Snowed In!

Seattle had a snowy December. With the most snow since 1996, we accumulated enough to sled, build snowmen, and fall on our rear ends. NSCC closed several days, as did the University of Washington (who hadn't closed for inclement weather since a 1/2 day in 2003 but closed for 3 days this year). Here are some highlights:

Jesse & me-oh wait, you probably knew that by now

Jesse scraping my back windshield so we could try to drive to a coffee shop and recover from our cabin fever.

Snow so pretty...and can you see my very cute boots? I bought them to be mainly rain boots, but with REI's guarantee that they would be 100% waterproof and warm, I thought they would help me survive any snow we might get. The boots were true to their word and I never got wet or cold feet.

Kerri & Kristi Carter are friends from high school. Kristi actually lives in Seattle, but I didn't know it until Kerri came to visit a couple of weeks ago and we got together. It was great to see them again, reminisce (I was exposed to Alanis by Kerri's friend, Sarah), and catch up.

Jesse & Kristi's husband, Mack, kept each other entertained while the girls chatted.

This was the second time within a week the snow fell. So we got out for a walk...we lasted approximately 20 minutes before deciding we were crazy.

"The Look" I gave Jesse when he threatened me with a snowball.

Jesse threatening me with the snowball. Okay, he had actually threatened and thrown it before this picture, but this was me having him re-enact the snowball-throwing for the blog.

The hill that is Jesse's street. We went sledding with the neighbors on plastic mats and inner tubes.

Ginger & me on our walk. Ginger seemed to really likes the snow, despite the face she's making in this picture.

So-cute Ginger.

The third separate instance of snowfall within a week. Unheard of. Here's the outside of my place, so now you've seen inside and out. Leah & I live on the second floor.

My street, all snow-covered.

Fremont Avenue, the street around the corner from mine. This particular street is beautiful no matter the season.

I spent Christmas with Jesse, Joe & Maggie. It was really fun to spend the holiday with them...Maggie made a Moroccan stew for Christmas dinner, which was AH-mazing. Of course, we also partook of the classic "A Christmas Story."

Bright Spots

This is my 200th post. I am celebrating by noting the Bright Spots of 2008. While it may seem that this year has been one bummer after another (seems that way often to me, at least), I will admit there have been some smile times.

4. North Seattle Community College

Where I began work today as a temporary advisor through June 2009. Sara, my former supervisor at the UW last year, connected me to the Associate Dean of Advising at NSCC and we hit it off. Yay for a place that fits my goals.

3. Apartment Find

After searching high and low, I found a steal-of-a-deal apartment in Funky Fremont. While I miss Val terribly, it's been a great place to live. I couldn't believe of all people, an academic advisor at the UW turned out to have the perfect place for me.

Living Room

Kitchen

My room

My Room pt. 2
For all who wondered where all my Africa stuff might be, here 'tis.

2. Sophie & Ginger-the two pups in my life

Sophie-my roommate's dog who I adore. She's totally awkward and gangly, and it's totally loveable. Her bone is always with her (note: bone to the left).

Ginger--Jesse's parents' dog who cuddles me like nobody's business. She's very smart, does all kinds of tricks.

1. Jesse

In 8 months, he has helped me cope with an inordinate amount of sorrow. He didn't let 3000 miles scare him when I "moved" to Denton. He jumped on a plane to Texas to be with me as Daddy died. He is jumping on another plane to go to Aama's memorial service with me. (Did I mention he doesn't like planes/flying? So this is truly a sacrifice.) I spent Thanksgiving at his family's house and will spend Christmas there as well. He loves me with actions as well as words.

Posting this at the risk of looking like a hokey holiday card, Jesse and me with Ginger

(And Dallas kicking Seattle's tail at football in the background)

Jesse's favorite

My favorite

Life without Grandma

Grandma passed away at 5:36 am on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 in her sleep.

