Coming back to visit brings nostalgic feelings, as one would expect. While Vienna and the surrounding area are constantly changing (What's with all the gigantic houses on Park Street?), it's still the same old, same old as well. Amphora, Vienna Inn, Anita's... they're all still there. I'm also still glad I left.
One thing that was totally new to me this time around was the family situation. Suddenly "staying at my girlfriend's parents' place" turned into "visiting the in-laws". The logistics of the visit hasn't changed, per se, but the familial connection is now different. I'm still getting used to the idea.
All in all it was a nice visit. I didn't accomplish everything on my list, but I got to run the Turkey Trot 5k and eat some chili dogs, so I'll consider it a success. I also got to arrange a rare meeting with my friend the blanktop chronicler, who I thought was either dead or sober. Both thoughts are horrifying.
Oh yeah, did I mention UVA sucks? Go Hokies!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Attention Northern Virginians
I will be in town for 4 days, and 4 days only. These are the things I'm looking forward to doing:
-Going to at least one party. Bonus if that party has flipcup, quarters or beer pong.
-Playing some cash poker.
-Watching the VT/UVA game with some Hokies.
-Eating some chili dogs at the Vienna Inn.
-Running the Turkey Trot 5k.
-NOT going to TGI Friday's in the toilet bowl building.
If you think you can help me out with any of these things, give me a ring or e-mail here.
See you soon!
-Going to at least one party. Bonus if that party has flipcup, quarters or beer pong.
-Playing some cash poker.
-Watching the VT/UVA game with some Hokies.
-Eating some chili dogs at the Vienna Inn.
-Running the Turkey Trot 5k.
-NOT going to TGI Friday's in the toilet bowl building.
If you think you can help me out with any of these things, give me a ring or e-mail here.
See you soon!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
"Home is where the heart is."
If the above statement is true... then I am currently a transient.
Since graduating from college, I've changed my physical address five different times. I haven't lived anywhere longer than a year since my junior year of college, and if you count college dorms and apartments, then I have lived EIGHTEEN different places during my 26 year long life. Granted, eight of those residences can be attributed to college and summer transitions, but the fact still remains that that is a hell of a lot of places!
Now that the holiday season is upon us, I am once again forced to confront the fact that I don't have a place to call home. In the past six years since my mother passed away, I have spent Christmas Day in five different places. Maine, Scotland, Ottawa, Falls Church, and Warsaw. I haven't decorated a tree or strung up lights in forever.
My father has moved away from Northern Virginia, and I now have even less of a bind to the last real place I could call home. Ewa's family is there, my high school and college friends often end up there on holidays, but I can't use the term "going home" anymore.
Now that I'm married and "settling down", I'd really like to establish where my "heart" is... and maybe Phoenix is that place. I'd be lying if I said that doesn't weird me out. We're here at least until I finish getting my MS and Ewa establishes her teaching career, so we might as well start growing some roots.
That being said, where will we be on December 25th, 2007?
Purto Vallarta, Mexico.
Maybe next year then.
Since graduating from college, I've changed my physical address five different times. I haven't lived anywhere longer than a year since my junior year of college, and if you count college dorms and apartments, then I have lived EIGHTEEN different places during my 26 year long life. Granted, eight of those residences can be attributed to college and summer transitions, but the fact still remains that that is a hell of a lot of places!
Now that the holiday season is upon us, I am once again forced to confront the fact that I don't have a place to call home. In the past six years since my mother passed away, I have spent Christmas Day in five different places. Maine, Scotland, Ottawa, Falls Church, and Warsaw. I haven't decorated a tree or strung up lights in forever.
My father has moved away from Northern Virginia, and I now have even less of a bind to the last real place I could call home. Ewa's family is there, my high school and college friends often end up there on holidays, but I can't use the term "going home" anymore.
Now that I'm married and "settling down", I'd really like to establish where my "heart" is... and maybe Phoenix is that place. I'd be lying if I said that doesn't weird me out. We're here at least until I finish getting my MS and Ewa establishes her teaching career, so we might as well start growing some roots.
That being said, where will we be on December 25th, 2007?
Purto Vallarta, Mexico.
Maybe next year then.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
I just kept on runnin'...
Well, this past weekend marked my first attempt at an organized running event.
Sunday morning, Ewa and I headed out to Tempe for the New Times 10k event. Although not ready to run the 10k run, we were registered for the 5k event. It was a tough run, but I think we put up a good showing. Ewa managed 18th out of 36 women in her age bracket (20-24), making her exactly average. I pulled off a 14th out of 31 men in my age bracket (25-29), making me just slightly better than mediocre. Hooray for us.
We're both really satisfied with our results. I don't think an average of an 8 minute mile is too bad for a first time runner. We've been running about 3-4 times a week now, adding a half a mile each week. Right now we're at 3 mile runs. Unfortunately, this isn't going to prepare us in time for the 13.1 mile half-marathon so we've got to bump it up a notch.
So, from here on out we will continue running 3 times a week with adding the 0.5 miles each week. However, we'll also begin running an "endurance run" every Sunday adding a mile each time. This means 4 miles this weekend, 5 miles the next, etc. This should bring us up to speed by mid January, as long as we don't kill ourselves in the meantime.
Wish us luck!
Sunday morning, Ewa and I headed out to Tempe for the New Times 10k event. Although not ready to run the 10k run, we were registered for the 5k event. It was a tough run, but I think we put up a good showing. Ewa managed 18th out of 36 women in her age bracket (20-24), making her exactly average. I pulled off a 14th out of 31 men in my age bracket (25-29), making me just slightly better than mediocre. Hooray for us.
We're both really satisfied with our results. I don't think an average of an 8 minute mile is too bad for a first time runner. We've been running about 3-4 times a week now, adding a half a mile each week. Right now we're at 3 mile runs. Unfortunately, this isn't going to prepare us in time for the 13.1 mile half-marathon so we've got to bump it up a notch.
So, from here on out we will continue running 3 times a week with adding the 0.5 miles each week. However, we'll also begin running an "endurance run" every Sunday adding a mile each time. This means 4 miles this weekend, 5 miles the next, etc. This should bring us up to speed by mid January, as long as we don't kill ourselves in the meantime.
Wish us luck!
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