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Monthly Archives: July 2008

The Sheer Idea of Dating is Exhausting

31 Thursday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in My Mind

≈ 5 Comments

I promised myself I’d give this whole meeting men thing the ol’ college try, but I’ve even found the minimal effort in the last 2 weeks exhausting. I’ve so far only done Craigslist…and here are the stats:


Post 1


4    responses


1     that were potentially interesting


0     responses back after photo sent


0     dates


Post 2


9    responses


5    that were potentially interesting


2    responses after photo sent


0    dates


One of the 2 responses from Post 2 is a guy in “his forties.” Honestly, I’m not up for that considering how I hate getting older myself. Plus, I asked him for his age because I “didn’t want to be dating my dad.” (Yes that’s what I said.) Don’t give me a decade. 40, maybe. 48, we have serious issues.


So, I soldier on. I may have a date with the guy obsessed with the 80s, which I’m trying to remain upbeat about. I revised my Match.com profile yesterday…and as per usual, I have guys who are ignoring my actual profile which states what I’m looking for. Has it always been this hard to meet people? I mean, really.


 

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Commuter Sentences, Special Edition: or, Further Reasons Why Taxis in DC Suck

29 Tuesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Commuter Sentences, My Mind, The City

≈ Leave a comment

316603519_a45d452a74


Okay, since taxis in DC moved to a metered fare system, they don’t suck AS MUCH as they used to, but that doesn’t make them NOT suck. Witness tonight. Ted organized a small army of people to go to the showing of Arsenic and Old Lace (love it!) at Screen on the Green. I insisted on taking a cab home, because after hearing about my neighbor’s break-in and other crimes in my area, it wasn’t worth it. Though Ted was going to walk, he figured what the hay, since we LIVE FIVE BLOCKS from each other. Keep that in mind. Five blocks. Barely. So, anyway, we get in the cab, and the driver says something I don’t understand. All I knew was that it was something that meant we were going to be paying too much.


For those of you not from DC, let me explain. In normal cities, you get in a cab, the driver sets the meter, and then you get out and pay what’s on the meter. You could drive with five people and each go to a different place and at the end of the ride, the fare is paid. Not so in DC. For the longest time, DC had a zone system. In the zone system, you could pay as much as twice as much if you were one block out of a zone. It was crazy. To go 1 mile from Union Station to my house, it would cost $10. The drivers bitched and moaned that everyone except them wanted a meter system. This was because people thought they couldn’t be cheated if there were meters. Not so.


In the old system, Ted and I shared a cab once. We ended up EACH spending $20, which we didn’t find out until Ted had already been dropped off. 


$3.00 initial fee + $1.00 fuel surcharge + $1.50 passenger fee=$5.50 + fare


The driver informed us he’d “save us” by resetting the meter because normally he would have to charge Ted the full fare and then charge me another additional full fare. WHAT? What is this, an airline? Why, then, wouldn’t we get separate cabs? What savings is there in sharing? Whatever…so, when Ted got out, he paid $8.75…actually, I think he gave him $10.


Next, the meter’s reset: $3.00 initial fee + $1.00 surcharge=$4.00+ fare


The dude drives me (slowly…by the way) the five blocks, which the cheapskate in me for a moment considered walking until I imagined being held up, and I get out and pay $5.00. That’s $15 to go a little over a mile. Though scarier, it would have been cheaper to have been mugged. (Or, for that matter, to have driven into work).


This great taxi photo with a pre-meter rant can be found by Wayan Vota on Flickr.

Commuter Sentences, Special Edition: or, Further Reasons Why Taxis in DC Suck

29 Tuesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Commuter Sentences, My Mind, The City

≈ Leave a comment

316603519_a45d452a74


Okay, since taxis in DC moved to a metered fare system, they don’t suck AS MUCH as they used to, but that doesn’t make them NOT suck. Witness tonight. Ted organized a small army of people to go to the showing of Arsenic and Old Lace (love it!) at Screen on the Green. I insisted on taking a cab home, because after hearing about my neighbor’s break-in and other crimes in my area, it wasn’t worth it. Though Ted was going to walk, he figured what the hay, since we LIVE FIVE BLOCKS from each other. Keep that in mind. Five blocks. Barely. So, anyway, we get in the cab, and the driver says something I don’t understand. All I knew was that it was something that meant we were going to be paying too much.


