Last Saturday: Komen, National Gallery, and Up

On Saturday I ran in the Komen Global Race for the Cure. This was my second time participating – I “ran” last year, too, though I did more walking than running since I really hadn’t trained at all, and in all seriousness I think that was probably the first time I ever actually ran a distance of 5k/3.1 miles. EVER. Yeah, that was also the day I ended up in the ER at GW after slipping on the wet concrete outside the MLK Library downtown after seeing SATC at Gallery Place with a few friends. Run-walking a 5k for the first time + slamming back of head against concrete = not a good time the following morning.

Anyway! This year’s race was fantastic. I didn’t run with anyone this year, but I did end up chatting with this random woman while we were waiting to start. She works for the US Tennis Association (USTA) as I *think* kind of like a sports attorney/agent for the tennis players. Okay, I finally believe everyone who says tennis is great for your legs, because this woman said she plays tennis daily and she seriously had the best legs ever, and she’s definitely in her fifties at least. Mine are like hugs barrels of lard compared to hers! We chatted about our jobs and the race and what not, and of course this slowly evolves to law school and all that fun stuff. Yahoo! She went Catholic’s evening program, working during the day, and actually lived at the time in one of the other Van Ness buildings that is part of my complex. I talked a little bit about law school and all that stuff, and then she started talking about “oh but there’s so many things you can do with a law degree other than traditional law firm practice.” And I sort of starting thinking ugh can we start the race already so I can run away from you! But, she was genuinely nice, not lecturing or any of that garbage. I just pointed out that what I had wanted to do was traditional law firm stuff (at least for a while), but I obviously do acknowledge that there is a ton you can do with the degree outside of that realm. But, the bottom-line being, it was not the right thing for me. Plus, I didn’t exactly have a clear alternative picture of what *else* I might want to use the degree for, plus really, why continue to put myself through all that for some kind of ethereal unknown?

Yeah, so finally (finally! like a half hour late) the race started, and I was kind of worried by that time that I was getting stiff from standing around for so long. Plus I was testing out the waist pack. (Side note: thumbs up for the waist pack. Definitely much better than running with water bottle in hand. Having that weight on my lower back instead was much less obnoxious. Still, I'd prefer to run without the pack - it can be a little distracting when it moves around when you move - but it's great to be able to safely and securely store water, cell phone, keys, and other small essentials). I was pretty close to the start line, but it still took a good couple minutes to really get moving and get across the line, because there were SO MANY PEOPLE (which is great!)! I think there ended up being around 45,000 runners/walkers! So, to make a long story short, I had a great run (definitely helped by the good weather and flat course), ran the entire time (first time! the past two races, I had some very brief walk breaks), and shaved about 15 seconds off my mile time (though I am still très slow). Yay! And it was for a good cause.

After, I hit up Starbucks, then went to the National Gallery, which was AMAZING, because I went right when it opened at 10am, and it was mostly empty which I LOVE. What I didn’t love, however, was getting accosted by a security guard at the bag check about my water bottle, which might I say was empty, but it apparently needed to be stored in a bag (it was partially protruding from its holder on my waist pack), and the guard basically insinuated that I was probably just there to use the bathroom (ok granted, I was in post-race state, with bib pinned on and what not), and blahblahblah. So I said no, ACTUALLY I am here to see the art. Ergh! Anyway, I obviously could have just tossed the water bottle, but I’m trying to be good and environmentally friendly, but in the end, a different security guard (a nicer one!) magically produced a bag for me to put the bottle in.

Post-art overload (yum!), I went to see Up. Okay, so despite the fact that I knew the general storyline in advance, especially the gist of the first 15-20 minutes were you see one of the main characters (the old man) meet his future wife, grow up, etc., I KNEW (KNEW!!) I was going to be crying all over the place. No surprises there, I so did. Ahhh. Granted, it doesn’t take much to make me cry (I can probably find something to cry about in comedies), but I was definitely silent-sobbing at various intervals throughout the movie. It wasn’t strictly sad in a traditional sense, more of one of those make you think about your life/reevaluate your priorities/etc. things. I have to give credit to Pixar/Disney for being so great about injecting these kinds of messages into their movies. Children can still enjoy the more surface-level storylines and whatnot, but adults can appreciate the deeper messages and lessons of the story. I definitely recommend seeing the movie! Bottom line, it’s a very adorable/touching story, but with its light-hearted moments, the characters (especially Dug, the dog!) are memorable, and of course the whole magic of animation is amazing.

Running: Love/Hate

I recently made the decision to get more serious about running. This has not been an easy pursuit so far, and I find myself wondering if I will ever truly become a real runner. Yeah, so I’ve completed two 5Ks in the last two months and am preparing for another one next weekend, but I really don’t FEEL like I’m wholly into it…yet? First, as I think I mentioned in a previous post, I honestly just loathe running outside. Aside from the whole feeling self-conscious thing, I really just find it to be a huge pain to run outside. At the gym, you can just plop all your stuff (for me, this usually means: keys, cell phone, iPod, water bottle, and tie wallet) on the treadmill and go.

Running outside, I have to figure out what I really need to bring (license, insurance card, metro card, some cash or a credit card…you know, so people can identify me if I pass out, get hit by car, fall over, whatever, or so I can get home if I, say, run to another metro stop and can’t bear the thought of running back home, etc. etc.), what can stay at home (this usually involves minimizing my key chain, among other things), where I’m going to put the crap I have to bring (jacket pocket, miniscule shorts pocket, hold in hand, put in shoe, blahhh), and whether the fact that I’m carrying all this stuff is going to annoy me while I’m running. Obviously, I’m over-exaggerating a bit, but you get the idea.

Generally when I’m running outside (and during those two 5Ks), I hold a water bottle in one hand. This is somewhat annoying. What is also annoying is that fact that I can’t run (even these short distances) without water. But oh well. I’m not going to not bring water and then die on the course. Plus, I’m not really a fan of those water stations things – they always seem so chaotic, and I like to have water on me when I need it, not just at some preordained point. Anyway, so I’ve been researching hydration packs and different options, trying to figure out what would be a good product to try out.

