Wondering in West Seattle

For 2011

2010-12-31T12:13:00.000-08:00

Write more. Read more, internet less. Try a new dance class. Pitch a story. Get a second tattoo. Buy a bike and actually ride it. More veggies, less sugar. Do something even if it scares the crap out of me. Get back in shape, but be kind to my body this time. Let it go. Let him go.

Acknowledge the anxiety, the panic attacks, the other issues. Acknowledge, but don't be ruled by them. Life is too short, you know this.

Love a little more, laugh a little more, cry a little less.

Embrace the movement, the joy. It's there, you know how to find it.

My kind of winter

2010-01-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

When greeted with a sky like this as soon as I wake up on what should be a gloomy January morning, I know it's going to be a good day. Being able to walk outside to take the picture with bare feet, because it's just that warm? Yes please!

Flowers coming up in January. On a morning that was already 55 degrees at 10 a.m.. These little sprouts caught my eye on the way to coffee. Already happy that it was so warm, something about the persistence it takes to break from the ground in a winter month made me smile.

In a place that's so gray and damp much of the year, it seems so much more important that I not take the little things, the quick flashes of sun, the breaks in the rain, for granted.

Spring will be here before we know it, right?

Peace

2010-01-19T17:14:00.002-08:00

Flip flops in January, because it's that warm

Outside with my coffee, perched on the stairs, watching the waves crash

Sunshine to the south

Mist on the mountains to the northwest

A pretty mix over downtown

Any winter where I can have a few days in the 50's, a break in the rain, a few hours to be outdoors and enjoy it... I'll take it. So thankful for the little things, and an ever growing sense that this is home now!

Dance on!

2009-12-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

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Wondering on a Wednesday

2009-11-11T20:08:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling torn in so many places these days. There's that tear around my hip that still aches whenever I attempt to run on it for more than half an hour at a time. There's another hole near my head that makes me squint at my computer screen in frustration. Another small but bothersome rip in my gut that's making me anxious over the fading light and change of season. I'm also realizing that the tear over my heart keeps getting bigger, and I don't know what to do about it. I find myself restless, irritable, short tempered, listless, lonely. You name it, I could probably whine about it.

And that's just not me.

I'm supposed to be bubbly, quick to laugh, slightly snarky, smiling, on the move. This apathetic listless blob staring back at me from the mirror just doesn't feel right. I know she's hiding in there somewhere, but how to coax her back out? How does a person decide who they really want be, anyway? Doesn't that just happen?

I spent a wonderful 3 days in New York City this past week. It marked my second trip there, and I fell in love all over again. I know it's such a cliche, but I really felt at home there. There's something in the energy, the way people move and interact, that really appeals to me. The weather was beautiful and the conversations better. While I did learn that I am not cut out for 24/7 partying like the friends I encountered, I liked who I was there. Not afraid to ask strangers for help, walking with my chin up, chatting comfortably with people I'd met only 10 minutes before. Sometimes I miss the east coast so much it hurts.

On the one hand, I adore my job here. I could use more of a challenge, for sure. But it's a good gig and I'm lucky to have it. I wouldn't want to leave that behind. Yet on the other, well, I feel like I'm not ready to be done yet. Part of me wants to go back to school and stay there, always learning. I want to be better than I am at so many things, but don't know where to start or who to ask. I feel like I've given up and settled, and that's ridiculous.

Sometimes being an adult is so bothersome. If I had no obligations, I think I would pick up and move again. Would I be any more content in NYC? I doubt it. And the unbelievable hassle of moving all of my stuff across country for the second time would be unreasonable at this point. If I didn't have to worry about the debt, I'd apply to Columbia and NYU and harass their journalism departments until they let me in. Wishful thinking.

So for now, will someone please shake me and remind me what is good about this place? I loved early fall in Seattle. The weather was beautiful. Then the rains came back, and I'm homesick again. For the friends I left and can't seem to make here. If my sister and an awesome friend from high school weren't here I'd be going crazy.

Wondering on a Wednesday.....wondering what I really want and how to go about it. If anyone has any answers for me, I'm all ears!

Today for you, tomorrow for me

2009-10-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

Work beckons, and while I should be doing something constructive, I'd rather daydream about tomorrow. An ordinary Thursday yes, but what if it wasn't? The most spectacular thing could happen, and not even be a glint in my eye yet.

Sure, I'll get up, trip over cat 1, feed them both, feed myself, check e-mail....you get the gist. I'll head out the door to tap class, sit through a meeting, edit my way from start to finish. But maybe someone new will catch my eye at coffee, maybe I'll find a new favorite song on my commute, maybe we'll concentrate on the good news instead of the bad.

Even if it's just a typical Thursday, the thought that tomorrow could be better is keeping me company here today. Going a little stir crazy, stuck at my desk inside on a beautiful day. It's quiet in here, which always makes me want to be loud. That need to be heard, to not be so fearful of breaking the norm, my inner sense of splash seems to be kicking it's way back out. My tap teacher said something the other day, about how there is nothing introverted about tap. It's noisy, it's out there, it demands to be heard. And that's not something to fear. As she put it: "Even if you think you're wrong, just pick your foot up anyway. See where it takes you. And if it wasn't quite right, just go again. You'll get there."

I love that. Make the noise, make the splash, don't hesitate, don't be afraid to be wrong. You'll get there. And tomorrow? Tomorrow is a perfect ordinary day to take that first noisy step.

Why do we stop playing?

2009-09-19T19:03:00.001-07:00

It's 5:00 on a crisp fall afternoon. I find myself wandering through Lincoln Park, walking from log to log. Hopping as far down the beach as I can, and hoping I and my recently replaced crackberry are not going to end up in the drink. I pause for a while on a log made smooth as silk by the waves, driftwood I can't help but run my hands over. Racing to the swing set at the end of the park, trying not to catch my toes in the dirt. My legs are somehow longer than I remember. The snap of the chain as I stretch higher towards the sky. Throwing a tennis ball for a stranger's overweight but enthusiastic chocolate lab.

8:30 on a Thursday night, loving my new knee high boots, on a high from a tap class earlier in the day. Peeking around corners, no one is there. Bouncing down the halls at work, cardigan floating behind me like a cape. Really SITTING on those back falaps. Dancing down the stairs like Ginger Rogers and praying the cleaning lady doesn't catch me.

I love to play. I'm 28, but I would gladly play tag with you if you asked. The other night as I was walking towards my car after a long day at work, the crackle in the air had me craving night games in the worst way. Did you ever play those as a kid? We would gather in someones back yard and play 1 o'clock 2 o'clock (a much more elaborate version of hide and go seek in the dark) or ghost in the graveyard. Bike rides around "the loop" seemed so much more dangerous and thrilling when the entire neighborhood was bathed in the black of night. The headlights of cars out on the "big road" always seemed so much more sinister, like ever driver was out to get us. The cornfield behind the house made for the most epic maze adventures.

Why does this have to stop? Who says we must grow out of the silly adventures of our younger days? I know as adults we have more "grown up" ways to play, but these usually involve more money and gear than I'm willing to invest it. I'd love to get a group together and chase around the neighborhood in the dark. And maybe supplement the night with an adult beverage or two when we're all too tired to run anymore.

