…

My bangs are a lil bit longer, and the hair is in between the two. Mostly because i forgot those two damn pictures on my desk at work when I left so I couldn’t bring them to the salon. Damn.

None of the pictures i took of it yesterday came out and today my hair just doesn’t look that good so sorry no pict0rs. I’m sure you can imagine it though right? right.

Have you ever struggled to find a new stylist???

I’ve never been a fast runner. I never qualified for States, the only reason I lettered in Cross Country was because there was 6 of us on the team and the top 5 of each team score the points. I happened upon the fifth runner status.

That was in fact, seven years ago.

I never qualified for states in my events in outdoor track, indoor was another story because there were…two of us on the team. But outdoor track - i was about five seconds shy in the 800, and 2-3 seconds in the 100 m high hurdles. I tried and I tried but little legs can only move so fast and when you stand at a sturdy 5′2″ (on a good day) you’ve got…little legs.

So last year when I took on the task of training for my first marathon, my goal was to simply finish. Not hard, i had 7:30:00 to do so. Unfortunately, my training consisted of running, hiatus, running and a month long hiatus right before the race. Whoops? Talk about half assed training. I finished in 7:00:00 exactly.

This year i’ve been better. I started training later (about 6 weeks later than I should have) so i was 10 weeks out from the marathon. I condensed a training plan to make sure I peaked at 18 miles (last year my peak was 15) and added in a lot of cross training (swimming and pilates) which have been an INCREDIBLE help.

I’ve been shooting for a 12-11 minute mile pace for the marathon. Doable, but I’m a little scared. I usually run about 11-12 minutes/mile just cause i like to be slow. But last week, I kicked up the pace. Thursday I did a short 3 miler around work, my first mile I clocked at 8:34. !!!!!!

I haven’t run an 8:30 mile since high school when I could run a 25 minute 5k.

I finished 3 miles in under 30 minutes, making my mile sub 10:00/mile - about a 9:30-9:45 pace.

WOO!

Saturday, the temperature hoovered around 90 or so by the afternoon. I was determined to get up and run my 16 miles. Next weekend is my peak run - 18 miles. Rosslyn to Mt. Vernon. Omg omgomgomg.

But, I didn’t set any goals for myself. I kept checking my pace, my nike+ chip (it fell out at one point on thursday so i had to walk 1/4 mile to find it. Those bitches are expensive!), i had plenty of water since i bought a new fuel belt on Friday and some more glide stick because lately since I lost my other one the chafage has been WRETCHED. I was hitting the pavement by 8:20a, finished my first 6 miles just over an hour, making my average time somewhere between 9:30-10:30/mile.

~1:28:00 for the first 8 miles. Holy shit, I thought to myself as i turned around, I’m going to be sub 3 hours for this run. And I was. 2:48:35. I had hoped to get in at 2:45:00 but the last mile and a half was a gradual uphill that you didn’t notice till you were like SHIT MAN, this HURTS. So while I tried to tell myself, if i push it, I’ll finish this last mile in 8 minutes. Two more songs on the ipod. Omg I can do it.

I walked in the last mile. 1/4 of it roughly. The first quarter. The other 3 I ran. Slowly. damnit.

But still sub 3 hours!

This puts me on track to possibly finish sub 5:00:00 for the marathon which is in less than a month. I’m hoping to finish my 18 miler at 3:30:00 - we’ll see though. it helped that i was in bed by 11pm on Friday, I had one glass of wine with dinner and 1 cider. So friday night this week I will not be going out. I will not be drinking. I will be sleeping. I will be out the door by 8am (though it’s not supposed to be as hot this saturday) and have fiancé pick me up around noon down at Mt. Vernon (i’m taking the metro over to Rosslyn and picking up the Mount Vernon trail from the beginning - start to finish it’s about 18.5 miles).

I will do it. Mostly because I know i CAN.

5:00:00 marathon here I come!!!!

So last night I got my package from my Autumn Swap partner from the swap that Running Just as Fast as I can hosted.

In it, was a wedding album, some treats for the pup and best of all, she did her research and got us our first registry gift

The swap package - the Utensils are next to the Treats

Treats that puppy loved - Thank you so much Cat’s Pajamas!!!

Anyhow…so our first registry gift - a near identical of these that i registered for at Crate and Barrel…

Which by the way, is just…awesome.