Well, I ended up getting a waistpack from the Nike factory store when I was home in NJ this past weekend. It seemed sturdy, plus it was not expensive at all (I know, since it was an outlet store, but seriously, some packs are really $$$), and when I tried it on in the store my brother noted that it didn’t look THAT bad. Anyway, I tested it out on the treadmill at home, and it seemed to stay put, with easy access to the water bottle. It’s pretty comfortable too, the strap “sits” on your hips, and the bottle holder rests on your lower back, so it doesn’t impede arm movement at all. Plus, it’s got a couple small pockets, which solves my problem of where to put keys, etc. that I was complaining about above. I’m probably going to test this out next weekend at the Komen 5K, since that isn't a super competitive race (you can walk, too), so if something happens (like the pack falls apart?), it won’t be a huge deal.

Oh, so previously, when I’ve run outside recently, I’ve worn a lightweight Adidas jacket (made of that swishy material) that has an interior zip pocket, where I can secure the bare essentials (minimal keys, cell phone, credit card/cash). It’s somewhat bulky and awkward looking though, plus I’m not going to be able to wear long-sleeves much longer, what with it being 8 million degrees outside soon.

On the matter of running shorts, I’m really not a huge fan, honestly. I have a pair of Nike ones, with that lightweight swishy material and interior brief, with that special material that wicks away moisture or whatever. They’re OK, but I feel sort of naked/ridiculous wearing them. Yes I know most running shorts are short. But still. Anyway, I picked up two pairs of similar shorts at Target (by Champion), and…I’m so far not impressed. I wore them to the gym on Tuesday and had such a terrible time running on the treadmill that I ended up switching to an elliptical trainer. They were basically bunching up everywhere, which looked so awkward, plus was uncomfortable, and every two seconds I was pulling them down which was not efficient at all. I was thinking maybe I got a size too small, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think they’re just not cut as well or something. I think if I throw on some spandex underneath them, they’ll be fine, but really know, spandex? Eh. So usually I run in yoga-style pants, probably not really meant for running, but they’re so much more comfortable that I can just focus on running.

Other Nike purchases: (1) a sport armband, that I haven’t tried yet, but I think could probably fit my cell phone OR keys/cash/cards, but not both. Definitely wouldn’t fit my iPod Touch, but probably my smaller Nano would fit. I’m not sure how often I’ll use this…but it was only something like $5. (2) shoe pocket thing, also haven’t tried yet, but I had previously considered getting a Nathan Sports brand one. Basically, this is a little pocket for keys, etc. that you can secure to your shoelaces. Seems really sturdy, lightweight, I doubt I’d even notice it was on my shoe. (3) a couple technical t-shirts, with that special wicking material, and breathable fabric on the sides and back, really airy, I worked out in one yesterday, and it definitely kept me cooler than regular cotton tees. I actually think I might like these better than the UnderArmour ones I like so much.

After next weekend’s Komen race, I’m not currently registered for any races until the MCM 10K in October. I’m not really that keen on outside races in the summer months, but I might do one if I can find one that sounds interesting/fits my schedule, etc. My goal is to try for a half-marathon next spring (I’m looking at the SunTrust one), but first I really need to improve my time, endurance, blah blah blah. Unrelatedly, I’m currently researching/searching for a heart rate monitor and am hoping to buy one soon.

Honestly, I feel like a fake runner sometimes (but don’t you dare use the J word – see previous post). Oftentimes, when I’m at the gym, I’ll look at the treadmill and think how I would so much rather get on an elliptical or bike. The treadmill doesn’t always win. And often when I’m running, all I can think about is how much I hate running, and why am I dong this, and why don’t I just stop and go home and eat ice cream. But, I still keep doing it. I may not run every day, and I may not train as much or as hard or as diligently as I should, but I guess what matters is the fact that I still do it. So far I’ve found that the only times I don’t think “I hate this” is during a race. Granted, I’ve only done two, but I think that probably says something. Maybe?

Who's in?

CNN had a recent article about Racing the Planet (check out the website). There is (is? are? whatever, grammar police!) both the "4 Deserts" series and "Racing the Planet." The 4 Deserts are the Gobi (China), Atacama (Chile), Sahara (Egypt), and Antarctica. I believe that in order to do Antarctica (penguins, what what!), you first have to complete two of the other deserts. Racing the Planet looks like a similar event, except that the location changes each year (Vietnam, Namibia, Aussie Outback, etc.). They are 250-km, weeklong events, where you basically fend for yourself, carrying all your food with you, and somehow the event people get you rationed water, etc. It looks like everyone from true athletes to regular people do it, and the website notes that many participants have never done a marathon before doing one of these events. It just seems like a unique way to experience a country/culture/natural environment, and a great experience to share with other people doing the course with you (hint! hint!). Obviously, some participants go in with a very competitive mindset, but I think it would be cool to just go and do one for fun. Some people run the entire thing (the total distance is something like five marathons put together!), but the website notes that the time allotment is generous enough for walkers as well.

This definitely looks like a brutal challenge, but I also think that it would be an unparalleled experience. I'm adding this to my informal list of things to do before I die. I'm particularly eyeing the China one, thought it would be interesting to see what new locations Racing the Planet picks in the coming years (Vietnam would be awesome).

Will it actually happen? Who knows. But I am currently obsessed. Anyone else?! Camping? Hiking? No toilets? Rationed water? Carrying your food on your back? Unbearable heat? Creatures? Sand in your eyes (and everywhere else, for that matter)? YES!!

Words That Annoy

I think this will be an ongoing list of words/phrases that for one reason or another (or for no real reason at all) annoy the hell out of me.

Jogging: I'm sorry (actually no, I'm not sorry), but I just loathe this word. I don't know. Jog. Jogging. Out for a jog. Jogging suit. Vomit. Vomit. Vomit. To illustrate how much I despise this word (and all its derivatives), I freak out every time someone uses it, ESPECIALLY if it is in some way directed at my (Mommom!?). As in, "Do you still go jogging around the monuments?" NO, damnit, I go RUNNING. Ugh.

Teachable moment/Take-away: As in, "How can we make this a teachable moment?" or "What can the take-away here be?" I think my loathing for these phrases started during my summer 2005 internship at State. Okay, fine, FINE, FINE! Yes we were working on a center/museum, with the focus being to make it accessible to the public and whatnot. So, yeah I get the need for teachable moments and take-aways, but O.M.G. Do we have to look at EVERYTHING in these terms? What would be the take-away from this exhibit? What kind of teachable moments can we squeeze out of the Cuban Missile Crisis? Again, I figuratively vomit. J.F.C.