I was on the swing at the park not too long ago, and a little girl grabbed the swing next to me. She couldn't have been more than 4 or 5. As I slowed my swing to make sure I wasn't going to run into her, she looked at me and said "Are you a kid too?" I had to laugh. Am I a kid too? Yes sweetie, most days, I definitely am.

It's all about the small stuff

2009-06-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Borrowing a post from the lovely Polly over at Yoga is Yummy, it's all about the little things that make you smile. Here are a few that have made my list lately

1. Driving with the windows rolled down. I'm notorious for rolling down my windows, hair whipping in the wind without a car....in February. So long as it's not snowing and anywhere near 60 degrees, down go the windows. This usually means driving with the heat on full blast at the same time, but I just can't help myself. I love the feel of the breeze and my left hand resting outside the door, usually thumping on the blue metal in time to the music. Yes, I'm that crazy person in the car ahead of you on I-90 or the 520 bridge. I've also discovered that Washington smells absolutely glorious at this time of year. When you can inhale the scent of pine and lake water while driving 65 miles an hour, that says something about the air quality here, methinks.

2. Random trivia. Case in point, this evening while watching Nightly News with Brian Williams, there was a story on about Princes William and Harry. The report mentioned the word Shropshire, which Brian then repeated, chuckling spit out the "foreign" word. Something deep in my brain twisted around, and I blurted "THE SHROPSHIRE SLASHER!!!!!" in crazy cartoon intonation. My co-worker turned around, wondering if I had again lost my mind. Nope. It's from a Looney Tunes episode that I probably saw some Saturday morning 15 years ago. I explained the premise of the cartoon to him, and he didn't believe me. Ha! Behold, the beauty that is youtube! Deduce, you say? Vindicated by the glorious interwebs once again! I love that while I may not remember where I left my crackberry 30 seconds after I walk in the door, my brain somehow manages to dig up something completely obscure from childhood.

3. Words. Written, spoken, sung, I can't seem to get enough of them lately. I've been on an NPR bender, the likes of which I haven't done in at least a year. I've been reading anything I can get my hands on. I'm fascinated with what's happening in Iran right now, and have been trying to learn as much as I can about that part of the world. I also recently finished this book that talks about the Israel/Palestine conflict. It was recommended to me by a friend, and I was so struck by the author's quiet strength and insight.

That's just a handful of what's crossed my mind lately. It's a loud, messy place in there, and I love it!

Wondering on a Wednesday

2009-06-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hello hello. Once again I've been neglecting my little space. I have no excuse really, other than to say I'm lacking a little focus. I've made a promise to myself that this will change. Stay tuned.

I'm wondering on a Wednesday, holed up in my lovely new workspace. They finally finished the renovations and moved us from the broom closet we were crammed into for six months to the new and improved newsroom. It has its quirks, but the lighting is wonderful and I really enjoy having my own desk again. Perched on one corner is a small framed picture of waves crashing at Point Judith, Rhode Island. One of the engineers picked the photo up with a smirk the other day, asking if that was my boyfriend. I laughed, saying it was merely my own little patch of workplace zen. As he walked away, I considered his query for a moment. The beach may as well be my significant other, in that I don't think I've loved anything else quite so unconditionally. Not even my family. I can say that because the beach has never attempted to ground me, or stolen my favorite sweatshirt. The beach is always there when I need it, its rolling voice at turns calming and driving. Encouraging me to relax, take action, or simply be. Often times when I find myself wrapped in anxiety, thoughts buzzing too quickly to sort, I picture myself body surfing in Newport or being tossed about like a pebble in Cabo. If I close my eyes tightly enough I can almost feel the cool soothing weightlessness of the water, wrapping me up and pushing everything else away. Saltwater washes clean the parts of my day, the parts of ME that refuse to be quieted by anything else.

Here in Seattle, the sound is generally too cold to swim in. I've grudgingly accepted this for now, and am gradually willing my easily-chilled skin to get used to it. I will go wading, and the days when I come home with dried salt on my legs and sand covering my feet are by far my favorites. I've planned a vacation to Little Rhody in July that I'm so excited for I almost don't know how I'm going to make it through the next month. Those perfect summer days, the salty memories that will last a lifetime. This summer is going to be all about building on that, whether I'm on the left coast or the right. A beach nearby is what makes a place home for me. Someday when I'm rich and famous, I would love to live where I can walk out the door in the morning with my coffee, and good book, a beach blanket, plant myself in the sand and watch the waves roll by as my body adapts again to being awake. Someday, this is my dream.

What about you? What makes a place home?

My one true love....

Too quiet

2009-05-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I've had much to contribute here, which is frustrating to say the least. I'm not sure if it's the work I do that's causing it, but most days I find my head is spinning too much by the time I get home to put decent thoughts together, let alone anything that's worth sharing. I listen to the news for 8 hours, 3 of those hours at least are made up of yelling talk shows, and to call that draining is a bit of an understatement.

That said, here I am. Have you ever noticed that sometimes making a phone call can be the hardest part of a challenge? I had an important call that I knew I needed to make, but kept putting it off. The fear of being judged by the person on the other end overrides the relief that you know will come as soon as you hang up, call completed. I'm one of those people who even refuses to call and order pizza, let alone make a call for something I'm not really comfortable talking about. I won't bore you with the details, but I will say this. Yesterday I finally summoned all my courage and made the call. Wheels have been set in motion, and while I'm still a little nervous, I'm happy I'm finally taking charge of something. Which just goes to show, maybe I really don't need to be so scared of that blasted piece of red and black plastic.

Spring is tentatively showing it's face here in WS. My backyard is gorgeous right now. Lush green grass and flowers that are bolting their beds. I have tulips, hundreds of little purple flowers, a spray of white flowers that are so thick they look like a patch of melting snow. The rose bush is thinking about blooming, and many other bushes I can't identify are covered in pinks and reds and whites. If I were to buy a house here, this would be it. Unfortunately, we'll most likely be moving again at the end of August because of landlord issues. But for now I'm content to enjoy my little rain forest.

The running is not going so well at the moment. I screwed up my hip and knee on a long run a few weeks ago, and I'm trying to take a week off to let it heal up somewhat. I'm beyond frustrated right now, but I'm hoping things will get back to normal soon.

So that's what's new in my little corner of the world. Now the next question....to go to ballet this morning or not.

Here's hoping our allies can help

2009-03-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

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More white death falls from the sky

2009-03-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

details at 11...

In my past life working in television, I can't tell you how many times I had wanted to write scripts that are totally inappropriate for air but would have been almost worth getting fired over. If I was employed in Seattle television news, I think this is how my lead story would have gone this evening.

Widespread panic ensued across the greater Seattle metro area today as more mysterious white death fell from the sky. People became alarmed when the cold white substance began clinging to grass and tree branches. Fearing the worst, most drivers fled the safety of their office buildings for the highways and byways, taking comfort in knowing they were going nowhere fast. Though the flakes failed to accumulate on the pavement, the general consensus of 'better safe than sorry' kept traffic moving at a risky 5 miles an hour. If you don't need to drive this evening, please stay in your homes. We all know the dangers presented by slightly damp roadways, and encourage you to avoid them at all costs.

