I sat next to this woman on the bus yesterday that was having a most exuberant phone conversation. Exuberant enough that I knew she'd talk to me as soon as she hung up. And she did. I'm not sure what was up with that. At the bus stop I'd had an older guy stand just out of earshot and mumble things to me, to which I just smiled and broke eye contact. I do know he called me a pretty young lady, which, at 39, he can stick up his weirdo butt.

I don't in general mind talking to strangers. When I do mind it is when I may ever have to encounter them again and remember them from Adam. Can't promise to do that.

People often say that folks in DC are unfriendly...so I guess I go out of my way to counter that. And, of course, I have the benefit of living in an actual neighborhood, from which I seldom stray...so that might have something to do with the disconnect.

It's funny. I was born in FL, grew up in CA (parts of which I loved...I'm looking at you San Diego and Carmel), but I believe I did not come fully alive until I landed on Capitol Hill.

Oh, Sue, I'd love that recipe too!

Actually, for black people there are totally different rules of talking to strangers.

Oh, Sue, I'd love that recipe too!

I'll post it when I can find it.

Actually, for black people there are totally different rules of talking to strangers.

There are? Like what?

Pretty much everyone in Boston seemed nice and friendly enough on my various visits there. Except the maniacs that were driving. But then again I apparently project as fairly stand-offish in the South, so maybe I just fit in better there?

I'll rent cars and drive in LA despite unexpectedly ending up in Hermosa Beach on one occasion. And drive through Dallas and Atlanta even if I grumble a bit at the traffic. Even hitting the Beltway in Washington during rush hour with a splitting migraine didn't put me off driving like my first trip to Boston did.

The other day there was this crazy white guy on my train. He was in his late 50s, and going on very loudly and very angrily about how kids today are too lazy to work or something. Thing was, he was arguing with a group of black teenage girls. It was weird - they were arguing back but also making fun of him. I couldn't hear a lot of what he was saying, on account of everyone yelling at once and whatnot....

Eventually the engineer arranged for the police to meet him at a train station.

I had a tourist kid on the subway insist on chatting with me recently, even though I both had my iPod on and was reading a book. He had to work really hard to get my attention, but then, oh man, he kept it. Where was I going, where did I live, had I ever been on the DC metro, on and on and on. I wondered why his mother wasn't telling him not to talk to strangers.

Apparently the baby accessory makes me look approachable.

You can't run away as fast, is my theory.

If this ends up being a recurring dream

*shudder*

kick 'em one for me.

I hope I never get the opportunity, but will do.

I have to admit, I usually arm myself with my iPod when I go out in the world to avoid talking to strangers. But there are some people that persist. Even when I have my big headphones on. What makes you think I can hear you dude? Can you see my big-ass headphones?

I am awake. Breakfast (out) and convo with a friend later, I am still awake. But I still don't want to be. But I"m trying to convince myself that I can't go back to bed, because I have to get back into getting up in the morning...that after I read all of Natter, I'll be awake enough to stay awake...

Happy Birthday Tom Scola!

"Okay, so next time we want an inaccuracy corrected so we don't look like total idiots, we should just hire a 5th-grader? Good to know."

Isn't that what the whole "Smarter Than a 5th Grader" TV show is based on?

of course, here along with the friendly you have kids who will beat you with a metal pole in an attempt to steal your bike and snipers shooting at you as ride your bike along a busy street (both of which happened to people I know here in the last week)

Wow. That's Charm City. Though I know of a couple places in DC where there've been ongoing issues of kids from the projects on a hill throwing rocks and bricks (and shooting at, on occasion) bicyclists.

Whereas if Manhattanites aren't ignoring me, they're yelling at me for failing to follow the unspoken but universal protocol which I can never figure out because I'm afraid that asking about the protocol violates the protocol

Hah! Very true.

This is why I can never leave the Northeast. Living in DC made me nuts.

...wait, how did DC make you nuts? Are they different there than in NYC and Boston?

I had a tourist kid on the subway insist on chatting with me recently, even though I both had my iPod on and was reading a book.

Good god. Someone teach that boy some manners!