So, I survived my first day of classes--or class, since I only have one per day. And Fridays off! (Except for this weekend, when my Friday and Saturday will be spent completing a two credit class in two days--I'm so excited.) On the down side, my regular classes are two hours each--and I thought as an undergrad that some of those fifty minute classes couldn't go by fast enough.
So late on Sunday night my roommate officially moved in and spent his first night in the apartment. We see each other every day, though I've spent an awful amount of time on campus lately, and we seem to get along so far. Anyway, his full name is Andhika and he goes by Andhi. He is from Jakarta, and his family is Catholic, though Andhi says he's not very religious. He does not drink since (I think) he has a low alcohol tolerance, but we'll see if that changes when he turns 21. (I'm thinking of Justin who has managed overcome his low tolerance.) He's a junior now and transferred here (from a school in Indonesia?). Andhi also attended an International School (not sure where) which I believe is where he learned most of his Americanized English (he also speaks Indonesian). On Monday night we went and saw The Burning Plain with Charlize Theron (it was an interesting movie; not sure I would recommend it). He also likes musicals and his favorite movie is High School Musical. Yes, my roommate is gay. This will be interesting. He also has a cute friend (bf?) named Adyceum (Ady?), who despite his very interesting name that I have no idea how to pronounce, is thoroughly white and American. I think they met at the international school. So there's an update on that, and though I've learned a lot, there's still a lot I don't know.
Anyway, I have learned that lunch is important. Yesterday, we had a second orientation, an iSchool fair, and then a happy hour. Yay, beer! I didn't eat much breakfast and no lunch, but had tea, coffee, more tea, and then quite a lot of beer. My digestive system was not very happy with me. Today, there was a special collections tour (actually pretty boring, and now I know I don't want to be a archivist), another "workshop" and then my first class. And so even though I had less caffeine, no alcohol, and more water, I still didn't eat lunch and now it's time to make some pizza and get ready for Glee. TTFN!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Curious Case of the Mysterious Roommate and Other Stories
*Sorry for the LONG blogs guys. I can write but I can't edit (or be succinct).*
So, I have a roommate. It was a bit touch-and-go there for a while though. His name is Andy, at least I think it is--I haven't been able to clear that up yet--and he, or at least his family, is from Indonesia (or by way of Indonesia). The children, at least Andy, speak regular, American English based on the two very brief conversations I've had with him, while also speaking fluent Indonesian(?) or one of the other 700+ languages of that country. The parents speak less fluent English and it's heavily accented.
On Thursday, I was sitting in my apartment, lounging in my pajamas at 1:30 in the afternoon, watching Battlestar Galactica. At this point I had given up on having a roommate, when the door opened up and in walked one of the community assistants and this entire Asian family. It was very awkward. After making some small talk, they got to work in his bedroom and I hid in mine. After a little while they left, and I immediately seized the bathroom to shower and get dressed. Then I frantically cleaned the kitchen and the rest of the apartment. But they didn't show up again that day or the next.
I wondered if my fifteen bottles of liquor and liqueurs prominently displayed had scared the family away. At least I had thrown away the empty wine bottle. So I knocked on his door late that night and when there was no answer I decided to open it, to see if his stuff was still there, or if he had truly fled. Or at least I tried to--the door was locked. Compounding my morbid nature with my tendency to assume the worst, I wondered if this nice kid had come to college to lock himself in a room and commit suicide.
On Friday I woke up relatively early--10 am--for I had orientation that day. After the five-hour meeting and a bowling social--more on this later--I came home to find the apartment just as dark as I had left it. Except someone had been there. For instance I had left the toilet seat down and the bathroom door open, but when I came home the door was closed and the seat up. There were also some new cleaners in the cupboard. But still no roommate. Unless he was dead in the adjacent room, but if that was the case, I was determined to let lying bodies lie.
On Saturday, I slept in again, and was enjoying tea and a novel around noon in my pajamas, when again his family came in--but there were more of them this time--I quite calmly finished my tea and then took a shower and got dressed. At this point I went to meet Maggie to explore some more of the city, and left my roommate and his family to continue setting up his room--I did notice that he has a television that supports satellite hooked up in his bedroom, lucky bastard. But when I came home later that evening, he was once again gone. The mystery continues. He has not yet appeared today, but if and when he comes, I will be fully dressed and groomed.
So I'm trying to remember what I've actually been up to this week. On Wednesday, Maggie and I went to the zoo, which I found slightly ironic since Maggie is a vegetarian--but she's not militant and I think her vegetarianism has less to do with animal rights than other issues, but I don't really know. Anyway, shes loves animals and the Woodland Park Zoo is a nice little zoo that was also a bit pricey (which is a theme in Seattle). The animals were nice and active which is always more fun than when they're sleeping. After the zoo, we went and explored some more of Wallingford. We got dinner at this Greek pizzeria which was interesting, but I probably won't be going back there. The atmosphere was . . . weird. We planned on going to see Bright Star but had missed the 7:00 showing, so we walked all the way to the U District where there was another movie theater, but they didn't have any showings for the next hour, so we took the bus back--after a forty-minute wait--and decided to skip the movie and get tea instead at Teahouse Kaun Yin where we talked some more about movies and poetry and Germany.
On Thursday, after my roommate left, I didn't do a whole lot. Though I did spend way too much money and ate way too much food at a local Mexican restaurant chain called Azteca--there's one right across the street from me. So that was fun.