Seriously folks. It's just a little snow. In all my snark, I admit I'm a touch concerned about icing on the gigantic hill I live on, but in the grand scheme of things it's no big deal. As soon as the snow started sticking, around 3:00 p.m. I think, I watched as most other employees on campus freaked and started heading for home. There was a rather large stream of snail's pace vehicles for quite some time. The picture I snapped with my crackberry just doesn't do it justice. I had a good laugh and wandered back to my office. The snow stopped maybe half an hour later.

In other news....it seems the news all around us is frightfully bad these days. News and information is a passion of mine, but even I have reached my breaking point of ENOUGH already. When you find yourself watching Sesame Street instead of Good Morning America or Today, knowing full well that you need to know what's going on to do well at your job later, you know you're burnt out. So if need a good news break here's something for a laugh: Click here for Good News

Or, do you know anyone who's good work is improving the lives of others? Then share it with NBC Nightly News. All this week, they will be doing a "Making a Difference" segment every night (usually this is just Fridays) to showcase the good news that's out there. See here for details. This is in response to an overwhelming amount of viewer e-mails that also expressed enough already. If you don't believe your media is serving you, TELL THEM. News is still a public service....and it still relies on viewer and reader input to make the decisions of what to cover. Make yourself heard...you may be surprised at the response you get.

And in other more personal news: I did it. I signed up for the Seattle RNR half. I paid the money, I'm dedicated to it now, and I'm really excited about it.

May you all have some good news in your life!

Beautiful morning and a ponder too

2009-02-27T14:52:00.000-08:00

I set out this morning for a run at Lincoln Park. Lately, on my way out the door I've been playing a little mind game with myself. This mental manipulation is necessary because I tend to get frustrated and talk myself out of things easily. The deal is always "just start out easy, one foot in front of the other, and if you're just not feeling it, it's OK to slow down and walk more." I logged 3.2 miles along the shore of the Sound this morning, and I've been smiling ever since. How could I not be? Crisp, clear blue skies, 45 degrees, sunshine so bright you can almost taste spring lurking around the corner. After snow and icy roads yesterday, today was that much sweeter. I watched ducks splash into the water and grinned to myself when a shaggy dog dashed away from his owner. I laugh so much when I'm having a good run, I have a sneaking suspicion those who pass me want to know what I'm smoking. Seeing as this is Seattle, they're probably wondering if I have any to share! (God, I love this city!) Call it running endorphins, call it high on life, call it whatever you want. What I do know is that one foot in front of another, that permission to just be "OK" if great isn't in today's cards seems to be working. Today's run was one of the strongest yet. I've been running four days a week for almost two months now.

And now to the ponder. A poster on some message boards I frequent mentioned that she's thinking about running the Seattle Rock 'n Roll marathon in June. Ever since she mentioned it, I can't stop thinking about the half marathon that goes along with it. I really want to try it, but a few nagging fears are holding me back. What if I get injured and then have to lay off physical activity for a while? What if I completely bonk and make an ass of myself? Mostly, I think I'm just afraid of failing. I'm afraid of getting bored and quitting again, like I have many times with running over the years. But maybe this is the goal I need to really be a "real" runner. So what do you think, dear readers? I get paid on the 7th, which would be as good a day as any to sign up. I'm just afraid it will be a waste of money. Almost 3 years ago there was a half that I signed up for in Massachusetts that I got a month into training for and quit, so there's that hanging over my head. To sign up, or not to sign up, that is most definitely the question!

A rousing Friday night

2009-02-06T22:24:00.001-08:00

It's nights like these that I feel a little old. It's Friday night, I've been home from work for all of thirty minutes. I've been in my PJ's for 29 of those minutes. I'm propped up in my bed, glass of wine by one hand, 2 books and a journal by the other. There are two posts that have been cooking on the back burner for a week now, but instead I've landed on a good old fashioned ramble.

So what makes me feel old? See paragraph one. It's Friday night, and I'm in my pajamas. At 10:30. Shouldn't I be at a bar, whooping it up, stumbling home drunk at 3 a.m. after downing some greasy food in an attempt to sober up? Maybe. And I'm sure had I tried a little harder I could have found a few friends to join me in some intoxicated endeavours. But really, all I wanted was my bed, the glass of wine, some calming music, and a few books to drown out the noise in my head. I could be 85 or 18 tonight, I'm not really sure which. I love my job, but sometimes after a week full of talking heads and political pundits the only thing I want is a little quiet.

I raise my glass of chardonnay in your direction, and leave you with something I came across from one of my favorite authors:

"Geologists may see their years in terms of time, musicians in some echo that dies in air, the poet strains language beyond the bounds of telling, the physicist sees diagrams of force rather than forms, the historian watches himself as one more wave among waves of sea; but to us, who delight in maps, the idea of life inclines to be spatial - we see it moving from point to point, like a river, if we have more feeling for the unexpectedness of nature" - Freya Stark

Here's to the weekend, and to enjoying it, whether you burn the midnight oil or prefer to warm your hands by it!

He's crossed over!

2009-01-27T08:07:00.000-08:00

Now I know my family has been converted. Small flakes of white death have been falling from the sky this morning. F1 walked into my room a few minutes ago, stared out the window and started chirping. The chirp progress to full on 'must kill whatever predator is lurking on my turf' complete with puffed out tail. Wondering what the hell had caused his spazz attack, I hauled my butt out of my nice cozy bed to peer out through the partially open mini-blinds. There's nothing out in the yard. I turned and looked, F1 is still going apeshit, but refusing to come any closer to the window. I searched the yard again, looking for whatever could be so offensive. Plenty of plant matter, but no animal. And then it dawned on me. I think he's chirping at the snow. That's right, my Wisconsin born one time stray kitty is freaking out over some flurries. Maybe all that snowpocalypse coverage finally got to him. I opened the blinds the rest of the way, and now F1 is nowhere to be found. Coincidence? I have to admit, I find the white crap as offensive as he does, especially after yesterday. It was freezing by my new wussy standards, but so sunny I could forgive the cold. The mountains where out on both sides, which never fails to get a smile out of me.

Presenting exhibit A:

Excuse the crappy quality, as that was taken with my phone, but I think you get the gist. That view is 2 blocks behind my house, where the street dead-ends at the top of the hill. I hope I never get to the point where the mountains become boring. I hope 20 years from now they still make me smile as much as they do right now.

Now it's time to get my ass OFF of said nice warm bed and at least attempt to be productive for a few hours before work. I spend so much time online while I'm at work, you would think it would be the last things I would waste time on before work. Sadly, this isn't the case. I may need an intervention.

Is it the weekend yet?

What a day

2009-01-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

I'm beyond excited that Inauguration Day is finally here. Our new president has some monumental tasks ahead of him, but if we can just continue the spirit that seems to have surrounded us all lately, that spirit of working together, I can only imagine the possibilities.

Happy dance!

2009-01-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

The sun is out for the second day in a row. To say I'm thrilled is the understatement of the weeks-old year. I've got a planned class at my gym in an hour, but after that the great outdoors will be all mine. Even if it's something as simple as sitting outside with my coffee later, this girl is longing for some topical vitamin d. The big glowing orb poked it's face out after my morning run yesterday, of course, but even the little bit I managed to steal after buying my new phone was sweet. Watching the sunset over the Olympics on my way to dinner with friends was this close to perfect. After all the gray, you really learn to appreciate whatever daylight you can steal.

