And we're caught up - 2013!

This was a particularly challenging year - good and bad - maybe I'm accepting more - maybe I'm learning the best place to find my lightened moments is to stop avoiding my dark times.

January - Back from Montana - go on a few trips with good friends to New Hampshire to ice climb. Starting to see cracks in the recent caulking of my romantic relationship.

February - Committed to not just 'running away' - trying to solve the problems in the relationship. It was tough, but I'm glad we did it. Did a couple ice climbing trips to lighten the heaviness.

March - Acknowledgment and realization set in. Went to another life mind-set changing clinic - for skiing at the invitation of a caring friend in Alta, UT.

April - Went back to Utah, this time to climb at Indian Creek with two amazing women friends. Loved being in the desert in an amazing setting.

May - Went to the New, helped my high-school best friend prepare for her wedding - honored to be part of her ceremony.

June - Went to Peru with the family. For two weeks. It was the biggest challenge - being in an amazing country with amazing peaks and learning how to enjoy the moment, just looking at them, and nothing more :)

July - HERA Climb4Life! Third year in a row. Trained for a return to higher, more committing climbs.

August - Continued training - lots of pitches and days at Seneca, ended the month with a wet climbing trip to New Hampshire at Cannon Cliff.

September - Off to Seattle - hardest climb that made me use every ounce of mental, physical, emotional commitment and a lot more spirituality than I would've believe to go car-to-car in four days, with no water source for the first three days. Left the mountain still good friends with my partner.

October - Enjoyed fall climbing among the turning leaves in the East. Swore since my main objective of the year was complete, I didn't need to push myself. But still managed to get on a few climbs I couldn't get to the top of :) and that was ok.

November - Returned to Indian Creek. Fell, injured settled in for recovery. Sigh. Note to self to not ignore the voice coming from my belly - asking me how a 5 pitch desert tower at 5.10 was an appropriate rest day activity with a two hour approach on either end? Oh well, learning not to take it so hard on myself.

December - Focused on recovery, studying, although got in a couple ski days at the local Pennsylvania resort - despite physical therapists admonishment. Tried ice climbing again end of the month. Had a little bit to go before back in my usual condition and shape.

2012 in Review

2011 was a year for big transitions, from not working, to the anxiety of being jobless and needing the security of a salaried gig.

2012 - was perhaps about getting more settled - and perhaps seeing after I wrote the summaries - of giving myself healthy doses of mountains:

January - Ice climbing for New Years, and the long weekend holidays. It was nice to spend that time on the road with good friends.

February - Itching for adventure, especially after a marathon run of Banff Mountain Filmfest screening at the National Geographic, hopped on a plane with all my ice climbing equipment, prepared to beg, bribe, and sweet talk my way into ice climbing partnerships. Luckily, the IME icefest organizers let me squeeze into two fantastic clinics with Freddie Wilkinson and Mark Synnott. Went to Utah to ski- Snowbasin and Snowbird. Maybe I should have taken that as a sign my itch to be in the mountains would not be appeased.

March - Epic ski trip to Hokkaido, Japan. Amazing backcountry/side-country skiing - open bowl skiing followed by long soaks in mineral hot springs. Unfortunately blew my knee on my fourth day out. I had stretched it out plenty by trying to rid myself of a cold I caught on the flight over. Unfortunately returned a couple days earlier to seek medical treatment.

April - Yea - back in physical therapy. Got into a relationship. Did my annual international film fest binge in D.C. Took a pretty amazing climbing clinic that changed my head - Trad Mental Camp.

May - Gunks, New York City, a small turbo prop flight where they promoted me to captain and promptly fell asleep - thankfully the co-pilot was on it! My first visit to Oregon, sea-side whale sightings, Wilmette Valley Pinot Noir, micro-brews in rainy Bend, Smith Rocks climbing.

June - With a bum knee, started taking opera singing lesson. Yes, opera singing lessons :) Please don't ask me to sing though.

July - Rockclimbing in North Conway, mostly Cathedral. Fighting urges to flee a relationship - learned about working it out like adults, being vulnerable and not blaming.