On Friday, it was orientation. This was a five-hour session--with coffee, food, and a few breaks--to learn a lot of information about a lot of different things at the iSchool. I don't remember everything, so thank goodness I took some notes and got a folder with lots of handouts. I decided to go to library school on a whim and sort of stumbled on UW, so I hope this all works out in the end. We'll have to see how classes go. Though the good news is that if I really need a lit class or something, I can always take an undergraduate class (not for credit) just as long as I'm not too busy already. After orientation there was an ALISS social which is the student organization for the iSchool, and that was fun. They had rented out the bowling alley at the union building and there was wine and beer and pizza. Hooray for campuses that allow alcohol! I didn't bowl, but I did talk to a few different students which was good.
And yesterday, Maggie and I went to see the Seattle Asian Art Museum since it was free or something (I think SAM admission is always suggested rather than enforced which was confusing because we had this paper for free admission). Anyway, it was all right, there were some beautiful ceramics and wall paintings, but I have realized that I am thoroughly Western; however, it did make me want to take out my World Lit anthology and read Li Bai and some other Chinese poets. Also, I prefer paintings to sculptures and ceramics, which is one reason why the British Museum was such a let down after the National Gallery, the Musee d'Orsay, and the Louvre--also, I was really tired of museums by then.
The museum was in Volunteer Park where there's also this water tower where you can climb to the top. As we were climbing up the stairs, I had a distinct reminder of climbing to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral--so many steps! The water tower wasn't really that high, but it did offer fantastic views of the city especially since it was a clear and sunny day. (I'm wondering how long this fantastic weather can last in Seattle. *knock on wood*) Then we walked toward Broadway in Capitol Hill without knowing where or how exactly to get there. Anyway, Capitol Hill is the city's alternative neighborhood and the center of the gay population. Broadway was fun to walk down and we stopped to grab some dinner at a cafe. We also stopped at a giant record store where I got me some more Tori Amos. We then rode the bus back to campus and I walked home. It was a most excellent day.
Today I need to buy some more things before University Village closes. I also need to learn how to live on my own again. Living at home for the last two years, and only working part-time for the last year, has really been a very unstructured way of life. Buying weekly groceries and cooking for myself is something I haven't done for a long, long time. And while I've done my own laundry since moving to college the first time, I haven't had to use a complex's laundry facility since sophomore year. I miss free laundry--and doing it anytime in my own apartment/house. And I'm not so good with chores without my mom (or Melissa) to enforce them. (We also don't have a vacuum.) I'm staying up too late and sleeping in too long. At least classes should give me some structure, but I only have one class each day Monday through Thursday, and they're all in the afternoon. I should look for a part-time job, but what with the economy and my total lack of motivation to do so, we'll see how that goes. Well, I better stop writing and get to it. "Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You're gonna love it."
So, I have a roommate. It was a bit touch-and-go there for a while though. His name is Andy, at least I think it is--I haven't been able to clear that up yet--and he, or at least his family, is from Indonesia (or by way of Indonesia). The children, at least Andy, speak regular, American English based on the two very brief conversations I've had with him, while also speaking fluent Indonesian(?) or one of the other 700+ languages of that country. The parents speak less fluent English and it's heavily accented.
On Thursday, I was sitting in my apartment, lounging in my pajamas at 1:30 in the afternoon, watching Battlestar Galactica. At this point I had given up on having a roommate, when the door opened up and in walked one of the community assistants and this entire Asian family. It was very awkward. After making some small talk, they got to work in his bedroom and I hid in mine. After a little while they left, and I immediately seized the bathroom to shower and get dressed. Then I frantically cleaned the kitchen and the rest of the apartment. But they didn't show up again that day or the next.
I wondered if my fifteen bottles of liquor and liqueurs prominently displayed had scared the family away. At least I had thrown away the empty wine bottle. So I knocked on his door late that night and when there was no answer I decided to open it, to see if his stuff was still there, or if he had truly fled. Or at least I tried to--the door was locked. Compounding my morbid nature with my tendency to assume the worst, I wondered if this nice kid had come to college to lock himself in a room and commit suicide.
On Friday I woke up relatively early--10 am--for I had orientation that day. After the five-hour meeting and a bowling social--more on this later--I came home to find the apartment just as dark as I had left it. Except someone had been there. For instance I had left the toilet seat down and the bathroom door open, but when I came home the door was closed and the seat up. There were also some new cleaners in the cupboard. But still no roommate. Unless he was dead in the adjacent room, but if that was the case, I was determined to let lying bodies lie.
On Saturday, I slept in again, and was enjoying tea and a novel around noon in my pajamas, when again his family came in--but there were more of them this time--I quite calmly finished my tea and then took a shower and got dressed. At this point I went to meet Maggie to explore some more of the city, and left my roommate and his family to continue setting up his room--I did notice that he has a television that supports satellite hooked up in his bedroom, lucky bastard. But when I came home later that evening, he was once again gone. The mystery continues. He has not yet appeared today, but if and when he comes, I will be fully dressed and groomed.
