Well Cancun has been cancelled, obviously due to Hurricane Wilma. The travel company does not really have a protocall for situations like this so we do not know what will happen. Dane thinks that most likely the trip will be rescheduled for some time in November. I hope we can have a little say in the matter of when we go though. We will call the place tomorrow and settle out the details. In the meantime we are going to go to work and plug away as planned.
This turn of events does make it possible for us to participate in all the Seattle Halloweeny activities. It should be a lot of fun this year as Laura Rose will be Sekhmet, Seth will be Set, Rob will be Osiris, and of course Dane will be Anubis and I Isis. The costumes look amazing as everyone put a lot of time and creativity into them. It will be interesting to see what happens course it will be awkward if we won a contest as a team or if just one of us won. At any rate we will be around for all that so it should be good times.
This weekend was fun, we walked around the Westlake mall downtown, hung out at a crazy bar, went home early and played chess. Saturday we did nothing, went to see Corpse Bride, went to the margarita madness night, then went to the U district (University of Washington) to go to an improve comedy show - very "Whose Line is it Anyway" - good times. I swear there is always something to do in this city.
Wow. We just watched news coverage on the hurricane. What a crazy season it has been. I am just glad that the destruction and death has been relatively low with this one.
More news later...
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
This City...
This city is absolutely breathtaking. I imagine today is the type of day "they" talk about when they talk of Seattle. It's not raining, the ground is not even wet, but the clouds are so low that buildings over 7 stories are completely MIA. I work at the foot of the Space Needle, which stands about 520 feet above ground, and you can't see the top of it. If you are checking out my blog today, 10-18-05, go to this website http://www.spaceneedle.com/webcam/. The cam is completely greyed out.
I am not sad or suicidal though like everyone says you become in Seattle. If anything I am relaxed and totally chill. The clouds give me a sense that there will be time to do everything and I needn't rush through life. And to have clouds so close that you can reach up and grab a piece, you can walk down the street and literally be walking on the clouds - absolutely heavenly.
I am so going to enjoy living here. I almost wonder if I will want to leave....For now Dane and I have been talking about moving downtown next year. Selling everything but the Fxylady and Gixxer and moving camp to the seaside Harbor Steps condos. Check it out if you have some time, if for no other reason than because they did a PHENOMINAL job on the website! http://www.harborsteps.com/
As for daily life, things are going well. Enough. This morning I was asked if I would be bringing my daughter to the "Trick-or-Treat Sneak" here at the TSA office. It was first thing this am too, so it hit me like a slap in the face. I haven't really told anyone here (maybe two or three people total - including outside of work) about Isis and the whole story behind it. I have pictures of her and when people ask I simply say "She was 9 months in that picture." Or whatever. One woman proceeded to ask how old she was now, so I said she had passed on. The woman wanted to know more (she's such a sweethart, she's from Indonesia) and I just smiled and said it was a terrible accident. I don't know what to do. I want a picture of her but I don't welcome the questions but it's hard to deal with the "Are you brining her to the ____". *sigh* What an odd, sad situation.
Other than that things are good. I am on hiatus for another 2 weeks from school. Work is going very well, I'm almost caught up. Just in time to leave for Cancun though. Dane is tracking the hurricanes in that area and currently keeping tabs on "Wilma". It should be there and gone by the time we get there. OH! I have to send out an informative email with the info....*jots down note to self* So that's it here in Jet City. I'll probably bust out another entry before we leave. I have to post my fairy mug pic! She's pretty!
I am not sad or suicidal though like everyone says you become in Seattle. If anything I am relaxed and totally chill. The clouds give me a sense that there will be time to do everything and I needn't rush through life. And to have clouds so close that you can reach up and grab a piece, you can walk down the street and literally be walking on the clouds - absolutely heavenly.
I am so going to enjoy living here. I almost wonder if I will want to leave....For now Dane and I have been talking about moving downtown next year. Selling everything but the Fxylady and Gixxer and moving camp to the seaside Harbor Steps condos. Check it out if you have some time, if for no other reason than because they did a PHENOMINAL job on the website! http://www.harborsteps.com/
As for daily life, things are going well. Enough. This morning I was asked if I would be bringing my daughter to the "Trick-or-Treat Sneak" here at the TSA office. It was first thing this am too, so it hit me like a slap in the face. I haven't really told anyone here (maybe two or three people total - including outside of work) about Isis and the whole story behind it. I have pictures of her and when people ask I simply say "She was 9 months in that picture." Or whatever. One woman proceeded to ask how old she was now, so I said she had passed on. The woman wanted to know more (she's such a sweethart, she's from Indonesia) and I just smiled and said it was a terrible accident. I don't know what to do. I want a picture of her but I don't welcome the questions but it's hard to deal with the "Are you brining her to the ____". *sigh* What an odd, sad situation.
Other than that things are good. I am on hiatus for another 2 weeks from school. Work is going very well, I'm almost caught up. Just in time to leave for Cancun though. Dane is tracking the hurricanes in that area and currently keeping tabs on "Wilma". It should be there and gone by the time we get there. OH! I have to send out an informative email with the info....*jots down note to self* So that's it here in Jet City. I'll probably bust out another entry before we leave. I have to post my fairy mug pic! She's pretty!
