Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Mall...

Today Jane and I were on our way to the National Mall to take in a free jazz concert at the Sculpture Garden next to the National Museum of Art...well...that is not exactly true. We were on our way home from a failed attempt (got to love summer thunderstorms in DC) to take in a free jazz concert at the Sculpture Garden next to the National Museum of Art...but I was having a devil of a time trying to come up with a catchy title to that effect. Anyway...I digress...

So, Jane and I had gotten on the metro and take a seat amongst the other passengers, not thinking much about it. Jane was telling me about her day at work and how her crabby and rude co-worker had said something that really upset her. She was telling me how it had been really hard with this particular co-worker lately, as she was always saying really rude or mean things to Jane. I, of course, was advocating some sort of confrontation to tell the crabby co-worker to take a long walk off a short pier, out the window, to the bottomless depths of he...okay, you get the idea. Anyway, we were talking about constructive ways (come on, give me a little credit) that Jane could approach the crabby co-worker.

Just as Jane was giving yet another explanation of some of the angsty antics of this particularly nasty employee, the train was stopping at one of stations. The man behind us (who from the brief glance I managed to sneak of him as he exited, appeared to be a decently dressed white haired man in his late 40's or early 50's) leaned forward as he was getting up to leave and said (not in his temple voice)

"She's just jealous because you're gorgeous."

And then he walked away. That's it. Just walked out. Jane and I just stared at each other and then burst into fits of laughter. Had that really just happened? Amazing. This guy didn't even look like a nutjob.

Now don't get me wrong, there is no reason this sort of thing shouldn't be happening to Jane on a regular basis. Any guy would be so lucky to get close enough to give my gorgeous six foot tall red-headed friend such a complement. If guys knew what was good for them, they would be throwing themselves at her feet. Anyway...I digress...Again.

The point is, people just don't do things like that. I'm not saying they shouldn't...I think it just took us both by surprise. But as Jane and I were walking home discussing the event, we decided maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing.

So, I've decided. It's time to start giving people more compliments. I know that nothing makes my day like when someone gives me an unexpected and wholly unsolicited compliment. I've decided maybe it's time that I tried harder to maybe make someone else' day.

Because there is no doubt that this guy definitely made our night...

Springtime in DC

The Cherry Blossom festival is the official start of spring in Washington DC. Two weekends ago Jane and I rounded up a group of friends to go see the opening day of the festival, as well as check out the kite festival that was going on simultaneously. The day was a lot of fun, and not without moments of adventure...including but not limited too...crowd surfing in the metro amongst the THOUSANDS of people who turned out for the festival's first day...Jane's unfortunate run in with a small fence, and subsequently, the pavement surrounding said fence...nearly being killed by a kamikaze Barbie kite...and repeated uncomfortably close encounters with my friend (and ninja?) Kevin. All in all, it was a great day, and no one ended up falling into the Tidal Basin...so we'll call it a success. Below are some of the photos that I took while we were out. Not being a photographer, I am particulalry proud of the way several of them turned out.

The Smithsonian Castle building over the mall.










Cherry blossoms surrounding the tidal basin with the Jefferson Memorial in the background











Yet another photo for Jane and I's album...aren't we so pretty? Too bad I was being lazy and have my hair in pigtails AND it was cold so i was wearing my nubuck colored Columbia sweater...so I look a little like Pocohontas...Just around the river bend, anyone?




One of my favorite photos that I took. I love the Jefferson Memorial, and the branches in the foreground are really pretty. It was a great day for it, and the water in the Tidal Basin--despite being part of the Potomac (which you couldn't pay me enough to ever swim in)-- had a really pretty color.




A close-up of one of the blossom branches. I need to get a photo editing program because my iPhoto workshop just isn't cutting it at this point, and the blossoms look a little washed out.







Anne, myself, and Deanne. Remind me to not ever stand between those two beautiful girls ever again!







Anne and I. Love Love LOVE this girl!

Jane and I...again...like I said, we already have a killer "wedding album" :P

This is probably my favorite shot of the day...HAPPY SPRING!