cartoon imitates my life

This was sent to me by a friend and colleague who knows about my number one problem with my workspace...

You see, I have a coworker who hums when she's stressed out.
More specifically, she hums the opening bars of "Greensleeves". Repeatedly.
For a long time, this wasn't a problem, because I would only hear her when she walked around the office or if we were in the same room, but her workspace wasn't that close to mine, so I could block her out easily.
This changed last winter, when our office moved into a new space, and into cubicles.
And her cubicle is next to mine.
She's been stressed out a lot lately.

Yard Sign

my piece of DC in late October, one Sunday night

I put all these conditions in my title, because these pictures are from my singular experience, taken in my slice of (upper NW) DC, in late October, 10-11pm on a Sunday evening. Walking back from a wonderful pasta dinner (accompanied by plenty of lovely red wine) with some of my best friends. The colors of the trees and the street lights... the late-blooming wild roses.... the amazing houses that are slated to be torn down (which saddens me enormously), or have already been revitalized/re-vamped/re-constructed... the glow of the street lights... I love this place.

Big Tobacco's Spin on Women's Liberation

"Why do nearly one-fifth of women in America smoke? The answer goes back to an event almost 80 years ago on Fifth Avenue, which is often regarded as one of the most successful P.R. stunts in American history...." (the title of this post has the link to the whole article; I encourage you to read more)

Yet another article that I find fascinating, not only because of it's connection to my daily work, but it's pretty much what my Masters thesis was about. The manipulation of women by our society, that results in their smoke cigarettes in order to conform to an ideal, which ultimately results in making themselves subordinate to men...!!!

Okay, I'm done. (For now.)


And now for something completely, fashionably different, I would like to present the two dresses I've recently purchased:

those stylin' DC women

A few weeks ago, it was still unseasonably warm enough for my hometown to be a tourist's delight. I was walking from the Metro to my office building and passed a mother, crouched down to her child's height, pointing into the commuting horde, saying: "... well honey, the ladies wear sneakers for walking and carry nice shoes in their purses to change into at work..."

Okay, I'm one of those sneaker-wearing-ladies. Granted, I wasn't until this past summer, when I finished the process of recovering from a broken foot, but I've joined the ranks for women who carry their nice shoes to change into at work.

But that's besides the point. Overhearing this snippet of conversation made me wonder: Why is this child so observant of the footwear habits of DC women? Is DC really so fashionably backwards that wearing sneakers for part of one's commute is that strange? Strange enough for this child to ask his mother why women aren't wearing their heels?

I'm glad the tourists won't be back until the holidays.

WE IZ VRY SRS WORKRZ

Its hard not to love a job in which a serious day, spent with the heads of government health agencies, discussing tobacco control, also includes a serious lunchtime discussion about Jamie Lynne Spears' getting pregnant again. Exclamations of "How could she think she couldn't get pregnant again while breast feeding? What are they telling her?!" were interspersed with "Did you hear the first baby isn't her boyfriend's?" while someone's assistant offered to get the scoop from TMZ.com

Truly a fantastic, productive meeting.

Maverick!

Sarah Palin's control panel:

oy vey

We went to a relatively nice Italian restaurant. We had a nice meal, we had a great conversation, and I thought to myself "well, there are no sparks flying here for me, but he likes me, and I suppose I could go out with him again."

Then the bill came. And granted, I did reach for my wallet -- but I always do, and okay, maybe it's playing a game or a test, but if I've been asked out, I expect that I'll be told "Put that away, I'm paying..." and then I can say "Fine, then let me buy you a drink/coffee/dessert!" -- and the next thing I knew, we'd split the bill.

I'm not saying this is a major offense. But... but... fuck it, that boy is a DOCTOR. I'm a measly non-profit employee!

He did take the metro with me to my neighborhood and walk me to my apartment building -- which I told him was unnecessary, but he insisted, and he lives one stop away from me -- and that was very nice of him. We got to my building, he said "Soooo...." and I gave him a peck on the mouth, skipped up the stairs, saying "Thanks! Hope to talk to you soon!"

He's already texted me to ask me out for this weekend. My sis is in town so I have an excuse to postpone. I also talked to my mom, who said (in a stern voice) "... oh he'll pay next time!" I started laughing hysterically but said I wasn't sure yet about a next time.

Oy.


.... Update: We're going out again.

my mother, the yenta

Two Jewish mothers (both doctors) are deep in a serious talk,
Referrals exchanged and medicinal information they swap.
Business concluded, diagnoses confirmed, they turn to a more pressing concern:
Each has an eldest child who is single. But surely, this issue is one they can turn!
"My son... he’s a gentleman… truly a sweet little guy.”
"And my daughter… she’s a darling – and, really, not too hard on the eyes!”
Voicemails are left, and emails are sent; surely this match they can cook –
Both daughter and son are joyfully told: "You can find each other on Facebook!"
- - - - - - -

I don't write poetry, so pardon my sloppiness, bad rhymes, horrid meter, et cetera. But there was something about the particular situation in which my mother placed me that inspired me to write that "poem" earlier this month.