So I'm trying to remember what I've actually been up to this week. On Wednesday, Maggie and I went to the zoo, which I found slightly ironic since Maggie is a vegetarian--but she's not militant and I think her vegetarianism has less to do with animal rights than other issues, but I don't really know. Anyway, shes loves animals and the Woodland Park Zoo is a nice little zoo that was also a bit pricey (which is a theme in Seattle). The animals were nice and active which is always more fun than when they're sleeping. After the zoo, we went and explored some more of Wallingford. We got dinner at this Greek pizzeria which was interesting, but I probably won't be going back there. The atmosphere was . . . weird. We planned on going to see Bright Star but had missed the 7:00 showing, so we walked all the way to the U District where there was another movie theater, but they didn't have any showings for the next hour, so we took the bus back--after a forty-minute wait--and decided to skip the movie and get tea instead at Teahouse Kaun Yin where we talked some more about movies and poetry and Germany.
On Thursday, after my roommate left, I didn't do a whole lot. Though I did spend way too much money and ate way too much food at a local Mexican restaurant chain called Azteca--there's one right across the street from me. So that was fun.
On Friday, it was orientation. This was a five-hour session--with coffee, food, and a few breaks--to learn a lot of information about a lot of different things at the iSchool. I don't remember everything, so thank goodness I took some notes and got a folder with lots of handouts. I decided to go to library school on a whim and sort of stumbled on UW, so I hope this all works out in the end. We'll have to see how classes go. Though the good news is that if I really need a lit class or something, I can always take an undergraduate class (not for credit) just as long as I'm not too busy already. After orientation there was an ALISS social which is the student organization for the iSchool, and that was fun. They had rented out the bowling alley at the union building and there was wine and beer and pizza. Hooray for campuses that allow alcohol! I didn't bowl, but I did talk to a few different students which was good.
And yesterday, Maggie and I went to see the Seattle Asian Art Museum since it was free or something (I think SAM admission is always suggested rather than enforced which was confusing because we had this paper for free admission). Anyway, it was all right, there were some beautiful ceramics and wall paintings, but I have realized that I am thoroughly Western; however, it did make me want to take out my World Lit anthology and read Li Bai and some other Chinese poets. Also, I prefer paintings to sculptures and ceramics, which is one reason why the British Museum was such a let down after the National Gallery, the Musee d'Orsay, and the Louvre--also, I was really tired of museums by then.
The museum was in Volunteer Park where there's also this water tower where you can climb to the top. As we were climbing up the stairs, I had a distinct reminder of climbing to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral--so many steps! The water tower wasn't really that high, but it did offer fantastic views of the city especially since it was a clear and sunny day. (I'm wondering how long this fantastic weather can last in Seattle. *knock on wood*) Then we walked toward Broadway in Capitol Hill without knowing where or how exactly to get there. Anyway, Capitol Hill is the city's alternative neighborhood and the center of the gay population. Broadway was fun to walk down and we stopped to grab some dinner at a cafe. We also stopped at a giant record store where I got me some more Tori Amos. We then rode the bus back to campus and I walked home. It was a most excellent day.
Today I need to buy some more things before University Village closes. I also need to learn how to live on my own again. Living at home for the last two years, and only working part-time for the last year, has really been a very unstructured way of life. Buying weekly groceries and cooking for myself is something I haven't done for a long, long time. And while I've done my own laundry since moving to college the first time, I haven't had to use a complex's laundry facility since sophomore year. I miss free laundry--and doing it anytime in my own apartment/house. And I'm not so good with chores without my mom (or Melissa) to enforce them. (We also don't have a vacuum.) I'm staying up too late and sleeping in too long. At least classes should give me some structure, but I only have one class each day Monday through Thursday, and they're all in the afternoon. I should look for a part-time job, but what with the economy and my total lack of motivation to do so, we'll see how that goes. Well, I better stop writing and get to it. "Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You're gonna love it."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Seattle: Updated and Revised, or We're Not in Cedar City Anymore
"Oh, well I've been orientating myself for the last few days so I'm fine."
"Okay, but I don't think orientating is a word."
Things I Have Acquired:
1) Ethernet Cable! I bought this today at RadioShack and this is how I am able to communicate with you here by the magic of the Internet. I also realized that I have no idea what the Internet actually is and would be at a complete lost to explain it to someone who has been living in a cave for the last twenty years. (But now that I have the Internet again, I can look further into this.)
2) Bloodied Appendages. Years ago the people of Seattle decided to spend their money on building more freeways instead of a public transportation system. Where were all the hippies when you needed them? So everyone drives their car and that makes for traffic congestion like all the time. As a result, I have been walking about most of the time, and while individual neighborhoods may be great to walk around in, walking from neighborhood to neighborhood is less great. Also, the shoes I have been wearing were made by people who hate feet. So what were once feet have been turned into blistered stumps that would make a manicurist cry--or just me. So today I decided to pull out my very old Adidas/Goodyear shoes (that's right, Goodyear shoes) that are very comfortable and in which I walked all around and about London. Sweet Merciful Relief (though I still have blisters). I will be wearing these old shoes until I can find new, decent walking shoes (and gel insoles).
3) My Husky Card/UPass. Sadly this Photo ID features, hands-down, the absolute worst pic I have ever had on any Photo ID. The good news is that I can now ride the buses for free, and supposedly the bus system is actually pretty good. The (other) bad news is that I don't know how to ride buses.
3) A Bottle of Wine. It really helps with the feet thing. Also, hooray for grocery stores selling wine, and not just crappy boxed wine either. I think I'm going to like this place.
