spontaneous trip to new york? please and thank you.

It was so incredibly hard for me to leave the East Coast this time.

 brooklyn, my favorite

stace and jess in brooklyn/me and the bridge

 obsessed with monet

 home of the 2nd/3rd best cookie in the city

 peter and the starcatcher/newsies both absolutely recommended

 wizards of...

 you've got mail cafe

 oh my central park

 vines

empire state of mind

Last time I visited New York, I wasn’t sold. I just ate a pretzel off of a street cart, visited the home of 30 Rock four times and ate the good food. But I was around so many people so many times. And I was stuck seeing a show I didn’t want to. And I didn’t fall in love with it, and I frankly didn’t understand how someone could. It was just so hot, smelly and squished.  As a destination for a few days I had the best of times but I was adamant-never to live. Never for more than three days.

But now, I get it. Oh yes. New York in the fall is the place to be, even if there is a hurricane looming. There is a slight chill in the air but you can just walk those streets forever. And there are people that you know you could relate to and those who have goals and aspirations like you do (just maybe theirs are a leeetle more extreme—I’m no investment banker wannabe). And the food, is better in the fall? I don’t know what it was but it’s got to be related to the fact that we had (almost) three desserts a day. And I'm sold. I'm on New York's side, to the end. I may never end up there but I get it. It's the concrete jungle where dreams are made. I wish that whole city the best of luck weathering this storm.

The end of an internship

Today I walked out of the National Council For Adoption with a pair of heels in my bag and two notebooks in my hand. I purposefully didn’t think about saying goodbye, because then I would get teary eyed and such. Who even wants that to happen? So instead, I gave hugs all around, snapped a picture of the plaque and then walked past it and out the door. 

NCFA has been the best temporary home for the summer. It was a little chilly on some days in that corner intern office, but we had two windows to open and heat up the room (uh DC summer). We were provided unlimited Starburst and cracker cookies leftover from the Conference in June. At times you could hear some singing from us interns (which is now embarrassing because I didn’t realize how many people could hear…at one point I was singing to sleeping hotel patrons, but we won’t go into details on that circumstance. ) All I’m saying is my workplace is my favorite. I'm going to miss sitting by myself in the conference room while pondering the innermost workings of adoption.

So, NCFA. Here’s to you and all of the trips to Capitol Hill. All of the Starbucks runs.  Your proximity to all of the great stores. All of the times I walked Jefferson. Each Trader Joes run. That one time we took a water taxi to National Harbor. And finally, the free Deer Park water. I’m not sure why that was the penultimate ending statement, but it is. End scene.

This post is (basically) sponsored by DC's Parks and Rec Dept.

I was running down on the Mall this past week. Let me tell you about it.

It is such a great environment for that type of activity, and other types of activities as well. Running is nice there (specifically) because you can run on a path around the Mall, and not have to worry about too many stop lights (which are the life blood of DC).  And also, you can sight see while you move those legs of yours! 

While running on the Mall, (“the best place to run,” testifies every DC runner ever), you may be asked to join a random softball game because you are a “girl.” When this happens, be sure to be flattered because you must look athletic due to the fact that you are running, which is a major reason why they are asking you. Surely, it isn’t just because you are a girl. So feel “athletic” while assuring this random softball player that your presence on the team would surely doom them and when he still begs, tell him that you have dinner at 8 that you need to be back for. You may want to include a comment about how you really need a shower before that dinner, because obviously you are sweaty.  You may or may not want to take that comment back as soon as you say it. But work it. And make sure to run back on the other side of the Washington Monument just in case they never did find another girl and they are just sitting there looking dejected (aka avoid guilt at all costs!)

Take a moment and a slight detour to visit the 857 desks lined up on the other side of the Washington Monument. Here you may be shocked to learn that this is the number of kids that drops out of high school every hour of the school day. You may want to use one these desks that represents a kid who needs a little extra help for your own stretching purposes. This is fine, and assures that you won't be sore on the morrow. Don’t forget to take a picture (and post it to Instagram!) to raise awareness alongside the person who put each of the 857 desks in straight lines. That hard work should be recognized, and those kids should be back in school. Sidenote: don’t be surprised if your instagramming of that photo leads to a national revolution. That sometimes happens (I mean, it hasn’t yet, but it could.)

