New Year, New Plans

I have slacked entirely on the blog front, so much so that I have a list of blog posts I would like to write. I also have a folder of pictures waiting to be uploaded. And some scattered notes that will bring me way back to when it was Thanksgiving 2014, which I have essentially otherwise forgotten.

Before I close the the previous year, I thought I would post my plans for the upcoming year in a series of groups: first, physical, personal, reading, spiritual, travel and couple; then yearly. Last year, I also made monthly goals. When I did not forget about these goals, I truly enjoyed the process; some of my monthly goals even became habits after the 30-day repetition! I did not have an organic list of goals I wanted to tackle, so I'm opting to omit them this year. I might have something I want to tackle when March or July roll around, and I will focus on that challenge then.

So without further ado, here's to 2015 and all that could be!

Personal

• Continue cooking. LOTS. The measurable task: Make one new recipe each week. This is the method I used last year, and it seemed to be practical for life as it was then and is currently. I'm ahead of schedule as the date reads now. This year I've made: a heavenly, wonderful corn chowder paired with a decent corn bread; a huge batch of minestrone to freeze for winter lunches; a meaty, porky chili; and two pasta sauces--vodka sauce and a creamy leek and pancetta topping.  
• As an added bonus, I want to expand my palate, so I'm going to try to add a unique ingredient to the shopping cart weekly. In 2015, I've tried a prickly pear and made two meals with leeks.

Physical

• Run 50 miler - MAYBE. I ran a marathon, and have another 15 months before I can run the Boston Marathon. I need to stay in shape in between, right? My fans have not exactly approved said goal. I’m apt to run this thing anyway. This is the race I have my eye on, pending the brutality of winter 2015. Today, I learned (or recalled? ) running in snow is fun and peaceful and pretty (and, yes, cold).
• Abs, abs, abs! And more strength. In an ideal world, this would entail 30 minutes of core per week and an hour of strength training a week. I shall try.

Reading

• Read 40 books. This is an ambitious goal for me! I read a lot, again for me, in 2014 and I’d like to keep the trend alive.
• Read at least two 500+ page books. I'm one-third the way through Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton. And Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is on the docket. I’m taking recommendations though. 

Spiritual

• More days of solitude. I'll aim for a day of solitude per month. This is going to be easy to knock out in the beginning of the year. Boyfriend will be out of town for two weeks, and I have ample time off work in the first two months of the year.

Travel

• Visit two new states. The line up is set for Connecticut and Delaware. I already have my ticket to CT booked, and DE is a jump, hop, skip from my location in the mid-Atlantic. This is part of a greater goal to reach all 50 states before I’m 50. Though I’m way ahead of schedule, I was unable to hit a new state last year; I’m doubling up this year! 
• Travel internationally. I'm more than ready to leave the United States for vacation. Last year, I renewed my passport to do so. Thanks to Boyfriend’s generous parents, we’re booked for a B Family vacation in less than a month. I’ll knock this one out early. Though I wouldn't be disappointed with late in the year plans (or plans at all) for another adventure abroad.

Couple – 15 plans for 2015 + one bonus plan for a truly thrilling year.

Together, Boyfriend and I made a list of 15 things we'd like to accomplish this year. We threw in a bonus ideas to keep life interesting. 

1. Spend a weekend in Richmond, Virginia. My youngest brother has completed three of eight college semesters in Richmond and we have yet to visit. I'm a bad sister, I know. The eating, the surrounding hiking, the college basketball, and the music scene are all supposed to be incredible. I'm not sure what we're waiting on. I'm have my eye on the Richmond Half Marathon in November; this trip is looking as though it might happen then.
2. Go the the Green Bay Packers/Kansas City Chiefs game in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Boyfriend claims the Packers. I love the Chiefs. The two will meet in 2015. And as soon as the schedule is released, we'll likely know if we'll be there to see.
3. Pirates Stadium – I'm on a baseball stadium mission, and with Pittsburgh a short four hours away, and the Atlanta Braves visiting on a 2015 weekend, we'll be making my way to PNC Park this year. 
4. Mets Stadium – I have been to Citi field. Boyfriend has not. He'd like to do this one together. And if we can see the Braves, I'm in. (This is a bonus goal.)
5. Yankee Stadium – Boyfriend has been to Yankee Stadium. I have not. I'd like to do this one together. And he's in, if the Boston Red Sox are in town. 
6. Delaware Overnight – As mentioned, I (nor Boyfriend) have not explored our nation's first state. 
7. Book of Mormon; Once – We like musicals. And both these are coming to the Kennedy Center in 2015. Tickets are to go on sale soon, and we have our alarms set; these shows will not be missed. 
8. One Restaurant/Month – Food is good. The end. 
9. One Book Club Book/Month – We have our first three books of the year set: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, Yes Please by Amy Poehler, and Boys on the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. 
10. Pentagon and Air Force Memorials – Starting in March these memorials will be in our backyard, and we'll have no excuse not to visit. 
11. Participate in the Spring and Fall Book Sales – This is our favorite volunteer opportunity. We didn't get to participate in the Fall, so we're looking forward to being on the schedule in the Spring. 
12. Overnight Kayaking – Why not?  
13. Backpacking Trip – For the great outdoors, our home away from home. 
14. Hike 120 Miles – I opted for closer to 1,200 because #hardcore, but Boyfriend equated that to hiking half the Appalachian Trail while maintaining full time jobs and marathon training. I'm still unsatisfied with the number we agreed on but compromise; I'm learning. 
15. Chincoteague Pony Swim – On Wednesday, July 29, 2015, Saltwater Cowboys will swim ponies across the Assateague Channel from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island. This year is the 90th year for the annual swim made famous by Marguerite Henry's "Misty of Chincoteague. This is where you'll find us on that Wednesday in late July. 
16. Dog – Maybe? Bonus, big bonus. 

