Hurricane, coat obsession, going out on the town

Had the day off of work because of Hurricane Sandy.

Spent the day watching the Avengers with my aunt, helping their neighbor move tables inside from the patio, baking gluten free cookies and taking a wee trip to the store to grab goods for diner. haha Yeah, not a bad day considering a natural disaster is on its way.

My aunt and uncle are hilarious and are consistently cracking jokes about how they think this isn't going to be that big of a deal and there's just a lot of hype.  Truth is, obviously near the coast it's a huge deal and really dangerous.  But here away from the coast, it's just been really windy and rainy.

I have work off tomorrow as well.  I'm excited to have some time with my family out here but it's funny how when you can't go outside, going outside is all that you want to do.  I want to go for a run.  I want to go shopping.  I want to go out with friends.  Hmm...yep.  Those things will have to wait.  Until then, I'm enjoying my time that I can hang out in pajamas and not feel guilty about it.

I've recently discovered the goodness of greek yogurt.  My friend had me try it a while back and my initial thoughts were, "Yup, the only reason anyone would enjoy that is because it's a fad."  Well...I had some last week that was delicious to the max and I've since become a greek yogurt convert.  So I stocked up on some yogurt...you know...incase the power goes out.  Priorities straight.

I'm getting kind of, sort of addicted to etsy.  It's a problem.  I'm finding really cute winter coats, fun skirts, etc.  This is the problem with finally having an income. Now I want to spend it. haha  But thankfully I'm pretty good at understanding that fantasy shopping is sufficient for now.  I have a whole section of my favorite designers and products and dorkily gaze at them from time to time but...that's the extent of it. haha  I just appreciate fun, unique, pretty clothes.  Yes I do.

Here are a few of my faves:

My cute little nanny family introduced me to a section of the Washington Post that tells you all of the cool places to go when you're going out.  So I've decided that when I get off work in the evenings, I'm going to go to different places to get to know the area and...go do something fun.  This last week my car was kind of a joke but now that it's back to mint condish, it's time to go out and do fun things in this fun city.

I hope things go well for the people affected by Frankenstorm.  I hope that everyone was able to get prepared and feel safe.  It's the worst to be in a situation where you literally have no control over what will happen.  I just hope and pray that those closer to the coast will feel comfort and protected during this time of danger and uncertainty.  Hopefully they were better than me and stocked up on more than just greek yogurt.  Oh geez.

Tears, squirrels and chocolate covered almonds

Things have been crazy train in these parts.  Bulleted randomness in 3, 2,...

• I accepted a 6 month nannying position.  Is it what I want to do forever?  Not in the least.  However, it's great money for right now and it'll give me the chance to save, get to know the area and make contacts until my time with them is up and I can find a different job.

Me:           

 "My life is turning out to be much less like the Rachel McAdams film that I was hoping it'd be."

My friend:  

"Which film were you thinking?"

Me:              

"Well, "Morning Glory" but if I had to make out with Ryan Gosling than I'd do that.  WHO would complain if their life was like the Notebook?  I can think of no one."

