Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Homelife
It has been two weeks since we've been back on the East Coast, and home has never felt better. Being in new places, learning new things, and meeting new people is always great. But it's so nice to be somewhere familiar with people you love, and places you dearly miss. It's warm and inviting.
It's home.
A place so familiar can easily get stale and suffocating, but right now, it's lovely... like getting back into a hot tub after cooling down in the open air.
It seems we got back just in time for a freak October snowstorm, which gave us a generous five day serving of no power. But we went sledding in the thick of it, and it was awesome! We made a train of six saucer sleds and went SUPER-UBER-FAST!!! Good times.
Arlo and I start work this Wednesday at the Amazon warehouse near Allentown, PA. We were lucky enough to snag the same shift and department so we can carpool. Hopefully, we'll also be lucky enough to not kill each other after weeks and weeks of being together at work and home 24/7! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
But it's nice because we're going to be making about $3.50 more per hour than we were in Portland, plus lots of OT. I'm just not so sure about this night shift thing... We'll be working 7pm-5:30am. Ehhh
Last night, Arlo, Fia, Steve, and I ate at Back & Blue on Walnut St. I was excited to hear the previous tenant restaurant had gone under, as it was a front for drug dealing/money laundering. Not to mention the place was drab and the food just wasn't that good. Whoever had fixed the place up did so with good taste (in decor and food!... AND BEER!!!). When we arrived, the joint was alive with a jabbering Saturday night crowd. The decor, menu, and dress of the waitstaff reflected the recent Halloween holiday, which added to the fun! We waited a few short minutes for a table, which gave us the perfect opportunity to stare at their large chalk board of draft beer selections. I was excited to see a little bit of everything up there, and slightly disappointed my alcohol tolerance wouldn't allow me to sample them all. They know how to get you to come back! I ordered the Black & Blue Burger, which was a half pound of red, meaty joy on a bun. It was easily the best burger I've had in at least a year. The "pommes frights" (Belgian-style frites) were a great compliment, and easily stand on their own as something I would return for. There was nothing I didn't like about the place. With so many reasons to come back, I doubt my next visit is more than a week away!
It's home.
A place so familiar can easily get stale and suffocating, but right now, it's lovely... like getting back into a hot tub after cooling down in the open air.
It seems we got back just in time for a freak October snowstorm, which gave us a generous five day serving of no power. But we went sledding in the thick of it, and it was awesome! We made a train of six saucer sleds and went SUPER-UBER-FAST!!! Good times.
Arlo and I start work this Wednesday at the Amazon warehouse near Allentown, PA. We were lucky enough to snag the same shift and department so we can carpool. Hopefully, we'll also be lucky enough to not kill each other after weeks and weeks of being together at work and home 24/7! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
But it's nice because we're going to be making about $3.50 more per hour than we were in Portland, plus lots of OT. I'm just not so sure about this night shift thing... We'll be working 7pm-5:30am. Ehhh
Last night, Arlo, Fia, Steve, and I ate at Back & Blue on Walnut St. I was excited to hear the previous tenant restaurant had gone under, as it was a front for drug dealing/money laundering. Not to mention the place was drab and the food just wasn't that good. Whoever had fixed the place up did so with good taste (in decor and food!... AND BEER!!!). When we arrived, the joint was alive with a jabbering Saturday night crowd. The decor, menu, and dress of the waitstaff reflected the recent Halloween holiday, which added to the fun! We waited a few short minutes for a table, which gave us the perfect opportunity to stare at their large chalk board of draft beer selections. I was excited to see a little bit of everything up there, and slightly disappointed my alcohol tolerance wouldn't allow me to sample them all. They know how to get you to come back! I ordered the Black & Blue Burger, which was a half pound of red, meaty joy on a bun. It was easily the best burger I've had in at least a year. The "pommes frights" (Belgian-style frites) were a great compliment, and easily stand on their own as something I would return for. There was nothing I didn't like about the place. With so many reasons to come back, I doubt my next visit is more than a week away!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Day 7: Dayton, OH - Easton, PA
2 hours after we left Dayton, OH, we arrived in Gallia County in Ohio, and enjoyed a nice breakfast at the original Bob Evans farm. Yum! We walked around a bit, and Arlo told me about his many childhood visits and how things have changed. Afterward, we visited his hometown, Gallipolis, OH. The town has a colonial, french feel to it, and was very interesting to walk around. The history of towns and buildings interests me to no end. I loved hearing which buildings used to be home to local theaters and ice cream shops. And how he got kicked out of this place for being a little punk, or how he and his friends did this and that there for fun. I heard stories of time capsules, biking around town, and land marks for many firsts. We walked by his old home, and found his hand prints and name that had been imprinted and scraped into the sidewalk many years ago. Many things had changed, but many were still the same. So fascinating!
We spent the rest of the day making our way back to Easton. About two hours before our arrival, we stopped for some slices of glorious, dearly missed East Coast pizza. That totally hit the spot! We got back around 10pm, and were very happy to be off the road.
Home Sweet Home!
We spent the rest of the day making our way back to Easton. About two hours before our arrival, we stopped for some slices of glorious, dearly missed East Coast pizza. That totally hit the spot! We got back around 10pm, and were very happy to be off the road.
Home Sweet Home!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Day 6: Colfax, IA - Dayton, OH
This morning, we woke up in Colfax, IA and got on the road at about 9am. It was nice to sleep on a bed after driving for almost 30 hours. We originally planned to drive the rest of the way through until we got back to Easton, PA, but we decided to get a hotel for the last night. Tomorrow, we're grabbing breakfast from the original Bob Evans, and then visiting Arlo's hometown of Gallipolis, OH. Then it's smooth sailing to PA!
We did a lot more driving today. The best part was stopping for dinner in Indianapolis, IN. We ate at Brugge Brasserie in Broad Ripple! I was there 3 summers ago, and fell in love with their food and sour beer. I was afraid that I had psyched it up to be something better than what it was, and have a poor second experience, but IT WAS SOOOO GOODD! It's really my favorite restaurant in the world. I'm so sad there's nothing like it closer to PA/NJ.
Now we're crashing at a hotel in Dayton, OH. Last night on the road! We should be rolling into Easton late tomorrow night.
We did a lot more driving today. The best part was stopping for dinner in Indianapolis, IN. We ate at Brugge Brasserie in Broad Ripple! I was there 3 summers ago, and fell in love with their food and sour beer. I was afraid that I had psyched it up to be something better than what it was, and have a poor second experience, but IT WAS SOOOO GOODD! It's really my favorite restaurant in the world. I'm so sad there's nothing like it closer to PA/NJ.
Now we're crashing at a hotel in Dayton, OH. Last night on the road! We should be rolling into Easton late tomorrow night.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Day 5: Somewhere in Wyoming - Colfax, IA
This whole day went by in a blur. I don't even really remember what happened. We drove through the night and stopped for an hour and a half to nap. After that, we drove until about 5pm when we got a nice hotel room in Colfax, IA. We spent the remainder of the night relaxing. The hot tub was nice! It was a very uneventful day.
Day 4: Bozeman, MT - Somewhere in Wyoming
Butte, MT is a really crazy place. It's like taking a walk back in the early 1900s when it was a booming mining town. Since then, it has been left behind by many and inhabited by few, most of which are now meth addicts. As I'm told by an old roommate of mine who grew up there, the town has never ever changed. All the brick buildings have faded adsvertisements and many are in terrible disrepair. Over half of them are uninhabited, including the spooky old hospital. I guess there's just no point in renovating buildings that no one will use.
YELLOWSTONE!!! Oh my god... it was so beautiful! It got to the point where is was really just overwhelming. Like, it got stupid to be taking as many pictures as I was. It's more of a place you just have to go see with your own eyes. I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't have a camera with me, because then I wouldn't have felt obligated to try and capture the beauty. It was a much bigger place than I imagined. I think we spent about 6 hours there. And we drove through Teton Naitonal Park right after (they're right next to each other). It's amazing how different the two parks look from one another even though they're so close. Teton was more mountainous and had beautiful poplar trees with yellow turned leaves. From there, we drove through the rest of Wyoming. We made our way through this great mountanous region as the sun was setting. Everything was covered in snow, and the valleys were full of rusty red colored bushes. The mountains themselves were striped with layers of sediment. I just wish we had another hour or two of sun light...
The night lasted long. We drove straight through. At one point, we stopped the car out in the middle of nowhere and looked up at the stars. I've never been able to see so many stars in the sky!! It was gorgeous, and then absolutely freaky. I kept imagining that some creature from The Hills Have Eyes would appear two feet from our car as soon as the head lights came back on. We hightailed it out of there!