August - My journey into alternative therapies, catalyzed by a surprise allergic reaction and lack of immediate specialist appointment, sought the acupuncturist. Got the first glimmer of hope I could recover my right ankle to climb harder, longer, and go back to mountaineering/ alpine climbing.

September - the usual Fall climbing, weddings, quick East-side trips.

October - Went to Yosemite - awesome to return and climb! Met some amazing people in an amazing setting. Inspired, totally inspired.

November - A few bits of local climbing - with locally born and raised climbers - enjoying the changing of the season, family-time.

December - took off on a one-month unpaid sabbatical to Montana. Drove through the northern states. Spent time in Bozeman for the icefest, climbing in Hyalite Canyon, and then the rest of the time in Big Sky, skiing at Moonlight and Big Sky. Finished out Christmas in Wyoming, skiing at the epic Jackson Hole.

The years have passed and where have my 'plans' gone ...

The old years in review. I'm sometimes surprised how long I've stayed in one place. Going back the to San Juans of SW Colorado rekindled something in me - maybe that promise to take off West. I cried for an hour the day after my plane left. I was secretly hoping United would have cancelled my flight and I would've had to stay in SW Colorado another day or two. But it didn't so here are the years I didn't post

2011 - What a doozy, when my great road trip ended and life back in the rat race began.

January - spent a month in the San Juans of SW Colorado - predominantly living in Ouray. On the way stopped in West Virginia Snowshoe for some night skiing and the Bourbon trail in Kentucky. Our next stop was in Denver at a friend's, and then a stop in Breckenridge, and then some godforsaken Motel 6 - maybe just outside of Grand Junction, on the way to Ouray. Discovered backcountry powder skiing at Red Mountain Pass, took ski lessons at Telluride, spent a few days with friends in Crested Butte. Took a five day hut tour among the Burn and Ridgeway huts in the San Juans - became so hooked on backcountry skiing - swore to learn to ski all kinds of mountain terrain in any and every condition, and probably never come back to Colorado just to ice climb.

February - returned to the Front Range, stayed another night in Denver, checked out Loveland, a second time at Breckenridge and Copper Mountain. I drove back through a Rocky Mountain snow storm. Eventually left the storm in Kansas city. Crashed in St. Louis. Drove straight to D.C. A week after Valentine's day got dumped.

March - Started earnestly looking for a job. Interviewed and accepted a job as an outdoor climbing instructor for REI. Started the dance to get a salaried office job. Ice climbed in the Adirondacks and fell of the second pitch of Multiplication Gulley, a 240' New England ice climb. Began the saga of right foot restoration. Went back to Crested Butte. Craiglisted a ride from Denver to Buena Vista, skied at Arapahoe Basin, met two road-tripping friends and skied at Crested Butte for a few awesome days.

April - rock climbed with friends back in the mid-Atlantic. Did some pre-employment training. Accepted an offer from the big company.

May - started work at the big company. Worked a lot. Went on a few climbing trips to the Gunks and the New River Gorge.

June - Lots of work - went to Atlanta for a brief moment.

July - First year participating in HERA Climb4Life

August - Lots of employer subsidized rehabbing the right ankle and a broken heart.

September - Trip to climb Mt. Shuksan, Washington - realized the foot may not heal the way I hoped.

October - Lots of volunteer climbing events, for Wounded Warrior, spent time at Seneca Rocks, Red River Gorge, had lots of fun - did some easier fun climbing.

November - Continued to appreciate being back home and seeing good friends.

December - Returned to the Front Range of Colorado - Vail specifically - in a fairly low-snow season.

Re-capping 2010

This was an old post that when I went to publish, blogger crapped out on me:

Besides turning 30 what did I do was notable? Somethings I've posted about already, and I'm thinking about my 'never' list but I'm too lazy to find it and scan it ... maybe an idea for something else I can look up.

January - I remember I was living in Ballston fooling myself into thinking I could continue working for DoD. I probably went on some ice climbing trips. I also mourned the loss of my colleague in Afghanistan. I learned my aunt had breast cancer.

February - Probably more ice climbing trips. Took my first avalanche awareness course.

