welcome to my new blog!

As most of you know (or maybe you didn't), I just moved to Washington, DC!  Technically, I live in Arlington, VA, but my office is in the District, so... I claim both.  Back in mid-June, I was hired by the International City/County Management Association to be a data analyst for their performance measurement program.  This means that, annually, my team collects data from about 200 cities across the country to help them assess what they're doing well and what they're not, compared to cities both in their own states and across the country.  It's a lot of numbers, but the environment is fantastic, and this is the view when I step out the front door of the building (I recommend clicking on the picture to make it bigger):

Not too shabby!  That's the Government Printing Office there on the right, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics is the gray building farther down on the left.  And of course, that's the Capitol at the end of the street!  My roommate, Clara, actually works for the Republican National Committee just south of the Capitol, so even at work, we're not far apart!

I also have two other roommates, Molly and Stacey.  Molly is a customer support specialist for a software search engine called Capterra, which is in Arlington, and Stacey just got offered a job with the State Department!  Molly and Clara went to college together at Cedarville University in Ohio, and we met Stacey on Craigslist, actually!  And through God's amazing providence, I actually met Clara through Kelly Parkison, who roomed with a sweet girl named Stephanie Carlton when they worked on Capitol Hill several years ago.  Stephanie is Cedarville royalty (and so are Clara and Molly), so even though they are a few years apart, they knew each other, and all it took was Kelly making one phone call!  It has worked out so well, and even though the four of us have only lived together for three weeks, we are already so close.

If you're friends with me on facebook, you've probably already seen pictures of my room.  But if not, here are a couple to give you a general idea:

And, here are a couple of my office:

It would take wayyyyy too long to tell you about everything that has happened so far (and you would probably lose interest), but here are some things I've learned in the first three weeks:

1. This is not North Carolina.  People do not have a problem cutting you off while driving, waiting to get on the escalator, or generally walking in front of you.  Choosing a lane is optional.

2. Each Metro escalator has two sides.  There's no dividing line or anything, but if you like to climb the escalator while it moves, keep left.  If you like to just ride it, keep right.  If you are ever a tourist here, for the love of Pete, remember this.

3. Rain = dead Metro.  I don't care if it's a drizzle or if Hurricane Andrew's third cousin, Rafael, is blowing by for a visit, it will take you an hour longer to get to work.  But you won't be late, because no one else is on time, either.

4. Do not run after the Metro rail or Metro bus.  The bus drivers are deaf to door-banging, and the rail doors are not like elevator doors that reopen on contact.  They will take your hurried little hands with them to the Pentagon and leave the rest of you on the other side of the Potomac.

5. The pedestrian is king.  Do not pull your car into the crosswalk unless you're a glutton for evil stares, honks, or the finger.

6. If you are not a Redskins fan, shut up.  I am not a Redskins fan, and too many people know this.

7. Your adorable heels will not be adorable two blocks and five potholes later.  Your Sperrys are your BFF.

8. Assume every man you meet is interested in other men until proven otherwise.  Easy tip-offs: tight pants, too many undone buttons, and a general sense of style.  Contact Molly if you need more training.

9. Don't pretend you're not a tourist.  I saw that map of the Metro on your iPod.

10. Your GPS is lying to you.  It will not take you ten minutes to get there.  It will take you one hundred and ten minutes to get there.

Apart from these special little facts, DC is an AMAZING place to live!  Everything is within five miles of my house, and I couldn't ask for more supportive, fun roommates.  I'm going to do my best to update daily, so stay tuned!