F1 and F2 don't seem much fazed by this lack of light. They're both curled up at the foot of my bed, already staking their claim on my brand new comforter. They're both facing the same direction, oddly enough. They're warm, well fed, and hopefully happy. Kind of like I am on this cold and clear Sunday morning.

In other non-solar news....my beloved little pink phone is no more. It met it's unfortunate end in my gym bag Thursday morning when it went for a swim in 2 inches of stupid leaking water bottle liquid. Amazingly, after I let it dry out for 24 hours it would turn on and somewhat function, but I knew it was just a matter of time before the water bubble forming a halo around Rachel Maddow's face corroded the rest of the screen. So yesterday I nipped the inevitable in the bud and bought myself a new toy. I have a blackberry curve in 'sunset', oddly fitting for this girl, I think. So far, I like it a lot, but we'll see if it stands the test of time. Hopefully I can keep from dropping this one as much as the razr tended to bounce. The only thing I don't like about it? It's not pink!

So off I go, to savor my first cup of coffee and then get my butt kicked by the crazy russian trainer at my gym. Is it weird that I'm sort of looking forward to the impending ass whooping?

Enjoy your Sunday!

Footnotes

2009-01-16T20:47:00.000-08:00

"Really need to get the car looked at....the oil change is way over due. And those brakes...I mean really. Do you REALLY want to keep worrying about it all the time? No. But the money. Money, always a problem whether you have it or you don't. Make a few phone calls on Monday to get some estimates, it might be cheaper than you think. Ok. And don't put off the phone anymore either. You just got luck this morning that it turned back on at all. Don't forget to ask K about her class. More plane crash coverage today I'll bet. Amazing. Still can't believe everyone walked away ok. Nice to have a flaming newsgasm over something good for once. Newsgasm. Ha. Love that word. Wonder if there's a chance RM would ever use it on her show. That would totally rock my world. Yeah, easy customer, I know. Ok, he's cute. The dog is a little ridiculous. Bet he's taken. I can't imagine any single guy getting a poodle like that for himself. Time to take the gloves off. Hmmm...maybe not, now my fingers are too damn cold. How is it possible that it still smells like summer down here? Oh my god, is that a seal? Or a sea otter?? Definitely one of the two, but I can never remember which is which. Oh wow, that's so cool...."

Just a smattering of the ridiculousness that runs through my head when I'm pounding the pavement. So far, I have 25 miles logged since January 1. We'll see how long I can keep this up! Though so far, the coolest thing I think I've seen has to be that sea otter I saw swimming at Alki beach Thursday morning. Way cool.

A pacific northwest gal?

2009-01-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

Though perhaps with just that one word in the title I've blown my cover...do people in the PNW even say gal? I know when I said that in New England people looked at me funny. I'm not sure I've heard it used much outside of the midwest, come to think of it. But as usual, I digress.

How long do you suppose it takes before you become part of a place, and that place becomes part of you? My Wisconsin roots were born and raised, and will always be there no matter where I live. Part of that is reflected by the pink Green Bay Packers hat that's currently adorning my curly-head. And try as I might, the accent just won't go away either. (I'm the go-to Sarah Palin impersonator in my office for that very reason!) While two years in Rhode Island didn't leave me with any obvious baggage, I did absorb a love of seafood, good coffee, the ocean, and ADVENTURE while I was there.

So what leads me to believe I may be transforming to a PNW-er? Well, what I was wearing when I went to get coffee this morning, of course. It's January, 40 and overcast, and I went out in capri-length baggy yoga pants, a hoodie, the previously mention hat.....and flip flops. FLIP FLOPS! In JANUARY! The pants are also about as close to shorts as I get these days, and the combination at this time of year boggles my mind, to be honest. In my old stomping grounds of Provy it's 25. In my hometown, it's a whopping 6 degrees. Yes, I do mean farenheight. YIPES!

I stood at the top of the steps that lead down to my backyard, coffee in hand, surveying my domain. Grass. Misty rain. Green mysterious somethings poking through the earth in one of the flowerbeds. A deep breath of rain-washed-crisp-cool air. I saw all this, and it was good.

But seriously...shorts in January? In PUBLIC?? That's how I know I'm converting.

That, and my need for multiple grande americanos to get through the day. Naturally!

And in other news....I'm going to get my running shoes today! I'm so excited!

Have a great weekend!

New year, new start?

2009-01-05T14:29:00.000-08:00

So far, I have to say that my short list of resolutions is off on the right foot, so to speak. I promised myself that I was going to make a real effort to improve on my fitness levels this year. I've been a "runner" on and off for years, but gave up again last May. I needed new shoes and couldn't afford them at the time. Months rolled by, and before I realized it summer had turned to winter and my year-old crusty asics are still mocking me from the corner. Replace me... they keep whispering. You know you can do better than me... And when footwear speaks to you, you really should listen. After months of moving and flying home expenses, some much appreciated Christmas money will be joining me on a spending spree at Jock and Jill Sports this weekend. Sweet new running shoes...oh yes, you will be mine. As I discovered on New Year's Day, my running skillllz are basically starting from scratch. I went out in the old shoes, even though they make my knees hurt, and cracked out 2.7 miles in the mist. I did a 'run for three, walk for 1' and it worked out pretty well, actually. Just the fact that I went out a DID IT...hangover and all, made me pretty happy. And I remembered why I liked running in the first place.

Sunday I tried a new class at my gym, and 2 days later I'm still feeling the effect of it in the muscles of my upper back. This pleases me for some reason. The physical benefits are nice, yes, but again that "hey I said I was going to do this and I did" feeling almost outweighs that.

This morning I'm torn over where to head. I'd like to go out for another 'run', but I don't want to push it too much on bad shoes and end up hurting before I get my new toys this weekend. I could go to the gym and ride the bike, but that just doesn't sound as appealing. Decisions decisions.

Either way, I know I'm doing something good for myself. I can't change my ridiculously sluggish thyroid that makes it hard to keep from gaining weight. I can't change that my job keeps me sitting at my desk for most of my 8 hour day. But I can change how physical I choose to be in my downtime.

Off I go!

A 2008 Meme

2009-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

From Blindedbylaughter over at LJ!

1) Where did you begin 2008?
At the Black and White Ball at McFadden's in Providence, then on to our favorite greasy spoon diner around the corner from Elysia's.

2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
I was single and working on the Big Move 2.0

3) Were you in school anytime this year?
No

4) How did you earn your money?
Working at WPRI in Providence, and now my new employer which I adore

5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
No, but I did go to urgent care twice. That was the first time in years.

6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
Other than exchanging pleasantries outside of Uptown, I don't think so

7) Would you re-live 2008 over and over again?
No. It wasn't a bad year, but there is so much more to explore!

8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
The courier that moved my stuff.

9) Did you know anyone who got married?
A few people, yes.

10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
I'm not sure.

11) Did you know anyone who had a baby?
My good friend Megan. Nathan is adorable!

13) What concerts/shows did you go to?
Bon Iver, Mike McCready somewhere downtown, Capitol Hill block party, Fleet Foxes, something at Skylark.

14) Are you registered to vote?
Yes, and vote I did!

15) Do you still have the same job as you did in 2007?
Nope! :)

16)Has anyone betrayed you in 2008?
Not really.

