hangin’ around this town

Positive K – I Got A Man
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup

Here’s a video that has nothing to do with anything other than this song came up on my iPod the other day while I was on the Metro headed into work and it occurred to me I probably hadn’t seen the video since, well, the last time they showed videos consistently on MTV.

My friend Dan told me the other day that he still checks my blog out every day and every day lately, he’s been disappointed. And then my sister mentioned that I never update it anymore. I couldn’t tell you how many people still even bother checking in regularly. That’s the thing I’ve noticed about blogs … they ebb and flow. They’re like a comfortable sweater that you can leave in a drawer and pull it out when you need one. It doesn’t care if it’s been an hour, or six weeks, since the last time you put it on. I just wants to be taken around the block every so often.

I haven’t been to West Virginia since Christmas. I haven’t done a radio show since the week before Christmas. I don’t know the next time either will happen. I miss both.

My problem with the show is I just haven’t felt it in a while. I start thinking about wanting to do it, I get myself ready and then I think, “Well, I could do some laundry, or reading, or catch up with some people on the phone, etc.”

It’s 8 to 10 p.m. on a Sunday night because that’s the time I got myself into in its earlier incarnations. Then once we owned the stream, though we could have made it any time we wanted to, it stayed from 8 to 10. And then the NFL came.

It needs tweaking, to borrow one of my favorite phrases from a friend of mine. It needs some definite tweaking. I would rather work on my writing and develop ideas than put on a show that’s half-baked and forced, and I’m afraid I’d be doing that now. At least I’m honest enough with myself to say it out loud.

I’m thankful that I’ve had some time to actually spend here in DC without anything hanging over my head lately. For the Super Bowl, I spent it with a friend of mine and his wife and son. Yesterday, I had a GREAT time at the Auto Show with the gang from Richmond (area). I’ve been to a Georgetown-WVU game. I’m having lunch with two different people in two weeks and meeting an old friend for a Happy Hour hopefully next Friday.

It isn’t that I don’t want to go home. I miss my family terribly. But I felt the entire summer that I didn’t live in Washington. I stayed here five days a week and then got in the car to visit my sick father. I’m not complaining. Every single week I saw him and he got better was the highlight of my week. But that came at the expense of not knowing anything about where I live.

There’s a super Target three miles from my house. I didn’t know that until I went to the doctor last week and had an occasion to actually go down that road. I’ve never been to a Five Guys, but there’s one about 10 minutes away. I actually went to IKEA.

Maybe I’m introspective because I’m about 33 hours and 51 minutes away from turning 30, but who’s counting. My mother told me this morning it was a great milestone, and I told her it didn’t feel like one. Not so much because I’m dreading getting older — I’m already an octogenarian in a much younger body — but because I really feel like I’ve accomplished, at least professionally, what I’d hoped by the time I hit this age.

I’m in a major city. I’m working for a major newspaper. I’m actually an editor.

I’m still employed. I don’t feel like I’m at risk of not being employed. That’s more than a lot of people can say in these times.

So as I see the sun pour in here through the open windows, I’m starting to feel a little bit settled down. Months and months have passed without me feeling like I could actually breathe, and I’m finally there. Like it (most of the time) or not (only in heavy traffic), I live here. I still smile when I get off the train in the morning and look around at the buildings. I’m not disenchanted. Or hardened. I still find something new to appreciate every day.

Uh oh. Pollyanna’s arrived. I must be closing in on 30.

And speaking of that, if someone wants to get me a Snuggie, it won’t replace the electric blanket that Paige got me, but I’d love to wear it around my office.

there’s need to fear

Last night, I sat on my couch and watched Brandon in seven levels of hell as the No. 1 Tennessee Titans derailed and let the Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens take away their shot at an AFC championship.

Fortunately, I still have all of my teeth.

But then, Carolina went down like a sack of wet cement. And today? Wow. Sorry ’bout your luck, Giants fans. Geez.

And now, I’m stting here watching Pittsburgh mount a second-quarter comeback after being down 10-7 on San Diego.