March - Took my second avalanche course and skied in Colorado for the first time. Crested Butte. Discovered powder. Became insanely jealous of my avalanche comrades who were outfitted in skis while I tromped clumsily around Rocky Mountain National Park in my snowshoes. Snuck in a rockclimbing trip to the Gunks.

April - Moved back to D.C. after realizing I was never going to adapt to living in Arlington. Started appreciating spring time in the city, trained for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer by walking everywhere, 5 to 10 miles a day. Attended DC filmfest fiendishly.

May - Walked a marathon length one day, and a half marathon length the second day. Hardest thing I have ever done. My feet felt like raw pulverized ground meat for a week. Continued training. Went on a date with the first climber to become my boyfriend in six years.



June - Left for Tanzania. Wowed by wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Got followed around by a toad in our camp, witnessed wild cheetahs nearby and giraffes in the parking lot. Scared off by lions in the ladies room. Summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, my first and probably only Seven Summit.

July - Said goodbye to a dear friend after his quick spirited and calm acceptance with a terminal illness. Climbed my first of the 50 Classic Climbs of North America - the Petit Grepon on my return visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. Notably this was date # 6 with my ex-boyfriend to be and my first successful alpine route. Another post warrants on date # 6. I also quit my cushy federal job, missed my flight back to DC and instead visited friends in Seattle and San Diego for another 10 days.

August - I returned just in time from my adventures out west to go on date #10 to Chamonix, France. There I didn't climb anything of consequence but had a great time with friends, ate yummy food, dealt with my nagging independence in the face of a looming relationship, and soaked in beautiful views of the French Alps.

September - More home bound than planned due to an recurring illness. Got to be around one of my best friends and witness her become a mother to two children. Eventually got back to San Diego to climb. Climbed my second alpine route in Teton National Park, although not a 50 classic, I thought a better climb than the Petit Grepon.

October- My favorite climbing season, discovered the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, went to an old favorite, the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Took off for a cross-country road-trip.

November - Drove to Joshua Tree, CA and back. On the way saw an old friend and made new ones. Definitely pushed my climbing further than I ever have before. Returned in time for the holidays.

December - Christmas Day ice climbing, worked outdoor recreation equipment and clothing retail, got my first big scare on a lead climb in the Dacks. The same one I got a bloody nose on earlier in the year in January. Realized I was soloing a 350' slush cone of a waterfall ice climb and experienced near anchor failure (would've been catastrophic had it actually happened).
Worked New Year's Eve after driving back from that trip during the night before, and opened my eyes just enough to see fireworks over Baltimore harbor.

fiend about film

I'm contemplating going to this year's Banff Film Fest. Only because I can't wait until the legendary homage to the year's best films about mountain culture comes to D.C.'s National Geographic in the late winter/early Spring of NEXT year. But I realize I've been extremely negligent about reviewing films I saw at this year's DC International filmfest. You'll have to pardon me as most of the time I was living out of the trunk of my car and found blogging through a blackberry is a real pain.

Ashes of American Flags: Wilco Live
What a great band and what a great documentary on them! The premise is the D.C.-based director felt bad about the last documentary he produced on Wilco, where Jeff Tweedy appeared to be ... well an asshole. When a Q&A was held after the screening, the audience couldn't satiate their thirst for answers on working with the band. Turns out Wilco really is that good live, and very little sound mixing had to be done for the scenes. Additionally the directors provided some great footage of some historic American music venues, sandwiched between panoramas from the bus as they drove into towns, cities, and through the country-side.

The Blind Sunflowers
Really amazing film. I still feel guilt for leaving the film before the Q&A was finished with the Spanish-speaking director, but alas, it was a school night. Not at all a peppy film like the title might make you think, (focus on the Blind). It centers around a family, internally resistant to the Franco regime, but must contend with the outside world while keeping appearances, knowing some of their loved ones are in a struggle to leave.

The Chaser
The most disturbing film I've seen this year. It's not that you don't know who the killer is, but it's just wondering if the so-called 'good' guys will ever catch up. Graphic displays of gory death, I shudder to even think about it. I'm curious to see how the Korean film industry will go global after this one.