With 11 months remaining, I'm confident I have lots of doing and discovering ahead of me. 

A Weekend Recap: R.L.P. Visits

The title of this post is slightly misleading. This isn't a weekend recap at all. If I recapped my weekend, I'd bore you to tears. And chances are, my action packed recounts already do that. As the recaps go by, I realize more and more how little people might care about what my weekending entails. I get it. But I keep posting because this lingering blog here, without a true focus, needs words (and pictures!) to keep it alive.

Friday night, having forced myself to keep my calendar open the majority of weekends going forward, I was free when a friend made an unannounced visit to town. My friends and I met after work at Rocket Bar for a couple rounds of pool and cocktails.

(Is it just us in Washington, D.C. with the luxury of such flexible Fridays? I find it an unlikely chance in other cities that six friends are free of work obligations at 4:00 pm at the end of the week. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me we're spending tax dollars wisely.)

When hunger struck, we headed to Hill Country Barbeque for dinner. This has been on my DC Bucket List for awhile now... and I'm glad I finally made it there. The brisket was superb, for those of us in the market for a Friday night of over eating. I will definitely go back. The meat was even better than my favorite local barbeque establisment, Rocklands, though Rocklands still takes home the prize for their heavenly sides, the macaroni of which was served last night at S.D.G.'s Sunday Night Football party--delicious.

Photographic evidence of me being free for spontaneous fun on a Friday night.

Then it was time to catch Game 3 of the World Series. We migrated to Penn Quarter Sports Tavern for viewing. And the minute I sat my overstuffed stomach down, I knew my wild and crazy night on the town was going to be short lived. I made it through the fifth inning before catching Metro home. This had me in bed before midnight, a personal preference.

I woke up to good news: The Kansas City Royals pulled off their second win of the series, hooray. As goes with sports, they wound up blowing both games on Saturday and Sundays, leaving them a game back. Based on the Royals' performance in the Post Season, I still have a faith. If the Royals win, I'll celebrate as if they've been my team all along because I'm not certain to see the Atlanta Braves in a World Series, let alone win a World Series, anytime soon. I'm trying to remain as neutral a bandwagon fan can. I effortlessly find disappointment cheering for my actual team during multiple points in a season. I don't need 'bandwagon blues' added to my woes. Forget the realist in me, GOOO Royals!

Trying to keep the agenda free and my emotions in check... to winning.

Free Conundrum

A few weeks ago, Boyfriend and I cleaned out our kitchen. We took every single item off every single shelf, assessed our needs, and cleaned each counter and cupboard before placing items back in a more organized manner. The satisfaction of completing this task, even though it should have been done three months prior, is indescribable. While we buy within our means—and don’t get sucked into too many deals—we certainly end up with excess of some items (e.g., canned tomatoes, flour, Gatorade, etc.) that are not easily stored in a 700 square foot apartment. The biggest culprit is our Costco membership, though we've deemed the bulk shopping savings are worth it. Before The Cleanse we had 'mini pantries' scattered throughout the apartment; I could not survive that way for another second.

The second issue is my willingness to accept anything and everything I come across that is of the "free" variety. Free juice at the blood drive, I’ll take three. Free water bottle at the Toast to Tap event, a 40th Anniversary Celebration for the Safe Drinking Water Act, sure, why not!

(Those who know me, know I only use my liter-sized Nalgene ever. I also have have millions of other previously gifted water bottles stored in a lowly bottom cabinet.)

(Or I did before The Cleanse.)

And it’s not just free food and goodies I accept. At the Washington Nationals Blood Drive, we were given two tickets to a Nationals game. When that day came, I was exhausted, but I also knew it was likely my last chance to see the Nationals for the year. So despite those factors and a poor forecast to boot, I started walking to the game after work. Being the forecast was poor, the game was called minutes before the start and I was able to go home, eat a nice meal, and catch up on some zzz’s. The tickets were free, yet I couldn’t imagine letting them go to waste. I had to be there… and had to make sure I had fun… just because. Just because why? 

In early October, again, we had free tickets to the DC United/Sporting KC game. And I actually really wanted to go. My coworker gave me these tickets in July, and now that Pop's employer is no longer a sponsor, this was my only (free) opportunity to catch a game this season. After staying up way too late on Monday watching the Kansas City Chiefs and even later on Tuesday watching the Kansas City Royals, by the time Friday rolled around, I was beat. I was recently reassigned to a large effort at work, as opposed to my usual sitting around twiddling my thumbs. It’s shocking how much more exhausting work is when I'm "on." Further, it was colder than I had prepared for, with yet another chance of rain. Provided the exhaustion, dinner at Five Guys and an early evening seemed ideal. I ultimately ended up bailing on the game. And crashing in bed, with the television volume high, in case of any exciting action in the world of Post Season. It could have been an all-out celebration of Kansas City—Chiefs, Royals, and Sporting KC, however, DC United came away with the win, clinching their spot in the playoffs. And I (sadly?) can’t name a single United or Sporting KC player, so I think it’s safe to say, the world went on without my being there.