17) Where do you live now?
West Seattle, WA.

18) Describe your birthday?
Dinner and drinks the night before, a midnight walk on the beach with the new boy, then dinner and drinks with friends on my actual birthday. It was nice, to say the least.

19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2008?
moved to Seattle.

20) What has been your favorite moment?
Too many to count, really!

21) What's something you learned about yourself?
That I can find ways to make just about anything happen.

22) Any new additions to your family?
One of my cousins has a new baby....and my sister's boyfriend is an addition to the family in a lot of ways too.

23) What was your best month?
I think August was pretty great.

24) Were you in a relationship this year?
Yes. It didn't work out, but we're still good friends.

25) What music will you remember 2008 by?
Anything by Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes.

26) Who has been your best drinking buddy/buddies?
My sister and Kerry.

27) New friend?
Yes! I've made quite a few, actually.

28) Favorite Night out?
My sister's graduation in Vancouver.

29) Would you say you've changed since the beginning of this year?
Quite a bit, actually. I've realised that relationships are not as evil as I once thought.

30) Name one lifestyle change you made this year
I've quit smoking almost completely.

31) Do you think 2009 will be better or worse?
I'm hoping it's better, and I'm already putting things in place to make it happen.

The calm during the storm

2008-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

A keen assessment from a KING 5 reporter just now:

"So, how's it going out there?"

"Snowing!"

And so it continues. I'm starting to wonder if I've been transported back to the Frozen Tundra of Wisconsin! We're on snowstorm number 3 for the week. Though right now, there's not much that is stormy about the tiny flakes gently drifting down outside the living room window. If the meteorologists are to be believed, strong winds and 4 to 8 inches of snow are headed our way later tonight. This is on top of the snow left over from last weekend, and the Thursday storm that gave me my first snow day in 5 years. As the owner of a bright blue saturn with a big heart but tiny engine, navigating the hills of West Seattle has been an adventure this week. So as of now, I'm smartly snuggled in my favorite chair, watching the ever dwindling traffic outside. Our house is perched atop one of the main roads in WS, one of the few streets that actually gets plow attention. You can judge the road conditions just by watching the cars out the window. I've spent more time standing in front of our picture windows in the past few days than I have in the previous 3 months we've lived here.

The roomie and I ventured out for coffee and girl talk this morning, Christmas shopping was completed, the aisles of the grocery store braved and raided for "emergency rations". Which in this house means peanut butter, apples, yogurt and bottles of wine. And cat food. Can't forget the boys. Then when my sister got home from work we ventured back out for the other essential to a snowed in day....movies! The poor (but cute) guy working at Hollywood video was rather flustered by all the customers, but took a few minutes to debate the finer points of the X-Files film with us. Seeing it twice this summer was a birthday present to myself, and I enjoyed that he had sat through it as well. (I'm a huge fan. I would watch Mulder and Scully watch paint dry. Which might just be more entertaining than IWTB, but I digress)

Our driving is decidedly done for the night, the three of us are home safe, enjoying the Christmas lights and the joys of online poker. Tonight may be the night I actually learn how play. And the picture? Sunrise before the storm, Friday morning.

Enjoy your weekend!

Update It's now 9:15 and officially snowing like a bat out of hell. The snow penis fairy has been by to visit the neighborhood, and we just saw a man walk by wearing a rain poncho. Wrong kind of precipitation there sir!

4 Things

2008-12-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

At this point, this post is ridiculously outdated, but I've decided I MUST finish it! It's become a point of honor!

4 Things I Did Today (or 6 days ago, in this case)

1. I went to the gym and stayed on the bike for over an hour. With my notoriously short attention span, this is very hard for me to do. So how was I successful this time? I was catching up on my New Yorkers and got caught up in the articles. This one actually had me restarting the time on the bike. I'm a bit of a politics junkie and I enjoy reading all kinds of points of view.

2. I spent a good amount of time watching the weather, then laughing gleefully when the low went north and the TV weather woody was proved wrong. We'll see if I'm still laughing when I leave for home in a few minutes.

3. Consumed an obscene amount of coffee. I had a cup of decaf with my breakfast this morning. I stopped for a 4-shot americano at Tully's on my way to work. This accomplished 2 things...caffeine and saying goodbye to my sister who will be in Canada for the weekend. While at work I've had 2 more cups of decaf. One of the perks of my place of employment is free beverages. This can be dangerous, but hey, at least I get exercise walking to the bathroom once an hour.

4. Spent a decent amount of time ranting to my roomie because I'm by myself at work tonight. I'm feeling a little sheepish about that right now, seeing as the work night ended up being no big deal. It was the theoretical screwing over that had me in a tizzy, and now I'm slightly miffed over the fact that I wasted that energy for nothing!

4 Things On My To-Do List:

1. Finish Christmas shopping. I'm fairly close to done, but need a few more things for certain someones on my list

2. learn a language. Ok, this is a long term to-do, obviously. I would love to learn italian, french, and to brush up on my spanish. I used to be fairly fluent, but a re-scheduling in college (stupidly to get more time off with my now ex-fiance, I might add) led me away from taking more classes once I graduated from high school. I can still understand some of it, and could have a halting conversation if needed. But I want more than that!

3. Get back in better shape. I have all these goals and steps I mean to take, I just need to put my money where my mouth is. I used to be a pretty decent dancer, and it's time I get back to that.

4. stop rolling my eyes every time a certain someone opens his mouth. I'm not 12 years old, and really need to stop acting like it. Yet there's just something about this particular guy that gets on my last nerve and makes me want to punch him. Not good.

4 Guilty Pleasures:

1. Peanut butter. Now to most people, this wouldn't be such a bad thing. It's a fairly healthy food item, right? Well, it's not so healthy if you could eat an entire jar over the course of a two-day weekend. Which I have done more than once. It's gotten to the point where I can't keep it in the house very often because I just don't trust myself

2. Dance movies. I was a tap dancer for 13 years, and I still miss it dearly. After the new year, I'm hoping to go back to classes, in addition to the ballet I took up a few months ago. I love Center Stage, Save the Last Dance, Billy Elliot. If they're on TV I will watch them, no matter how cheesy the plot. I still harbor the little girl fantasy of performing on stage with a company on a regular basis. I don't have the talent for such dreams, but I'll settle for a once a year recital. For now though, I'll continue to live vicariously through the dancers on screen

3. Really good coffee. I live in Seattle, that should be explanation enough. I spend 4 bucks a day on coffee and refuse to feel guilty about that!

4. Bad '80's music. If it was popular when I was little, I still love it. I'm convinced I have the musical taste of someone 10 years older than my actual age, but I don't care. I get teased about it by certain individuals, but I will listen to my 'old lady' radio station with pride!

4 Random Facts about Me:

1. My shoulders are double jointed. It's creepy. It kept me from doing backstroke when I was on swimteam because of the way they pop. I used to be able to link my hands behind my back and pull them over my head. I say used to because I've since built up the muscles around the joint enough that I can't do it anymore, but it used to be a great party trick

2. I have the attention span of a gnat. I was actually diagnosed with ADHD a year ago, but other than acknowledging I have it, I've never done anything for it.

3. I harbor fantasies of being a surfer girl someday

4. 99% of the time I have my nails and toenails painted the same color. Even in the winter when no one will see my feet.

