Feeling Unsafe in a Safe Place, & Other Fun DC Happenings

Hello, y'all!

So,  there are a lot of new exciting things to share!  

Wednesday is my last day at the grocery store! Hallelujah! I love my coworkers,  but one month there is enough for me! 

I start full-time at the nanny job on Thursday, so that means I do not have a day off until  next Saturday! I'm working 58 hours this week... The most I have worked since  working a haircut sale at Great Clips!

More fun/awesome news... My  boss was given a week of free unlimited Pure Barre classes to give  to a friend, and she decided to give it to me! So nice of her!!! So, I made my way there on Thursday  afternoon, and man,  did that  class kick my butt! For real, my entire body has been sore since! I attempted to go Friday, but I was one minute late and was locked out, so that wasn't fun because I ran through 13 degree weather with wind to try to make it on time. Part of the  running included running halfway up one of  the longest elevators in the whole DC metro system. I guess I should be grateful it wasn't a staircase. *shudder* Oh well, at least I didn't have to pay for the class, and I got a workout out of it! I signed up for two more classes in the mornings this week so I can get $20 off unlimited classes for a month. I am going to get in the  best shape I have been in since high school, and my arms will be in the best shape they have  been in  my whole life! Before and after pictures will be posted in a month. :)

So, I really need to go to bed, but I'm sure your curious about the first half  of the title for this blogpost. Last week, this man walked  into  the store, and was walking along, checking out the cashiers. When he got to me, he stopped, and did the whole "look over" on  me three times (obnoxiously, and slowly, moving his whole head as he checked  me out). He asked how tall I  was, if I played sports, the usual tall talk. In an instant, the look on his face changed and as he  started inching closer, he asked if  I was married. I told him the truth, and he asked if  I wanted to go to dinner with him. By this point, he was leaning forwards on  his hands, which were on both sides of the nook where the cash registers are,  therefore blocking me in. At this point, there was a line of people, my  fellow cashiers  were busy tending to them as I tried to signal them for  help.  I seriously had no idea what to do. All  I knew was this guy was making me really uncomfortable and scared, I did not want to sound rude, and he was blocking my one escape route. Thankfully, my coworker, Rod,  came up and told me the  manager needed to see  me in back. The guy was not letting up; he  kept asking my name, asking to take me out, etc, as Rod asked him to step aside. He followed us all the way to the back of the store, still calling for me.  The manager on  duty met us in  back, I told him what  happened, and he went back out and asked the man to leave (he was waiting just outside the door to the backroom). The guy demanded that the manager to get me to  come out, he  was asked to leave. "You can't ask  me to  leave. This is MY country.  You  can't tell me  what  to do!" He left after  that,  but  man, I  was nervous the rest of the night. I am so grateful that the  incident happened when it did,  I'll say that. It was the first time I was  ever approached like  that. It's one thing when it's a cat-caller; you can ignore them and  walk on, and most of the time, they do not follow, or try to  push you  to do anything.

Well, I am off to bed. Have a great week!

Love,

 Mary

The 2nd Week that Felt Like 5 Weeks

Seriously, I can't believe how long THIS week was!

Hello, by the way.

My brain was everywhere this week. "Can I be real a second? For just a millisecond? Let my guard down and tell (you people) how I feel a second?" -Hamilton: An American Musical (be prepared for many Hamilton references)
Anyways... my just recent boyfriend, AKA my first love, and I broke off all communication on Monday. Sucky way to start the week. It seriously sucks. I put up a fight to get back together, I'll tell you that
The thing is, it's neither of our faults. Our lives just don't align well, and that makes things harder to get over each other BECAUSE neither of us are in the wrong! Anyways, it tore me apart, but I don't think I have ever felt this strong of an urge to improve myself as I do now.

What changed, do you ask? I quit my nanny job in Maryland a couple months ago. I used to put others needs above my own so much that it was unhealthy. It's good to do so to extent, don't get me wrong, but I was seriously having major panic attacks because I was not caring for myself, and absolutely loathing myself. It also didn't help that I felt trapped within the walls of the home I lived, but that's a long story, and I would rather not disclose that on the internet. I would also like to say that I loved the job, and the family needed me, but a make turning point was when I decided I needed a change in my life, and I needed to care for myself first, especially with these scary mental breakdowns.
Quitting that job was one of the hardest, yet best decisions I made in my life. It helped me realize that I do have power to control my life, and it's ok to say "no" every once in a while.