Ciao Bella
Cute, really cute and funny. Flick about horny teenagers but with an international twist. Son of a dentist Persian teen and a Swedish gal heart-broken after a summer fling.

Hasan and Marcos
My Arabic school friends and I got so used to screenings every Friday night at Middlebury, we couldn't resist watching this one. I think the audience took it more seriously than it needed to be taken. Yes it's funny, yes it's over the top. And someone correct me, but I thought the politics were a bit over the top too (as in the religious divide it tries to portray).

Ramchand Pakistani
I really enjoyed this film. Incredibly nuanced with balanced portrayals of the affected family members. It is a bit long as many films from the subcontinent tend to be.

Skin
What an incredible film and one of the more powerful I've seen on the subject of race. And how absurd it is, the notion that humans are different because of the color of their skin. Because it's based on a true story, it resonates more to how brutal members of families can be to one another, and much more humankind.

looking back at '09

We make resolutions, and some of us the same ones ... save money, lose weight, exercise more. I feel like I just roll my resolutions over. Last year it was go on a mountaineering adventure and finish graduate school. And the latter was a resolution I had from 2007. Well what did I do that was new in 2008? Here they go:



1. Did my first gully climb, in New Hampshire

2. Did my first winter alpine ascent, on Mt. Katahdin, Maine (unfortunately this did not meet my threshold for a mountaineering adventure as my other requirement for it was to be at altitude)

3. Bought a sports car, a very expensive sports car

4. Lived in another Middle Eastern country, but not one in a war

5. Took my first trad leader fall on Laurel at the Gunks (red C3 caught me but also took up my precious handhold for the crux move)

6. Finished my graduate degree

7. Passed the bloody GWU Arabic assessment after 9 weeks of language study hell at Middlebury

8. Climbed the longest single technical route in a day ... 800+ feet, swapping leads on the Standard Route, White Horse Ledges, New Hampshire

9. Hiked up the tallest peak in NY and didn't even see it (spectacles iced over on Mt. Marcy)

10. Shot a long gun, repeatedly for days

11. Learned to give someone intravenous fluid, and actually prepped and poked someone to achieve said I.V.

12. Lived with my cat for over six months since college, until my sister cat-napped him

13. Bought a blackberry, giving up living with a laptop or internet service

14. Went to Jerusalem, somehow remembered the opening chapter of the Quran, thus proving I was Muslim and able to enter the Dome of the Rock and the interiors of the two mosques

what did i do that was new in '07?

1. Shot a pistol ... very successfully (targets not people)

2. Learned to drive from the passenger side while supressing a 300 lb cop

3. Flew in a Blackhawk

4. Lived in a warzone, came back with PTSD from said warzone

5. Got back on a horse after my Bermuda accident, around the pyramids, of all places, yes Giza

6. Mumbled my way through an Arabic-speaking country

7. Learned to ice climb, then spent thousands of dollars on said equipment

8. Pulled a roof on trad lead!

9. Caught four trad leader falls, of guys much bigger than me (I wish it came with lifetime beer subscription)

10. Got my haircut in Paris ;)

11. Thinking my outdoor footwear had to be the most expensive, outdid it by buying a pair of beautiful Dior pumps in Paris

12. Went flying off into the white abyss on Mt. Whistler, British Columbia while skiing

13. For three months, had beautifully pedicured feet and manicured hands (couldn't climb in B-dad!)

14. went to London AGAIN without visiting Ireland or Scotland

retrospect 2007

I sometimes go back and read what I wrote in prior times, so here was a list I made about a year and a half ago. I took out the stuff I already did (hence missing number) and things I don't really care about or were associated with things I did in a previous like (like taekwondo).

things i've never done (and may never do)

2. Cheated on someone
3. Scuba dived
4. Smoked marijuana
3. Killed someone
4. Went Caving
5. Taken any illegal drug that had no age restrictions
6. Driven a motorcycle
7. Swam a lap

9. Played drums
10. Left the DC metro area for another place to live (3 months in Baghdad!)
11. Travelled 4 times to the UK and went to Scotland or Ireland
12. Skied a Black Diamond


