Mean Metro workers

Oh, oh, oh! So I'm like going to DC with the bro (he's here for a week). We decided to try DC today. What started out as our usual packed itinerary got chopped down to one visit to the Postal Museum. Very interesting musuem. It was small, but was laid out very nicely and had some really good exhibits. It took us time to find the stamp collection. When we did we realized going through that would take one day alone. They had draws upon draws of stamps that you just pull out and look at. We didn't have that kind of time.

What I was OHING about before was this...so we are like heading to DC. And anyone that knows me knows I DON"T DRIVE INTO DC (except to Hexagon and British Embassy function). I hate it, avoid it at all costs. Instead I drive to the nearest metro and I take that into town.

I was hoping to be able to park in a parking garage, however, they now require you to buy a SmartTrip card ($10) in order to pay $3.75 to park all day. In other words, to park all day at a garage or lot, is $13.75. Um...no...I finally found a meter. Unfortunately, we had no quarters. We went to purchase our farecards in hopes of getting change. I tried to use my credit card. Actually I was successful, but apparently you have to buy a $20 farecard. Lucky bro has a farecard that will last him til the ages.

I got my change, booted the meter for a good 4 hours and 18 minutes (7 quarters don't buy you much time anymore). I met the bro and the boob at the gate and off we went to go through the metro gates. Now keep in mind. I have the boob. This means I have a stroller fully packed. I tried to dumb down my purse and all the fixings, but it still turned out to be alot. I am not experienced with taking the boob downtown with me. Those metro aisles seem so big. So you know what happens to me when I stick my farecard in and go to go through the gate...the stroller won't fit. I tri to push...but it won't go. My card is sitting in the gate...waiting for me to pick it back up...but I can't go through the gate...Shit...

I snatch my card back up. The bro, who is waiting on the other side...for some reason, comes back to join me. I go to the little kiosk in the metro and tell t he metro employee, I can't get through the gate with my stroller and I already scanned my card. Here's how it goes.

"Well you are supposed to use the big gates for strollers. Don't you know that? Why didn't you use the gates?"

What gates? The gates that you need approval from a metro worker to get through...um good thing I'm asking I think to myself instead I say.

"well I'm sorry, I have never taken my daughter with me on the metro so I'm not sure what to do"

"Well you got glasses, can't you see the big gates?"

Oh no she did not...Right now, as love the world person I am...I cant think of a million obnoxious offensive things to say to this bitch instead I go...

"Well, I'm sorry...I didn't see them."

She huffs at me. I stare at her for a beat and she must have somehow realized that she was being obnoxious and she says "I'm sorry sorry. Just go through this gate". She points to a gate to my right. I asked her if she needs to scan my card and she just waves me off saying "I don't need to scan your card." My brother goes to follow me and the metro worker goes to bark at him. I told her he already scanned through. She lowers her glasses and stares at me as if to say "Why the hell is he on this side?" Instead of trying to explain he was concerned and wanted to help me I just say "He's fourteen, that's his excuse". Then I go on.

Ok...just let me say to this metro worker. There is a reason you only work at a metro station. You are a bitch, you are nasty, and you have little sympathy for anyone. Yes, I know youi may deal with stupid people your whole day. i'm sure you get your fill of stupid questions and stupid requests. But I only ask you, in the future, keep in mind that some people...honestly do sometimes need a little guidance. We do feel dumb for having to ask these silly questions and we know we somehow have screwed up. We already have lost some of our dignity. There is no reason to totally strip it away cause you are sitting in a kiosk all day answering questions. I was being polite. I made a mistake and I was asking for your help. I am a new mother, experiencing so many things with my daughter. Sometimes I feel so stupid because things that usually were so easy for me are so incredibly hard now. Even going to the Metro is an ordeal. I should have realized that I needed to use the handicapped gate, but my perception was off. I made a mistake in judging the width of a typical gate (can you honestly call those things gates?). Forgive me. Just don't treat me like an asshole. And be glad I didn't call you...well be glad I kept my temper. I hope you felt better after treating me like shit.

-The BB.

Stinking hot

In case none of you on this East coast have noticed...it's stinking hot outside. It's so hot, you probably could fry and egg on the sidewalk..seriously. I brought eggs today at the safeway, and I took them into Home Depot with me cause I didn't want them to hard boil while I was in the store. I have no motivation and my new garden plants are dying. But hey...the pool water is like bath water...so that makes it all worth it.

What gets me is in this hot, sweltering, about 100 degree heat, the sadistic band teacher at the high school insists band camp goes on. The poor freaking kids! I'm surprised they haven't keeled over yet...especially the tuba players. How can you carry that much on you in this heat. I wonder if they hose the kids off at breaks just to cool them down. I faintly hear them playing from my house (they practice at the middle school down the street) and I think "Those poor freaking suckers". What crappy luck to have band camp scheduled on the week that it's above 100 degrees. I mean...reschedule? please?

I personally have tried not to leave this house if humanly possible. However, on Tuesday, hubby announced he had no lunches, so I had to go food shopping. It's amazing how 100 degree weather still can't keep the old folks from Wal-mart...after that was Bible Study. Then yesterday, wait i stayed home yesterday go, me. TODAY, I went to pick up something for the hubby, I did more shopping and I picked out paint samples for out kitchen.

Ah, our kitchen. Gone is the hideous plaid wallpaper (thanks hubby for taking that down...and thanks Kenazz for the hot blow job tip--hehehe). Soon, we will be spackling, sanding, and priming the walls. Then we will paint them a nice pinkish color. Actually mauve which drives me crazy...but unfortunately we have to pick something that will match the counter tops...which are mauve...oh well...this paint I picked isn't exactly mauve...more like a deep pink...yeah...that's mauve...

That will make our one room renovation for the year. Last year it was the boob's room...the year before we just moved in. Next year, we'll hopefully be moving the boob to a 'big girl' room in hopes that we'll need the nursery for someone else. Don't get nervous...I ain't preggers yet.

-The BB

Days Awake Update

Sorry this took me so long to post. I wasn't going to post anything, but TSCGirl was like "You should tell everyone what happened with the Lollapalooza thing so they know".

Well as you all know, Days Awake was participating in the last band standing contest. Unfortunately, they backed out...listen to why...because I think you'll back them up on this one...

At one point during the second phase of the contest, Days Awake hit number 1. My brother and I were totally tweaking at this news and thought it was so cool. Even if they made it to 4th place, it meant they were going to Chicago. Well...after that Days Awake became a target (as they said on their myspace page www.myspace.com/daysawakenj. Apparently over the next few days, the band plummetted and bands that had little or no hits on their myspace page with very few gigs in the near future were hitting the number one spots. This didn't seem right especially since the band had tons of friends on myspace and they were busy every weekend with gigs...all weekend (I know this cause like I NEVER see Jay at home anymore when I'm visiting). So, someone in the band did some investigating and found that many of these bands were using automated voting procedures (which is cheating). Now Days Awake knew they had some fans using multiple emails from the same domain, but they even said "how can we blame them". And technically, if you read the rules, you can use any email you have. Now my brother husband, and I...we just have a bunch of freaking emails that we use every day...or have just because...so why not use them right?

Anyway, after seeing that the contest was obviously unfair, Days Awake sent a letter to Lollapalooza asking them to take them off of the list. They wanted nothing to do with a contest that is flawed. I have to give them credit and much respect. It's sad they didn't get to advance to the next level and even sadder that Lollapalooza didn't even investigate their allegations and just took them off of the contest, however, at least they have their dignity and integrity. I hope next year the contest will evaluate their procedures better.

-The BB