Grandma, fondly known as G-ma Holmes by my friend Amy or Aama by yours truly, was 87 years old and had lived with her niece Barbara and Barbara's daughter Kim since April 2008. They made her last several months as wonderful as possible, in a home filled with laughter and love.

Anyone who has followed this blog for awhile had probably figured out that Grandma and I were super close. I was her only grandchild, and we lived in the same zip code for many, many years so that's the start of a close relationship. But Grandma was special. Her casa was mi casa. Literally, in 3 separate instances of my life we shared a home.

Memories of Aama:
I called her in the middle of the night if I couldn't sleep or had exciting news, and she always answered her phone (even if she usually dropped it trying to wake up).

When I was little, I watched Mary Poppins or Bedknobs & Broomsticks or Tom Sawyer at her house every single day.

My friends and I would fingerpaint on her back porch.

I went to the kindergarten class she taught.

Feeding seagulls on the Corpus Christi beach.

Many, many talks on the phone.

Popping in to her house after work to chit chat.

Discovering she had painted her guest bathroom toilet seat with flowers when I sat down and it scared me.

Seeing her flip someone off on the road...nothing like an old lady bird finger. And completely out of character for her, but hilarious.

Her 84th birthday--I made her cupcakes, gave her daisies, took her to a CC Hooks baseball game, and got her favorite soup from Kiko's.

Going to Houston Astros games.

When I promised her if the Astros made it to the World Series, I'd watch with her...and then they did. So I did. And they lost 4 straight games. Bummer.

When she helped pay for my college so I could go to the university I wanted.

When I wanted to get Wilbert and that meant he'd have to live at her house for 2 weeks before I moved to Denton and she said no but I wore her down til she caved and then she became Wilbert's biggest fan.

Sitting at her dining room table relaying some story while she made baby quilts for unwed mothers.

The first time she told me she was part of a ladies' group called "Bodacious Babes."

When her favorite cat got mauled by some horrible dog and I tried to rescue it without being mauled myself. Grandma had a broom out and was ready to go take on this rabid beast until I stopped her.

Holidays always at Grandma's house.

Her broccoli & cheese casserole.

When she started to ramble.

Dropping in to find her listening to the Astros on the radio.

Her cats. Lots of them.

The way she decided to stop doing things when the time was right.She couldn't drive anymore, so she stopped. She couldn't live by herself anymore, so she moved. She knew what to do and did it.

A massive VHS collection with old movies like South Pacific and every Cosby Show made.

After Mama died, she had her son-in-law (Daddy) for dinner every Sunday until this year.

Her dainty hands.

Her beautiful smile. And she always wore it.

When Mama died, and she became my mama.

26 more days of 2008, and I will not mind saying goodbye to it.

the Fremont canal

The past few days have been perfect in Seattle, weather-wise. The sun has been shining and the temperature has been in the mid-60s with the colored leaves falling all around.

I decided to take a walk in my neighborhood, Fremont, down to the canal. I stopped at a bench, sat, and reflected on things.

I had started turning to my father for wisdom in decisions this year, something I hadn't done for a long time. He kept surprising me with his discernment. I should've given him those chances years earlier. Now that I am on this path, this Failure Road, I wish I could call him and ask him what to do. He would probably surprise me with just the right answer.

The last time I saw him healthy was when I came to Corpus for his retirement. When I had my random move-for-a-month to Denton in May, I decided Corpus was too far to drive for a visit and I didn't make it to Corpus during that time before moving back to Seattle. An opportunity missed.

I hope it is still awhile before I begin to forget...his voice, what his hands looked like. Right now I can remember so clearly that it makes his death seem not real. Like I could just pick up the phone and he'd say, "Hel-LO?" in the way only he did. Instead, I picked up the phone and was informed by an operator that his number is no longer in service. Indeed.

But for now, I remember.

"Blessed are the pessimistic...

for they hath made backups."

This is on the marquee of a church I've passed nearly everyday this week. People have always told me that I'm on the pessimistic or negative side. And I've always had a plan B (and usually a C, D, and Z). So I guess the marquee could be called true, at least in my case.

