I have been terrible at blogging, I know.  Most of the time though, when I think about blogging, it’s only because I’ve just been in the most horrendous traffic ever and I want to rant.  So instead of constantly complaining about the traffic, I’ll just tell you once.  Traffic sucks.  It is truly awful.  There.

We’ve been here for almost three months now and I’m beginning to settle into a bit of a routine.  The other day, I was walking down the street in Georgetown to grab some lunch and passed one of my office’s regular Fed Ex guys.  He smiled and said hello and I realized that one of the things I miss the most is knowing people and being known.  But, I also know that these things take time.  In fact, the dry cleaner knows me, I have a regular manicurist and even run into the same people when I go there on Saturdays.  The waitress at Hamburger Hamlet recognizes us on Fridays when Lloyd and I go for a beer while Jake is at karate.  Even the guy at the beer store has begun to be friendly — and I get the sense he doesn’t dole out half smiles to just anyone. 

Today is an absolutely beautiful day in DC and traffic wasn’t as horrendous as usual (it never is on Fridays), so I took a little extra time walking the couple of blocks to my office.  DC is full of runners and they were out in full force this morning.  I slowed down to take in the beauty of the Potomac River and was nearly knocked down by once such runner.  Now, I get just as annoyed as the next person by those who stop dead in their tracks in the middle of the sidewalk to gawk.  This city is full of gawkers and there is much to gawk at, I know…..but please don’t just stand there!  Because I have this attitude, I always try to make sure that I’m not in somebody’s way — and this morning, I was well to the side of the walkway (and there was NOBODY else around) when I slowed my pace.   So, I guess this runner was just too focused on whatever what on his iPod to notice that anyone was there.  And he was running to fast to care.  That’s the thing that I have noticed about many runners here.  They don’t run leisurely or even like they are in a race.  They run like they are chasing somebody.  And when you think about it, that’s most likely what they are training to do.

Me? I prefer a leisurely stroll.  After all, who wants to run so fast they can’t take this in?