Holding On To Summer

I'm not sure why it took me this long. Here we are, August 21, and summer is almost over. The cooler mornings have me thinking toward Fall and also wondering where the time went? Yesterday, I resolved to spending at least a half hour of my lunch break outside, reading, in the park. Soaking in the warmth and sunlight as much as I can and giving myself a much needed break from my computer. My thought is that ultimately, the time spent away from my desk will actually make me more productive. The importance of mental rest should not be underestimated, which - I'd bet - is part of the reason lunch breaks were invented in the first place (along with the need to nourish the body, of course!).

When I first started work, I promised myself two things - 1) I would make sure I used every vacation day allotted to me and 2) I would always take my lunch break. Seven years later, I've failed repeatedly on both accounts. And it hasn't been at all on my own accord.

When did life get so hectic? And when did employers decide to try to cram 10+ hours of work into 8? Or 7 work days into 5? (And I know that my attorney, doctor, and financial advisor friends scoff at the "minimal" hours that I work compared to their jobs.) If I only worked the 7.5 hours/day that I get paid and actually took every vacation day I'm owed (a whopping 36! which I've accrued based on good performance, promotions and time with the organization), I'm not sure how I would ever get anything done. I'm fairly organized, but not even the most organized could produce this amount of work - of high quality - in that amount of time. You'd have to be superhuman (or the woman on Bewitched).

There's something to be said about the European work environment. August off, flexible work hours... so what if we are a richer country? I bet they live longer.

The People Are Ready For Change

Got you there, didn't I?

You thought this was going to be another blog post dedicated to Barack Obama or our messed up electoral/ delegate vote system, or the news that Ralph Nadar has decided to ruin our election - again. Well, you are wrong. No politics here. At least not today. I'd like to talk about the Spring fashions I see popping up on the street around me. And it's still only in the 40s.

Yes, the people are ready for change. For a change in the actual climate (among others such as the economic climate and political climate, but we'll save that for another post.) Enough of the dreary 40 degree weather days. Either snow, or be sunny. But the hazy cool mist is getting old already.

Peep toed shoes have made their way back into my office and I've seen several women walking around with skirts on - sans hose. I'm even guilty of running out to lunch without my jacket on lately. Feels like it should be Spring already, even though it's not even March yet. (And even at that, the true Spring weather typically doesn't arrive until May.)

But as global warming persists, our seasons lack demarcation and somehow Fallwinterspring has become the norm. The slightest hint of snow brings everyone into a tizzy and I'm sure a forecast for a 60 degree day would be cause for shorts and flip flops. Yet, somehow, regardless of the forecast, we're left with the gray misty cool humidity. Not cause for an umbrella per se, but definitely enough for a bad hair day.

Doesn't anyone else work?

Today I took a day off from work. Call it a mental health day, call it a comp day, call it whatever - it was great! Now, it wasn't quite Ferris Bueller style, but nevertheless, it was well worth it. Just knowing that everyone was holed up behind their computers having the life sucked out of them from the fluorescent lights and I was on my way to enjoying the sunny 70-degree weather made me giddy like a school girl.

After a lazy morning of catching up on personal emails and making a real breakfast, I headed out to run some errands - but first, a stop at the car wash. I never drive and my car is wearing a good 1/4" coat of pollen, so I decide to treat it to a bath. Besides, if I'm going to be zipping around the city, I might as well do it in style. 11am on a Friday and I'm on my way down 13th Street to the Mr. Wash and what is this I see? A line?? Yes. About 30 cars are stretched down two city blocks with the same idea as me. Who are these people? Don't they work?

Car wash aborted.

I keep heading south, past the Washington Monument dodging packs of tourists who don't want to obey the walk signals. But, I'll give them some slack. They're on vacation, unlike the patrons at the car wash. Across the 14th Street bridge and I'm soon arriving at the Pentagon City Mall (one of my least favorite places, but I'm desperately in need of a new dress for a wedding next weekend). The parking lot is packed! I drive around twice before finding a spot. Seriously, there must be more housewives in the area than I thought.

Wrong. They are teenagers. Hoards of them. Isn't it a school day? For a moment I think I've time warped to the summer. Fortunately, they are not browsing the evening dress collection at Nordstrom so I'm safe for a while. Until, that is, I want to eat. There they are again. With food court vouchers! I decide to check out a few more stores until the lines go down but the only one within eyesight is some store called Forever 21. The fact that I'm 30 should have stopped me from entering, but I was desperate to kill time until the teeny boppers got through the Taco Bell line. (Gross, I know, but it IS my day off). I immediately concluded that this store is a disaster and that they most certainly won't have a dress for the "black tie invited" wedding I am due to attend, but I pick through the racks anyway, hoping for a miracle. No such luck, I'm better off in the Taco Bell line.

With tacos in hand, I set out to find a table and grab a seat at the end of a really long row. Creepy diplomatic man is sitting diagonally across from me and out of courtesy I ask if the seat was taken. Big mistake, he took that for my interest in conversing with him. I've never eaten three tacos so quickly. On my way.

I did finally find a dress - back at Nordstrom where I started. It was on sale, but needs some altering. I swear it looked better on than in this picture. Maybe it is because I wasn't doing that stupid pose and I don't have fake blond hair.

2 1/2 hours later, mission accomplished and I'm on my way home. Back up 13th Street and the cars are STILL lined up at the car wash. It truly may be the same people, so I skip it again and decide to go to the gym. U Street is lined with shoppers and all of the outside tables at Starbucks are filled. For 3:3opm on a week day there are even more people at the gym than I expect, but it is no problem to get a machine. Still, I wonder what these people do that they can get to the gym in the middle of the day. I spend an hour and a half there, on the treadmill listening to my newly downloaded Amy Winehouse album, and then I watch the first 20 minutes of Oprah on the bike. Life is good. Oprah's playing Deal or No Deal with Howie Mandel and a lucky audience member goes home with $100,000. I head home with two sore legs.

Back in the hatch, I tidy up a bit, prep the porch for the summer and settle down with a good book.

What an excellent day. I'm sorry for those of you who were stuck at work, but from my observations today, I don't think there were too many of you!

_________________
Expenses (on the road to saving something):

• May 3
• Mother's Day flowers/gifts: $168
• May 4
• Lunch: $6
• Parking: $2
• Dress/ Alteration: $200

Here Comes the Sun

Just a short post to say "Welcome, Spring!" It's about time, isn't it? We can finally come out of our burrows and lift our pasty faces up to the sun. The parks and squares were filled today with office workers unwinding on a lunch break. Suit jackets were shed to bare arms to the breeze and toes wiggled out to play in the cool blades of grass.

With temps set to be in the 70s this weekend, I'm sure we'll all put off that spring cleaning a few more days to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. I know I will. I'm hoping to hit the links and maybe the bike trails in an attempt to make up for lost time here. Perhaps a walk, some warm-weather shopping, and an iced coffee to boot. Welcome, Spring! We're ready for you... can you handle us?