Who Wants Some Rice?

Well too bad, you can’t have any.

It’s hard to believe I’ve lived in Maryland for five years. Five years ago, things were very different. Five years ago:

1. I lived in an apartment in Baltimore. On the 13th floor. Yes, my apartment had a 13th floor. And I lived on it. And no, I did not get a discount. My apartment building was filled with med students who went to Hopkins and always smelled vaguely of curry.

2. I was just starting my job. July 17th is the anniversary of my start date. It’s also my boss’s birthday. He was not there on my first day of work.

3. I was only going to work at my job for two years. I was going to get my Master’s degree and move back to New England.

4. I bought a 50 lb bag of rice for approximately $11. I think they rang it up incorrectly at the register.

Things sure have changed since then. Now:

1. I live in a townhouse in Silver Spring. (I’m slowly making my way south until somehow, before I realize it, I’ll be living in Virginia.) This townhouse is full of an engineer and the Minister of Finance (his words, not mine – take it up with Andrew) and often smells vaguely of cake.

2. I have worked at my job for five years and done so much more than I could have imagined I would have ever done. Have I told you about the time I got climbing certification by climbing up a 100 foot tower and then traversing around the outside of it using only my climbing lanyards and Spidey senses? This year, my boss was again not at work, but it was a Sunday, so neither was I.

3. Clearly I have worked at my job for more than two years. I got my Master’s degree, but haven’t quite made it back to New England yet. Although, I am greatly missing their ice cream stands at the moment.

4. I finally finished that 50 lb bag of rice. That’s a lie actually. I still have 5 lbs or so of it left, so I guess maybe you can have some. But now it fits into a nice plastic storage container. This bag of rice has moved with me four times. And that rice was still good down to the bottom of the bag. Best $11 investment ever. (There probably are better ones, but still not too shabby.)