15. Owned a dog
16. not talked to my mom for a week
17. talked to my dad continuously for a week
18. gotten married
19. had kids
20. owned a sports car
21. Been to Amsterdam, Luxembourg, or Monaco
22. acted in a widely distributed film
23. hang-glided
24. landed a single propeller engine airplane

26. gotten into a street fight has dramatically changed
27. stood up a date
28. faked liking a boy

30. saw the 'drag races' in Dupont
31. driven a car on a race track
32. Sailed a boat on my own
33. ice skated without falling
34. gone to the Phillips collection
35. Been to Washington state
36. painted a room all by myself
37. held a spider
38. been to Eastern Europe
39. defended a dissertation

41. Had surgery

44. fallen for a South Asian man
45. not had a boyfriend who wasn't some part Anglo-Saxon
46. voted Republican
47. Voted before 2004
48. gone to Fur
49. tolerated cigarette smoking very well

why i hate facebook

1. Too many people think this is a good and fast way to communicate with friends, despite already having e-mail or mobile contact info
2. Your relatives can post unflattering pics of you and the schmuck you dumped two days ago can use it as ammunition to make himself feel better
3. Bloody apps! Bloody apps! I don't want no freakin' apps!
4. The funwall makes it possible to bring about the re-emergence of that which is hated of all things: the chain-mail, without the consequences of the spam blocker
5. You always get notices some message is waiting for you on facebook, but then you can't login to check it because the server is too damn busy
6. Its banned at work
7. Your younger cousins who look up to you can see pics your friends posted of you in interesting situations
8. People believe they have real friends because they can count their numbers on a website
9. People drop big news like changes in relationship status on their facebook profile pages
10. Its killin' the romance ;)

4 or against rug rats

Courtesy of a Salon article (my response in pink):

10 reasons you would like/not like to have a kid. Go.

10. Nobody under the age of 10 will ever throw up on me. (I've had an elderly guy dying from a heart attack PROJECTILE VOMIT on me while I was performing CPR on him ... don't think that's much of a concern for me ... urine and feces, that's another issue)
9. When I have bags under my eyes they are the result of staying out too late at a pub with friends. (very temporal though)
8. I don't have to worry about finding "the best" schools.
7. Taking sick time/vacation when I want to instead of when the daycare provider does. (We're going to the goddamn zoo or the climbing wall, my kids will be ass-kicking rockclimbers)
6. Avoiding the obligation to find a kid-friendly event, location, dvd etc. for my leisure time. (but I always liked Disney)
5. A sense that I'm fulfilling my obligations to the next generation by leaving a smaller eco-footprint (i.e. fewer consumers). (That was my moral argument in my undergrad Theories in American Democracy class)
4. Fewer financial worries about my current and future life.
3. No risk of ruining someone's psyche. (Fear I have already done that to my siblings)
2. Not having to build a tolerance for screaming babies or children, or equally exasperating loud activities. I think some of my earliest child-free thoughts were due to my intolerance for noise. (Geez, teaching Tae Kwon Do has already built that up)
1. Not having to spend my time thinking and worrying about what will be good for the kid (child-rearing techniques, health, neighborhood, etc.).
I'm sure there are many more reasons, what are yours? And those on the "childed" side, what are the benefits you think I should consider?

OK, here's the first 10 that come to mind, mundane and profound all jumbled together:
1. Endless entertainment. I laugh far more often than I did before I had kids. They are damned funny people.
2. Get to learn about one of my favorite subjects, how humans learn, firsthand.
3. Get to explore another favorite interest, language acquisition, firsthand.
4. Have a reason to go to all the fun places you might not go without a child like kiddie amusement parks and museums.
5. The social aspects of parenting in this community -- lots of interaction with similar families and lots of stuff to do, and I feel connected with the place and schools and institutions more than I probably would have forced myself to do without the kids.
6. What the hell, I'll say it -- looking at them. I think my kids are beautiful and I sometimes can't believe I had anything to do with creating them. (I am somewhat afraid of giving birth to ugly children)
7. Endorphins -- having a young child is kind of like the endorphin equivalent of falling in love, constantly. I'm constantly being reminded with a sort of emotional whoomph in my chest how much I adore them.
8. Giving birth. I'm very glad that I got to experience the amazing rush of pregnancy and childbirth. (I never liked getting my period, I admit having a fear of giving birth)
9. The satisfaction of working at something that is difficult but worth doing well.
10. Making my husband a father. It's amazing to see him with them and wonderful to partner with him in this. We were a great couple, and I feared losing that, but I love us as parents too. It does take a lot more work sometimes, but difficult does not necessarily = bad.
11. Laughing toddler crawling into bed in the morning. It just does not get better than that.

