doing the john quincy adams thing

Seeing Julie and Julia this weekend put me in a frame of mind to think about blogging, and its value for me and for others. I’ve kept a blog in one form or another since my livejournal in high school, writing less and less frequently over time. In high school, I primarily wrote in my livejournal because it was a way to feel connected to the people I considered friends. I’ve always been enchanted by the idea of being a good diarist – as a child, my favorite books were always biographies of people who kept glorious diaries (to a certain extent, they still are. speaking of which, the John Q. Adams twitter project is fabulous), and livejournal seemed like a good way to fulfill my ambition to record my thoughts through the ease of the computer.

Somewhere around the time I graduated from college, I abandoned the livejournal and started this blog, which I’ve updated not even a dozen times since. Partially this is related to the 9-5 work day thing, and partially this is due to the fact that I don’t have an audience like I did with the livejournal – there is a large part of me that loves performing for an audience, and I think I’m just less motivated when I don’t think anyone reads it. Well, noone reads this blog (although I believe my sister Alli follows it), but I’ve decided to revive it nonetheless.

For me, blogs can serve a few purposes – the narcissistic look-at-me, look-at-my-life type entries that Julie’s husband judges in Julie and Julia, the very informative type entries in formal blogs like my favorite, ClimateProgress, or the diary-type entries. I’ve discovered that I truly love looking back on the 5 or so years where I documented much of my life on livejournal. Yes, I wrote entries as a way of reaching out when feeling lonely, yes, they’re narcissistic, and yes, noone really reads them anyway. But I’ve discovered that I’m amused by the version of myself I present in those old entries. 17-year-old me makes me smile, and cry, and guffaw. So I think I’ll try to write more, because when I’m 29, 23-year-old me is going to seem very peculiar.

P.S. - Julie and Julia - SUCH a cute movie. Meryl Streep is a goddess, Amy Adams was a little annoying but lovable nonetheless, and the marriages the movie portrayed were just a joy to watch. Go see it, nonexistent reader. No really, go see it.

oldish and brownish and grayish and mossy

apparently, they're making a CGI version of this soon. I can only say that after the resounding success of Horton Hears a Who, I am very very excited.

May was full of promises, but she couldn't keep em quick enough for some

June was a wonderful month, full of work goodness (got quoted in the New York Times! a number I put together was used by Obama mama!) and lots of good friend-time.

I was in particular a big fan of my most recent foray into NYC -- although I only got to see Schutz for a very little bit (he was in crazy trial mode), I got to see Matt Stern for the first time in a while (complete with Missy and Skrevsky gallumphing), and got to see a new broadway show (Shrek the Musical, which was surprisingly lovely). I also got my Jew-girl on -- Shabbos dinner at David's with Brandeis folks and shul on the upper West side with Jonathan and other Brandeisians. Highlights of the weekend were clearly when we met Allison Janey (of CJ Cregg fame) on the street outside her show 9 to 5 (this makes my second picture with a West Wing cast member in as many summers), and the Egg Rolls and Egg Creams eggstravaganza (teehee) with Jonathan, Katherine, and Ronis in Chinatown. SUCH a good weekend.

Other highlights included the Press Club pub quiz win by Team Low Hanging Fruits, Alexander and Lilly's engagement party (which necessitated a kosher vacation so I could enjoy the crab feast, and which included lots of lovely catching up time with old PV friends), and going to my first TV screening (followed by Coco Sala, SUCH a cool restaurant). Uncle Stu visited, and Alli and I went to the Gay Pride Festival, and I went to Eastern Market for the first time -- I actually went twice in one weekend, I liked it so much. I found a great bookstore right there, and have become obsessed with a spicy black bean dip that's sold in the market. Last but not least, junior staff had a rolicking good time at our first potluck party, which was clearly a wonderful success.

the darling month when everyone throws self-control away

May and June are past. Which is mostly sad because they're the months when I allow myself to sing The Lusty Month of May and June is Bustin' Out All Over on repeat for a month straight.

May was a lovely month, full of reunions and family and many wonderful things. Work-wise, it was pretty great -- W-M passed out of committee, necessitating an analysis at work, which was really fun (I'm starting to love this job!)

The month began with a visit to DC by Mommy Mona and Nor-man, culminating in the discovery of my new favorite restaurant: Founding Farmers in Foggy Bottom. Dad also visited that week (to help Alli move), and then Mom came the next weekend to bring Alli the car/back to DC, which clearly necessitated a wonderful day of Mother's Day celebrations.