• The day after I agreed to stay six months as a nanny, I got TWO phone calls of potential job offers.  Let's just say I nearly threw up and literally cried on and off the whole day.  Seriously?  The DAY after I accept to be a nanny for six months of my life?  Ugh, not great.  Not great. Timing=off.   I thanked them and told them if they had openings in 6 months that I'd be very berry interested.  
• I went to a crepe party on Sunday night.  I am obsessed with being around people that have been to Europe and have a love and appreciation for it in any way.  It was fun to talk and laugh with ladies that have genuine feelings for a location like I do.  
• My car was driving kind of funny after that party.  I had nearly run over a squirrel on my way to the party and had the fleeting thought, "The little guy couldn't have jumped up into the entrails of my car and now he's squished and cooking in there could he?"  Gross.  Yeah, that thought actually crossed my mind.  Turns out, there's something wrong with the clutch and it's currently been taken apart and worked on for the past three days.
• Went out Halloween costume shopping with my friend last night.  There's a Halloween party tonight (Friday) and my friend is hosting it and requires spooky get-up of some sort.   I'm always the worst at coming up with costumes because I don't want to settle for the "kitty" or "fairy" costume that so often seems to be the costume of choice for ladies.
• I ran across some chocolate covered almonds that looked delish in the store.  I opened them and started snacking on them.  Was I really all that hungry?  negative.  But Rachel did it in a Friends episode once and I've always thought it'd be funny to do.  And it was.  haha
• I went on a date with a gent that turns out to be ....a great deal older than me.  We're talking 13 years.  Awk Awk Awk.  Nice guy and all but I'm just not able to handle an age difference and all of the baggage he's got going on at this time of my life.  I'm just 25.  Just not ready to deal with all of that at this phase of my life.
• Speaking of, I was sleeping over at my friends house this week and she was telling me about the fellas in the ward.  She lovingly describes them all as "short accountants".  haha She and her roommate also went off talking about the baggage that the men have in the ward.  It's awkward thinking about the kind of guys that I'll be going out with because I've kind of entered "baggage land".  Not DC specifically, but this age group.  My friend explains that when you're single for so long, you just have a lot of bad relationships and stuff that have added up and left a toll on you.  It's just different than dating as a little 23 year old RM.  Somehow the extra two years have bumped me up to new category of baggage claim.  This should be fun.
• I have days that I really miss France, days that I really miss Italy and now days that I really miss Uganda.  It's weird having my heart in so many different places with so many different people.  I had an "I miss Uganda" day the other day.  I miss the simplicity of life.  I miss how low maintenance everything felt.  I miss how the core things, the most important things--people--are all that really matter.  I nearly teared up in church this last Sunday because I think about being in church a few months ago with very different scenery and people in much more difficult life circumstances. 
• One of my Sundays in Uganda, I had to help in primary.  I was really stressed and had no idea what to do with all of those kids for two hours.  We talked about prayer and had them draw pictures of things they thank God for at night.  One of the kids drew their family and wrote, "I thank God for keeping my family alive."  Wow.  She wasn't just thankful for her family, but it she legitimately feels grateful for the fact that they were all still alive.  With their mortality rate in their 40's, it's no wonder that having family and friends along as long as you can is something to be thankful for.  It's a good reminder for me.  Yeah, I'm not at my perfect job, my car isn't working and have an awkward dating life.  Oh me and my first world problems.  It's good for me to remember that I have an awful lot and I'm very blessed and lucky.  Things will always work out how they should and I should always always be thankful.
• And in closing, it turns out dark chocolate covered almonds are delicious.  Grabbing some in the store the next time you go and eating some before you pay for them wouldn't be the worst idea.  Just saying.

A Day in the Big City...

So I've been living in Virginia for over two weeks, applying to jobs like crazy and have been....kind of a stress case.  After talking/crying to my sweet sister on the phone, we decided I should probably go into the city and do something fun for a day.  What a novel idea.  I tend to be drastic with myself sometimes and think that I can't rationalize going out and doing things that cost money when I don't have an income.  Well, sometimes a girl just needs to get out and do something fun.  So here is the bulleted goodness of a Friday in DC:

• Drove to the nearest metro stop, parked my car and was nearly giddy at the excitement of taking the METRO into the city for a day.  Last time I did this was in Paris about 2 months ago and I could have vomited with how happy I was.  Let's just get it out on the table that I'm in love with public transport--talking to strangers and not having to worry about other cars swerving into me are just a few of the perks.
• Talked to a darling chinese man named Patrick on the metro.  He gave me his phone number and told me to call him if I needed any help finding work.  He's happily married and was taking his wife to New York for the weekend to see Phantom of the Opera.  He reached into his bag and pulled out a folder of all of the songs from Phantom of the Opera that he translated into mandarin chinese so that his sister could appreciate the message of the music.  How darling is this man?! Loved that convo. Yup.
• Woman outside the metro tried to sell me a tourism map for $13.  She loved my reaction, we laughed, I think we're friends now actually haha aaannddd...the map was free.
• Passed a cute old man on the street holding a bouquet of flowers.  I must look like I'm from out of town because he asked "Are you new here?" as I was oogling upward at the buildings.  Shook my hand, we made small talk, wished me well on the job hunt, the end of cute old man encounter. 
• Zara.  Want a paycheck so that my wardrobe and their clothing line can be one in the same.

