About Me

If you look to the right side of this page, you will notice an "about me" section.
This is used to explain what the blog is about. It used to say something about observering life from my frequently traveled window seat.
With my job change, my job will be DC-centric. Any travels will be for fun, not really as much work (at least for now). Since the start, this was intended to be a travel log to share the stories I always tell. As with anything, life evolved and with it, this blog.
Although I am DC- based and no longer traveleing every few weeks, I am still an observerer and story-teller. And let's face it-- weird stuff happens to me! And I am now in a real city (sorry PHX and SE), but DC is for-real. (I am not really sure how else to explain it...). But a city is filled with random people and places. It is a treasure-trove of weird things waiting to happen. And thus waiting to be shared. And though I will no longer be in the window seat of an airplane, the metro has windows and I use them!
So, my 'About Me' changed and the context of this blog will adjust a tad, just like all things in my world. The move was/is an adjustment. Some of it, great. (museums, history, food!, the metro, proximity to family). Some of it bad (loads of work, TRAFFIC!, mosquitos). But like any place I have moved to, I will adjust and embrace even the bad to make it work for me. (Well, maybe not the mosquitos. Those I could do without!)
So, for now, enjoy my new view:

Grown-ups.

In college, I lived in a house with 6 girls (plus, a few bonus regulars!). We lived in a classic college campus dwelling. It was maybe 3 blocks from campus, on a great street with incredible access to the bars (note the proximity to campus was not mentioned as a a bonus though it really was). The house was green and white (Spartan colors). And the front door was Spartan Green with a gigantic "S" for State painted on the front door. The address was 504 Abbott. From the day we moved in, we were immediately known as the 504 Girls.
Living with 6 ladies is not always easy and we didn't always get along. But we loved eachother and became totally intertwined in the lives of one another. We became a weird, little family unit. Sisters. Fiercely loyal to one another. We might complain about eachother, but god help you if you were an outsider and did! We did not tolerate that at all!
We cried together, helped eachother through navigating growing up and becoming independent from our families. We laughed all the time. I mean, ALL the time.
We lived there for two years. We had more fun than I am 100% sure any of us can remember!  Then a few ladies graduated, so it was time to move on and get real jobs for some and finish classes for others. Time living at 504 Abbott was coming to an end. It was the end of a chapter.
During the first few years after college, many of us remained in a close-ish area, so we could get together regularly and have fun (our specialty!).
As everyone knows time goes by and people move away, get married, get busy with a job, have adventures and the length of time between visits gets bigger and bigger. It's life. It's not bad. It's just what it is. As with anything, you cherish the past but you move on with your future.
I am lucky enough to have had a job that takes me close to many of the ladies, so have been able to visit with them in pieces and see them in their new lives. It is so fun to meet their little people, hang out with their other halves, and just enjoy their company. Each time I am so pleased to discover that no matter how much time has passed between visits or conversations, we can just pick up where we left off. Like no time has passed at all. I believe it is the sign of a true friendship when you can do that.
Well, this weekend, one of the 504 Girls got married. She is one of the last to get married (me being the very last to not be married actually!). She is that rare person who will always count you as a dear friend, no matter how long it has been since she last spoke to/saw you. So, all the 504 Girls (and the bonus extras) were invited and most everyone was able to attend. Her wedding provided a super fun reason to get together. The wedding was lovely. The bride was gorgeous (she literally looked like a prettier version of Barbie). But the best part was being able to catch up all together. The wedding wasn't huge, so we were able to sit and visit and laugh and have a few cocktails (of course!).
As the night went on, all I kept thinking was what wonderful grown-ups these ladies have become. They are still the same people I knew and loved on the inside, but have continued to grow and flourish and become a better version of the selves I knew when we were young. Some have become mature, sophicated urban women. Many have become the mothers and wives they always wanted to be. But mainly I noted just how happy we all were. It was incredible. I mean, I know people hide the bad, but they all seemed so geniuinely happy with life. When talking about aspects of each of their lives, their eyes twinkled. (and no it was not the alcohol...it was a happy twinkle!)
It's been ten years since I left college (eeks!). It's been 11 years since we moved out of that infamous house. But there are still ties that bind us. No matter who else will reside at that house, our little group will always be known as the 504 Girls.

I am lucky to have had such incredible friends to help me grow up. And even luckier to still know them and love them.
Thanks, D for having a beautiful reason for all of us to get together. Oh, and congratulations on your marriage!
Ladies-- let's not make it so long before the next reunion, okay?



504 Girls- Then
(pictured L-R: Joanne, Yaara, Erika, Nikki, Jessica, Sara, Brooke & Megan)
 



504 Girls- Now
(pictured upper L & around to lower L: Dasha, Allison, Joanne, Erika, Nikki, Megan, Sara, & Jessica) 

 

(Note: I could not locate a photo with the exact same ladies...the "then" photo is the one I found with most of the same peeps....sorry you're missing, D & A)

 



Circa 1997.