Well, I was vulnerable for longer than a second, but that's ok.

Anyways, today was my best day this week. I did have great half days, I guess you could say. So, I'm going to list some of my biggest highlights from the week...

1) The many messages and phone calls from those who saw my Facebook status on Monday. The response I had was overwhelming. I honestly was not expecting it. I'm grateful to know I have so many people who care for and love me, even though it has been a long time since we've spoken.
2) I was hired by one of the families I interviewed with last week! I am seriously so excited! We're going to do a few "trial days" this week to make doubly sure it's a good fit, then I'll put in my two weeks notice at the grocery store!
3) On one of my days off, I got the whole apartment clean! Being productive is great.
4) My friend, Daniel, trekked down here to play "Arkham Horror" with me! It was a fantastic night full of laughter, fun, great conversation, and dance vids. :)
5) Last night, I got to eat Nutella Oreos and sushi, drank some tea, watched "A Walk to Remember," and cried. I know crying isn't dca fly a happy sight, but I have been keeping myself too busy to cry when I need to. Which leads to...
6) I had a much better day today, despite having to work on a Sunday! I got to hang out with Hannah, AND I put effort into my appearance! My coworkers even noticed it, saying that I looked different today. Pretty much this whole week, I lived behind my hat and glasses because I was too sad to care, but today was a better day. Oh, I also got a good haul of free food because a lot of items were damaged today, so that's always nice, too. :)

Hannah and me. Don't mind the puffy eyes. :)

Well, that's all for this week.
 Goodnight, y'all!
XOXO
Mary

The First Long Week Back on the East Coast

Howdy!

I hope this post isn't too boring, but I figured I would let you all know that I am alive and well!

    

One thing I've learned from this week is that I should take more pictures. Another thing is not necessarily something new, more like a question: what are some weird slang terms that Arizona natives use? I'm temporarily working at an organic grocery store until I secure another job, and my coworkers ask me the most interesting questions about Arizona. On Monday, upon being introduced to a coworker, asked me where I was from, then without missing a beat asked, "did you ever drink water from a cactus?" I feel like I didn't lived to my full potential in Arizona.

Looking down on AZ

So far this year, I have not been living up to my new years resolutions, but I am going to use the excuse that I have either been on vacation at home, or settling into my new apartment/routine. I enjoy being back in the hustle and bustle of D.C. for sure! 

I started my week with an interview early on Monday morning. The family is down by the White House which is pretty cool, and I forgot how cold 20 degrees really is, so my inner desert rat quickly realized she did not layer up enough. The air was hurting my face! Anyways, interview went well as usual, and I started at the grocery store later that afternoon. My roommate/bestie/person who got me the job trained me, and we nearly slipped and died on the icy sidewalk on our way home. The store is a pretty hip place to work. Our uniform is tie-dye, and a variety of people come through every day. I enjoy it, but enough to stay there forever, of course. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the end of the day.

Snazzy uniform!

The rest of the week went well. I am used to cashiering, and adjusting to D.C. time (kinda), and had two additional interviews! 

As far as fun stuff goes, my friend, Gio, was in town for a couple of days on business, so all three of us had a great time catching up and hanging out. The only thing I photographed is the candy sushi that we made from a little kit I received in a package (SO to Rachel <3 ). 

Oooh! Also, on Friday night, I went Zouk dancing for the second time my whole life and thoroughly enjoyed it! I am positive most of you have never heard of Zouk before. To give a bit of background, Zouk is a type of dance that originated from Brazil, and is still new to the U.S. (about 5 years, to be exact). It reminds me of a mixture of samba and contemporary dancing. There are body rolls, head rolling, rib cage isolations, and hip movement, so it can be sensual if one choses to do so. I am personally comfortable with it, but that's only when it's not up against my partner's body, if that makes any sense. Anyways, I felt awkward towards the beginning, but after my friend, Jason, showed up, I got more comfortable with it. As with any other dance, you mess up if you are too tense and thinking too hard. 

Well, I think that's about it as far as highlights go this week. This week, I'm going to be better at doing yoga and practicing dancing.

Until next time,

Mary

P.S. Sorry, the format is not up to par with what I like. I am getting used to a new(ish) laptop, and it spazzed out when I tried adding the pics.