Arlo took the first 5 hour shift of driving while I slept. In the middle of the night, I was jerked from my slumber by Arlo laying heavy on the brakes, swerving the car, and screaming, "HOLY SHIT!!!". Apparently, as we were driving through the very remote back roads of Wyoming, a big horn sheep ran into the road from the left side, and Arlo almost ruined his day. I found this kind of funny, because we were eagerly spotting and checking off animals on our yellowstone wildlife checklist. And we were disappointed that we hadn't seen a big horn during our visit. Be careful what you wish for.
Later that night while I was driving, I noticed some light in the sky off to my left. It was a giant slash of pure white light that shot from the sky to the ground. It immediately turned a bright emerald green for about 5 seconds, and then vanished into a puff of smoke in the same shape. The entire phenomenon was accompanied by a punch of sound. At first I thought it may have been fireworks, but that was the only one, and I have NEVER seen a firework like that! Sooooo, it was either a meteor falling from the sky, or Thor was crashing down to planet earth via the bi-frost. It was the absolute most incredible thing I've ever seen! I had goosebumps for 10 minutes afterward. It looked a lot like this.
YELLOWSTONE!!! Oh my god... it was so beautiful! It got to the point where is was really just overwhelming. Like, it got stupid to be taking as many pictures as I was. It's more of a place you just have to go see with your own eyes. I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't have a camera with me, because then I wouldn't have felt obligated to try and capture the beauty. It was a much bigger place than I imagined. I think we spent about 6 hours there. And we drove through Teton Naitonal Park right after (they're right next to each other). It's amazing how different the two parks look from one another even though they're so close. Teton was more mountainous and had beautiful poplar trees with yellow turned leaves. From there, we drove through the rest of Wyoming. We made our way through this great mountanous region as the sun was setting. Everything was covered in snow, and the valleys were full of rusty red colored bushes. The mountains themselves were striped with layers of sediment. I just wish we had another hour or two of sun light...
The night lasted long. We drove straight through. At one point, we stopped the car out in the middle of nowhere and looked up at the stars. I've never been able to see so many stars in the sky!! It was gorgeous, and then absolutely freaky. I kept imagining that some creature from The Hills Have Eyes would appear two feet from our car as soon as the head lights came back on. We hightailed it out of there!
Arlo took the first 5 hour shift of driving while I slept. In the middle of the night, I was jerked from my slumber by Arlo laying heavy on the brakes, swerving the car, and screaming, "HOLY SHIT!!!". Apparently, as we were driving through the very remote back roads of Wyoming, a big horn sheep ran into the road from the left side, and Arlo almost ruined his day. I found this kind of funny, because we were eagerly spotting and checking off animals on our yellowstone wildlife checklist. And we were disappointed that we hadn't seen a big horn during our visit. Be careful what you wish for.
Later that night while I was driving, I noticed some light in the sky off to my left. It was a giant slash of pure white light that shot from the sky to the ground. It immediately turned a bright emerald green for about 5 seconds, and then vanished into a puff of smoke in the same shape. The entire phenomenon was accompanied by a punch of sound. At first I thought it may have been fireworks, but that was the only one, and I have NEVER seen a firework like that! Sooooo, it was either a meteor falling from the sky, or Thor was crashing down to planet earth via the bi-frost. It was the absolute most incredible thing I've ever seen! I had goosebumps for 10 minutes afterward. It looked a lot like this.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Day 3: Spokane, WA - Bozeman, MT
It's incredible how animals sometimes know when something big, like a move across the country, is about to happen. Clearly, no one has told them, "Hey, get ready to leave all your familiar smells, say goodbye to your best doggie buddy, and sit in the car for hours and hours on end." But somehow, they get it. I guess they read our body language and stress levels, and reflect them back to us in the form of destroying our carpet, chewing through a hard plastic crate, and decorating the new carpet with a variety of pet stains while we're at work. Keep in mind, Damascus was home in our room by himself while we were at work for 3 months, and never did any of that. But here we are, two weeks away from leaving Portland, and he pulls out every bad trick in the book. Crazy little mutt...
I forgot to tell you! Arlo and I stopped at a cider mill on the way to Bellingham, WA two days ago. On one side of the barn, they made the cider, and on the other side, they sold it! As soon as I walked into the small store (complete with straw on the ground and posted signs about what happens when you fail to abide by the honor system for purchasing cider) I was handed a fresh sample. SO GOOD! We bought a half gallon, and 2.5 lbs of apples at $1/lb. I found out today that the apples are VERY TART!
Right now, we're driving through the golden and green mountains of Montana, on our way to Butte, MA to hang with former Portland roommate Joey! I'm a bit bummed we decided not to go south through California, but these snow capped mountains surrounded by autumn reds, yellows, and pine greens are anything but disappointing.
I must say, the gas mileage is incredible on this Toyota. We got over 40 miles to the gallon yesterday. That's a giant difference from the 17 mi/gal we were getting on the way here in my Mercury!
Sorry for the lack of pictures. The hotel we stayed at last night was charging $3 a day for wireless, and we refused!! Plus, we were way tired, and crashed as soon as we got in. But we've already chosen our hotel for tonight, so pics are coming!
tree tree tree
mountain mountain mountain
cloud cloud cloud
I forgot to tell you! Arlo and I stopped at a cider mill on the way to Bellingham, WA two days ago. On one side of the barn, they made the cider, and on the other side, they sold it! As soon as I walked into the small store (complete with straw on the ground and posted signs about what happens when you fail to abide by the honor system for purchasing cider) I was handed a fresh sample. SO GOOD! We bought a half gallon, and 2.5 lbs of apples at $1/lb. I found out today that the apples are VERY TART!
Right now, we're driving through the golden and green mountains of Montana, on our way to Butte, MA to hang with former Portland roommate Joey! I'm a bit bummed we decided not to go south through California, but these snow capped mountains surrounded by autumn reds, yellows, and pine greens are anything but disappointing.
I must say, the gas mileage is incredible on this Toyota. We got over 40 miles to the gallon yesterday. That's a giant difference from the 17 mi/gal we were getting on the way here in my Mercury!
Sorry for the lack of pictures. The hotel we stayed at last night was charging $3 a day for wireless, and we refused!! Plus, we were way tired, and crashed as soon as we got in. But we've already chosen our hotel for tonight, so pics are coming!
tree tree tree
mountain mountain mountain
cloud cloud cloud
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Day 2: Bellingham, WA - Spokane, WA
Drinks and dancing last night... wish we had enough energy for more of both! After some margaritas, we went and saw a band called Petunia and the Vipers, which plays a bit of a rockabilly/western swing mix (think the music from spongebob squarepants!). It was a blast!
A cool thing happened yesterday when we took Damascus for a walk at a park in town. We met an older guy who told us all about his travels and his experience with Australia/Australians. He gave us a bunch of tips and had a bunch of funny stories. It's amazing, the kind of people you meet on the road! For those of you that don't understand the connection, Arlo and I are planning to get 6 month work visa to use over in Australia starting May of next year. We've already set up plans with a resort in the outback, so all we really need to do is apply for our work visas, buy the plane tickets, and make a little money to take over there! We were stoked to find someone to tell us about their first hand Ausie experiences!
I wish we could stay here in Bellingham longer, but the road is calling! (And I want some damn East Coast pizza!!!) Today, we're heading due East through the Cascades on rt 20. It should be a gorgeous drive! We'll likely spend the night around Spokane, WA before we head over to Yellowstone National Park. =)
More later (and hopefully some pictures, too!)!
A cool thing happened yesterday when we took Damascus for a walk at a park in town. We met an older guy who told us all about his travels and his experience with Australia/Australians. He gave us a bunch of tips and had a bunch of funny stories. It's amazing, the kind of people you meet on the road! For those of you that don't understand the connection, Arlo and I are planning to get 6 month work visa to use over in Australia starting May of next year. We've already set up plans with a resort in the outback, so all we really need to do is apply for our work visas, buy the plane tickets, and make a little money to take over there! We were stoked to find someone to tell us about their first hand Ausie experiences!
I wish we could stay here in Bellingham longer, but the road is calling! (And I want some damn East Coast pizza!!!) Today, we're heading due East through the Cascades on rt 20. It should be a gorgeous drive! We'll likely spend the night around Spokane, WA before we head over to Yellowstone National Park. =)
More later (and hopefully some pictures, too!)!