            While running (let’s be honest, at this point you may be just wogging due to impending heat stroke and dehydration due to minor perspiration (read: major sweating)) make sure to note the children catching fireflies in the grass. If you do notice this, it will warm your heart and make you feel better about the imaginations of America’s youth. When you see a father and daughter blazing a trail through the grass just to marvel at the fireflies, you’ll also feel better about the families of America. Make a mental note to walk on the grass with your children. And if not with your children, then do it on your own. Leave the path and marvel at those fireflies.

            On your way back home, don’t forget to stop and take in the beauty that is the Mall.  Run up those steps at the Lincoln and look for a moment, while standing a safe distance away from everybody else there in case you smell like sweat (me? Never!) Look at those monuments and remember that being an American is the best you can be. Take a second and become pumped that you live in (quote unquote) "The District" and you can recreate these wonderful running moments again tomorrow after your shirt has dried out. (Have I been mentioning the sweating thing too much? I don’t believe you can ever talk about sweat too much.)

Lastly, note that your life isn’t really fair, because you get to live here for a minute. Be glad that yes, while you have resigned yourself to moving back to Provo in the fall, at least you’ve got a minute in DC again tomorrow.

So, to recap: running on a path + sight seeing while you run = Running on the Mall = A wholly positive experience. DC’s Tourism Bureau is actually sponsoring this post! You’re welcome for the publicity Parks and Recreation department!

Anyways, that ladies and gents, is how you spend a night running on the Mall.

miss squisherface

I miss this little girl and the way she asks for her blanket. Look at that smile, she just keeps getting better looking. If there is anything that I miss in DC, it is her (and I guess the rest of my family members...) However, I do enjoy the occasional mumbling phone call in which she repeatedly says "hi" and whispers "Jessica," or some form of my name. Luckily, we spent one of my last afternoons in Utah drawing with chalk and squishing ants.

Another day in the life of an almost two year old.

solitary sunday

this=social work for me.

why yes I did wander around the mall by myself this sunday afternoon. I visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, as well as the FDR Memorial. I love being alone for bits of time. it allows me time to properly read and internalize the quotes without feeling pressure to pretend to enjoy them more or less than I actually do. I may be strange, but I imagine people are judging my reactions to things (they probably aren't) and I feel some pressure to perform well (and I probably never do). similarly, it's nice to be lost and not have anyone angry at you for leading them astray.

after being alone for my little bit, haylee came and joined me. that was even better. we dipped (enter song lyrics about dipping here) our feet in the WWII Memorial and chatted about tweeting about a blog seen on facebook about the bachelor. that kind of stuff really happens you know (usually). it was all enjoyable. because, as I said today: "it would be so fun if we lived here and could come...wait, we do."


ps I took approximately 10 pictures of my fingers and the washington monument when I was bored. want to see them? check my facebook page. joke, you'll never see them. just know that I am flicking it in one (wow! exciting!).

what have I done with my life? I shall tell you.

three years ago, I was frantically packing my bags-arguing with my mother about which shirts to take and whether or not I would ever wear the bucket hat she got me. (oh, boy did I wear it. see here.)

I sat in an unreasonably long orientation meeting and laughed when dr. kearl woke up a girl who was asleep. 

as I flew across the united states, and then across the entire world, I didn't know what was in store for me. falafels, the best peaches, treasure hunts (lydia. and her pants. and the sea of galilee.), the oscars, the caback of the cabus, ragtime and all those other things that I loved. don't even get me started on the people (you know who you are...) every moment of that summer is one of my favorite memories ever. I just can't believe it's been so long.

three years later and I've graduated ("walked"), held a (great fabulous perfect wonderful) job for two years, achieved straight a's once or maybe twice, been accepted to graduate school, and am now sitting in my new room in washington dc. 

my goodness (gracious great balls of fire!) time has floooown by. 

it's sad, and happy. I'm sad that Jerusalem, my undergrad at BYU, my time at the HOH and my life in Provo are all done for. but, I'm excited that tomorrow I am going to go do some yoga, then whatever I want in this city that offers everything that could be imagined. or so I've heard.

man. life. it is what it is.

the smudgeness of it

last night I watched like crazy with some friends, after waiting months and months.

it's a bit real and it reminds me of some actual relationship. a sad one that just makes sense.

 plus, I want her hair and her clothes. right?

el fin.