In which I rant about the impending weather woody

2008-12-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Seriously weather people, what the hell? Since when did I give you permission to wreck my weekend? From the sounds of one of the local TV broadcasts, impending doom is set to envelop Seattle for the weekend. Wind, rain, bitter cold, and...duhn duhn duhnnn....the dreaded s word. Snow. Are you kidding me? They're predicting anywhere from a trace to 6 inches depending on a low that's still forming off the coast. Now, I grew up in Wisconsin. I know how to drive in the scary white stuff. I don't particularly enjoy it, but I can do it. What I'm dreading is the other drivers who don't know how to deal with this particular precip. Not to mention I live on top of a giant hill and the thought of driving up that thing when it's covered in ice makes Izzie the Ion shiver in her slightly battered hubcaps.

Normally the thought of spending the weekend indoors with my books and bad movies would be welcoming after spending my work week up to my eyeballs in bad news, gloom and doom, and the occasional Santa suit wearing penguin. But this weekend I actually have honest to goodness PLANS for the second week in a row. Saturday I'm planning on getting the last of my holiday goodies, and will be meeting friends for sushi that night. If ice gets in my way, I'm going to be seriously pissed. I don't have a large people network yet, and my closest friends here are even busier than I am, so when we find time to get together it's a big deal from me. Weather gods, I curse you! Not since my wannabe tornado chaser days have I watched a storm system with this kind of interest. Hopefully the low shifts north and we won't have to worry about it. The next few hours will tell. Clouds, I've got my evil eye on you! BEHAVE!!!

And to end the post on a funny note....have you ever seen Good Morning America's "Three Words segment? It's set to music, and people hold up signs describing their week. Jay Leno got a hold of it and his take on things is here. Me like!

My 3 words to describe my week's end? NO FLIPPING SNOW!

Happy Friday to one and all

Wow, what a hole!

2008-12-06T23:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas has come once again to the K house. As I write, F1 and F2 are huddled under the branches of the newly acquired Christmas tree. All 6.5 feet of it. And yes, this is a real honest-to-goodness sap dripping needle dropping wonderfully smelly pine tree. The ornaments aren't on it yet, but what IS on it are my collection of light strings, which I managed to untangle without bloodshed, gunshots, and a minimum of cursing, and the best tree topper ever. We're talking a circle covered in green and silver tinsel, outlined with fake plastic poinsettia and snowflake light covers, and green and red lights. And it blinks. We're talking the best that 5 bucks could buy you at ShopKo sometime in 1982. I still have the original box, with price tag. This particular topper is older than my sister. At some point, my grandma decided she didn't want it anymore and presented it to me along with other less memorable items. I would think that someday I'll upgrade to something slightly more classy, but for now, it's perfect. The sibling watched with a grin as I plugged in our ghetto topper and giggled to myself when it made it past it's 30 second warm up and started blinking. The blinking has no set time pattern either, it tends to just spasm whenever it feels like, which ads to it's charm.

This is the first live tree I've had in a few years. The past 2 Christmases I didn't see much of a point. I was living by myself, and in that first apartment in Little Rhody the electrical system was so suspect I was afraid I would burn the house down. And by the time Little Rhody Christmas 2.0 rolled around, I'd decided I wasn't going to be staying and didn't want to buy a tree stand only to pitch it 2 months later when I moved. I did have a foot tall table top number that served more as a feline chew toy than it did holiday cheer, so the real deal is a vast improvement.

I'm really excited for Christmas this year. We're talking little kid jumping up and down watching for reindeer excited. I can't wait to finish my shopping, start some cards, maybe bake some cookies. The sis and I will be going home to spend the holiday with our family, and I'm really looking forward to that. I'm blessed with 2 pretty cool people who also happen to be my parents, and it will be good to see them.

And 5 days off of work won't hurt either. ;) Jolly Chrimble! And in case you're wondering about the title of this post, I'll tell you that it comes from one of my favorite Christmas movies. If you can figure it out, you get a virtual cookie!

6 Ordinary Things

2008-12-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

One of my new favorite reads, La Belette Rouge, has tagged her readers with a meme and I'm jumping at the chance to chime in. She asked us to list 6 unimportant things that make you happy. Here goes!

1. Personalized license plates. I love them because they shed a little bit of light on the personality of the otherwise unknown drivers of the cars cruising the highways with me. I saw one last weekend while coming out of the grocery store that launched me into a giggle-fit. The car was a silver jetta with an equality symbol sticker, and a plate that proudly read "Vajetta". Whether the driver (a female, I might add) intended for the plate to sound suspiciously similar to a part of the female anatomy, I'll never know for certain. But that's what it looked like to me and I found it rather awesome.

2. My cell phone. The phone itself has seen better days. It's a Moto Razr that I've dropped so many times the keypad doesn't light up any more. So why does it inspire happiness? Because it's BRIGHT FUCKING PINKKKKKK!!!! I use the profanity because it's particular shade is just that obnoxious. And I love it. :) I bought it specifically for the color and not much else. Usually I'm more rational in my purchases, but I HAD to have the pink phone. It needs to be replaced, but I'm dragging my feet. The newer phone I want only comes in maroon. Sad face.

3. Puppies at work. My office is very dog friendly. Fridays tend to be the best days for at the desk puppy cuddles. I don't have a dog myself yet, but I love them. Since F1 and F2 aren't exactly office friendly, I'll take the lovin' I get from my co-workers' loveable mutts. Nothing makes a crummy workday better than writing with Travel Guy's Monster Dog resting his head on my knee. Seriously, that puppy is huge. I'm 5'7" and when he's standing on all fours, his head is past my waist.

4. Green Orbitz. Green of the spearmint variety, to be exact. I have an addiction to it that rivals my sister's nicotene habit. I would call myself a chain chewer, actually. It's something that started when I quit smoking around 3 years ago, and just won't let up. I have a pack in my purse 90% of the time, and will go buy more if I don't have a piece for my morning workout. It's ridiculous, but something that's a must have.

5. The old woman wearing the leopard print fur coat. At 7:30 a.m., at the grocery store. She was also wearing a ridiculously fabulous pair of bright purple pumps, and had a monster sized pair of sunglasses perched on her head. This is in Seattle. Early monring. The sun is barely UP at that time of day, thus making the sunglasses completely unnecessary. Which is exactly why I loved her entire ensemble. She had to be in her late 70's, maybe even early 80's (she looked about the same age as my own dear Grandma) and I loved that she was dressed so spectacularly so early in the morning. I felt scrubby in my beloved hoodie/jazz pants/hat combo, and thought maybe the next time I need soy milk so early I should at least make the effort to wear something other than a 2 sizes too big sweatshirt. This woman was like a postcard to me of what I want to be many years in the future. Fabulous grocery store gal, I salute you!

6. My flat iron. Now to many people, this may seem a little frivolous. But I have recently fallen in love with this particular appliance all over again. I have monstrously thick hair that's a frustrating combination of wavy and curly. My usual routine is the scrunch the curls and let them air dry. Which then leaves me feeling like the chubby 5th grader with a bad 1980's perm. The other morning I had some extra time on my hands and thought, oh why not. It took most of an hour to do (and my hair doesn't quite hit my shoulders....it's not long, there's just a ton of it) and when I looked in the mirror when the last strand was straight I thought, well welcome back! I felt more like myself than I have in ages. It was sort of shocking, to be honest. I always envied my classmates with their straight "normal" hair. And while 90% of those surveyed say I look better with the curls, I feel so much more put together and, well, prettier, when I spend the morning with the flat iron. Which I've decided I'll be doing on a regular basis again!