Anyhow. I have dinner with that young man this evening, and (after fuming at my mother for her meddling for the past two weeks, but now having gotten over it.... sort of) I'm sure it will be perfectly nice. Although I did tell my mother a few nights ago that I think her biological clock for me is ticking much, much faster than my own; she didn't disagree.

If nothing else, I'll be wearing one of my favorite DVF's, the Spotted Frog Jessica. It looks something like this on me...

Guess I should go get ready.....!

Quote of the Day

"Most people search high and wide for the keys to success. If they only knew, the key to their dreams lies within."

~ George Washington Carver

Samantha, say it ain't so....!

The fact that American Girl Samantha is going to be retired has been a subject of moaning, wailing and nostalgia on several sites I visit. I read as many of the "Samantha" books that I could as a 10 year old; my parents didn't really mind my reading those stories, but they were outraged at the cost of a "Samantha" doll. And her outfits. And her accessories. And the cute dresses that I could possibly wear to match her.

But I digress; I believe these mournful sentiments are best expressed by my friend, ilovemygeek, on her blog: http://www.dinklifestyle.com/?q=node/21

(I'm working on the hotlinking thing... sorry!)

scenes from my neighborhood

It's hard to believe it's October. Even though the trees are changing, so many of the flowers in my neighbor's gardens are still in full bloom. But it's a gorgeous combination.

who doesn't love a long weekend

My office is observing Columbus Day tomorrow, so I have more time this weekend to goof off than usual. And, yes, goofing off is how I spend most of my weekends; I try to run errands and do other responsible, adult-like things during the week so I can make the most of my free time. Of course, there are weeks when I'm too tired after work to even think of getting groceries, but this past week was not one of those.

ANYHOW... I like to keep something amusing in my G-chat status during the week for my friends. In light of the fact that I don't have work tomorrow, and am not likely to be online chatting, I thought I would share a few of the entertaining items I have recently found:

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.


9 Reasons Not To Date a T-Rex

The Sherman Foundation: Some loser douchebag's phone messages to a girl

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Enjoy, pass along, share your own favorites, and, by all means, please tell me if they're not nearly funny enough to keep in my collection of "funny stuff".

I'm off to curl up with one of the books I'm reading, American Wife (which I highly recommend, even if you didn't like her previous book, Prep.):

another reason not to smoke, ladies

Cigarette Smoking and the Development of Premenstrual Syndrome

Elizabeth R. Bertone-Johnson, Susan E. Hankinson, Susan R. Johnson, and JoAnn E. Manson
American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published on August 13, 2008

Smoking at various ages was assessed by questionnaires. After adjustment for oral contraceptives and other factors, current smokers were 2.1 times as likely as never smokers to develop PMS over the next 2–4 years.... Results suggest that smoking, especially in adolescence and young adulthood, may increase risk of moderate to severe PMS. These findings may provide an additional incentive for young women to avoid cigarette smoking.

- - - - - -

Why does this fascinate me? Well, since you asked... I was a women's studies minor (so close to a double major) in college; my Masters thesis was focused on women and smoking; and a great deal of my work has to do with tobacco control and cessation. "The time of the month" can be unpleasant, so why make it worse?

And now, from feminism to fashion.. it's time for something completely different...

The Diane von Furstenburg dress that I am craving at the moment:

working hard for the ... uh, cause

This evening marks the end of Yom Kippur, and thus the New Year has truly begun.

If I still belonged to a temple, perhaps I wouldn't have gone to work today; perhaps I would have fasted and truly atoned for the wrongs I have committed in this past year. But I haven't been back to the temple where my sister and I were both bat mitzvah'd for at least 10 years, nor have I felt compelled to join a synagoguge on my own. I often describe myself as a "Bad Jew" and say that the only thing Jewish about me these days is my affinity for Tiffany's -- but today, there were a few moments during which I silently apologized for the wrongs I have committed during the past year, and for anyone I have hurt.

But really, today was like any other day. I hit snooze too many times this morning and had to rush getting ready. While commuting to work, I marveled at both the slowly-changing foliage and the fact that my fellow Washingtonians really do seem to lack any sense of style. And I spent the day working diligently, in the national headquarters of a non-profit organization. (Note: As I am just starting out in the blogging world, I'm not sure how "anonymous" this will be. I expect that the majority of my readers will be people who know me, but I'd rather err on the side of caution... for now, and in this arena, at least.) It was a busy day, but those are the best -- when I don't have time to do anything but try to make a difference in people's lives.

That may sound too corny to be true, but knowing that my work changes lives keeps me going to work every day. Plus, I have fantastic, hysterical, caring and incredibly dedicated coworkers. I can tell you that it's not the money, that's for damn sure. I truly love my job, and consider myself fortunate to be able to say that.