Fun

So I was looking through the pictures on my camera the other day when I came across this:

I've been having a bit of a rough go of it today (you know those days when you just don't have the patience to tolerate the normal peskiness of a day? Yeah, I'm having that day today) and this just made it a little bit more tolerable.

I came across a number of fun pics so I'm thinking it may be time to update the sidebar pics as well. Hmmm...

Blank and Bare (aka The Before)

I've had my hands full moving and unpacking over the last several days and even though I'm not done yet (blame the head cold I picked up in the mean time) I thought I'd give you an eye-full of the place in all it's naked glory. So here's the tour:

As you come in and look to the left, you will see my teeny, tiny kitchen. (Jane says it's more efficient this way...I hope she's right!) Like most apartments it's a galley kitchen, meaning, it has a narrow runway with a row of appliances/cabinets on both the left and right. The picture above is what you see on the left side of the kitchen. (Note the lack of microwave, tiny counter space, and sparse cabinets *sigh*).

The picture seen above here is the right side of the kitchen. On the left side of the photo, you are seeing a sliver of my washer and dryer. That's right: I have a washer and dryer in my unit. That's right: I have a washer and dryer in my kitchen. You may also notice that I have a dishwasher in my kitchen (YAY!! A DISHWASHER!!) And though you can't see it, there is also a disposal in that sink. Bliss!! (You may also have noticed that the washer and dryer look conspicuously like they're in the pantry. That's because they are and I have no pantry. Feel free to scroll back up at that previous picture and review just how little storage space I have. Yep, I'm becoming an efficiency queen.) As you can see, the kitchen sink also looks out into the living room.

This picture is obviously of my bathroom. It is directly across from my kitchen and is what you see if you immediately look to the right after walking into the apartment. (Let's review: kitchen on the left, bathroom on the right. Got it so far?) And no, you're not imagining things - that toilet is pretty low to the ground. I..don't...know. Whatev, it works.

This is the view of the kitchen from the living room - it's much cuter when viewed this way. I'm just sayin'.

So this funky door is what the entrance to both the bedrooms look like. That's right, one whole wall of each bedroom is comprised of floor-to-ceiling sliding fiberglass doors - crazy right? It's totally funky and reminds me of a geisha-house door. If I were sharing this space with someone, I don't think it would be very sound-preventative or private (um, hello? You can see right through the door, duh.) But since I'm not, I think it's totally neato! I mean, fun - right?

If you're standing next to the tiny counter over the sink (which for all intents and purposes is a "bar," but really...com'mon) and look toward the right, this is what you'd see. This is the door to the spare room (sewing room/bonus room) as well as the sliding glass door that leads out to my spacious balcony. (BALCONY!!)

If you're standing in the same spot I just mentioned and looking to the left, you'll see the rest of the living room. Lots of windows for light, eh? Oh and did I mention this is a corner apartment? This corner is also the corner of the building. (Not that that means anything, I just thought you might like to know. See - you can see houses out the window. No staring a brick walls or the underside of stairs for me!)

From here, if you were to take a few steps to the left, you'd see the door to the "master" (read: slightly bigger than my queen bed) room. It's door is exactly like the sewing room door: über-cool.

Both rooms have generous closets, but there are no other closets in the apartment. (For every pro, there's a con, eh?)

So far I have the kitchen unpacked, my bed set up and am currently tackling the bonus room. Still so much to be done, but between being sick and working I just haven't had the time. I'm hoping to be totally moved in (and sleeping there) by this weekend.

Once I have it all set up, I'll take you on a second tour. Stay tuned!

I love lamp

I have an apartment - yaaaaaaay!! I sign the lease tomorrow - more details (and pics!) to come...

It's a Bust

Aaaaaaaand, I'm officially apartment hunting.

(Nuts.)

Still Waiting

No signature from the investor approving the deal today...*sigh*

Jane says not to give up hope until it's really, really too late, but truth be told, the odds are slipping.

And yet, there's still time for a miracle. ;)

Join me on the Edge of my Seat

So after spending the day mourning the loss of potential Seattle home-ownership, Jane got an email from the wily bank-negotiator (who was conspicuously absent during the final necessary hours before the deal had to be closed) which said, "Oh! I can get this deal done - I'm too busy to do it now, but I'll email you on Monday."

Aaaaaaaahhh!!

So after pulling her hair out in frustration, Jane talked to the lender and asked if we got all the paperwork to him on Monday, was there still a chance we could close in time. His response?

Maybe. IF the paperwork gets to him by Monday morning, it could still happen.

Oh the stress of it all!!

Update: There have already been several emails fluttering around today and the gist of it is, if the lender can get the paperwork in time, we have about a 50/50 chance of closing in time. However the bank negotiator said he has already sent TWO requests to the investor to sign off on the paperwork and he hasn't seen it yet. The deal definitely won't close without the investor sign off, so....

Stay tuned!!

Aww, nuts...

Just found out today that the deal on the 2 bedroom condo in Greenwood I was trying to buy fell through.

*sigh*

So it's back the drawing board (and likely renting) for me...

Grape Stomp 2010

It's that time of the year again, when, for the sixth? seventh? year, we head over the mountains to the east side of the state for a mini-road trip to the Champoux Vineyard for the annual Grape Stomp Event!