Papers: As in, "We filed some papers with the Court" or "Some papers came in from opposing counsel." I'm not really sure why this bothers me. I think it's just because I'm used to hearing the word "document" or "filing" instead of "paper." Paper just seems like such a...je ne sais pas, a generic word, perhaps? I much prefer phrases like "We just received a document filed by opposing counsel" or "We have a filing due today." Really, I know, there isn't all that much difference in the terms, but seriously, my skin hurts when I hear or read the "paper" phrase. Oh, this includes the phrase "motion papers." Why not just say "motion." Isn't the PAPER implied? What, is this to dispel any possible confusion that one might be submitting a motion on something OTHER THAN PAPER? Why not then go one step further, and be even more specific, say: "We filed some premium multipurpose 99.99% jam free extra bright 20 lb 8 1/2 x 11" PAPERS with the Court today."

I also particularly dislike the term "issue-spotting," but, thankfully, since I'm no longer in LS, I really don't encounter it.

Speaking of legal matters, can someone explain the origin of the phrase "Image File Wrapper" (a la the USPTO)? I obviously understand what it is and what it contains, but what's the deal with the "wrapper" part? Yes, they are images. And yes, they are from a file. But wrapper? I feel like it sort of makes sense in the abtract...since the wrapper theoretically contains all the file history of a patent application, it's sort of like an invisible force field wrapping around all the documents in that file? Sort of. Not really. Meh.

More to come.

Weekend Wrap-up and Some Random Thoughts

Pretty lazy weekend overall, thought I did accomplish four of the five items on my retroactively-created "to do" list: (1) see State of Play, (2) do beaucoup de laundry, (3) return some stuff to J.Crew, and (4) buy new running socks. The one thing I didn't get to was to go to the NGA to see this exhibition, which I've been dying to see but just haven't had the chance yet. Only got two more weeks to see it, so I'm already planning to go this coming weekend.

FYI, State of Play was really really good. Definitely one of the better films I've seen so far this year. I highly recommend it. Just make sure you pay attention, otherwise you might get confused. I love movies like this, but I overheard a couple of women talking about how confused they were, after the movie had ended. Anyway, great story, excellent cast, stunning setting (DC, of course, haha!).

I'm really frustrated with the washing machines, or with my laundry detergent, or with both. I can't really figure it out. There tends to be detergent residue left on clothes that I take out of the washer and let air dry. It is soooo annoying, because basically I find myself having to rinse out the clothes in the sink. I suppose another option is to run everything again on a rinse-only cycle (thank you Mom advice), but that's just so annoying too, I am not going to start spending another $1.25 just to rinse this stuff out again. The washers are definitely smaller than the ones in my previous building, but I try to not pack the clothes in too much. I feel like these washers don't work as well as they could...but, I also wonder if it's the detergent I use. I dunno, I started using different detergent when I moved to my current place, it's that double strength stuff, so you're suppose to use half of what you would otherwise use. Which I do, there's even a line thing on the cap so you can measure properly. I still wonder if maybe I'm using too much, since that detergent residue crap still shows up on some of my clothes. Today was particularly annoying because I washed one of my running jackets (made out of that swishy material, whatever it's called), and I air dried it, and it had all this crap all over it. Reminded me of a car's dirty windshield after a rainstorm. Such a pain. I rinsed it off but it's still on there. Whatever, I'm over it.

Went to Friendship Heights to return a couple things to J.Crew. Didn't buy anything except some new Puma running socks, but I almost (almost!) bought some really random stuff from World Market. LOVE World Market. I managed to find a lot of fun pineapple stuff today, in general (wall hanging at World Market, lamps at Stein Mart, etc.) but held back. I really like shopping in Friendship Heights and the neighborhood in general. Really like the Borders there. And it's like department store heaven. Aside from it being super close to where I live, it basically has everything (every store) you could feasibly want. And the Cheesecake Factory! Except, I guess, kind of bummed that Linens & Things went out of business...kind of hoping they'll put a Bed Bath & Beyond in that empty spot, but I'm guessing probably not, since there's that huge one in Columbia Heights, plus the other one in Chinatown. 

Ergh...why does it seem like it's perpetually Sunday night? I so dislike Sunday nights...weekend is nearly over, another week upon us. Blahh. Hoping this week goes by quickly!

Went to Starbucks today...I definitely don't go nearly as often as I used to. The last time I went was 2-3 weeks ago now. I just don't feel like I really need it, if that makes sense? It's sort of surprising though, since there's a Starbucks right across from my office, but maybe since it requires crossing the street (as opposed to the Starbucks literally attached to my old office building...), and I'm lazy...it just doesn't happen. Except now I go to Chop't at least once a week, which is not really good...except it is soooo good.

I would really like to make it a goal to run a half marathon within the next year. I'm eyeing the SunTrust one, which is next March (2010). The major roadblock here is that, in order to qualify, I have to run a 5k in 31:00 (actually...that's the 2009 qualifying standard, I dunno if it will be lower for 2010...). That essentially means that I need to shave 4-5 minutes off my current 5k time (based on the Cherry Blossom 5k), which is a LOT of time to work off. Eek. Ideally I'd like to try and do this with one of the two upcoming 5ks (Police Week, Komen), but I think that might be way too optimistic. Oh, the reason why I'd like to accomplish this sooner rather than later is that registration for SunTrust opens in July. I'm getting way better at running longer distances, but I really need to focus on improving speed, even if I have to sacrifice distance, at least for now. Hmm...

That's about it... Off to enjoy the precious few hours left of this weekend :-)

Summer 2009: Movies!

I heart summer movie season, and it looks like 2009 will be no exception. Lots of high-profile, highly-anticipated, likely blockbusters are coming out. Woo! The major ones that I'm especially looking forward to are:

[4] X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1);

[7] Star Trek* (May 8);

[3] Angels and Demons (May 15);

[5] Terminator Salvation (May 21);

[6] Pixar's Up (May 29);

[2] Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 26);

[1] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15).