4) A Personal Shopping Center. Sandwiched between my apartment complex and campus is University Village which is a large and vibrant shopping center. With more stores than I can count, it includes Barnes & Noble, Gap, Banana Republic, Tiffany & Co., Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, two Starbucks, QFC, Apple Store, Radio Shack, Williams-Sonoma, H&M, J. Crew, Busterblockers (also known at Blockbuster), Safeway, and much, much more. I just hope I don't get into too much financial trouble with such temptation right down the street.
5) A friend! I met Maggie at my tech workshop and we grabbed lunch together, and then after our last workshop we walked around Wallingford and stopped in Teahouse Kuan Yin which was a fabulous relaxed tearoom for serious tea enthusiasts. We spent a couple hours there in delightful conversation. Tomorrow we have a date to explore the Woodland Park Zoo and then to maybe go see Bright Star. Rae was telling me that if my friends truly are one in a million then there have to be around 6,786 of each of them out there and some of those have to live in Seattle. Maggie reminds me a lot of Amanda U. Maybe it's their similar features, or that they're both from California, or into gaming, or studied history and lived in Germany. Anyway, hopefully I will meet more new and exciting people who are the Seattle counterparts of my own dear friends. I also met my aunt's friend Brigitt and she's fun and fabulous and took me to Target to get a bunch of housewares, and hopefully she will also give me some tours of the city.
6) A Shower-Curtain and 6b) Shower-Curtain Hooks. My first morning here, I showered with no shower-curtain and consequently my bathroom floor was turned into a small lake. So when I went to Target, I bought a shower-curtain and some fancy bronze, oblong hooks (because that's all they had). Unfortunately, my shower rod is thick and the rings were too small (that's what she said), so morning number two was an exercise in creative showering. Yesterday, I bought wonderful hooks from Crate and Barrel and they fit perfectly. I was thrilled, but that may have just been the wine.
7) Books. Today I went up The Ave, which is technically named University Way, and features all sorts of hole-in-the-wall cafes, bookstores, restaurants, and shops. I'm very excited to explore them, but maybe with a friend. Local, hole-in-the-wall places (especially bars) and not places I like to drop in by myself. Anyway, the flagship University Bookstore is on The Ave, and I spent $150 on my two required books which isn't too bad I guess.
Things I Have Not Acquired:
1) A Roommate. When I called Nordheim Court to see about a room, I got the last available two-bedroom apartment: 3001B. Our apartment's scheduled move-in date was last Thursday, but as of right now 3001A remains empty. It's been kind of nice since I'm still slowly moving/settling in, but it's also kinda lonely. So I think I'd rather have a roommate than not. But if I don't have one by the end of this week, I kind of doubt that I will have any sort of roommate this quarter.
2) HuskyTV. This is a satellite television service through UW Tech that is provided by my apartment building (for free, and it includes HBO!) but sadly I have not been able to hook my TV up to it. It's an analog TV and I don't have a converter box, so that may be the problem, but I connected my hella janky cable cord from the TV to the wall plate and no dice (except I am getting FOX). So another trip to RadioShack may be in store, but if any of my technologically savant friends have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. In the meantime, I'll just keep watching HIMYM on DVD.
3) Ice Cub Trays. My movable bar is now much more permanent, but without ice, I cannot make cocktails. It's quite sad, so it looks like another trip to Crate and Barrel or Williams-Sonoma is in store, and maybe a trip to Safeway for vermouth and mixers. I really want those silicone ice trays that make perfect cubes.
4) My Bearings. Seattle is a very large city (150 sq. miles; 600,000+ pop.) and is laid out in a quadrant. Goodbye dear Salt Lake City and your wonderful if unimaginative grid system (and great parking). Theoretically, I understand this quadrant system and the NE, NW, SW, SE roads, but in actuality, I get totally turned around. This is when it's helpful to look around for the Space Needle, unquestionably our country's greatest needle, to orientate oneself. Over the course of the next two years, I hope to understand this crazy, crazy city.
5) A movie friend. Maggie is great--and likes movies--but she is not a cinema buff. I need to meet an amazing movie friend combining all the better film parts of Ellen and Slarue.
6) Many Other Things I'm Sure--but have forgotten. You see, I got out the wine again.
A Brief Play-By-Day
On Thursday we left Bountiful and on one tank of gas, my car made it all the way to Boise. My dad's 4Runner was not so fuel efficient. We ate in Boise and then drove all the way to La Grande, OR to sleep for the night. Almost all of the rooms were booked for the Pendleton Round-Up. The next day we crossed into Washington and drove all the way to Kent, a suburb outside Seattle, where my mom's cousin lives.
On Saturday, we drove into Seattle combating bad traffic which was especially bad since there was a big home game against USC. I live not far at all from the stadium. It was also grey and drizzly. Welcome to Seattle! The days since have actually been sunny and warmer than I expected. We found my complex and moved me in. Then we went to Safeway and my parents generously bought me a bunch of groceries, even though it still seems that my fridge and cupboards are bare. We met my aunt and her friend, Nick, for lunch--Dungeness crab mac and cheese (with Gruyere!)--yum. My family left, and I spent the night with the daunting task of unboxing everything and moving in. It's still a work in progress. I then explored campus by dark and luckily stumbled upon Mary Gates Hall which is where the iSchool is housed.
