Day 41: Can you hear me now?

Slowly, as slowly as possible, I am making my transition into being an "adult." Actually, I'm doing so kicking and screaming, but I am doing it nonetheless. I'm learning that part of this whole adult con is paying for things. Paying for lots of things. Some things that I never really thought about before, others that I truly do think should be free. (Food? A necessity. Clothing? Another necessity. I think they should be provided as a public service.) Cell phones cost money too, sadly. Though again, it shouldn't cost so much to keep in touch with loved ones. But I joined the masses today and sold my soul and bought my own cell phone and contract.

The consolation to this soul selling is the pretty new phone I got. An LG Chocolate in "Blue Ice." Her name is Eliza. (After the one and only Ms. Dolittle.)
The real world may kind of suck, but at least it comes with something shiny.

Day 40: Little gold man

I LOVE movies. If it hasn't already been made clear with many of my new things being inspired by films, I'm sure it will be in the coming months. Today I achieved something I've always wanted to do. After seeing "There Will be Blood" today, I have now seen all of the best picture Oscar nominees, before the ceremony.

I always say I'm going to do it, but never do. But when the nominations came out, and I had seen 3 of 5, I knew this was the year.

My rankings of the five, and one sentence review. Only two weeks until the big show!

1. Atonement (Beautiful and haunting, nearly as good as the book.)
2. There Will Be Blood (Different, surprisingly funny, and perfectly-acted.)
3. Juno (Really funny and well-written.)
4. Michael Clayton (Surprising plot, interesting camera-work, good casting.)
5. No Country for Old Men (Very well-made and acted, but scary and disturbing.)

Day 39: What do you mean there is no Agent Grissom?!

My new job requires that I learn a variety of different subjects, so that I can adequately write material to train others. Since a lot of this work is for government entities, I have to get a security clearance in order to work on them. As part of the process, today I got fingerprinted at the police station.

The worst part: Fancy fingerprinting done on the computer, so I didn't get to be "inked." I was hoping to have inky, black fingers for the rest of the day, in order to gain some street cred.

The best part: The fingerprinting was done in the Crime Scene Investigation unit. I looked for an Agent Grissom, or better yet, Stokes, but I forgot they only work nights.

(I'll let you know when they tell me who killed Kennedy. I'll have to kill you afterward, of course. I assume, that part wasn't actually in my training.)

Day 38: Sleeping sweetly

The majority of the time, I'm pretty happy with myself. I have my role models and the people I want to emulate, but I don't want to be anyone else.

With, perhaps, the exception of Audrey Hepburn. Specifically, Holly Golightly. I want to go into Tiffany's and ask for a silver telephone dial. I want to steal a mask from a five and dime. I even kind of want a cat named cat and a cranky, politically incorrect landlord.

But for now, I will settle for this Holly-esque sleep mask I snatched up on sale at Bath and Body Works. Tonight I slept in a sleep mask for the first time. I woke up at about 4:30 and it had slipped off, but it was nice for awhile. And it truly may be the "the sweetest, softest sleep mask on earth," as advertised.
A little creepy, yeah, but I like it.

Day 37: Go to hell, Duke! Seriously, just go.

I watched a Carolina v. Duke game, while not in North Carolina. My first UNC/Duke game in two years. I think I jinxed it.

That's all there is to say. Except there's absolutely nothing else I'd rather be than a Tar Heel. Just in case there was any doubt.

Day 36: We'll open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

My new job requires me to commute to work every day via metro. I don't mind the metro. I get to chill for about a half hour with my iPod, Gemma, and the free morning newspaper. Sure there are approximately 1.3 bajillion people in my personal bubble every day, but oh well, that's what I get for loving city life. Today, however, on the last leg of my morning commute, I had the entire metro car to myself. It was only for about three stops, I think, as I didn't realize it until I was almost at mine. It was not as horror movie as it sounded as the one ahead of me had people, and we were above ground and in the sun. My only regret is that I didn't burst into song, like "Santa Fe" from Rent. Something to consider for next time.

Day 35: "Make the most out of life over 50."

These posts are getting too long so I'll keep this one quick and to the point. I turned 24 last month. I started my first real real job today. (Which went very well, I think I will like it.) And today, I got an offer to become a member of the AARP.

I guess I really am an adult.

That sound you hear, by the way, is the maniacal laughter of my parents.

That other sound, is me rushing out to see if I can get a discount at the movies.

Day 34: For the ones that stayed on the field

I do believe tonite's Super Bowl game has made me a football fan for life.

Which one team I shall support for life, is still not clear. All I know is I don't like teams that cheat. (Sorry NE.) Teams that win all the time. (NE, or any other team that will always win.) Teams with really ugly colors. (Sorry Cleveland.) Or teams with stupid mascots. (Again, sorry Cleveland. And Buffalo.)

But tonite I ordered pizza, which I've never done on the busiest pizza day of the year. And pulled against the Patriots, which I've never done in a Super Bowl. I also preferred to pluck my eyebrows instead of watching the last two minutes. It was stressful and I'm a girl! Another new thing!

This is my temporarily doctored sweatshirt. It's still one of the best Secret Santa gifts I ever got, so no disrespect, and it's really soft.

I've watched nearly every Giants game this year, and many over the past three years - so I'm not a Bonnie-come-lately - and it was totally worth probably pissing off my neighbors by jumping up and down and accidentally crashing onto the floor a little bit.

(Just for pathetic fun, my SB experience from last year. I may have been alone again this year, but at least I was in America, and at least I had a thousand phone calls to Mom to tide me over.)

Day 33: The search for truthiness

Before I get to today's new thing, I feel it necessary to establish my allegiance. Put my beliefs right out there.

November 2007

There it is. I love Jon Stewart, and I shall always love him. Yes, I had to discard my five part plan to marry him for various ethical reasons, but I still find him incredibly funny and talented.

But, that's not the point. He didn't traipse around D.C. lugging around a portrait of himself, asking various galleries to hang it in their hallowed halls.

But his running mate, Stephen Colbert did, and today Karey and I went in search of Colbert.

And we found him, in the hallway between the bathrooms, outside the hall of the presidents in the National Portrait Gallery.
He's certainly no Jefferson, but it will do.

(Click the pic and you'll see my eyes aren't really that wonky. I'm just having picture re-sizing issues.)

Day 32: Before this river becomes an ocean

When I say I don't dance, I really don't dance. Yeah, there was that time in London with the wine, but it was a foreign country, it doesn't count. And other than one time in my sophomore dorm room to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl," I've never really been a dance alone in my room type person.

But then I watched the charming "Eli Stone," last night, and after having George Michael's "Faith" stuck in my head all day, I knew what my new thing for today should be.

I turned the volume up on my speakers, and blasted "Faith," while dancing around my room, not caring that I have no rhythm or that the squeaky floor probably was annoying my neighbors.
After three minutes and thirteen seconds of solid dancing, I was exhausted. But happy. Now everyone watch this show. It is different and funny and I saw Jonny Lee Miller in a play a few years ago and he is amazing. And really cute.