Day 1: Portland, OR - Bellingham, WA
Ohhhhhhhhhh my dog...
This past week has been intensely busy, and the exact opposite of what I wanted from my last week in Portland. Instead of spending my last few moments chatting at coffee shops with best friends, hitting up the bar, playing some pool, and grabbing final bites from all my favorite restaurants, I spent my time frantically packing, selling, shipping, organizing, cleaning, and running countless other errands in preparation for this trip and moving out. I thought an entire week off was more than enough, but I clearly have more to learn about this. One time does not make me an expert by any means. Though not spending every last minute with my friends was a hard choice, it was the right one. I mean, I regret not being able to hang out with them more, but if I did that instead of everything else I did, I would probably still be in Portland come this Tuesday.
As for the trip!!! We woke up at 5am and loaded the car with all of our stuff, and got on the road at about 5:30am. Loading the car was a surprisingly pleasant experience. After the trunk was loaded, we only had a few bags and one suitcase to put in the cab. In comparison to our last trip, our car is half the size, twice the age (almost), and half as weighed down. Our secret? Selling, shipping, and donating. We made about $1000 selling the bikes and some other household items. We shipped our PCs and a lot of clothes back to NJ for a depressing total of $380. But it's a lot better than having to buy a new car back on the East Coast because we over-loaded our current car and ran it into the ground (a mistake we made last trip)!
After driving only 25 minutes this morning, everything became unrecognizable, and that's when I realized Toto and I were no longer in Kansas. However unfamiliar everything was, it was absolutely beautiful. After the early morning fog burned off, we found ourselves cruising up Rt 5 on a perfect autumn day. We stopped in Seattle, WA and met Arlo's cousin Jenny and friend Jess for some coffee. We shared friendly conversation of future plans and past adventures, and parted shortly after to resume our separate road trips. But before we split, we met Jess' dog Celia! She's a corgi/chihuahua mix puppy, and cute enough to steal without second thoughts (don't worry, I didn't!).
We admired Seattle's genius architecture and had fun walking the streets. Just a couple more hours up the road, and we found ourselves in the company of Arlo's family once again at his cousin Nat's house (where we're staying the night). What a cool place! This is a small town I think I might like to visit, or even live in, for awhile. BUT IT'S COLD UP HERE!!! Too cold for my blood. I'm missing summer...
Time to go out for some dranks!!!
This past week has been intensely busy, and the exact opposite of what I wanted from my last week in Portland. Instead of spending my last few moments chatting at coffee shops with best friends, hitting up the bar, playing some pool, and grabbing final bites from all my favorite restaurants, I spent my time frantically packing, selling, shipping, organizing, cleaning, and running countless other errands in preparation for this trip and moving out. I thought an entire week off was more than enough, but I clearly have more to learn about this. One time does not make me an expert by any means. Though not spending every last minute with my friends was a hard choice, it was the right one. I mean, I regret not being able to hang out with them more, but if I did that instead of everything else I did, I would probably still be in Portland come this Tuesday.
As for the trip!!! We woke up at 5am and loaded the car with all of our stuff, and got on the road at about 5:30am. Loading the car was a surprisingly pleasant experience. After the trunk was loaded, we only had a few bags and one suitcase to put in the cab. In comparison to our last trip, our car is half the size, twice the age (almost), and half as weighed down. Our secret? Selling, shipping, and donating. We made about $1000 selling the bikes and some other household items. We shipped our PCs and a lot of clothes back to NJ for a depressing total of $380. But it's a lot better than having to buy a new car back on the East Coast because we over-loaded our current car and ran it into the ground (a mistake we made last trip)!
After driving only 25 minutes this morning, everything became unrecognizable, and that's when I realized Toto and I were no longer in Kansas. However unfamiliar everything was, it was absolutely beautiful. After the early morning fog burned off, we found ourselves cruising up Rt 5 on a perfect autumn day. We stopped in Seattle, WA and met Arlo's cousin Jenny and friend Jess for some coffee. We shared friendly conversation of future plans and past adventures, and parted shortly after to resume our separate road trips. But before we split, we met Jess' dog Celia! She's a corgi/chihuahua mix puppy, and cute enough to steal without second thoughts (don't worry, I didn't!).
We admired Seattle's genius architecture and had fun walking the streets. Just a couple more hours up the road, and we found ourselves in the company of Arlo's family once again at his cousin Nat's house (where we're staying the night). What a cool place! This is a small town I think I might like to visit, or even live in, for awhile. BUT IT'S COLD UP HERE!!! Too cold for my blood. I'm missing summer...
Time to go out for some dranks!!!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Geronimo!!!
As I stand here at the precipice of something great and new, I peer over the side to catch at glimpse of what's to come. I can make out a few things, but many are much too small to tell what they are. All at once I'm exhilarated and freaked the f*** out. It's a long way down, and possibly even enough to make my feet a bit cold. But rest assured, I have filled my pockets with rocks, and will follow through with this to the very bottom. (And I'm sure the end result will be much more positive than Virginia Woolf's.) I've got one foot over the side, and my weight is starting to shift toward the deep. Just a little less than two weeks and.... Geronimooooo!!!
Monday, September 26, 2011
What All Good Things Must Do
I'm crazy stoked and utterly deflated all at the same time.
As anyone who has ever experienced any happiness in their life knows, at some point, it must come to an end. But I must say that if I were any more excited about what's to come, I would certainly wet my pants with elated fervor.
I don't think your ready for this jelly, this plan I'm about to reveal to you (not my butt), but here it is...
On or around October 15th of this year, Arlo, Damascus, and I will be road tripping once again across the states to return to our roots in PA/NJ.
We're excited to come back, but terribly sad to leave our beloved city of Portland, OR. I won't go into all the reasons right now, but I can say I will live here again someday. The biggest thing pushing us to move along is because it's hard to see the world by sitting in one place. Which brings me to another part of the plan...
BUT FIRST!!!
I think this would be easier to understand if I made bullet points...
Closing time. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
As anyone who has ever experienced any happiness in their life knows, at some point, it must come to an end. But I must say that if I were any more excited about what's to come, I would certainly wet my pants with elated fervor.
I don't think your ready for this jelly, this plan I'm about to reveal to you (not my butt), but here it is...
On or around October 15th of this year, Arlo, Damascus, and I will be road tripping once again across the states to return to our roots in PA/NJ.
We're excited to come back, but terribly sad to leave our beloved city of Portland, OR. I won't go into all the reasons right now, but I can say I will live here again someday. The biggest thing pushing us to move along is because it's hard to see the world by sitting in one place. Which brings me to another part of the plan...
BUT FIRST!!!
I think this would be easier to understand if I made bullet points...
- Road trip back to PA/NJ via the southern route through the states.
- Consume lots of pizza, Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, WaWa/Quick Chek sandwiches, cheese steaks, and other delectable, dearly missed favorites
- Catch up with family & friends
- Get full time jobs that pay more than $9 an hour and have OT opportunities
- Spend more time working than sleeping/eating and make bank $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
- Work until May, and then fly to Australia with a six month work visa
- Find work and live in Australia for 6+ months!!
- Make more $C$A$S$H$ $M$O$N$E$Y$
- Spend cash money on exploring Europe/other parts of the world yet unseen
Anything beyond that is still a bit beyond me. We would both like to go back to college. Honestly, I can see us owning our own business someday. Like, a dinner theater or something. Who knows! There's still too much exploring to do before we start putting down some deep roots again.
I'll go into detail later about why we're doing this, what we'll miss, what we're looking forward to, our trip itinerary, when we expect to be back, blah, blah, blah!
So excited.
So sad.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Foxes, Hoots, and Guests Abound - Good Times to Be Had All Around!
Foxes. A whole fleet of them. Good stuff.
I bought new strings for my guitar. Strung her up today and played for a nice two hours. It always feels good to lose track of time doing something you love. I miss playing a lot. Today I learned Blue Spotted Tail by Fleet Foxes. There aren't any decent tabs of it yet, so I figured it out for myself. It's simple and easy and pretty.
As promised, here's my lasttwo three weeks...
Last weekend, a bunch of us went out to the McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, about 40 mins outside of Portland. I've never seen a city so green, but it feels good to get out and into the countryside for a bit. The reason for our travel was to see the band Hoots & Hellmouth from Philly, PA. They were incredible. The event was free, but I'd pay good money to see them play any day. The venue was gorgeous, set outside right next to a frisbee golf course.