It’s like life got inverted and any normal semblance of NFL playoffs went out the window. It’s almost like a real-life, NFL version of “Vote for the Worst.” It’s like we’re trying to get Sanjaya into the Super Bowl in a match for total dominance against Taylor Hicks.

Someone just needs to get me Chris Daughtry. Immediately.

(Note: It’s 14-10 Pittsburgh now. Much to my happiness. Much to Brandon’s dismay.)

So, I hadn’t really forgotten about the blog, but to say that I’ve been busy is a bit of an understatement. I spent the week before Christmas trying to compact about six days worth of work into two to meet the printing schedules of our other papers. I spent a great, great five days at home, and while I didn’t get the chance to see everybody I wanted to see, it was still nice to be in West Virginia and among people that truly make you feel like no matter where you roam, you have an anchor.

Once I got back from the Christmas visit, we jumped into our New Year’s printing schedule, and then before I knew it, it was almost time for the Obamathon. Wall-to-wall from Wednesday through the big day. I got home at 9 p.m. almost every night last week, and that’s after spending all day compiling things, looking for events, etc.

I have a weekly column now which rocks my face off. I’m so happy to have the chance to actually have a space, every week, for me to write. I’m a dork, but I get excited on Thursday mornings when I see people reading it on the train.

But it wasn’t until I got an e-mail from a good friend of mine last week (a good friend in spite of some pretty whacked out turbulence around the edges), asking me if the Girl of Words had run out of words.

I truly haven’t. I just haven’t had the time to actually stop what I was doing at work to spend 15 minutes or so updating. And I post links to Facebook sometimes whichs gets a discussion going, but it doesn’t replace this. It really doesn’t. I never think people care much about what I’m thinking until someone actually stops to ask.

So, there’s not going to be a show tonight. There’s not going to be a show until after the Super Bowl. In addition to being a little bit burned out, I realize that with the season premiere of “24″ tonight and NFL playoffs, I can’t, and don’t really want to, compete. I want to enjoy “24″ and the Super Bowl.

So, I’m thinking we’ll be back Feb. 8, which is three days before I turn 30. Woof. Three days before I turn 30. Man.

And maybe I should, at any rate, make time to blog more because it’s great, cheap therapy. I’ve also seen some things floating around town in the last couple of weeks that truly would have made great entries.

But I hope all of you that are still checking in are doing well … I do read your blogs, I think about you often. You’re alright in my book.

life with my sister

A conversation through BlackBerry Messenger:

Ashlea: OK…so this A-HOLE that’s living in our old house is at it again.
Ashlea: He called almost crying that the gas leak wasn’t fixed. But Herb cannot get anyone up to fix it until tomorrow morning!!!!
Ashlea: There’s NO OTHER OPTION. So I told him to get out and get a hotel room and send the bill to me.
Ashlea: Siiiiigh.
Jacque: How does he know it isn’t working???
Ashlea: No…Herb couldn’t fix that part til tomorrow.
Ashlea: So he’s in total panic.
Jacque: Jesus.
Jacque: Was he a Pussy McVagina when you rented to him?
Ashlea: We didn’t know it at the time, but he’s got a bigger vag than Mrs. Duggar.
Jacque: Hahahahahahaha
Ashlea: Hahahahahahahahahaha
Ashlea: That may have been one of the best quotes of my life.
Ashlea: LOLOLOLOLOLOL
Ashlea: That was clutch.
Ashlea: Seriously. That’s gotta be put on something. Ur blog page maybe.

happy thanksgiving

I made this myself!! It's my first real turkey!!

I’m a pretty lucky person. I know I like to labor under the pretense that I’m karma’s favorite whipping girl and that I’ve done something very, very bad in a past life to explain why I feel cursed with recurring bad luck.

But I’m really pretty lucky. I’m not 30 years old yet and I’m working at a job I could only have dreamed of as a child. I’m working at a newspaper in a real, big city. And not even just any big city. Arguably, the center of the free world. The capital. The place where it all goes down.