Last year the stomp was canceled, so we were pretty pumped to get back into action this year. However, we had a few notable changes. First of all, Uncle Joe sold the hop farm! Tradition dictates that after work on Friday, we head east and crash for the night on Uncle Joe's many spare beds, couches, and square feet of carpet. Fortunately for us, he sold the farm to his son Jeremy (my cousin) so it all stayed in the family and we were able to keep the Friday night tradition alive - just sans Uncle Joe and (Aunt) Lila. Sadly, they took the spoils of the liquor cabinet with them when they moved (no more Jim-Beam-Mountain-Dew or Crystal-Light-"vodka" to be had, awww). But we made the best of it (read: drank beers instead) and Jeremy proved to be an equally good host.

Secondly, several of our regular attendees were unable to participate this year. Fortunately, I've been busy making new friends here in Seattle, so we still touted a group of 11 - half veterans, half newbies. Not quite the robust 20 we had two years back, but after a few hours together, you could hardly tell the two groups apart; everyone made a real effort to play nice. (Actually, I think they genuinely liked each other...there were a couple epic matches of horseballs and some great jokes born out of those new friendships.)

Lastly, since Uncle Paul is still on the road to recovery from the West Nile virus, we didn't stay the night at the Chateau as we had in year's past. Instead we camped at the nearby Crow Butte Park. With access to bathrooms, a few air mattresses and french press coffee in the morning - it worked out just great.

All in all, we walked away with a lot of fun memories, new friendships, some great wine, and - oh yeah - one of our teams took first place (but you didn't doubt that we would, didja?)

And finally, just to tickle your senses, our team names:

8lb, 6 oz Baby Jesus (first place)
Bangerang!
Valentine's-Day-After-Tomorrow-Never-Dies-Hard-(er)-With-a-Vengeance
(and one more...but I can't think of it right now)

Though Dustin couldn't join us this year, he had several good team name suggestions for us, including (but not limited to):

Mud-Butt
Full Diapers
Projectile Poopers

(Can't tell he has a new baby at home, can ya?)

*All pictures courtesy of Evan Taylor-Hurley, from whom I completely stole them, without his knowledge, off his Facebook wall. :)

Thanks Evan!! (You don't mind, right?)

Mama Quilt #6: Abby

When I found out the Terps had a bun in the oven, immediately ideas began to swirl around in my brain for Abby's mama quilt.

Abby and I met freshman year of college (even though she attended SPU and I was up north in Bellingham) and I can't rightly say we "hit it off." Don't get me wrong - we liked each other alright (er - at least I think Abby liked me then...) but neither of us knew how long the other would be in the picture, so I'd say we started out more acquaintances rather than friends, per se.

But as the years ticked by, it became more and more apparent neither of us was going anywhere. Then she went and married Dustin soon after graduation and sealed the deal (so to speak - heh). Once we were both B'ham residents, we set about the work of actually getting to know each other.

While some might say Abby can be a tough nut to crack - it's never been that way for me. During those first few weeks after she moved to Bellingham, when she invited me over to make several different types of cheesecake for the purpose of simply taste-tasting, I knew this friendship was for real. Abby is kind-hearted, fiercely loyal, straight-forward, thoughtful, awkward, hilarious, and - generally speaking - always right. It's been my honor to get to know her over the years; she's one of my most dearly-loved friends.

So, for Abby's mama quilt, I decided almost instantly it would have to be strictly black and white with some kind of predictable pattern (to demonstrate her extremely logical, steadfast mind) contrasted with an unexpected burst of wild color outside the pattern to demonstrate those spontaneous moments of unfettered jubilation she sometimes lets sneak out.

Here's the final result - I so hope she likes it. :)
























PS - There is another, totally different, bright pink flower on the back side as well. Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of that side, so you'll just have to imagine it for now.

Moving...(again)

My life is nothing, if not interesting. Well, perhaps not interesting per se (other than to me), but at the very least eventful.

Spent all weekend moving into two storage units and now currently occupy a spare room at the Champoux/Stratton residence (aka Poux Palace).

The plan is to only be here one month or less. Back in April, I put in an offer on a short sale condo. If it doesn't close by September 30th - I lose the home buyers tax credit...and the ability to buy property in Seattle. The tax credit (and the fact that this condo is priced grossly under market value in order to sell) is the only reason I can even think about affording it. Without the tax credit, I'll be stretched a wee bit too thin for my comfort level. So, with August 30th being on Monday (and financing taking about 30 days to roll out) that leaves only one month until my deadline; therefore, my window of opportunity is about to close.

Unless I can pull an Indian Jones by the end of the week and eke through in time, it's back to renting!!

Dunt-dunt-duh! The plot thickens....(but in the mean time, you can find me in Kirkland.)

Step Up 3D*

*Yes, yes, I've been gone from the blog for a while. I've been attempting to deal with grief and settle into a life in Seattle - I'll get to all that. But first: let's talk dance movie!