On Sunday, I drove downtown past Pike's Place and then north all the way to Shoreline, that was scary, and then back down to Green Lake. I found some street parking and walked around the lake trail for an hour--that was in the bad shoes--and got some Peet's Coffee which sadly was quite bad. Maybe it was the roast that day, or the fact that there was almost no room left for cream and that instead of half and half, there was only milk. Later that day, my aunt and Brigitt swung by and took me to Target (which is way outside the city) and then to dinner.
On Monday I woke up bright and early and walked to campus for my first two tech workshops. I managed to find Mary Gates Hall again--even campus is confusing--and met Maggie and spent a long, but fun, day walking around town--which my feet may never forgive me for. And that brings us to today. I went back to campus for my last workshop, bought my books and the Ethernet cable, stopped at a Starbucks (for as anti-corporate as Seattle is supposed to be, there are still a vast number of Starbucks--it is a local company after all--and they are all very, very busy), and am now sitting at home, enjoying the wine, and writing this blog. I hope you are all doing well. I think I am slowly but surely adjusting. Much love.
"Okay, but I don't think orientating is a word."
Things I Have Acquired:
1) Ethernet Cable! I bought this today at RadioShack and this is how I am able to communicate with you here by the magic of the Internet. I also realized that I have no idea what the Internet actually is and would be at a complete lost to explain it to someone who has been living in a cave for the last twenty years. (But now that I have the Internet again, I can look further into this.)
2) Bloodied Appendages. Years ago the people of Seattle decided to spend their money on building more freeways instead of a public transportation system. Where were all the hippies when you needed them? So everyone drives their car and that makes for traffic congestion like all the time. As a result, I have been walking about most of the time, and while individual neighborhoods may be great to walk around in, walking from neighborhood to neighborhood is less great. Also, the shoes I have been wearing were made by people who hate feet. So what were once feet have been turned into blistered stumps that would make a manicurist cry--or just me. So today I decided to pull out my very old Adidas/Goodyear shoes (that's right, Goodyear shoes) that are very comfortable and in which I walked all around and about London. Sweet Merciful Relief (though I still have blisters). I will be wearing these old shoes until I can find new, decent walking shoes (and gel insoles).
3) My Husky Card/UPass. Sadly this Photo ID features, hands-down, the absolute worst pic I have ever had on any Photo ID. The good news is that I can now ride the buses for free, and supposedly the bus system is actually pretty good. The (other) bad news is that I don't know how to ride buses.
3) A Bottle of Wine. It really helps with the feet thing. Also, hooray for grocery stores selling wine, and not just crappy boxed wine either. I think I'm going to like this place.
4) A Personal Shopping Center. Sandwiched between my apartment complex and campus is University Village which is a large and vibrant shopping center. With more stores than I can count, it includes Barnes & Noble, Gap, Banana Republic, Tiffany & Co., Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, two Starbucks, QFC, Apple Store, Radio Shack, Williams-Sonoma, H&M, J. Crew, Busterblockers (also known at Blockbuster), Safeway, and much, much more. I just hope I don't get into too much financial trouble with such temptation right down the street.
5) A friend! I met Maggie at my tech workshop and we grabbed lunch together, and then after our last workshop we walked around Wallingford and stopped in Teahouse Kuan Yin which was a fabulous relaxed tearoom for serious tea enthusiasts. We spent a couple hours there in delightful conversation. Tomorrow we have a date to explore the Woodland Park Zoo and then to maybe go see Bright Star. Rae was telling me that if my friends truly are one in a million then there have to be around 6,786 of each of them out there and some of those have to live in Seattle. Maggie reminds me a lot of Amanda U. Maybe it's their similar features, or that they're both from California, or into gaming, or studied history and lived in Germany. Anyway, hopefully I will meet more new and exciting people who are the Seattle counterparts of my own dear friends. I also met my aunt's friend Brigitt and she's fun and fabulous and took me to Target to get a bunch of housewares, and hopefully she will also give me some tours of the city.
6) A Shower-Curtain and 6b) Shower-Curtain Hooks. My first morning here, I showered with no shower-curtain and consequently my bathroom floor was turned into a small lake. So when I went to Target, I bought a shower-curtain and some fancy bronze, oblong hooks (because that's all they had). Unfortunately, my shower rod is thick and the rings were too small (that's what she said), so morning number two was an exercise in creative showering. Yesterday, I bought wonderful hooks from Crate and Barrel and they fit perfectly. I was thrilled, but that may have just been the wine.
7) Books. Today I went up The Ave, which is technically named University Way, and features all sorts of hole-in-the-wall cafes, bookstores, restaurants, and shops. I'm very excited to explore them, but maybe with a friend. Local, hole-in-the-wall places (especially bars) and not places I like to drop in by myself. Anyway, the flagship University Bookstore is on The Ave, and I spent $150 on my two required books which isn't too bad I guess.
Things I Have Not Acquired:
1) A Roommate. When I called Nordheim Court to see about a room, I got the last available two-bedroom apartment: 3001B. Our apartment's scheduled move-in date was last Thursday, but as of right now 3001A remains empty. It's been kind of nice since I'm still slowly moving/settling in, but it's also kinda lonely. So I think I'd rather have a roommate than not. But if I don't have one by the end of this week, I kind of doubt that I will have any sort of roommate this quarter.
2) HuskyTV. This is a satellite television service through UW Tech that is provided by my apartment building (for free, and it includes HBO!) but sadly I have not been able to hook my TV up to it. It's an analog TV and I don't have a converter box, so that may be the problem, but I connected my hella janky cable cord from the TV to the wall plate and no dice (except I am getting FOX). So another trip to RadioShack may be in store, but if any of my technologically savant friends have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. In the meantime, I'll just keep watching HIMYM on DVD.