I've been asking myself this week what has happened to me.

I was a responsible, stable, diligent, persistent person. Up until February of this year, I had an impeccable resume. All of my supervisors thought I was a fabulous employee, and I was making every logical step towards my career goals. I was involved in a church where I was a small group leader and people thought I was a fabulous Christian girl. I had a dog who I loved, and I believe loved me. I had a steady income with a perfectly comfortable one bedroom apartment that I had decorated in a very cute 20-something way. I had a daddy and a grandma. I had some place to go for Christmas. No, not just some place to go. Some place I was EXPECTED to be at. They didn't invite me to Christmas; I was already there.

I moved to Seattle, and at first I think I was still me. I was still normal and reliable and not disappointing. I was in a reputable doctoral program and had an assistantship with wonderful people giving me wonderful experience. I was involved in a church and starting to make friends.

Then I dated a boy (no, not a man...a boy) from that church. He did something that, by everyone's account including his own, was just plain selfish and stupid, and I let it unravel me. I quit my doctoral program. I also ditched the Christian faith I had grown up on, and had become frustrated with and disillusioned by for the past few years. My grandmother, was also my best friend, sold her house she'd lived in most of my life, and moved to live with relatives as it was decided she couldn't live on her own anymore. I was looking for jobs and had a panic attack when I didn't find a job within the first two months (because I had no plan B when I left school, as I always had in the past) so I took one that I didn't really want in Texas.

Then I met another...this time, a man. He, however, was in Washington. I was in Texas, unhappy at the job I'd taken that I didn't want. The man and the doctoral program I should never have left were both in Washington. So I came back.

The job hunting resumed and I finally was offered a position at a for-profit institution. They approached education in a very different way than I was accustomed to, and it was not a good fit. The business model and "sales position" left me feeling empty.

To boot, my father died suddenly just three weeks into this new position.

I came back after the funeral and other arrangements were taken care of and functioned for a couple of weeks. Then, overwhelmed by life, I stayed in bed, cried, was physically ill and probably other things for the last couple of weeks.

I wonder if I hadn't dated the boy that I could tell was going to do just what he did if I would be sane now. Or if I'd stayed in school back in February and kept my assistantship and that would have kept me sane. Or not ditched Christianity, even though I already had inside even if I hadn't announced it yet. Or stayed in Texas in May and lived life in Denton, back to church at the Village and back to advising at UNT. Or if I'd not said yes to the for-profit "sales position" that I should have known was not going to suit me, and been willing to keep going with the job hunt. Or if I had not lost my father suddenly.

But I suspect that the problem isn't my location. It's that I am lost. Every decision I make leads me further down Failure Road. I am now facing the possibility of a barely more than minimum wage job while I try to finish my class and figure out what to do. How to care about anything.

I find myself now unraveled, hanging on at the end of the fraying rope.

happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Daddy,
happy birthday to you.

Today I left the Art Institute. I am not sure what I will do next.

I slept a lot today. I also went to the Humane Society to cheer myself up because I love dogs. That was not a smart idea. It was not cheery. It was very sad. So many sweet dogs (and cats, gerbils, and rabbits) without homes or families. I felt a kinship.

The leaves are changing in Seattle. A lot of reds, oranges, and yellows.
A new season.

May I have one graduation with a side of ice cream, please?

Daddy came to graduation when I completed my masters degree in August 2006. My father, who rarely took a day off and had not flown on an airplane since the 80s (seriously), flew up to Dallas of his own accord and attended the graduation. He stayed the weekend, and we had more fun than we had in ages.

He had never been to (or heard of) Braum's, where the most amazing ice cream treats are made, so I took him while he was in town. We were eating ice cream when I looked up and saw that he had half a scoop hanging off the front of his cowboy hat. And he had no clue.

Let me explain the relationship between my father and his cowboy hat. They were always together. He protected the hat from rain with a shower cap-like thing. The hat was prized above all else. And there it was, being stained by a half scoop of ice cream. Who knows how that ice cream got there, but it sent both of us reeling with laughter (raucous, tears-flowing laughter) for a good ten minutes.