I’m getting better at saying no and avoiding free stuff, there were several accomplishments on that front. For example, the other night I avoided free cups, magnets, and shirts at a Light The Night fundraiser. We're talking b-a-b-y steps that feel like B-I-G steps. After all, I’m 27 with a decent job. I can afford juice, cookies, water bottles, hats, shirts, on-and-on; I can afford more than what I need.

Say no to free-ness. Just Say No. When I think of my uncluttered living space, it'll all be worth it.

NFL Pick 'Em: Week 4

I'm participating in an NFL Pick 'Em league this year, and it's the demise of me. Of course, I paid so I will continue to play through the season's end because I recently discussed my issues with quitting.

The largest contribution to my inability to win are my irrational reasons for picking all sorts of teams. I'm apparently sensitive though; it nearly kills me to pick against "my" team(s), when in reality my only team is the Kansas City Chiefs. Here I encounter problem numbero uno: As might be expected, I can't pick anyone in the AFC-West, the Chiefs' division. I'm looking at the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders. Except, Peyton [Manning], I kind of like him, minus the fact he reigns in Denver.

Then, I move forward, I have Clemson Tigers playing for the Buffalo Bills (and ZERO affiliation with the Bills beyond this), (un)naturally, I feel inclined to pick them. Thankfully, C.J. Spiller and Sammy Watkins came through for me in Week 1 and 2. This "strategy" was unsuccessful in Week 3.

I semi-lived in Atlanta, Georgia during the Michael Vick days, so I feel inclined to pull for him (and, more recently, his New York Jets). And I question my own integrity in even rooting for Vick because he fought dogs(!!!). I went to an ACC school during the Matt Ryan era at Boston College... and also, again, semi-lived in Atlanta, which apparently qualifies me as a part time Falcons fan. For a far less criminal reason, I should also dislike Ryan because he crushed all my hopes and dreams one unseasonably cold November night during my junior year at Clemson University. But I don't because I guess I find him relate-able.

I could go on and on and on.

Pops' whole family resides in Michigan. It's also where both my parents were born and raised. So Detroit Lions, I'm pulling for you. But Boyfriend is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, and I also babysat for a diehard Packers' fan in college. Are all Packers' fans so nutty? This was a challenge in Week 3 when the two played each other; I ultimately opted for the Lions... for the win.

The Dallas Cowboys are disgusting. I'm unsure of all the reasons why, I just know Pops has said so all my life. On the disgusting front, there is also Ben Roethlisberger (i.e., the Pittsburgh Steelers).

I live in Washington Redskins territory. There hasn't been a second in my tenure here that I've claimed or followed the Redskins. I live on the Capital Beltway side though; I'm Redskins over Baltimore Ravens each and every day.

My former boss was a Cincinnati Bengals fan, so there's that. 

You see? Endless.

The aforementioned is one side of the issue, the other: I'm in a league with 36 people, vastly reducing my odds. In Week 3, four people, including myself, went 13-3. The verdict came down to some bizarre concoction of not one but two tiebreakers, and I somehow ended up in the bottom half of the four (i.e., not the winner). I'm entirely too competitive for this point in my life, which has resulted in Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3 temper tantrums; Week 3 being the utmost painful.

So while I'll endure the final challenges--14 in total, I'm counting the $20 down as a loss.

Another Baltimore Weekend

I am the worst storyteller. As I was drafting this weekend's recap, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I was unsure what it was I was writing about. This is my storytelling life--losing my point in the midst of embedding each tale with tangent after tangent.

I'm trying this again, with fewer tangents.

The majority of my weekend occurred in Baltimore, Maryland with my dear friend, K.A.B. Having visited Baltimore recently enough, the agenda wasn't overly ambitious. Though, I was happy to be back. After this trip, I'm pulled more towards Baltimore. And I have narrowed the reason slightly. I mentioned Baltimore reminded me of Detroit, Michigan previously, and while that's still holds true, it's the slower paced lifestyle I'm attracted to. The atmosphere is a conglomerate of both a 'harbor town' and a Midwestern one. A win, win. Further, and perhaps more importantly, all Washington, D.C. lacks in culture, Baltimore makes up for over-and-over again. Even in D.C.'s various neighborhoods, the populations are homogenous. This city, D.C., will always hold a special place in my heart, but the more I leave, the more my lust for this city wanes.  

Onwards.

Friday, I got off work a little early after attending an all-day Intro to Big Data Workshop. I usually dread conferences because, this early in my career, they still tend to fly over my head. And this one did not disappoint in that category, however, the first half was fabulous; I absorbed as much as I could as I was flooded with good information. I walked away with a much clearer understanding and increased interest in Big Data, a nice change of pace from the day-to-day office grind. I raced home, though I took the long route because hello fall weather. Please, pretty please, stay forever. And then some. After an hour with the television, I dressed for K.D.S.'s Light the Night Walk fundraiser at a bar conveniently located in my front yard, yet a bar I've never before ventured in to. 