It was a prefect summer night. The sun had just set, and little kids were running around, climbing trees, and rolling in the grass. I reminisced of when I was in their shoes many summers passed. But this summer, I had beer in my glass. Yum. Friends and family sat by the band, tapped their feet, and basked. Some danced, some sang, but every face held a smile en masse. Perfect. If only this night could ever last.
Back a bit further, having Jesse and Erica visit from NJ was a blast. Timbers Game: hot and rowdy... they won!, Waffle Window: delicious and cheap as always, Multnomah Falls: another landmark proving Oregon's endless beauty, Tillamook Cheese Factory: I discovered that I like cheese curds! and the ice cream is out of this world, Oregon Coast: there are always these random, unmarked trails on the side of the road that lead to breathtaking vistas. they never disappoint, Bula Kava House: Hawaiian dirt water that you drink from a coconut shell. offers relaxing qualities for the consumer... that is, if you can get past the taste, PSU Farmers Market: forever a favorite. you can make an entire lunch out of free samples, and then relax and listen to your pick of live music, Mt. St Helens: this girl blew her top 31 years ago, but she's still a beaut! lots of dust (ash). reminds me of the desert in Arizona, Bagby Hot Springs: peaceful and relaxing, and it doesn't smell like sulfur, Blue Moon Tavern: IRISH CAR BOMBS! Delicious like ice cream. Pool and good times.
Last weekend, as previously stated, Arlo's dad was in town to visit. I can't even remember everything we did. It's all mushed together in my head with the prior weekend with Jesse and Erica. But I do know it was tons of fun! And Erin finally came home!!! I missed her so, so much. The house feels like a family again already. Welcome Home, Erin + Riley! :)
I can't help but spend these times, when I'm having the time of my life, thinking about how much I'll miss it all when it's gone one day. The fact that everything ends is endlessly depressing. Ohh, to have the ignorance of childhood when good things lasted forever. One day, I'll learn to shut up and enjoy.
I bought new strings for my guitar. Strung her up today and played for a nice two hours. It always feels good to lose track of time doing something you love. I miss playing a lot. Today I learned Blue Spotted Tail by Fleet Foxes. There aren't any decent tabs of it yet, so I figured it out for myself. It's simple and easy and pretty.
As promised, here's my last
Last weekend, a bunch of us went out to the McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, about 40 mins outside of Portland. I've never seen a city so green, but it feels good to get out and into the countryside for a bit. The reason for our travel was to see the band Hoots & Hellmouth from Philly, PA. They were incredible. The event was free, but I'd pay good money to see them play any day. The venue was gorgeous, set outside right next to a frisbee golf course.
It was a prefect summer night. The sun had just set, and little kids were running around, climbing trees, and rolling in the grass. I reminisced of when I was in their shoes many summers passed. But this summer, I had beer in my glass. Yum. Friends and family sat by the band, tapped their feet, and basked. Some danced, some sang, but every face held a smile en masse. Perfect. If only this night could ever last.
Back a bit further, having Jesse and Erica visit from NJ was a blast. Timbers Game: hot and rowdy... they won!, Waffle Window: delicious and cheap as always, Multnomah Falls: another landmark proving Oregon's endless beauty, Tillamook Cheese Factory: I discovered that I like cheese curds! and the ice cream is out of this world, Oregon Coast: there are always these random, unmarked trails on the side of the road that lead to breathtaking vistas. they never disappoint, Bula Kava House: Hawaiian dirt water that you drink from a coconut shell. offers relaxing qualities for the consumer... that is, if you can get past the taste, PSU Farmers Market: forever a favorite. you can make an entire lunch out of free samples, and then relax and listen to your pick of live music, Mt. St Helens: this girl blew her top 31 years ago, but she's still a beaut! lots of dust (ash). reminds me of the desert in Arizona, Bagby Hot Springs: peaceful and relaxing, and it doesn't smell like sulfur, Blue Moon Tavern: IRISH CAR BOMBS! Delicious like ice cream. Pool and good times.
Last weekend, as previously stated, Arlo's dad was in town to visit. I can't even remember everything we did. It's all mushed together in my head with the prior weekend with Jesse and Erica. But I do know it was tons of fun! And Erin finally came home!!! I missed her so, so much. The house feels like a family again already. Welcome Home, Erin + Riley! :)
I can't help but spend these times, when I'm having the time of my life, thinking about how much I'll miss it all when it's gone one day. The fact that everything ends is endlessly depressing. Ohh, to have the ignorance of childhood when good things lasted forever. One day, I'll learn to shut up and enjoy.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Don't mess with my dog... really...
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARLO!!!! My boo bear is 22 today! Wish him a good one!! =)
Here's something a bit different. There are some things I hate about Portland. I don't meant to start with such negativity, but you'll soon agree and join me in the stomping of feet and clenching of fists. Arlo and I went out for his birthday breakfast this morning with his Dad who flew into town for the weekend. As per usual, we tied up the pup outside and sat near a window in the restaurant so we could keep an eye on him. Breakfast was yummy, and good stories were exchanged. We were nearly finished when Arlo happened to look out the window. His face turned white, and feet turned to action. I turned around to have my fears assured. Damascus was gone. We both shot out the door and immediately ran to where our boy was previously tied up. My god...
Rage and fright burned out my eyes and almost collected into tears. But there he was, halfway down the block... tied up to another tree??? Damascus has never pulled himself free from being tied up, or even tried to back out of his collar. He has always been exactly where we left him, waiting like a good little boy. But this obviously was not his doing... unless of course he has some opposable thumbs that he hasn't told us about. Someone took our dog, walked him down the street, and tied him in a different spot. I'm so relieved that he was perfectly fine and was not, in fact, stolen or lost. But there are some things that you don't mess with, and my dog is one of them. I don't even care if they had a legitimate reason. If they cared that much, they could have walked inside and found us before moving our dog.
Would you ever do that to someone's child? You know, just pick them up and move them down the street while the parents aren't looking and not tell anyone. I know dogs and children are two different ball parks, but your heart crumbles just the same when one of them is missing. It's not unusual for dogs to be stolen in Portland, especially purebreds and cuties. Damascus is adorable, and the possibility that someone may have stolen him was the first thing that came to mind. I'm still a bit shaken about it, but I'm just glad my boy is still here. f*ckers...
The past two weeks have flown by as fast as the cash from my pockets. First, our friends Jesse and Erica visited for a few days from NJ, and then Arlo's Dad came for this weekend. I took a few days off to spend with our friends, but involuntarily got another four off because of some work order screw up at my job. Ughh... never thought I would complain about not working! I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the time off. I go back tomorrow, which will end the nearly two week hiatus. To make up for the time off, my Saturdays are shot for a month or so for mandatory OT. Whatever! It will be good to have money again.
I'll go into more detail later. It's too beautiful out to spend my whole day blogging!
Here's something a bit different. There are some things I hate about Portland. I don't meant to start with such negativity, but you'll soon agree and join me in the stomping of feet and clenching of fists. Arlo and I went out for his birthday breakfast this morning with his Dad who flew into town for the weekend. As per usual, we tied up the pup outside and sat near a window in the restaurant so we could keep an eye on him. Breakfast was yummy, and good stories were exchanged. We were nearly finished when Arlo happened to look out the window. His face turned white, and feet turned to action. I turned around to have my fears assured. Damascus was gone. We both shot out the door and immediately ran to where our boy was previously tied up. My god...
Rage and fright burned out my eyes and almost collected into tears. But there he was, halfway down the block... tied up to another tree??? Damascus has never pulled himself free from being tied up, or even tried to back out of his collar. He has always been exactly where we left him, waiting like a good little boy. But this obviously was not his doing... unless of course he has some opposable thumbs that he hasn't told us about. Someone took our dog, walked him down the street, and tied him in a different spot. I'm so relieved that he was perfectly fine and was not, in fact, stolen or lost. But there are some things that you don't mess with, and my dog is one of them. I don't even care if they had a legitimate reason. If they cared that much, they could have walked inside and found us before moving our dog.
Would you ever do that to someone's child? You know, just pick them up and move them down the street while the parents aren't looking and not tell anyone. I know dogs and children are two different ball parks, but your heart crumbles just the same when one of them is missing. It's not unusual for dogs to be stolen in Portland, especially purebreds and cuties. Damascus is adorable, and the possibility that someone may have stolen him was the first thing that came to mind. I'm still a bit shaken about it, but I'm just glad my boy is still here. f*ckers...
