I'm sorry I don't write on the weekends. Even on the 3-day holiday weekends. I really do try to schedule writing time during the weekend. But I fail. So I am sorry. I feel (as usual) like we have lifetimes to catch-up on!
I had a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend. Eric and I went to the National Zoo on Sunday...along with the rest of the population of DC. Ugh, it was too hot, too crowded. We saw some lions, some tigers, some lemurs. But then I overheated and needed to find an exit strategy pronto.
But we didn't leave before seeing the adorable Ant Eater!!! So cute!!! He came right over to me! Here he is:
I also went to my dear friend Angie's birthday celebration yesterday. Just a few friends and a few glasses of sangria on a rooftop patio. But it was lovely. I had a perfectly delightful Memorial Day weekend.
Ok, so now onto the exciting news =)
Last Thursday, I saw a post on Facebook from a friend of mine from grad school. He asked if any of his DC journalists friends were interested in writing a story about the National Spelling Bee for a newspaper in Ohio. Even though I haven't written for a newspaper since college (over a decade ago), I jumped at the opportunity. So I messaged my friend and I told him I was absolutely interested in writing this article. He gave the newspaper editor my phone number, and the editor called me that evening.
So ladies and gentlemen, I am thrilled to announce that I will reporting on the Scripps National Spelling Bee for The Repository in Canton, Ohio! This is my first freelance job as a journalist! This is exactly the kind of life I've been dreaming of!
Very excited, but also very scared. I don't want to f**k this up for the newspaper, or for the student who I'm writing about. I'm their only correspondent on the ground in DC. If I blow it, they will have no story from the National Spelling Bee. So basically, I cannot blow this!
I feel confident that I've done all the research ahead of time that I possibly can. I've read The Repository's last four articles on the National Spelling Bee. I've gone to the official spelling bee website and read their Wikipedia page, too. I've contacted the father of the contestant I am writing about, and even though I haven't heard back from him yet, I am fully confident that I will find him (and his son) after the competition tomorrow.
Oh, Nelly, I'm nervous.
But Eric is doing me the biggest favor in the world and DRIVING me to the Gaylord Convention Center (at the National Harbor) at 6:00 AM tomorrow morning. Aww, bless his heart! He's doing me this huge favor because the National Harbor is not very easy to get to by public transport. To get there, without a car, I would have to leave at 5:30 AM, take the Green Line train all the way past Anacostia, to the Southern Avenue Metro Station, which is across the border, in Maryland. Then, from there, I would have to take a 30-minute bus ride all the way to the National Harbor. Best case scenario, if I didn't have to wait for a train or a bus, the journey would take me an hour. But I happen to live with a very generous and kind man, and he will drive me there, and spare me the "Lord-of-the-Rings Journey" through Anacostia in the wee hours of the morning.
I have NO idea what tomorrow will be like. But honestly, I think I'm going to love it. Whenever I've been a part of any major news story (the re-opening of the Washington Monument, the royal wedding, Obama's first inauguration, etc.), I've always wanted to be in the press box, reporting on the event, rather than just spectating. I wanted to write a story about the Washington Monument a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't have anyone to write it for.
But tomorrow will be the dream. I will be at the major news event, reporting on the event, not just living it. To me, I don't feel like I've really lived an experience until I've written about it. I always felt that way.
I have my press credentials. I have my laptop. Hell, I even bought an iPhone (and added myself to Eric's AT&T phone plan) on Saturday so that I can send updates to my editor back in Ohio throughout the day, even if the WiFi goes out. I am ready for this. I've studied this. I've talked about this. Now it's time to go be a reporter.
Oh, and I went jogging this morning! I know! Me?! After Eric and I had breakfast, we kissed goodbye, and I got into stretch-pants and a big t-shirt, and I jogged to U Street and back! It was only 30 minutes, and it was on-and-off jogging-and-walking, but I did it! I figured, it's time.
It's time to be done with not fitting into clothes and cropping my body out of photographs. It's time to make my body as happy as I've made my mind and soul. Everything else is going great in my life. So it's time to overcome my body dilemma. I'm so grateful for my health, my body, and everything that body does for me, but it's time to do better. It's time to get back into shape. I'm working on every part of me. This is the year it all gets better.
So I shall end with a recent photo of a very grateful Leila. This picture was taken in the patio of my local bar, the Wonderland Ballroom, last Thursday (the day I got the job at the Ohio newspaper).
I also had my hair done that day. It was a big day. I could (and still can) feel the Earth shift that day. Things are happening. It's all happening.
I love you all.
~Leila
P.S. It's time to rediscover all of your favorite episodes of The Sherman House Webisodes at www.shwebisodes.com.
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