Day 274: Yunagi?

Another month, another book, another book club, another meeting with me and just one other girl. Oh well, I happen to quite like her and we have a good time with our club of two. Tonite we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant, where I tried my first sushi. No raw fish for me, just lots of veggies and shrimp and goodness. I am definitely a fan. And I kind of want more already.

Day 273: Just say no!

The mornings are cooler, pumpkins are for sale, the leaves are falling on the sidewalk in Old Town, making every morning commute a potentially deadly experience, and the allergies appear to be on the way back in. Nowhere near as bad as they were in the Spring, but I still have a perpetually stuffed nose and yucky cough.

In the middle of a coughing fit on the metro this afternoon, the woman in front of me turned around and gave me a cough drop, my first cough drop from a stranger. On the metro. I was getting up to leave when she said "don't worry, no medicine, just Vitamin C," OR "don't worry, no meth, just Vitamin C." Hmm... Either way, as sweet as the gesture, I don't take food items from strangers, with or without meth. So the coughing will continue for now.

Day 272: I love the word bastard

My first week here, a year ago this past week, I went in search, in vain, for a craft fair. I of course got lost and didn't make it. So today I atoned for that, and with clear directions firmly in hand, went to the Crafty Bastards craft fair in Adams Morgan.

Jewelery, clothing, stamps, cards, and more! I got several cute things, a great plate of Pad Thai, and enough hipster fashion tips to last a lifetime. I spent two hours, half the time dodging rain drops, the other time cursing wearing a black shirt - love you DC weather - happily ensconced amongst crafty bastards. Happy day!

Day 271: Everybody reads

It's been a dreary few days here in Washington. Luckily, I love the rain and dreariness. Except for when I have to be out in it. Except for when there is a National Book Festival going on, mere minutes from my home, which I attended today.
I got a late start and missed a few people I wanted to hear, but saw the big three I had hoped to see, and had a nice few hours surrounded by soggy, fellow book lovers.

Tiki Barber, who is quite short in person. Sadly, I did not get to heckle him, as had been my original intention. (The heckle? "Hey, Tiki, remember when you called Eli Manning a joke? Haha, how funny was it when they won the Super Bowl without you?" Hey, at least it's better than my stand-by Duke heckle, "Your architecture sucks!")

Bob Schieffer, who was awesome. Intelligent, funny, and a brilliant journalist. And, totally friends with Helen Thomas. Cokie Roberts, also quite short. She spoke about the founding mothers, with some really great stories. Sadly I had to leave before it was over as I'd been standing for three hours and thought my legs were going to fall off.

Day 270: Nothing but net

This net is important:

But nowhere near as important as this net:

So today I donated to the Nothing but Nets campaign, which will donate a mosquito net on my behalf to a family in need in Africa. So far they've donated over 2 million nets, preventing the spread of malaria to scores of people.

Thanks to Rick Reilly's SI article, where I first learned about this.

Day 269: Thanks, Jose

As previously mentioned, the current apartment has a very conveniently placed Mexican restaurant/margarita machine right across the street. However, as the food is quite crappy and the drinks over-priced, the roommate and I were proactive and made our own B&B margaritas: cheaper, stronger, and tastier! Now just to get the liquor license and signage and we'll be stealing customers from across the street in no time.

Making the 'ritas:
Testing the 'ritas:
The good thing about drinking is that you can do silly things and blame it on the influence, when in reality, you've had about two sips and are just being your normal silly self. Thus, we present, B&B try on the tea cozy, and blame it on the drink, though we'd do it perfectly sober, too:

Day 268: Danger danger

Despite the fact that I have to fit into a maid of honor dress in approximately two weeks, my dear mother still sent me a recipe for the "Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake Recipe EVER!*" Basically, it's a chocolate cake you make in a coffee mug. AKA the best kind of Bonnie cake ever! So I made a chocolate cake in a coffee mug.
Sadly, while it was relatively easy to make, it didn't taste very chocolatey, even though it had cocoa AND chocolate chips. Maybe the "splash of vanilla" wasn't splashy enough. (Seriously, what kind of recipe uses "splash" as a measurement?) But it wasn't bad for cake you make in a coffee cup in the microwave. Next time I'll try a little more liquid, as the roomie suggested was the problem.

*Emphasis added. I may or may not be a bit of a drama queen. Particularly when it comes to chocolate.

Dy 267: I fought the law...

I remember this great show on NBC called Something So Right, with Mel Harris and Jere Burns. They get married, try to blend their lives, kids, exes, etc., and hilarity ensues, of course. One episode the daughter comes home and says, "Guess who's pregnant?," and the Dad flips out. Then the son comes home and says, "Guess who's pregnant?," and the Mom freaks out. So they all agree next time to say, "I'm not pregnant, but guess who is?"*

That's a roundabout way of saying I didn't commit a felony or witness a crime, but I got stopped by a cop today.

Leaving the metro, iPod in, distracted by a hectic work day, I realize a cop is making eye contact with me. Important to note that:

• I am not wearing my jeans with potential exposure issues.
• I am not carrying a to-go cup of margarita.
• I did not jaywalk, most shockingly of all.

So I stop and he introduces himself as my neighborhood cop, with a "footbeat" encompassing several blocks around my apartment. I got scared when he knew which apartment was mine, but that's his job, and he said he's seen me in the mornings. And he talked to the roommate on move-in day.

I'm sure he got suspicious, however, when the color drained from my face and my voice shook at first, because I was afraid something had happened at the apartment, but he seems like a nice guy. And, I mean, it can't hurt to have a cop on your side. (Ignoring the movies and songs that try to persuade us otherwise.)

*Later on, the joke continues with the daughter saying, "I didn't throw up at school today, but guess who did?" Oh well, I thought it was funny.

Day 266: See a penny, pick it up

I think it only fitting on the day they announce the new designs for the penny, I should order a book from Amazon for only a penny. (Total cost was $4.00, with S&H, but the book was only a penny.) I ordered "The Writer's Craft," edited by John Hersey. At some point I'm sure I'll stop buying all these books on how to write, and actually write, but for now I'm amassing quite the inspirational collection until it hits.

Day 265: Tea for two

Despite having no rhythm or dancing ability to speak of, when a stage beckons, I'm certainly not going to turn it down. And when that "stage" happens to be the window seat in my apartment, with conveniently placed spotlight-type lights, I have no choice but to tap dance in my pajamas and Nine West loafers during a commercial break in the Emmys. (Sidenote: Hell yes 30 Rock!)

Just a little more practice and I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.