(Numbers in brackets indicate my ranking from 1 ("Most Most Excited About") to 7 ("Least Most Excited About").)

*No, I am not ones of those crazed Star Trek fans. In fact, I'm not really a Star Trek fan at all. But, J.J. Abrams (Alias, LOST, MI:III, Cloverfield) is directing, and if you must know, Alias is my favorite show of all-time. Like, EVER. Seriously.

On the other hand, I think I'm going to have to pass on Sorority Row. I mean, it does look really really good and all (Oscar-worthy, in fact), but I just have to keep my movie-going priorities in order.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing State of Play this weekend. I am a sucker for Washington political thrillers. Will I ever get over seeing my adopted city on the silver screen? Unlikely. :)

Robeks and Nintendo

Yesterday, I got a Robeks' smoothie for lunch. Now and then, I may or may not get fixated on smoothies, and I may or may not absolutely have to get one to cure my fixation. Anyway. I had finally reached ten punches on the card the store gives out, so I got my smoothie for free. Yay! Um...I'm actually pretty sure I've had a lot more than ten smoothies...hmm...I guess sometimes I forget the card? Anyway. I also got one of those giant poppyseed vegan cookies, which are delicious...in a healthy but not too healthy way. Except they cost something like $2.50, which is ridiculous. Probably because they're vegan?

None of this is really the point of this post. Not that I ever really have a point...

I got the Passionfruit Cove smoothie. That title reminded me of Diddy Kong Racing, an Nintendo 64 game. Why? Because Passionfruit Cove sounds like it could easily be a name for one of the stages or worlds in the game. I know...I associate random things with even more random things. DKR was an excellent game. Conker! That's all.

Tweenbots

This is so freakin' cute (think: basket of newborn kittens cute). Check out the New York Post article here.

Definitely made me go "Awwwwwww." 

Also, a very interesting concept/experiment. The individual behind all of this is using the robot project research for her thesis at NYU's Tisch Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP). While I'm familiar with NYU/Tisch, I'll admit that I had never heard of the ITP. So I spent a little time perusing the program's website - pretty interesting stuff, in my opinion. Check out the "Projects" section of the website.

Eating My Way Through Easter Weekend (Or, A Happy Death By Cupcake)

Soooo basically, all I did this weekend was eat (and read, and sleep). In my defense, I did work out on Friday and Saturday, but not Sunday (today), and I blame cupcakes for that. I was done in by a cupcake (okay, more like 1.5 cupcakes, if you want to get all technical about it). But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

Actually, I guess also in my defense, my major food consumption activities this weekend were tied in with seeing and spending time with friends, most of whom (who?) I hadn't seen in a while. I think ranging anywhere from one month (yeah, but before that one month, it was like, a lot of months) to several years. 

On Saturday, post-doctor visit (Yeah! I actually found a primary care physician with Saturday office hours. They do exist! Like the Santa M&M's commercial, which I LOVE.), I headed out to Clarendon to meet up with E.B., friend and former coworker. We had brunch at Whitlow's, which I've heard a lot about. I always felt like it was one of "those" places that you just had to go to at least once, so you could then join the cool group of people who could say they'd been there. Kind of like how it is with Old Ebbitt in DC (except Old Ebbitt is actually pretty damn good and, as it turned out, so was Whitlow's). I got the western omelette, which was really delicious and really just an obscene quantity of food. But that didn't stop me from eating all of it! So good. The restaurant reminded me of a cross between: (1) a breakfast place my family used to go to when I was a kid, we'd usually go after church on Sundays (I think it was called Country Square...or Country Squire, definitely Country something, one of those kind of homey-feeling restaurants where the food is amazing and they give you lots of it. They had those fun diner-style booths too, which I always thought were waaaaaay better than sitting at one of the normal tables.); (2) a similar place in Flemington, NJ that we'd also go to (which was also tres amazing, and always super-packed...can't remember the name right now, I think it's changed hands since I was a kid, but I know exactly how to get there if I was driving); and (3) this place, in Beach Haven, NJ (where we used to go every year in the summer, this place is tacky and glorious and yummy and eccentric, and you absolutely HAVE TO go if you're ever in the area.

Anyway, so Saturday brunch was just the beginning. Today, I had brunch numero deux with three friends from college (S.N., P.M., L.B.). I got the Eggs Chesapeake, which was fabulous, which in turn is awesome, because it may or may not be an unofficial quest of mine to sample the Eggs Chesapeake on as many brunch menus as possible (so far, I've only had them at Old Ebbitt (near the White House) and Ardeo (in Cleveland Park) - both places were tres impressive). So good. SO GOOD. The restaurant itself (Firefly) was pretty nice, though I wasn't super impressed by the service. But, it was Easter, and they seemed pretty busy, so I guess I can't really judge fairly based on a day like today. All in all, a successful food expedition.

Okay so post-brunch, we headed back to one friend's (P.M.) apartment and proceeded to commence a collective post-brunch fat/food coma. Basically this just involved a lot of lounging and catching up and generally fun conversation and all that stuff. Clearly, the only logical next step was to eat more food, so we headed over to Baked & Wired in Georgetown (sadly, Georgetown Cupcake was closed...le sigh), got tea/iced chai and cupcakes (obviously). Mmmhmmm nothing like an incredible strawberry cupcake (with actual strawberry chunks in the cake part! I was kind of bummed though that the pink frosting turned out to just be dyed vanilla, but alas) and a spicy iced chai. A second collective food coma essentially went down right there on the sofas of B&W. Luckily, they have a 45 or so minute "time limit" on how long you can lounge/food coma-tate, otherwise I think we could have easily stayed there all afternoon. All in all, a success...although really, Georgetown Cupcake's red velvet cupcakes can't be beat. Luckily, there is always next time. There will always be: Another Cupcake. 

Next up: The Real Cupcakes of New York City (or, eating my way through NYC via extreme and borderline unhealthy cupcake consumption - this WILL happen). Okay, and just so you don't think I plan on doing this all by myself, one of my friends (L.B.) is actually living/studying in NY right now, and she suggested this. How can you say no? Apparently, some of these NYC places might give their DC counterparts a run for their...frosting?