August 2006 Family Photo

Me, Wilbert, Daddy

Life without Daddy

Daddy's 61st birthday would have been this Friday, October 24th.

His sudden death has left me with a tightness in my chest that after about 6 weeks, I'm thinking could be permanent. I wake up from nightmares most nights...images that reflect the fear I have about continuing in life now that I have lost both parents by the age of 30.

Saturday, August 30th was the last day life was normal. Jesse and I went to my favorite cafe in Seattle, Alki Bakery, and enjoyed cinnamon rolls and a walk on Alki Beach. 7 hours later my uncle Royce called to tell me that my father's surgery (to see why he wasn't healing from his original routine surgery) did not go well and he had been given a prognosis of imminent death with hours to live.

Thursday, September 4th, 2:13 am. Amy and I arrive at the hospital. My father's BP and heart rate are extremely low. His eyes are open but glazed over. His last breath was 2:15 am. We waited for an hour until the coroner came. He was already cold.

Saturday, September 6th 10:00 am. The funeral service.

Wednesday, September 10th. I left Texas and flew back to Seattle. I had gone to Texas with one small suitcase. I returned with 4 pieces of luggage, including my father's belt buckles, bowling pin, and cowboy hat. Also, several photo albums.

I have nightmares most nights. Strange images of burying both parents. My mother's death has become resurrected in this situation.

I am alone. There are people who care about me, but I am alone in this life. If I screw up, there's no home to go to. This is scary. A part of me, a rather big part, wants to go to Brownwood or Kerrville and hole up in my family's homes, not getting out of bed for the next year (or so).

The other day, I thought, "It's been awhile. I need to call Daddy." He is still in my cell phone, although the number was disconnected on September 30th.

My parents' anniversary was October 11th. My parents married each other twice, separated by a 5 year divorce.

Jesse met my father. He came with me to Texas. My father's eyes followed Jesse where ever he went around the ICU room. I think he was definitely checking him out. He rolled his eyes at Royce and told him, "I guess HE's one of us now."

Who is my family now?

Addendum regarding "fixing to"

Indeed, I had an experience of inner turmoil over whether or not to use the phrase "fixing to" in my last post. You see, I am a Grammar Girl and after searching her website thoroughly with every variation of "fixing to" possible, I came up with zero results. This indicated to me that it is incorrect grammar.

Nonetheless, I have a deep appreciation of cultural dialects and my Southernness won out. I typed "fixing to," backspaced and typed "going to," backspaced and typed "fixing to," backspaced and typed "about to," before finally backspacing and leaving it as "fixing to."

Yee-haw!

Sideswiped by a crackhead

No kidding.

Remember Columbia City, the cute area of south Seattle where Jesse and I found Jones BBQ and fried okra a few days ago?

Ah, not so cute.

Jesse and I were waiting at a stoplight one block north of Jones BBQ on Sunday afternoon. Suddenly, the car lurched forward as we were hit from behind...we thought it was a regular rear ender, until we noticed the car actually SQUEEZING between us and the car next to us also waiting at the red light. We actually felt the car scrape along our driver's side like a ripple effect.

The car ran the light and suddenly, 3 police cars came out of the woodwork and started chasing the guy. Jesse pulled off the road and called 911, when one of the cops came back around to check on us. Officer Elliott took Jesse's info, and while doing that, kept updating us on what he was getting through his police radio.

Turns out they had been chasing the guy, but had stopped for whatever reason they were told to. Officer Elliott was fixing to go back to the station when he witnessed the guy run into us. (That's nice that he saw it.) So they started chasing him again. As we were standing there with the officer, the guy came through our intersection again! He then got on the light rail tracks (which aren't open yet, by the way.)

To top it off, Officer Elliott informed us that the guy was actually smoking crack WHILE being chased.

PS There's actually minimal damage to Jesse's car and we're both fine, which is pretty amazing. I mean, it was like a scene from a movie--the guy squeezed between us. Seriously.

