As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been making a conscious effort to be more aware of my surroundings. Be more present. Be more mindful. And on a practical level, let me tell you, it makes the 20-minute trudge walk from the metro stop to my office much more enjoyable. During my time spent looking towards the ground in downtown DC, I’ve noticed some unexpectedly eye-catching designs:

Rusted manhole cover

Gas line access

The leaves they are a-changin’

So if you happen to be in the Nation’s Capital and see me walking distractedly down the sidewalk with my head tilted either up or down, please don’t gawk. I haven’t stumbled into anyone…yet.

Footnote: As the New York Times wrote on Thursday, “Last November, Steve Jobs finally achieved his long-sought goal of bringing the Beatles to iTunes.” I think the Imagine mosaic of inlaid stones in Central Park’s Strawberry Fields is just as fitting a tribute to Steve Jobs as it is to John Lennon—dreamers and revolutionaries both.

Sun-dappled tribute to John Lennon. Photo taken during my trip to NYC in July.