retrospect

I sometimes go back and read what I wrote in prior times, so here was a list I made about this time of year last year, and here's what's changed:

things i've never done (and may never do)
1. Smoked a cigarette
2. Cheated on someone
3. Scuba dived
4. Smoked marijuana
3. Killed someone
4. Went Caving
5. Taken any illegal drug that had no age restrictions
6. Driven a motorcycle
7. Swam a lap
8. Been to the Southern Hemisphere
9. Played drums
10. Left the DC metro area for another place to live
11. Travelled 4 times to the UK and went to Scotland or Ireland
12. Skied a Black Diamond
13. Pulled off a successful turning hook kick in a taekwondo tournament
14. Serenaded a man
15. Owned a dog
16. not talked to my mom for a week
17. talked to my dad continuously for a week
18. gotten married
19. had kids
20. owned a sports car
21. Been to Amsterdam, Luxembourg, or Monaco
22. acted in a widely distributed film23. hang-glided
24. landed a single propeller engine airplane
25. been to the Middle East for more than 18 hours
26. gotten into a street fight (does this count?)
27. stood up a date
28. faked liking a boy
29. pledged a sorority
30. saw the 'drag races' in Dupont
31. driven a car on a race track
32. Sailed a boat on my own
33. ice skated without falling
34. gone to the Phillips collection
35. Been to Washington state
36. painted a room all by myself
37. held a spider
38. been to Eastern Europe
39. defended a dissertation
40. Looked out the telescopes on O'Hill
41. Had surgery
42. completed climbing Romeo's Ladder
43. rafted the Gauley River
44. fallen for a South Asian man
45. not had a boyfriend who wasn't some part Anglo-Saxon
46. voted Republican
47. Voted before 2004
48. gone to Fur
49. tolerated cigarette smoking very well
50. played foosball with any skill
51. gotten into the top four in the National Taekwondo Championship

the point guide

I can't say this speaks for all women, but I figure it's time to put it out there. Particularly given how the change in a women's status and opportunities have also confused relations between the sexes. So here's a sampling of behaviors that are rewarded and infractions that may be grounds for dismissal:

Rewarded:

Courtesy, ie:) opening doors, saying please, thank you, I think Cleveland Park Men's Best Practices actually does a good job of explaining this) (100)
Paying for a meal on the first date, but if she insists (ask if she's sure) on splitting the check, then do it (100)
Flowers, particularly unexpectedly (100)
In general surprising her in a good way (500)
Being romantic but not in a gag reflex kind of way (you have to figure this one out on your own, see the next point) (500)
Listening to her (you can show you are by asking questions about what she's talking to you about) (500)
Making her laugh (500)
When introducing you to your friends, making it easy (500)
Cooking her a meal (not appropriate for the first date) (500)
Being confident and sure of yourself without being egotistical and arrogant (750)
Having her parents get along with you (1000-not necessary for everyone)
Having her friends get along with you (1000-not necessary for everyone)

Infractions:

Trying to get her drunk on the first date (-100)
Eying other girls in her presence (-500)
Hitting on other girls in her presence (grounds for dismissal)
Making fun of her -and not in a good way (grounds for dismissal)
Being on a completely different planet during a date (-400)
Hiding something bothering you by repeatedly saying you're fine! (-50-you can admit it without divulging details)
Not returning a phone call (-10, if repeated grounds for dismissal)
Standing her up (grounds for dismissal)
The mother hates you (grounds for dismissal-can depend on the woman)
Fighting with her friends (depends on the situation--I've been both: the disapproving friend, and the datee caught between a rock and a hard place)
Obsessive, jealous or manipulative behaviors (grounds for dismissal)
Cheating on her (grounds for being strung by your balls from a tree branch)

girl's best pick me up (yes a list)