So there you have it. 6 ordinary things that maybe insignificant to some, but are a few of the little things that make me happy.

Now it's your turn! Tell me about the little things that make your day.

Where do the days go?

2008-12-03T17:07:00.001-08:00

Mine seem to disappear in a whirlwind of coffee, working out, and work. The day to day routine, after a while, leaves something to be desired. I don't know what causes this restlessness, the dissatisfaction with things that have to happen to get through the week. I found myself loading the dishwasher with a sigh last night, thinking 'Is this what my next 10 years is going to look like?'.

I admit, I get bored easily. My mother is going to retire soon, after teaching at the same school for almost 30 years. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but can I picture myself doing the same thing for 30 years? No way. I've been in the same industry for 8 years now, but have changed my roll within 'the biz' many times already. Changing technology will do that. I love my current job, I really do. Yet there's that part of me that can't help but wonder what else is out there. Not that I'm going anywhere anytime soon, but you know what I mean.

The day gets lost in breakfast, a walk or a trip to the gym, the scramble to get ready for work, fix lunch, pack dinner. The 20 minute commute, 8 hours or work, the drive home. Another hour spent reading or surfing, maybe watching TV, and then I crawl into bed exhausted. Lather rinse repeat, 5 days a week.

So it's the little things that make the routine better. Bugging my sister while she's at work is one. The baristas at my favorite coffee shop who know my drink. Knowing the back half of my work night is spent watching one of my favorite shows. That fit of glee I feel when something I created gets picked up. Random unexpected text messages.

I have a short vacation coming up and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be headed home to visit family and some hometown friends. And that, to me, is so much more important than getting annoyed with my dishwasher. Maybe I just need to remember that the next time I'm feeling whiny.

After all, it's Thursday, the sun is out, and the smell of Christmas shopping is in the air. What's not to love? *grin*

Today

2008-11-27T18:07:00.000-08:00

My sister flopped out on the couch across from me. The roommate on her way home who wants to go have dinner with me. Coffee this morning. Two cats curled up asleep on my bed. The warm house that smells like fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. A new sugar free cookie recipe that worked out. Fresh bagels and peanut butter. A long walk in crisp weather. Christmas music. Dancing in the living room. Phone calls from home. Text messages from friends all over the country. Wonderful news from a friend. Words. Good books. The beach.

Hope. Love. Laughter.

All things I'm thankful for today.

All the best to you and yours

Morning

2008-11-25T08:18:00.001-08:00

So....where do the words come from when you don't have much to write about?? I'm sitting here with my mug of coffee, trying to motivate myself to get to the gym, trying to find something to say, and not having much luck with either! But I keep reading that if you want to be a writer, even a few minutes of 'free association' writing is better than nothing.

So in that spirit, I'm going to tell you about my coffee mug. It's dark blue, marbled through with a bit of white. At the moment, it's half full. Half-full with a mixture of decaf chocolate velvet coffee, light vanilla soy milk, and stevia. Yeah yeah, I know, what self-respecting Seattle-ite drinks decaf? Well I do, if it's brewed at home. For some reason, if I make drip regular coffee here at home, I end up feeling like death from a blood sugar crash 45 minutes after I finish the mug. Why that is, I have no idea. So decaf it is. But back to the mug. This particular ceramic creation is my favorite for totally irrational reasons. I love the dark blue, the weight of it against my palm. And I love it for the ridiculousness that are the call letters scrawled across its front, for a TV station I never worked at. I did spend 5.5 fabulous years slaving away at one of its sister stations, but I never called that little station in Illinois home. You may be wondering how I ended up with said coffee container then. That's easy. It used to belong in the breakroom kitchen of the two-years -ago place of employment. I drank a ton of tea to keep me warm then, and 9 times out of 10 would grab that mug to cart my chai around in. When the time came to move on to greener control rooms, the thought of leaving the mug behind made me a little sad. So I resorted to petty thievery (is that even a word??!) and stashed it in the box 'o stuff from my desk on my way out the door. That silly mug has travelled from Wisconsin, to Providence, and is now in it's second Washington residence. In that respect, the mug has lived more places than my parents have. Then again, so have my cats, but that's beside the point.

Ahh my ridiculous coffee mug trophy. You're always the first one I grab out of the dishwasher. It's an irrational little love, but it makes me happy. Sort of like a security blanket for adults.

There. I've done a little ridiculous writing. I suppose that means I need to motivate myself out the door and down the street to the gym.

I think I'll finish my coffee first.

A few of my favorite things

2008-11-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

My favorite way to spend a Sunday. A good book, fantastic coffee, and my other journal.

As yet untitled

2008-11-20T14:23:00.000-08:00

How does one describe the weather in the pacific northwest without dipping into the cliche? Mist and clouds really do hang over the trees, drizzle pelts the windshield almost daily on my way to work. The grey surrounds you like a thick blanket. Wether you view that blanket as soothing or oppressing can change from day to day. Today I could feel it tucked in around me, feeling almost as familiar as the scruffy carebear rag I dragged around as a child. Having the right soundtrack always helps. Though the film was terrible, the soundtrack for Twilight seems to capture the range of emotions I've felt since moving to the area. A melancholy lilting piano accompanied by a range of strings set the tone for my commute, the raindrops providing a soft percussion to go along with it. Strangely, on a day full of the weather I used to fear the most, I was filled with an almost content as I made the now-familiar turns along 1-90. I love those moments when I find myself thinking, 'this is so Seattle' and realizing I'm pleased by it.

'Moments which, rushing past, define the path of a life'. A late morning wake-up, coffee with my sister. Familiar streets, beautiful music. Jokes from co-workers, anticipation of the night's stories to come. These simple and routine moments that make up my days, oh so sweet when you stop to savor them.

In which I wander over the weekend

2008-11-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

I apologize in advance for any typos. My computer may be a laptop, but Feline #2 has decided the lap belongs to him this morning. As he is 15 pounds of rumbling furry cuteness, I am unable to override his decision at this time, blog or no blog. It was his face in the window this morning that actually prompted this particular writing session. I returned from Uptown, ridiculously large americano in hand, and fumbled with my keys in an attempt to get the door open without dumping coffee all over myself. F2 was on the counter and had pressed his front paws up against the door window and scolded me for leaving the bed. If you can be scolded by a forceful chirp that is. He gets very clingy when I haven't been home much, and while I was in my own bed this weekend, I didn't spend a whole lot of time with my lap accessible for kitten cuddles.

Instead I was spending ridiculous amounts on money all over the city. New winter clothing was sought and purchased at two of my favorite stores downtown. I adore the city of Seattle proper, but I hate trying to find parking. I could have taken the bus, I suppose, but I didn't want to be the asshat with 12 shopping bags taking up 3 seats. As luck would have it, the rain had stopped mid-morning so my curly hair was only mildly enraged instead of it's usual full-on puffball during said trip. Which leads to only mild frowning while in the dressing room, so this is good. Then I picked up my sister and we went to Target for round two. The felines were the recipients of a new scratch pad, complete with catnip. The catnip proved to be our entertainment for the rest of the night. Not for the cats, but for the sis and I, we could barely contain our hysterics as the boys got 'nipped'.

