Catching up

Monday morning-getting ready to leave Washington DC for Raleigh, NC. It's funny-and I didn't realize it till it was happening but-on Saturday I saw two friends from high school, Jen and Amanda. We spent about 11 or 12 hours together, talking, laughing, eating (somethings will never change) and walking around the city. But as we were hanging out I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen them in 10 years. 10 years seems like a long time, but with them it was like I had seen them last week. That's the sign of a real true friend. And I'm heading down to NC to see Brenda and Jackie who I did theatre with in college. Again-I haven't seen them in maybe 5 or 6 years. Where does the time go. Mundane daily tasks keep us running on automatic. My advice to everyone is take the time to go and see the people who are so important in your life. Over the past year, if I didn't have the friends that I have...I don't know where would I be.

But now let me think. Here are some recent highlights since I last posted.

1. The Wiz was good and will transfer to Broadway, but dear god they need to get rid of Ashanti. She can sing, but she can't act to save her life. LaChanze deserves a Tony just for her singing When You Believe.
2. Got to take a mini tour of Astoria (thanks to Tom) and REALLY like the area. Most likely that is where I'll end up when I move down there.
3. Loved seeing SO many great people in NYC, reminded me how varied and artistic people are.
4. I don't understand how the school that my friend Ryan teaches at used to be one high school, but is now divided into four schools. I understand why (violence) but each school has a floor, and some shared areas...I guess it works.
5. Philadelphia looks like a BEAUTIFUL city (I drove Ryan and Hope there for a wedding on Friday.) Lots of theatre-I think I'll have to spend some time there soon...
6. The Kennedy Center is HUGE-and I'll be back there for Follies next season. It also has the best view of Washington.
7. The Watergate looks like a Disney resort...from 1964.
8. Everyone should visit the new(ish) FDR memorial in DC. It's an experience-literally. I do think however that there are too many ideas going on at once-but it is still more interesting then just a statue. And yes I am being biased.

Nothing that interesting yet. I have to admit that I was a slacker yesterday. I got up late, wanted to go swimming but it was cloudy, so I hung out all day just , watching tv, driving around, went to a spa and got a facial-BUT there is one thing yesterday that I have never done before.

So a person has to eat-obviously. Where my hotel is there are a few restaurants, one of which is a local chain called Eggs...something. Well when it was time to eat, I walked over, went in, and sat BY MYSELF and ate an entire meal in a busy restaurant. To top it off, I did the same thing for dinner! I was driving around-thinking about going to a movie, and found a Vegetarian restaurant (in the middle of Virginia no less) and ate by myself. Some of you might be reading this and thinking "so what?" I don't know what it is, but eating like that, in public-alone, has always been a fear of mine. I can't explain why-but I think I attached some kind of social stigma to it. Even when I was thinking about going to the movies alone...it causes anxiety. So maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal, but it was kind of a milestone for me. Sad that I think that at age 30.

So what have we learned? Maybe it's a little contradictory what I have learned. Go out and try new things, even if it is alone-but don't forget those people that you love, that are important to you, that make you smile.

I already know-and I haven't even been gone a week, that this trip will give me memories that I will hold close and warm for the rest of my life.

Sappy post done. Go call a friend. See you from Raleigh.

OH! Still trying to figure out how to post videos-and I got one photo from DC..