1. George of the Jungle--Buffed tan Brendan Frasier in a 'butt flap' and adorable little jungle animals?
2. Jaleo ... there's nothing a pitcher of brandy spiked sangria can't cure.
3. Shopping, after said pitcher of sangria at Jaleo
4. endorphines, works every time, whether on the treadmill, outside, in the weight room, or a cardio kickboxing class ... EVEN better is a high impact Taekwondo sparring class
5. rockclimbing-sweating it out on the rock
6. a getaway to Great Falls or a nearby park
7. a massage from gentle fingers
8. Hugging Valdemar
9. The little plates menu at Indique
10. A martini ;)

What's your pick me up?

girl women

Having heard much about the Cleveland Park Men's Club, I decided to peruse their website. For a sampling ...

Women vs. Girls

From a man’s perspective there are two types of available females: Women and Girls. At a certain point in his maturation, a man realizes that the latter category is an utter waste of his time, while the former category is rare and worth doing virtually anything to find and to keep, to have and to hold....

THIS IS A GIRL... A Girl
possesses a combination of several of the following characteristics.
OVER-CONCERNED WITH : UNDER-CONCERNED WITH'
Her Manicure : A Cure for Breast Cancer
Her Shoe Collection : Her Collected Works
Shopping : Living
Sitcom Plot Lines : Political Plot Lines
Being Skinny : Being Genuine ....

THIS IS A WOMAN...
A Woman possesses a combination of several of the following characteristics.
SHE IS : SHE IS NOT
Independent : Trying to Be a Man’s Dependent
Confident : Seeking Men to Bolster Confidence
Passionate About Something: Passionate Only for a Lover
Capable of Loving a Man : Capable of Loving a Man’s Title
Mature Enough to Be a Mom : Simply Capable of Being a Mother
Genuine : Putting on a Show to Catch a Man
Sincere : Playing Games to Test a Man
Longing for Love : Seeking Only Romantic Trappings
Self-Aware : Only Aware of Her

I find it ironic because I don't think most men would know a woman if she hit him over the head. Generally these are the men who think they'll find the 'one' at a bar or something. But Bureauqette, don't you go clubbing? Yah to dance with girlfriends in nice big circle, elbowing and shoving male interlocutors.

But ya know it got me thinking, I don't think it's so much the difference between women and girls, because I see the same difference between boys and men, if you can call it that. Really it comes down to experience and maturity. I've only had two boyfriends to speak of and they shared similiar backgrounds: parents still together, stay at home mom, private school education, good colleges, professionals. When I asked what was the worst time of their life, their response might have been something that was no doubt tough for them, but I think in the realm of childhood, experiences that were not particularly extreme or uncommon. I'm not going to say my childhood was worse or better than anyone else's, but there's a difference between people who've had to be decision makers in their families, and been part of the process of severe life changing events. There are other people who've had near perfect childhoods, one that anyone would want for their children. Although those are the people I find have a sunny rosy view of life, care not for health risks or other small disasters because although they've been preached about it, they have not experienced the vagaries of life.

So what about girls and women? How about immature versus mature applying to both sexes?

things i've never done (and may never do)

1. Smoked a cigarette
2. Cheated on someone
3. Scuba dived
4. Smoked marijuana
3. Killed someone
4. Went Caving
5. Taken any illegal drug that had no age restrictions
6. Driven a motorcycle
7. Swam a lap
8. Been to the Southern Hemisphere
9. Played drums
10. Left the DC metro area for another place to live
11. Travelled 4 times to the UK and went to Scotland or Ireland
12. Skied a Black Diamond
13. Pulled off a successful turning hook kick in a taekwondo tournament
14. Serenaded a man
15. Owned a dog
16. not talked to my mom for a week
17. talked to my dad continuously for a week
18. gotten married
19. had kids
20. owned a sports car
21. Been to Amsterdam, Luxembourg, or Monaco
22. acted in a widely distributed film
23. hang-glided
24. landed a single propeller engine airplane
25. been to the Middle East for more than 18 hours
26. gotten into a street fight
27. stood up a date
28. faked liking a boy
29. pledged a sorority
30. saw the 'drag races' in Dupont
31. driven a car on a race track
32. Sailed a boat on my own
33. ice skated without falling
34. gone to the Phillips collection
35. Been to Washington state
36. painted a room all by myself
37. held a spider
38. been to Eastern Europe
39. defended a dissertation
40. Looked out the telescopes on O'Hill
41. Had surgery
42. completed climbing Romeo's Ladder
43. rafted the Gauley River
44. fallen for a South Asian man
45. not had a boyfriend who wasn't some part Anglo-Saxon
46. voted Republican
47. Voted before 2004
48. gone to Fur
49. tolerated cigarette smoking very well
50. played foosball with any skill
51. gotten into the top four in the National Taekwondo Championship