Friday, October 14, 2005
Indications
Since I've had this blog I have always talked about how I want to change this and that. I think I have slowly but surely made changes in an effort to grow, learn, and constantly improve. How I know I have changed:
1. While I have judged some of my friends in the past, I have not wished them ill will or ever said "eff ____".
2. I understand that people think and process things in a different way than I do. I know that if someone says something that *I* consider sharp, "they" might not mean it the same way I would if I said it.
3. I have less confrontations with those around me.
4. I have shut my mouth on so many occasions where normally I would have been bolstering about.
5. Dane and I almost never argue any more.
6. I am not in such a hurry all the time.
7. I don't feel the need to plan everything out.
8. I don't have to control things anymore.
9. I have learned to let go of negative self-talk and negative talk from those around me. (But in truth, this is SO hard!! I have always concerned myself with what other people think about me. Add to that my burning desire to always be a good, alturistic person and you can see why I take negative comments to heart. In the past it has been very difficult for me to take on criticism. The more I stewwed on the negative, the more I worried about becoming what I didn't want to be or seen as, the more I became it! It was like a self-fulfilling prophecy or perpetuating the cycle!! Lately though, I've learned how to create value out of negative talk: I consider the source, think deeply about what was said, make mental notes, and then translate the negative words into positive ones so that I can make the best out of what was said.)
10. I know that I have a long LLLOOONNNGGG way to go!
Above all, I am doing pretty good, and I've just started!
1. While I have judged some of my friends in the past, I have not wished them ill will or ever said "eff ____".
2. I understand that people think and process things in a different way than I do. I know that if someone says something that *I* consider sharp, "they" might not mean it the same way I would if I said it.
3. I have less confrontations with those around me.
4. I have shut my mouth on so many occasions where normally I would have been bolstering about.
5. Dane and I almost never argue any more.
6. I am not in such a hurry all the time.
7. I don't feel the need to plan everything out.
8. I don't have to control things anymore.
9. I have learned to let go of negative self-talk and negative talk from those around me. (But in truth, this is SO hard!! I have always concerned myself with what other people think about me. Add to that my burning desire to always be a good, alturistic person and you can see why I take negative comments to heart. In the past it has been very difficult for me to take on criticism. The more I stewwed on the negative, the more I worried about becoming what I didn't want to be or seen as, the more I became it! It was like a self-fulfilling prophecy or perpetuating the cycle!! Lately though, I've learned how to create value out of negative talk: I consider the source, think deeply about what was said, make mental notes, and then translate the negative words into positive ones so that I can make the best out of what was said.)
10. I know that I have a long LLLOOONNNGGG way to go!
Above all, I am doing pretty good, and I've just started!
Monday, October 10, 2005
My Fairy
This is my ceramic fairy mug. I started it a couple weeks ago at Margarita Madness and finished it this Saturday. You can see the internet copy that I originally traced from and then got all my coloring ideas from. Cool, huh!! We signed up for the next Margarita Madness night, on the 22nd. I think I will paint a soy sauce bowl (for at home sushi) and miso soup bowls. I didn't understand the allure of an all-adult event until I was there during the day on Saturday with every rowdy kid that lives in Bellevue. They were fun though and every child was very cautious about moving around my table so as not to bump it. I saw a toddler handle a finished piece waiting for its owner to pick it up and accidently drop and break it. I wanted to cry! I told the employees who worked there that I would pay extra to have my cup kept away from the public. I hope it doesn't get ruined in the kiln. I will post another pic when it comes out on Thursday.
WHAT A FUN CITY!!!
WHAT A FUN CITY!!!
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Firsts
Since moving to Seattle I've had a lot of firsts. An overwhelming amount actually!! Some I could have figured would happen eventually and some firsts have totally thrown me for a loop. So far I've seen a wild harbor seal, plane with water landing gear, and fog/clouds so close you could reach up and grab a piece off for yourself. All these things are normal and par-for-the-course here in Seattle. But yesterday and today have been a REAL treat for me! I went to West Seattle (on the "other" side of the Sound) and up to Ballard today through the Ballard Locks. In West Seattle (WS) there are freighter and crate ships everywhere! And I have never ever seen so many crates in all my life. And I'm not talking about a crate that will fit a couple hundred boxes of chips, I'm talking the 58' semi-crates!!! EVERYWHERE!! I have yet to see them pull the crates off the boats though. Stay tuned. But it was amazing to see the "dinosaurs" (crate lifters) so close and all the goings on of the port. Then it was off to Ballard today. Ballard and the Ballard Locks (BL) separates the fresh water Lake Union from the salt water Puget Sound via a large HUGE river called Salmon Bay. It's called that because the salmon swim through all the locks to get back to their native fresh water river homes from the ocean to spawn. Anyhow, the water level goes down (from the sea) with each lock. It's absolutely amazing!! And so many - thousands of boats from big crabbing and fishing boats with monsterous steel arms that extend high in the sky holding onto vast reels of cable for the nets to small teeny tiny dingys. Breathtaking.