The past two weeks have flown by as fast as the cash from my pockets. First, our friends Jesse and Erica visited for a few days from NJ, and then Arlo's Dad came for this weekend. I took a few days off to spend with our friends, but involuntarily got another four off because of some work order screw up at my job. Ughh... never thought I would complain about not working! I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the time off. I go back tomorrow, which will end the nearly two week hiatus. To make up for the time off, my Saturdays are shot for a month or so for mandatory OT. Whatever! It will be good to have money again.
I'll go into more detail later. It's too beautiful out to spend my whole day blogging!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Food, Car Troubles, and Festivals. Oh My!
I almost witnessed a terrible accident tonight. Arlo and I had just gotten off the max (light rail), and were walking down the street as we saw a car speed up and then stop dead on the tracks. The max had already left the station and was headed toward the car at about 20 mph. I had my hands on my head, screaming, "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" The train stopped only a few feet from the car. It sped off after a few seconds, and the train went on it's way. I don't know if that was a suicide attempt, or an amazingly unlucky car malfunction. Scared the crap out of me...
My life, since my last post, has been a mix of food adventures, car troubles, and festivals. Food first...
The most notable place I've eaten at was the Waffle Window. Only $4 for literally the best waffle I have EVER EATEN!!! How is it even possible that the best food of it's kind is also the cheapest??? Belgian waffles are usually around $7 at other places. Want strawberries and whipped cream? Psshhh!! That'll be another $2-$3! And I bet those strawberries are coming out of a can. I don't know how they do it, but the Waffle Window has got the magic.
Some other good eats:
Annie's Donuts - There are so many amazing doughnut shops other than the famous Voodoo Donut. Annie's buttermilk bars are to die for!
The Original Hotcake House - Not pancakes. Hotcakes! Yeah, they sell just as fast as they're rumored to... especially at 2am when the bar crowd comes stumbling in with the munchies. But be sure to stick to the hotcakes, and don't bother with the belgian waffle.
Black Cat Cafe - A hip NoPo hang with tasty burgers, $2 drafts all day everyday, and plenty of pinball/pool. The portions are generous and the staff very chill. The wild cherry stout I had was delicious!
APRISSA - This is a mexican place we ate at last night. There's a lot of good mexican food in Portland, but this is certainly the fanciest! It's a drive-thru/walk up with a pristine parking lot and very nice landscaping. We ate a lot... Tacos and burrito? Great! Horchata? Great! Krustos? Great! The owner clearly put A LOT of money into this business. They have "APRISSA" stamped on everything, even the burrito!
Car troubles... baby blue broke down again. This time it was a mix of things: fuel filter, alternator, and lots of other small things. All we got was "click" when we tried to turn the engine. Two tows in a single day, two days in the shop, and now she's all better! Aaaaand then we got a flat. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't just dropped Arlo off at work. I got it patched for free later that day at Les Schwab (by a female car mechanic! makes me happy to see women in male dominated professions). It had not a screw or a nail, but a metal rod in the tire. Anyway, all is well now!
Festivals!!! Alberta Street Festival, Oregon Brewers Festival, Bite of Oregon, all involved good times. Bite of Oregon was advertised as a value event, but it was more of a benefit, and cost a lot more than expected. It was still good, though. Alberta Street Festival was wildly bustling with small merchants, food carts, hipsters, and street performers. The Brewers Festival was grand! The cost of a taste was a wooden token ($1), and we went towards the end, so people kept giving them to us! I also found one on the ground. Here is a tip: at festivals, people are likely drunk, not paying attention, or distracted by the festivities. They do stupid things like drop their valuables on the ground, or leave things where they shouldn't. Now, I would never take a wallet or jewelery or whatever other precious thing someone might have lost. Those would be turned in for sure. But if I see a dollar on the ground, and not the pocket or hand it fell from, that is fair game. I'm a treasure hunter: seashells, yard sales, side of the road trash, thrift stores, and definitely festival grounds. <3
Check out my Portland pics here and here!
________________________________________
This is a log of adventures, a receipt of time spent, something to look back on and feel good about.
This is a tale of incredible food and new friends that became my bests.
This is a mix of choice and chance and how they play out.
This is my life... from East to West...
to East?
My life, since my last post, has been a mix of food adventures, car troubles, and festivals. Food first...
The most notable place I've eaten at was the Waffle Window. Only $4 for literally the best waffle I have EVER EATEN!!! How is it even possible that the best food of it's kind is also the cheapest??? Belgian waffles are usually around $7 at other places. Want strawberries and whipped cream? Psshhh!! That'll be another $2-$3! And I bet those strawberries are coming out of a can. I don't know how they do it, but the Waffle Window has got the magic.
 |
| Yes, it was as good as it looks. |
Annie's Donuts - There are so many amazing doughnut shops other than the famous Voodoo Donut. Annie's buttermilk bars are to die for!
The Original Hotcake House - Not pancakes. Hotcakes! Yeah, they sell just as fast as they're rumored to... especially at 2am when the bar crowd comes stumbling in with the munchies. But be sure to stick to the hotcakes, and don't bother with the belgian waffle.
Black Cat Cafe - A hip NoPo hang with tasty burgers, $2 drafts all day everyday, and plenty of pinball/pool. The portions are generous and the staff very chill. The wild cherry stout I had was delicious!
APRISSA - This is a mexican place we ate at last night. There's a lot of good mexican food in Portland, but this is certainly the fanciest! It's a drive-thru/walk up with a pristine parking lot and very nice landscaping. We ate a lot... Tacos and burrito? Great! Horchata? Great! Krustos? Great! The owner clearly put A LOT of money into this business. They have "APRISSA" stamped on everything, even the burrito!
Car troubles... baby blue broke down again. This time it was a mix of things: fuel filter, alternator, and lots of other small things. All we got was "click" when we tried to turn the engine. Two tows in a single day, two days in the shop, and now she's all better! Aaaaand then we got a flat. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't just dropped Arlo off at work. I got it patched for free later that day at Les Schwab (by a female car mechanic! makes me happy to see women in male dominated professions). It had not a screw or a nail, but a metal rod in the tire. Anyway, all is well now!
Festivals!!! Alberta Street Festival, Oregon Brewers Festival, Bite of Oregon, all involved good times. Bite of Oregon was advertised as a value event, but it was more of a benefit, and cost a lot more than expected. It was still good, though. Alberta Street Festival was wildly bustling with small merchants, food carts, hipsters, and street performers. The Brewers Festival was grand! The cost of a taste was a wooden token ($1), and we went towards the end, so people kept giving them to us! I also found one on the ground. Here is a tip: at festivals, people are likely drunk, not paying attention, or distracted by the festivities. They do stupid things like drop their valuables on the ground, or leave things where they shouldn't. Now, I would never take a wallet or jewelery or whatever other precious thing someone might have lost. Those would be turned in for sure. But if I see a dollar on the ground, and not the pocket or hand it fell from, that is fair game. I'm a treasure hunter: seashells, yard sales, side of the road trash, thrift stores, and definitely festival grounds. <3
Check out my Portland pics here and here!
________________________________________
This is a log of adventures, a receipt of time spent, something to look back on and feel good about.
This is a tale of incredible food and new friends that became my bests.
This is a mix of choice and chance and how they play out.
This is my life... from East to West...
to East?
Sunday, July 10, 2011
I Miss It, But I Might Miss This More
Ok. Before my incessant salivation short circuits my keyboard, let me get some grub praises off my chest.
Ethiopian food is s o f r e a k i n g o o d. Really now, who doesn't love finger food? And I've never had bad Ethiopian food, either. The best part is that half the time, I have no idea what I'm eating! I'm always asking with a great mouth full in the side of my cheek, "What is this!?" If you have never tried it, you simply must. And don't be picky about what you're ordering. I promise, no matter what it is, it's going to taste great.
Today, Arlo took me to a place downtown near the river called Blueplate. What makes this place unique is their wide variety of homemade sodas. Back in the day before Coca Cola and Pepsi completely rocked the market, everyone was making their own soda. Blueplate does a great job of keeping that tradition alive. When we first walked in, there were 4 lil' youngins sitting up at the long counter, and jars of candy by the register with 5 or 10 cent price stickers on each one. A mug full of dumdum lollypops graced each table, and there was a smile on every face in the quaint joint.We took a table towards the back, and ordered the vanilla soda and the Brown Cow (ice cream, root beer, chocolate syrup). SO YUMMY! It was hard to share. We also ordered the special of the day: homemade meatloaf with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and creamy bacon gravy. Normally, I shy away from meatloaf unless I make it myself. But they had me at bacon gravy, so I took a chance. DEAR LORD! I haven't had a dish that good in quite a long time! It was perfectly balanced and delicious. Needless to say, I'm hooked. And I'll be back as often as my wallet allows.