Afrikando!

FYI: To those who don't scan, I did post twice today so read further down after this...apparently, my vow to blog more (I said better, didn't I? Well, hopefully it's both.) really sunk in...

We went to Safeway (a grocery store for those w/o them) last night, and our check-out guy was unmistakably West African. I don't know how, but after living there for two years, you JUST KNOW when you see one (back me up on this, fellow WA folks). Plus, his name tag said his last name was "Mbacke."

So I asked where he was from and he said Senegal. I replied that I had lived in Dakar for about a year and he was (as usual) ecstatic...and incredulous.

EM: "No way."
PI: "Yes, I did."
EM: "NO WAY."
PI: "Yes, really."
EM: "You like ceebu jinn?"
PI: "Oh yes, it's wonderful. But my favorite is yassa poulet."
EM: "NO!" (hearty chuckling)
PI: "Do you know where I can get Senegalese food in Seattle?"
EM: "Down the street, by the drivers license place."
PI: "I don't know it." (Which I would never say to another American, but I say now with my African-American accent that comes out when talking with Africans.)
(Jesse has been watching this whole thing play out with a grin on his face.)
JS: "Oh, yeah...Afrikando!"
(I look at him appreciatively for knowing A) what the guy said through his thick accent, and B) for knowing what place our new friend was referring to.)
EM: Yes, Afrikando!

Fried okra--the relationship deal-breaker

Last night, Jesse and I decided to pick up dinner in Columbia City, this cute little area in south Seattle. Neither of us knew the area too well, so we just parked and decided to walk around until we found something we both wanted.

Deliciousness smacked me in the face when we rounded a corner and behold...Jones BBQ. My whole mouth filled with saliva when the smell of brisket hit my nose.

After convincing my northerner boyfriend to go in, the saliva turned into an embarrassing drooling problem. I became weak in the knees as I anticipated the flavors that my mouth had long forgotten.

There were several people in line, and I began to search the menu. Brisket...pork...rib tips...sausage...potato salad...baked beans...and the special veggie of the day, OMG...it's FRIED FREAKING OKRA.

I started shrieking, "Jesse, Jesse! They have fried okra!!" His response made me stop cold. He said, "What's that?"

WHAT.

I was already having a Texas Appreciation Day, having cranked the old country up on my ipod in the car. Jesse had earned major points for being able to sing along to the likes of Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn's "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" as well as "Louisiana Saturday Night" (maybe I was having more of a Louisiana Appreciation Day?).

And then he LOST all points, and even went into negative digits with those two little words, "What's that?"

So we got a large side of fried okra...and I decided I could still be with him after he tried it and decided it was "actually pretty good."

What's with northerners?

the woes of a mover

I was all set today to make good on my promise to be the blogger of yesteryears by doing what Kari requested on her own super-blog (seriously, she's like a blogger possessed) and doing a post on my daily commute. But alas, my digital camera is somewhere in all my stuff yet to be recovered from my most recent move. Boo.

So, you have to settle for a "Commute in Words" instead of a "Commute in Pictures."

My commute on Tuesdays & Thursdays has been something else...it looks a little like this:

8:15 am--depart my apartment to work...which means, walking up my street (N. Motor Pl.--not the most appealing street address), crossing the intersection with a major jaywalk violation, digging out my U-PASS to ride the bus "for free" (I pay a nice fee to the UW for this pass)
8:25 am--the #5 arrives and I find a seat, settling in for the 15 minute ride to downtown Seattle with my Jennifer Weiner novel
8:35 am--cross the Aurora Bridge with a lovely view of the Olympic Mtns on the right and the Cascades on the left as we drive over Lake Union
8:40 am--disembark (is that right?) the #5 at 3rd Ave & Bell St and go to Gina's Starbucks to say good morning and grab a chai latte
8:50 am--walk from 1st Ave & Bell (the Starbucks) to the Art Institute at Elliott Ave & Battery St.