Yeah, so post-brunches #1 and #2 and post-cupcake excursion (I also may or may not have eaten half a bag of Skittles post-gym Saturday night...), I basically didn't do a single productive (read: active) thing for the rest of today. I did start reading a new book (Suite Francaise). Or, more accurately, I alternated between reading and napping. And napping and reading. And now, sadly, the weekend is almost over. But I can't really be sad, because it was a pretty damn good weekend (food, friends, etc. etc. will do that to you). Also, it's Easter! Woo!

Okay, time for more...napping.

I swear, I really tried to go to the gym this afternoon...but I had another impromptu nap, and by the time I woke up, it was past 8, and the gym was closed. Funny how that happened.

Eat, Pray, Love

Tonight, I finished reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. In some ways, EPL reminded me of Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun and Laura Fraser's An Italian Affair. But, I found myself able to relate a lot more to Gilbert and her year-long travels throughout Italy, India, and Indonesia. Part of me wishes that I picked up EPL earlier on, maybe in the Dec. 2008-Feb. 2009 period, when I was still struggling hard to figure out a lot of things (I still struggle, but don't we all?). On the flip side, however, I think I was able to appreciate the story a lot more, having experienced what I did and having had time to reflect on those experiences.

You first learn enough (but not everything - but it really isn't necessary to know all the details anyway) about Gilbert's marriage and difficult divorce. Early on, you find her crying on her bathroom floor and, for lack of feeling like being more eloquent (I'm writing this after midnight - needless to say, it's late, and I'm tired), her life is a total mess. Her decision to travel is a way of...figuring things out, regaining happiness, finding God, etc. I don't know, but maybe all of these things are really just synonyms of a single desire or goal?

Anyway, I found myself relating to Gilbert's situation, in the way that I've been finding myself deciphering my decision to leave law school. I've had plenty of time to marinate all of this, but I still don't think I'm quite there yet. But, essentially, I look at it as a divorce. I got a divorce from law school.

First and foremost, I am NOT in any way trying to poke fun at or make light of divorce in its traditional sense. At the same time, I'm not going to apologize for my thoughts or my writing. You're more than welcome to click on the x or little red stoplight if you like. Ok, now that that's out of the way...

You wouldn't stay in a marriage if you were so unhappy and you had that gut feeling (you know, that one) about it, telling you that this isn't right. Turning things around, you wouldn't get married in the first place if you knew from the very start that it was just going to end in a divorce. So you go into a marriage with the best of intentions, hopes, and dreams, and with love. Unfortunately, it doesn't always end up working out. 

It didn't in Gilbert's case, and she knew she had to get out. It wasn't easy, but it isn't supposed to be. That's how I felt about law school. Or I guess more accurately, when I realized that I was no longer sure if I wanted to be in this relationship. Yes, I went through all the motions and emotions of trying to figure out whether I was just having temporary relationship jitters, or if I just needed some space (leave of absence), or if I was just outright done (withdrawing). I don't remember crying on my bathroom floor during my period of Figuring Things Out (but then again, I have a pretty small bathroom to begin with...I don't think I could lay out straight on its floor if I tried, plus, isn't it kind of gross to lie on the floor of your bathroom? Even if you do clean it...every now and then? But I digress.), but I pretty much cried everywhere else. I cried on the FREAKIN' METRO, for goodness sake. More than once! More than once on the same day, for that matter! I must have lost all my usual sense of decorum and privacy, because really, when you're crying walking down Mass. Ave and you haven't showered in at least several days (but who's counting?), and you're wearing the same clothes you wore yesterday AND slept in last night...you really just don't care what anyone who sees you is thinking anyway. 

I guess I'm getting off topic from my whole grand plan of relating the book I just finished reading with (fairly) recent life events, but you know what? Who cares? This is a blog! To add to the stuff above, the only time I really felt at peace (if that was even possible), was when I was sleeping. For those precious glorious hours during the period before I figured out that I wanted a divorce, sleep was the only real respite I had from everything. The downfall of this was that I very quickly started to absolutely hate the morning. I would basically devolve into a crying nutcase within five minutes of waking up and, well, when you start your morning that way, it's next to impossible to do anything else but continue your downward spiral. 

Sidenote: I guess it's worth mentioning that I maxed out an entire month of cell phone minutes within about one week. I called home all the time. Constantly. I would get to the end of a conversation and start feeling a teensy bit better, then within five seconds of pressing End, I would be a total mess again and be pressing redial. (I am so lucky to have such an amazing family.)

I feel like I'll ultimately end up devoting multiple posts to law school and related life events, but right now I feel like I've gone all overboard on the gloom and doom. Unfortunately, all of this happened. Yes, I did feel that way. I did do those things. Including the not showering or changing clothes. But now (as in today, versus 3-4 months ago) I CAN look back on those months with a sort of Yeah That Happened But I'm Still Here AND I'm Happy So Eat That attitude. 

Don't get the wrong idea here, though. I don't regret anything. Like I said above, you wouldn't get married if you knew you were going to end up getting divorced. I really did want to go to law school to become a lawyer, and you know what, maybe I'm in danger of tooting my own non-existent horn here, but I think that, had I decided to stay, I would have become a damn good one too. Why? Because I know (this is just something I know, because I know me) that I would have not allowed myself to be anything but good. That's just me, and that won't change, no matter what. But what I realized is (and this is a far too simplistic explanation of it all, but it more or less summarizes everything) that I could no longer see myself being happy doing this. 

I'm not sure what changed in me during that time, but something did. I mean, c'mon people, who gives a flying fuck about happiness? Geez. Happiness is for sappy people, people who have impossible dreams about an unattainable notion of finding something (and I suppose, someone, but that's irrelevant here) that makes them truly happy. I guess what changed in me is that I stopped pushing away the You Deserve To Be Happy voice and started realizing that (stop here if sappiness makes you vomit; you have been warned) life is too short. Yeah, THAT whole question of What If You Died Today? 

What IF i died today? It wouldn't matter that I was or wasn't in law school, that I had or hadn't just quit my wonderful job for the sole reason of focusing full-time on school, etc. etc. But I think it would matter, to me at least, if I wasn't happy. Okay, so granted, in this scenario, I'd be dead, and thus couldn't necessarily be pissed about having died unhappy. But, if I could be, I would be pretty pissed. I mean what the hell? Exactly.

