The Not So Awesome Part

So, maybe I spoke too soon about October. Or it was just last week that was awesome, because I'm pretty sure that I'm sick now. Just in time for my friend to come in on Thursday. I'm swalling garlic and drinking ginger tea to the best of my ability.

Not only am I sick, but my sister has been placed on bedrest for the duration of her pregnancy. She's due Dec. 2. But it's not the bedrest that's worrying, it's the reason she's on bedrest. She has preeclepsia.

Preeclepsia is actually pretty serious. It sometimes causes death for the infant and mother. Now, I'm sure that my sister will be okay as long as she stays on bedrest and relaxed. My mom has gone to stay with her to ensure these two things happen. Mom will be staying with her for the duration of the pregnancy and after as well. When I talked with my sister, she sounded happy. I'm glad she doesn't seem too worried. And therefore, I'm not going to worry. But it does make me sad that she has yet another hurdle to overcome in her pregnancy.

Sorry to complain, everything else is still fabulous. Hopefully, if I lay low today I'll feel better tomorrow.

The Good Month

I've had a really good week. Not only do I have an adoarble kitten, but I also now have a real job. I had a round of interviews last week, starting with a phone interview with a recruiter. That turned into not one but two interviews in person. I was feeling good by the second in person interview. But I didn't want to jinx my chances at full-time employment so, I kept quiet. Finally, this past Thursday they offered me a job!

I will officially be the Corporate Marketing Assistant at GeoEngineers starting on November 2. That means I will no longer be working at the chocolate store. I'll finish out my shifts this week, have a few days off, and then start my real job. In the meantime, I will play with my kitten and have a much looked forward to visit with a friend from the east coast.

I like you, October. You've been good to me.

Mufasa

My birthday came early this year. Max got me a kitten! His name is Mufasa and I've posted a photo from my iPhone to the right. Currently he's hiding under our bed. We just got him home and he's a little scared to find himself without brothers, sisters, and mama. But we are hoping he'll come out and explore soon.

Welcome to the family, Mufasa!

Pink is In

A couple weeks ago while eating lunch in the Uwajimaya food court, I saw a little girl walk by that looked remarkably like my sister when she was small. I remember looking at Max and saying, "I hope my sister is having a girl. A little one of her would be so adorable."

Today I found out that she is officially having a baby girl! Now I can buy her pink baby items. :)

Going to the Market

I've never liked grocery shopping. Actually, I've always hated it a little. The florescent lights, the overwhelming rows of product after product all make me feel claustrophobic. I particularly dislike when I can't find the normal product and all I see are the "low-carb" or "reduced fat" versions. The only grocery shopping I ever did enjoy was going to the farmer's market. I got to get outside, get fresh foods, and interact with people. In the grocery store, the customers are harried and impolite and the workers simply don't want to be there. Overall it was an unpleasant experience.

Today, however, I realized how much over the past month and a half I've found myself enjoying grocery shopping. I've been walking from my apartment to Pike's Place to get fresh fruit, veggetables, and even more. I suppose this is because Pike's is more like a farmer's market and indeed has farmer's stands on most days. Even on the chilly or wet days it is infinitely more enjoyable to walk through the market. Everyone there appears to be enjoying themselves. I no longer dread getting food each week. I see it as an outing, a way to join in society, and connect myself to the world around me.

Perhaps grocery stores represent many of our issues with food. It has become a chore and a missed opportunity for social interaction rather than enjoyable (eating as well as gathering). The grocery store holds processed products that have become more and more distant from the foods we find in farmer's markets. For me at least, enjoying the process of purchasing the food I eat has made the eating more enjoyable. I imagine that extends further when you harvest the food yourself. However, until I have outdoor space I'll enjoy the market.

Own Your Climate

As I'm sure many of you know already, it's BLOG ACTION DAY! The topic this year is Climate Change. I thought I'd take a moment to point out that we often think of climate and environtment as external phenomena. The environment is what we live in, not what we are part of or not what is part of us. I disagree with that notion. We are in the environment, we are part of the environment, we have the environment in us, we are our own environment.

