I Hate Motorcades

Especially ones that make me late. After working until 10 last night, I was doing quite well and was on schedule to be a half hour earlier than my normal arrival time. (I've been swamped with work and pro bono commitments this week!) However, right when we were about to turn onto H Street and go past Lafayette Square (the square in front of the White House, in case you are not familiar with Washington geography) the bus came to a standstill.

Traffic! And police cars blocking the entrance to the street. I got off the bus, and decided just to walk, since it's not THAT far to the office from there. But when I got the entrance to the square, the cop wouldn't let me in. He told me to go north. I said I needed to go south. He said, "too bad!"

I ended up getting on the metro at Farragut West, and only being 15 minutes later than I anticipated. Had I known, I could have done that from the beginning. It's ridiculous not to let people WALK THROUGH A PARK. Seriously.

And I'm off to New York this weekend! I'm taking the bus, which allegedly has wifi on board. No movie poll because if the wifi rumors are true, I'll be doing work online, and if they are not, I'll be writing a petition, which I need to save to my laptop hard drive before I go.

(Yogurt) Thief in our Midst

I like to eat yogurt as my afternoon snack, especially if I am going to the gym after work (like tonight) because it fills me up for that hour. Lately, though, if I put the yogurt in the office fridge's door, someone will eat it.

At first I thought it was a mistake. I mean, probably a lot of people eat Activia mixed berry yogurt (yeah, I always eat the same brand and flavor... I really like it!) and maybe they legitimately thought it was theirs.

But come on. I think approximately 10 yogurts have gone missing in the past two months. That is not a mistake. And they never take someone else's strawberry-banana Activia. (because, well, yuck.)

So today I put my name on a post-it, stuck it on the lid, and put the whole thing in the fridge door. When I went in the kitchen around 1:00 to fix my lunch? My yogurt was gone! Even with my name on the lid!

I need a nanny cam. Or, possibly, to start keeping my yogurts in a paper bag in the fridge, instead of in the door.

Stop the Insanity!

I just heard on the radio that United is going to start charging for meals on TRANSATLANTIC flights out of Washington Dulles. What? That is, at minimum, a six hour flight if you are flying to London. (United does not fly to Shannon or Dublin, at least not from Dulles.)

Come on. At some point, I think it would be better just to raise the ticket prices and stop making people pay extra for every. little. thing. It makes something that's already not fun even more miserable. Bad enough you have to travel through Heathrow, then you have to pay for the horrible food to go along with it.

If I were flying EasyJet across the ocean, sure, I'd expect to pay for meals. But United? The one who keeps advertising during the Olympics, promoting their new international first and business classes? I guess if you're flying economy, they just don't care. If only I weren't loyal to StarAlliance... (remind me to complain later about how they are taking away all the perks of being a premium frequent flyer.)

Sigh. I guess next time I take a transatlantic flight in economy I'll pack my own dinner. It'll be just like taking the bus to New York!

Anyone know how fast the boat can get me to Europe?

Not a good start to a day

This morning I decided I wanted a Coke, so I stopped to get one. The fountain sprayed Coke all over me! It was too much to get off with the Tide pen, so I decided I could either go to Macy's and buy new clothes, or take a taxi home and change. I thought Macy's would be quicker, so I'm now wearing a new white shirt and a new red skirt.

I like the new clothes, but it's not exactly how I (or my bank account) planned to start my Wednesday.

Maybe someone is telling me not to drink Coke in the mornings.

Please Help, Ugly Chair!

This is what I stare at all day long. This chair, in my office for guests to use, and the pattern reminds me of one of Zach Morris's sweaters! (Zach Morris of Saved by the Bell fame, in case you're not sure.) Someone else I know had the same patterned chair, and she just replaced it with a new chair from Ikea. I guess this is possible, as I am planning to go to the Ikea mall next weekend, but I think I'd rather not buy furniture if I don't have to. Anyone have any clever ideas with how to change up the Zach Morris guest chair before I go insane?

Also, I've been knitting! Click here to see what I've been up to.

Just in time

Just in time for Colleen's wedding on Saturday, where I will be wearing a sleeveless dress, I get attacked by some kind of biting creature. I don't remember being bitten, but as you can see above, I was clearly attacked by something. That, or my arm has the mumps. Any quick-removal suggestions, or should I just make sure to have a wrap with me to cover it?

Also, I received a fabulous package in the Favorite Color Swap! Click here to see it.

Metro Woes

Dear Non-Regular Metro Rider,

Maybe in whatever place you come from, people stand on both sides of the escalator step. Well. Here in Washington, we stand to the right, so that people who want to walk up or down can get past easily on the left.

I know some of our escalators are really big. I would still recommend you stand, and not sit on them. Sitting on escalator steps seems dangerous. And maybe a bit dirty.