For those of you not from DC, let me explain. In normal cities, you get in a cab, the driver sets the meter, and then you get out and pay what’s on the meter. You could drive with five people and each go to a different place and at the end of the ride, the fare is paid. Not so in DC. For the longest time, DC had a zone system. In the zone system, you could pay as much as twice as much if you were one block out of a zone. It was crazy. To go 1 mile from Union Station to my house, it would cost $10. The drivers bitched and moaned that everyone except them wanted a meter system. This was because people thought they couldn’t be cheated if there were meters. Not so.


In the old system, Ted and I shared a cab once. We ended up EACH spending $20, which we didn’t find out until Ted had already been dropped off. 


$3.00 initial fee + $1.00 fuel surcharge + $1.50 passenger fee=$5.50 + fare


The driver informed us he’d “save us” by resetting the meter because normally he would have to charge Ted the full fare and then charge me another additional full fare. WHAT? What is this, an airline? Why, then, wouldn’t we get separate cabs? What savings is there in sharing? Whatever…so, when Ted got out, he paid $8.75…actually, I think he gave him $10.


Next, the meter’s reset: $3.00 initial fee + $1.00 surcharge=$4.00+ fare


The dude drives me (slowly…by the way) the five blocks, which the cheapskate in me for a moment considered walking until I imagined being held up, and I get out and pay $5.00. That’s $15 to go a little over a mile. Though scarier, it would have been cheaper to have been mugged. (Or, for that matter, to have driven into work).


This great taxi photo with a pre-meter rant can be found by Wayan Vota on Flickr.

In Which I Have Fun With My Mom…

24 Thursday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Family

≈ Leave a comment

It’s not often that a hurricane comes along with your mom’s name. I rolled my eyes at my dad and brother’s jokes about it before it hit, but I have to admit that it’s pretty funny reading the headlines when they leave the “hurricane” part out:


Dolly’s Impact on Gulf of Mexico Oil


Dolly Destroys Texas Cotton, Sorghum Crops


Dolly Weakens to Depression Over Texas

Bush Declares Disaster in Texas After Dolly


Twister Spawned by Dolly Over San Antonio



Dolly Blows, Levees Hold Despite Rain


 

 


Hee hee hee. Love ya, Mom.

In Which I Have Fun With My Mom…

24 Thursday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Family

≈ 3 Comments

It’s not often that a hurricane comes along with your mom’s name. I rolled my eyes at my dad and brother’s jokes about it before it hit, but I have to admit that it’s pretty funny reading the headlines when they leave the “hurricane” part out:


Dolly’s Impact on Gulf of Mexico Oil


Dolly Destroys Texas Cotton, Sorghum Crops


Dolly Weakens to Depression Over Texas

Bush Declares Disaster in Texas After Dolly


Twister Spawned by Dolly Over San Antonio



Dolly Blows, Levees Hold Despite Rain


 

 


Hee hee hee. Love ya, Mom.

Gorgeous Gorgeous Gorgeous

23 Wednesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

From Sakura Snow. Stumbled upon the blog, and it’s wonderful, too!


Dutchsky20h42

Gorgeous Gorgeous Gorgeous

23 Wednesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

From Sakura Snow. Stumbled upon the blog, and it’s wonderful, too!


Dutchsky20h42

If the Free One Doesn’t Suit You, Try This

23 Wednesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Available for the low, low price of $1,000…also on Craigslist, the purveyor of all things bright and wonderful.


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If the Free One Doesn’t Suit You, Try This

23 Wednesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Available for the low, low price of $1,000…also on Craigslist, the purveyor of all things bright and wonderful.


01020701040201030320080723cf7cd6a733b010178a00f10e

And the Prize for the Best EVER Ad for Something Free Goes to:

23 Wednesday Jul 2008

Posted by Christine in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

On Craigslist


Image002  

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