I'll cut straight to the chase: the dancing is straight-up, fantazimacaly wow!, spare no expense, bang for your buck (and then some), A-MA-ZING. Dare I say, it overachieves. As the finale in the trilogy, it delivers. (Plus, for all you SYTYCD fans, there are tons of fun cameos - and who doesn't love cameos?)

The acting, however (brace yourself) is absolutely horrendous. Like really terr-i-ble acting. And I'm not talking about the brand of bad acting one might normally be prepared to accept in a dance movie. We all know we're watching dancers who are simultaneously trying to act. At best, it tends to range from slightly cheesy (Step Up 2) to slightly stiff (the original Step Up). I mean hey, they can't all be a triple threat like J-Lo. I get it. I accept it. In fact, I know this phenomenon well. But this movie....it was almost embarrassing. (Oh and the plot stinks too.)

I know, I know: no big surprise, right? I suppose I should've seen that coming (especially since the first two weren't Oscar winners or anything), but one can hope that the acting and plot would at least be palatable. Instead, they're actually cringe-inducingly bad. Apparently the budget was only so big - and they went for broke on the dancing.

Generally speaking, a bad, cheesy, or well-worn plot doesn't bother me. Do I hope for more? Sure. But there are plenty of circumstances where we excuse a meh plot. Take for example action movies. Are the plots often good? No. But it gets our hero into and out of trouble (all with a hot babe on his arm) so at the end of the journey we are completely satisfied. Romantic comedies are no different: girl meets boy, a misunderstanding of epic proportions ensues, insert a public, heartfelt, apologetic soliloquy and all is forgiven as they live happily ever after. Sports movies to do it too: our hero has to overcome some adversity in order to win the game (and usually the morale of entire town, school, or city) in the last inning, half, minute or period - yaaaaaaay!! Often the plot is simply the vehicle to get us from point A to point B. Sure it's nice if that ride is a high class car from time to time, but most often we could care less if the car is a little dinged up; we really just need a reliable ride.

What bothers me is a poorly constructed plot. Is it so much to ask that the character's actions make logical sense? Is a little character building really so cumbersome? Take the movie Sweet Home Alabama (Gasp! Yes, I said it. I know everyone seem to really like this movie, but it really, really bothers me. Rest assured, my enjoyment of Reece Witherspoon and Josh Lucas is able to quell my distaste...but I digress.) The conflict between Melanie Carmichael and her mother is established early in the movie as the result of Melanie's unwillingness to stay in the south (e.g. rejected airline tickets, refusal to see NY, disapproval of leaving Jake, etc.). However, during the height of Melanie's which-man-do-I-choose dilemma, her mother counsels her to "get out" and to "not end up like me." WHAT THE HECK!! This kind of discongruity bothers me to no end. Does she want her to stay or to go? To be loyal to her roots or to sprout wings and fly? PICK ONE! Otherwise, the mother's entire role within the movie is absolutely meaningless; it's simply noise. If it doesn't contribute to the plot - EDIT IT OUT.

Perhaps it's not totally accurate to say that this kind of misalignment is what troubles me so. Rather, it's when a movie has the potential to accomplish something, to truly tell a wonderful tale, to really capture you and whisk you away from reality....but instead it completely pusses out and falls flat on its face. This, this actually physically bothers me; it offends me. To be able to visualize the vastness of a story's potential and to be powerless to see it come close to fruition...ugh, it pains me. I want to shake my fist and yell, "Can you not afford a decent editor?! Can you not see the gaping holes in your story? Call me! I'm not doing anything! I'll help you!! YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO SOMETHING GREAT!" It's as though someone was too impatient to wait for the masterpiece and instead revealed to the world something that was simply "good enough." Who does that? What if Michelangelo had done that? (Granted, this movie is no Michelangelo, but you get my point.)

Such is the case with Step Up 3D. Though it admittedly recycles all parts of its plot, it demonstrated the potential to be MORE than just a "dance movie." But instead of facing that challenge head on, it attempts to disguise its shortcomings with beautiful people, special effects, and killer dancing. It pisses away its poignant moments by juxtaposing them with sterile acting and a loosely strung plot line. It cheapens what could have been a fairly sweet story by forcing what should be the subplot into the lime-light.

The two beautiful people on the movie's headliner poster? Yeah, they can't act and (are you ready for this?) have short and uninspiring dance roles in the movie. They're not even the main characters (as much as this movie tries to pretend they are.) Instead the movie is really about Moose, the skinny kid from the subplot of Step Up 2, and his best girl friend. And truthfully, that storyline is actually well done. They keep a predictable story interesting, have a few genuine moments and, of course, they dance well...but who would see a movie about him? So they cram beautiful, crappy actors into the movie to be on the poster and shove a C+ plot for them into the storyline. *Sigh* I get it, but...really? I mean, the "hot dude" doesn't even really dance! He's always in the background in the group dance scenes and most of the shots are from the waist up in the tango scene. Oh Step Up, we're too smart for that.

Perhaps I'm being greedy: asking too much of my dance movies, holding the bar too high. But in all honesty, I don't think so. The pieces were there; sadly, they just didn't put them together.

Now, just because I couldn't stop editing the movie in my head to make it better and more believable, that certainly doesn't mean I didn't like it. I mean, pfft, com'mon!! It's a dance movie!! OF COURSE I LIKED IT!! I've never met a dance movie I didn't like*. I can hardly wait for it to come out on DVD so I can buy it and complete my little trilogy and watch it over and over and over and over...

