This is why I'm walking.

I nearly started crying when I read this. But I wasn't weepy because it was sad--instead, I found myself moved to tears by the inspirational, positive attitudes of the brave young women in the story.

Especially in light of recent revelations (short story: I am being referred to an oncologist for the second time in my young life), I can understand and appreciate the need for laughter in times of pain and sorrow. I can also feel grateful that, like the cancer survivors featured in the article, I am extremely lucky to have a support system of wonderful friends and family members.

I've never had breast cancer, nor have I had to endure chemotherapy or radiation (my disease was treatable with surgery, since I caught it very early). But I feel an unspoken bond with these so-called "Cancer Vixens," and I hope to meet some of them in May when I walk to show my support and my dedication to finding a cure.

No "Drawn to..." feature today. But, feel free to donate to my Avon Walk efforts by clicking the link on my blogroll!

Happy Wednesday... :-)

Luck, long walks, and lots of Oscar love

First, and most importantly—GOOD LUCK to all of the February bar takers!!! Last July, I wrote a post with some advice about the exam, and you can read it here if you’re at all interested. Whether you’re a first-time taker or a repeater, I send my best wishes and hope that you make it through the experience with your sanity in tact!

On to the weekend of walking. Seriously, besides dinner at Jaleo (yummy) and a showing of Ghost Rider (which was AWFUL, by the way, except for the Spidey 3 preview), all I did this weekend was walk. Friday night and Sunday afternoon were spent hoofing it around the restaurant, but Saturday was the real challenge—I grabbed a girlfriend and embarked on my longest training walk yet, a 10-12 mile jaunt from Foggy Bottom/Georgetown to Haines Point and back again (the actual route can be found here, along with some other good ones). In addition to being good for my Avon Walk preparation, the journey allowed me to see some DC landmarks that were previously unfamiliar to me, such as the FDR memorial (which I would like to revisit in the springtime) and “The Awakening,” a huge and somewhat grotesque statue that appears to be coming out of the ground. I’m still nursing some sore muscles and aching joints, but I’m already looking forward to next weekend’s lengthy walk.

And what was my reward for working hard and challenging my body all weekend? The best Sunday night ever—snuggling with my man on the couch, analyzing red carpet fashions with sis, eating pepperoni pizza, and watching the Academy Awards. Woot! Here are my assorted thoughts on the evening’s ceremonies:

* Ellen was a great host, though the show would have been a wee bit shorter without some of her antics. I’d definitely support the decision to hire her for next year (you know, because they ask me).
* I’m very pleased that Martin Scorsese and his eyebrows finally won an Oscar, and I am even more pleased that The Departed garnered Best Picture honors. It’s always nice when a film combines excellent writing, directing, and acting with a whole lotta hotness (ahem, Mark Wahlberg, I’m talkin’ to you).
* How is Gwenyth Paltrow ending up on everyone’s worst dressed lists? I thought the color was lovely, and the cut of the dress gave her some gorgeous and shapely curves. I also didn’t think that Anne Hathaway’s dress was nearly as bad as people were saying—sure, I could have lived without the black butterfly-cutout thingy on her chest, but I still think she looked WAY better than my three worst dressed picks, Naomi Watts, Kirsten Dunst, and Cameron Diaz. Yuck, double yuck, and vomit-rocious, in that order.
* Best dressed? Helen Mirren (you go, girl), Celine Dion (loved the green frock and the jewels), Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Gorgeous! Rachel Weisz could have jumped to the top of the class by ditching that over-the-top necklace, and Reese Witherspoon would be my fave again if she would eat a sandwich.
* As political as it was, I loved the banter between Al Gore and Leonardo Di Caprio. I also enjoyed the bit where Ellen asked Steven Spielberg to take a picture of her and Clint Eastwood “for MySpace.” I wonder if Clint Eastwood even knows what MySpace is. Hmmmm.
* I could have lived without that weird pilates troupe that was contorting behind a screen to make human statues of various movies. This is the Academy Awards, not the circus.
* Ryan Seacrest is a giant toolbag. He chastised his co-hosts for making him talk about underpants, but then he actually said something about there being “a lot of Wang” on the red carpet. Fucktard.
* LOVED the foreign films montage. It made me want to watch Cinema Paradiso and Rashomon over and over again. I was not a big fan of the writers’ montage, but at least it showed bits and pieces of Sunset Boulevard, which is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Now that the Superbowl of Entertainment is over, life can return to normal, and I can resume looking forward to each week's new episode of "24" and "Grey's Anatomy." At least until summer blockbuster season...

