DC Traffic Hell

I grew up in Sunny San Diego, California. The mindset of San Diego is of a big city with a small town feel. We have our usual morning and evening rush hour, but it's acceptable. When I moved here a few months back I began to hear horror stories of the atrocious traffic issues in the area. I thought that maybe the people were exaggerating. Then on one occasion I decided to head to my nearest Target to pick up a few things on a Friday early afternoon. Target is about 3 miles from my home. I never got there because the road was so congested that it was impossible to give myself one good reason to push through that situation. I also had the honor of taking my husband to work at the Pentagon from time to time . Yes, it's very cool to drop him off at the doorstep of my country's defense headquarters but damned if I ever want to do that again. I began to realize that the people were not exaggerating. As I began to job hunt I tried very hard to get a job that was close to home. Unfortunately we live far from the center of where the jobs are located. Granted, let me add that it's only about 25 miles, but in this town those 25 miles are hard earned. This week was my first week at my new job which is 23 miles from home. I wake up at 4:30 to be at work by 8am and get home around 5:30pm or 6:30 on a Friday. Dinner is a rushed and then 3 hours later it's bed time. It's a horrible feeling and I don't even have kids yet. I don't know how the parents of this area do it. Today was my first Friday and being that there is only one major highway going north and south that connects the east coast, the commute is even worse. The reason being that people do their traveling from state to state on weekends and we get more people on the roads. It took me a little over 2 hours to get home today. I can't even imagine doing this every day or once a week. Maybe I am a big wuss but I honestly think this is sad as hell. What's worse is that the weather has been good. I can't imagine what it would be like if it had rained today. A co-worker told me today that last year when they had the big snowstorm; people were abandoning their cars on the interstate, due to gridlock and running out of gas. The people started walking home in the snow. My co-worker also told me that he had left work around 5pm and did not get home until midnight. Needless to say, that kind of made me hate this place even more. I don't know how people choose to be part of this vicious cycle. My hubby and I are here because we have to be here. I just needed to vent and put this out there. I pray for patience and the ability to not turn into an asshole like most of the Virginians I have recently met. Not to say they are all horrible but the nice ones are easy to spot...that should tell you what I am dealing with over here. #annoyed

The Epic Battle: Human vs Black Widow

 It was the last of a trio of hot consecutive days. The sun was blazing and there were sporadic clouds in the sky...but I was stuck indoors. I just thought it would be nice to describe the day outside my door. So anyway, it was hot. I was a little on edge because I had a lot on my mind. I was thinking about all of the chores and tasks that lie ahead in the next two weeks for me. My hubby was returning from a deployment and we were set to move to Virginia around the same time. In the middle of these thoughts, something caught my eye. It was on my eggshell kitchen wall...the object was moving and my skin began to crawl. It was the mother of all San Diego spiders...it was....A Black Widow. I began to panic but then I realized that my spider spray was at my reach, but then realized that there was no way for me to spray it without getting it everywhere and not succeeding with doing away with the spider. So that idea went out the window. The spider was still for awhile and I refused to take my eyes off of it as I was afraid that if I lost sight of the creature that I would lose my chance and then it would end up in my bed and land on me in the middle of the night. (I know all of you think that way :) The spider was now moving towards the top of my sliding glass door blinds and I saw it jump from the wall to the ledge of the bar of the blinds. Once again, fear ensued...I thought of various ways to try to get it to go to the ground. I threw a balled up sock at it, a cereal box and then, the mother of all weapons for Mexican insect killers, next to the chancla...my broom. I went for the broom and began pestering the spider. I shook the blinds, slammed on the bar and pushed the sliding glass door. In my mind, it was hiding and waiting to take a leap into my mop like curly hair where I would then dance around screaming like a mad woman until I passed out. That was my image. I continued to pester the spider and then...it disappeared. I could no longer see the spider. I had lost, I would not be sleeping that night and Marley, my dog, may become the victim of this widow. I panicked some more and then once again, I saw the spider between some of the blinds. I then began to pester it again and I could see the spider getting upset by gyrating around. My skin was crawling with fear, but I continued. It must have been about 45 minutes of charades with this spider. I refused to let go and I refused to let it win. It was so comical with me standing about 8 feet away throwing random objects and hoping for the best. I realized that the battle had been lost, I put my head down and just then, I heard my gate rattle and in comes my Daddy. I immediately went to him, not even saying hi and informed him of my dilemma. Without an ounce of hesitation, my Daddy, went face to face with Widow. I tried to stop him (well more redirect him from making sure nothing was in his way). He used his bare hands… ok… no… he used the broom to sweep it down, the spider went to the ground and was then squashed by a size 10.5 leather sandal (super chancla) in 5 seconds flat, it was gone. All I had to do was clean up the massacre...the squishy, juicy, eight legged mess that now laid on my kitchen floor. I told my dad he was my hero and he was modest about not taking the compliment saying it was “not big deal”. But it WAS a big deal... He saved me from a long night of paranoia. He saved his little girl from this widow, lesson here is that Daddy’s, if they are good Daddy’s,  will always be there for their kids without hesitation, they will protect their children...no matter how old they are or their kids. I was proud! The rest of that day was and amazing hang out day with my Dad!

Family Serenity

I am in my mom's room and I just realized how much I take for granted the sounds of my family in the background. My mom and her sister laughing at something silly that may have happened a long time ago. My cousins chatting and laughing about old times, stories that are recanted over and over but never get old or tiresome. Aunts making the little ones pose for pictures while laughing and thinking about how that picture will affect their adult life. I can hear the sounds of kids playing outside and listening to their simple arguments about who is going first. I can hear my aunt babying her grandson with a sound that only a loving grandmother can make. I can hear the clatter of utensils which are used for second and third servings of the yummy goodness of the festivities meal of the day. These sounds are currently muffled by a door and even though I am alone in this room, I am never alone, my family is always there. Moving away is going to be tough, as these sounds will no longer be a part of my life for awhile. I am taking it all in and appreciating every smile, every hug, every crack of laughter and every conversation. I am in this room alone, I will learn how to appreciate solitude, but in my heart, I will miss these muffled sounds, this background music brought to me by the color of my family...
Love you all...so very much. Written on 4/24/2011- S.G.Perez

Mujer

<3  A womans mind is a beautiful, convoluted, hot mess, the contradiction...intentional! For some of us...We are in so many places at once and we create what ifs and maybes only to realize that our reality is tortured by what was not exactly imagined...rules and more rules, we miss things, we get to be the ones who make tiresome choices and take on the burden to sacrifice our wants. Not saying things are not good, just saying we need more Us time. Let's play ladies, let's dream and do, let's think outside the box...we deserve it! <3 Those of us who are ahead of the game...my hat goes off to you my loves<3

Change

Change is sometimes inevitable but change is also a choice. Change can hurt, can make one cry, laugh, get angry or even sing! These last two months of my life, have been amazing. I have been spiritually and mentally lifted by my own capacity. I realize now that this change in my inner self, was really never a change, I think it's just a re-welcoming of my true self. Welcome back Gigi, I can't wait to see more of you.