One thing I want to stress is, I get that you can't go through life expecting to be happy all the time or to find happiness in everything you do. Yes, life just sucks major ass sometimes. I think it's really a personal decision, a question you have to ask yourself. You can ask for and accept input from others (or from society or social norms in general), but at the end of the day, YOU have to make whatever decision it is. Not your family, not your coworkers, not your bank account, not what society thinks (or what you THINK society thinks), etc.

If your marriage (for whatever combination of reasons) was truly one of unhappiness, you probably wouldn't stay married. You would probably ask yourself a lot of questions, all resolving around the idea of Should I stay or should I go? Why should I stay? Why should I go? Some of the questions I posed to myself were such things as (stream of consciousness commencing)...Okay, yes, you just quit your job, and the economy clearly blows. Will you be able to find a job? What if you can't? How long can live off your savings? What about the loans you took out for school? You have to pay those back. What will your friends/former coworkers/classmates/potential employers/people in general/society/the world/God/YOU think of you now? Looking at questions like these, it was somewhat of an internal dialogue. Such as, if the ONLY reason you're staying is because you're afraid you won't find a job, that's a pretty dumb reason, don't you think? Yeah...yeah you're right. Does this mean you're a failure? No, you idiot. But what will people think? Who cares? I care. Eh. It went something like that.

Aside from the whole loans things (well, isn't divorce usually a pretty expensive process? So, goes with the territory I guess. After all, once again, happiness...money...stay in law school...take out more loans...still be ungodly unhappy? Doh.), my major issue was with how other people would react. What they would say, if (and how) they would judge, etc. etc. So in case you're reading this and wondering, yeah, that's more or less why I dropped off the face of the earth for a couple months. I couldn't deal with the idea of having to explain myself over and over (plus, how do you really go about doing that? Oh, so how's school? Funny you should ask. Yeah, I left before fall semester finals. But I'm good, how are YOU?), combined with the scary reality of needing to figure out What's Next, i.e. finding a job. 

I need to sleep now, but to wrap up (at some point I'd like to write a more elaborate post just on this topic), it took me a very, very long time to realize that the people who matter (aside from my family - they were with me on this from day one) weren't going to judge me on my decision. Ugh, I hate that phrase, "my decision." I know it was my decision, but it's just...a negative karma phrase to me now. I found that people who were in my life before and during law school really didn't care (in the sense that they weren't offended or disgusted or that they didn't disown me or chastise me or wash their hands of me) about that whole "law school thing." People were really just interested in how I was doing, what I was doing now, and happy to hear and see that I was happy too. So, thank you, everyone. Seriously.

ps: if you get a chance, read eat, pray, love. or, at least read the italy section.

Citibank. Why?

Quick background: Now that I am with job again, I intend to be as aggressive as possible (without being reckless) toward paying off my student loans. As such, I recently made (rather, attempted to make??) a large payment toward my highest interest rate loan. Makes sense, non? Anyway, as explained below, this requires one to mail in a payment (instead of paying online) and include specific instructions about how the payment should be allocated. Which I did (I even kept a copy for myself! Go me.). Alas, my good faith effort was foiled by some kind of super computer. I, Robot, anyone? I suppose that I am annoyed/frustrated for (at least) two reasons: (1) I followed the instructions on Citibank’s website exactly, only to find out about some mythical “Exception Payment” alternate address that I had no way of knowing existed, and (2) That was the biggest check I'd written EVER, so I was already very antsy about the whole affair, and now I’m just extremely anxious for Citibank to get the whole thing fixed.

**********************************
[Probably Fruitless] E-mail to Citibank:

This is a comment about an answer to one of the questions on the “Frequently Asked Questions – Making Payments” section of your website. The question is “Can I designate how to apply my online payment to my loans,” and the answer given is “No. Online payments are distributed across all loans listed on your statement. To pay a specific amount on a particular loan, you’ll need to mail us the payment. Please print your online statement, indicate your payment instructions and mail them to The Student Loan Corporation, P.O. Box 6615, The Lakes, Nevada, 88901-6615.”

Recently, I mailed a payment and included specific instructions that the full amount be applied to one loan only (instead of being applied to all loans on my statement). I followed the instructions in the FAQ Answer exactly, including mailing my payment to the address listed. However, when I checked my online account to confirm that the payment had been received and applied, I found out that (despite my instructions) the payment amount had been applied across all loans, NOT applied to the one loan as I requested. When I called Citibank to inquire about this problem, I was told that mail sent to the P.O. Box 6615 address is opened by some kind of computer system, meaning no real live person saw or read the instructions I included. I also learned about an “Exception Payment” address (8725 W. Sahara Avenue, Attn: Exception Payment, Mail Zone 1225, Las Vegas, NV 89117) and was told that “exception payments” (such as mine) should be mailed there, as a real live person opens mail sent to the address.

My comment/question is, if this is the case, why then does the FAQ Answer list the P.O. Box 6615 address, not the “Exception Payment” address? I find it very annoying (and inconvenient) that I followed the FAQ Answer instructions exactly, and yet my payment was misapplied. Moreover, I have been told that due to the “economy” (e.g., I was told that Citibank has been inundated with requests to have payments postponed, thus causing a backup with other pending requests), it will take up to two (2) weeks for my request to have my payment reapplied correctly taken care of, instead of the normal processing time of 2-3 days. While I have been assured by Citibank that everything will be corrected (and that I will not be penalized in any way – which I surely hope is the case, as I have done nothing wrong here), I am frustrated that all of this was even an issue/problem in the first place. Would it not make sense for Citibank to update its website/FAQ section to reflect the “Exception Payment” address? I cannot imagine that I am the ONLY Citibank customer to have encountered this issue. All I am trying to do is pay my Citibank student loans, and up until this point (this is the first time that I have mailed in a payment; before now, I always used the Pay Online feature), I have never had a problem doing so. In fact, in the years that I have been a Citibank student loan customer, I have never had any problems at all!

I expect that within the next two weeks, my online account will reflect the reallocation of my mailed in payment to the appropriate loan. Otherwise, I will definitely be following up with another phone call to Citibank.

Love, me.

Actually, I take back the love.

me.

Because I am easily amused

...and because I can't help myself. I love this commercial for the 2010 Kia Soul. Saw it for the first time before the previews when I went to see Knowing a couple weeks ago. C'mon people, who doesn't love gangsta hamsters?