3:35 pm--leave work and hoof it uphill to 3rd & Bell to take the #2 or #4 to Westlake Station (which bears a striking resemblance to Grand Central in NYC--seriously), where I then take the first of the #71, 72, 73 or 74 to the U-District for class
3:50 pm--arrive Westlake Station and take one of the 70s
4:00 pm--cross the I-5 bridge with the same view as the Aurora bridge from the morning
4:10 pm--arrive at the UW and walk to class in Miller Hall (man, I need pictures...the views are amazing here)
4:25 pm--arrive to class with 5 min to spare

6:30 pm--leave class and walk to 15th Ave & 42nd St to catch the #44 bus back home to Fremont
6:45 pm--where the h*?! is the #44?
6:55 pm--seriously, did it get lost? an accident? where IS IT?
7:05 pm--the #44 arrives and I get on in a huff, showing the driver my UPASS, which he can shove where the sun don't shine by now
7:35 pm--arrive at 46th St & Fremont Ave, where I disembark and walk 6 blocks home to a happy Sophie

And now it's 3:37 pm so you can see that I am running late to catch my bus!!

my own worst blog enevy

Nope, no typo in the title. I am my own worst blog enevy.

I have been thinking lately that I don't blog like I used to. I scrolled back to the good ol' days. My best blogging days were in Denton with Wilbert. I mean, the stories were about extremely mundane, everyday things yet I was being complimented and told I should make a career out of comedy writing.

My envy first began when I visited Kari's blog...then Nicole's...then Marcy's...then other Marcy's...then Abby's...then...you get the idea. Man, why is everyone else stinkin' brilliant and I have blogger's block?

Then, I looked at my own blog when I was super-blogger, and there it was...envy of myself, circa summer 2006.

I will blog better. I will blog better. I will blog better.

Pike Place, Beds, IKEA, and BBQ

I went to Pike Place Market yesterday for lunch. I simply walked 3 blocks south from my office, and I was there. I pulled out my book (The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner, chick lit at its finest), settled on a stool, and looked at Elliott Bay in all its glory.

All around me, tourists were taking pictures and oohing & ahhing over the wonder that is Seattle, Pike Place, Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, the Space Needle, and Mount Rainier--all of which were in sight. I live in a city were people spend thousands of dollars to visit, and work a mere 3 blocks from several world-renowned attractions.

And you can tell I'm not from around here, or I wouldn't ooh and ahh over the fact that I live in such a place. Jesse gets quite bored with my oohing & ahhing at all the Seattle stuff he's been around his entire life.

This is my second week at the Art Institute, and I love it so far. To be sure, it's a ton of information and will not be an easy job but I think it will be a great fit for me. I get to talk with prospective students all day, everyday and hear their stories, interests, dreams & goals and see if the AiS (Art Institute of Seattle) has a good program for them. I'm glad I signed the dotted line (or rather, solid line) on my offer letter. :)

I made a truly fabulous purchase once I had accepted the new job...hallelujah, I have my very own queen-sized bed from Sleep Country! No more twin beds, no more uncomfortable mattresses. You see, since I left home in 1996 the first time, I have been sleeping on hand-me-down or school-sponsored or missionary bedding--all twin sizes and not a one comfortable.

I also invaded IKEA for the first time ever last weekend. People have told me for years that I would love IKEA. They also tried to explain that you have to walk through the entire store, which I could never understand...why can't you just turn around and walk out. Oh, I get it now. There's only registers after you have followed the one-way trail through the entire mega-store. Jesse had fun introducing me to the wonder that is IKEA, and helping me pick out stuff for my new place.

I have been told that I'm a "friend separater" (separator?) by several of my friends, and I guess I am. I tend to hang out in very distinct groups, and actually usually one-on-one getting coffee or dinner with my friends. That's why, after a year in Seattle, Jenn has never met Chrissy, Chrissy has never met Gina, Gina has never met Paula, Paula has never met Josephine, etc. Well, I decided to be a "friend gatherer" last night and invited my new roommate Leah and dear friend Chrissy to dinner. So the 3 of us went to Dad Watson's, a fun bar & grill in Fremont, and lo and behold...we HAD FUN. Who woulda thunk it? I should be a friend gatherer more often.