Drawn to...the National Film Preservation Foundation, which was created by Congress to help save America's film heritage through preservation, education, and exhibition. Check it out--new Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese is on the board!

"Sacrificial tofu" just doesn't have the same ring to it...oh, well.

As I walked to work today (which was quite a task, given how many icy sidewalks I had to navigate), I noticed many Washingtonians with sooty crosses on their foreheads. I may be Jewish, but I understand that Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a period during which many of my friends will be cranky as hell because they’ve chosen to give up chocolate, or swearing, or video games, or booze.

While I don’t necessarily get all of the symbolism surrounding the various pre-Easter rituals, I can comprehend the idea of sacrifice. The world is full of it, and humans give up countless things for countless reasons.

For example, I have decided to sacrifice meat in order to further my health goals. For someone who has been a carnivore since childhood (I would eat the veggies and starches on my plate first, in rapid fashion, so that I could save my blessed cow for last), that’s a really big deal. However, after a few months of experimenting with decreasing my meat consumption, I realized that I felt better when I filled my tummy with vegetables, fruits, grains, and alternative protein sources.

I do have a few hang-ups that are keeping me from total vegetarianism, at least at the moment. First and foremost, I love fish, and I think it is an important part of a healthy diet. So, ocean creatures, you will not be spared. * Insert evil laugh here. *

Second, since I am VERY aware that you have to set realistic goals in order to actually achieve anything, I am allowing myself to eat meat on the weekends if I so desire. I still have to use appropriate portion sizes, but at least I’ll be able to let loose every once in a while and enjoy some nice steak, or chicken breast, or sausage. I’m hoping that I won’t really miss those things, and that I’ll find myself choosing meatless options even when given the opportunity to do otherwise.

The hardest thing I’ve ever given up was smoking. Anyone who’s ever quit knows what I’m talking about—it really is miserable, especially if you have loved ones who are not accompanying you on the journey. But, I made it through the worst of the withdrawal and the cravings, and now I can honestly say that I am a non-smoker.

So, even though Lent is temporary, and even though my vegetarianism is only semi, it is important to constantly challenge yourself and your body in order to achieve optimum results. Who knows? Maybe my improved diet will give me a new, enthusiastic perspective on exercise!

Okay, one step at a time…

Drawn to…the Capital Area Food Bank, which is a public/nonprofit hunger and nutrition education resource in the DC metro area. According to their website, “[e]ach year the CAFB distributes 20 million pounds of food, including 6 million pounds of fresh produce through over 700 member agencies.” Founded in 1980, the CAFB supports its food distribution and community-building initiatives by hosting such events as the Blue Jeans Ball (which is coming up at the end of March) and Capital Cooks.

But I am le tired.

Whew. I reeeeeeally hope that I can stay in DC for a while, because I have had my fill of travel. Rather than drone on and on about my voyages, I’ll sum it up by the numbers:

* Days on the road: 11
* States visited: 3 (New York, Texas, and Georgia)
* Bus trips: 1
* Bus seats moved due to smelly passengers: 1 (seriously, who eats spicy beef jerky at 10 AM?)
* Bus seats I wish I could have moved due to loudmouthed passengers: 1
* One-way flights: 4
* Security lines suffered: 5
* Movies watched: 2 (The Guardian and Little Miss Sunshine)
* Taxis hailed: 4
* Taxis hailed that subsequently got lost in the ghetto: 1
* Cowboy boots purchased: 0 (but I was VERY tempted)
* Visits to Chick-fil-a: 2 (yum)
* Sushi meals: 2 (yum yum)
* Varieties of pie eaten in a single day: 4 (chocolate pecan, Dutch apple, strawberry rhubarb, and Bavarian chocolate banana--yum yum yum)
* Pounds gained: 3
* Scatological jokes made by my colleagues: Too many to count!
* Times I contemplated relocating to Atlanta: About a million.
* Times I contemplated relocating to Houston: 0
* Atlantic Station condos coveted: 2
* Books finished: 1 (a great James Dean biography)
* Magazines finished: 3 (hey, I had to catch up on my fashion and celebrity gossip)
* Alcoholic beverages consumed: Too many to count, but far fewer than anticipated.