-end food rant-
Let me clear up some misconceptions about my last post. I miss the East Coast a lot. I miss it's snappy pace, great pizza, Wawa/Quick Chek/Sheetz, warm coast, friends, family, and even the nasty drivers. But there isn't a day I wake up, not even the ones I wake up at 4:20am, that I don't look out the window at the city and think of how lucky I am to be living here. I've never been somewhere so beautiful, let alone lived there. I've never seen such a wide variety of food and friendly/odd people. All I know is that one day, when I leave this place, I'll be terribly sad because the odds of moving somewhere this beautiful are slim. I miss the East Coast, but I adore Portland.
Another thing I love is the Wunderland Arcade. Yes, I've raved about this place before, but I can't get over it. 5 cents per play is a dream for anyone with an arcade addiction. Some locations are even combined with movie theaters that charge around $3 per ticket. Good luck finding that on the East Coast. Most locations here will even serve you dinner with a beer if you choose. We went to the Avalon location tonight to see Fast Five. It was surprisingly good! I wasn't expecting them to be able to milk another addition to the series. The place was so empty at 10pm when we got out of the movie. Of course, we got $5 in nickels and romped around the arcade until our pockets were empty (of nickels) and there weren't anymore nickels to scrape from under the machines. All of the little munchkins had gone home to bed, and all the adults were out at the bars. Our age-inappropriate choice to stay late at the kiddie arcade proved to be a success! We practically had the full run of the place. I hate waiting to deposit my money into machines for the chance at winning little paper tickets. I want it fast and furious....err......
Bedtime.
Ethiopian food is s o f r e a k i n g o o d. Really now, who doesn't love finger food? And I've never had bad Ethiopian food, either. The best part is that half the time, I have no idea what I'm eating! I'm always asking with a great mouth full in the side of my cheek, "What is this!?" If you have never tried it, you simply must. And don't be picky about what you're ordering. I promise, no matter what it is, it's going to taste great.
Today, Arlo took me to a place downtown near the river called Blueplate. What makes this place unique is their wide variety of homemade sodas. Back in the day before Coca Cola and Pepsi completely rocked the market, everyone was making their own soda. Blueplate does a great job of keeping that tradition alive. When we first walked in, there were 4 lil' youngins sitting up at the long counter, and jars of candy by the register with 5 or 10 cent price stickers on each one. A mug full of dumdum lollypops graced each table, and there was a smile on every face in the quaint joint.We took a table towards the back, and ordered the vanilla soda and the Brown Cow (ice cream, root beer, chocolate syrup). SO YUMMY! It was hard to share. We also ordered the special of the day: homemade meatloaf with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and creamy bacon gravy. Normally, I shy away from meatloaf unless I make it myself. But they had me at bacon gravy, so I took a chance. DEAR LORD! I haven't had a dish that good in quite a long time! It was perfectly balanced and delicious. Needless to say, I'm hooked. And I'll be back as often as my wallet allows.
-end food rant-
Let me clear up some misconceptions about my last post. I miss the East Coast a lot. I miss it's snappy pace, great pizza, Wawa/Quick Chek/Sheetz, warm coast, friends, family, and even the nasty drivers. But there isn't a day I wake up, not even the ones I wake up at 4:20am, that I don't look out the window at the city and think of how lucky I am to be living here. I've never been somewhere so beautiful, let alone lived there. I've never seen such a wide variety of food and friendly/odd people. All I know is that one day, when I leave this place, I'll be terribly sad because the odds of moving somewhere this beautiful are slim. I miss the East Coast, but I adore Portland.
Another thing I love is the Wunderland Arcade. Yes, I've raved about this place before, but I can't get over it. 5 cents per play is a dream for anyone with an arcade addiction. Some locations are even combined with movie theaters that charge around $3 per ticket. Good luck finding that on the East Coast. Most locations here will even serve you dinner with a beer if you choose. We went to the Avalon location tonight to see Fast Five. It was surprisingly good! I wasn't expecting them to be able to milk another addition to the series. The place was so empty at 10pm when we got out of the movie. Of course, we got $5 in nickels and romped around the arcade until our pockets were empty (of nickels) and there weren't anymore nickels to scrape from under the machines. All of the little munchkins had gone home to bed, and all the adults were out at the bars. Our age-inappropriate choice to stay late at the kiddie arcade proved to be a success! We practically had the full run of the place. I hate waiting to deposit my money into machines for the chance at winning little paper tickets. I want it fast and furious....err......
Bedtime.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Song In My Head
Have you ever wondered how certain songs get stuck in your head? Sometimes it's obvious. It's one of the tunes to the album you've been listening to all week. Or maybe it's something you just heard on the radio. I often find myself even starting a song in a specific place, several times in my head throughout the work day. I notice the same lyrics continuously floating past like a marquee in the eyes of my mind. And I think to myself, "Why these lyrics in particular? Did they mean something to me subconsciously?" Not usually. Lately, I've found that those lyrics playing through my mind all day are the exact ones that play when I unpause the music after getting back in my car at the end of the work day. On some level of subconsciousness, my mind simply wanted to continue the song.
I have a lot of time to think at work... lots of mental breathing room. That also means I have a lot of time to have songs stuck in my head. Something other than the continuing-the-song-from-the-car trick has been going on in my brain. It's weird.... it's Christmas music... and it's June! What business does Christmas music have in my head in late June? Actually, I've noticed this happening since April when I started working at Columbia. I haven't listened to Christmas music since, well, Christmas! Why is it still in my head? And not just one artist, it's the whole shebang - literally everything I usually listen to at Christmas time. So what's going on, brain?
And then it struck me like that poor grandma that got plowed by Rudolph. The reason I have had Christmas music in my head during this non-Christmas time, is because that's where I left off. That's where I got out of the car - out of my life on the East Coast - and left to start life somewhere else. We left for our journey on December 23rd, and for some reason, my mind still thinks I'm just waiting to get back in the car - back to the East Coast - and start where I left off... unpause the music, and spend Christmas of 2010 with my family in NJ. These Christmas lyrics in my head are the subconscious yearn for continuation of my East Coast life.
Oh there's no place like home for the holidays.
For no matter how far away you roam,
If you long for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,
For the holidays, you can't beat home, sweet home.
I have a lot of time to think at work... lots of mental breathing room. That also means I have a lot of time to have songs stuck in my head. Something other than the continuing-the-song-from-the-car trick has been going on in my brain. It's weird.... it's Christmas music... and it's June! What business does Christmas music have in my head in late June? Actually, I've noticed this happening since April when I started working at Columbia. I haven't listened to Christmas music since, well, Christmas! Why is it still in my head? And not just one artist, it's the whole shebang - literally everything I usually listen to at Christmas time. So what's going on, brain?
And then it struck me like that poor grandma that got plowed by Rudolph. The reason I have had Christmas music in my head during this non-Christmas time, is because that's where I left off. That's where I got out of the car - out of my life on the East Coast - and left to start life somewhere else. We left for our journey on December 23rd, and for some reason, my mind still thinks I'm just waiting to get back in the car - back to the East Coast - and start where I left off... unpause the music, and spend Christmas of 2010 with my family in NJ. These Christmas lyrics in my head are the subconscious yearn for continuation of my East Coast life.
Oh there's no place like home for the holidays.
For no matter how far away you roam,
If you long for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,
For the holidays, you can't beat home, sweet home.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Miss You Erin!
I've always wondered how animals are affected by things like people or other animals moving away or dying. Do they know? Can they tell before it happens? Do they get sad? I wondered how Tiffany felt when we put Comete to sleep. Did she know we had just put her best friend in the ground forever? Is she lonely now? I know it's our tendency to try to personify animals, but they have emotions too, right?
My roommate Erin and her dog Riley just moved out of the house for the summer (they'll be back in 3 months). Damascus and Riley were best friends, and Damascus was pretty attached to Erin, too. While Arlo and I were at work in the morning to early afternoon, Damascus would stay with Erin and Riley until we got home. She often took them on long hikes and even to the coast or up in the mountains. Arlo and I were incredibly lucky to have such a great friend that would help us out with him.
And now I'm wondering how Damascus feels. Does he know they won't be back for a while? Could he tell ahead of time that this would happen? I don't know if they've been gone long enough for him to understand. After Erin left yesterday, Arlo found Damascus laying on Erin's old bed in an empty room. That's where he would always sleep if no one was home. Today, he has been sitting by the door a lot... seemingly waiting.
