Well, it has rained for 2 days in a row now, this must be that rainy season thing they're talking about. It's just kinda a persistent light rain - not really even enough for a heavy rain coat - the soft shell wool fabric seems to do well enough - just need a waterproof hat - still deciding between the alpine wool style and the OR Seattle Sombrero style.
At least when it is clear the mountains are now nearly uniformly white - neat change of scenery - snow levels were down to 1200ft overnight according to the weather - it doesn't seem like it will snow in the city - the Puget sound heat sink keeps temperatures above freezing it seems. The wind gets cold, so I could see ice being an issue, but I may have to drive a half hour to see snow this winter - or go skiing - for the first time in er 4 years now - that could be humorous.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
I, consumer
While I did not attend the Macy's Holiday Parade (yes, they have one in Seattle as well as NYC) today, I did walk over to the Metropolitan Market and saw they had fresh small fir trees, in water no less. So I bought one and carried it home. On the way, a girl remarked 'one holiday to the next eh?' and I just laughed it off, but I should have explained, it's not that simple.
1) I'm not used to this idea of buying a tree without cutting it first - usually the first or second weekend of December the family, or later, Allison and I, would drive up to the mountains, find a tree, cut the tree, have a nice lunch at Our Daily Bread or Mellow Mushroom, get some candy from Mast general store, then head home. Which leads to...
2) I don't know what selection is like here - do fresh trees sell out and then you get brown dying trees, or is the fresh tree supply constantly replenished?
3) It's not like the tree will be an orgy of presents anyway - for one because it is about a meter and a half tall, the other because we'll be in Wisconsin for the week of Christmas, with family, who also cannot really give us presents, because we have to fly back. The actual holiday will be more about family and food, which is how it should be. We're mainly giving local foods as presents - to share some of the neat stuff that exists out here. And we'll probably get some Wisconsin made chocolates and Usinger's sausage in return.
4) The evergreen was just sorta adopted by Christmas anyway - it's a much older symbol of winter and the birth of the new year. From the Roman Saturnalia to the Yule celebrations of the Northern European peoples... it's just kinda what to put in your dwelling at this time of year, historically. There won't be little Disney or Biblical characters hanging from the tree or anything - just some lights, and a star on top.
In any case... I appeared to fulfill someone's stereotype, and even though it wasn't the case in reality, that annoyed me.
1) I'm not used to this idea of buying a tree without cutting it first - usually the first or second weekend of December the family, or later, Allison and I, would drive up to the mountains, find a tree, cut the tree, have a nice lunch at Our Daily Bread or Mellow Mushroom, get some candy from Mast general store, then head home. Which leads to...
2) I don't know what selection is like here - do fresh trees sell out and then you get brown dying trees, or is the fresh tree supply constantly replenished?
3) It's not like the tree will be an orgy of presents anyway - for one because it is about a meter and a half tall, the other because we'll be in Wisconsin for the week of Christmas, with family, who also cannot really give us presents, because we have to fly back. The actual holiday will be more about family and food, which is how it should be. We're mainly giving local foods as presents - to share some of the neat stuff that exists out here. And we'll probably get some Wisconsin made chocolates and Usinger's sausage in return.
4) The evergreen was just sorta adopted by Christmas anyway - it's a much older symbol of winter and the birth of the new year. From the Roman Saturnalia to the Yule celebrations of the Northern European peoples... it's just kinda what to put in your dwelling at this time of year, historically. There won't be little Disney or Biblical characters hanging from the tree or anything - just some lights, and a star on top.
In any case... I appeared to fulfill someone's stereotype, and even though it wasn't the case in reality, that annoyed me.
Friday, November 16, 2007
loose ends
yes, the new job, the new apartment, new city... all great.
too much NC baggage still remains though
- the car is still not fixed from the accident over a month and a half ago, and the insurance company is getting bitchy...
- the house is not sold... no offers... this is frustrating... want to lower the price just to get rid of it...
