Company town June 9, 2009

DC is definitely a company town – everyone’s in government, and everyone’s a lawyer.  Never was this clearer to me than when I recently volunteered to teach Sunday school and was politely declined.  Turns out that the church where I worship requires anyone working with the children to be either a long-term member or at least familiar to the congregation for a certain amount of time.  Given that I have just moved to town – and that I am still a member of my home church – I satisfy neither of these criteria.  Thus, I was rejected, even though I have been teaching Sunday school off and on [FN1] for fifteen years.

The children will just have to wait.

——-

FN1.  Okay, more off than on, but whatever.

Selling snow to Eskimos February 19, 2009

Captain,

When you visited me last month you noted the preponderance of tanning salons in San Diego.  You then gave me a quizzical look and likened the tanning salons to the very un-PC title of this post.

Well, dearest, it turns out you were brilliant yet again.  According to a study at San Diego State University, San Diego has more tanning salons than it has  Starbucks or McDonald’s.

(I’ll wait while you reread that last sentence.)

It’s unbelievable.  As a self-avowed liberal cliche, I derive a certain amount of glee that San Diegans have valued something superior to Starbucks.  (I’m sorry, Mrs. Marbury, I have to admit it: I despise Starbucks.  I hope we can still be friends.)  As that same liberal elitist, however, I am utterly agog that the something is an artificial tan.  In a place where it is sunny 350 days a year.  At least at Starbucks you can meet with your friends and have real conversation.  You can’t do that from a tanning bed.  Which is why we have the beach.

Befuddled,

The naturally bronzed Snappy Dish

Happy anywhere January 25, 2009

Mid-winter fruit salad

Dearest,

Behold, a locally grown fruit salad.  In the middle of January.  I’m sorry but I had to gloat.  I walked to the farmer’s market this morning and even though it was smaller than I had expected, I still managed to find sweet, delicious fruit.  I still have to get used to year-round farmers’ markets and locally-grown oranges, but something tells me it will be a quick adjustment.

As I made my way home I beamed about my fresh produce and I thought about how lucky I was to live in a place where I could find such great food.  Then I thought about spoiled I will be by southern California and its perennially sunny climate.  We both know that I’m not your typical beach bunny.  Nonetheless, I find myself generally more at ease when I step outside everyday.  There’s something about not having to swaddle myself in layers of fleece and goose down that makes me lighter.  And that is pleasing.

One of the main reasons I knew I could handle moving out here by myself, and so far away from you, is that I knew I could be happy (almost) anywhere.  I have been lucky enough to be hit hard enough in life to know that when I am able, it is up to me to find the things about my life that make me happy.  In Boston, it was my friends, the Red Sox, Jim’s Deli, and a fierce connection to place.  In Washington, it was a beautiful house, proximity to our nation’s greatest day (so far), and license to wear 10mm pearls under the age of forty.  Here, it is fresh, delicious food whenever I want, monthly massages that are covered by my health insurance, and South Beach Bar & Grille.  And Hash House a Go-go.  And the Mission.  And…okay, you get the idea.

Of course, in any place my happiness is not perfect, but that is okay.  For instance, tonight is Chinese New Year and I will not be able to celebrate in any real way because 1) I have no family here and 2) there is no real Chinatown in San Diego.  I can’t get a decent scallion pancake without driving some distance.  Again, however, that is all right.  No city will give me the full array of all things that make me happy, but the fact that I have learned that provides me fantastic freedom.  As long as I connect somehow, whether by friends or by food or by baseball, I know I will be happy wherever I go.

As long as you are there as well.  I cannot wait to see you again.

Love,

The Snappy Dish

To do or not to do? January 11, 2009

Captain,

It was so good to talk with you just now.  We talk everyday but it never gets old.

Today was a busy day.  In the morning I went to church (I didn’t like it so much), went for a run, and then watched Eli get his bum handed to him while I savored some delicious French toast.  I found it odd to eat breakfast while watching football because I’m so used to having snacks and dinner during the game.  But maybe this is what it feels like when you wake up hungover at 1pm on a Sunday.  Lookit that – I’ve learned something.

Anyway, it was a beautiful day today: sunny and 80F.  If it’s this nice when you come out we might go hiking here, or take a walk along here.

Something that we definitely will not do, though, is this.  I saw the Cinderella version loping along my street and I hardly could believe my eyes.  I thought it was a little much.

See you in FIVE days,

The Snappiest Dish

Media we can live with January 7, 2009

Captain,

That is a terrible idea about the virtual daddies and mommies.  The cardboard cut-outs were bad enough (see this Modern Love about them), and the computer-generated images are so much worse.  I’d much rather talk with the real you infrequently than a fake you all the time.  Speaking of which, my cable equipment arrived today.  Provided I get it working after I get home from work tomorrow, we’ll be in business.  Giddy-up.

In other news, I attended an alumni event for our law school tonight.   The first thing I saw when I entered the room was a great big school banner and it was as if I were at home again, 2700 miles away.  I hadn’t expected to be so emotional at seeing a banner, but I was.  It was tremendous.  I’d say about thirty people were there, including my Contracts professor, my Crim Pro professor, and the Dean of Students.  The Dean remembers you, by the way, and when she found out we were dating she exclaimed “Great guy!” to everyone assembled.  Really.  To the entire room.

At any rate, it was fantastic to meet new people and to see that everyone really does know everyone here.  As soon as I told people where I worked, they all had something nice to say about someone I knew at work.  This could be helpful should you, you know, want to come work here.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Yesterday I promised a gratuitous photo of my extravagant view, and here it is.  Now that’s media I can live with.

Love,

Cookie Monster

Counting my blessings December 19, 2008

Captain,

Even though I just told you as much, I’ll say it again because if it’s not on the blog, then did it really happen?

This morning I went to the DMV for the third time in as many days, and for the third time in as many days I had a fantastically efficient trip.  I showed up right when it opened, so I was able to get my car inspected and forms submitted within twenty minutes.  I could hardly believe it when the lady asked me for payment.  “You mean you don’t need anything else?  I brought in all the right forms?  REALLY?”  I was ecstatic.  And since I’d budgeted the entire morning for the DMV, I got to squeeze in a workout in my building’s fancy little gym.  Wouldn’t you know it, but Fever Pitch was on TV, and it got me missing Boston something bad.  Except for the part when I saw the Hancock building and all I could think was, “Negative easement for light!!!”  Point is, though, my building’s a little swank – and it’s awesome.  Individual TV’s on the treadmills and water coolers all around.  You should come visit.

Love,

KHC