Sometimes, it takes some perspective. Six months ago today, I started my job in D.C. Six months ago Monday, my family thought that the unthinkable actually happened.

So, I thought I’d just use a couple of pictures to show what I’m most thankful for this year. I’m thankful, and so lucky, for so much, but these are the biggest three.

My Dad and Mom. For loving me unconditionally.

She might not get me. I might not get her. Love no matter what.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Take time to today to make sure the ones you love know you love them. Friends, family, the guy who sells you cigarettes at the drive-thru … they all deserve it.

i’m alive, and hey! thank you!! :)

Sorry it’s been quiet around here … I’ve been fighting the NyQuil hangover with a DayQuil stupor and nobody’s winning. Add a couple of projects at home (ask me about how long it took me to re-install Photoshop!) and I’m a useless heap for the most part.

However, I did want to take a minute to thank The Center for Consumer Freedom for featuring a link to my post on the hippo ad under their breaking news section on their front page. Thank you for linking that, Mr. (or Ms.) Web Master. I’m just one kid out here fighting the good fight … the fight for my right to stuff myself full of tasty, tasty McDonald’s french fries and not sue a single damn person for it. Thanks for letting other people see your work in action in Metro DC.

In other breaking news: Dad goes home (for good) in seven to 10 days!!!! I can’t even believe it. I never would have thought it would be this soon, but I’m thankful. He went to New Martinsville for a home visit today and Mom took him around to all of his favorite places and it seemed to be just what he needed.

More later in a live report … I’m hoping to scam myself a visit to Ragtime in Arlington tomorrow to watch the WVU-Marshall game (which I absolutely, positively REFUSE … you hear me? REFUSE … to call the Friends of Coal Bowl). They’re the only people in the area showing it, I think. And I want to be around like-mindeds. I need to watch this game with fans.

like a hockey mom

Ahh, gee, Marge.

I’m actually just putting this link out here because I’m proud. It’s obnoxious, yes, but still.

Check out Brandon’s new writing job.

He’s almost Navin R. Johnson. But seriously, it’s a fun thing for him. I’m happy he’s found a niche, of sorts, up here in the “city.”

In other news, I’m pretty sure God’s mad at me for my earlier mocking of Ohio State. To remedy the situation, I’ve switched over to Lifetime: Television for Women and I’ll watch movies about some woman getting horribly wronged by some man, no doubt starring either Joanna Kerns, Judith Light or Meredity Baxter Birney, to try to atone.

echoes, silence, patience and grace

(I’m listening to the Foo Fighters right now and it seemed an appropriate post title … bear with me.)

I found a charger today for my iPod. I haven’t listened to my iPod since I lived in West Virginia. When I cleaned out my old desk at my old job, I’m pretty sure I lost it or left it behind, so really, kids back home — enjoy Mommy’s charger. I got one, and now my iPod is charging and when I leave here in another, oh seven hours, I’ll have music to listen to on the way home. Finally. Finally it’s all coming together. No more train silence.

So, speaking of silence … here’s a visual representation of me at work lately:

Don’t get me wrong — it beats doing nothing. But in case people were concerned, I’ve just not had time to devote to this during the day. Last week I was trying to get everything done so I could be in West Virginia Friday. This week, I’m catching up with what I missed.

West Virginia was a great time. I saw so many people I miss. I wish I could have been there longer, but I had to get up to Wheeling to see my Dad because I’m staying in Maryland for a few weeks. I just need to stay here. I need to get used to what it’s like to be here. In a few weeks, maybe longer, we’ll welcome my Dad home. A place we never thought he’d see again, really. I can’t believe it’s been three months. At first, they told us he might not even wake up for three months. They told us it could be a year before he spoke. Even longer before he could come home. Ah, predictions. He showed you. Man’s a fighter. I see it every time I see him.

