Sunday night at the office

She sits at the computer, fingers pecking at the keys. She is wearing her black velvet formal full-length dress and her stage make-up remains on her skin leaving her face looking like she came from a make-up counter demonstration in a Macy’s store. Her new black leather boots feel soft against her left leg as she sits with legs crossed at the desk.

She knows she has to write a front-page story for her boss before she goes home for the night but still she is high from singing Elijah in the Kennedy Center less than an hour before. It’s 6:45 p.m. But the notes/words “the fire descends from heaven . . . the flames consume the offering. Before Him upon your faces fall, before him upon your faces fall.” (Song describes how flames from heaven descend to devour the offering Elijah had built — devouring the ox, the firewood, the stones and even the water in the ditch that had been poured on the altar — and how Israel realizes that Elijah worships the true God.)

She’s still without a phone, but she’s ok. She’s survived somehow thus far. It’s time to write her work story so her Thanksgiving vacation can begin.

Thanks for your notes and words of encouragement. I’ve made it through the weekend thus far fairly unscathed.

Procrastination must end…. catch you all on the other end of this story.
-E

 

Roads of Virginia, King-size suite

Some of you may already know that I avoid driving into Virginia.

You see, when I cross the state line in my car, everything seems to turn to Swahili. I get tragically lost nearly every time.

The way the roads are designed and the behavior of the drivers, not to mention the fact that nearly every intersection has a no-U-Turn sign, drives me NUTS.

This frustration has tainted my opinion of Virginia in an odd way. For example, I’m less likely to date a guy who lives in Virginia (anywhere more than a short walk away from a WMATA metro stop) than a guy in DC or Maryland.

And the only cities that I really like are Alexandria, Reston and Falls Church, but that’s because I have friends there.

Well my opinion of Virginia moved up a notch last week when I made an overnight work trip to Richmond, Virginia, for a federal appeals court case involving transmission siting rights federal vs. states’.

Like a smart girl I avoided traffic and got into my hotel about 9:30 p.m., just in time to have dinner with a friend.

What I found in Richmond was a funky little town with some restaurants with very creative chefs. For example, I had watermelon tequila soup served in a Champaign flute. It was surprisingly refreshing. And you couldn’t even taste the tequila.

While at dinner with Jason, a couple of his friends joined us. Like me, Jason has a deliciously eclectic group of friends. One of Jason’s friends — a self proclaimed garbage collector (who is actually an amazingly intelligent antique collector/restorer, art dealer) — told me that there is a hex on the city of Richmond. The curse is that anyone who visits Richmond can’t leave (or has to keep returning) until he or she has faced himself or herself. It was a very intriguing idea. And in truth, I feel a great pull to return to the city.

“Have you faced yourself?” I asked my friend. From his long round about reply I surmised that he believed he had. I don’t know if I can give the same answer.

 I also really enjoyed my stay at the local hotel, located one block from the Federal Appeals court and directly across from the state capital building.

There was a lovely surprise awaiting me at the hotel. It seems they had filled all the double twin bed-size cheap rooms and so they put me in the king size suite without raising the price. Check it out. p.s. sorry the pics are crappy because I took them on my phone.

 

My king size bed in a seperate room

My living room

My bathroom had a bidet. Unbelievable. I’ve only had those in my bathrooms in European hotels.

 

 On a side note: I apologize for not keeping up with the blog. As I’ve said this is a busy season for me. I’ll do my best to update at least three times a week.

 

Thursdays, fondue and a date with Viggo

So this is how Thursdays usually go.

First of all, I write for a wire service and a weekly news publication
writing about energy news. Our weekly news deadline
is Thursday night.

Today I am done working at 7:30 p.m., a very early Thursday
time to be all cleared to head home. Or as in this case, to write a blog.

But usually I’m swamped with stuff to write, no matter how
hard I’ve worked all week to get stuff in, until 8 or so and then its a
couple of hours before my boss gets around to finishing
up reading my copy so I can go home.

The reason there are no deep thoughts tonight in my blog
is because I think there are none left in my head. I’m wiped out.

I’m a writing zombie staring at this blue “dashboard” for my blog and
not sure whether I’m sometimes seeing double.

Last night was a blast. I finally got around to using one of my
birthday presents (which was in January), a chocolate fondue set.
I really loved the gift but I just hadn’t really taken the time to figure
out what I had to do.

Turns out its really simple. Buy chocolate. Melt it (SLOWLY so as
not to burn it) in a double boiler or a glass/metal bowl on top of
 a gently boiling pot of water. Pour in fondue jar and enjoy.

One of my neighbors and god daughter came down and we had a girls night
with strawberries, sweet chocolate, and other things we wanted
to try dipping in chocolate.

hint: Lime corn chips + chocolate fondue = your taste buds will revolt

dried banana chips + chocolate fondue = pretty yummy

soft unpitted dates + chocolate fondue = way too much sugar,
oh and the dates totally overwhelm the flavor of chocolate.

At least I was smart enough not to try chocolate with the hummus,
hee hee.

I also had a date with Viggo. Ok, so actually, it was a date to watch
the movie Hidalgo, in which Viggo stars. I’m not sure why I hadn’t rented
it before since I’ve adored Viggo Mortensen ever since I saw him show
up to a TV interview with an anti-Iraq war T-shirt (pre-invasion) under his
suit jacket.

I had just protested the war in a demonstration in D.C. (ah for the freedom
of college life when I wasn’t covering Congress and could have a public
opinion on that).

I really liked the movie. Really. It almost had the feel of a much shorter
(and ok less sad ending) ”Lawrence of Arabia. I might have to buy it.

I also love horsees and Native American stuff, since I have it in my blood.

I’m part Delaware Indian baby.

Ok. Now I’m inspired to write something about the first time I listened to
Native American music in nature. I’ll post it in another blog since it really
doesn’t deserve to be stuck in a blog with such a blah beginning. Looks like
you all will have the pleasure of two entries tonight.