We gallumphed about the Farmer's Market (check out these GORGEOUS mushrooms we found), and then took Mom for brunch at Afterwords Cafe -- happy avocado hollandaise breakfast sandwich day.

Other fun May activities included a tour of some of the European embassies (Spain, Germany, France, and Sweden) with Whitney. Favorite parts of the day included an afternoon stroll in Georgetown, flamenco dancers at the Spanish embassy, and cool energy saving designs at the Swedish embassy.

The next weekend was more laid-back, but equally fun. Max arrived in DC, and Whitney, Molly, and I journeyed to Middleburg, VA for wine tours at two vineyards and lovely walks around the very cute town. We sampled some really nice wines and basically just enjoyed frolicking in the green-ness after a winter full of cement and city.

Since it was Memorial Day weekend, we had Monday off, and Alli, Max, and I took full advantage of it, eating lunch at this great vegan Israeli falafel stand in Takoma Park and then walking around the Tidal Basin - note to self: need to paddleboat sometime this summer.

I finished off a month of great weekends with a trip home to Philadelphia for two different reunions -- first, reuniting with Skrevsky (!) after her year in Israel, and second, going to my 5-year high school reunion at the Trappe and then reunionizing with Audra and John, my essop posse kids. The next day, Mom and I saw The Producers at Walnut Street Theater (she hadn't seen it, but now she finally gets the max-a-menschen joke!)

Whew! what a month!

now that I'm two weeks into 23, the 22 best things about 22!

Okay, so my birthday was a week ago. But I'm feeling reflective, so in no particular order, here's a list of the 22 greatest things I did when I was 22.

1. I discovered the glory of Brothers and Sisters. and when I say discovered, I mean Schutzer told me to watch it because Jonathan told him to so I did.

2. I had a record number of jobs in one year (TBE, CA, Abramson, Or Ami, Franklin Institute, and ACEEE!). Two of those were my first real full-time jobs!

3. The moment Obama got elected was definitely one of the best moments. I was on the phone with Schutz in my little loft at Bubbie Ethel's house, and they called Virginia, and then we realized that all he needed was California, and then they called California, and then we flipped out.

4. Okay, similiar to #3 - but I was in DC for inauguration and the concert and inauguration itself (even if I didn't go outside because it was freezing and I had moved here a few days before) were wonderful.

5. Got obsessed with LOST. It was Katherine's fault (as many of my TV addictions tend to be), but then I came to DC and started watching with a v fun group of people.

6. Met E.O. Wilson, one of the greatest biologists alive today, when he gave a talk at the Free Library of Philadelphia.

7. Worked at the Franklin Institute for 6 months, thus following in the footsteps of my favorite Chem teacher ever, and getting to dissect eyeballs, make paper, and run an 80-year-old train for a living.

8. I signed up for Twitter, and now follow NPR, J Street, and Obama mama. Also, I've gone through Claire McCaskill and John McCain phases, like you do.

9. I got my first apartment! I mean, I share it with other people, but it's still my first apartment, full of IKEA furniture and other wonderfulness!

10. I saw Bradley Whitford (aka Josh Lyman) TWICE - once in his great play on Broadway, Boeing Boeing, and once at an Alliance for Justice event in DC (which involved him singing If I Had a Hammer on stage with Peter of Peter Paul and Mary :) )

11. I finally went to visit Prisco at St. Bonaventure's. five years into her living there, it was time

12. I moved to a city where people come to visit. a lot. It's wonderful! Mat and Matt and Elizabeth and Missy and Sarah and Katherine and Jenna and Jonathan (well, he's from here, that doesn't count) and Elana and David and Miriam (whew!) have all come here within the past few months, and that really does make me really really happy.

13. I transitioned very well to post-Brandeis life. Minus the bumpier months when I was living at home. But looking at the whole year, I've done quite well at becoming, if not a real person, a very happy not-in-college person. There was a time when I was really worried that wouldn't happen.

14. I got a job where I'm learning and growing and using the knowledge I acquired in college (okay, not the biology, but the environmental stuff!). This is a wonderful thing.

15. I've become interested in politics in a way that I never was before. I think part of this started with the fact that I had two hours of commute to fill up when I was working in Philly, so I did a lot of reading and NPR-listening. Plus, my job intersects with politics now, which is proving to be fascinating. Who knew I liked this stuff?

