So far, I’ve made all my social engagements without problem, but here I sit with my venti skinny vanilla latte, completely exhausted and remembering what it feels like to adult. Being busy is a constant source of sleep deprivation, because when I lie down at night, I cannot wrap my brain around the concept of sleep and not re-running in my head everything that happened while I was out. And then other things creep in, like whether circumstances or personality dictate your actions, how I’m going to take action on dreams I say I will, how to make friends in this town (doing a good job so far), and anything and everything else my brain can possibly think to throw at me until 2:00 AM. It doesn’t matter whether I take sleeping medication or not, but at the same time, if I get home at 10:00 or 11:00, I don’t want to take it because it won’t have enough time to wear off. It’s now a never-ending cycle of coffee… as is for most adults that don’t come home from work and immediately take sleeping pills so that they’ve kicked in at my actual bedtime, which used to be somewhere around 9:00, and now fluctuates. I know I can handle it, because I’ve done it before, but the insular nature of sleeping A LOT has made a difference in my mood and behavior. It’s a balance between wanting to go home and wanting to make friends, because I can’t get together with people until after 6:00p. Because I don’t have to be at the office until 9:00, staying out late shouldn’t bother me. But it screws up my writing schedule most days because I am usually there by 7:10. This morning I managed to get up at 0600 easily, but God knows why. It hasn’t happened for the past three days.
Scales’ colonel and I made an explosive connection, and I think she could be one of those people I could talk to for hours at a time… a new friend whom I hope will one day become my old friend. One of the things I did not know about her before our outing on Wednesday is that while she was stationed in Colorado Springs, she got a Masters in Theology from Iliff (in Denver). I asked her how she did it, and she said, “I was tired all the time.” Pretty much the best answer I could have heard, given how much it must’ve been true.
Last night I went out with new friends Autumn and Dan. We chose Ted’s Bulletin, and it’s one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in DC so far. It’s relaxed and a bit hipster. They even have PBR on tap. I felt right at home, considering how much time I’d lived in PDX.
I had “The Rachel,” which is basically a Reuben made with turkey, and really good iced tea (it’s how I judge a restaurant on the first pass). When I got there, though, I had an amazing cocktail called “The Big Ugly.” I’m not sure what was in it, but it was basically a sweet and spicy Manhattan. Dan and Autumn said they thought it looked strong, and I told them I’d rather have a little bit of something awesome than a lot of something not.
They agreed wholeheartedly.
They just bought a townhome in Alex, something to which I used to aspire, but Kathleen and I were so piss poor at managing money that even with making over 100k a year, we couldn’t have done it at gunpoint.
I don’t know how much it takes to buy a house in the ‘burbs, but I’m all for it. I don’t think I’d be able to swing it unless I was coupled, but perhaps not if I keep misering it up. My friends Ruth and Brian bought a great house in the ghetto back in the day, and Brian is a carpenter. The frame was strong and true, and he customized the house with all kinds of built-ins… now, 16 years later, gentrification has taken off in their neighborhood and the house is worth eight times what it was.
Ruth and Brian are straight, but it is overwhelmingly true that if gentrification starts happening in small batches, it means the gays and lesbians have found it. #nolie
If I did live in the District, I’d probably choose Anacostia for housing prices, but ultimately I think I’d be happiest in Takoma Park, the Portland of Washington. It’s expensive AF to live in TPark, but there are pockets of Anacostia that are coming along nicely, and perhaps I can find that spot on the Anacostia River for both myself and St. James.
If I did, I’d want to steal Jeffrey Thames part time. We would be so cute as co-pastors. I am 5’4, it feels like he’s 7’5. I’m a computer geek. He’s a former Marine. Every service would be a Mutt and Jeff episode. Plus, he’s black, and I’m white. The visual would be friggin’ adorable. He’s so tall he could set the offering plates on my head. Jeffrey, if you run across this, please for the love of God laugh. 😛
Meeting Dan last night was awesome, because she showed me some pictures of Pride at State, complete with John Kerry at the podium. Meeting Autumn was equally awesome, because we inhabit the same geek world.
Tonight is going out with the Lt. Col, and I’m excited about it because we’ve had some good conversations about military health care and I am sure that we are both more interesting in person. I hope we laugh a lot, and I really have no doubt. My only concern is trying to make it to Alex from Landover in a timely fashion…. leaving now… see you Thursday, etc.
Tomorrow I don’t have anywhere to be until 1400, so if I want I can take a sleeping pill and wake up refreshed before coffee with T-money, the woman I talked to on the phone for two hours about victim advocacy, a Clinton presidency, equal sentencing, etc. She seems cool AF, so no doubt we’ll have a good time.
Still a bit nervous about kayaking, but I am done with thinking I can’t do things because I am too fragile, too weak, etc. I never played sports as a kid because of my eyes, and I am generally afraid of branching out in that direction.
But Dan mentioned a coed soccer team, and I told her that now that I had health insurance, I might try it out. We shall see what we shall see.
I am beginning to really believe I am more than the sum of my parts, and it is bleeding over into self-esteem. I don’t love me, but I like her so much that I am sure we’ll fall in love eventually.
Dating me is working out.
Stories That Are All True 