We cannot separate our bodies from the world around us. What happens to the environment happens to us. When fish populations begin to die out, we begin to loose a precious source of food. Not only that but the food chain begins to break down in other ways too. Now I'm not a biologist but I know the basics. The food chain is intricate and delicate. When you remove any one part of it you affect the whole thing, including our bodies. When you take a deep breath of seemingly clean air you inhale all the toxins and chemicals we have put into the environment with factory farms and pesticides. Those toxins and chemicals are just as bad for our bodies as they are for the earth. Why do you think we have such a high rate of cancer?

My point is we act like polluting the earth affects the planet and not us. However, pollution is everywhere. I found this newsletter piece from Seventh Generation and it really draws attention to how intricately connected to the environment our bodies are, especially women's bodies. Take a look at the facts they've listed there and tell me if that doesn't drive you to take a big step forward for climate change. We need to clean up our act because if we don't then we all suffer. It's not just the planet that is suffering from pollution. It's not just the weather or the height of the oceans. It's us. It's in our bodies that things are changing.

So, take a minute and think about what you put in your body. Look up your favorite foods online if you have to and see what is actually in them. Find out what is going into your body and then tell me if you want those chemicals there. Try eating from the farmer's market for a week and see how much more energy you have and how much more healthy you feel. Reduce your footprint so that you can live happily into old age and the rest of us can too. Own your body, your environment, and your life.

Eat Real Food, Not Twinkies

I had my first day at the Rocky Moutain Chocolate Factory yesterday. It was fun and kind of tiring. Everyone there seems really nice and the customers appreciate that you are giving them chocolate. However, one of the things that we did during our training was try a few items. And one of those items is called the "Tiger Tail." The Tiger Tail is a Twinkie dipped in chocolate. In case the Twinkie wasn't bad enough for you to begin with, they dip it in chocolate.

Now, I'm not sure I've actually ever had a Twinkie, well until yesterday. I've never really thought they looked all that delicious. So, because this is work and I need to know about the product, I tried a small bite. It was not great. I mean if you like Twinkies, you'll probably love it. But I think I probably don't like Twinkies. And that just proves that dipping something you don't like in chocolate does not make it eddible.

I also just finished reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. This is a fabulous book. It's really informative. It really helps you realize what is in "food." I am putting that in quotes because it's not food it's product. For example an apple that you get at the farmer's market from a local nursery is food. It's real and full of goodness. Twinkies are product. They don't deserve to be called even fake food. It's so far from food. Anyway, trying the Twinkie got me thinking I'd like to know what is in a Twinkie. So, I did a little Google search this morning. It's really not food. Twinkies have ingredients in them that come from petroleum and are used in rocket fuel and shampoo. I recommend reading this article. Not only are there all those weird ingredients, but the fact that they have 37 ingredients should be a red flag. Pollan says, in In Defense of Food, that you should look for foods that only have 5 ingredients. They should be ingredients you know and can pronounce. I mean a Twinkie is supposed to be a cake with cream in it. It's everything but that.

Why I Love Seattle

I've never met anyone who has been to Seattle and didn't like it. I've never met anyone living here who doesn't love it. I think this is one of the many really unique things about this city. I think Seattlites are in love with Seattle. And I'm falling right along with them. Here are just a few reasons why I love Seattle:

1. The month of September was absolutely beautiful. The sun was shinning the temperatures held around the 70s with a few hotter days. So, phooey on everyone who asked me if I like rain before I moved here. I know it will get grey and it will rain. But Seattle is more than that. In fact, the sun is coming through my window now.

2. Pike Place Market has everything. The produce from the corner is absolutely delicious. I've never had peaches like the ones we got there during the season. And it's fun to just go and walk around, great free entertainment. Not to mention I could watch them throw fish or check out Beecher's making cheese all day.