I essentially showed my face, since I was sound asleep before 9:00 pm (in order to be awake at 5:00 am). Long run Saturdays, I will not miss you. After a 22-mile run, I stretched and rolled and iced. But mostly celebrated surviving. After which I showered and proceeded with my half-finished day.

It could be I'm so fond of Baltimore because I'm also fond of eating. We started with a late lunch at Shoo Fly Diner, where a chicken fried biscuit did not satiate my runger (i.e., running hunger). From there, we picked up K.A.B. and headed directly to the Cross Street Market for The Pretzel Twist's pretzels and Berger Cookies. Then, we watched the Boston Red Sox lose to the Baltimore Orioles in a not at all close game. We had time to taxi to Fells Point for loaded hot dogs at Stuggy's while the Clemson Tigers/Florida State University game paused for halftime. When the game concluded, in the most unfavorable way, I wondered why I'd forced myself to stay up and engage. 

On Sunday, we continued eating at City Cafe, where I devoured a juicy burger. And before the burger, this heavenly cinnamon roll appeared right before my eyes. I clearly had to eat that as well. I thought my cinnamon rolls were the best ever. This might have been better. There was also some incredible iced coffee served. And I'm a sucker for a good iced coffee, obviously. Who knew this paired so well with the burger?

Be forewarned, this is a vaguely relate-able tangent: On the burger front, who is aware that milkshakes are now featured on select Five Guys' menus, including the one near my office? Boyfriend and I have been pining for this for years. If only all our wishes were granted. The verdict is still out as to whether the quality is up to that of their burger. I will let you know, for sure. Though I'm running all the miles and burning all the calories, at this point I've mentioned my fried chicken biscuits, pretzels, cookies, Crab Mac Dog, and burger. I also had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at some point in between all the other eating. Needless to say, I need a few vegetables before my next Five Guys outing. Lame.

We headed home shortly after brunch, arriving in D.C. in exactly half the time it took us to get to Baltimore the day before. I was quite appreciative all the dreaded highways were so cooperative on this sunny Sunday afternoon. I evaded all the chores and watched football, while taking care of a few menial computer tasks, the remainder of the day.

This weekend was both long and short. Long in that lots happened at a relatively relaxed pace throughout the weekend. Short in that the agenda was back-to-back, so that when 5:00 pm on on Sunday came, I could hardly believe it was time to prepare for another work week. The weekend was sadly over, and seemingly, quick.

It's a new day. Though this new day is a Monday, an ever dreaded Monday.

A Dismal September

This weekend I took Boyfriend to Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, to see his Boston Red Sox. I splurged on tickets because very pricey tickets on the third-base line were more attractive than pricey nosebleed seats. And for these other reasons: 1) Boyfriend had yet to experience Camden Yards, one of my favorite stadiums. 2) For the first time in six years, I did not make it to a new stadium this season. (In 2015, I'll be hitting up Yankee Stadium and PNC Park. The dates have been saved.) 3) We've seen eleven Washington Nationals games, including the home opener to their division rivals, my beloved Atlanta Braves, for less than the cost of two tickets to the Red Sox at Orioles game. If we speak in averages, we're doing all right. 4) Then when you consider all I'm saving by not having cable. Last, 5) YOLO.

This was a meaningless baseball game--the Red Sox being among the worst teams in baseball, after having won the World Series in 2013, and the Orioles having clinched their spot in the 2014 Postseason earlier this week--was worth every penny. Even if I was more focused on the ever more important issue--the 8:00 pm start time of the Clemson Tigers/Florida State University match-up. If only my planning wasn't so poor. I was that girl--on my phone--at the baseball game, vomit. I was also busy chatting with K.A.B. for a majority of the game. So I can't tell you much about who did what. Early in the game though, when my attention was primed, David Ortiz, of the Red Sox, was booed walking to the plate. And just one or two pitches later, he launched an in-your-face home run out of the park. There were tons of hits to follow, including three more home runs. The American League can chill out with the hitting, like whoa.

The Red Sox lost and Boyfriend did not even care. He did NOT care. Appalling. You know what? Yesterday, the Atlanta Braves were officially eliminated from the National League wild-card race with their eighth loss in nine games. I could cry. My love runs deep.

Let's talk facts, dismal facts:

• The Braves were swept by the New York Mets this weekend, leaving them a half-game ahead of the third-place Mets. 
• The Braves are an astonishing 15 games behind the Nationals, whom clinched the NL East title conveniently at Turner Field last week. (The Braves were a half-game behind the Nationals in late July.) Enjoy watching Washington in the Postseason, Atlanta.  
• The Braves are three games under .500, a year after winning 96 games and the NL East title.

With a 4-14 record in September, the month winning counts most, the Braves powered down. So much for Choptober... This has been a depressing, hopeless, no fun ride. Wah.

It can and does get worse. Enter, the Clemson Tigers. Had I been asked me if the Tigers had a shot at beating the Seminoles, I might have laughed. But then class act Jameis Winston opened his mouth, resulting in a first-half (and later entire game) suspension, and I felt rather confident about the way things might shape-up on Saturday. I should have known. The Tigers pulled a Clemson, going down in overtime to the backup quarterback. To a quarterback who never thought he'd see the field because he backs up Winston, the current God of the college football. In overtime, the Tigers did not even manage a field goal. So, in September, that concludes this season for C-L-E-M-S-O-N. As a friendly reminder, the Tigers we're soundly defeated by the Georgia Bulldogs to open the season, winning out was essential.

