Vienna Va

The End Of An Era

Life

Painting over Door MuralI had originally started out thinking that I was going to write a “Farewell to the house” post about how awesome it was to live there and all the good times I had, but then something happened. I started helping Jesse, Charlie, and Bobby move stuff out of the house and clean up and at first I was reminiscent about all the things that were just being thrown away. Thinking, we collected this stuff for a reason, isn’t somebody going to enjoy it. But then wave after wave of crap kept pouring out of the house. It really wears you down, they literally threw away a ton of stuff. couches, beds, tables, chairs, tvs, monitors, computers… it was all just too much. February 28th 2009 marked the end of an era.

That era was my extended adolescence. For real this time!

The rest of the guys are finally moving out of the house in Vienna. It’s like a going out of business sale, everything must go. All the stuff that I left behind there thinking someone would use  is out the door. You know all that stuff that you thought would look great around the bar in the basement? It’s old and dusty now and nobody wants it. You remember the bar in the basement? It’s old and nobody wants it. You remember the basement? It’s dirty and nobody wants to live there.  I don’t remember why we were keeping Brian’s mom’s microwave in the basement, but now you realize it’s so old that it has a dial for a timer and remember a dent in the top where people used to climb over it to get up onto his bed in the dorm room freshman year. Which… dear lord… was 2000.

What is it with my urge to remember everything that happens to me. Is it that I think my best times are behind me? I don’t! Maybe I just think that nobody else will remember these things. Nobody else will know that those plastic coconut cups in the basement came from the my engagement party.  Those 10.000 beer caps that you were saving for some un-named project… it’s not going to happen. Do you know why on Cribs you don’t see a wall plastered with cardboard 6 pack boxes, because it smells like mildew and the tape pulls the paint off the wall. But where does this stuff go when the era ends? Who gets the beer pong table? Who gets the bar, the bar!… man! Well, the answer for most of this stuff, is to the trash or for a small percentage Freecycle and Unique Thrift Store.  Conveniently where I will go in 10 years to buy it back when I’m in my midlife crisis.

There were a lot of good times the 4 years at the apartment in Fairfax and the 3 and a half years in the house Vienna. But it’s time to move on. We’re all moving on, in with our respective girlfriends. In my case it’s time to purge some of the crap in my life, so this era comes to an end at an opportune time.

The why of the Laurel

Life, Women

This is the synopsis of my day and by proxy the whole Laurel experience.

We walked to get coffee at Jammin Java, decided to see a revival screening of Labrynith this week, then spent the rest of the day watching episodes of “Weeds” and drinking old champagne that I picked up out of the trash on the side of the road.

This is why I have so much fun with Laurel, she has fun doing the things that I would be doing anyway. I don’t have to try, it just comes naturally!

who throws away wine anyway?

Snow Czar Demands Action

Life, Rants

So let me continue to complain about the NoVA snow situation. We drove to upper PA over the weekend to go snowboarding at Camelback Mountain (which was awesome and deserving of it’s own post) and we kept hearing how everybody was complaining about how badly the state handled the roads during the snow. I thought they did an alright job, but that’s cause VA handled it even worse. When I got back it hit me that we really aren’t complaining enough about our roads.

I mean come on! They didn’t even plow the turn lanes?? So not only are people driving slow and freaking out about “black ice” when it’s 40 degrees out, but now they’re all backed up at the intersections. Also I don’t know who’s responsibility it is to shovel the sidewalks. I keep thinking of doing it vigilante style while wearing a “other states are laughing at us” t-shirt. But I couldn’t even be bothered to shovel my own, so that’s probably not going to happen.

But walking to the Metro is becoming a exercise in balance and grip. Not to mention that I decided to wear shoes that are apparently glorified socks. So it’s a miracle that I’m not on my ass every five feet. I took some pictures so that you can get an idea of what I’m talking about. Remember that all this is snow covered by a half inch of sleet refrozen every night.

will post pics later…

The Culture of Snow

Life, Rants

What the hell is wrong with people around here? That’s a question I usaully ask myself around this time of year. I mean it snows enough in this part of the country that you think people would be used to it. I think that its because this area is so transient, people move in and don’t have time to adjust to the climate before it snows. Then when it does come they freak out.

I think we need a Virginia department of snow. Their responsibilities would include educating the population on how to drive in the snow, average area snowfall, and not stocking up on all the food at the supermarket on the threat of snow. He should also control the media reports of snow, they shouldn’t be able to sensationalize the impending snowstorm just to increase ratings. He would control school closings thus influencing the next generation of snow drivers.

I would like to throw my name into the hat which will be thrown into the ring which will be filled with contenders. May the best man be the next Snow Czar.

Later!