3. First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square and downtown, including the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is free. It's a wonderful way to spend a Thursday evening or afternoon. I even got to see the Andrew Wyeth exhibit at SAM on Thursday.

4. The Lusty Lady on First never fails to amuse me with it's signage. The most recent says, "All Clothes 100% Off." Yup. LOVE IT.

5. Most Seattleites don't carry umbrellas when it rains.

6. The library here is cool. It's not just a library; it's an architectural marvel. Just going in is a treat. And well worth the hike up to 4th Ave. The gift shop is really cool too.

7. You can get beautiful flowers from Pike's for $3. Max bought me some the other day. :)

8. I have yet to have bad Chai from any of the coffee shops.

9. The bums are creative. Well some of them. One wanted to write poems with our names for food.

10. Dressing is an art, sometimes it's better done than others. I saw a guy wearing long johns and combat boots. He had saggy pajama butt going on. And there is a store that sells kilts. I like to catch glimpses of the store associates in their kilts. It makes me giggle.

New Beginnings

I had a bad morning. I've been searching and searching for work and my deadline is approaching fast. My current job is up October 15th and I really need a paycheck. So, I was stressing over it all this morning and shooting off applications. When I stumbled upon two opportunities right in my neighborhood. One was a job at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and the other a job at a start up company as a marketing/admin assistant. I put together resume and cover letter and set out to hand deliver them. I was really hoping to meet someone at the company with the marketing position available. I thought maybe seeing someone face to face would improve my chances. But when I arrived at the address I found lofts and a locked door. The door had a key pad and directory, but I didn't see the company on the list. So, I went home and called. The phone number gave me an automated service that wouldn't let me get to a directory. So, in the end I emailed the application in.

However, I did turn the application into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in person and even had an interview. Only 30 minutes after the interview, they called me back and now I have a part-time job at a chocolate store. It's only 15 hours a week but it's a start. And it's only a block and a half from my apartment. I may even get a chance to learn about making chocolates.

And as an added bonus, the man who interviewed me owns a specialty motorcycle shop in the city. He's been looking for some help expanding into social media marketing. So, he's asked me to send him some information on what I would charge for such services. Needless to say, I'm feeling better this evening than I was this morning.

When Your Boyfriend Looks Like Your Brother

The first time I came to Seattle was about a year and half ago. Max and I came out for spring break my senior year. One of the many things we decided to do while here, was shopping. I was looking for some work appropriate clothes so we went to Macy's. Max sat in the waiting area while I tried on dresses and blazers and paraded around in front of him. We were having a pretty good time until the obnoxious sales lady came up to us trying to sell more. But the worst part was the way she tried to establish raport. She asked, "Are you brother and sister?"

A couple of days ago, Max and I went to Ital Tea Leaf on First. This is the place where you sit and they give you samples of tea. I was in heaven. The lady serving us tea was an absolute trip. She was chatting away saying everything she thought. She asked how long we'd been together, why we weren't married yet, and then said, "You know you look like brother and sister."

I know that we are both short and dark haired. We probably do look a little similar. But it's really awkward to be asked if your boyfriend is your brother and even more awkward to be told your boyfriend looks like your brother when the person talking knows he's your boyfriend. I've heard it from other people, not just those in Seattle. Next time maybe I'll just say, "Yes, we are incestuous." And then kiss him passionatly on the mouth. That ought to make them feel uncomfortable.

Fighting for a Public Option

I have to admit, I'm disappointed. I knew that our decision makers would not pass a bill with a public option. But I hoped it would have a little more kicking and screaming behind it. I think a public option is genious. How many of our lawmakers actually understand what it's like to not have health insurance, to be dropped suddenly, to have to make a choice between health insurance and food on the table? How many of them really get it? I'd wager few do.

