:::snapshots -- friday, january 16, 2009:::

1. it's currently 12 degrees. the high today is 22. as i walked out of my building this morning i told myself, 'i can do hard things.' and cold things...

2. there have been planes and helicopters in the air space since last weekend. i live and work under restricted air space, so it's weird to hear engines and propellers above my head again.

3. i majorly spaced a commitment last night. majorly. woops.

4. i finally, finally got my dc license yesterday. did you know that legally you have to change your license within a few short months of becoming a residence of a new state? another woops. better late than never.

this was my second time going to this dmv to try and complete the process. thankfully, on this trip the only hitch was that my check card wouldn't go through so i had to go to the atm and get cash out. i know the woman behind the counter entered my numbers wrong, and i was annoyed that i had to pay a $2.50 fee to use another bank's atm, but i really didn't want to fight it. i'm just considering it a surcharge from the universe for having such a pleasant dmv experience on the whole. my sanity and not being rude to someone are well worth $2.50.

5. i need to be better at carrying cab fare with me for unplanned trips. like today -- it's so stinking cold and i may not feel like walking home tonight. my preferred denomination of cab fare money is two fives and ten ones. it costs about $7-$8 every time i ride a cab, so i can either give the driver $10 or a five and some ones. i'm sure that seems like a lot of money to spend for a ride home, but cabs will save your sanity, i'm telling you. plus, that's how much it costs to eat lunch around here and i've been bringing a lean cuisine every day for a few weeks. the average cost of a lean cuisine is $2.50 (yes, as i was getting money out of the atm yesterday i thought of that), so i'm saving little bits of money every day.

you don't care...why am i telling you this?


6. my thoughts on the outgoing president -- eight years, wow. there's so much being said, so much that's been said about bush. in all, i'm not a fan, mainly because i don't appreciate his leadership style, i.e., his attitude, outlooks, communication styles, etc., the presence of his presidential office.

7. my thoughts on the incoming president -- i want the hoopla to calm down. i expect obama to very shortly prove himself to this country, and to the world. to me, at least, the wave of popularity that he rode into office on no longer matters. it's time to earn your keep, buddy.

8. today i am alone in the library. i find that these days are some of my most productive. i have so much to catch up on and i'm hoping that i can lop a chunk off of all the projects sitting on my desk right now.

9. my patience with personalities has been worn thin this week. t-h-i-n. the weekend couldn't come at a better time.

10. some people at work are spending the night in the office on monday since we're so close to the white house and the parade route. i want to spend the night in the office, not because i want to see anything, but because it's been a dream of mine ever since i read from the mixed from the mixed-up files of mrs. basil e. frankweiler. that's the best book, isn't it?