On Repeat

A couple weeks ago, I listened to the same song from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. There were a few interruptions, but that's a good four hours.

Excessive, I know. I've written about this before, but when I fall in love with a song, I can't just wait to hear it again. And when I'm at work, sometimes it's just easier to keep clicking play on Youtube for a song that I know I like. Plus, it's a longer song - 5:26. Totally justified.

I told my friends Emily and Andy about this.

Me: "Is that normal?"

Emily and Andy: "No."

Emily: "What is the play count for your most played song in iTunes?"

Me: "60 or so. What's yours?"

Emily: "Probably eight."

Me: "If I play a song 30 times, it won't even crack the 25 Most Played."

(This is what I was listening to for four hours, in case you were wondering. When I went to see them at Merriweather, the singer, Régine Chassagne, danced around with streamers during this song. So fitting.)

Easy Mac

I hate grocery shopping. Hate it. Will do anything to avoid it. So this week on my way to the gym, I was thrilled to see people in Gallery Place handing out free packets of this new type of Kraft macaroni and cheese. I walked slowly down the street and grabbed a bunch, as nonchalantly as possible. All the while, in my head, I was thinking "Score, dinner for the week!" No need to grocery shop for me.

But now I had a gym bag stuffed to the brim with macaroni and cheese. I wonder what the other patrons in the locker room thought as I pulled out packets of mac n cheese while trying to unearth my gym clothes. "Look at her diet, no wonder she is here."

I told my coworker about my new plan of grocery shopping on the street, living on free samples. "Then are you going to do your laundry in the river?" he said.

Yes. I am living off the land.

Borders Blowout Sale

Has anyone checked out the sale at the Borders that is closing on 14th Street? They are selling everything, even the bookshelves. Most books are 40% off and it's not only random overstock stuff. I bought a bunch of hardcovers I just read about in book reviews for around $13 each.

Of course, everything is completely disorganized and in shambles. Still, does this book really belongs in the "Gardening" section?

Another Entry About Chatting with Taxi Drivers

Sometimes I think cab drivers are the only ones who really understand me.

Mild Curses, Volume 15

• May you have the same half-watched art-house Netflix movie for four months and finally mail it back in defeat.
• May you always have a lingering doubt in the back of your mind as to whether you turned off your hair straightener.
• May you walk out of your hair salon with the knowledge that you yourself will never ever be able to make your hair look this good.
  

Photo Opp

I was sitting on a bench, waiting for my friend outside the Dupont metro, and I just opened up my book when a guy asked if I would mind taking a picture for him. I didn't mind, but I thought it was kind of odd that he wasn't standing next to anything scenic for the photo opp. It was just a street.

That might not be weird. I know that on the very few occasions my mom remembers to bring her camera on family outings, she take pictures seemingly at random. "Everyone squeeze in, get closer to that parking garage," things like that.

But sure enough, I couldn't get rid of the guy. I tried to subtly put on my headphones, but then he pulled out the ol' "Americans are the friendliest people in the world" trope and I felt guilty blatantly ignoring him. Oldest trick in the book!