*Except of course for Save the Last Dance. That movie was terrible. And not only does Julia Stiles butcher it with her "acting," she clearly doesn't do any of the real dancing (her stunt double has a completely different body type. Please.) I am only willing to tolerate crappy acting on account of good dancing. Alternatively, I'm willing to accept a really good dancing double if: a) the acting is quality and the main actor does at least some of it (Footloose), b) the movie makes a smooth and seamless effort to fool me (Flashdance), or c) the movie is pre-1999 when it became all the rage to do your own stunts (too many examples to site here). STLD (or rather Julia Stiles) clearly meets none of these conditions. Poor Sean Patrick Thomas.

Cutest. Niece. Ever.

I mean, right? Got to spend some q.t. with my niece this weekend and I think I'm in love. She's smiling and beginning to laugh and I love that I can actually interact with her. I just want to eat her up!!

Probably the crowning moment though was when Julia was in her carseat carrier on the floor and Gracen got on his hands and knees and stuck his face right up to hers and began cooing, "Hi baby giiiiirl" just like his parents do. It was simultaneously hilarious and adorable. What is even better is that his cooing made Julia smile, which made him laugh, which made her laugh, and then the whole thing started over again.

Pretty awesome. :)

Hugs

I love Italy and I love hugs, so you know I loved this:



Actually, it made me cry a little. :)

Julia Update

Forgive me for the belated update, but Julia had a check-up on Wednesday and good news abounds!! The veins they were concerned about are free and clear and functioning normally! Most of the blood has cleared (about 70%) and the doctors were actually surprised at how much it had cleared (yay!). So basically she's sitting at best case scenario. :)

They will have another follow-up in two months and at this point, they won't be dealing with anything catastrophic. I asked Mark if this meant there were no risks for long-term effects and he said, they were only speaking with the neurologist, so that info applies only to the specific area of her brain. I think they have another doctor who will be able to address that point a little more clearly later. I'll post if I get any other news. But for now, ANSWERED PRAYER - WOOOO!!!

M's Tickets - Tonight!

Hi friends!

Turns out neither Mark nor I can make it to the game tonight, so if you're interested in going, let us know - we'd love to share! The M's are playing the Angels tonight and are in the midst of a win-streak. Should be a fun game (plus there is a train give-away tonight, woot woot!)

She's Home!!

I just talked to Mark and the girls are (finally!) on their way home! Woo hoo!! They have an appointment with an extra-rad-Children's-Hospital-recommended Pediatrician tomorrow as well as some follow up appointments with, like, other really smart doctors (neurologists and...other-kinds-of-ologists....), but I don't know when those are.

But the point being: she's home!! Yay!! Praise the Lord and thanks for all your prayers!!

Please continue to keep little Julia Jane in your thoughts and prayers and we head down the final bits of this recovery path. :)

MRI Day

More positive news on the Julia front today! They were able to fit her in for an MRI late this afternoon (which she dutifully slept through - what a good girl!) and Mark just called me to tell me that the results are unchanged (which is good news). This means that there is no continuous bleeding, so it's a very positive sign.

Her temperature did spike a little bit today, but not enough so to even call it a fever. So due to the temperature and getting the results so late, Julia and Monica are spending one last night at Children's. They ought to be able to come home tomorrow - yaaaaaaay!!

She'll still have to go in for some follow up appointments as they aren't 100% about the cause yet, as well as to take a closer look at what's going on (once the hematoma clears up). But for now - good news! Woo hoo answered prayer!

I'll continue to post updates as we get more information, but THANK YOU for all your prayers, emails, phone calls, texts, meals - EVERYTHING. Support means so much through something like this and you've really stepped up to the plate. It is so good to be loved. :)

The Home Stretch!

Great news!! I talked to Mark this morning and the doctor's couldn't be more pleased with Julia's progress! She's been feeding really well (and actually breast feeding!) and become more alert and like a regular 5 day old. (She's crying when she's hungry and eating well) At this point, they don't have any major concerns - woo hoo!

Today will be a pretty "normal" day as there are no major events planned. The MRI is scheduled for tomorrow and if all looks good, they'll send our baby girl home tomorrow!

It's SO GOOD to finally have some consistent good news - let's keep praying for more of the same!!

Pretty in Pink

No major update today - things are still going well, we're still waiting it out. But in the mean time, here is a stinking cute picture to feast your eyes on. :)

Julia Update - with Good News!

Good news! After the MRI this morning, we learned that the blood at the back of Julia's brain IS a sub dermal hematoma. This is great because it means that her brain is not bleeding and that the blood is not in her brain - woo hoo! So it's basically like a bruise and will naturally dissipate in the way a bruise does (in 7-10 days). Once they are able to absolutely, positively confirm that there is no additional bleeding happening, she'll be able to go home. They'll do a follow up MRI to confirm in 3-5 days.