At least the Kansas City Chiefs picked up their first win (and did so without Jamaal Charles). Let a girl hope.

An August Weekend

Let’s talk weekend, my very favorite subject of all. There were 10 things, or maybe 8 – I'll type them all out and see just how many things there were – worth sharing.

1. Boyfriend and I began my three day weekend with Stuffed Zucchini Enchilada Boats and ice cream at Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream. I then enjoyed my second Friday off of the second AWS cycle. The schedule is not all it’s cracked up to be but I do enjoy my freedom Fridays, as I refer to them. I spent the entire morning cooking – a triple batch of granola and Fresh Corn Salad before heading out to the ‘burbs.
2. I met my youngest brother for a coffee date at The Bucks. We chatted this (music and running) and that (school and work), until the panic of his unpreparedness set in; he was Richmond-bound for his sophomore year of college the very next day.
   
3. Friday night I attended Sweet Neighbor’s housewarming party. There was so much food goodness, I tried to behave. There were also cocktails galore.
   
4. The Braves beat the Oakland Athletics’, who came to Atlanta with the best record in baseball in the first, second, and third game of their three-game series. After Sunday, when the Braves were finished sweeping the A’s, they – the A’s – no longer held that record. Hooray! (Note: This win streak would be much more impressive, if the Washington Nationals were not on a tear of their own.)
5. Mom and I went to the Farmers’ Market on Saturday. She bought white peaches and yellow tomatoes and other things. I would have bought the most beautiful zucchinis ever had I not left my wallet at home. I was treated me to Pain au Chocolat from Bread House, Inc., forever reminding me of A.L.R.L., who introduced me to such goodness at The Village Bakery & Café at the ripe old age of two. This also reminded me that the no longer little A.L.R.L. will celebrate her ninth birthday in three days. Oh my aging!
   
6. I managed to find time to cuddle up with Louis for a nap on Saturday. Pure joy!
7. I ran 18.2 miles on Sunday. That is the farthest I have ever run in my life. In.My.Life. I have eight weeks to add an additional eight miles to that number and I should be good to go in October. Except, major except, I felt like death the last mile and for about three hours afterwards. This marathoning is no joke.
8. There was lots of deck time over the weekend – morning coffee and stretching; phone calls (with the recently engaged J.L.W. and my now “famous” brother) throughout the day; and dinner on Saturday night.
9. Folks, the banana boat is back in business! My ever handy boyfriend built a rack for the current ride. And it held like a champion. We paddled from White Ford Regional Park to the Monocacy Aqueduct on the Cheasapeake & Ohio Canal and leisurely floated back down the river, cleaning up the Potomac River along the way. In route home, we stopped at Temple Hall Farm Regional Park to admire the sunflowers – gorgeous!
   
   
10. Two years ago Sunday, Boyfriend visited me for the first time after his motorcycling around Southern Africa. How did we celebrate the time? Five Guys, obviously.

So it was a pretty good weekend, filled with pretty good people and puppies. (And another engagement!) 

I am 27.

Family and friends, thank you for making “my day” wonderful. And by day, I mean extended weekend. Because I started celebrating on Thursday. At this point, I think I have 27 things to be thankful for, potentially more. My coworkers kicked off the party by treating me to lunch at Nando’s, where we dined on all things Peri-Peri flame-grilled chicken. After lunch I was further spoiled with cupcakes. While my peers were not quite willing to swap meals for desserts—my original birthday request was for donuts, ice cream, or pie, they still willingly satisfied my sweet tooth with Red Velvet Cupcakery.

As we moved one day closer to my birthday, I was one of four people (on my team) at the office. After refusing yet another lunch, my coworker—the same one who already paid for my cupcake—treated me to Starbucks. We all know my undying love for all things coffee, especially Starbucks! Free Starbucks! She was not satisfied with my standard—‘boring and lame’—Tall Iced Coffee order, upgrading me to a Grand Iced Latte. Thou shall not complain.

When the weekend eventually came… Boyfriend and I headed to Rice Paper to begin things right. The meal was spectacular as always. We lamented about the time that has passed since our last visit and how we will not, under any circumstance, allow for that to occur moving forward. I essentially ate myself into a food comma because I was passed out on the coach prior to 9:00 pm while God Loves Uganda played in the background.

My (actual) birthday was upon us. And it was time to celebrate, first with donuts! The clock struck 6:34 am… and I put my walking shoes on. Before I hit the door, Boyfriend wanted to fool-proof our plan to grab coffee at Filter Coffeehouse, then walk and pause for donuts at three close-ish shops. Walk. Sip. Eat. Repeat until Astro Donuts & Fried Chicken, Golden Brown Delicious (GBD), and Woodward Takeout Food (WTF) were all accounted for. This is when he learned Astro Donuts & Fried Chicken opens at 9:00 am, GBD unlocks at 10:00 am, and WTF is closed on weekends. Since I had plans to meet my parents at the Fish Market around the time of GBD’s opening, I “settled” for a Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, an Arlington establishment with respectable hours and a decent location. There were pastries of all kinds. When I finished my admiring and roaming, I no longer felt as though I was settling. I purchased four donuts. (I had to make up for Boyfriends pathetic order—one donut. Fact: He’s not a morning eater.) We got home, plated them. And I began my feast.