Bank of America (Or, What Happens When You Do Not Use Your AMEX)

On Bank of America (Or, Those Sneaky Bastards; Or, Why Contract Law Matters...Vomit)...

In December 2006, I opened a second credit card with my longtime bank, Bank of America. I mostly opened a second card (a pretty, clear-design BoA American Express) to have a "back-up", you know, just in case my non-existent dog devoured my primary card, or I needed some emergency credit (uninhibited shopping spree at J.Crew perhaps? no.). Okay, so maybe I also liked the card's pretty, see-thru design. And maybe I was a little obsessed with the American Express brand. ANYWAY.

I only used the card once, in early 2007. After all, it was my "back-up", I didn't want to have to worry about two credit cards bills each month (even though I pay in full every month), and I wanted to keep my World Points (reward points) on one card. So, all is well in credit card land. OR IS IT?

In early March of this year, I came across an article (like this one, but not this one). I thought, oh shit, I should probably make sure my AMEX is still active. I checked my online account, and it was. Next I thought to myself, maybe I should use it, buy a pack of gum or something. But I didn't. BIG mistake. HUGE. A couple weeks later, I'm perusing my online account, and all of a sudden I realize, HM, my AMEX account isn't listed anymore. Oh darn. Yup, a couple phone calls to BoA later, and I've confirmed what I already knew to be true. My AMEX was cancelled for lack of use. Ok, yes, I didn't use it for about two years. My bad. But couldn't you have at least send me a notice letter beforehand? Or something? No. Why? Your notice was in your contract/terms of agreement. Oh no, you did not just pull the contract card on me. (WAS THERE AN OFFER? WAS THERE ACCEPTANCE? DID THE PARTIES INTEND TO BE BOUND? WAS THERE A MEETING OF THE MINDS? RAR! Bad memories.)

So, you have been warned: Use it or lose it. Honestly, I understand why banks/credit card companies cancel credit cards that aren't being used. That $5,000 line of credit that they extended to me, and that I'm not using - that's a liability for them, and they're not making any money off of my non-use. Especially with credit being so hard to come by these days, why would they not want to take that credit and throw it at someone who would actually use it? Makes perfect sense.

Downsides for me: 

(1) My credit score has likely suffered. Luckily, I had a really high score to begin with, and I don't anticipate needing to use my credit score in the near future (mortgage, car loan, etc.), so I think I'm OK. (It's still annoying, though.). 

(2) Now I only have one credit card. Yes, that credit card has an obscenely high credit limit. But, I would feel more comfortable with a second card, a "just in case" card. Plan is to wait for a bit and then possibly open a second one. 

And remind myself to use it once in a blue moon.

5Ks, and the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library

On 5Ks...

This morning I ran my first Cherry Blossom 5K (and my second 5K ever). So fun! Okay, so maybe a little part of me wanted to make a grand escape through the cherry blossom trees, but I managed to keep myself in check. To be fair, I only trained for a couple weeks beforehand. And by "train" I mean that I joined the Gold's Gym in Van Ness and started working out daily on the CrossRamp. Did I mention that I am not (was not?) a fan of running? Anyway, I forced myself to get on the treadmill from time to time. I definitely could not even pull off a treadmill mile without feeling the approach of my own personal apocalypse. Anyway, I tried working on that, and this Wednesday survived three miles on the treadmill, at a snail's pace of 4.5-5.0, for (if I recall correctly) a 13ish minute/mile. Weak, weak, weak. I also forced myself to run outside twice this week (1st: home to zoo and back; 2nd: home to Woodley Park metro and back) - and by "run" I mean "run/walk." I don't like hills (ahem, parts of Connecticut Avenue, ahem). Anyway, I somehow managed an 11:03 pace this morning. I think the culprit here is fact that I did not want to be the last person to finish (especially since it was a 5K Run/WALK...i.e. there would be people walking the entire time). I also think that the momentum generated by being surrounded by tons of other 5K runners combined with the cheerfulness of the volunteers (Keep it up! Good job, ladies! *Cowbell, cowbell, cowbell*) helped propel me along at a faster pace. I would love to reduce my time for future races (National Police Week 5K; Komen National Race for the Cure - JOIN ME!) and look forward to working on it. My shins hurt pretty badly though, ugh?

On the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library...

Shout-out to the library! I am a huge fan of the Cleveland Park branch. This branch of the DC Public Library system has a respectable collection (including DVDs - films and television shows!) and is within walking distance of my building. FYI, it tends to get hot in the library, so plan accordingly if you anticipate staying for a long period of time (I'm usually in and out in 15 minutes), and the lighting is a bit lacking. Since it is a smaller branch, you won't find everything in it, but (assuming you have a library card) you can request books using the online catalog, and designate your desired branch pick-up location. I recently got Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love this way. I also picked up (in the library itself), Robert Harris' Pompeii (author of Enigma and Archangel - I highly recommend both), Edward P. Jones' The Known World, Irene Nemirovsky's Suite Francaise (have been wanting to read this for ages), and Daniel Mason's A Far Country (author of The Piano Tuner - unexpected find in a used bookstore and a simply exquisite novel; I have a copy if you're interested). I also recently finished reading (and returned) Alice Hoffman's The Third Angel and Gerard Woodward's A Curious Earth.

In addition to Eat, Pray, Love, I'm currently also reading The Feast of Love (Charles Baxter) and A Map of Love (Ahdaf Soueif). I don't typically read more than one book at a time...this is most unusual.

Oh, I almost forgot - I also have Alice Sebold's The Almost Moon checked out. FYI, Sebold is also the author of The Lovely Bones and Lucky: A Memoir. The Lovely Bones is a simply heart-wrenching novel. A film adaptation is due in theaters in winter 2009. The cast includes Saoirse Ronan (who played the young Briony in Atonement), Rachel Weisz, and Mark Wahlberg.

About my blog name...

No, I did not have some weird childhood fantasy about being a spoon-wielding, crime-fighting superhero. Ha. In case you are wondering, the first half of my last name means "spoon" in German. 

Also: No, I am not German. Yes, I do get that question often. 

