If anyone has driven in the D.C. area, you will feel my pain as I say how much I hate it!  It's not even just rush hour when traffic is horrendous.  All hours of the day seem to be rush hour around here.  I try to make the best of my morning and afternoon commutes to and from work, since I don't really have a choice.  I enjoy my coffee on the way in and chat with my kids on my way home.   Fridays tend to be a little bit easier getting into the office.  I guess a lot of D.C. takes the day off on Fridays.  Yesterday, though, it was unusually bad and I felt even more than normal that I just don't fit into this area anymore.  I used to put up with this lousy traffic because being here afforded so much opportunity for a high paying job and career growth.  In my 20s, I had a desire to climb the corporate ladder, buy the big house, and have all the nicest things.  The bigger TV, the better, was my philosophy, which is why I presently have a 119" projection screen in my home theater (and I rarely use it now).  CNET was one of my favorite websites to research the best surround sound systems and electronics.  I fit totally into that yuppie, rat race lifestyle, maybe because I was born and raised in one of the most affluent areas of Northern Virginia, even if I was technically just an upper, middle-class kid.  The past couple years, though, I have slowly been rejecting that mentality I used to embrace, and, in doing so, I know that D.C. is not the place for me, when I finally have the freedom to leave. 

Luckily, as I have come to hate the general, D.C. vibe, I do love certain opportunities I am given because I am close to the city.  It took me nearly 40 years to discover that the museums offer tons of lectures, screenings, and events, some of which are even free.  Two weeks ago, I went to a happy hour at the National Geographic Museum, where three speakers centered their presentations around the Galapagos.  Perfect, right, since I am going there next year?!  They showed archived photos, presented their research, and presented their conservation efforts in that area of the world. I smiled and laughed, at times, as I listened to them tell their stories, and I drove home that evening on a high.  I have been in my own, little cocoon for so long, that one of my favorite things is hearing about the meaningful work people are doing to help the environment and animals around the world.  I may not be able to physically join them right now, but it's fun to daydream about it, as I return to my home in the burbs.  And, it brings excitement to my life that is built around a lot of routine.

Then, this past week, I went to two more talks, one with my kids at the Natural History Museum about the five mass extinctions Earth has experienced in its lifetime and the second at the National Geographic Museum about three theories surrounding the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.  Talk about entirely different subject matters, but both held my interest and left me thinking long after the lectures had ended.  By the way, I am going to side with the theory that Amelia Earhart was taken prisoner by the Japanese.  So, three events in two weeks about varied subject matters and all of them were fascinating.  I was ready to quit my job and offer to assist any one of these individuals in their efforts.  I can't do that presently, but the crazy thing is I can eventually.  And who knows, someone may also be crazy enough to take me up on my offer, when the time comes.  But for now, I am registering for more talks that interest me.  Over the next month, I will be watching a documentary (which has a rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, btw) "Chasing Coral" at the Natural History Museum, attending a talk by the astronaut, Scott Kelly, at Lisner Auditorium, attending two different events to hear the escapades of several of National Geographic's wildlife photographers, and, again, hanging out at the Natural History Museum to learn about how humans innovate as a result of natural disasters.  And, it's interesting because, even though I attend some of these with friends or my kids, when I attend them alone, I find that I end up talking to the people around me.  Even if I don't ever see these people again, it has been fun chatting with strangers, who are also interested in these topics. 

Now, none of this makes me want to settle in D.C. for the rest of my life.  I still can't wait to have the freedom to do something with my life that I find meaningful and enables me to explore this country and other countries.  But, how fortunate am I that I am presently in an area where I have so many opportunities to be exposed to new ideas, new research, and new experiences that can make my days feel fulfilling.  Every time I walk out of one of these talks I attend, I feel inspired and motivated.  I am not trying to make any major life changes for several years, but not everything has to be about something huge.  I really enjoy these little things.  A two hour lecture here or there is a great distraction to the frustrations of everyday life, like traffic.   And just maybe some of the brain cells that were dulled when I attended wineries more frequently will be brought back to life.  (As a side note, though, I still enjoy wine, so I'm not knocking wineries! )