December, and wishing

[thanate]

So, the silly meme where you post a wishlist, and ask people to shop around looking at other peoples' wishlists for things they can grant has made the jump from people I just read about to a couple people I actually know, so I guess it's time to pass it on. Here are some things I'd like, which may or may not be possible for anyone to fulfill; you're encouraged to post your own, or poke about amongst your friends' friends for other lists with things you can grant on them.

*recommendations for fun things to do around Baltimore or southern suburbs (plus for good parking or light rail access & for not too high a price tag for two)

*a tip on where to find a 3-4' LED pre-lit christmas tree for a decent price (er, under $50?), or a used tree of similar size that I can light with my own LEDs. (I want to support this technology, but not at several hundred dollars or 7 feet of tree I have to put somewhere.)

*for people to reply to my posts a little more often (at least the ones where I actually ask questions) or (if you are a person who reads & doesn't comment) any thoughts you have on why that is. (It is possible that either I'm just not that kind of friend and/or all my formerly-commenting people have wandered off to other parts of the internet, or that no one can tell when I'm asking questions I want answers to, but it's also discouraging when I try to make brainstorming posts and I can't tell if anyone has read them)

*somewhere local to purchase things like taro bubble tea powder, or good quality vanilla beans (the latter may exist... I haven't done much searching yet)

*one of those local sf/f bookshops that people keep telling me exist in other places

*better focus, possibly more enthusiasm

*an awesome job (java developer team lead/management or cyber security) for grauwulf that's actually near Linthicum, MD.

*more heavy weight wool (fabric) scraps suitable for making a braided rag rug (old coats with moth holes and similar would also be ideal.) What I have so far is mostly black, so other colors would be great.

*a local small ensemble (either voice or violin) with which to play intermediate level music, or even a not too religious group to go caroling with (um... who want to sing carols, not stupid christmas songs... tall order, I know)

*for everyone to have a safe & happy rest of the year-- no more people getting fired or anything.

Comments

[dancinglights.livejournal.com]

I tend toward plastic rocks at the JHU gym because it's free for me (but tiny, and I can only bring one guest), but Earth Treks Columbia is fairly close to my house and I can be lured to Rockville or even Timonium on rare occasions). Pod is sometimes interested in coming along when he's not being eaten by grad school, but mostly he boulders and can't belay.

Raven would know good-tea coffee shop recommendations better than I, but Bean Hollow in EC is my go-to, if you happen to be there already anyway. They have a decent tea selection. Otherwise, in Baltimore, it's Teavolve or various cafe's that are less great on tea. Do *you* have coffee shop recommendations further out? I suddenly realise I don't know many.

[thanate.livejournal.com]

I think I was spoiled by having rockville on the way home from work when I lived in VA, and then grauwulf lived right down the road from the columbia gym for a while.

Good coffee shops... well, I could recommend a couple in Falls Church (Stacy's in particular), but I don't know if that would be too helpful to you. There's also Mad City in Columbia, which has some nice deserts, and grauwulf approves their coffee, and there's a lovely little bagel shop, the name of which escapes me, on Eden Brook Dr.

Also, Teavolve looks absolutely fantastic, and I'm not quite sure how I missed it before. Thanks for the recommendation!

[dancinglights.livejournal.com]

I'd totally forgotten about Mad City after friends of mine stopped living pretty much across the street. Thank you!