A public option would provide competiton, as they've argued. But more importantly it would provide a basic right to all citizens. We would all have access to decent and more affordable healthcare with a public option. A public option does not mean we are on the brink of Socialism. It means we are on the brink of actually caring what happens to our neighbors and ourselves. If my neighbors are ill than I am ill. What affects this county and its people, affects me. I cannot succeed if my country is sick. And we are sick.

What does it say about us that we are so concerned who is getting the health care, who is benefitting from our precious tax dollars? The truth is none of us are until all of us are. I once heard a man say to his child, "Obama is a bad man because he want's to take Daddy's money away and give it to someone who hasn't worked as hard." How cinical is that? Most of us work just as hard, we may just not get paid as much or have the option to choose better health insurance. Actually, most women still do not get paid as much as men do for the same position. We are still discriminated against on the pay scale and in the work place.

We need a public option. And when we realize it, we are going to look back on this year and say, "How stupid could they have been?"

Occassional Migrane

I don't get a lot of migranes and I don't get them the way some people do. But occassionally I do have a headache that starts behind one eye, gradually works it's way to the pounding point, and makes me feel nauseated. I have bad headaches sometimes; I know it's a migrange when I feel like I might hurl. The best thing I've found for a migrane is Excedrin. It knocks it out in 30 minutes. However, I know Excedrin isn't actually good for me. I also know that taking these migrane medicines will reduce your threshold and increase the chance of having another migrane.

My sister's doctors told her to use Tylenol and caffeine while she's pregnant. Those are two of the key ingredients in any migrane medicine. I've found some interesting home remedies here including ground lemon rind paste applied to the forehead, drinking pure ground grapes, and dietary changes like reducing your white flour and sugar intake.

What remedies do you use for migranes?

Thank You

Yesterday, I got my Bath & Body Works gift certificate in the mail! I just wanted to send a big thank you to all of you for choosing me. I'm very excited about choosing some pampering items. I feel honored that you felt I deserved this.

Hopefully, I'll actually make the GNO this week and then I can return the favor and nominate someone else for a great gift. 

*Image from: http://media.photobucket.com/image/woman%20relaxing/BellagioMS/bigsWoman_Relaxing_At_Spa-1.jpg

City Living

I took my first adventure into the city alone today. Each time I have visited, Max and I have wandered around together and living here for the past few weeks we have done most errands as a team. He's been out a few times without me. But I had yet to leave the apartment on my own. This may seem kind of silly but I don't think I've ever walked around a city by myself. I've always lived in smaller towns and when I did go to a city it was with someone or to meet soemone.

It's really not all that different. There are more people, more bums, and more shops to distract you. But I'm starting to know where things are. So, I didn't feel lost or overwhelmed. I found my way to the library, which requires a hike up Madison. That hill between third and fourth avenue is killer. I got my library card today and placed holds on five books! Hopefully, I'll get to read some of them before I break down and buy them from Elliot Bay Books, which happens to be across the street and not up a killer hill.

I still have yet to really drive around the city. I haven't found an affordable place to park my car. I don't think they exist. It's still parked at Max's brother's house, which I hope is okay because we can't afford to move it yet. Max did get a job, though, at Beecher's. He now gets an awesome discount on delicious cheese and I may get fat. Although, if I keep walking up to the library, I probably will have to eat cheese to maintain weight. Who knew reading could be exercise?

A 'D' Average?

I just heard on the local news here in Seattle that the school district is proposing to lower the graduation average to a 'D.' Really? Is lowering the average so that more people can graduate really going to help our youth? What can you do with a 'D' average? You certainly won't get into college that way and college degrees and master's degrees are becoming more and more necessary for solid, well-paying jobs. The competition is getting tougher. There are more and more people everyday. The more people there are, the more people that have the exact same credentials. Having a 'D' average is going to leave high school graduates in the dust and unprepared to be on their own.

I think the bar should be raised. I think we should be encouraging young people to do better in school. I think we should be challenging them. Not teaching them it's okay to do poorly. Because a 'D' is a 60%. High school students barely have to try to get a 60. And if we aren't challenging them, they will loose interest.

