Laughatyourself's Blog

I <3 DC

Leslie — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:23:50 +0000

I’ve spent the last 10 years debating between DC and Chicago. Err, Chicago and DC. You get the point. Each with their own pros and cons, it makes it difficult to make a decision and achieve peace with that choice. Functionally I could live in either place and be happy… and sad that I wasn’t in the other.

Sipping my coffee this morning and listening to XRT on the internets, I thought back on my previous Independence Days. I realized that I’ve spent every one in either area. The first time I ever missed Glen Ellyn’s parade, I was on the Mall in DC (hiding in the over air-conditioned Air and Space Museum). I’m coming off a great week full of DC-type events and wouldn’t trade being able to have those experiences for anything.

I’ll probably never stop debating between the two. I also think that there are worse things than having people I really love in both places.

(Side note: I also find it very telling of my personality that I am having a debate over two places that are separated by a direct 1.5 hour flight. There must be at least 10/day between DCA and ORD. It’s not like DC is Guam. I also wonder if my peace with the distance means that I’m ready to really run away from home now… We’ll see.)

And all the time…

Leslie — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:55:02 +0000

… God is good.

Today I rediscovered the joy of the 5:30 contemporary Mass at St. Matthews. I use the term loosely as “contemporary” at the cathedral means music from the Gather book. In other words, they sing in English rather than the Latin, Italian, German, etc utilized at the 11:30 service I usually attend. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy that too. Especially since Ashley sings. Nothing can replace the familiarity of being able to belt out “City of God.”

It’s the little things in life.

March Badness.

Leslie — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:03:21 +0000

The title of today’s post is a bit over dramatic, but it was wittier than some of the other options so there you go.

Today wasn’t a great day. I’ll spare the whining and just leave it at that. I also had the realization that a similar funk hits me every year ’bout this time. Blame it on too much winter. And the Olympics ending, etc, etc.

I get a strange sense of comfort from remembering that– like somehow March is destined to be a blah month. More on how I plan to change that later. Have immediately made my day better by getting a good work out in, coming home, and not turning on the TV. Instead I am happily engaged in the minutia of miscellaneous tasks on the home front. I feel better already.

Randomness

Leslie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:47:05 +0000

Some unrelated thoughts that crossed my mind while running:

1. I wonder what I could do in life if I could get over my laziness/motivation issues. I feel sometimes that my running is parallel to how I treat other goals in my life. I research the heck out of it in the beginning. I set a goal. I freak myself out over said goal. I realize that the goal actually *is* attainable and then slack off with the follow through. The context here is that I know I can finish the 10k this weekend and am therefore have slacked off on the training that would make me not only finish the race but maybe improve a time. Kinda like punting my thesis in grad school. I should care more that I do that, right?

2. No matter when I run week days, week ends, morning, afternoon, or evening, I encounter at least one crazy protestor. No, the woman who’s been outside the White House since 1981 doesn’t count. Today it was what I’m assuming a pick up truck absolutely covered in billboards. This guy was ticked off about “Obama-care.” And homosexuality. And bail outs. And wanted us to remember 9/11. And also put in a plug for Jesus/salvation. The kicker was the sign that said, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen. John 5:16.” This was under a photo of one of the WTC towers. Crazy protesters are crazy protesters no matter what their message. I feel like I’m almost seeing more of them under this administration than the last which is impressive.

Ok, that’s my story for now. I’m sure I’ll remember something else later

Getting my act together.

Leslie — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:13:34 +0000

Happy Labor Day, everyone. I think I have to start realizing that the charm of the summer time is permission to blow off some of the every day stuff in favor of long weekend at the beach and hanging out with people visiting from out of town. Or at least that seems to be my M.O.

While I have some stuff coming in the fall (ND/MSU game, home over Columbus Day weekend, long weekend in Lurray for Beth’s birthday), I feel like I’m regaining the life that I seemed to have chucked out the window last May. It’ll be nice to get back to business as it were in terms of my working out and seeing certain friends.