So, this weekend I lived life circa 1997.
I left my phone in Maryland.
And was without access to phone calls, text messages, and instant facebook from Thursday afternoon through right this minute.
In part, it was awesome.
In part, it was terrible.
I missed being able to text a funny note or birthday message. I miss taking pictures (cause it was a weekend filled with fun times and good people).
I enjoyed being really off on my day off from work.
I missed being able to be connected without being chained to my computer though.
I did enjoy the freedom of not being completely available all of the time.
I missed being able to look something up and find it on a map.
But I did very much enjoy being able to use my mad mapping/directional skills.

All-in-all, not so bad.
But I am very much looking forward to being reconnected with my teachnology in a little while (well once I can finally get on a plane and get back to Maryland where I left it.)

Happy Birthday, Papa!

So, I am a day late to posting this, but what else is new these days?!
Yesterday,was my dad's birthday.
He turned 59 (I am sure he is fine with me posting that....fingers crossed).
In last year or so, we've had more than one conversation about "being old". In part because my brother and I have both turned 30 or have been for awhile, so the topic of age has come up.
In those conversations, my Papa has been known to call us "old", in hich case we turn to him and ask what that makes him. ;) Then the teasing and conversation goes from there.

I have said this before, but it should be said again (and always), my dad is one of my all-time favorites. He remains a steadfast guide in my life (even after I moved out and grown-up).
He is quiet, but wise.
He is fiercely loyal.
He is kind.
He is loving.
He (and my mom, too!) showed us how to love.
He is funny. I still think he is one of the funniest people I know.
He is a "steeltrap" (his words, not mine). But serisously he knows everything about everything. And that was proved to be true while driving across country a few months ago. (a trip by the way, where one could easily tire of a companion and I did not tire of him at all. And we talked a lot.)
He whistles when he is happy.
He is quiet when he is concerned.
He always seem to know the right words to say when there don't seem to be any.
He is happiest spending a day on water...
with my mom
and his dog.
(oh, and maybe with his children, too!)
He is obsessed with boats.
He is generous.
He is a hard-worker.

I don't know... he's just my Papa.
Other people see it too though.
He's special.
And I am so lucky to have spent 32 of his 59 years knowing him. (and fingers crossed another 32!).

Me with Papa at age 1. (which makes him maybe 27??)

Evidence of the silliness...

with his favorite person at another favorites wedding.

on the water in Vancouver, BC

whistling away through the UW campus.

again--more silly.

So, Happy 59th Birthday, Old Man! ;)

Mondays.

(from July 30)

It's been three weeks.
I've been  here for three weeks and each and every Monday since moving here has been TOUGH. I asked for a challenge and damn am I getting it!

If next monday sucks, I am going to start again and make Tuesdays the new Monday.
I can do that right?!

Ugh, come on Monday, play nicely please.

The last leg-- for real!

Well, we are here.
We made it.
Without much trouble or crabbiness, mom and I made the last trek of this journey from the mitten to the district. Well, almost.
Tonight we are staying with the favorites at their house.
C has completely taken to my mom (which is adorable). Tomorrow, we get the keys and permits.
Tuesday the movers come.
Wednesday, my mom will start to help me unpack.
I have a lot to do and I am grateful she is here with me. In all the years I have moved, I have never had a helper. It's kind of a good deal.

Let's crack this book! I am ready for the new chapter to begin!

My mavigator & all her reading material. Note the lack of a map. ;)

Happy Places!

For the last few days, I have been in my happy place(s). One is a place I have known is a happy place for years. It's my parent's cottage. I love it there. You walk in and it's instant vacation. For real. I was able to share it with a good pal this past weekend and we had such a good time.
The dude and dudette came up. We spent time on the boat and just relaxed.
We laughed. A lot.
We only had ice cream once.
We enjoyed delisious home-cooked food.
And just enjoyed the company of eachother. It was good to have a tiny time-out after the last month or so. I have been in perpetual motion since March when I made the decision to move.
I am tired.
And am ready for another vacation--no matter how mini!

Way back in February or even before then, E asked me if I would want to join their family for a few weeks in Leland, MI (the other newly rediscovered happy place). I thought about it for a few days and checked in with managers, and was able to work out that I could work from the beach and plan some strategic play time in the middle. Well, then I changed the plan and decided to move. I was still able to work out some time, though more has been filled with work than I care for.
But, we've had fun!
Aunt Mugsie brought us fun inflatables---

I was reminded of the magic of this place. The sunsets, the smells, the petosky stones, the legends, the memories we all share here. It is a place we have all come to as children, so it holds a special place in my heart. And to share it with so many of the people I shared it with as a kid is such a gift.

And I've gotten a glimpse of what it will be like to have these delightful favorites in my everyday world. In just a few short weeks, I will be their "neighbor". (Well, really I'll be 30-45 minutes away). I am so thrilled!