Our registries have been a work in progress (and the subject of many discussions - especially from Fiancé’s mother who “can’t believe” that we’d register for this…

[From here]

Now let me explain before y’all go passing judgment like she did (bless her heart). Fiancé and I set up our Macy’s registry on a Sunday afternoon, we didn’t have much time before we wanted to get back to the hill to go to 5pm mass, so we walked around, scanned some stuff we thought would be fun, some stuff we knew we wanted, looked at other stuff and decided we still had some research to do because really that scanner was a lot of fun so we just…scanned a bunch of stuff. Thus why this beast shows up on the registry.

But fiancé wanted to register for it. His mother thinks it makes us look greedy that we’re asking for that and not say…pots and pans and dinnerware and silverware. But as I’ve told her, it’s a work in progress. If we had some time to commit to going to register, we would. Unfortunately, as of late, we haven’t. But man oh man, I can’t wait till we do. Besides, no one besides my mother, and his mother and siblings and father know about it and have even looked. I’m sure once we research everything and finish the registering process, it’ll be fine. From what I’ve heard from all my newlywed friends, you take things off, you add things, you change your mind. And from what I’ve read in wedding magazines and books, you’re SUPPOSED to have some high ticket items, and some low ticket and some medium ticket. There’s nothing wrong with it being a wish list. You want your guests to have variety no? I mean a couple of my friends lacked on the variety, by the time i went to buy them a gift there was nothing but towels, shoe racks, and bathroom stuff on there. And while I understand that stuff is important too, it looks kind of cheesy as a gift no? I’d rather get them something better, nicer, but my fault for slacking. Oh well? So the point is, everything I’ve read says to have enough stuff on there to give your guests variety and have a number of different price points. So okay…we will.

So thats my wedding wednesday post, i’ve been slacking recently since I STILL haven’t done much - though this month my mission is to find an AFFORDABLE (but still classy) photographer and a nice florist for suggestions, and find a dj though i do have a couple leads. Oh yeah, and get my dress when my mother is down visiting gah, can’t wait. Need to make appointments soon, need to do a bit more research, and we have another bridal show to go to this weekend. Woo!

ALSO!

So I got this phone call the other day from a company who claimed within the first two minutes that i had entered a contest and won a FREE! 3 day 2 night stay at an all inclusive resort! All i had to do was go see one of their demonstrations. Which really isn’t a big deal since we had no plans, it doesn’t cost us anything so whatever. Fiancé is still a little weirded out but since we BOTH have to be there to get the prize, he’s getting dragged.

Finally…, I’m cranky, sad, frustrated, and pissed off. It’s not been a great day, nothing has happened yet but there’s rumors that i could be given a project that i would be…incredibly uncomfortable with, and is not in my paygrade (think…calling parents on a committee for my boss’s granddaughter’s school) so i’m a little disgruntled, i feel like wedding stuff is falling apart (wait there’s nothing TO fall apart because i haven’t DONE anything yet), my house is falling apart (our dishwasher leaks, our sink smells, and our garbage disposal is backed up and fiancé doesn’t want to have the shitty fix it dude come to fix it because last time he yelled at him for some destruction ellie has caused around the house…whoops?), and i’m just…beyond frustrated. Looking forward to our little get away to Old Town this weekend but unfortunately it can’t come soon enough. *sigh*

Happy wedding wednesday ya’ll! They’re back. I’ll try to keep the wedding stuff churning

I’m pissed off.

You see, this election season I never really got attached to a candidate. I vote based on my issues that i care about, and experience. In 2004, despite Howard Dean being my political idol in high school, I went the route of John Kerry, feeling that he was best to lead our country in the right direction. His experience and his issues roped me in and I spent many months, many weekends in frigid New Hampshire, and many nights strategizing how to get out the NU vote. He was my guy.

This year, my politics have changed. It’s easy to be a bleeding heart liberal when you don’t have to worry about student loans, taxes, health care and the like. It’s easy to be idealistic when the largest bill you have is your cell phone and your money just gets pissed away in bars. Socially, I’m still rather liberal though overall, I actually consider myself a moderate. I’ve become increasingly more and more moderate in regards to my stance on healthcare and my stance on taxes/economic issues.

So much so, that I’ve begun to have a political identity crisis of sort. You see, I’m a registered Democrat. I have been since I was 18 and I’ve been to a convention as an elected delegate (alternate but still) in 2004. But this year? The democrats aren’t really doing much for me.