True story: I didn't know what my last name meant (I guess I just never really stopped to consider it) until sometime in high school when, during an academic team meet (nerd much?), it was a question during the foreign language round. The way it worked was that the same word was written on the board in several langagues (German, French, Spanish), and each team had to identify the word in English. I remember recognizing the French word as "spoon." (I can't recall the French word anymore...sad.) So, that's how I learned the meaning of my last name. Lame? Perhaps.

At least it was just the high school academic team (A-Team!), not Jeopardy or something. THAT would have been awkward.

Also Also: My current profile picture is of Alberto Giacometti's sculpture "Spoon Woman", part of the Guggenheim's New York collection. Fitting, no? (Btw, if you've seen the recent conspiracy thriller The International (Naomi Watts, Clive Owen), there is an amazing shootout sequence in it that takes place inside the Guggenheim (NY).

Very last tidbit: The French word for "spoon" is "cuillère".

25 things...

Originally published on Feb. 28 on my long-forgotten (and now laid to rest) other blog...

1. When I was in elementary school, I had my bedroom painted three shades of purple. A very light purple for the ceiling, a medium purple for the walls, and a darker purple for the bookshelves and window trim. Looking back, I have no idea what I was thinking.

2. I had always wanted a fluffy bathrobe but could never convince myself to buy one. I was totally surprised when my grandma gave me one for Christmas, and I was probably way too excited about it. But it is so awesome.

3. I applied to 16 colleges. I got in to 7, rejected by 6, and waitlisted by 3.

4. The main reason that I don’t run outside more often is that I am very self conscious about doing it. Which is odd because I don’t have any issues running on a treadmill at the gym.  I think my problem is that I am convinced that people driving on the street and walking on the sidewalk are judging me. Yes, I know it is stupid.

5. I collect pineapples. I would say that my quirkiest pineapple item is a stuffed Ty pineapple replica of SpongeBob’s house (complete with chimney!). If I remember correctly, I bought it during a family trip to Dorney Park in June 2006. 

6. When it comes to Thai food, I almost always order Pad Thai. On VERY rare occasions, I will branch out and order Pad See Ew or pineapple fried rice. I am very un-adventurous. 

7. My experience with #3 taught me nothing. I subsequently applied to 19 law schools. Results - 17 - 1 - 1.

8. The first time I shopped at a Whole Foods, I thought I had died and gone to grocery shopping heaven. Sadly, for the sake of my wallet, I do not allow myself to go to WF very often.

9. I have very strong feelings about adoption. I am not opposed to giving birth myself (although I used to be very anti it), but I also feel that if I am able to give a child who is already in the world a home, then that is what I am meant to do.

10. I rarely wear jewelry of any kind (aside from a watch). On and off I’ll wear a gold cross pendant that my Mom gave me for on my 1st Communion. My ears are not pierced, and I never wear rings. I just don’t really think about things like that.

11. That being said, I have an on and off obsession with buying myself a pearl necklace from Tiffany’s. Someday, I will do this.

12. At one time or another in my life, I have wanted to be a: diplomat, CIA agent/spy, profiler, lawyer, art historian, military officer, forensic scientist, curator, foreign service officer.

13. I don’t know where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing five years from now, but I’m not allowing myself to worry (too much) about it.

14. I have extremely meticulous printed handwriting. This probably stemmed from my perfectionist approach to academics when I was a child. I find it extremely awkward when people comment on it, especially when they think that my writing is a computer font.

15. I studied the piano for about 13 years and the violin for about 8. I really miss having both of these in my life, though I have never taken any steps to start up again.

16. When I was little, I was obsessed with cats. OBSESSED. In addition to a real live pet cat, I had cat EVERYTHING. Velcro sneakers with cat faces on their fronts. Stuffed cats. Cat figurines. Cat watches. Clothes with cats on them. Cat. Cat. Cat. Cat!

17. At some point during my early childhood, I had a Ghostbusters lunchbox. (I also had a proton gun and an Ectomobile (Ecto-1, anyone?), among other things.). I still remember going to YMCA camp one summer and being made fun of (probably by some stupid boy) because of my lunchbox. It was traumatizing.

18. I still have a dream of getting a PhD in Art History. Someday.

19. I played one season of high school lacrosse, my freshman year. I was SO bad. SO bad. I was (and continue to be) very non-athletic when it comes to team sports. I really don’t know why I did it. Probably because several of my good friends did. Ah, peer pressure.

20. I am very blessed to have the most wonderful family in the entire world. I know that I do not acknowledge that fact as often as I should. I would never have accomplished everything that I have so far in life without their support and their being there for me through it all. I actually find that I can’t think about this too much because doing so always ends up making me cry, a lot.

21. With the exception of a Quebec trip in the 8th grade, I have never been out of the country. The inside of my passport is a very sorry sight. I also have never been west of Chicago. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with not having traveled much. I like to look at it as a “yet” situation, as in “I haven’t been abroad…yet”. I definitely want to travel the world at some point, especially Europe. I’d also like to visit the Philippines.

22. Growing up, I never really considered the fact that I am multi-racial. I definitely identified more with “being” “white”, but I think I always looked at myself in terms of “I am American”, not “I am part white and part Asian”. I do remember a classmate (not a friend) asking me if I was adopted. She saw me with my Dad. Even though my Dad and I don’t really look alike at all, I remember being confused by the question. Well, she was also a pretty big jerk to a lot of people, so maybe she just trying to start something. Who knows. My point is, it never bothered me that my Dad and I don’t look alike, and it never occurred to me that such a thing might ever be an issue.

23. I love picking out cards (especially birthday ones) at the store. I could spend hours at a time agonizing over all the choices before making a decision. Last year, I couldn’t bring myself to pick just one birthday card to send my Mom, so I bought and sent three. She probably thought I was nuts (but I’m sure she loved them all).

24. Although I know in my heart that leaving law school will turn out to be one of the best decisions of my life, it will be a long time before I fully appreciate it.

25. The last 3 months were very, very difficult for me. I had some good days, but I also had a lot of bad days, and even more really bad days. Yet, I can’t 100% say that I wish none of it happened, because I definitely learned a lot about myself and about life during this period. I’m extremely excited and grateful that I’ll be starting a fresh chapter very soon, but my experiences over the past 3 months have made me both wiser and stronger.