Cold Weather + Single Tracking = Sad City Girl

Today is the coldest day so far in DC for the winter season. I love cold weather, boots, scarves, bundling up and of course snuggling. But not today. I had to be at work early because everyone else had other engagements and so I woke to a icy floor beneath my feet and a slight sore throat. Perfect. So I drag myself to the bathroom to start getting ready and the hot water takes three times as long to show itself. Then I pick the most inappropriate cold weather outfit (cute skirt, tights, sweater, boots) because I know it will look good for my colleagues that I have a meeting with later today. They don't have to know I spent all morning hovered over a space heater practically scalding my hands as I prayed for more heat to come through the tiny holes.

So then it was off to the Metro. Yesterday I chose to bike into work as sort of a " hello 2012, I can handle you" stance, but my body is mad as a junkyard dog and refusing to do anything productive today. Guess I am not going to be using my new Stroga pass this week. Anyway, I got onto the Blue line train and everything was swell. Well, other than a little child singing at the top of her lungs, which had I made the coffee like the Squid asked me to it might not have been so annoying. As I transferred at L'Enfant Plaza to the Yellow line, everything stopped - literally. Trains in both directions were single tracking. What a nightmare. So me and about 300 other folks are standing there bitching about the Metro system. Did they not just have two weeks of down time to get the trains in order? I mean come on people. Finally after what felt like an hour, the Huntington Train was on the track. It looked like a sardine can. People spilling out from every crevice. Arms, legs, bags - it was so ridiculous. That is when the shoving started...I was literally carried onto the train by several large women hollering to "get on the train!" A young timid gentleman asked if I needed to use the pole to secure my footing and I just said, "no worries, I don't think I am going anywhere." It was true.

Needless to say, I made it to work in one piece and learned more about the six strangers surrounding me than I ever expected to, or wanted to for that matter. However, I was toasty warm, ah the silver lining!

Living in a big city is great when you are on your own time, you can explore and maneuver at your own pace. Today Washington DC owned me. I would like my dignity back please and thank you.