We also learned that the bleeding was NOT the result of malformed veins in the back of her head (so no surgery is necessary - yay!). Instead they saw that three of the veins in the back of her head are clotted and while her body should naturally reconcile the issue, they don't know which came first: the veins were closed and then blood essentially got stuck and clotted or the blood clotted and it's now blocking the veins. So as it clears up, they hope to be able to answer that question.

So needless to say, we're in much better spirits today. When I got to the hospital this afternoon to visit, I got to watch Julia have her first feeding (she'd been on an IV previously), so that was great and she seems to be doing really well. It's still a bit of a waiting game while we wait for everything to clear up and make sure there are no lasting effects, but we're feeling much more confident than we were. No more seizure-like behavior and all her vitals are great. Yay answered prayer!

Mark and Monica finally got a full-ish nights rest last night too so that has been a major help as well. Keep the prayers comin' though as we push through this last period ; that her body would clear the blood easily and with no problems and that the bleed didn't cause any lasting damage near her brain. (At this point they don't think there is any damage, but there is always a risk - with cerebral palsy being a worse case scenario). So like I said - thank you so much for the prayers and support and keep them coming!!

Children's Hospital

They've moved Julia to Children's Hospital and since the visiting hours are only until 8 and I'm not a primary care giver - I wasn't allowed in.

But Mark just called me with an update and they said they think that the bleeding isn't the result of a trauma during birth, but rather a blood vessel near the back of the head that didn't finish growing/seal closed/something more medically fancy. This doesn't really change the prognosis at all; it just gives us a clearer reason as to why.

So tomorrow morning (Sunday) they are going to do an MRI and get a better picture of what's going on in that area. If they are correct and it's an incomplete blood vessel, then they will go in through her femoral artery and fix it.

Again, still a little in scary territory (so keep on praying!!), but it could be so much worse, so I'm thankful for where we are.

Mark and Monica are pretty much completely emotionally and physically spent (they're staying the night at the hospital). So much of this is reminiscent of that last week with mom...it's hard to take in. Please be praying especially for them and the boys and send them any encouragement you can.

Thanks and with love...

Julia Update

So we have our first update: it turns out she has blood around her cerebellum. This is what was causing the seizure like symptoms (turns out they weren't actually seizures - EEG confirmed). The indications they have now is that the bleeding has stopped (which is great!), now we just have to wait for the blood to reabsorbed into the body. There is some risk with this (akin to dirt in a bathtub clogging the drain), but hopefully all will go well.

As a result, they are going to transfer her to Children's Hospital so that in the (hopefully) unlikely event that there is a "clog" they have better docs/equipment on hand.

Because the hematoma is around her cerebellum there shouldn't be any cognitive damage; if anything it will effect balance or motor skills (but again, that is worse case scenario).

So we are not out of the woods yet. Once the blood is absorbed, they will be able to assess if there is any damage to the cerebellum. Please be praying the the blood is absorbed seemlessly and that no damage is discovered. We have a lot of reason to be hopeful, but cautiously so.

Miss Julia Jane Champoux

If you haven't heard yet, Miss Julia Jane Champoux was born on Thursday morning (May 20th) at 11:44am at 8 pounds and 19 inches - woo hoo!! And I know I might be biased, but she is absolutely a beautiful baby!! (And this pic doesn't even do her justice - no joke.)

However, we need your prayers! After going home yesterday Mark and Monica noticed that Julia seemed to be occasionally screaming and then holding her breath. Eventually it became a real concern and they brought her back to the hospital around 4am this morning.

We're still at the hospital and we've learned that the episodes are in fact seizures. That is a really scary word, however the do NOT think it is epilepsy. Right now there are a lot of possibilities - it could be the result of an infection, it could be because there is some blood around the brain (they used the vacuum on her head just barely to get her out during birth - so not blood on the brain, but like, on the outside - if that makes sense), could be meningitis (sp?).

So anyway, it sounds like whatever it is, it should be fixable. But until they know what it is, they don't know how to fix it just yet. As I'm typing this they are hooking her up for an EEG to monitor her brain activity through an entire sleep cycle (a little over an hour) and then I believe she is going to have a CT scan. After that we should know quite a bit more.

In the mean time, please be praying for not only little Julia Jane, but also for Mark and Monica. I don't know that Monica has slept much more than an hour or so in the last two days and she is, needless to say, emotional. It's hard for all of us to be back in the hospital so soon after losing Mom. Makes it a lot harder to not jump to really scary conclusions.

I'll keep the blog updated, but we can't use phones in the room here so if you want to contact us, texts are best. Thanks for the prayers and I'll keep you in the loop as we get news.

M's Tickets for TONIGHT!

Update!: Only two tickets left!!

Sorry to use the blog for advertising purposes, but I just had someone back out of all four tickets for tonight :( Anyone interested?

7:05pm start time, Felix Hernandez vs. Baltimore. It's the last game of the home-stand and we're going for the sweep. Felix days are ALWAYS good games and it should be fun tonight.

Seats are on the 100 level, in foul territory along the 3rd baseline in left field. About 10 rows back from the actual field. Sec 149, Row 20, Seats 3, 4. $20 a seat.

Let me know if you're interested!!

Wanna Go To an M's Game?

Hello Readership!

