Trip to D.C. part 1

Last weekend I took a trip to D.C. by MYSELF to have a girls-only weekend with old high school friends. I say 'old', only because we have known each other forever, not because we are old, of course...
Anyway, I will have to blog this in parts because there's so much to write, AND because I forgot my camera and need my friends to send me some of our awesome pictures. Come on Nichole and Christy, YOU CAN DO IT!

First of all, I took a bus into NYC where I was to catch the D.C. bus in Times Square. I had an hour to kill and was originally going to walk around Times Sq. (lots to see and do, of course) but realized that my luggage was so freakin' heavy and I was just going to have to stand in one place for an hour. SO, I'm standing in Times Sq., in front of a bank, talking to my friend Steph (on my cell phone). There's a gazillion people walking by, of course, and this man in a business suit walks by and, I think, mouths something to me. I just ignored him but noticed that he then turns around and is walking back to me. He sidles right up next to me and asks me if I have lunch plans. I said, "Excuse me?!" He again asks me if I have plans for lunch to which I told him I was just waiting for my bus. He says ok and walks away.
Now, I know what you're thinking here. You're thinking maybe that guy was trying to pick me up. And who knows, maybe he was. But you have to understand something first...I looked awful. I had my hair pulled back into a greasy ponytail, I was wearing BIG, baggy, grey sweats and tennis shoes. It was not attractive. Trust me on this. I was dressed appropriately for a 4 and a half hour third class bus ride and that's it. So my first assumption, at the time, was that HOLY COW, this guy thinks I'm a prostitute standing here working the corner! And, by my appearance, he must think I'm a cheap prostitute. Which I am NOT...cheap that is...or...a prostitute, either. And then I realize I'm standing there with a big bag and I think, no WAIT! That guy thinks I'm a bag lady and he's trying to do a good deed by buying a meal for a homeless person! Either way I wanted to kick him in the shins and yell down the street, "I am not a prostitute OR a bag lady! So there!" Maybe he was just a lonely guy who wanted someone to sit with him during lunch, but I've been married for 14 years this Thursday and I just don't know how all that 'pick up' stuff works anymore!

OK, two more things about the bus ride to D.C. Or, I should say, two things about fellow passengers on the bus ride to D.C.
1) There was this college guy sitting in a seat across the aisle from me. He was quiet but every now and then he would doze off. No big deal, right? Well, he would be facing me while he slept. He had his mouth wide open, one eye completely closed, and one eye half-closed...or half-open...depending on whether you're an optimist or pessimist. Anyway, it was creepy. I SO wish I had had my camera. I totally would've taken a picture and posted it here. He was giving me the ol' stinkeye the whole trip!
2) Across the aisle behind the college guy was a Hispanic couple, probably late 40's. Anyway, I couldn't understand what was being said, but the woman talked continuously for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS! Every now and then the man would nod his head or mumble a response but really, she just monologued the entire time. Now, I like to talk, too, but I can't fathom finding anything to talk about for that long! Every now and then she would pause and this became a game for me. (I had lots of time to kill). Her average pause was 4 seconds and her longest pause was 90 seconds. I thought about offering her a granola bar so maybe she would shut up just for a minute.
Other than that, the bus ride was uneventful. There were some tense moments as the BUS DRIVER talked on his CELL PHONE while driving, but, hey, people don't die in bus accidents that often, right?
More to come on the D.C. trip...Christy, Nichole, send me photos!!!!