I just wonder how he feels...
It has only been a day, but it's weird for me too. Whenever I drive up the hill, I look at who is parked on the street and always look for Erin's car. I've already caught myself checking a few times since she left. Though our schedules were always opposite, and sometimes I didn't see her for a few days, the house feels kind of empty now. Don't get me wrong, I love all of my other roommates! I've just been trying to figure out why I feel off today, even though it's sunny and beautiful. And then I realized I have just been sitting around the house like the dog, waiting for her to come home.
I miss you Erin!
My roommate Erin and her dog Riley just moved out of the house for the summer (they'll be back in 3 months). Damascus and Riley were best friends, and Damascus was pretty attached to Erin, too. While Arlo and I were at work in the morning to early afternoon, Damascus would stay with Erin and Riley until we got home. She often took them on long hikes and even to the coast or up in the mountains. Arlo and I were incredibly lucky to have such a great friend that would help us out with him.
And now I'm wondering how Damascus feels. Does he know they won't be back for a while? Could he tell ahead of time that this would happen? I don't know if they've been gone long enough for him to understand. After Erin left yesterday, Arlo found Damascus laying on Erin's old bed in an empty room. That's where he would always sleep if no one was home. Today, he has been sitting by the door a lot... seemingly waiting.
I just wonder how he feels...
It has only been a day, but it's weird for me too. Whenever I drive up the hill, I look at who is parked on the street and always look for Erin's car. I've already caught myself checking a few times since she left. Though our schedules were always opposite, and sometimes I didn't see her for a few days, the house feels kind of empty now. Don't get me wrong, I love all of my other roommates! I've just been trying to figure out why I feel off today, even though it's sunny and beautiful. And then I realized I have just been sitting around the house like the dog, waiting for her to come home.
I miss you Erin!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
A Series of Recent Happenings
As per request of my brother, I come here now to elaborate on things past, present, and perhaps future. So grab your beverage of choice and gather 'round. It's story time!
The day went like this: It was a Wednesday. The night before, I had gone to a Citizen Cope concert (acoustic set, very nice) with roommate Erin and friend Pat. Good times were had, and I was home in time to catch about 5 hours of sleep. Definitely worth it. Back to Wednesday, I woke up feeling not so well. I went to work, the feeling of nausea and sour stomach progressed to the point of making the work day quite miserable. I thought only of going home to sleep for many hours. Work ends, and I drive to meet Arlo downtown. By now I'm a puddle of rot, but I noticed Arlo was acting unusual as he secured his bike to the car rack and got in the passenger seat. "I just hit a car." he said in a daze. A mix of adrenaline and worry shot through me. I then noticed the seeping wounds on his chest. He had been riding in the bike lane at about 15mph and a prius owner opened her door at the same time Arlo happened to be riding by. His chest played the role of brakes and brought him to a halt at the top of the tall door. He didn't have enough time to use his actual brakes. From what my eyes could tell me, he was ok with the exception of those cuts and a sore neck. But you know the drill... off to the emergency room we went. Luckily, it was nothing serious. Two days rest and a bottle of Oxycodone later, he's feeling much better.
But I was still feeling terrible. I wanted to take care of Arlo, but I ended up sleeping for most of the rest of the night, and only being awake for 5 hours the next day. Disgusting. I was sick with some sort of allergies/cold the week before. It was a tough two weeks.
And today we're both healthy and happy. Arlo will likely have scarring on his chest from the accident, but he seems to think that's cool... *rollseyes*
So it's rumored the world ends tomorrow? From my understanding, man will know neither the day nor the hour. I'll continue to ignore the media and do what I've been doing. I can't believe how many people are stressing out and scrambling to try to control things they can't. Inevitable things are just that, and trying to control them is pointless.
Work has been going well for Arlo and I. Arlo got hired on full time after he was a temp for a few months. Woohoo! I'm still a temp, and still waiting for a full time position to open up at Columbia. Still very much enjoying things there.
Wake boat! Arlo and I went out on a wake boat yesterday with Greg (our landlord) and his friend Ray. It was a gorgeous day, and so much fun.
I spent last weekend teaching the Oregon Crusaders front ensemble in Salem, OR. It was an awesome experience, and I was so happy to work with so many great people and talented kids. After spending the fall and winter not teaching, I'm definitely ready to get going again.
Tonight, Arlo and I went to an Ethiopian place in NE. The atmosphere was a bit dull, but the food was delicious! The prices were decent too. The iced tea was not up to par with the Ethiopian place in Chicago, but it was still good! I think I've discovered a way to make something that tastes very similar at home. I found this tea at work that's made by Bigelow called Constant Comment. That name just sounds like someone constantly nagging someone else... making constant comments... I'm not quite sure what they were going for with that name, but it tastes great!
Anyway, all is well and life is good. Now someone come visit me!
The day went like this: It was a Wednesday. The night before, I had gone to a Citizen Cope concert (acoustic set, very nice) with roommate Erin and friend Pat. Good times were had, and I was home in time to catch about 5 hours of sleep. Definitely worth it. Back to Wednesday, I woke up feeling not so well. I went to work, the feeling of nausea and sour stomach progressed to the point of making the work day quite miserable. I thought only of going home to sleep for many hours. Work ends, and I drive to meet Arlo downtown. By now I'm a puddle of rot, but I noticed Arlo was acting unusual as he secured his bike to the car rack and got in the passenger seat. "I just hit a car." he said in a daze. A mix of adrenaline and worry shot through me. I then noticed the seeping wounds on his chest. He had been riding in the bike lane at about 15mph and a prius owner opened her door at the same time Arlo happened to be riding by. His chest played the role of brakes and brought him to a halt at the top of the tall door. He didn't have enough time to use his actual brakes. From what my eyes could tell me, he was ok with the exception of those cuts and a sore neck. But you know the drill... off to the emergency room we went. Luckily, it was nothing serious. Two days rest and a bottle of Oxycodone later, he's feeling much better.
But I was still feeling terrible. I wanted to take care of Arlo, but I ended up sleeping for most of the rest of the night, and only being awake for 5 hours the next day. Disgusting. I was sick with some sort of allergies/cold the week before. It was a tough two weeks.
And today we're both healthy and happy. Arlo will likely have scarring on his chest from the accident, but he seems to think that's cool... *rollseyes*
So it's rumored the world ends tomorrow? From my understanding, man will know neither the day nor the hour. I'll continue to ignore the media and do what I've been doing. I can't believe how many people are stressing out and scrambling to try to control things they can't. Inevitable things are just that, and trying to control them is pointless.
Work has been going well for Arlo and I. Arlo got hired on full time after he was a temp for a few months. Woohoo! I'm still a temp, and still waiting for a full time position to open up at Columbia. Still very much enjoying things there.
Wake boat! Arlo and I went out on a wake boat yesterday with Greg (our landlord) and his friend Ray. It was a gorgeous day, and so much fun.
I spent last weekend teaching the Oregon Crusaders front ensemble in Salem, OR. It was an awesome experience, and I was so happy to work with so many great people and talented kids. After spending the fall and winter not teaching, I'm definitely ready to get going again.
Tonight, Arlo and I went to an Ethiopian place in NE. The atmosphere was a bit dull, but the food was delicious! The prices were decent too. The iced tea was not up to par with the Ethiopian place in Chicago, but it was still good! I think I've discovered a way to make something that tastes very similar at home. I found this tea at work that's made by Bigelow called Constant Comment. That name just sounds like someone constantly nagging someone else... making constant comments... I'm not quite sure what they were going for with that name, but it tastes great!
Anyway, all is well and life is good. Now someone come visit me!
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Time In Between
This blog has been pretty aimless since about a week after I moved here to Portland. First there was the trip: lots to write about, of course. Then then arriving and the settling in: still somewhat interesting and new. And there have been interesting things here and there, but this blog has otherwise not had much of a purpose other than documenting what I did that day or week. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be able to go back and read about what I ate for dinner three weeks ago (so I have an idea of what to eat for dinner this week?), but this blog has just been a smattering of random events, written weeks apart, with a lot of nothing in between.
But I'm still learning... I was going to say patience, but that would imply that I'm waiting for something. What I'm learning is how to enjoy the moment -the now-, instead of waiting impatiently for the next. About a week after we moved to Portland, I started thinking about our next big trip... Alaska? Mexico? Europe? I've found myself many times spending countless hours thinking about the future -where I'll go, where I'll eat, what landmarks I'll photograph as a legitimization of my trip- that I end up missing everything that's going on right now. Now that we've been here for over 3 months (woah, what?), I'm starting to realize that what I need to be focusing on is what I have in front of me. And now I see that what I have in front of me is freaking fantastic. I'm living the dream.