advice to pedestrians

I am one too and probably guilty of all these things; but these are observations I notice mostly when I'm on my bike:

1. Walk in a straight line, do not weave around, there could be a bicyclist behind you trying to figure where you're trying to go so they can avoid hitting you

2. When listening to your music or talking on your cell, do not look at the ground, look up and around you. Multi-tasking: I know it's tough after a hard day at work

3. Just because you're in a group, doesn't mean you can take up the whole sidewalk, ownership of concrete by numbers does not apply in the District

4. Pedestrians tend to weave back and forth like squirrels when they see an oncoming bike and are surprised by it. Do not behave like a squirrel, you are smarter; pick your first direction and go with it, bicyclist will adjust accordingly.

5. Be mindful of the arms signals bicyclists make. A straight arm (with left arm) means turning left, a left arm bent at the elbows at a 90 degree angle means turning right.

7. This is a common on a bike path, if you hear 'on your left' that means stay to your right, that does not mean turn around and put yourself in the path of the bicyclist.

I realize bicyclists are guilty of many errors and audacious maneuvers on roads and sidewalks, particularly since DC does not have bike lanes, the bike lanes are the roads. And yes, I heard somewhere that bikes aren't allowed on sidewalks, but I've yet to hear of a DC cop enforce that one ... [I've blatantly run red lights (when no one is going to be crossing for miles) in front of cops and have yet to get a ticket ... I suppose my day will come].

curb my enthusiasm

Yay! So Naomi actually tagged me for an mme! I have no idea what that means but it's cool because I can now blog about this topic:

List five things that people in your circle of friends or peer group are wild about, but you can’t really understand the fuss over.

1. Bars--yeah everyone in DC is nuts about them ... clearly I have a thriving social life ;) But this hatred of bars is already well documented.

2. Lost--that show with dinosaurs and stuff ... After the Alias creators lost me on Sydney's two year 'bout of amnesia in Season 3, I decided the creators were whack ... and I couldn't be sorely disappointed by a new series again.

3. Marathons--I used to think getting into a ring with a complete stranger and battling it out for 3 2-minute rounds in a Taekwondo tournament in some godforsaken mid-Western city like Cleveland or Detroit , paying for hotel, airfare, and tournament fees only to get my ass whipped was bad ... but DAMN running 26 1/2 miles???!!! Props to masochists!!! No, truly I respect you, but it's not on my list of things to do.

4. Arlington-it sucks and YOU GUYS ARE NOT FROM DC!

5. The Yuppie thing-people are actually proud of that ... how can you be proud of that??? Stupid smarmy SUV riding-yellow 'support the troops' ribboned weapons of bicyclist-death. The irony of the 'support the troops' sticker on a SUV ... need I say more?

Even though people don't read my blog, I hope anyone who reads this isn't pissed at me. Really I love you Becca, Julie, and Naomi ... you guys and some other friends are the only reason I'd think about getting off the metro at an Arlington stop .... that and Pho 75. I do have to say, Arlington rocks because it does have a Pho 75. Marathoner's do rock ... my body and mental abilities are just not up to the task. And I've never seen an episode of 'Lost', but the Alias writers have truly scared me from ever watching any of their creations. I still stand by yuppies and bars sucking, which is why it's harder to drag me into Arlington imbibing establishments than a true redneck establishment.