Just call me The Minority White Girl Trendsetter

I'm sooooo ahead of the times, I have to make my personal time stand still so everyone else can catch up with me. You don't believe me? Oh, ye of little faith. It's true, and I have the proof. Witness:

Every one of our gay/trans/drag friends who lives in the city has told us that we moved into the top up and coming neighborhood, the new U Street/Kalorama/Adams Morgan, if you will. They must be right, because a brand new super duper gourmet Safeway got put in this year only a few blocks away, complete with Starbucks. And you know that's the seal of yuppie approval, right? And, of course, the gays know trends, right? Right? Uh huh, that's what I thought. Right.

So I got out today and did a little exploring, including the super duper gourmet Safeway. I'm such a grocery geek; I loooove our new grocery store. It has produce that I don't even know what to do with it. And tons and tons of fresh herbs. And all kinds of stuff to make Latin and Thai and Indian and Afro Caribbean and soul food. Of course, I got to talking to an old lady there and found out the name of the neighborhood. (How me is that, to move somewhere and not even know the name of the neighborhood?!) I foresee myself spending lots of time at that store. I'd live there if I could, it's so nice. Unfortunately, I think the rent might be a problem, plus the fact that I don't think it's zoned for residential, but hey, they can always rezone! Oh, wait, I'm never moving again, almost forgot.

Anyway, this is a very multicultural neighborhood, with the exception of one thing. We appear to be the only white girls here. Seriously. I've taken the bus to and from the Metro every day this week, and every day I've been the only white person on the bus. This is the bus that one of my friends calls The Soul Train, and now I know why. But I kind of like it, in my weird way. All the ladies seem to take care of me so obnoxious guys don't harass me, and a fair amount of respectful men seem to protect me, too.

It's really interesting, almost like a cultural immersion experience. I've never been a minority before. Not that it's all good all the time; I have had two experiences with being harassed because I'm white. But it is making me much more sensitive to the kind of irrational discrimination that traditional ethnic minorities face every day. On the other hand, the protection that I feel from most shows me the incredible generosity and kindness that exists here. And that's really a nice feeling.

I do wonder how long it's going to take me to be a hardened city dweller. I'm a girl from the sticks. I grew up on a farm riding horses. I had my own flock of sheep. I've shovelled so much shit that I could start my own fertilizer business if I mounded it all up. Going from the farm to living in our small town was a huge change for me. Then moving from the small town (and I do mean small, we're talking 3000 people and 3 stoplights) to the seemingly huge metropolis of the Northern Virginia suburbs. Then to the Southern California lifestyle of San Diego. Never did I think I'd actually be living IN the Capital of the Free World (or whatever). And yet here I am.

Time to learn ebonics, I guess. Then I'll be even more multilingual: English (American, British, Aussie and Kiwi styles), hick, southern, French, some Italian and Spanish, and ebonics. The problem with ebonics is that it's not useful at all outside major US cities. I think we should introduce ebonics to major cities all over the world just so I can get more use out of it. I'll work on that. Right after I find the cures for cancer and the common cold. You know, in my spare time.

I was meant to be unpacking and organizing and rearranging furniture today. So far I have accomplished: drinking a pot of coffee, going grocery shopping (do you have any idea how hard it is to do grocery shopping for only the microwave?), hitting the liquor store for some wine, and cleaning the litterbox. Yep, a very productive day, I think. Wait, I watched The Way We Were, too. And ordered some essentials from Sephora. And checked on my other online orders. And arranged to get a free futon for The Cuz from Freecycle. Phew, I'm exhausted after all that!

BTW, a little note to the person who requested more sex and drama. Trust me, when there's sex to be told, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops. Or at least from the new wireless broadband connection. But don't hold your breath - I have decorating to do, you know!