- I can't close my bb&t bank account remotely, even if it is empty
it's odd that i can become stressed in the new environment - everything is very good in day to day life, but just the time to deal with all of the crap that was left behind... takes a toll.
financially I have stabilized from the move though... minor victory... just need to get rid of the small remaining amount of student loans that I took out... if the house would ever sell I'll be back to zero debt of any kind status by the end of the year... this is a goal - then it's back to growing assets - a more comfortable place to be.
-------------------------
oh - new to me music - two bands - the first one found painted on the side of a local record shop - Minus the Bear - apparently I'm late to the party and they're semi-popular - bought a couple albums (Highly Refined Pirates and Planet of Ice) - both are a similar mix - a couple tracks are too pop-ish, but each have 3-4 track sequences that have great flow and some really interesting sound.
the other one - Dungen - specifically the album Tio Batar - it's stoner rock - from a Swedish band - in Swedish - this is a match that actually does work - interesting
too much NC baggage still remains though
- the car is still not fixed from the accident over a month and a half ago, and the insurance company is getting bitchy...
- the house is not sold... no offers... this is frustrating... want to lower the price just to get rid of it...
- I can't close my bb&t bank account remotely, even if it is empty
it's odd that i can become stressed in the new environment - everything is very good in day to day life, but just the time to deal with all of the crap that was left behind... takes a toll.
financially I have stabilized from the move though... minor victory... just need to get rid of the small remaining amount of student loans that I took out... if the house would ever sell I'll be back to zero debt of any kind status by the end of the year... this is a goal - then it's back to growing assets - a more comfortable place to be.
-------------------------
oh - new to me music - two bands - the first one found painted on the side of a local record shop - Minus the Bear - apparently I'm late to the party and they're semi-popular - bought a couple albums (Highly Refined Pirates and Planet of Ice) - both are a similar mix - a couple tracks are too pop-ish, but each have 3-4 track sequences that have great flow and some really interesting sound.
the other one - Dungen - specifically the album Tio Batar - it's stoner rock - from a Swedish band - in Swedish - this is a match that actually does work - interesting
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Weekend with the relatives
Well, I think we have the whole taste of Seattle tour down for visiting friends and family.
Though it is easy in fall - the markets have all kinds of fresh apples and pears and cider and such.
The parents and grandparents seemed thoroughly impressed with the city and area. Between the market, wineries, the ferry over to Bainbridge Island, the view from Queen Anne and some history in the Pioneer Square area we definitely packed a lot of travel into 3 days.
In other news - the Vespa has been sold, and the GTI finally arrived from NC after being 'fixed' and 'shipped' after the accident. I put those in quotes because the bumper is not appended properly, the taillight is still cracked, and there's a huge scratch down the side from shipping. I'm hoping they'll give up and write me a check for the car at this point so I can move on. It won't be titled here in any case - even if they make it look right the back of that car is decidedly bent. It will be traded in on anything else.
Current transportation includes shoes and bicycle, which are about all you need here.
The modernist barn is also on the market - hopefully that will sell in the next month or so - paying both rent and mortgage is a fair amount of outgoing money. I have mixed feelings about giving up on that so soon - it was a neat place, though something in my mind rejected the house in the suburbs lifestyle.
Though it is easy in fall - the markets have all kinds of fresh apples and pears and cider and such.
The parents and grandparents seemed thoroughly impressed with the city and area. Between the market, wineries, the ferry over to Bainbridge Island, the view from Queen Anne and some history in the Pioneer Square area we definitely packed a lot of travel into 3 days.
In other news - the Vespa has been sold, and the GTI finally arrived from NC after being 'fixed' and 'shipped' after the accident. I put those in quotes because the bumper is not appended properly, the taillight is still cracked, and there's a huge scratch down the side from shipping. I'm hoping they'll give up and write me a check for the car at this point so I can move on. It won't be titled here in any case - even if they make it look right the back of that car is decidedly bent. It will be traded in on anything else.
Current transportation includes shoes and bicycle, which are about all you need here.
The modernist barn is also on the market - hopefully that will sell in the next month or so - paying both rent and mortgage is a fair amount of outgoing money. I have mixed feelings about giving up on that so soon - it was a neat place, though something in my mind rejected the house in the suburbs lifestyle.
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