Metro ramblings

If there isn't a metro in your subway, you really should get one. What other invention acts as a meeting place, designated driver, literary peddler and weight-control service all at the same time? Precisely. I attended a class today on how to deal effectively with congressional staff. I struck up a rapport with a young lady in the class and ran into her while waiting for the metro. I still had my headphones on so I had to decide whether to fold up my headphones, go over and chat or wave and smile from a safe distance of ten feet. Too close, I had to go chat. The whole "putting away of the headphones" ritual can be painstaking as I wind the cord around the ipod so as to prevent tangles. When I first got my ipod last year I was waiting to meet a friend at Union Station, we were going to grab coffee and then walk over to a Senate hearing together. Naturally I missed my cell phone ringing, but I ran into him at the bookstore. Cut short for time he thrust a coffee cup in my face and we started walking towards the Senate Office building. We chatted about how long the hearing would last and if his shoes would set off security again at the front door. "J.C., take off those G.D. headphones!" (naughty words are abbreviated both to expand our jargon familiarity and for sensitive readers--hi, Grandma.) Anyhow, I digress.

We were chatting again while the metro heaved and ho'ed. The few female friends I've made since I've been in D.C. have mostly moved away so I'm always looking for new pals if for no other reason than to match-make with my boyfriend's crazy friends. "Where do you live?" Please be Northern Virginia, please be Northern Virginia. "Dupont. We should go out for happy hour sometime." Ooooh... metro transfer. "I'll email you." I am so caught up in convenience right now, which may be a byproduct of work, school and looking for another job, but I don't have a car and it is just not easy to hang out with people that don't live in my neighborhood. No wonder I don't have any friends...

I said "goodbye" as I got off the metro to transfer and I sat next to Anxiety Guy. The guy kept moving like he's going to get up, but doesn't. First I figured it was a twitch, but he kept leaning forward, looking around, gathering his bags and then relaxing. This continued at every stop between Metro Center and Ballston. I eyed him to see if he looked like a terrorist, but then I realized that I don't know what a terrorist looks like--hell, half the time they're Americans converted to some cult or religion that values Holy Warfare.

I guessed he'd get off right before me, making me get up and then explaining to a tired passenger why I had to sit on the end b/c my stop was next or I could move towards the door, but it was so crowded, I'd just be in the way or I wouldn't have a good grip so I'd end up subway surfing until I fell into a stranger's lap. I worried for nothing b/c he got up first. I made the short trek home and tried to avoid the "save our forests" people. It's funny, the guys always bother me about conservation matters, but the girls take one look at me and size me up as a "no." As this is accurate I chalk it up to females being more observant than males and therefore more often being right. (That was fun to write even if I don't fully believe it.)

I was hoping I'd get a magazine in the mail, but hoping I didn't get a package slip. My apartment leaves these package slips in the mailbox when you get a package, but I wasn't expecting anything, but my roommate was expecting her "ketubah." The other day I wasn't expecting anything either (I actually was, but with all my Internet shopping I just forgot what I had ordered) and when I asked if she ordered anything she said it could be her "ketubah," which I thought was the glass that Jewish people stomp when they get married, but apparently the "ketubah" is a "marriage contract" instead. I kind of wanted a Jewish wedding so that I could stomp on a glass, but then I figured I'd probably split my foot open and the father-daughter dance, would be more of a father-daughter hop which I could see being a huge disaster, although wildly funny for the guests. But I'm not getting married anytime soon, nor have I been on more than one date with a Jewish guy since college, I don't really have to think about that just now.

I sent out wedding shower invites for my roommate (I won the award of Maid of Honor by serving in a hot-dog eating contest--ESPN does not hold the rights to that although they might try to paint it that way) and there were recipe cards inside. I told those who weren't able to come to mail it to me and I already got one back. They went out Monday so I thought that was impressive timing.

I didn't write my Morning Pages today so I figure this entry will suffice. I'm really just curious as to what ads Google will put up now that I used the words "terrorist," "Holy Warfare," "Jewish" and the phrase "hot-dog eating contest".