For those who care…a Bryce update
I’m going to be blunt: life in DC is wearing on me. This is not to say that there aren’t many things which I like about living here, because there are plenty. However, for probably a number of reasons, I’m not as enthusiastic about this place as I was a few months ago. Perhaps this is to be expected – most things in life tend to lose their novelty and luster as they become more familiar – but I think there is more to it. Although my employment status is definitely a significant factor in how I experience life generally (for the record, I am grateful to even have a job, and especially to have one that is fairly relaxed and involves some cool people), I think the biggest source of my discontentment is the culture and people of DC.
You may be thinking “Wow, waging war against everyone in a major metropolitan area would wear on anyone. You should chill out, dude”, so let me be more specific. What I have a hard time with is how political people are here. You may now be thinking “No duh, you’re in the nation’s capital”, and while it is obviously true that such a place would attract politically-minded people, I mean “political” in a broader sense; generally speaking, the culture here emphasizes power, achievement, and appearances. In short, it’s a playground for red personalities. As someone who, historically, has been passionately disinterested in power and appearances but cared a great deal about achievement, I am a bit uneasy in such an intense, self-conscious environment, even though I was initially drawn to it for the sake of achievement. Throw in the fact that I have tempered my ambition and perfectionism – or am at least attempting to do so – with lightheartedness, foresight, and concern for the needs of others, and compare it to the norm here – business-minded, short-sighted, materialistic, and busy (usually much too busy to slow down and really connect with people) – and you may see why this is a somewhat uncomfortable fit for me.
Fortunately, my perceptions do not necessarily match with reality. The reality is, I’m sure, that there are plenty of like-minded people here, notwithstanding the great pull this area has for stiff and power-conscious people. The trick is finding such people, and making the best of whatever circumstances I find myself in. In the end, life can and should be analyzed and pondered upon, but it must also be lived. In fact, that is the fun part! 