So I forget if I shared with you that Mark and I sprung for season tix to the M's this year (it's gonna be their year...) and from time to time there will be games we can't attend. This Wednesday night is one of those times. So forgive me while I advertise for a brief moment.

The seats are in Section 149, Row 20, Seats 1-4. They are on the one hundred level, along the third base line in left field foul territory. Seats are approx 10 rows behind the edge of the field and provide a 180 degree view of the field. You can see all the action and the big screen. Tickets in this section are typically valued at $32 a seat.

The section is only six seats wide, so these seats occupy most of the row. (Located near the garlic fries and several bathrooms!)

If anyone is interested in going, we'd love to sell you the tickets for $20 a pop. Respond either in the comments or via email.

Thanks!!

Boo FaceBook!

I have been avoiding FaceBook like the friggin' plague for several years now and after an insatiable craving to find my dear friend from college Anne Pries, I soon realized that the only way I was going to be able to contact my long lost friend was via the dreaded website.

So I signed up.

And it's just as awful as I expected: it's completely addicting, I can't turn it off and I now spend all my free time "lurking." Yes, I confess - I'm too chicken to actually friend half the people I'm curious about, so I just nose through their lives (or at least, what's available on facebook) and let one person's page lead me to another and then another....augh, it's disgusting. I'm totally a lurker and I'm totally addicted. It's after midnight, my laptop battery is nearly extinguished and I can't stop. I'm exhausted! I don't want to look anymore!! Yet....I can't shut it down. (Stupid facebook.)

I will admit, it's nice to touch base with peeps I've previously been out of touch with, but there's something sickening about my relationship with this site already. Why do I feel compelled to enter every preference I have into this stupid website? Why do I feel like I'm doing a disservice to the world by not uploading my photos? Why am I constantly trying to come up with something to put on my wall? It's a disease. I have facebookitis. Bad. I'm going try not to develop a terminal case, but it will be hard.

Good-bye free time, it was nice knowing you.

Movie Review: Valentine's Day

I know, I know - cheesy, girly, chick flick is written all over this movie - I won't deny it. But at least I salvaged a shred of self-respect by waiting until March to see it (I mean, right?).

In any case, I recently had the opportunity to go see the movie Valentine's Day with my new friend Katie and we made the best of it. I had actually heard the movie wasn't very good (which is saying a lot when a known quantity like a sappy chick-flick gets the thumbs down from a gaggle of girls), so our expectations were pretty low.

I think the idea behind the film was to build on the success of popular tangentially-related, multiple-plot type movies like Love Actually* or She's Just Not That Into You. Unfortunately the attempt comes off much like that kid in junior high with the cotton candy pink Wet n' Wild lipstick who is clearly trying too hard. In an effort to avoid the stereotypical, cookie-cutter endings to which most romantic comedies fall victim (and thus, why we love them), nearly every plot has an "unexpected" twist. While the effort to do something different is appreciated (...kind of), the end result stinks. It is instead a movie of overly predictable endings. You expect the unexpected (except of course for the main plot, which is 100% predictable...and probably the most enjoyable part of the movie, actually).

If you're going to attempt something like this, it requires authentic story lines with quality character building. Do I even have to tell you that quality plot doesn't touch this movie with a ten-foot poll? I didn't think so.

However, all is not lost for Valentine's Day. Even though the formula for the movie is clearly a poor man's Love Actually (even to the point of sub-plot mimicry), I will give it bonus points for humor. As much as I want to dislike Ashton Kutcher, he is goofy and awkward and completely charming in the most wonderful way. I was having absolute giggle fits over some of his scenes with Jennifer Garner. Jamie Foxx has a few good lines too and really, even though the plot with McSteamy turned out to be kind of lame - who cares! HE'S McSTEAMY!!!

As far as entertainment value goes, I have to give it a passing grade. I laughed, I cringed at the horrifically embarrassing high school scene, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself for 90 minutes. You've got to at least give it that. Would I recommend it? Not to spend money on. But at the same time, I felt like I got my $5/hour of entertainment out of it...just not as a quality movie. If you watch it, keep your expectations low, try to limit your predictions (for your own sake) and let yourself get sucked in by Ashton and Jennifer's charm. It'll be worth it (if you rented it from a Red Box or are watching it on someone else's dime).

My favorite part though was an out-take. For all you Julia Roberts fans out there, this one's for you (Note: this does not spoil the movie in any way - although, why would you be worried about that? - but it does spoil this funny out-take so continue at your own risk). During a scene near the end of the movie she is riding in a limo. The driver asks her if she's ever been shopping on Rodeo Drive. Without missing a beat she half-smiles and says, "Yeah....one time. Big mistake. Big. HUGE!**"

I was absolutely tickled! She used one of her own quotes in context. She's my new hero, I could've died happy right there :)

*If you haven't seen this movie - you really should. It's wonderfully done and the opposite of this movie I'm currently tearing to pieces.

**If you don't get this - I'm sad for you. Go watch Pretty Woman. Right now. Go!!

Missing In Action

I know it's been quite a while since I touched base with the blogging community and the truth is my answer to "Where have you been?" is two-fold: I've been busy and I've been sad.

