Voices calling from a yellow rooooooad!

I've realized there are a few common underlying elements to bands that just really impress me. One of them is if they can actually involve instruments above and beyond the guitar/drum combo of typical rock bands (although I do love that stuff, too). It doesn't hurt if they can pull off the falsetto, either. And any band that can involve children gets bonus points.

Guster proved their worth last weekend, and then some, when they performed at my favorite cheap venue, the 9:30 Club. Their concert represented the 10th anniversary since their Lost and Gone Forever tour, so they sang that entire album and then some. It was delightful.

Big weekend event #2: Halloween!!

I LOVE Halloween. It's such a creative time of year. I'll probably be that mom who keeps on dressing up for the holiday long after my kids think it's cool for me to do it.

And just for fun, here's a preview of a new Guster song!

Happy weekend everyone!

I love the fall.

Especially in DC.

It's the perfect time. The weather is cool (but not cold), the humidity is gone, and the fall colors come out in all their glory. I feel like I've said this before. Still true.

David and I took advantage of this optimal combination by taking a leisurely bike ride down by the canal in Georgetown one morning.


This was the same day as the Marine Corps Marathon, so we got to watch and cheer a little.



I love big marathons. They're inspirational. The energy in the air is electrifying. You get to see all sorts of interesting people - the ones juggling, or wearing a grass skirt, or a jack-o-lantern outfit - none of which I got pictures of, because I was too busy cheering them on. Next time I run a long-distance race, I'm wearing something fun. I want to make people smile the way the dude with the kilt and mohawk made me smile.

Since the race is so big, they close all sorts of major roads in and around town...which is why it was perfectly fine for us to ride the middle lane down 110. As you can see, David just won Tour de France. The second-place guy is so far behind, you can't even see him.

I've always been just a little jealous of people who could ride bikes with no hands like that.

In other news, David and I took a trip down to Raleigh to visit Lauren and Yuriy one weekend. Lauren is having her baby soon and I'm excited out of my mind about it! We hit up the NC state fair, where we partook of such delicacies as grilled corn on the cob, ham biscuits, fried macaroni and cheese, and caramel apples. (We stopped short of trying the fried candy bars and fried twinkies. But I was tempted.) And a state fair isn't a state fair without a pig auction and few rickety carnival rides! It was a nice weekend indeed. Especially knowing that we bypassed a weekend of gloomy, overcast raininess in DC.

And in other other news, I would like everyone to meet my new car. Thanks to the DKCs for helping me make my dream a reality.

David has dubbed him "Vader." I guess it reminds him of someone?

And finally, just to fill in all the other gaps: school. Class at night is hard! But on the plus side, the delightful silver lining is that I have never been so well-rested because I don't have to get up extra-early and rush out the door every day. All of my classes are starting to pick up the pace in a mean way, just like I knew they would this time of year. I had an exam last night and another tonight, and I'm TIRED!

But then I got home, and found this waiting for me:

That's right, it's a card full of Halloween love from Mia! (With an extra helping of love from the rest of the Cleveland Croshaws.)

I went from feeling like this:

To this:

I love my family. :)

And just like that, life picks up again

Muse is my current favorite band.

How does one gain this status, you ask?

Simple. They create incredible musical music with haunting-yet-upbeat sounds and thought-provoking lyrics, and then they put on a show and let me come watch.

Even from the nosebleed section, Muse gave me the adrenaline rush that only a top-notch group of musical performers is capable of. I was feeling it. It takes more than your everyday run-of-the-mill band to pull that off.

U2 also put on a rockin' show. Now that I've seen them, I feel like I can cross an important event off my list of things to do before I die.

However, I have one grievance regarding this show: too much propaganda. Just because you have a captive audience doesn't give you carte blanche to start filling everyone's heads with your ideals. Now, I can respect that Bono feels strongly about whatever given cause or issue, I think it's great that he's using his power for good. But there's a time and a place. People go to U2 concerts to hear Bono sing. With all due respect, when he's putting on a show, that's what he should stick to.

Let's talk about U2's 360-degree stage. I guess it's a big deal because it's the first of its kind or something?

It reminded me of a spider (that's right, a giant 4-legged spider). David thought it looked like a spaceship (which I think is what it's supposed to be), and Marcia was reminded of Invader Zim.

We basically ran all the way to the metro after the show, counting the hours we were saving as we passed by hundreds of people (it was estimated that metro had to cart out about 10,000 people once the show ended). Good thing we both are runners. That marks the 3rd time I've gotten to run in the last two months. Three days later, my legs were still voicing their complaints. It's glorious.

I also have another thing to add to my growing list of why David is cool.

Work sent him to California, then at the end he flew me out to play with him because he found a ridiculously good deal on flights (and also because he missed me). Needless to say, I had a fantastic weekend.

David showed me around the neighborhood he used to live in, and introduced me to some of his old favorites - like Tommy's (the closest California will ever get to Ben's Chili Bowl)...

and Venice Beach (the people-watching possibilities are endless).

I also got to meet some extended family. They're delightful people. One night, some of us had dinner (not so much dessert, not so much spoiling our dinner, just dinner) at Yogurtland. If you don't know what that place is...you should.

Naturally, we paid a visit to Sarah-Dawn. She never fails to fill my soul with joyness. We all went to the beach.

Which, by the way, means David and I made it to both coasts within the month of September - ironically, both were in O.C.

He found some dolphins...right - over - there!

David still wants to hang out with me even after he saw me and S-D in all our uncensored silliness. Isn't that great?

The post you've all been waiting for...