Sunday was more fun in a local kind of way. I've been reading a lot of vegetarian and vegan blogs lately, trying to get more ideas for healthy food that I can take to work. After hitting the gym and savoring my usual americano, I swung by the Farmer's Market in the junction. Bliss. All sorts of fresh fruits and veggies, cheese, fish. Love it. As someone who used to be rather shy, the first time I went to a farmer's market was so hard. I didn't get how it "worked" and was so worried I'd violate some unspoken rules about how things were purchased. I'm old hand at it now though, thank goodness. I came away with enough veggies to feed a small army. I spent the afternoon cooking up a storm, and ended up with an amazing lentil soup, terriyaki baked tofu, and vegan alfredo sauce. None of which, I'm very proud to say, burned, smoked, or started any fires. Remind me to tell you the frozen pizza story at some point.

The best part of the weekend? That's easy. The feeling that came over me more than once, that perhaps I really am home. I'm settling in here. I have routines and places that are starting to feel like 'mine'. Coffee in certain places, the kindness of a random woman who I bumped into both at the bank and the market. The feel of the steering wheel in my hands as I turn on streets that no longer baffle. The view of the Sound as I come over the hill. The relief I feel when the sun peeks out, and the the relief I feel after I realize the rain has returned and it doesn't depress as it had a few weeks ago. The scent of washed out leaves and earth. All the things that are starting to make this new house feel like a home.

Election hangover?

2008-11-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

So today I'm pondering this. Is it the weather, or just an election hangover? I admit, the past few days have been a whirlwind of emotion. The night before our big national decision found me sleeping like an eggbeater. Tossing, turning, getting up multiple times. On the last trip back to bed around 5 a.m., I passed my younger sister in the hallway. She was on her way to work, and looked rather shocked to see me lurking at such an early hour. I finally gave up around 6:30. I inhaled my breakfast and treked over to my polling place, cast my ballot and earned my "I voted!" sticker. I hit the coffee shop for a much needed americano and some time with my paper journal. I really wanted to document my thoughts on such an important day. I was on pins and needles waiting for the results to come in. My co-workers and I scrambled to make sure every last important video clip was edited and posted. We had been told to keep our celebrating to a minimum, out of respect for others here that didn't share our views. I'll admit, it was hard to keep my elation under wraps, but I think I did well. We made history that night, and I was happy to share in such a moment with people I truly enjoy working with.

2 days later, I'm still exhausted! Which brings me to the quandry....election hangoveror rainy day blues? I slept almost 10 hours last night, which is very rare for me. And yet that didn't seem to put a dent in the sleepiness I'm feeling today. I have a few errands I need to run on the way home, but I'd really rather just jet there and crawl under the covers again. So I'm thinking that after 2 years of campaigning and wondering, my brain is so exhausted it's spilled over into the rest of my body. If it's the fault of the rain we've had all week, I'm probably screwed.

So here's hoping the tiredness will pass and I'll be bouncing off the walls again shortly. I'm hoping to get a few more days like yesterday before winter gets it's hold on the area. I almost crashed my car into the viaduct TWICE on my way to my morning ballet class. Mount Rainier was showing its majestic face, and it was so clear you could see both mountain ranges and the snow that's starting to perch on them. I was so taken with it I had to keep stretching for one more look....and would glance away to discover Izzie drifting perilously close to concrete. The real rocks were a sight to behold, and one of my favorite things about living in Seattle.

YES WE DID!

2008-11-04T22:02:00.000-08:00

I'm proud of my country tonight. Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States. We did it. We made history. I was lucky enough to be in my place of employment as the numbers rolled in, and it was so moving to watch everyone's reactions.

Now lets work on moving forward, TOGETHER!

Time, why are you never on my side?

2008-11-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

In typical K fashion, no matter how well I plan my time, it seems to be physically impossible for me to arrive anywhere at the appointed hour. If by some miracle I am there on time, it's because I left ridiculously early and then will have to cool my heels for half an hour. Those occurrences are rather rare. This morning is yet another fine example.

I rush out the door, yoga mat tucked under my arm. Car keys in the right hand, water bottle in the le...water bottle....rats. A quick dash back to the house, blue bottle retrieved, Izzie backed out of the garage and pointed in the direction of my destination. The flier advised to be 5 minutes early. No problem, I'm thinking. A quick stop at the bank, and I can dash right over. I should have seen the flaw in this theory from the start. I arrive at the bank, write my mile long explanation as to why the check I'm trying to cash isn't my given name. (I use a different name professionally, that's the name on the check) Stuff the blasted thing in the ATM and scamper back to the car. Of course, I had left the house 10 minutes later than I meant to in the first place.

I park, run towards the studio, and glance at my phone to silence the ringer before I walk into class. 9:29. Damnit! The class starts at 9:30. I've never been to this studio before, I have no idea what the payment policies are, where I need to go. And I'm practically late. Again.

Why does this always happen to me? Later in the day, I was also 5 minutes late to work. Like all good Seattleites, I needed a monster cup of coffee to sustain me through the first few hours of my work shift. I was trying so hard to leave early enough that it wouldn't be a problem. But somehow those few extra glances at email, or the pause to scratch the chin on my favorite furry boy, added up into 5 minutes late for work. I'm lucky that my boss doesn't seem to mind, but I frustrate myself. I usually leave 5 minutes late to make up for it, though no one is here to see when I head for home.

On the bright side.....the yoga class was wonderful. My classmates were all friendly, and the instructor took the time to explain the school's policies and intentions to me, which was very much appreciated. I think it's a place I will fit well. As I stretched my body into the variety of poses, I really tried to focus good intentions on my muscles, encouraging them to bend, twist a little deeper, release any hiding tension. My brain tends to wander if I don't keep a tight reign on it, so concentration is always a little hard. After this first practice though, I think I may be off to a good start.

A quick trip back home, I need to hop in the shower to get ready for work. But before I step under the needle hot spray, I stop to look at myself in the mirror. I'm trying to look at the bumps and curves with a kinder eye. 'We didn pretty good today, eh body?' My back muscles don't answer back, but I hope the enjoyed the workout.

Time, never on my side, but I'm trying to enjoy it anyway.

Starting anew

2008-11-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

It's been a few years since I've blogged with any regularity, and the site that I once called home is long gone. But that's ok. I've moved cross country twice since then, and with a new home comes a new start in so many ways. I've been complaining lately that I don't write as much as I used to, but it's taken months for me to actually DO something about it. So here we are. I've been living in West Seattle for 7 months now, and am still trying to adjust to life as a west coaster. I do like it here, but I've found I'm getting restless again after just a short time. Where that's coming from, I don't know. I know I've barely scratched the surface of all this area has to offer. It was pointed out to me the other day that perhaps I need to take time to be more present, to spend more time living in the now, instead of worrying so much about what's down the road. If your focus is always 3 miles ahead, what are you missing right underneath your feet?

So that's what this blog will hopefully help me to do. Find more joy in the every day, and help me get to know my new home better. And hopefully make some new friends along the way.