Busy
Not long after my last post, I got a job. I applied for and interviewed (twice!) for an Executive Assistant position at a non-profit, was one of the final two candidates - and didn't get the job. However, apparently I made enough of an impression, and they asked me to interview for another position (a program assistant). I got that job. Now I've been there a month.

Actually, I can hardly believe that last statement is true but, there it is. The world of non-proficy (?? hahaa...ahhh, good times) is a lot to absorb. It's complicated, complex, and surprisingly interesting. The organization I work for is kind of like a middle-manager: we get grants from the government, match them with private funds and then re-grant them out to organizations that provide services (health care assistance, economic opportunities, case management, etc.) to homeless families. We track the organizations, the success/failure of the programs, and ensure compliance with the terms of the grant (so essentially we're micro-managers) all while providing technical assistance for our grantees (not IT, but rather, how to successfully do X or screen for Y or whatever) as well as apply for new grants from the government and advocate (read: pester) our local and federal legislators to be sure funding is secured for our programs. Sounds like a lot, eh? Well it is.

The nuts and bolts aren't really particularly important to you, so I won't get any more detailed (convoluted?) than that, but I will tell you that my job is specifically to support the grantwriting and evaluation team. If that sounds dry and boring, well it is a bit. However, the people who do that work are really awesome and the work they ask me to do, while administrative, is pretty intellectually challenging, so I like it. It's not teaching, but it's what I can handle right now, so I'm happy about it (and you should be too). Plus, did you know that non-profits have bomb benefits? 'Cause they do. Or, at least this one does. WAAAAAY better than my old job. That's for sho'.

Sad
The reality is also that even though I have been busy establishing my new life in Seattle (which really is going well, don't get me wrong), it seems that everything reminds me of mom. Whether its a movie we used to both love (The Untouchables, Bull Durham, Diggstown), some project idea that pops into my head (hmm, I need curtains. How should I do that? I know I'll ask...oh, yeah), a song on the radio (this actually happens more often than you'd think) or something I know she'd get a kick out of - she's just constantly in my thoughts. There seems to be no way around it.

Mostly the brunt of it hits me when I'm alone (because let's face it, I'm still the same optimistic, slightly naive, happy-to-be-around-other-people person I've always been). So when I come home, watch some show mom and I used to watch, eat some cookies (man, she really loved cookies), or get some random project idea, my heart feels like it's actually constricting with loneliness for her. My eyes brim with tears and I let out a small wail a lá Mary Tyler Moore, "Oh mom!" and indulge myself in a moment of weepiness. I suppose this is probably pretty normal, especially since I'm only 28, still a kid in my mind's eye, and it's only been four months. So I'm trying to go with it and "grieve healthy."

One of the side effects of this, however, is a marked listlessness. Doing anything outside of what is considered absolutely necessary (things like say, blogging) requires an immense amount of energy. But I've recently come to realize that even though it's important to let myself grieve, it's also really really easy to slip into a kind of spiraling self-pity and that's not okay. (Besides, I'm getting kind of tired of just being a bump on my couch.) So in order to help temper the unhealthy - here I am! (Although, ironically, this activity requires me to sit on the couch...I guess I could sit on the floor - but that's not really the point.)

Anyway, all that to say: that's where I've been. For now, I'm going to attempt to churn out some content more regularly, but I have no idea what's going to come out when I actually sit down to write (so be forewarned!) but I hope you'll stick around anyway. :)

Mass Transit Success!

Yesterday, I'm proud to announce, I discovered an express bus route that takes me to and from work in a reasonably efficient manner. I have to walk a fair amount (up first hill, augh!) but I figure the walking is good for me (right?).

Actually, my morning bus ride experience might make you chuckle. So, the bus stop where I am to be picked up is only three blocks from my house - a super easy commute. As I rounded the corner to walk the last block, I saw my bus pulling up to the curb. I immediately broke out into a sprint in an effort to catch the bus (duh). Unfortunately, to catch the bus, I had to cross two intersections (the stop was kitty-corner from me) and by the time I had dodged pedestrians and traffic alike, the bus was zooming away from me. Rats!

Now, if you've ever frequented a mass transist system, you know that the tricky thing about being new to any given route is knowing which side of the street (or tracks) to stand on. You could be in the right place at the right time and still end up going the wrong direction (which I've totally done before and when you get off after one stop, makes you feel pretty sheepish. Whatever, I'm over it.) So being the seasoned veteran that I am, I breathlessly checked the bus schedule on that side of the street and discovered, yay!, that bus was actually not my bus. then I commenced to make the "walk of shame" as I crossed the street again and inserted myself into the gaggle of people I had just sprinted through to run after ,what turned out to be, not my bus. Talk about feeling sheepish...heh heh...ah, yeah. (Insert gentle let-down, semi-awkward sigh here.)

As I got on the bus though, all was forgotten as I was stopped short when I took a seat next to Bullet-Tooth Tony*. No joke, I had to try and not stare. They guy really looked like him! (Although later that same day, I thought the Fed-Ex guy looked kind of shy-yet-adorable a la Bill Pullman, so perhaps it was just a faux celebrity sighting kind of day.)

*It's from the movie Snatch. If you don't know it...well, just forget I brought it up.

Feeling Out of the Loop...?