I’m probably going to get slandered and hated on by all my freaders because from what I’ve been reading in the blogosphere - not just 20sb but in general, it’s hip to love on Barack Obama and it’s hip to hate on Sarah Palin.

But I can’t lie, or hold a secret anymore, despite my disagreements with her politics, I kind of like her. I kind of like her and John McCain so much so, I’m considering voting for them. (note considering, not definitely)

Because for as much as I was all about Joe Biden back in January, vice presidential candidates are not and should not be the deciding factor on a vote.

But really, what’s pissing me off most is that I’m a feminist. And for people to brush off Sarah Palin not being a feminist choice, is disconcerting. Feminism, for the record, does not JUST mean being PRO-CHOICE. It simply doesn’t. Feminism is about empowerment. It’s about having choices - not just with what to do with your body, but also having choices in your career, having the choice to go into politics or stay at home and be a Hockey Mom or Soccer Mom. It’s about having the OPTION to do all that and the choice. Feminism isn’t strictly about the ability to have an abortion (which by the way, just because I am Pro-Choice, doesn’t mean I support abortion…I support having the choice to) which is what ever single freakin’ person who has been criticizing Sarah Palin has been insinuating. So what if she had a child with Downs Syndrome? Why does that make her a bad person? Seriously…it’s disgusting that WOMEN of all people would be so critical. Just because Hillary was the first woman to run for president, does not make any successful Republican women any less respectable. Sarah Palin is the first WOMAN in Alaska elected to state office - doesn’t that mean ANYTHING???

Onward to my beefs with the Democratic party.

I supported the Democrats because they were the party “for the people.” Unfortunately, the people really mean if you belong to a labor union, if you’re a student, if you’re a pro-choice woman, or if you’re a senior. It does not mean if you support the military, if you have a shit ton of student loan debt, if you dislike labor unions, or if you’re pro-life.

What enraged me most was this statement in Barack Obama’s interview with Glamour Magazine in the 10/2008 issue -

”

GLAMOUR: I have a question from a reader, 26-year-old Jennifer Peeler in Symsonia, Kentucky: “I’m in law school and will graduate with over $100,000 in loans. What will you do to help the rising number of students with such high student loan payments?”

BO: It starts with what I’m calling for, a $4,000 tuition credit [for] every student, every year, in exchange for [100 hours of] community service, or national service of some sort: working in an underserved hospital or underserved school, or joining the Peace Corps, joining the foreign service. That would make community colleges practically free for undergraduates! If they went to a four-year public college or university, it would cover about two thirds of the tuition. Now I’ll admit to your reader, I am sympathetic to somebody who went to law school and came [out] with a ton of debt. The truth, though, is we probably don’t need more lawyers. [Laughs.] So we’ll help you get your undergraduate degree. If you want to go to law school, though, you’re probably going to be able to earn enough to pay off your loans. It just won’t be any fun.“

I’m sorry but that? Is an insult. $4,000 for 100 hours of community service?  Seriously?? That’s insulting considering $4,000 would have BARELY paid for my housing if I chose to live in the slummiest of NU’s dorms. But OH! You can go to a community college for FREE!!! I’m sorry but that? Is an insult. It’s an insult to college students and an insult to college graduates. It’s even more of an insult to people who have any sort of hopes to go onto pursue a higher degree - it’s as if he’s saying well…you don’t really need a higher degree but if you can afford it go ahead!

$4,000 is an INSULT. And what is he/the Democratic party going to do for college graduates? Raise our taxes to pay for this $4,000/student who wants to go into some sort of public service? I’m sorry but my taxes are high enough. It’s pretty sad when my state taxes (yes i know the government has nothing to do with this) make it so that with my last job when i was making $2,000 less than what I’m making now, I was bring home the SAME paycheck that I’m bringing home now. Granted then I lived in Virginia and now I pay DC taxes…but still…neither party really has a plan to relieve those of us who racked up a shit ton of debt except the Democrats plan essentially raises taxes and well the Republicans? Kind of lower them. Not gonna lie, I’m going to go for lower taxes here.

