Saturday, January 12, 2008

Over the shoulder

I am willing to admit that I read over people's shoulders on the metro. Rarely do I actually get into an article. It's really more glancing at the headlines. Given my schedule, there are many days where this is the only news that I get.

Anyway, earlier this week on my ride home, I found myself presented with more unique reading material. This woman sitting down in front of me (I was standing) was studying flash cards. Plumbing and water delivery flash cards. This was a middle aged woman wearing professional attire. Full suit, pantyhose, jewelry, etc. She did not look like someone looking to learn the intricacies of pressure valves.

What did I do? Continue to read over her shoulder and guess the correct answers with her. I won't lie. I would do a little hop in my mind every time I got an answer correct.

Monday, January 07, 2008

public art

At a nearby apartment complex, there exists a horrible sculpture of a horse. It is ginormous. It serves no purpose and looks like it was accidentally left by the Trojans. Its very existence bothered me. Basically, I thought the horse needed to lighten up.

So, in order to celebrate winter, brighten the life of said concrete horse, and give people in the neighborhood a reason to smile, I set about knitting a giant red scarf to outfit the giant concrete horse. After what seemed like months and a crapton of yarn, I declared the scarf done, and Allie (aka partner in crime) and I set out to scarf the horse.

At 22:00 hours on Saturday, January 5, the horse was bestowed its new scarf.























On a sadder note, the scarf didn't even make it 24 hours before it was removed. Some people just have no taste for art.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

The white pants doctrine

When I got on the metro this afternoon to make my way home, I noticed a
sunflower seed (shelled) stuck to the seat. As I brushed it away, I
began to wonder how anyone could survive wearing white pants.

Every summer (well, winter, because we all know the fashion mags are
seasons ahead), the fashion mags flaunt chic, crisp white pants and
flirty white dresses. Given how messy life is I've always wondered how
certain woman (wide ass doctrine aside) pull them off. Are there lives
so together that dirt and grime are repelled?

It came to me once I saw today's sunflower seed that these people must
live a more peaceful life than I. People who wear white pants aren't
the people who use public transportation and navigate the dark grease of
a metro elevator or the darkened metrorail seat. These people don't get
up at 5:30 am dressing for two jobs and the 17 hours of treachery their
outfit will have to make it through. They don't have to worry about
potentially having to venture to the river during the day or getting
tossed in front of an espresso machine that night.

If they did, those white pants would be dingy and would bear the mark of
wrinkles rather than a hot iron.