From the District: On a crowded train of isolation
Cassy Loseke
Issue date: 6/3/08 Section: Opinion
My Washington friends and I joke that you'll always know the tourists apart from the locals: they look in your eyes, generally hold maps to guide their traveling and are just plain polite. Politeness is a bit uncommon in the District.
A lack of politeness definitely wasn't the lifestyle I imagined, nor plan on succumbing to. (I'm also determined to not become that person staying late at work, only to go home and work some more; I will not be that person!)
We also joke that people here won't care about you unless you will get them somewhere or help them out in some way. Introductions of "Hello, my name is so-and-so, and I work with so-and-so" are not uncommon. It's all about who you know.
The people of DC are not what I thought they'd be. They definitely don't know how to maintain great personal relationships. Yes, they excel at professional relationships, but make up for it by lacking in their private lives.
I imagined a suave and blossoming social life, with the opportunity to meet smooth and motivated men. And I have. But, well, let's just say their motives are what are questionable.
The second weekend, I went out to a club for a friend's 21st birthday in the young and college student bubbling Georgetown and enjoyed the night life. Or tried to at least. Within less than an hour of watching my friends dance in the throng of dance bar attendees, a man offered me drinks, his lips and his bed. After fleeing to the other side of the bar, another man offered me a drink and proceeded to brag about his car and house.
The next day, I went to my beloved D.C. United soccer game in my lonesome and a very wealthy, good-looking young man bought me a beer, gave me his number and informed me I should fly down with him to his current home in Miami to visit him.
These materialistic and shallow people do not appeal to me, yet something holds me here.
It's no surprise, after situations such that I've experienced, as well as the narcissistic attitudes and the lack of warmth in this city, yield higher average ages of marriage - 25 for women and 27 for men.
Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love it here. I'm surprisingly content in this place. Maybe I won't find my husband here - I'm OK with that. Looks like I'll just have to look elsewhere, even if I do end up "settling down" in the District for a while.
Besides, even if I don't find him here, there are bigger and better things; things I wish more people would realize that are more valuable than money or pretty possessions.
Do these material things really bring happiness? Perhaps in the short term.
Every city has its downfall and loss of self isn't unusual in a place as high speed as this. I guess that is one risk those daring to enter Washington take. I know I'm taking it and I'm doing just fine.
Who knows - maybe in five or ten years, I'll be the Washington woman cautioning new and young professionals to choose wisely.
One thing I do know: I won't be taking work home with me on the train.
A lack of politeness definitely wasn't the lifestyle I imagined, nor plan on succumbing to. (I'm also determined to not become that person staying late at work, only to go home and work some more; I will not be that person!)
We also joke that people here won't care about you unless you will get them somewhere or help them out in some way. Introductions of "Hello, my name is so-and-so, and I work with so-and-so" are not uncommon. It's all about who you know.
The people of DC are not what I thought they'd be. They definitely don't know how to maintain great personal relationships. Yes, they excel at professional relationships, but make up for it by lacking in their private lives.
I imagined a suave and blossoming social life, with the opportunity to meet smooth and motivated men. And I have. But, well, let's just say their motives are what are questionable.
The second weekend, I went out to a club for a friend's 21st birthday in the young and college student bubbling Georgetown and enjoyed the night life. Or tried to at least. Within less than an hour of watching my friends dance in the throng of dance bar attendees, a man offered me drinks, his lips and his bed. After fleeing to the other side of the bar, another man offered me a drink and proceeded to brag about his car and house.
The next day, I went to my beloved D.C. United soccer game in my lonesome and a very wealthy, good-looking young man bought me a beer, gave me his number and informed me I should fly down with him to his current home in Miami to visit him.
These materialistic and shallow people do not appeal to me, yet something holds me here.
It's no surprise, after situations such that I've experienced, as well as the narcissistic attitudes and the lack of warmth in this city, yield higher average ages of marriage - 25 for women and 27 for men.
Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love it here. I'm surprisingly content in this place. Maybe I won't find my husband here - I'm OK with that. Looks like I'll just have to look elsewhere, even if I do end up "settling down" in the District for a while.
Besides, even if I don't find him here, there are bigger and better things; things I wish more people would realize that are more valuable than money or pretty possessions.
Do these material things really bring happiness? Perhaps in the short term.
Every city has its downfall and loss of self isn't unusual in a place as high speed as this. I guess that is one risk those daring to enter Washington take. I know I'm taking it and I'm doing just fine.
Who knows - maybe in five or ten years, I'll be the Washington woman cautioning new and young professionals to choose wisely.
One thing I do know: I won't be taking work home with me on the train.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
ljsmitty
Recently Denied
posted 6/09/08 @ 11:58 PM CST
Don't mean to be an ass or anything, but it appears that our editor is asleep at the wheel again...
I have always liked Cassy's articles, they are usually well written and insightful, especially when writing on student government. (Continued…)
Scott Stewart
posted 6/17/08 @ 1:32 PM CST
Personal comments aside, the Scalia thing distressed me when I read the above comment; it is, of course, correct. The Gateway printed a correction to this in today's issue, for what it's worth. (Continued…)
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