Good for something

(Last week I took 2 hours driving the 20 miles downtown to Capitol Hill from work, and tonight would’ve taken 4 had I kept driving. I think someone told everyone else I moved to a job on the other side of the city, and this is everyone’s big fat joke. I’m posting this from a restaurant… While I wait out the traffic. In some cities, people wait out the rain, the snow. Here in DC I am waiting out the traffic. Just yesterday I told someone my commute “isn’t that bad.” Well, it isn’t. Except for last week. And this week. And, probably next week…

What happens to people when they’re in their cars? Like as they’re getting into their cars at the end of a great day, people morph into Captain Jerk and it’s a competition to see who can be the most rude. It’s as if when people are in their vehicles driving, they cease to be who they really are during the rest of their lives. That smiling guy in the elevator who works the floor below you becomes the a-hole who flips you off. The sweetheart who rings you up at Old Navy becomes the girl who intentionally nudges her car up to the next so you’ll never fit in. Never. fit. in. Never fit in traffic, in DC, in anywhere.

*sigh* Another bite of my veggie sandwich. Another swallow of the yummy glass of wine. Get back out there and try it again…)

Today at work, a girl I’ve met just once or twice in our office popped into my office. She said, “Hey, did you pack lunch or are you going to get something downstairs in the deli? I’m going to be at the table in the kitchen.”

Stupidly, I said, “Wait, are we even scheduled for lunch today?” As the words exited my mouth, I realized that this was her invitation to spend lunch with her. As in, this was her friendly lunch invitation and I’d just rudely mentioned that I didn’t have her on my calendar.

“Oh, wait, sure. Yeah! I am going to go downstairs and grab something. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

I got a chicken wrap and did a happy-dance inside. I am so excited to make new girlfriends. I don’t have enough here.

We had a great lunch. She told me about how she wants to start her own business and I disclosed my writing passion. We talked about reality shows, online celebrity garbage, local bars and the like. Such a refreshing conversation after force-feeding myself Talk News on the way to work lately. We didn’t talk politics. Or work. Or anything non-girly.

I loved it.

Other good news today. Great news. I reached out to another editor and its looking good. I have to do my first piece for free. I don’t know enough about this to know if that’s a good idea or if it’s a terrible, totally uncommon idea. But, here’s to hope. I am remaining positive. I have to build a portfolio and work when I can. “No thanks” isn’t for me. Yet.

My boyfriend emailed me to say he was proud of me for working toward this, and another of my friends said she’d be my blog’s biggest fan. The support I receive is amazing. I am very, very lucky.

You know, this little reflection has reminded me that this was actually a fabulous day.

See? I knew this blog would be good for something.