In other news, I can’t believe how many e-mails (or MySpace/Facebook messages) from people who’d never heard the show and listened in Sunday night. Not only listened, but told me how much they loved it. And how hard they laughed at various segments. I haven’t seen e-mail like this since I started this fiasco back in March 2007. It was really encouraging. Sometimes, you wonder if people are out there. After I put up the post for people to listen Sunday, I had 15 people on my page (I saw it through Meebo) at one point. It felt good to see it happen again. I don’t know if it’s that everybody was home and sick of the Olympics or what, but I do hope that if you’re someone who came last week you come again and leave a message so I know you’re listening.

But overall, I’m having a hard time with a few parts of it right now — mostly being that no matter which direction it goes, someone’s not happy. That just leads to apathy on my part, and it could just tie to that I’m exhausted in every sense of the word, but when I’m not having any fun, it could be time to just walk away from it for a bit.

That’s not to say I don’t have fun in parts of it. I’ve laughed hard a few times. But some weeks it’s your fill-in letting you down and forcing a replay, some weeks your co-host’s computer won’t work and he won’t admit it’s his problem so your show is filled with technical glitches, sometimes your co-host shows up and doesn’t care about the stuff you picked but didn’t offer you any alternatives, sometimes people just plain don’t like your co-host. It feels really no-win at times and I’m just trying to have fun.

But I digress. Again, I’d like to attribute it to being worn out. I was reading the Lifestyle/Feature wire at work and there was an article on there about fatigue and how it can really do a number on your life. I’ve been living with chronic fatigue for about 10 years now and I manage it pretty well, but sometimes, I just need to unplug and do nothing but lay around and NOT think. I’ve been through more in 90 days than most people get in months. That I haven’t knocked over a 7-Eleven yet is remarkable.

I did research some Pilates classes downtown, though. That’ll be nice if I can work one of those into the schedule.

So, now you’re up-to-date for the most part with me. Now that I’m reasonably caught up, I’ll try to update a little more. A no-major-travel-on-the-horizon forecast is so refreshing.

a lull in the action

(You know, in case you needed any further proof of my white trash-ness, here’s today’s lunch. But if I may — is that not genius? Pure genius. Screw you, Easy Mac. There’s a new sheriff in town.)

Greetings, readers. All three of you. Ah, but seriously … Seven. Eight, tops.

The ol’ blog’s been quiet for a few days — I’ve been trying to get six days worth of work done in four and navigate our new Web site at work so I haven’t had much in terms of downtime. By the time I’m getting home at night, I’m zoned. But I’ve been reading and keeping up with you all as much as I can.

But some random observations of the last few days:

• CVS at the corner of 15th and K is really just trying to kill me. Their anti-diet-Mountain-Dew aggression will not stand, man. If I have cash, there’s always Vermont International. The hang-up there, of course, being the phrase, “If I have cash.” Cash only businesses piss me off.
• With Metro, I’ve discovered that you either have perfect luck (like you get to the station right as a train comes or where a train will be along in one minute) or you’re just hosed (like last night where at my first stop, I had a seven-minute wait followed by a five-minute wait at the second stop and a three-minute wait at the third. Yes, that’s 15 minutes of just standing).
• I don’t want your text message, Barack Obama. Just tell Drudge and move on.
• My new computer at work is the most amazing machine ever. And it’s a Mac.
• Of the four or five packages a day I get, I’ve only heard of one of them — books, CDs, etc.
• It takes very little to make me happy — a new friend on Facebook, an e-mail from a friend I haven’t heard from in a while, a cat rubbing his head on me and purring and a good show on Sunday. We talked about the egg donation on Sunday and it was great. I got a new caller (Erin!!!) and she was great. I hope she comes back.
• Sunday’s podcast isn’t up because I’m lazy. I just haven’t gotten around to it. But soon, I hope.
• Oh, and most importantly — MY DAD IS WALKING!! Yeah! That’s right. Bob is MOBILE. With help, of course, but he’s mobile. He’s also talking more and more. You can actually hear his voice. He’s good with short questions, but you can tell there’s some processing time there, too. All in all, amazing. Nothing short of my total hero in every sense of the word. He’s tougher than I could ever be.