All in all, it was a great trip—I learned a lot, and I got to spend some much-needed time with friends and family. Unfortunately, there was also some bad news to deal with (none of which will be discussed in this forum, at least for the time being), but I’m processing that the best way I know how.

While the DC to which I returned was a little slushier than the DC I left behind, it was still a welcome sight when I saw it from the plane. I hope to explore more of it as the city slowly warms up and blossoms into spring, especially since I have a long walk to train for!

To my boyfriend, my sister, my cat, and all of my lovely friends--I've missed you tons! Hope to see you soon...after I've caught up on my blogs, of course. :-)

Drawn to...The Tim Redovian Memorial Fund. This organization is very close to my heart, as it was founded in honor of my friend Tim, who died of viral pneumonia when he was just 16 years old. The Fund "grants scholarships to students, many in need, with solid academics and talent. The fund enhances the learning experience of students with special talent in the performing arts, including drama, dance, voice, instrument, and technical theatre. It provides an opportunity for growth and development to those who might not otherwise be able to benefit from a professional learning experience outside of their school." Over the past ten years, the Fund has awarded over $112,000 to deserving students, and I know that Tim is so proud of all of the good work that has been done in his name.

Love in the time of travel.

Tomorrow, once again, I will leave for some personal and business travel. I’ll take a bus to New York, where I will help my grandmother celebrate her birthday. Then, I’ll fly to Houston, where I will observe field operations and probably buy a pair of cowboy boots (sorry, sis). Finally, I will return to DC and then hop another plane to Atlanta, where I will enjoy a relaxing weekend of movies, sushi, and shopping with my parents. Whew.

Unfortunately, my whirlwind tour of the U.S. means that I’ll be missing Valentine’s Day with my sweetie. I wasn’t terribly upset about that (since we probably would have treated it like any other day and ended up falling asleep watching “Family Guy”), but I changed my mind last night when my significant other hypothesized that he was in a bad mood because he was so sad that I was leaving for eleven days. Precious, no?

In any case, I know that many people, both single and attached, feel bitterness toward February 14th. Yes, it’s a Hallmark Holiday. No, you shouldn’t need a calendar notation to tell someone, “I love you.” But, we often get so caught up in our daily hustle-and-bustle that I don’t think it hurts to see the red-and-pink-draped stores, to remember that you have special people in your life, and to commence with treating them accordingly.

So, here’s the goal: don’t spend next Wednesday wearing black and gorging on Ben & Jerry’s and being generally unpleasant. Don’t go out and spend a small fortune on some fancy dinner that will NOT put you in the mood when you get home. Instead, try to embrace the true spirit of the holiday, which is one of love. Call your parents. Put a little extra change in the tip jar at your favorite coffee joint. Send a friend a nice e-mail. Make a charitable donation. Compliment a co-worker. Buy a cute stranger a drink. Hell, if you can’t find it in your heart to love someone else (even platonically), then go out and do something nice for yourself.

I’ll even start: I sure do luuuuuurve all of my readers! See how easy it is? :-)

Seriously, have a great weekend and a happy Valentine’s Day, no matter how you decide to spend it. I’ll be back soon!

Drawn to…the American Heart Association. Not only is February the month of Valentine’s Day, but it’s also Heart Disease Awareness month! According to their mission statement, the AHA (founded in 1924) “is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.” Take a look at their website, where you can get health information, donate funds, take a risk assessment, or learn about upcoming events in your area.

Everything old is new again.