Regardless of his pure patronizing attitude to those who want higher degrees even if they can’t afford them and to those who want QUALITY undergraduate degrees (I should note that I have 100k in loans, despite having come from a single parent family who made less than $30k. Is there some sort of relief for need based students? Nope. They’ve tried to increase the pell grant but the pell grant? Is like $4k or something ridiculously weak in comparison to college prices these days.) This coming from a man who has not one, but TWO ivy league educations. And really? Debt from law school? Is that why you didn’t hold a full time job for SIX YEARS after law school? Huh. Funny.

I’ve always kind of had this conflict with Barack Obama, it’s so easy to rope people into your campaign with promises of hope and change, especially when so many people are so disenfranchised from the system but unfortunately as I’m slowly realizing as I watch coverage and read more and more about the candidates - hope and change? Aren’t policies.

So, there’s my rant. There’s my bone to pick. Yet somehow? I’m still left undecided and confused. I vote based on my heart, I vote based on my issues, you could go ahead and call me an educated, emotional voter. Most voters vote on emotions alone (which is precisely how Sarah Palin may rope in some of those Hillary voters regardless of the difference in politics) not based on the issues. I consider myself educated, yet the election is so close and I’m still so undecided because my politics and my logic are both going in two very different directions and both are making so much sense to me. I’ll have to wait till the debates (that Barack Obama DID NOT want to have btw) to decide but let it be known that no one is going to offend me and get away with my vote.

So to all my freaders - regardless who you’re voting for, if you disagree with me fine. If you take offense to my politics? Take it somewhere else because we are ALL entitled to our opinions and it is our DUTY to question those running for leader of our great nation and if you really think that my opinion is “uneducated” and “wrong?” Then I probably don’t care to hear about yours. If you can however, share your opinion in a respectful way (which i find is often not the case in regards to politics and the blogosphere) then I encourage you to do so. I always find other people’s opinions and reasons for voting for people interesting - especially since i’m a student of political science. That kind of stuff is always fascinating.

Some worth while reading for y’all?

Barack Obama interview with Glamour Magazine [10/2008 issue]
John McCain interview with Glamour Magazine [10/2008 issue]
What Mrs. Palin Could Learn From Mrs. T [9/5/08 oped WSJ]
Energy and Independence! [Delegate Commentary 9/4/08 Boston.com]
Wrong Woman, Wrong Message [Gloria Steinem OpEd LA Times 9/4/08]

It’s the end of summer. We won’t be going on a day trip - we were going to go to Rehoboth but Maryland decided this would be a good weekend to do construction on the Bay Bridge so that idea was ixnayed.

Today is the last Friday i get out early. After this it’s back to working 9-6 five days/week. Crappy.

So…since today is payday (even though i got GYPED $40 - they only take metro fare out TWICE per month not THREE TIMES!!!) I decided to treat myself. Treat myself for losing 5 lbs since July, treat myself for being good with my marathon training (even though I didn’t go running yesterday and i should have. i won’t be skipping on my 11miler tomorrow), and treat myself for NOT shopping (much) the entire month of august (except for that $60 at Ann Taylor Loft when Fiancé was out of town which was my money in my defense).

So…I bought this dress from Old Navy (who might I add is having an AMAZING Sale)

For…ummm $17 (which might be perfect to wear to Martha Stewarts Bloggers show if i go!!!)

After work, I’m popping over to Target to check out this dress…

Gotta love pay day Looking forward to the weekend, not sure what’s on the agenda aside from the bbq sunday evening out in bumblefuck virginia (i’m lookin’ at your former roomie!), boarding the dog for the day tomorrow so she gets to romp, and then running 11 miles. We’ll figure something out, I was thinking of checking out Comet Bar up near Cleveland Park (games!), tonight I’m meeting up with Liz for drinks, and i was going to suggest hitting up the driving range over at Haines Point (later this weekend). I’m sure no matter what, it’ll be a fun weekend.

What are YOU doing for the last weekend of summer??

It’s raining here in the District. Good, I’m tired of sunshine that I can’t enjoy. Being a cube monkey for 9 out of 24 hours, five days per week gets a bit…tiresome.

The temperature is hovering around the midseventies mark and me? I’m ecstatic. I’m thinking of all the things that autumn will offer - the real countdown to my wedding (1 year out on September 12), crisp weather, a trip to New England, the end of Marathon training (before beginning again in January), jeans and sweaters, autumn jackets, Oktoberfest, not sweating through clothes on the way to the metro, lower electric bills, scarves, hot chocolate, Dunkin Donuts.