So...my newest idea? Why don't all y'all, anyone reading this post, come on over to Seattle (you should really want to after reading the first part of this post) and I will have a slumber party for all of you in my new place? I supposed I'll ask Leah if this is ok, or she may prefer that I go back to being a friend separater (or).

Ah yes, one other recent hap worth mentioning. So, back in the Africa days, my roommate Kate & her now-husband Tim who are both from North Carolina tried to convince Kari (from Georgia) and me (from Texas, of course) that true barbecue is only in NC. (Jonathan, Jeremy (both from Iowa) and Tad (Ohio) could care less about the entire topic. However, Kari & I were clearly miffed. Well, 5 years later, Tim sent Kari and me this video to prove once and for all that he and Kate were right. Watch the video for yourself and determine if you'd believe anything these guys say.

Job Hunt 2008...

is OVER, as of 4:00 pm today, July 28, 2008.

After

6 months
24 interviews for 20 jobs
4 second place finishes (that I know of)
6 interviews last week alone

two offers came my way last Friday, and I officially accepted this afternoon.

I am the newest admissions advisor at the Art Institute of Seattle, and I couldn't be more excited! I start on Monday!

My interview suit is pleased to announce her retirement. She will be spending her newfound leisure time in the back of my closet, where she wishes to not be disturbed until 2020. At that time, unless she so desires an earlier departure date, she will leave the closet to embark on a well-deserved cruise.

Life as it is...

Here's the haps...

At a fabulous little venue in Capitol Hill, a group of us saw one of Jesse's friends in a play called Adventures in Mating: Choose Your Own Adventure...it functioned as the old Choose Your Adventure series where they have an opening scene, then pause for you to choose which way the play will proceed. It was hysterical, watching this couple meet on a blind date and getting to participate in the play's trajectory.

On a glorious sunny afternoon last Sunday, Jesse took me to the Chittendon Locks in Seattle. It was really neat. The Locks were built in the early 1900s, and allow boats to pass between Salmon Bay and Puget Sound. Because the elevation of the water is so different between the two bodies, the locks close and the water rises or falls to even out the two so that boats can pass. I'd never heard of such a thing before and found it fascinating.

In other news, I found a new place to live--still in Seattle this time! :) I love my current place and will miss Val dearly, but for financial reasons, it's time to move on. So I searched craigslist high and low, and has some interesting adventures. Just as I was going to throw in the towel and live in my car, I found the perfect place. My new roommate, Leah, is my age and an academic advisor at the UW. We have tons in common--the phrase "Me too!!!" was used quite often, and she has a great apartment in a great location in my price range. She even has an adorable dog for me to snuggle with. The new digs are in the "Funky Fremont" neighborhood in Seattle.

Summer classes are going along. I am glad to be back in school again. My class on Culture, Gatekeeping & Learning Morale in Educational Settings was two weeks long and met everyday. Frederick Erickson, an eminent scholar in the field from UCLA, taught the course and it was amazing. I learned a lot, mostly about myself! The 2 themes of the course were: 1) Everyone is cultural and 2) Everyone is multicultural. Think on that for yourself awhile, and see where your mind takes you. It should be fascinating.

My other course, College Student Development: Turning Theory Into Practice, is wonderful as well. The professor is the Director of Student Services in the College of Education, so he has a ton of valuable experience to draw upon and we are all soaking it up. He really makes things practical which you all know I love.

My first salsa class wrapped up on Tuesday. It was really interesting...I didn't get to know any of the other women in the class because all I do is dance with the guys. We rotate around, so you get to experience different kinds of leading which I think is great. And I think I really have improved over the 5 weeks. Jesse & I start Salsa 3 tomorrow.

And that's the haps...