Wow. That was some hiatus. Not only did it give me some time to think about “the state of the blog” (more on that in a moment), but it allowed the following things to happen:

* I traveled to Florida. I really enjoyed the fabulous 80-degrees-and-sunny Clearwater weather, especially when I learned that it was snowing in DC while I was boating, biking, and walking on the beach. Suckas! After my mini-vacation, I spent the week learning about field operations and touring our offices in St. Petersburg and Orlando. I wasn’t particularly fond of the latter, but I could definitely see myself relocating to the former (or, at least, somewhere in the vicinity).

* Two of my favorite blogs went dark, but for vastly different reasons. Cookie, I respect your decision to lay low, especially since you seem to have some great things going on in your life right now! As for Kassy, it’s a damn shame that someone else’s nastiness and negativity caused you to shut down. Keep your chin up, and take comfort in the fact that it’s not YOUR bad karma that will come back to bite you in the ass.

* I raised more money for the Avon Walk—I’m just over 1/3 of the way to my goal! I’ve also added some links (at the top of my blogroll) to make it easier for folks to learn more about the event and/or donate to the cause. On a related note, I officially started training. Walking a marathon and a half over the course of two days may not sound difficult, but the preparation has already been humbling. I’m stickin’ with it, though—my pedometer is permanently attached to my waist, my shoes are properly broken in, I’ve bought Smart Water in bulk, and I’m ready to tackle a 12-week training schedule that has me walking an average of 20-30 miles a week!

* Peyton Manning finally got his ring—woo hoo! While the ads were somewhat disappointing (which prompted me and my boyfriend to watch “Puppy Bowl III” during the breaks), it was beautiful to watch Rex Grossman pull the big chokety-choke.

* I attended a unique dinner party, hosted by Mr. Barzelay. Basically, each guest was asked to bring three “raw” ingredients. Once everyone convened, we brainstormed about recipes. Then, we got to cookin’! Some of the culinary highlights included grilled bacon-wrapped dates, butternut squash soup, crab and goat cheese stuffed mushrooms, grilled Hawaiian shrimp-and-vegetable skewers, and red peppers stuffed with lamb, mushrooms, goat cheese, and chives. Yum!

* I saw “Into the Woods” at the Signature Theatre. The new space is absolutely gorgeous (despite the fact that it is in Shirlington), but the show itself was so-so. I mean, there were some great vocal talents, don’t get me wrong. But the characters were nowhere near as endearing and funny as they were in the Georgetown Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s version. The GGSS set was also far more creative.

It has certainly been an eventful couple of weeks. Shockingly, I found time in between all of the activity to think about this here blog. The most important thing I realized was that I cannot simply shut it down—it just means too much to me, as do the amazing people I’ve met on account of it.

I did decide to make a couple of key changes. First, I changed the title from “Till human voices wake us, and we drown” to “Drawn to the Rhythm.” I still adore J. Alfred Prufrock (and his creator, T.S. Eliot, of course), but I wanted to align the title of the blog with the URL (thus eliminating awkward responses to the happy hour question, “So, which blog do you write?”).

In addition to the convenience factor, the new title allows me to tie my writing into a common theme—the rhythm of life. Cheesy, perhaps, but it was the best way I could find to focus myself without trashing the old and starting something new. As you can see from my revised profile information, I will continue to share my experiences with you—the rhythm of my life—from the funny to the touching to the just plain ridiculous. But, in addition, at the end of each post I will give you information on how to tap into the rhythm of someone else’s life, whether it is with your time or your money or through some other means. That way, I can keep on amusing you with my DC adventures while simultaneously satisfying my desire to be a more philanthropically active individual.

So, there you have it. I hope the changes will be good ones, but I am not so naïve as to think that I have it all figured out at this point. Therefore, your feedback, as always, is appreciated and seriously considered.

I hope everyone had a great weekend--I'm so glad to be back in the blogosphere!

Drawn to...the Fisher House Foundation. From their website: "Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates 'comfort homes,' built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times--during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury. There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment." I was lucky enough to visit a Fisher House while I was in Florida, and I was immediately and profoundly affected. There are Fisher Houses at both Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval; the above website gives the names and phone numbers of the house managers, if you are interested in volunteering.