I mean really, I shouldn’t be so anxious for summer to end but I am. This summer, like the last, was really the first summer of me being an adult (okay this was the second). No beach trips were had, I’m just as pasty as I was in February, and I haven’t sat out on a patio drinking sangria yet. The weather has been unseasonably…unhumid for the DC area this summer and while that’s been nice, where’s the real summer?

Oh wait, we don’t get those anymore. Instead, I spent most of the summer working 6 days/week, trying to get my ass off the couch, avoiding marathon training and spending money I didn’t have on God only knows what. Seriously, Fiancé and I have started to budget…I found out we spent about $950 on food this month - and a few other things like painting the living room, and the dog but really? $950 on nothing (well I suppose food isn’t nothing). That’s a whole paycheck!

But really, summer just isn’t fun anymore. When I was younger, I would spend days in the pool with my neighborhood friends, I would lounge out on my friend’s family boat, we’d be mall rats in the night, and I’d have a damn awesome tan. Even in college, we had friday’s off from classes - three day weekends FTW!!! We’d have beach trips, tanning in the quad watching shirtless dudes playing frisbee or wiffleball. There were parties outside, road trips, and when we couldn’t find anyone with a car? We’d take the T to the beach - a sketchy beach (Wonderland really doesn’t live up to it’s name - FYI) but a beach no less.

My last good summer? The summer I moved down here - aside from the fact that I was broke, I had groovy roommates who knew how to party and had ways of making me forget about my Debbie Downer ex-boyfriend that I moved away from when needed. We also had a grill and a backyard. Luxuries I could only dream about these days as fiancé and I have a roach laden Hibachi grill that sits in the front stoop and hasn’t been used since he burnt some burgers on it a year ago when I got it for him.

This weekend however, before the real start of autumn (i embrace you autumn, with open arms!), we’ll be zipcarring out to Rehoboth (with the dog boarded for the day/night), get back at the ass crack of dawn before i run 11 miles, pick said dog up, and then make some sort of goody for my roommate’s birthday bash bbq - a bbq and the beach! In less than 24 hours! All the summer necessities I’ve missing for the past TWO summers rolled into ONE three day weekend. DC may make you think that summer rocks with it’s stifling humidity and “august recess” but unless you have a hover craft that can jet you to the beach every weekend, and a boss who doesn’t care if you go on hiatus for 31 days, then you’re stuck in the beltway with the other losers who don’t have cars and crappy bosses who don’t even let you leave at 5.

Seriously 9-6 during August recess is the biggest waste of time EVER.

I digress, after this weekend so long as I get to frolick in the waves for a minute (we won’t be swimming but we will write A+H in a big heart with A&4EVER next to it in the sand) and have a grilled hot dog (roommate - that means DON’T BURN IT!) and a margarita….I’ll be happy.

Then I will put away my summer tank tops (that I might have worn…once…maybe) my cute madras print shorts from JCrew that i have been LIVING IN on weekends (they’re comfy and cute and i have matching flip flops so THERE!), and my flip flops…most of them, into the great under the bed storage thing that probably needs to be shuffled through and somethings either thrown out or put on ebay. I will start wearing heels again, and I PROMISE to stop shopping summer sales (they’re so good though!!!).

I don’t mind the high heels though. Or the sweaters. My favorite time of year is autumn. I like autumn and winter (not Vermont winters though. Nice winters with a right amount of snow that aren’t negative a bajillion degrees), I like nice shoes, and cute sweaters, and bundling up to take the puppeh up to Dunkins where Fiancé and I each get coffee (for him) and hot chocolate (for moi). I? Can’t wait for that. Unfortunately, we don’t get the pretty leaf changing scenery (better though, you don’t have to deal with shitty leafers), the GOOD apple cider, and fun fall football games at Parson’s (oh wait…those don’t hold a candle to some southern tailgating damnit)

I digress, clearly, in autumn you don’t feel bad about having to be a cube monkey. You don’t feel bad about letting all those cute summer shoes and clothes sit in the dresser, and you certainly don’t feel bad about not making to the beach.

To me? Autumn is better than summer, and while i love my cute Ann Taylor Loft halter tops and white pants…I’ll take a cute pair of heels with a nice cable knit sweater and worn in jeans any day.

So freaders, enjoy summer, and if you’ve made it to the beach? Consider this gal jealous. Send me some fake tanning lotion will ya?