What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0004

151.  Blocktoberfest is in October (if it’s not apparent from the name).  Tickets are cheaper if you get them in advance;

152.  Carah Faye Charnow (of “Shiny Toy Guns”) is tiny;

153.  There’s nothing quite like a hand-dipped corn dog fried to a nice, golden brown;

154.  Some “rockers” age better than others (i.e., Robin Wilson of the “Gin Blossoms” v. Gordon Gano of the “Violent Femmes”);

155.  People will tell you otherwise, but there’s always an exception to every “rule.”  It may not happen very often, but there’s always an exception;

156.  I still haven’t decided what’s worse . . . not feeling anything at all or having a part of you (i.e., heart) slowly die and knowing that you may never feel that part of you ever again;

157.  The song, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” by “U2,” still pretty much sums up my life;

158.  Self-loathing (as well as self-pitying) is not a good look;

159.  What you do can deeply affect someone you just met or someone you barely know.  I don’t think it’s the action itself, per se, but what you do can trigger (and bring back) old memories . . . past feelings . . . and personal insecurities.  It’s those memories, feelings and insecurities that really hurt the person;

160.  Overall, my life is pretty good. . . . My only real complaint is that I would like someone to share it with. . . . You can enjoy activities on your own, but some things are just more fun, if there was someone there to experience it with you;

161.  You get a whole new experience when you take a night tour of the monuments;

162.  There are 87 steps (i.e., “four score and seven years ago” from the Gettysburg Address) leading up to the Lincoln Memorial;

163.  Matt Nathanson is better backed by a band than he is solo (not that he’s bad solo);

164.  Depending on when you get them, you can get some pretty good seats to sporting events on StubHub! (StubHub.com) . . . sometimes, for less than face value (even after the commission fee and the shipping and handling charges);

165.  It takes about an hour (or more) to go from the King Street Metrorail station to the College Park-U of Md Metrorail station;

166.  Chris Long, Howie Long’s son, is a “beast;”

167.  The October 20, 2007 Virginia v. Maryland football game is the 3^rd best football game that I’ve personally attended;

168.  Great Value (i.e., Wal-Mart) brand oatmeal cookies dipped in peanut butter are pretty good;

169.  It’s amazing how finding out one thing can totally change your perspective.  It’s like a light switch.  One moment, it’s “on” and you feel one thing. . . . The next moment, it’s “off” and the feeling’s gone . . . like a light switch turned off (or on);

170.  You can’t tell by a woman’s age or occupation whether she’s married and has a child (or at least a stepchild);

171.  Warm vodka is disgusting (specifically Finlandia);

172.  Cinder block walls in dilapidated parking lots make decent urinals;

173.  Fur Night Club (FurNightClub.com) in D.C. won’t let you bring a pen in with you;

174.  It’s sad how your friends can get another job . . . or just move away. . . . You have every intention to stay in touch, but you get wrapped up in your own life . . . and one day becomes two, two days become three and after awhile so much time has passed by and you haven’t spoken. . . . You’ve got nothing in common anymore and nothing to talk about. . . . Are you still friends or are you just acquaintances now? . . . It’s never the same when you don’t see that person on a regular basis anymore;

175.  The pumpkin pie Blizzard at Dairy Queen (DairyQueen.com) tastes exactly like pumpkin pie (just colder);

176.  Gordon Sumner (also known as “Sting”) likes to yodel (a lot);

177.  When Stewart Copeland (the drummer for “The Police”) wears a headband and microphone, it looks like he’s wearing “headgear;”

178.  For $15.00, you can get a hot dog made of Kobe beef at M’Dawg Haute Dogs (M-Dawg.com) in D.C. . . . They’ve got corn dogs too, but you have to ask for them.  They’re not listed on the menu;

179.  It’s a unique experience, watching a major motion picture and then having an in person discussion with one of the lead actors/actresses about his/her experiences while making the film;

180.  It’s interesting to watch a movie and then immediately afterwards see one of the actors/actresses, in person, and be able to observe his/her mannerisms, his/her body language and be able to hear his/her tonality and his/her actual voice . . . accent and all;

181.  There’s a definite hip-hop vibe to Wizards games;

182.  People fall in love with people when they’re not around . . . not when they are there;

183.  Apparently, some people think “dry humping” is a perfectly acceptable way to dance. . . . Other people think making out with someone you’ve just met after grinding on him/her for less than a minute is OK;

184.  It’s ironic that the thing (you believe) you want the most can scare you the most.  Is it the fear of being wrong . . . insecurity . . . or the fear of being vulnerable and opening yourself up to rejection and ultimately hurt?

185.  Sprite and vodka with a splash of cranberry juice is pretty good;

186.  Paul van Dyk (PaulvanDyk.de) is great for late night, long-distance driving;

187.  You can tell how well you know someone by the ease (or the difficulty) in buying a (Christmas) present for that person. . . . Generally, the easier it is, the better you know him/her . . . the harder it is, the less you know him/her;

188.  I don’t know if I’ve ever truly been in love. . . . I guess that depends on how well you need to know someone in order to be truly in love with that person . . . and whether you can truly be in love if s/he doesn’t love you;

189.  Hooters girls are supposed to hide their arm tattoos, but they can show off their back tattoos around their shoulder blades;

190.  Dumpster-diving is alive and well in Richmond (particularly in Carytown);

191.  There’s a saying that you can tell what’s most important in a person’s life by what s/he spends the majority of her/his time doing. . . . It’s a rather telling sign when a foreign national, who now lives in the U.S., says that the one thing he notices most about Americans, is how much we work;

192.  Trader Joe’s (TraderJoes.com) has a decent selection of inexpensive wine;

193.  Three-dimensional (3-D) movies have come a long way;

194.  McDonald’s hot apple pie used to be fried, not baked;

195.  You get a different perspective when you see things from the water;

196.  Although tasty, black pudding and white pudding have nothing to do with dessert;

197.  Robbie can cook (and enjoys it), after all;

198.  Toad's Place in Richmond (ToadsPlaceRVA.com) is a nice, intimate concert venue;

199.  We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us;

200.  I like dance competition shows . . . mainly because there are fit, attractive women in revealing, body-hugging outfits gyrating around into (sometimes very) suggestive positions;