Sunday, September 15, 2013

A Surprising Thought

It happened at Panera, of all places.

After a weekend dedicated to reading dense research papers and scrabbling to think like a student again, my vision was blurry and my mind confused. Just a week into American University's international relations program, I'm realizing just how long it's been since challenging myself this way. (Neither here nor there, but it's been about seven years!) It's a whole different kind of challenge and one that has had me alternately fascinated and melting down.

Any lingering readers may think I'm being melodramatic and I wouldn't necessarily argue that. However, it's been an exhausting effort trying to dredge up (and get current on) knowledge of citations and scholarly language, learning new research principles and applying them to an attempt to find a "puzzle" in the world to attempt to solve via my quantitative methods class, and then submitting a coherent research proposal ... well, it made me question my leap back into the academic world.

Back to the subject of this blog post, though - and as I said, it happened at Panera. I was having dinner with my roommate, Cody, and he was talking about taking a vacation and going somewhere new and exotic. He's fresh out of the Army, waiting to (hopefully) start a new job in the near future, and has lots of free time. Anyway, when he mentioned haring off somewhere in the world, I had a brief flashback to when I would tell people of my plans or hopes to travel and how the most common response was, "I wish I could do that."

Here's the surprise: that was not my immediate response. My immediate response was, "That's fun, but I'm happy where I'm at."

Whoa. I mean, whoa!

Since moving back to DC over a year ago, most of my efforts have been to get out, do new things, meeting new people, and figure out where I'm going next. To that end I researched the State Department and considered taking their Foreign Service Officer test; applied to the Department of Defense Education Activity (teaching dependents at military bases overseas); and began a Master's program to get educated in international relations so that I might qualify for and learn of opportunities abroad. So it's always been about where I'm going as opposed to where I'm at.

And it still is, but perhaps a little less so. For now, I'm actually pretty happy challenging myself with academics and living a good life in DC with a new roommate.

Life is good!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Summer Arrival

The month of May brought some teasers for summer - warmth and rain, followed quickly by downright cold weekends. If the past four days of 90+ degree weather is any indication, though, I believe I can say with assurance that summer has arrived and is here to stay!

With summer come many changes, the first being one of address! That's right, I've applied, been approved for, and signed the lease on a new apartment. I can't take any credit for having found the place, though. Cody, my future roommate, was visiting DC with Joe and Jeff, and we all went apartment hunting together. Of course, first we had to go to the farmer's market, my regular Saturday morning routine, and there Cody pointed out some nice windows overlooking the market and said he wished we could live there.

Long story short, we went in and asked, looked at their one available apartment, and after seeing half a dozen other places the same day, decided to apply for it! The price is right and the location is perfect, the building is new and has all sorts of good amenities. I'm going to spend the month of June moving (paying double rent, unfortunately, but at least it lets me do a leisurely job of moving!) and Cody will move in early July. Yahoo! Pictures when we're moved in!

Otherwise, not too much happened in May. Cody, Jeff and Joe visited one weekend, and Jeff came back another weekend to hang out. I went clothing shopping and actually found some good stuff thrifting with Mandy. My CSA started and the first two deliveries were lots of fun; I'm looking forward to a season of yummy fresh stuff! Exercise routine has gone by the wayside, of course, although I've been mostly eating pretty healthy. I've gone on a few bike rides, which were fun.

Next weekend is Virginia Beach with family and friends, which ought to be great!

That's the news that is fit to print... work is still going well, the feet are still hurting, and in general life is pretty decent!

--Z

Friday, May 10, 2013

Back on the Wagon

 

What wagon, you may ask? Well, a couple of them:

This week I haven’t eaten out once this week! I went a little nuts at Whole Foods last weekend, and have been cooking for myself all week. Some dishes I made include a broccoli slaw coleslaw with homemade dressing; stir-fry with mushrooms and tempeh, brussells sprouts braised in white wine, citrus collard greens, pasta with fresh asparagus… yum! I don’t know that I’ll be losing any weight but at least I’m eating well!

I’ve been working out, doing P90X with a friend of mine. While I don’t see any change yet, various muscles throughout my body feel pretty worked out! That sweet, good ache; the twinges when I reach for or lift something; and in general, the energy level is up!

Reading! Oddly enough, it’s been a dry couple of months where I haven’t read a darned thing! A co-worker and I traded books and now I’m reading “The WInd Up GIrl” by Paolo Bacigalupi, a sci-fi bio-punk set in Bangkok. It’s fun to read and reminds me of my time in Thailand, which is a great side effect.

It’s not exactly a wagon, but I’m working on finding a two- or three-bedroom row-house or apartment to move into this summer… in other words, I’m going back to having a roommate! A few things prompted this: mostly, a friend of mine is moving to town; but also, I think I’m finally ready to take that step and have a roommate again, have someone to chat with and talk to, and share my space with!