I made a quick trip to the farmers’ market after neglecting it for most of the summer. And also because I wanted to replicated the Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bazaar experience from previous weekend in my backyard. This was mostly pretend play; my market has nothing on Baltimore. I purchased some pretty zucchini to perpetuate my love for Mel. And some peaches because I have not had fruit in days and my body is going into shock as a result. Just as the humidity increased, it was then time to board Metro for the Maine Avenue Fish Market. My parents met us moments after our arrival and shopping ensued. We were an indecisive bunch, ultimately deciding on two dozen Chincoteague oysters and a whole Red Snapper. I also thought an entire pound of ceviche was a good idea. We prepared a hefty meal and dined as though it were Thanksgiving at 1:00 pm on an August afternoon.

The eating continued at the wine and cheese party Boyfriend and I attended later that afternoon. S.A.K. brought donuts and A.J.S. made Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter + Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies to commemorate the occasion. (Of note, A.J.S. also made wheat thins. Also of note, she cooked about as much popcorn (and nothing else) as I did in Peace Corps. Oh—together—how far we’ve come!) Boyfriend and I partied WAY later than I intended, which meant I essentially went straight to the unmade bed I left at 6:34 am when I awoke.

I rose bright and early on Sunday to run forever before Six Flags. I was glad to have that crossed off the list first thing. In ever the rush, I stretched as Boyfriend packed our bag. Then we took off for the park, where we proceeded to spend the rest of the day in waterslide and rollercoaster glory. The day was awesome, although l-o-n-g. And altogether a grand success, especially considering we were not among the 24 unlucky passengers stranded on the Joker’s Jinx for hours.

To close the weekend, I lasted about three innings of the final game of the Atlanta Braves/Washington Nationals series before calling it a night. There was no need to sacrifice sleep in the name of poor baseball. First thing this morning—to my delight, I learned the Braves won. My birthday twin, Jason Heyward, did not receive a 'W' on our day (after a grueling three-hour and 41-minute rain delay and an extra innings loss); he did, however, take the birthday weekend series-win from our division rivals following an eight-game skid. We might indeed still have the Nationals' card.

Another workweek and year have arrived; Monday and 27 feel one and the same.  

Thinking Out Loud

There are so many unrelated thoughts floating through my head right now. Let's assume you care.

• Dan Uggla played, as a professional baseball player, for the San Francisco Giants. He went 0-8 with three errors. Dan, Dan, Dan is not your—San Francisco or otherwise—man. Poor Uggla. We—we, the Atlanta Braves, still owe him upwards of 20 million dollars. So while he may not be doing good on the field work, he’s doing alright. (In other words, I would trade shoes paychecks with him.) Please note, I am absolutely not on the bandwagon rooting for Uggla to fail; I hope he finds success again at some future point.
• Boyfriend went for a run (and then another run and one more run after that; he went for three total runs). I am not to speak of such events. He ran all by his lonesome in our apartment gym. And I am still gleaming a full week plus later. I am almost confident this was a three-time thing, though I will remain forever hopeful he will someday enjoy running alongside me (on the easy days).
• The office bathroom is never empty. I am continually peeved by this. This girl appreciates her privacy.
• I checked out I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai from the library four times to finish it. The entire book is 317 pages. I could not get into the book, until the final third. The message is fabulous. I am inspired by the young activist. I am devastated for the lives of so many of the people of Pakistan, specifically the women and children. I am in awe of the courage of Malala's father, standing out "against" his own people for education. I wanted to praise the book, but found it riddled with far too much history, history complex beyond my own understanding. This unfortunately translated to choppy reading. The story did, however, make me think and challenged me to remember these issues do touch my life—not to mention my heart.

 You can all sleep peacefully at once.

Fragments of Summer

Life accelerates to warp speed in the summer. As a result, all kinds of things happened that never rose to the level of having their own blog post. Since this is my only semblance of a scrapbook, please pardon me while I recap a few things.

1. Boyfriend and I battled a nuisance of a specie, The Fruit Fly. A large army of fruit flies invaded our kitchen, in the most unpleasant of matters. There were a lot of tears shed during battle. Those flies belong in the Biology Lab I left them in, circa 2004. In a jar of apple cider, the entire army eventually plummeted to their death and we--with all thanks to Boyfriend--were victorous in war. For now anyway.
   
2. On the subject of war, I have been battling a mysterious case of bursitis (in my groin). The injury is not from overtraining or even running, hypothetically speaking. It is most likely from a nasty spill I took in February, supposedly "ruining" my gait for what feels like all eternity. My life has become painful; everything--and I do mean everything (from biking to running to sitting to walking)--hurts. I am quite devastated as I was on track to qualify for the Boston Marathon at the Chicago Marathon in October... and now I cannot run, heck walk. I have visited three doctors; religiously stretched, iced, and heated; and, most importantly, rested. There has been no change. In fact, my hip has become aggravated, from what I suspect is overcompensating for bursitis and sitting in an office chair for hours on end. You cannot win all the wars. 
3. The Washington, D.C. collective bid H.M.O. farewell to over happy hour, after she moved in with Boyfriend and I for a few nights. Her departure was most upsetting. I hoped her stay would be eternal.
   