In an article in the Seattle Times, I found this for reasoning: "Counselors also hope the change would encourage some students to stay in school because they would have a greater chance of graduating and some would be more willing to try challenging classes." I'm not buying it. Do students drop out because they are afraid the won't graduate? Do they decide not to take classes because they are afraid they will get a grade low enough to keep them from graduating? In my experience as a student, the students who are getting these grades are the ones who need to be pushed and motivated. They don't need more coddling. They need a reason to work harder. I've seen brilliant students get low grades because they just weren't challenged enough. We need to raise the bar and give those students something to work for.

Weekend in Port Townsend

This past weekend I went to Port Townsend with my boyfriend and his family for the Wooden Boat Show. His brother, his fiance, my boyfriend, and myself were supposed to sail there Friday night to meet up with the rest of the family on Saturday morning.

Port Townsend is the cutest little town in the Northwest. I guess I don't know that for sure as I've been to very few towns in the Northwest. But i'm going to go out on a limb and say that it is. It actually reminded me of a New England town. It has these beautiful Victorian houses up on the bluff above the main downtown and looking out over the bay to Marristone Island. We anchored in the bay and took the dingy into town, where you can find adorable shops and cafes. My personal favorites are this jewlery store on the main drag called Lila Drake and the Courtyard Cafe. The Courtyard Cafe is a cute old house. It has really tasty baked goods. They also make their own marshmallows and toast each one personally with a little pastry torch. You can sit inside or outside in their courtyard. It was the perfect breakfast spot.

It's actually really fortunate that Port Townsend is so cute because Friday night was awful. We met my boyfriend's brother at his boat at 8:30 pm. We kind of dragged our feet a little getting there because we knew he and his fiance may take awhile to get ready. And we also knew they weren't planning on leaving until midnight. What we didn't know is that he needed to change the oil and the filters on the engine before we could leave. My boyfriend and his brother worked on the engine from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. They finally got it running again after figuring out how to bleed the lines of air. We didn't leave the dock until 5 a.m. I spent most of that time on the deck of the boat and I forgot my book! It was pretty cold. I watched the big dipper move from directly in front of me to directly to my right. So, sleep deprived we motored all the way to Port Townsend.

If we hadn't been so tired we may have enjoyed the weekend a little more. But we did see a Menki whale and the weather was perfect. It was sunny and 70. We went sailing on Sunday for a little bit to see the the sail boats from that angle. We actually ended up sailing amongst all the pristene wooden boats. On accident we got stuck in the parade on Max's brother's fiberglass boat. We were definitely glad to come home. But I could live in Port Townsend. It's adorable.

National Healthcare Could Help Me

I don't usually go all political on you all. However, because I went from full-time to part-time employment on August 1st, I lost my health insurance. Technically I can inact COBRA before the end of September or get a new plan before then. The problem is, I'm not getting paid a full salary anymore and COBRA is really expensive! Not only is COBRA expensive, but to use it I have to pay for August and September right away. However, I don't want to have my insurance lapse. So, I'm hunting around for insurance options today and it only reinforces to me how badly we need a nationalized health care option.

As I was looking around at the different options, I thought maybe I should see if I qualify for medicare. So, I looked it up and found myself at Washington Basic Health. It turns out I might qualify if I applied. However, I found this on the front page:

Basic Health has a Wait List

To stay within the appropriated budget, Basic Health is no longer processing incoming applications to determine eligibility and has officially implemented a waiting list. New applicants will be placed on a list behind those already waiting. When space becomes available in the future, Basic Health will release names from the list in date-received order and notify applicants.

I want to know how long that wait list is. What are these families on this wait list doing for health coverage? Most likely they don't have any. These families should have access to affordable healthcare. The other developed nations (England, France, Switzerland, etc.) offer national health plans. We need to stop freaking out about socialism and realize that by helping each other we'll be helping ourselves.