• Thought I overheard italian but he was on the phone so it was hard to work that into a conversation.  Annddd the chap was making a ponytail work in his favor.  Who does that besides Johnny Depp in "Chocolat"?  This is unheard of.  I have just concluded that he must be italian.  It's the only explanation.
• Art museum.  "Soldiers Widower" one of my favorites.  It resembled an unsightly Gerard Depardieu in a bonnet.  And yet...was supposed to be a soldiers widower. haha Awesome.  Not allowed to take pics in that exhibit but...that's what they said in "The David" museum and I'm a proud owner of 2 David pics, slightly blurry, taken poking out of my purse.  haha  Not my classiest move but I don't regret it.
• RODIN--nearly got straight up emotional seeing his work.  August Rodin has made some of the most lovely sculptures I've ever seen.  Back in '07 when I kicked it in Paris full-time, we went to the Rodin museum for art class one day.  I fell in love.  So running into an exhibit of his work today was exactly what the doctor ordered...if the doctor is me.  Below is "The Kiss".

 More Rodin.  You know, "The Thinker".  NBD.  Lies.  BD.

• Took a photo for two Russian women.  They asked me if I was voting for Romney--they ADORE him.  They asked if I was mormon.  One lady taught at a university and said that mormons were her best students.  Looky there.  
• Paintings of fruit and wine get old to me.  
• Paintings of dead rabbits never did anything for me.  Don't know what that says about my ability to appreciate art but...I just move to the next gallery when I walk into a room full of fruit, wine and dead animals hanging from twine.
• Paid the Capital a visit.  Walked the mall toward the Washington monument.  Couldn't stop thinking about how fun it will be to actually live in the city and go for jogs there all the time.
• Went to the National Museum of American History.  Took a wee gander at Dorothy's slippers, Kermit, the evolution of music playing devices--tape player, walkman, to all things apple-- and then meandered through the Civil war section.  Again, can't wait to live closer and take more time at each of these places.

• Passed the Washington monument on the way to the Presidents home.  Literally as I was approaching the White House, a trio of helicopters flew into the White House grounds.  This was the day after the Colorado debate.  So I snapped a pic.  Loved every second of the tourists freaking out at the sight. (Myself being one of them but on a less ridiculous scale.)  

• After the helicopter lands the group hears a voice behind us saying, "Everyone, I just want you to know that Jesus loves you so much."  She proceeds to direct us to the pavilion behind her where they were singing about Jesus and all were invited to join.  I mostly just loved the cute little french couple as the man translated what was going on to his lady friend.  
• Grabbed a bite to eat.  Delicious salad.  One of the workers said hello and stared long enough for me to question that his intentions were strictly customer service based.  As I was leaving he approached me saying he'd been looking for me and he was "very attractive to me". haha  Hmm...He was persistent that we must exchange numbers, meet and go to happy hour together.  haha Oh dear.  Kind sir, just so not happening.  I left and a couple of blocks later, he's right next to me!  He took his break at work and ran after me I guess and said, "You didn't say goodbye".  Hmm...how fickle of me to not bid farewell to this complete stranger that was hardcore creeping on me.  He had written down his e-mail, phone number and name.  Yes, my friends, his name is Sheriff!!  Unbelievable. haha I love my life in all of its non-stop awkwardness.

All in a days work.  Happy Friday errbody.