4. In June, Boyfriend and I ate solely from our pantry--purchasing only fresh produce and milk. We are members at Costco, where we often overdue it. This has led to brining home a 10-pound bag of black beans; a 10-pound bag of sugar; 20 cans of diced tomatoes; and/or enough Cheez-Its to last a milineum. The only fail, if it can be called that, I prefer to think of it as genorousity, was spending $2.04 on chocolate chips to make my 'office famous' fudge for a coworker's birthday, per her request. (4a.) I psuedo quit my 2014 Personal Goals challenge, like all decent resolution makers tend. I have still been partaking in a challenge each month, however, I am basing these goals on praticallity of my life at the start of the month. And I am not writing about them, except for now, because snooze. 
5. There has been time spent with K.S.D., my old roommate, double dating at some Northern Virginia establishments (i.e., FrozenYo and BonChon). The company of her and her lad is always welcomed (and refreshing).
6. M.E.K. and her husband visited over Fourth of July weekend. I had lunch with them on a slow working Wednesday before the holiday, then Boyfriend and I were able to meet them at ShopHouse, a Chipotle-owned Southeast Asian-inspired kitchen, for dinner on Thursday. Things do not get too fancy when the Midwesterners visit! I have reason to keep them around though because... they like dessert, so went opted for Pitango Gelato (and Red Velvet Cupcakes for some).
7. Boyfriend and I finally made it to Boyou Bakery for brunch. Why--tell me why--we waited so long? There are few things better than devouring supremely made biscuits and beignets on a patio with a close companion. So yummy! So affordable!  
8. R.D.S. and her fiancé also visited during the Fourth of July holiday. We met them, along with their friends, for brunch at Red Apron Butchery on Saturday. Afterwards, we visited the National Building Museum, which can only be described as lacking; do not follow our lead.

   

   These posters in the Designing for Disaster exhibit belong on my wall. 

9. On this same Saturday, Boyfriend and I visited the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, featuring Kenya and China. I endured stomach pains while Boyfriend meanered throughly through Kenya. I loved what I saw (and heard). We'll definitely be back next year. And we'll come hungry, the ethnic food looked mighty appealing.
   
10. I made bagels using a recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, my lastest food blog obession. The taste and texture were close to perfect, especially for my first attempt. They weren't as pretty (or as large) as I had hoped, but I'm looking forward to experimenting further in a second attempt. Parmesan and sundried tomato? Cinnamon raisin? The world is my oyster. 
    
11. A variety of epics salads have been prepared in my kitchen for any number of meals, including breakfast. So. Many, many, many. Epic. Salads. There are no recipes, lending these salads to an uncountable number of combinations. These might be rooted in my attempt to 'cheat the challenge' during June; inspired by summer--the season of produce; or because I am too lazy to plan and cook and also too cheap to let the produce I have stocked up on--much too much for two people--waste away in my fridge.
    
12. I have seen some real bad baseball at Nationals Park, featuring the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. In the name of the Altanta Braves, I have unsuccesfully cheered for victorious underdogs. More successfully, I have sharpened my 'scoring baseball' skills. Not unrelated: Have I mentioned Boyfriend and I now have MLB.com Gameday Audio, for the price of $20. It has revolutionized my world. The Braves will take on the troubled Cubs here in an hour, and I will listen while I work.

And here we are at the midpoint of summer with a fury of weddings (and related travel) on the horizon.

Looq Here: C.D.H. Visits and Another Weekend Captured

Are you sick of weekend recaps? I’m not. So on I will write. And as to whether you continue on reading is entirely up to you.

At this point in my life, The Blog is a place to talk about the weekends I live for as my job is oh so rough. Even yesterday, a day that was supposed be easy breezy, collapsed before my eyes. We had a Team Lunch scheduled to watch the United States/Germany World Cup game at one of my favorite Washington, D.C. establishments, Busboy’s and Poets.  But the following events supervened: First, our 90-minute Team Meeting ran over. Then Busboy’s and Poets released our table by the television, the only television, to another party. This required Busboy’s and Poets to set up a projector in the back, since our Team Captain specifically requested a table within view of The Game in the reservation. And, last, the projector did not work, so instead of relocating to a more spirited environment, we listened to the game… not actually watching any. I monitored the play-by-play on Twitter and angrily stewed.

This is why I don’t talk about The Dark Period, my nine to five. I already have to endure it. I find extending the day by venting to family, to friends, to the world unhealthy.

Last week, my brother drove up from Atlanta, GA to visit the family in Northern Virginia. And I’m not sure who was most excited to see him; my excitement level was pretty high! Though he arrived on Tuesday, I had to wait until Thursday night to see him. When that time came, I walked over to Nationals Park, where I was meeting both of my brothers for a Washington Nationals/Atlanta Braves game. C.D.H. is not a Braves superfan; it was pure coincidence the Braves were in town to battle the Nationals. I do, however, appreciate his taking the time to indulge me for a game. I teleworked on Friday, providing time for a Starbucks run with my brothers before heading out to the suburbs for the weekend. We made time for Melt on Friday because duh. And we might have over-consumed leaving us not as hungry for the Birthday Boy’s dinner at Fords Fish Shack. I still feel as though I managed to consume my fair share. Everything I put in my mouth was delicious, specifically the French fries. Afterwards I watched the second game in the Braves/Nationals series (on DVR), then hit the sack. 