National health coverage is actually good for everyone. It actually helps us all and not just the poor. For one thing the private insurance industry is inefficient at best. Thousands and probably millions of our dollars are wasted on administrative and other expenses. And even if you have health care you may loose it at any time. Because you are buying from a private company, they can decide you are no longer a good investment. If you get sick and can no longer work full-time, you may loose your insurance through your job.

Here are a couple of op-eds I thought were interesting: why national health care can work and information on the number and socioeconomic status of the uninsured.

I wish I was better at explaining these types of issues. It's obviously more complicated than this little piece. But we need to wake up and realize the system we have doesn't work.

Selling Yourself...On Paper

Today, I've decided I need to revamp my resume. I have a couple of books to look through for resume advice. I have two or three versions of my resume already. I've sat down at the computer and opened all these versions. I've pulled out the books. And now I'm blogging.

I'm not very good at selling myself. Resumes require you to sell yourself. And if you don't do it well, you don't get the job. The job I got right out of college, I got because I went to a job fair. I'm impressive in person I suppose. But when it comes to writing down on paper what my skills and experiences are, I tend to underestimate myself. I don't like to brag and I feel like that's what I am doing. I can easily write down what jobs I've had, but it's describing the skills and tasks associated with those jobs. I guess I don't feel like what I do is all that important so writing it up on a resume is difficult.

So, I've got two resume books and a book called "Careers for Bookworms and Other Literary Types." I'm hoping that book will help me narrow down a career path and that in the meantime my resume will help me get a good job.

Do you struggle when writing your resume? Or is it easy for you? Do you have resume writing tricks?

Why I'm Not Allowed in the Kitchen or Near Sharp Objects

I was reminded today of knife safety when I nearly sliced off the side and tip of my finger. I went across the street and bought a baguette. It looked so delicious, I couldn't wait to cut into it. Apparently my exhaustion and my voracious appetite for the bread led to some careless sliciing behavior and I sliced through my nail and finger.

I'm currently afraid of what it looks like. It hurts. So, remember not to operate heavy machinery or use knives when exhausted and hungry. It won't end well. Actually, you should always slice away from your fingers. Common sense, right? Well obviously my common sense failed me today.

The baguette was delicious though. Perhaps next time I'll just rip a chunk off the loaf.

Home is Where?

So, I don't usually consider myself materialistic or anything. I mean I like Cole Haan boots, my green arm chair, my sewing machine, and especially my Citizens of Humanity jeans. But for the most part I figure I can deal with out these things. I've had to do it before.

When I was little pretty much everything I owned was second hand or charity. My sister's and my winter clothing always came from those Christmas stores where you get to pick out one jacket, one pair of boots, etc.

But then I got all my stuff back from the pod today. And I have to say home feels a little like where your stuff is. I liked my apartment before all my things arrived but now I'm loving it. It's so wonderful to sit back in this chair and just feel at home.

One point for materialism.

Arrival

I have finally arrived in Seattle. After a week on the road, it feels good to be stationary. Everything seemed to fall into place when it needed to on our trip, including getting into our new apartment, which wasn't supposed to happen until Sept. 1. But when we called to sign the lease, the manager let us in anyway.

So, here we are with a mostly empty apartment. We'll be able to access all our belongings on Monday. The only downside of the Upack pod--you can't access it on the weekend. Otherwise, it appears to be a great service. We'll see how all our stuff made the 3,000 miles. 

For our first official day in Seattle, we wandered the International District (ID). Our search led us to Uwajimaya (I hope that's right), a huge grocery store. It's a pretty quick walk from the apartment and the prices appear to be pretty decent. And although it's in the ID and has a great selection of Asian food, it also has some pretty basic American foods too.

Then of course, we went up to Pike's Place and got some farm fresh peaches and cherries.

It's been a pretty great day. Now all I need is a job.