3) Ice Cub Trays. My movable bar is now much more permanent, but without ice, I cannot make cocktails. It's quite sad, so it looks like another trip to Crate and Barrel or Williams-Sonoma is in store, and maybe a trip to Safeway for vermouth and mixers. I really want those silicone ice trays that make perfect cubes.
4) My Bearings. Seattle is a very large city (150 sq. miles; 600,000+ pop.) and is laid out in a quadrant. Goodbye dear Salt Lake City and your wonderful if unimaginative grid system (and great parking). Theoretically, I understand this quadrant system and the NE, NW, SW, SE roads, but in actuality, I get totally turned around. This is when it's helpful to look around for the Space Needle, unquestionably our country's greatest needle, to orientate oneself. Over the course of the next two years, I hope to understand this crazy, crazy city.
5) A movie friend. Maggie is great--and likes movies--but she is not a cinema buff. I need to meet an amazing movie friend combining all the better film parts of Ellen and Slarue.
6) Many Other Things I'm Sure--but have forgotten. You see, I got out the wine again.
A Brief Play-By-Day
On Thursday we left Bountiful and on one tank of gas, my car made it all the way to Boise. My dad's 4Runner was not so fuel efficient. We ate in Boise and then drove all the way to La Grande, OR to sleep for the night. Almost all of the rooms were booked for the Pendleton Round-Up. The next day we crossed into Washington and drove all the way to Kent, a suburb outside Seattle, where my mom's cousin lives.
On Saturday, we drove into Seattle combating bad traffic which was especially bad since there was a big home game against USC. I live not far at all from the stadium. It was also grey and drizzly. Welcome to Seattle! The days since have actually been sunny and warmer than I expected. We found my complex and moved me in. Then we went to Safeway and my parents generously bought me a bunch of groceries, even though it still seems that my fridge and cupboards are bare. We met my aunt and her friend, Nick, for lunch--Dungeness crab mac and cheese (with Gruyere!)--yum. My family left, and I spent the night with the daunting task of unboxing everything and moving in. It's still a work in progress. I then explored campus by dark and luckily stumbled upon Mary Gates Hall which is where the iSchool is housed.
On Sunday, I drove downtown past Pike's Place and then north all the way to Shoreline, that was scary, and then back down to Green Lake. I found some street parking and walked around the lake trail for an hour--that was in the bad shoes--and got some Peet's Coffee which sadly was quite bad. Maybe it was the roast that day, or the fact that there was almost no room left for cream and that instead of half and half, there was only milk. Later that day, my aunt and Brigitt swung by and took me to Target (which is way outside the city) and then to dinner.
On Monday I woke up bright and early and walked to campus for my first two tech workshops. I managed to find Mary Gates Hall again--even campus is confusing--and met Maggie and spent a long, but fun, day walking around town--which my feet may never forgive me for. And that brings us to today. I went back to campus for my last workshop, bought my books and the Ethernet cable, stopped at a Starbucks (for as anti-corporate as Seattle is supposed to be, there are still a vast number of Starbucks--it is a local company after all--and they are all very, very busy), and am now sitting at home, enjoying the wine, and writing this blog. I hope you are all doing well. I think I am slowly but surely adjusting. Much love.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Seattle
In which I will write a new post about living in Seattle as soon as I can find either an Ethernet cable or WiFi router available for love or money.
Also, if anyone knows anything about televisions and cable, I will need your know-how.
Yes, I am techno-illiterate. Thank goodness the iSchool has seen fit to provide free technology workshops before the quarter commences.
Also, if anyone knows anything about televisions and cable, I will need your know-how.
Yes, I am techno-illiterate. Thank goodness the iSchool has seen fit to provide free technology workshops before the quarter commences.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Excited and Scared
I should be packing right now instead of writing this blog. But it has finally has started to feel like fall--the temperature's dropped a bit and the last couple of days have been a bit rainy. Which is all very nice as I love fall, but grad school is suddenly much, much closer and real.
Until yesterday, Seattle and UW were just a far-away dream, and I felt neither anticipation nor anxiety. Well, that's all changed now. I move Thursday--crazy--and I've been buying stuff I think I'll need, spending way too much money, and probably buying nothing that will actually be useful--yes, I suffer from buyer's remorse. Anyway, among other things, I purchased a city map of Seattle at my aunt's behest, and I also got one of those city guides by Frommer's. Looking through the guide has been rather exciting, but I have to realize that I am not going on a vacation, rather I am moving to live in Seattle for at least two years. And now I'm scared, well excited and scared, about the rain, about the notorious traffic and parking, about finding a job, about how damn expensive everything is--why am I not going to Syracuse? I ask myself. Oh right, financial aid. At least I won't have to deal with ice storms, I tell myself.
So I've packed all of my books (mostly), but it turns out that was the easy part. The nice thing about moving from home is that I don't have to move everything out and scour the apartment before leaving. But on the other hand, it's hard to decide what to leave and what to take. I'm trying to create a DI pile of clothes, but I've only managed to throw out two items. And I need to go through all my kitchen equipment and decide what will fit in my tiny Seattle apartment. Have I mentioned that I hate moving? I also need to do laundry, and it would probably be a good idea to get an oil change and make sure my car is running smoothly before going on a fifteen-hour drive. So much to do, so little time--guess I better stop writing and start packing. Blerg.
