Those "OH Sh!t" Moments

You know what is awesome? I mean, like just really amazing? It's when you wake up early for work, get all dressed, all ready - run out the door at 8:20, make the bus on time, then the metro shows up right when you arrive at the platform - you even get a seat on the train! Then, you get to like 2 stops away from your office - and realize that YOU FORGOT YOUR LAPTOP AT HOME!!
This is more or less what I felt like trying to be calm in that moment:

I like to think he's just saying "shuit, shuit, shuit" over and over - which I'm guessing is "shit, shit, shit" in English

 So then, you get off the train, cross over to catch the one going BACK, which takes 11 minutes to arrive, then you get to the bus stop to catch the bus BACK home - oh! but it doesn't come for another 20 minutes! so, you decided, TO HELL WITH IT! I"M WALKING THE DAMN 1.5 MILES. So you walk the damn 1.5 miles, fast since it's drizzling, you get all sweaty in your work clothes and finally get home 1 hour and 15 after you left that  morning having contributed $5 to the transit authority and 1:15 hours of time to ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.  Good times over all. Here's how I felt ....by 9:30 IN THE MORNING yesterday:

In other news - So, I was at this Bussboys and Poets coffee joint the other night working on some stuff - when something in their little global fair trade shop area caught my eye. It's MY HAT FROM NAIROBI!!!!

THAT SAYS $59.95.  THAT IS USD PEOPLE, not pesos.

AND It truley is my hat from Nairobi - as you can see in my photo below - it's the exact hat, it even has the little bow thing you just cannot see it - and I just turned the brim down but it normaly goes up like the one in the photo above - MY HAT WAS PURCHASED FOR $6 in a market - They are selling it for $60 here!

Unless they actually bought that hat a seat on a commercial airplane to bring it here, I'm just not sure why the mark-up would be 80%! I mean, I get it if you need to sell the hat for $35 or so..MAYBE even $40. But $60. WOW.

Anyways, the moral of the story here is - take a trip to Kenya! Not only will you have the time of your life, but you'll also be able to buy African things for 10% of the cost you'll pay here ;-)

Your commuter question of the day

Here at Lenna Living Lightly, I get a lot of questions from readers about really important things in life - So many of you (read: 2) rely on me to provide sound advice and suggestions to your everyday trials.  So, I'd like to address one such question here - It's something that I know has been on a lot of people's minds out there and I guess I just wanted to help clear the air and settle it once and for all...so here it is:

Question: Can a couple of raw eggs be thrown into a side pocket of your purse and make it through the DC morning public transport commute without breaking?

The answer: YES THEY CAN!

The eggs made it just fine...the banana however was pretty dirty brown by the time I arrived at the office. Moral of the story - that which appears most fragile is often that which is most strong. say whaaaaaat?

Anywho, things have been super busy since I got back and I've been negligent about updating all you readers (both of you) about my departure celebrations and the amazing wedding of the century we attended in Phili the weekend I got back. You'll want to see photos of this wedding..so stay tuned. Here's your cliffhanger..the groom processed to the wedding site while juggling bowling pins and the reception hall had a giant carosel, elephant and tortoise.

In other news..here's what's been going down this week:
I've been trying to find a decent place to live in the most expensive rental market in all the US - Everything is pretty much $2k plus/month and you get basically a closet for a kitchen and no closets at all , and one tiny little bathroom. Here's a photo of clever space saving tricks that you find in this area:

What the WHAT? Something is off here. If I lived here, I'd end up dishwashing my caserole and baking my coffee mugs. It wouldn't be good.

Then, I got to see my cousin Deena and her sweet little babycakes - Simeon. He's the cutest little thang ever! And so is my uncle - well my half uncle since you can only see half of him here:

Me whispering in Simeon's ear - something along the lines of "If you do a number 2 in your diaper while I'm holding you, it's over between us...i dont care how cute you are".  ;-)

Wednesday night, I met up with my gurl Genie - She's one of my favorite people on this planet. We drank Proseco from THE TAP! and ate peporoni dipping sauce at this joint called Graffiatos down by the Verizon Center - Here's how I feel after taking a bite of peporoni dipping sauce at Graffiato:

THEN, Last night I saw my awesome friend Tara that I met in Nairobi. She is in town visiting her hubbie that lives here for now. It was Tara's birthday and we went to this place that Tara and my friend Scott talk about at least a couple times a day - Dairy Godmother in Del Ray - Alexandria. Um, it was good....reeeal good. I'm happy that I don't live close to this joint.



I look a bit beat up - but it was late and I haven't gotten good sleep since they started late night road construction right outside our apartment.

 Thats all I have for you - but as always, more to come.

oooo (those are hugs only, I do not kiss in public)

She's baaaaaack ....

Well I am definitely back in DC. I got a nice reminder this morning - I went outside to catch the bus to the metro for work (metro = DC subway/underground) and so as the first bus approached I sort of got on and asked the driver "does this go to the metro"..to which she just stared at me with a look on her face like she was about to fall asleep just thinking about my presence. So I asked again as I stood in the entry way of the bus with many annoyed commuters watching on, "DOES THIS BUS GO TO THE METRO?".  And again, blank stare...nothing, no response..no sign of life at all. So, I looked at her and said in a generic foriegn accent "NO talky today?"...thank god there was a man standing there in the bus that sort of laughed and was like "you good"..which I guess meant that it was indeed the bus to the metro.  Then the bus driver lady finally sort of grumbled "i'm not awake yet".  Hm. not awake yet. Bus driver not awake yet. Giant vehicle operator NOT AWAKE.  Okey dokey. 
I MEAN REALY??!!

Other reasons I know I'm back in DC:

The Lobby of my office before, complete with President Kibaki
giving you the googly eyes

The lobby now - marble minimalist

  

My amazing view before with greens and reds and sunshine
and little birdies and big birdies

The view from my office now - the concrete jungle



Office meal before



Office meal now - Bagel Friday (cannot complain)

And perhaps the piece de resistance (read that again with a french accent people!) ....The flavia coffee system in this office. 24 types of coffee and tea to chose from - made fresh by the cup in 15 seconds. This takes the edge off my repatriation depression by a smidge. It's not Java House..but it will do.

 So, yes, I'm back. I'm working on getting caught up with calls and visits - If you are in the DC area and want to be my friend...I"M RECRUITING ;-)

xoxo