16. I've gotten to read lots more than 22 books this year, all for fun! Having access to the Free Library of Philadelphia, a glorious institution, and the DC Public Library (okay, not so glorious, but still useful) has been wonderful for my brain/life.

17. Speaking of books, I have discovered the wonderfulness that is 24-hour bookstores (Kramerbooks) and daily author readings (Politics and Prose). I am clearly spoiled by this bounty of bookishness.

18. I moved to an apartment one Metro stop from my favorite sister, two Metro stops from one of my favorite people from college, and three Metro stops from another wonderful college friend. (okay, and about 45 stops away from Whitney, but I haven't actually gone to Georgia Ave that much, we usually meet in the middle)

19. purchased my first pair of skinny jeans. I know this isn't actually one of the 22 best things I did when I was 22, but it was recent and I'm still excited about it.

20. I took and survived the GRE. Got almost the exact same score as teh SAT, but switched my verbal and math . .. someone (me) did a lot of science and very little writing in college . . .

21. I saw Brian Stokes Mitchell, Stephen Schwartz, Jeanine Tesori, Liz Callaway, and Aherns and Flaherty all in the same night. No, I did not attend the Tonys, I went to a FREE concert at the Kennedy Center. Life is beautiful.

22. I belatedly became a fan of Les Miserables. Well, I've always like the book, but Walnut Street Theater's production was GAMAZING.

an oddly timely Orson Scott Card quote

"This emotion I'm feeling now, this is love, right?"
"I don't know. Is it a longing? Is it a giddy stupid happiness just because you're with me?"
"Yes," she said.
"That's influenza," said Miro. "Watch for nausea or diarrhea within a few hours."

Children of the Mind

and exists March the 2nd on the dot.

February has been a very quick, very lovely month. 

In general, work has been pretty great. I've been working on really interesting things -- lots of time on a spreadsheet on energy savings from the energy efficiency programs we're recommending, writing papers on building training and the smart grid, and lots of scheduling and (this week, anyway), lots of time on the website. I helped prepare a testimony to the Senate Energy  and Nat. Resources committee, which was stressful (you have to get them 50 copies of it 48 hours before the testimony itself, ack), and I went with my boss at the beginning of the month to get to know some of the energy staffers. Observation from that experience: Republican female staffers are intimidatingly pretty. With fabulous shoes. just saying. 

I went home the first weekend in  February just for a few days, but got to see Mom and Bubbie and did some shopping and such. AND after Alli went back to teach Sunday school, Mom and I went to the Italian market in Philly and then Dim Sum in Chinatown with Bruce and Vicki. AND it happened to be the Chinese New year's Parade, so that was basically one of the best days ever. 

The next weekend was the start of Brandeis vacation, so I got to see a lot of people I love. Max came on that Friday, and I went with him and Alli to Columbia Heights, where we met some of his very fun vegan-y friends. The next day, Matt came, and we had four days of gallumphing together around DC. Highlights included a birthday brunch for Whitney, watching Candide, Funny Girl, AND De-Lovely, a visit to the Zoo (!), my first Chipotle experience, a romp around the Portrait Gallery with Catie Sprague, a fabulous  Restaurant Week dinner with Missy and Jason at Perry's in Adams Morgan, and a day of Smithsonian-ing (American History and lunch at the American Indian museum - yum!) with Missy, her mom, and Matt. Whew. We're really good at packing a lot of ridiculous into four days. Oh, and Missy was still around for a few days, so she came to LOST that wednesday (which was at my apartment). When I made my new favorite sweet potato casserole. 

The rest of the month was also full of goodness -- I had eat-in Chinese shabbat dinner with a Gavi and Jason, and then the next day Jenna Gondelman and Jason and I went to Spike from Top Chef's amazing burger place, Good Stuff Eatery (which apparently is opening in Dupont, yay!). We then spent the afternoon walking around the Library of Congress, which may or may not be my idea of heaven. SUCH a beautiful building, with books everywhere, and with everything as a monument to learning and reason . . . uch, amazing. This week involved two happy hours (I know, I'm such a lush), one with other junior staffers at work, and one with other Brandeis alums at Tonic near GW. 

Other than that (whew), things are great. I like that I get to see Alli at least once, and sometimes more than once a week. I like my LOST group of friends. I like that I discovered this uber-cute bookstore, Politics and Prose, just a few blocks from my apartment. All in all, things are going swimmingly. OH, and it's getting warm!