Until yesterday, Seattle and UW were just a far-away dream, and I felt neither anticipation nor anxiety. Well, that's all changed now. I move Thursday--crazy--and I've been buying stuff I think I'll need, spending way too much money, and probably buying nothing that will actually be useful--yes, I suffer from buyer's remorse. Anyway, among other things, I purchased a city map of Seattle at my aunt's behest, and I also got one of those city guides by Frommer's. Looking through the guide has been rather exciting, but I have to realize that I am not going on a vacation, rather I am moving to live in Seattle for at least two years. And now I'm scared, well excited and scared, about the rain, about the notorious traffic and parking, about finding a job, about how damn expensive everything is--why am I not going to Syracuse? I ask myself. Oh right, financial aid. At least I won't have to deal with ice storms, I tell myself.
So I've packed all of my books (mostly), but it turns out that was the easy part. The nice thing about moving from home is that I don't have to move everything out and scour the apartment before leaving. But on the other hand, it's hard to decide what to leave and what to take. I'm trying to create a DI pile of clothes, but I've only managed to throw out two items. And I need to go through all my kitchen equipment and decide what will fit in my tiny Seattle apartment. Have I mentioned that I hate moving? I also need to do laundry, and it would probably be a good idea to get an oil change and make sure my car is running smoothly before going on a fifteen-hour drive. So much to do, so little time--guess I better stop writing and start packing. Blerg.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Hitting the Books
While I was working on my summer reading list over the past few months, a number of titles caught my eye, but I had to place them instead on my never-ending, always-growing, lifelong reading list. However, my summer reading list was quite successful, if not 100%--and I'm still trying to make my way through the last sixty pages of Absalom, Absalom!, and Sexual Personae is something I will slowly but surely be making my way through. I'm not quite 1/3 done, but I hope to finish it by Christmas. So along with graduate school, television programming, a new city, and (hopefully) new friends, I present the thirteen books I would like to read this fall, and while several are short and/or fast reads, I certainly don't expect to finish them all, but here they are nonetheless.
My first two selections are novels from my summer list that I didn't get to. The first is Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence which is his most notorious novel, and that is saying something. It was also at the center of the landmark obscenity trial that allowed the book to be published. The second is American Rust by Philipp Meyer, a new American novel that is already racking up comparisons to Steinbeck and Twain.
Wishful Drinking is the latest memoir by Carrie Fisher and is the basis for her new, one-woman show. Just out in paperback, the memoir is supposedly candid and hilarious dealing with Hollywood inbreeding and family affairs, alcoholism and drug addiction, and her battle with bi-polar disorder. I can't wait to read it!
Dracula by Bram Stoker. I tried to read this book once many years ago, and failed real hard. But I'm thinking I would like to try again this October. After all, I always aim to read something terrifying around Halloween.
Death in Venice is perhaps Nobel Prize laureate Thomas Mann's best known work. I'm thinking I would like to try the novella's latest translation by Michael Henry Heim.
Morality Play by Barry Unsworth has to be more exciting than actual morality plays. It's a novel of a Medieval English theatre troupe that gets caught up in a small-town murder.
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by locavore Michael Pollan who is also known for his bestsellers The Omnivore's Dilemma and The Botany of Desire. I've decided recently that I would like to change my eating/buying habits somewhat and read Pollan among others.
Blame by Michelle Huneven is a new novel that came out today. It's the story of a reckless professor who kills two people on a drunk driving spree and attempts to atone for her crime. It's supposedly smart, deep, addictive, and . . . then the author drops a bomb. I'm intrigued.
The Liars' Club by Mary Karr is a seminal family memoir. It was recommended by Alexandra Fuller of Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, and is a memoir of childhood and a family of liars and drunks. For those interested, Karr's third memoir, Lit, comes out in November.
Nocturnes is a collection of five heartbreaking stories and is the latest work by Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day. It comes out later this month.
The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk comes out in October. Pumak's (who also won the Nobel Prize) novel is about forbidden love in Istanbul. GQ quips "sure to become a Cate Blanchett movie," which sounds good to me.
"Buckingham Palace," District Six is a novel by Richard Rive who traces the stories of several characters living in District Six before their eventual removal by the South African government under apartheid.
And finally, also coming out in October is The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb. Am I excited? Very. Let's get biblical.
So here's to a whole new slew of books I'm excited to read, and to GQ for helping some of these novels to catch my eye.
My first two selections are novels from my summer list that I didn't get to. The first is Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence which is his most notorious novel, and that is saying something. It was also at the center of the landmark obscenity trial that allowed the book to be published. The second is American Rust by Philipp Meyer, a new American novel that is already racking up comparisons to Steinbeck and Twain.
Wishful Drinking is the latest memoir by Carrie Fisher and is the basis for her new, one-woman show. Just out in paperback, the memoir is supposedly candid and hilarious dealing with Hollywood inbreeding and family affairs, alcoholism and drug addiction, and her battle with bi-polar disorder. I can't wait to read it!
Dracula by Bram Stoker. I tried to read this book once many years ago, and failed real hard. But I'm thinking I would like to try again this October. After all, I always aim to read something terrifying around Halloween.