Those are my wagons, I suppose. Otherwise, I’ve been enjoying the nice weather when it’s here. Spring may have finally arrived because we’re getting rain and humid warmth now and again. Every Sunday I go enjoy the drum circle in a nearby park. I’m hoping to start swimming regularly – at least once a week, hopefully more. And tomorrow I’m going to Spa World, which I’m TOTALLY ready for!

--Z--

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The Secret of Dancing

Over the last four weeks I’ve been spending quite a bit of time with a particular girlfriend of mine. She’s fantastic – energetic, positive, artsy, funny and thoughtful – and we’ve done many random things together: spent a day at a Korean spa in Virginia; brunched together more than once; gone fabric hunting for a sewing project of hers; watched the Socky Horror Puppet Show at a neighborhood bar; and danced the night away. She’s such an individual and I admire her very much.

Most of all, I was with her when I had a bit of an epiphany: there is no right way to dance. Why did it take me so long to figure this out? Why didn’t I believe people who told me that anyone could dance? Seriously! How the heck did this elude me?!

Don’t get me wrong – there are specific ways to dance that are right and wrong. I make no claim to know how to salsa, rhumba, or tango. And there are ways of dancing that probably look dumber than others. But really, just going to a club and dancing to its music boils down to one cliché method: dance like no one is watching. [I’m imagining a groan emanating from anyone reading this, but hear me out.]

Watching this friend of mine dance her heart out to some kind of odd but invigorating “psychotropical punk rock” music in a club underneath a Subway on U Street. It was like she was in her own little world; in fact, a space cleared around her (not that it was too crowded, but still) as she moved, bounced, shook and danced. Now, she can move – she’s a dancer, has done it a lot and has smooth moves; but still, there was no prescription of how to do it right. While most people were shuffling from one foot to another, the occasional arm shooting upwards to point at the band or at the ceiling in rhythmic music, my friend – and a one or two others – were just going nuts with the dancing, following the beat as they heard it, moving to the music as they felt it.

How cool is that?

The secret of dancing is that there is no right way to move to the music. YOUR way is the right way, possibly only for you but still, the right way. MY way, as fumbling and erratic and awkward as I feel I must look in a crowd of regulars, is the right way.

Who knew? Am I the only one who didn’t know?

In other news, that night of dancing wrecked my feet. I’ll be checking in with the podiatrist next week to see what can be done. Tonight some German couchsurfers arrive; on Friday, a couple from Spain. This weekend I look forward to visiting with my friends Jeff and Eric, here in DC for an OutServe function on Saturday. In the coming weeks I hope to hear that Congress has decided to stop punishing the country for having elected them (in other words, I hope not to be furloughed from work).

The past month, aside from hanging out with my cool, quirky and dancing-fool friend, has been tiring (shaking off that head cold) but speckled with jeweled good times: a Richmond rendezvous with my parents was lots of fun; random bicycling around town keeps me at least a little active; and finding out that I got into a CSA starting in May was great!

I’m ready for spring; and I’m ready for my feet to heal so that I can dance, dance, dance to the music.

--Z

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Brief Summary, Starting Up Again

 

All right, so three months have gone by … apologies! Guess I needed a break from writing; or maybe writing needed a break from me. Either way, time to start up again!

What have you missed? Not a lot, to be honest. Here’s a quick recap:

December: Sinus and ear infections knocked me down right at the beginning, letting up just enough for me to enjoy a brief weekend visit with my grandmother in Miami. Although energy levels stayed low, I enjoyed a serendipitous new year’s eve, wherein I was reunited with my old dresser at a friend’s college friend’s party; he’d bought it from me as I was leaving DC last time.

January: Seeing a new podiatrist relieved much of my foot pain, which although not a 100% gone is vastly improved. Energy level spiked back up mid-month, prodding me to get out and bike absurd distances (much to my bum’s distress).

February: Drop in energy level coincides with head-cold symptoms again.

Sure, there’s been more than just this, but that’s a basic review of the last quarter year. I can’t quite believe we’re in the second month of 2013 already. As I try to kick this latest of bugs I can feel an inner prodding to go DO things, be active and social and busy. I can feel myself becoming sedentary, since health, weather and feet have conspired to keep me from walking much.

Themes for 2013:

  • Figure it out (“"it” changing depending on my mood, but most often meaning life, love and the pursuit of happiness)
  • Choices (veganism; consumer responsibility; locovore habits; life directions)

 

Work goes well, keeps me busy and paid. Family goes well, with happy parents, funny brother and long-lived grandparents. Soul-searching goes on, and on, and on, seemingly with no end or resolution.

And writing – well, this is the first writing I’m doing in awhile; hopefully it is the beginning of a trend!

--Z