I've been visiting my corps. We went to WS for Seattle White Center TSA, Renton for Renton TSA, and Seattle Temple in Greenwood. Thursday we go to Wenatchee, WA, about 3.5 hours (one way) away to visit the Wenatchee corps. I am having a good time learning about TSA and about my boss and I think she's having a good time getting to know me as well. The TSA corps are all very different from one another with very different programs and leaders at each. It's mind-boggling trying to comprehend how this organization does their business but I am bound and determined to make it work. I am also bound and determined to get a tuition grant for my master's degree - both of them. I intend to work up the ladder here, which I was assured by Rebecca today that as long as I keep ahead of the jobs available at THQ (territory headquarters) then I can look towards a future and promotions at TSA. I still have my eye on a CPA with lawyer designation, I plan to go into international accounting/tax law. It will be grueling but I know it's where I want to be. I don't care how, I'm going to work my way up the TSA pyramid and find myself in London or one of their other 220 countries that they are present in. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!
I hope Dane will be able to travel with me in all my aspirations. Dane, who is playing a game right now where he is a yellow bug and 4 blue bugs are trying to get him but all I see is bugs moving around the screen in a very lethargic, random manner. Completely silent. All green background. He is so weird. I love him. We are still reeling from the weekend's events and worried about the outcome. I can equate it to a break up. But it's weird because we are both hurting and processing the how's and why's but we are right next to each other. But then we get to talk things out and all is well. I think we have several back-up plans in case the worse should happen, we have an ezzz-COP-EEE route.
Dane's party was awesome - I really like the people here. Most everyone was cleared out by 1:00 which was fine with us, we were all tired. Everyone honored Dane's birthday and our housewarming, it was a wonderful, tame night. Friday, on the other hand, was marked by a couple (3.5) bottles of wine and an incident involving me, the 17 year old neighbor-boy, the Banshee, and the Fuzz! It's too good a story to ruin in a blog version so I will keep it at that. Plus I have to protect the not-so-innocent, namely me.
A special shot out to my very, if not best, friend Rebecca Peck Lane. Not only did she talk to me for hours about any and everything but during the Hurricane Rita she and her husband delivered over 90 gallons of water via ATV to the parched, trapped travelers stuck on I-45 for over 10 hours in some cases. Peck and Jeremy did this by themselves with the help of no one at an expense only to themselves - refusing to accept any sort of cash in exchange for the water. That kind of compassion wins them "Philanthropist of the Year" in my book!!! You are, and always will be, truly remarkable in my eyes Becky. Stay Strong!
I've been visiting my corps. We went to WS for Seattle White Center TSA, Renton for Renton TSA, and Seattle Temple in Greenwood. Thursday we go to Wenatchee, WA, about 3.5 hours (one way) away to visit the Wenatchee corps. I am having a good time learning about TSA and about my boss and I think she's having a good time getting to know me as well. The TSA corps are all very different from one another with very different programs and leaders at each. It's mind-boggling trying to comprehend how this organization does their business but I am bound and determined to make it work. I am also bound and determined to get a tuition grant for my master's degree - both of them. I intend to work up the ladder here, which I was assured by Rebecca today that as long as I keep ahead of the jobs available at THQ (territory headquarters) then I can look towards a future and promotions at TSA. I still have my eye on a CPA with lawyer designation, I plan to go into international accounting/tax law. It will be grueling but I know it's where I want to be. I don't care how, I'm going to work my way up the TSA pyramid and find myself in London or one of their other 220 countries that they are present in. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!
I hope Dane will be able to travel with me in all my aspirations. Dane, who is playing a game right now where he is a yellow bug and 4 blue bugs are trying to get him but all I see is bugs moving around the screen in a very lethargic, random manner. Completely silent. All green background. He is so weird. I love him. We are still reeling from the weekend's events and worried about the outcome. I can equate it to a break up. But it's weird because we are both hurting and processing the how's and why's but we are right next to each other. But then we get to talk things out and all is well. I think we have several back-up plans in case the worse should happen, we have an ezzz-COP-EEE route.
Dane's party was awesome - I really like the people here. Most everyone was cleared out by 1:00 which was fine with us, we were all tired. Everyone honored Dane's birthday and our housewarming, it was a wonderful, tame night. Friday, on the other hand, was marked by a couple (3.5) bottles of wine and an incident involving me, the 17 year old neighbor-boy, the Banshee, and the Fuzz! It's too good a story to ruin in a blog version so I will keep it at that. Plus I have to protect the not-so-innocent, namely me.
A special shot out to my very, if not best, friend Rebecca Peck Lane. Not only did she talk to me for hours about any and everything but during the Hurricane Rita she and her husband delivered over 90 gallons of water via ATV to the parched, trapped travelers stuck on I-45 for over 10 hours in some cases. Peck and Jeremy did this by themselves with the help of no one at an expense only to themselves - refusing to accept any sort of cash in exchange for the water. That kind of compassion wins them "Philanthropist of the Year" in my book!!! You are, and always will be, truly remarkable in my eyes Becky. Stay Strong!
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