Death in Venice is perhaps Nobel Prize laureate Thomas Mann's best known work. I'm thinking I would like to try the novella's latest translation by Michael Henry Heim.
Morality Play by Barry Unsworth has to be more exciting than actual morality plays. It's a novel of a Medieval English theatre troupe that gets caught up in a small-town murder.
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by locavore Michael Pollan who is also known for his bestsellers The Omnivore's Dilemma and The Botany of Desire. I've decided recently that I would like to change my eating/buying habits somewhat and read Pollan among others.
Blame by Michelle Huneven is a new novel that came out today. It's the story of a reckless professor who kills two people on a drunk driving spree and attempts to atone for her crime. It's supposedly smart, deep, addictive, and . . . then the author drops a bomb. I'm intrigued.
The Liars' Club by Mary Karr is a seminal family memoir. It was recommended by Alexandra Fuller of Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, and is a memoir of childhood and a family of liars and drunks. For those interested, Karr's third memoir, Lit, comes out in November.
Nocturnes is a collection of five heartbreaking stories and is the latest work by Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day. It comes out later this month.
The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk comes out in October. Pumak's (who also won the Nobel Prize) novel is about forbidden love in Istanbul. GQ quips "sure to become a Cate Blanchett movie," which sounds good to me.
"Buckingham Palace," District Six is a novel by Richard Rive who traces the stories of several characters living in District Six before their eventual removal by the South African government under apartheid.
And finally, also coming out in October is The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb. Am I excited? Very. Let's get biblical.
So here's to a whole new slew of books I'm excited to read, and to GQ for helping some of these novels to catch my eye.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
I'm Moving to Seattle?
Today I was walking my dog and I was thinking of all the walking I hope to do in Seattle. Supposedly Green Lake Park is a popular place. I loved the Coal Creek Trail in Cedar City, and I loved wandering around town on dark, brisk autumn nights. Since moving to Bountiful, I have done far less walking. Anyway, it was just strange thinking that I am really moving to Seattle in less than two weeks because I can't even conceptualize it--mostly because I've never been to Seattle. I probably won't believe it until I'm all settled in and taking my classes. Everyone tells me that I'm going to love the city and that I'm going to do great at grad school, and I hope so; it just still seems like one of those fantastic trips that I for one can't believe I'll ever really take.
I don't really have a lot to say, but I figured I needed to post something now that it's September. I've been having a nice weekend. My family left to go camping in Idaho, which they do every Labor Day weekend and I haven't gone since I left for college, so I have the house to myself. On Friday I had a little going away party and most of my friends who are still here in Utah came. I was woefully under prepared as a host, but I think my friends had fun. They went swimming and we cranked out some homemade peach ice cream. So Friday was a bit stressful, but the rest of the weekend has been rather relaxing.
I've been enjoying a lot of television whilst eating pizza and drinking wine and beer. This week I got into Dollhouse and since Wednesday I've seen ten of the thirteen episodes of the first season, and will probably watch the rest by tomorrow. I am so addicted. And then my Netflix this weekend was one of the discs of the final season of Battlestar Galactica and it's one of my favorite shows. Things are getting intense and there was an attempted military coup d'etat, but Starbuck and the others managed to suppress the insurrection. Starbuck has been one of my favorite characters since the beginning, but she is seriously one bad ass mother fucker! Gods I love her! Lee, Adama, and Roslin are all pretty badass too. Anyway, that's pretty much all I've done this weekend is watch TV.
And later today, I'm going to go to the movies. I'm going to see Adam and afterward I may go see The Hangover or something else. I want to see The Time Traveler's Wife, District 9, and Inglourious Basterds. I'm not sure how good Traveler's Wife is but if anyone has seen it, let me know. And hopefully I'll finish Absalom, Absalom! this weekend. I only have two chapters (ninety pages) left, but Dollhouse first!
Anyway, Happy Labor Day everyone!
I don't really have a lot to say, but I figured I needed to post something now that it's September. I've been having a nice weekend. My family left to go camping in Idaho, which they do every Labor Day weekend and I haven't gone since I left for college, so I have the house to myself. On Friday I had a little going away party and most of my friends who are still here in Utah came. I was woefully under prepared as a host, but I think my friends had fun. They went swimming and we cranked out some homemade peach ice cream. So Friday was a bit stressful, but the rest of the weekend has been rather relaxing.
I've been enjoying a lot of television whilst eating pizza and drinking wine and beer. This week I got into Dollhouse and since Wednesday I've seen ten of the thirteen episodes of the first season, and will probably watch the rest by tomorrow. I am so addicted. And then my Netflix this weekend was one of the discs of the final season of Battlestar Galactica and it's one of my favorite shows. Things are getting intense and there was an attempted military coup d'etat, but Starbuck and the others managed to suppress the insurrection. Starbuck has been one of my favorite characters since the beginning, but she is seriously one bad ass mother fucker! Gods I love her! Lee, Adama, and Roslin are all pretty badass too. Anyway, that's pretty much all I've done this weekend is watch TV.
And later today, I'm going to go to the movies. I'm going to see Adam and afterward I may go see The Hangover or something else. I want to see The Time Traveler's Wife, District 9, and Inglourious Basterds. I'm not sure how good Traveler's Wife is but if anyone has seen it, let me know. And hopefully I'll finish Absalom, Absalom! this weekend. I only have two chapters (ninety pages) left, but Dollhouse first!
Anyway, Happy Labor Day everyone!
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