Takoma Park, MD

So I drove down to the Washington DC area on Friday and had my dad's memorial service yesterday.

I'm staying with a family friend Jeanne in her very nice house in Takoma Park MD. It looks a lot like the nicer residential neighborhoods in Cambridge or Brookline MA (near where I grew up in Boston).

They have a reputation for being a very progressive and liberal town. Ex. They have an official city council sanctioned committee called the Nuclear Free Takoma Park Committee. I don't like the idea of nuclear material going by my house either, but a committee??? It seems like they don't have any bigger problems to deal with given the idealic suburb they seem to be. Now that I have referred to them as a suburb, I should point out that they are right on the Red Line DC Metro, so its very well connected.

The stores seem to also have an earthy bend to them... Gourmet food stores, a wine and cheese bar called "The Culture Shop" (yes, I get the pun), and a lot of gift stores with crystals, artistic women's scarfs, artsy mobiles, etc, etc. Its not exactly what I wake up wanting to shop for on a regular basis.

That makes me think... If I had to lay out the perfect main street to live around the corner from, what would it have in it... A bike shop, a auto repair guy (at the end of the block, of course), a food co-op, a liquor store, maybe a gym, and a subway station close by.

In that sense, I don't think that Takoma Park would actually be a looser in the race for Mason's residence. Oh, you didn't know that was happening? Its campaign season baby!

So I'm done with my oatmeal and I'm going to drive to where my sister is staying so I can give her my suit to bring back to NYC, so I can be garment bag free for the rest of the trip. I have a fantasy that I'll get a great interview somewhere, won't have the suit, and will have to apologize and show up in jeans and a sweater, explain why and still get hired... Most people I have spoken with LOVE the idea of my trip, so I assume (or should I say hope) I could get a pass on the suit. There are plenty pictures out there of me in a suit for a potential employer to know that I'm for real :)

So I'm off to go and enjoy a 60 degree day for a hike with a woman that I knew in High School. I just might have to strip off these long johns I've been wearing since Halloween :). (BTW, thank you REI for another winter of warm legs)

All the best!
Mason