I've been meaning to post for quite some time now; to attempt to extrapolate and unpack the complex emotion of grief, to update you on the status of my semi-interesting life/well-being, and to practice the art of writing by sharing what can only be irreverently described (thanks to Jack Handy) as my "Deep Thoughts." However, I have completely lacked both the time and emotional energy to do so. I have half-written blogs both in my head and on the backs of envelopes, but I just can't seem to bring them to fruition in a timely manner. And since there is undeniably something incredibly anal about me, I feel like all my posts must be published chronologically (as in, the order in which I plucked them out of thin air and deemed them worth sharing with you). As such, I've got a logjam.

But in reality, that's stupid. So instead (and in an effort to liberate myself from my own psychological prison of "musts") I'm going to do a somewhat random (albeit current) post about "the State of Anne Marie." As I find the time (and gumption) to finish the aforementioned incomplete blogs, I'll post them. Just don't be surprised if you have this nagging feeling that they're out of order - because they are.

So now with that out of the way, I live in Seattle!


Locale

Crazy, right? I keep saying it to myself in an effort to try it out on my own sensibilities, and even as I sit on my recently rescued-from-storage couch, I still can't quite believe it. I'm both excited and numbed by this fact. While I (not so) secretly find it intimidating to live in a big city, I'm trying to view it through the lens of foreign travel. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know new cities in Italy - roaming around, acquainting myself with the city centers, memorizing a map and public transit schedules, patronizing local businesses - it was all so thrilling! So my thought is to view Seattle in the same way. It's all in the eye of the beholder, right? But it's still a transition to go from suburban living to urban living. Things are simultaneously WAY more convenient and terribly inconvenient. But I'm doing my best to adjust.

Therefore, few (trite) city observations:

• There is no such thing as a speed limit. Whether you're on the freeway, a highway or a city street people go whatever speed they dang-well want to. It could be 75 mph or 10mph. Bottom line: stay alert.
  
• There is an alternative to I-5 and it's called Highway 99. And it's simultaneously the most frightening thing I've ever been on/genius!/semi-difficult to navigate (read: what is with the exits??). It's a "highway" but the speed limit is 40 - not that anyone is going that (it's either 55 or 35, no joke.) It has stop lights. Stop. Lights. (??) "Exits" are right hand turns onto residential streets (weird) with virtually no warning. Not to mention three lanes of on-coming traffic with NO DIVIDER! (Dustin, after all you've taught be about cable barrier, this literally makes my butt pucker when I drive it.) Can anyone say "white knuckles?!" And yet, it is an alternative to the snarly traffic nightmare we like to call I-5 and I therefore love it.


• Everything is close and within walking distance, but there is no "one-stop shopping." You have to go to the drug store, the hardware store, the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker individually. (Note: I did locate a Fred Meyer 10 minutes from my house, so that helps, but the concept is still largely true.) Stores aren't necessarily grouped together for ease of use and shared advertising. There are no "community" parking lots. However, there are three parks within walking distance of my house (so that's something).


• Gas station? What's a gas station?


• Public transportation is now a convenient and realistic option...if I don't mind doubling my travel time (which makes the point of using it, what again? I know, I know "carbon footprint," sheesh!)

Social life

All in all, I am warming up to urban life. Slowly, yet my affection is undeniably blooming. I suppose the fact that I have found a new church that I really like (it's all about community and small groups and really great, geeky applications of technology! Well, and Jesus too, but I figured that was a given) and that I've made a friend or two has helped to nurture the cause along.

Semi-related tangent: it's weird to be in a place where I am actively seeking to make friends again. Admittedly, it's slow going - I don't have the luxury of a 500 person college class or a dorm building to serve as a jumping-off point. But it turns out I'm still capable of connecting with strangers and cultivating relationships, so that's good. However, it often turns out that I miss the friends I already have all the more terribly, but I suppose that's only natural. And thus, I soldier on. (Insert dramatic, almost-but-not-quite pathetic sigh here.)

Fortunately, I can always mooch off of Pete's friends so I don't get too lonely - thanks Pete!

Work/School/...???

So last I spoke of the proverbial "next step" in life, I boldly announced that I was destined to become a teacher and heading back to school - look out world!! Well, while that still remains largely true (chyeah!, the world had better look out...) I've decided to postpone "the plan" for at least a year. Turns out its really hard to be a fully-functioning, cohesive adult while grieving. Well, at least for me it is. And while I certainly have good days and the ol' optimistic spring in my step is, well, as spring-y as ever (just pretend that's a word; it's fine), there are still days when it's difficult to get it together. So since I intend to enjoy my future education (I'll certainly be paying enough for it!) and subsequent career path, I've chosen to wait until I feel like the ground has once again materialized under my feet and I no longer have to remind myself to take it one day at a time or to put one foot in front of the other. So perhaps by next fall I will be a student. But for now, I've been blessed with consistent temp work and a few job possibilities on the horizon and I'm content with that.

If you're still reading this, I'm totally impressed. I apologize for the length and lack of cohesion on this post (it's not really one for the memory books), but I had to start somewhere, so thanks for sticking with me. Hopefully there will be more (and better!) things to come, but I feel as if I have tortured you enough for the present.