My Secret Party Tricks in Life

The longer life goes on, the more I realize the gifts and talents I have to offer it. Lately I have learned I have a couple secret party tricks in life. Some folks tell good jokes at parties, others are musically inclined. Some proffer magic tricks. To each their own, but mine are:

1) Being adept at change.
2) Being able to dance whenever.

Lately the dancing whenver has also included wherever, as I've been jamming on my *new* iPod on the way to work (thanks Dad & M!). No one has stared at me weird so far but even if they had I would probably still do it. I lack the ability to be self conscious about dancing, which is why I can have an awesome weekend night out dancing and not drink.

And the being adept at change trick... work and really, life, have had their share of twists and turns lately so it's good I'm able to just be along for the ride!

Snow = Real Winter!

We are having a rare real winter day in DC! With proper snow and all. When I awoke at ten this morning I opened the blinds to find... snow!!! Sitting in a cozy neighborhood coffee shop it has now been snowing all day. There is a good six or eight inches on the ground. It seems DC does have the occasional snowstorm in her.

Barcelona

Barcelona. Barcelona. I like the sound of it. And that is where I will be in March. My Tiny cousin and I are rendezvousing there to travel and wander and eat and drink and enjoy life. It will be wonderful.

And this time in Spain, I hope to stay out of trouble with the police. Let's just say last time in Spain, there was an incident. Nothing serious, but... less interaction with police is generally better.

Yes, Uncle Sam, I'm a Grown Up Now

I just finished doing my taxes. Few things in life give me the same satisfaction. By doing my taxes, I don't mean TurboTax style, I mean me actually sitting down with the forms and filling it all out. It's me, some pieces of paper, my W-2, and a calculator, at my desk in my kitchen.

To me, it is the ultimate rubber stamp of "Yes, I am a grown up." I can figure it out on my own. Thankfully, this year was way less confusing than past years. Seems that if you don't move nearly every year, your taxes are simpler to do! And that is a good thing.

Fake Winter

We’re in the midst of January in our nation’s capital, a season I refer to as “fake winter.” Coming from the Midwest, the plains of central Illinois were mighty cold in the winter. Snow was a frequent occurrence. And, just because I hadn’t gotten my fill of cold, I went to college in Minneapolis. It was in my northern college town that I learned it can be so cold that your tears freeze on your eyelashes. But, alas, it was never considered cold enough to cancel class.

You can imagine my surprise when, during my first January in DC, I arrived at work after a light snow fall to find the office was closed. It seemed DC didn’t have the “flinty toughness” of Midwesterners. Nearly anytime snow fall over, oh, a quarter of an inch or so was predicted, the town shut down. Schools closed. Offices closed. The federal government closed. Imagine the tax dollars that would be saved if the bulk of our federal offices were in the Midwest.

But over time, I’ve grown to appreciate these “fake winters.” It’s cold enough to wear a coat and long sleeves, but rarely cold by Midwestern standards. You still feel like you get all four seasons, winter is just not as harsh. I now enjoy the snow days, rather than wonder why they are necessary. To me, it’s the universe’s way of getting me back for all the treacherously cold, snowy walks to class in Minneapolis and the cold winters of Illinois.

And today? It felt like a warm spring day as I walked downtown amidst temperatures approaching 60 degrees.

Breakfast, Peace Corps, & Questions Answered

So I had breakfast this morning with a former colleague's daughter who served in the Peace Corps in Niger. It was funny meeting her because she looks a lot like my colleague, has her same mannerisms. In other words, the apple doesn't fall from the tree.

She shared her Peace Corps experience with me and alleviated some of the concerns I had, like how to stay in touch with family, friends and loved ones in the States, and more. A few posts ago I was still wondering where these countries in which you were expected to drink lots were. And the answer? Eastern Europe. Apparently this gal is friends with several returned Peace Corps volunteers from Eastern Europe who were expected to drink copious amounts of vodka every night to fit in.

Ah, ok. It is interesting the questions Peace Corps makes you ponder. Would I rather wear a head covering or drink lots of vodka every night? I don't drink that much and I never, NEVER drink liquor. I just drink beer and wine. So on this one, I may have to change my answer to "No, I can't drink lots."

A Messy Apartment...

... is a sign of a life well lived, I've decided. Though I pride myself on my organizational capabilities, I am really not OCD. But when I do things like, for example, wake up at 7 am after a late-night party at my flat in London to clean up, it does not help my case.

Now that I have an excellent, cozy one-bedroom I am entertaining more and having friends over, both planned and sporadically. And I have given myself permission to not clean up after they leave. In fact, after my holiday party in December I didn't clean up for a few days after. Walking in the door to see the empty plates, beer bottles, my cute party shoes on the floor... It put a smile on my face.

And tonight, I just had a couple friends over for dinner unexpectedly. Not only am I proud that I can whip up a tasty meal in less than 15 minutes, but I am proud I can leave our plates on my kitchen table for a couple days. Because, to me, it is evidence of having friends over, and that is evidence of a life well lived.