If I ask you to please step to the right, could you just do it? Don't roll your eyes at me or make some comment about how I must be in SUCH a hurry I can't wait for the escalator to take me to the bottom. That's right, maybe I am in a hurry.

Also, if you have big strollers, please use the elevator.

Love,
Genevieve

PS - Maybe you might want to walk down the escalators too? It will save you about 10 minutes at Woodley Park alone, and it's not like the exercise will kill you.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy Jig

What's the rest of that nursery rhyme? Something about fast as a pig? (or at least that's what's in my head.) Well, my return journey home was anything but fast.

The day started out OK. I got upgraded to first class. First class on international flights is really, really nice. Your seat turns into a bed. Because of the upgrade, though, I watched different movies than I what I thought I was going to watch. Because in first class, you have a personal video player, with different choices than the rest of the plane. So I watched The Darjeeling Limited, Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, My Kid Could Paint That, and August Rush.

Yes. Four movies. Because my flight was, oh, 4 hours late, meaning I got home about 6 hours later than I expected. When we got to Dulles, only about 30 minutes late, there was bad weather and we had to circle for 40 minutes. We started running out of fuel, so we got diverted to Baltimore. Where they would not let us off the plane.

We sat in Baltimore, waiting to be refueled. They started the movies again. They gave us drinks and granola bars. Once we got fuel, we took off and landed again at Dulles. There was a long line at immigration. I got carded for the beer I was carrying. (I am 32. 32! How many 32 year olds get carded for bringing beer through customs and immigration?) They never announced what belt our bags were on, but that's because they were just sitting on the floor. And then when I finally had collected all my stuff and was ready to go, I got sent by customs to the Department of Agriculture for additional screening. Must be the beer I had with me.

I thought I might be home by 4 pm. I was home at 10. Quel cauchemar.

Nederlands, francais, English?

I've been feeling bad lately about the fact that I only speak two languages. Last week, someone asked me to list everyone on our team and the languages they speak. I was the only one who only had two. Everyone else was at three or four.

Even when you go to the airport in Brussels, the people who work the security checkpoints all speak at least three. Usually they ask "Nederlands francais English?" and you answer in the one you are most comfortable speaking. Last week, when I flew to Oslo, I got, "Nederlands francais English Deutsche?" Great. Even the airport makes me feel inadequate.

Maybe it's time to start Spanish lessons again. I've taken baby Spanish a couple times. Maybe my trip to Argentina will help.

Not Good

My dad got hit by a car on Saturday morning. He was walking in a parking lot and this car came around too fast and hit him, and then ran him over. He's in the ICU with a broken shoulder and two broken legs.

Since my parents live in New Orleans, and I do not, I haven't been able to see him. I did speak with him on the phone on Saturday though.

There's a hole in the sweater, dear Liza, dear Liza

Monday at work, I suddenly realized I could feel my desk touching my skin. On my arm. Which was supposed to be covered by sleeve.

I looked down, and saw I had a hole in my sleeve. It was fairly big. I received several suggestions on how to deal with this, and one on possible cause.

My friend Carolee suggested I color my arm, so that no one would notice. The sweater was light pink. The only pink coloring utensil I have at work is a pink highlighter. I decided that would draw more attention than it would hide.

At djlicious's birthday party that night, several people suggested I make a patch and attach it over the hole. Then, it was suggested I remove the sleeves and make it into a sweater vest. Because, I was told, "you know how to knit and stuff." Hum. Interesting idea, but it was a turtleneck sweater. Those don't make great vests. When I pointed this out, the dj himself suggested I remove the turtle part and make it into a halter top. Because cashmere makes great halter tops, I suppose.

After the party, I went home, and Hugh stopped by to pick up some stuff he had left at my house a few weeks ago. I showed him the hole, and he offered the scariest thought yet... that the hole was made by moths. MOTHS. He suggested moth balls. But I don't think he quite understood the panic this suggestion gave me. A girl who has so much wool in her house cannot have moths!

I am living in denial. Pretending he did not suggest moths and I am doing nothing about it. This may be a critical error. We shall see.

Speaking of wool, want to see what my Secret Pal Fiona sent me? Want to see what I sent my spoilee Kae?

No Hot Water

I haven't had hot water in my rented apart-hotel for 5 days. Yes. Since Thursday morning, there has been no hot water.

It's making me a bit grumpy.

Thursday, I washed my hair in cold water. Which was not pleasant. Friday, I took a shower at Erin's. Saturday and Sunday, the water was warm but not hot, but it was OK to shower in. This morning, it was back to freezing, so I heated water on the stove in a big pot and carried it in to the bathroom, where I used a plastic container to pour it over myself.

I felt like a sort of modern-day pioneer girl.

I do not want to be a modern-day pioneer girl.

Allegedly, the water will be fixed tonight. I didn't want to move places since I am leaving Belgium and going home on Thursday.

Wish me luck.