I’ve finally been able to blow the metaphoric stink off myself and feel like I’m caught up on some life goals. Among other things, I’ve signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon 10k (again), have been making advances on certain professional type things, and finally figured out the Post-Bar-a-palooza.

More on that, later. I’ll be curious to see how my little count down turned out.

Read and post cruise reviews



Mastering the art of blogging.
Leslie — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:15:52 +0000
You know you don’t write entries enough when the WordPress layout seems to change every time you log in to your account.  Ah well.
I can’t help but notice that despite the chaos of it all, which I venture to guess is often self-created, seems to go away on nights like tonight.  I blew off the errands/working out I “should” have done and went to see a movie with Maureen.  Walking home on this very warm August evening, I had a feeling that life isn’t so bad.  Not that I thought it really was… it’s just nice to get a reminder now and again.
I “should” pack my lunch and my bag for softball tomorrow night.  However, I’m likely to retreat 10 feet behind me to my couch to watch Little Women for the billionth time (on one of the Encore channels).  Hee!

         


Blasphemy.
Leslie — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:58:49 +0000
I’m going to make a fairly bold statement: I miss cold weather.  I think I go through this every year around this time.  It’s August.  It’s hot.  It’s so humid you feel as though you took a shower every time you step outside.  I miss wearing jackets and sweatshirts.  I miss seeing snow flurries.  I don’t miss the deluge of snow that can sometimes accompany those flurries, but I live in DC now so that’s generally not an issue.  
That’s my story.  

         


Running is not normal.
Leslie — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:25:07 +0000
This has been the theme of quite a few posts.  The thing that gets me is that I went through a few races and the pain associated with them at this point.  I know that I will complain about the training.  And will hate my life even more when in the middle of the race.  Why then am I sad about not having a race to look forward to?  I say this as I jam on the refresh button to see if I can possibly have the timing to stumble across someone trying to unload their bib for the Army Ten Miler in October?  
The kool-aid is delicious.  

         


Context is key.
Leslie — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:34:30 +0000
While pouring milk/sugar into my coffee at Saxby’s not even an hour ago, I overhear a fellow patron order a “small Kenyan.”  
Heh.  That is all.

         


Just another week.
Leslie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:45:19 +0000
In an attempt to put some definition into my otherwise repetitive lifestyle, I realized that I better put some of the more interesting bits into writing.
Summer has officially shown up in the District.  I don’t mean warm weather, either.  I mean hot, humid, three shower a day weather.  More tourists and all the trappings that go along with them (i.e. buses, crappy t-shirt vendors on the sidewalks, etc) than you can shake a stick at.  And a noted absence of coworkers/colleagues across the board on Friday afternoon.
I feel like I haven’t had a lot of “free” summers per se.  Last summer was I guess.  I was so busy graduating, traveling, starting work, getting death flu, moving and going through other emotional nonsense that it didn’t seem free.  So this summer, I’m indulging in hanging out, exploring random festivals and entertaining out of towners.  Ok, out of towner, singular: Felicia.  However, the number of people she brings with her makes it seem like more  
After a very fun, yet slightly exhausting time with Fel last weekend, I decided to lay low this weekend.  Laying low turned into going to Great Falls National Park and heading over to BBQ Fest with some grad school people Saturday night.  It was pretty awesome to think that something like Great Falls is so close outside the city.  Moreover, it was also pretty amazing to have stalls upon stalls of delicious BBQ of all shapes and sizes a mere mile from my apartment.  The night was made more unique by the crazy people and the prolific amounts of Michael Jackson music that could be overheard.  Yesterday wasn’t crazy or extraordinary.  It was strangely memorable for how pleasant it was.  I have a feeling that “Billy Jean” is now going to give me an urge for pulled pork from now on.  Then again, what doesn’t  
Pictures of Great Falls to follow when I finally upload them…