On Saturday, C.D.H. and I met up with Boyfriend and some friends at the Northern Virginia Beer Fest. There was kettle korn, so this designated driver was delighted. And the rain held off. And Louis got to join us briefly before I was escorted out by police—no dogs allowed, dumb. Despite Boyfriend probably having contracted Lyme Disease, it was a wonderful time with wonderful people. I hear the beer was nice too!

My mom graciously gifted me a Looq, a selfie arm; oh the joy! 

My parents cooked an incredible dinner on Saturday night. We all sat around and ate merrily.

I mostly remember sitting around waiting for the 6:00 pm start of the US/Portugal World Cup match on Sunday. And I think we the people of the United States of America will forever remember how that game ended – a final play in the final seconds – in a deflating blow. (But hey, writing a week later pays off, we’re moving on to the Round of 16 – Belgium beware!) There was a run to the dog park with Louis, which my friends and I might have enjoyed even more than Louis—oh the spectating to be had!

Leaving home is always hard, especially so when it means saying goodbye a brother I’m not sure when I’ll see next.

A Blood Drive and a Stadium Tour

A few weeks back I donated blood because I'm keen on perks, like saving lives. And food. And juice and water. And Washington Nationals tickets. And (another) Nationals tshirt. And a Nationals Park stadium tour. All free, of course. The sticking of needles can be so glamourous. After attending more Nationals games than I care to count, I enjoyed the 'behind the scenes' aspect of the park.

From the press box. The Nationals have the highest press box in Major League Baseball because they wanted to bring the experience to the paying spectators instead of the paid press. So thoughtful.

We toured the Visitors Locker Room, where I pretended to be an Atlanta Brave. The Massage Therapist has a labeled locker of their very own. Precious.

The kitchen in the locker room was stocked. It was like a grocery store with an attached kitchen. There were multiple varieties everything--bread, cereal, granola bars, lunch meat, and beyond. And who knows what gets whipped up in the kitchen before games? The life of a professional athlete is tough.

My apologies. These iPhone photos are of a supremely poor quality. I did not think a camera would be necessary at a blood drive. After five years, consider this an epic Blogger fail. 

We made a few other stops from there before winding up in the visitors dugout. The view from that angle is oh my gosh. How do I get a seat in there when it's time to play ball? The seats from Section 136 no longer seem so stellar.

Our first (or two sets) of free tickets came on June 18 when the Houston Astros were in town. I follow baseball closely and I could not name a single Astro before they arrived. And after watching seven innings, I still could not name an Astro. They are indistinguisly bad. This was also the second time I have left a sporting event early. The temperature before 10:00 pm was still in the 90s with an unkind percentage of humidity; I have never been so uncomfortable.

In eight more weeks I'll return for another donation.

The AT Hiker Pit Stops in DC

In search of adventure, I used to find pleasure in traveling each weekend. Then I got older and even more boring. And if this weekend is what aging is all about, I’m in. We began the weekend at Truckeroo with a few friends. I opted for ToKorean. And the longest line ever. The tacos – one beef, one pork, one tofu – were worth the wait. But not so great that I would wait again, despite being named Best Food Truck in Washington, D.C. over and over and most recently in the July 2014 issue of the Washingtonian. The event was both over- and underwhelming for a Friday evening. Tables were hard to come by. Rain was looming. And it was real loud. Plus, from where we ended up sitting, I could not hear the music. Suffice it to say, I feel no need to revisit Truckeroo, however, I’m glad I have been there, done that. Afterwards, I invited friends to our place for drinks and desserts. For this anxiety-prone host, it was real spontaneous of me, especially considering I was unable to vet the cleanliness of the apartment after the blurred work week.

I slept in Saturday morning. I prepped apricots for drying and myself for the day. Then Boyfriend and I walked over to Columbia Pike for the Blue’s Festival. The weather, although windy, was perfect. We listened to music for a while before making our way to Taqueria Poblano for some delicious Mexican Sangria on their patio. When the Uruguay/Costa Rica World Cup game began, we migrated inside to watch. We picked up some linner at Pedro & Vinny’s and headed back to the Blue’s Festival for the evening. And then my night was over…

Except it wasn’t. I napped on the floor for two hours at a friends' place and upon arriving home was unable to fall asleep until well past 3:00 am. I therefore slept in again on Sunday. And then the day vanished before my eyes! We met friends for an oh so delicious Ethiopian lunch. This was hands down the best Ethiopian food I have had… and the cheapest too! We coffeed at Blind Dog Café. I staked myself in our kitchen baking a Blackberry-Nectarine Crumble and a staple--Martha Stewart's Spinach Tart. We ate neither, opting instead for milkshakes from Ray’s: To The Third. I have no complaints.

I squeezed in a Father’s Day call at the end of the day. And an episode of Orange is the New Black before bed. This morning I made myself a pancake breakfast and all seemed well in the world. There is quite a line-up for the week, starting with the first United States Men's National Team World Cup game tonight (again Ghana). Go Team USA!