Lake Serene & the Duck Tour

Lake Serene

Last weekend, a few of us went hiking the trail to Lake Serene. It was in the lower 60s and raining. And we went hiking.

Beautiful waterfalls along the trail

Did I mention it was raining?

Didn't matter....still so pretty.

After three miles and 3000-ish feet elevation, we reached Lake Serene. I was wearing my swimsuit because Richard thought we could swim when we got to the Lake. The "lake" was snow-covered. We didn't swim.

Lake Serene, our swimming hole

In the clouds

A precarious tree we ran into...the guys did their best to keep me out of danger

Ride the Duck Tour

One of Seattle's most touristy activities is the Ride the Duck tour. These are land/water vehicles and the exuberant tour guides sing, dance, and do just about anything else you ask of them. Remember the Great Circus Adventure of 2007 (see July 2007 on the blog)? Papa and Mama Espina came to Seattle to visit Chrissy, and anytime there's Papa Espina, there will be tourist activities. It was a beautiful day, so I decided to join the Espinas for the Duck tour.

About to board our Duck...me, Chrissy, Mama Espina

Lake Union

Familiar with the movie Sleepless in Seattle? The house Tom Hanks and his son lived in in the movie is actually one of these houses located on the edge of Lake Union.

Gasworks Park

Any fans of the movie 10 Things I Hate About You? Remember the paintball scene? It was filmed at Gasworks Park.

Mama & Papa Espina on the Duck

The Pink Elephant Car Wash

The first car wash of the kind we know today in the country...and Seattle's most photographed spot. The car wash is 11 years older than the Space Needle, which is how it can make the claim of most photographed spot.

Me & Chrissy on the Duck

The Solstice Parade

This past Saturday, in the Fremont neighborhood (affectionately known as "funky Fremont"), Seattle held its annual Solstice Parade in celebration of the first day of summer, which is also the longest day of the year.

It was very fitting for the parade to take place in Fremont, as it was the funkiest thing I've seen in quite some time. I will spare you pictures of the nude cyclists, and some other "talent" that I'm unsure if Blogger would appreciate, but wanted to share some of the parade. Anyone can be in it; you are supposed to register ahead of time, but it was evident that you can also show up and jump in the street if you wanted.

Robots

The Pink Ladies (and some gentlemen)

The Love People

The Kitty Mask

The Egyptian(?) Dancers

Bush Guzzling Oil

The Bird-Man

Politics Everywhere

Hittin' the trails...

Hiking in Washington

The past 2 Sundays I have hiked in the mountains. The first Sunday, we went to Rattlesnake Ledge (no snakes, I asked) and hiked approximately 9 miles, 3 of which were in deep, packed snow. What happens when you hike with a group of guys? You risk your life.

Before hiking, group photo opp! L-R: Donald, Jesse, Brian, Richard, Alfred (twins, yes), Kjell (prounounced "Shell"), and me across

On the edge

Pretty Washington

More pretty Washington

Me & Jesse

Questioning how much further I can go...

Apparently, I went further...the first gate through the snow

Notice the guys have sticks in their hands now. At the first sign of snow, I picked up the perfect nature-made hiking stick (who needs to pay $100 at REI?) to help trek through the snow. The guys decided this was brilliant (because it was, thank you very much), and proceeded to gather their own sticks from the trees around us. And, that is how I saved our lives. The sticks proved quite useful, especially on the way down.

Mount Si--Hike #2

Our second hike, yesterday, was much more jungle-esque than the first...

This is not what the trail looked like the majority of the time...this was the entrance to a historical viewing point.

Jesse & me at the top of a cliff. See behind us? Yeah, you can't. We were literally walking in the clouds.

Richard & Jesse up in the clouds

Cloudy, cloudy

Still cloudy...this was the guys trying to climb to the very tip-top cliff when it was freezing cold, cloudy beyond visibility, and starting to rain. I waited at the bottom of this section.

All in all, fun times hiking. At this rate, I'll be in excellent shape by the end of the summer!