That's right, it's time to see pictures of my 5th (and most likely last) Colonial 2 Retreat Campout Socialfest Party Shindig Gathering Activity Event.

I sort of just coasted through this weekend, which felt a little unusual - I've almost always either been on the planning committee or participating somewhere or other. This time I decided to take it easy and just let other people run the show. (What can I say, school is beating me up, I needed the break.) I met new people, made s'mores, played cards, napped on the grass, and spent an inordinate amount of time trying to remember the Tin Man song from Wizard of Oz. I got so involved in my chilling out that I didn't even take any pictures. So here are a bunch of candids for you, courtesy of random other Colonialites.

A favorite activity. We were playing Hearts. Darren shot the moon. Twice!

We did two service projects: some of us picked up sticks in the park and threw them in the forest (yep), and others colored and cut out rockets for the children. Here we are, anxiously engaged in making our rockets perfect.

We always have church in the forest on Retreat weekend. Look at how good and disciplined I am in wearing kosher footwear. (I'm not yet back to my 100% physically active self, but I did go running once last week!) And it's true that I may or may not also have scrubs on. Don't be fooled by the sunshine - it was cold!

The highlight of the entire weekend: Eyner spontaneously jumping up on the stage during our skit night, stealing the microphone, and saying, "Imma let you finish, but Prince Charming is the best prince of all time!"

It was just his way of giving a shout out to everyone's favorite charming, classy hip-hop star.

And now I'm off to prepare for my next whirlwind weekend adventure. You'll have to visit again for the deets, but know that it involves two of my favorite people. And a coast that isn't the east one.

Awesome times for which I have little to no photo documentation

...at least for the most part. For the sake of getting caught up, I'm just going to give you the basics. If you want the deets on anything, all you have to do is ask.

* While I was still in Idaho, my whole entire family came to visit. That's 14 adults and 12 grandchildren. It was insanity. I loved it. What I didn't love was that my recovering feet kept me from entertaining the children in my normal fashion (fortunately, the kids seemed to understand that it was just my shoes that were making me so boring, not that I had actually become boring myself). David picked up the slack for me with the kids, because he's cool like that.

We also had a surprise 60th birthday party for my dad, and he was actually surprised. I am shocked that he didn't find out. I guess it helped that his birthday is actually in November, so even when certain nameless people did accidentally slip up, he didn't even question it. This party was complete with delicious goodies, friends from all over, and the grandkids singing "Yellow Submarine" inside a giant cardboard yellow submarine. If you want to see more pics, they're scattered all over my family's blog over the past few weeks.

* School started! I am still trying to adjust to my backwards schedule with class at night. This goes against some serious morals of mine - I've always made it a point to get off campus ASAP once it gets dark. Now, that's when class begins. But I'm slowly but surely finding my groove. I'm really enjoying my classes and my two jobs - all of which are forcing me to use completely different parts of my brain. Ahhh, education. How I love thee.

* Marcia, Darren, and I got to see Lord of the Rings with the National Symphony Orchestra and a choir performing the soundtrack music. It was superb. My geeky musical self couldn't stop watching the conductor - he had a screen that was playing the movie. It would flash for every downbeat, and a line would go across the screen to signal when he needed to start up again.

* Jazz from the Navy band on the Capitol steps + warm summer evening - humidity + David + Indian food = I love DC.

* David and I took advantage of the long weekend and went to Ocean City for Labor Day. This is where I ran my marathon three years ago, but I never got to see the beach. It was mental and emotional therapy to get quality time with the sand and the ocean. I was so enthralled that I neglected to snap a single photo. But if I had to pinpoint my favorite moment, I think it would have to be when a plane flew over us with a banner in tow, advertising for a doc who could take care of toenail fungus. Since my mind is easing back into the business school mentality, I had to give the guy credit for marketing to people right at the exact time when they'd all be barefoot and checking out their little tootsies.

We got a chinchilla! His name is Desmond and he lives in our front room. He pretty much has the softest fur ever.
I'm getting a new car. Stella (my trusty Civic) wasn't getting it done for me anymore. And by that, I mean the transmission stopped working once she collided with another car's bumper and State Farm decided she wasn't worth reviving. :( But on the plus side, now I can get that Corolla S I always wanted since before I met Stella. :) To all of you who have been carting me around since I'm not yet able to walk all the way to the bus stop to take the metro to school: you are saints and I love you.

I got to start wearing normal shoes again this week. While I still miss flip flops, it's nice to not have to explain my cute blue velcro open-toed shoes with socks all the time...although now when I park in handicap spots, I feel like I should pretend to walk with a limp, in case anyone is watching and thinks I'm an impostor. My feet are recovering great, but I don't feel like I can start running yet. I've picked up swimming to fill in the gaps, but man do I miss the running. It very well may be the greatest test of patience I've ever had, to learn to bide my time until I can be physically back to normal.

That is all.

Kwaheri, Kenya

Q: Does it really seem like I was living in Kenya for two months, doing what I did and seeing what I saw?
A: No. Not yet. Maybe never.

Q: Do the pictures help to make it more real?
A: Negative.

Q: Even if I'm in it?
A: Nope.

Here is the promised "best of" slideshow of my surreal summer, from the eyes of all my roomies. It's long, so I hope you've got a few minutes. If school doesn't pick up too fast, I'll try to give you an update about the last three weeks back in the homeland soon.



Kwaheri, Kenya. I miss you.

A Sabbath-day treat for your heart

I didn't forget that I promised to share this Mulunguni delight with everyone once I had better bandwidth. Watch, and be happy.