>So, until approximately yesterday, I avoided the buses here in D.C. Not because I’m a busaphobe, hate public transportation that doesn’t let me do my escalator intervals, or just love hearing over and over on the subway “step back, doors closing; step back, doors closing.” No. I avoided the buses because I couldn’t figure them out. Take a look yourself, here is the bus map.

>Greetings from Tynan, my new favorite tea shop in Columbia Heights. Tynan is like a tea-version of Starbucks (although yes, you can get coffee), and I’m sure once it becomes more popular, I’ll start hating it. Until then, I am surprisingly content with the establishment, especially with my portabella mushroom sandwich, pumpkin chai latte, and free wifi.

This last guy wasn’t a participant; rather, he explained to us his undying love for “short shorts,” and how he takes every waking possibility to expose his “good-lookin'” legs to the public. Hey man-more power to you.

>After writing my senior thesis on Ghanaian rhythm in daily life, I have definitely found myself more in-tune to the unique rhythms I’m sensing in the places I’ve lived. New York has a defined rhythm on its streets; there is a constant sense of urgency as people walk. This urgency is especially abundant when hoards of businessmen, tourists, and starving artists alike collect at red lights and are eventually set free by that little white walking guy, letting them move uniformly across to the next block, only to be caged up all-together again at the next junction.

>

-taking pictures of pumpkins

(my housemate John made this sucker)

-going to the gym

(i got a gym membership, and the frugal girl in me is internally freaking out about another monthly bill. still, there are televisions on all the machines, free yoga and african dance classes, and really, really, really good looking personal trainers)

-writing on this blog

(duh)

-frequenting coffee shops, le pain quotidien, and the smithsonian more than my REM cycle

(who needs sleep?)

-going out on U street during the week, since social weekends no longer exist in my life

(my friends Martha and Ibrahim)

-eating out

(ethiopian food.is.amazing.)

-eating in

(apparently my breakfasts and lunch sort of resemble one another)

-being forever witty, imaginative, and charming.

(and modest)

>I have been meaning to write another blog posts for days now, but everything time I open up this new post page, I freeze. Laura has been managing to find the beauty in the simple things she comes across in her everyday life, and well, i’ve only been coming across mountains of homework, quizzes, tests, papers, and group presentations projects. The subjects are definitely interesting (ahemmm methane clathrates- a frozen form of methane that has the power to greatly enhance global warming but could also provide the world’s energy needs for the next several centuries), but it becomes hard to appreciate them sometimes when living the life of a 24/7 student. aka little sleep, little eating, no social life.

I don’t want to complain, I am trying to embrace this program wholeheartedly- but I wish I had some beautiful simple moments outside of the academic realm. But for now, I will appreciate the cram sessions with my fellow classmates, the sunny afternoons walking to and from class, the fact that coffee is available free in the lounge, and that knowledge of a matlab code or dynamics process is considered a bonding point. I will say that the people in my program are beautiful- beautiful for the fact that they speak many different languages, come from all over the world, and have an undying commitment to helping each other out – no questions asked.

i apologize if this post is a ramble- i think studying for my quantitative analysis (lovingly referred to as quant) test has fried my brain a bit.

> Every Tuesday, my friend Martha and I go to Sushi Tono in Adams Morgan for sushi-happy hour. Rolls are an incredible $3-5 dollars, and sashimi is a mere buck. Even so, the bill somehow manages to come out to $50 each time, which goes to show we order a lot of sushi (and get sake).

pictured: eel, mackerel, tamago, salmon, yellowtail, and tuna sashimi; spicy scallion, spicy crunchy tuna, and shrimp avocado roll. heaven.

>I’m finding that amongst my crazy schedule, there are nuances in my day-to-day routine that I find particularly pleasant. Moreover, I think these are what keep me sane. So, if you care (you should care), keep reading. I’m about to tell you what they are. I might even make a list.

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>Thursdays are my one full day off, so of course it rained. All day. Not to say I’m a hater of rain, but a pesky cold, steady rainfall really makes things difficult when you live in a city and want to get around. Especially when you don’t have an umbrella.

>and took my camera. What enthralls me most about my new neighborhood is the diversity I encounter from block to block. I’ll show you what I mean:

I leave my house and encounter autumn. I love to see how my neighbors decorate their front porches. (Ours is currently full of bikes and cigarette butts. I didn’t take a picture).

I’ve been eying this eatery since I moved here, yet I still haven’t walked inside. Gloria’s seems to be calling my name though, and I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe it’s just that those hole-in-the-wall places are usually the most delicious.

>It’s ironic that Nic’s post below is similar to what I’ve been thinking about lately. While we’re both no longer in the middle of nature-our shared love-we are in the middle of culture–both living in two of the most populated cities in the US (New York being #1, and D.C. being #27…but whatever). So this is what brings me to realization #2…I am no longer living in white-suburbia land (hellooo Saratoga Springs and Northport, NY).