Other than that, things are normal. I’ve got a ton of uploading to do for work, so I need to get on that, but maybe if I feel like partying, I’ll post some Metro shots from the last few days. I’ve also been spending time at night doing this thing called “reading” where you hold a book and look at the words and they tell a story. It’s pretty badass.

why my mom rocks more than your mom

When I went to West Virginia last weekend, my Mom gave me the above little gadget as a gift. She said she didn’t really need it because she and Dad don’t travel as much as I do and she didn’t want it to not get put to good use.

It’s good to have Jill back. “Jill” was the name of the female voice on the last Garmin I had, and sometimes on long drives to Richmond or Philadelphia, Jill and I would have differences of opinion on the best route there. I was really happy to see that Jill’s voice was on this one, too.

And it was good, again, to have differences of opinion with Jill on the best way to get back to Maryland from Wheeling. When Jill tried to get me to take the California, Pa., exit off Interstate 70 and go down PA 43 to U.S. 119, to Uniontown, Pa., and over to Cumberland, I had to tell Jill I thought she was f-ed in the head. When, a few miles later, she again told me to take PA 51 down to Uniontown, I had to lay down the law. Eventually, Jill just shut up and let me do my damage along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. She didn’t say another word, really, until it was time to get on the Beltway.

But I’m glad to have her, even if I hate her. There are a lot of things I’d like to see in DC, but I never really know the best way to get there. There are a lot of things I’d like to see in Baltimore, but same thing — I know less about Baltimore than I do about Washington. And I figure when things level out, I’ll again be making trips to Richmond and Philadelphia, so it’ll be interesting to fight with her again.

But I promise to not be one of those people who just blindly listen to Jill … You know, the ones who turn into the side wall of a preschool or merge across six lanes of traffic like they’re insane because the navigator said “stay right.”

I couldn’t stay right if I tried.

meanwhile, at the hall of justice

That could sum up the last couple of days for me. I left Maryland at 2 p.m. Friday, and more than six hours later (thanks, in part, to solid traffic and road construction from Maryland to Breezewood, Pa.) got to Wheeling to see my Dad. He looks great. He’s making amazing progress. If all goes well, he’ll be home in about four weeks or so. He actually talked to me Friday night, which was huge. I hadn’t heard his voice since May. Probably Mother’s Day. He wasn’t really down with my move, so we weren’t talking much before this happened. I’m certain nothing like that will every happen again.

Saturday morning, I got up early and headed down to Charleston for Michelle’s shower and bachelorette party. It was so strange going to Charleston. It felt weird. But I had a great time, albeit an exhausted one. I’m certain I’d be more equipped to really cut loose with some ample sleep, but that’s not in the cards for a few more weeks.

Sunday was spent back in Wheeling to see Dad again (it’ll be a couple of weeks before I’m back) and driving home. I found myself on the Pennsylvania Turnpike with NPR being the only radio I could pick up. It was “All Things Considered.” I heard a story about how the Olympics are nothing but out of control nationalism and a huge story about Obama’s first trip to southern Illinois. I wish I was making that up. I really wish I was making that up.

But now, home, and back at it. I saw a Twitter from Ann this morning asking what was up about everybody’s “end of summer” funk, and I full admit I’m in one, too. As I sat on Julie’s couch Sunday morning, I said, “I really feel like I’m one more event away from a ‘hospital grade’ breakdown.” Maybe it’s exaggerating a bit, but I’m starting to feel like I can’t catch a break. Every time I turn around, someone’s angry, something’s broken, something’s going to cost me twice what I expected it to, somebody’s feelings are hurt that I don’t seem like me, etc. I don’t often whine in this space, but without whining too much, I’m really just feeling like I’ve hit my limit.

It does feel good to be back here, though. As crazy an as out of sorts as things feel, at least it’s consistently that way. Consistency’s not always a bad thing.

But in case Karma’s reading today, it’s not funny anymore. I’d like to cash in my good chips.