My job is really great. The hours go by so fast, and the work is enjoyable. I actually look forward to going to work everyday. The location of where I'm living right now is ridiculous. Everything is gorgeous. And I'm living in the most gorgeous part of the gorgeousness, with a great view of it all. It's literally less than 5 minutes from some of the prettiest rain forests I've ever seen. I'm living in the pictures of a magazine. I have blossoming friendships, and my love by my side.
Isn't this optimism sickening?
Don't worry, I'm exaggerating a tiny bit just to psych myself out. But really, life is good, and I'm very happy with it.
Now for random notes on life...
I'm making some yummy (hopefully) pot roast right now. Crock Pots are the best. Lunch tomorrow will be delicious.
Arlo and I have finally collected a semi-respectable collection of furniture for our room. We still need something to put our clothes in, but at least we have a bed!
The East Coast needs Grocery Outlet like the West Coast needs good pizza. Yeah, it's that good. Arlo and I spent $90 there last week, and we got soooooooooooooooooooooo much stuff. I felt bad about how much freezer space we took up. The deals are irresistible (practically everything is about half price and completely good to eat/use). East and West need to set up some trades or something. I'll go grocery shopping here in Portland if someone in Jersey sends me a large Nicolosi's pizza.
Game of Thrones is pretty good. I just watched the pilot. Looking forward to the rest of the season. I'm more looking forward to True Blood Season 4!!! And The Killing is good as well. I'm glad Arlo and I have similar tastes as far as shows go. We'll have to wait until January for the next season of Spartacus. It so sucks that Andy Whitfield got cancer again. No one can fill the shoes of Spartacus! I hope he gets all better.
End
But I'm still learning... I was going to say patience, but that would imply that I'm waiting for something. What I'm learning is how to enjoy the moment -the now-, instead of waiting impatiently for the next. About a week after we moved to Portland, I started thinking about our next big trip... Alaska? Mexico? Europe? I've found myself many times spending countless hours thinking about the future -where I'll go, where I'll eat, what landmarks I'll photograph as a legitimization of my trip- that I end up missing everything that's going on right now. Now that we've been here for over 3 months (woah, what?), I'm starting to realize that what I need to be focusing on is what I have in front of me. And now I see that what I have in front of me is freaking fantastic. I'm living the dream.
My job is really great. The hours go by so fast, and the work is enjoyable. I actually look forward to going to work everyday. The location of where I'm living right now is ridiculous. Everything is gorgeous. And I'm living in the most gorgeous part of the gorgeousness, with a great view of it all. It's literally less than 5 minutes from some of the prettiest rain forests I've ever seen. I'm living in the pictures of a magazine. I have blossoming friendships, and my love by my side.
Isn't this optimism sickening?
Don't worry, I'm exaggerating a tiny bit just to psych myself out. But really, life is good, and I'm very happy with it.
Now for random notes on life...
I'm making some yummy (hopefully) pot roast right now. Crock Pots are the best. Lunch tomorrow will be delicious.
Arlo and I have finally collected a semi-respectable collection of furniture for our room. We still need something to put our clothes in, but at least we have a bed!
The East Coast needs Grocery Outlet like the West Coast needs good pizza. Yeah, it's that good. Arlo and I spent $90 there last week, and we got soooooooooooooooooooooo much stuff. I felt bad about how much freezer space we took up. The deals are irresistible (practically everything is about half price and completely good to eat/use). East and West need to set up some trades or something. I'll go grocery shopping here in Portland if someone in Jersey sends me a large Nicolosi's pizza.
Game of Thrones is pretty good. I just watched the pilot. Looking forward to the rest of the season. I'm more looking forward to True Blood Season 4!!! And The Killing is good as well. I'm glad Arlo and I have similar tastes as far as shows go. We'll have to wait until January for the next season of Spartacus. It so sucks that Andy Whitfield got cancer again. No one can fill the shoes of Spartacus! I hope he gets all better.
End
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
New Place, New Job
Hokay so, here is the view...
"Daaammn that's a sweet view.", you might say?
It's a bit cloudy, yes, but that's Portland. On some days, we can see all the snow capped mountains and all the way into Vancouver, WA!
The people and dogs that live here with us are just as great. Damascus has a new best buddy named Reiley, a german shepherd/husky/lab mix! They're pretty much inseparable now. I'd put up more pictures, but as I write all of these positive things, I am reminded of the less than stellar internet connection we have here at the moment. But that can be fixed later.
I've been driving manual! Ok, so I still stall here and there, but I'm doing it! Learning to drive up the steep hill to our house has been a bit scary, but so far so good.
I'm done with Stream, and was lucky enough to jump right into another job that started today. I now work at the Columbia Sportswear warehouse in N Portland. After my first day on the job, I'm pretty sure I like it. It's very low stress, and I'm not sitting in a chair all day, which is lovely! I start at an early 6am, but get out at 2:30pm. Pretty sweet.
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittt's my bed time!
It's a bit cloudy, yes, but that's Portland. On some days, we can see all the snow capped mountains and all the way into Vancouver, WA!
The people and dogs that live here with us are just as great. Damascus has a new best buddy named Reiley, a german shepherd/husky/lab mix! They're pretty much inseparable now. I'd put up more pictures, but as I write all of these positive things, I am reminded of the less than stellar internet connection we have here at the moment. But that can be fixed later.
I've been driving manual! Ok, so I still stall here and there, but I'm doing it! Learning to drive up the steep hill to our house has been a bit scary, but so far so good.
I'm done with Stream, and was lucky enough to jump right into another job that started today. I now work at the Columbia Sportswear warehouse in N Portland. After my first day on the job, I'm pretty sure I like it. It's very low stress, and I'm not sitting in a chair all day, which is lovely! I start at an early 6am, but get out at 2:30pm. Pretty sweet.
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittt's my bed time!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Not In A Rush
Ahh, the lovely hours of Saturday night (Sunday morning for you East Coast folks). I have a new schedule at my job. I work 6:30am-3:30pm Tue-Sat. Yeah, I worked today. I would have chosen to work Sun-Thur, but I didn't think the bus was going to get me to work on time on Sunday morning (the bus schedules change for the weekends).
There's something about life without a car that really puts your surroundings into perspective. Things that used to be 20 minutes away are now an hour and a half. A seemingly small list of errands to run takes nearly the entire day to do, and about a half hour to plan. Life begins to revolve around bus schedules, and distances by bike, and the weather (which is rarely anything but rainy). Job schedules begin to take form in favor of the bus world. And I begin working on Saturdays.
Before this past Saturday, I hadn't been in a car for over two months. The plan here was to get a car so Arlo could get a proper job. Luckily, he found a job without one two weeks ago, but we thought it would be best to get one anyway. So we did. Nothing fancy, of course. It's a 1988 Toyota Corolla sedan. Yes, she's as old as I am. But she only ever had one owner, and the interior is in fantastic shape. More importantly, the workings of the car are in fantastic shape as well. We've been told this kind of car is a "tank" and nicknamed "indestructible". The 236,000 miles on it were less than ideal, but these babies seem to run well into the 400,000 range before calling it quits. Now that we have the car, we see it everywhere. And it's a good thing when you see multiple 23-year-old cars still out and about.
Speaking of calling it quits, I just put my two weeks in at my current job. It was fun while it lasted, but the nature of the work doesn't quite agree with me. Maybe I'll go into details later, but for now I'll leave it at that. I'm certainly happy to have had the experience, but I need something else. And so the search continues...
Oh, and that place on the hill you say? We're moving in on Thursday. And the view is truly incredible! Pictures are yet to come. Not to mention the house is beautiful and the people are very nice, and have doggies for Damascus to play with! So much transition in so little time. Honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of this. But good things lie ahead, and time brings them closer.
Having a car is a luxury I dearly missed. I did just fine without one, and I think it was really good for me to experience, but oh my dawd does it make things easier! My only concern is that the car is manual, and I have no idea how to drive manual. Arlo is supposed to teach me tomorrow, and I have to be able to do this by Thursday when I'm moving all of our belongings across town (I'm taking the day off). I hope I don't roll backwards down the big hill!
Anyone wanna send me a cheese pizza from Nicolosi's in Phillipsburg? I have been DYING for a decent slice. Ever since I got here, I've seen articles and advertisements for the best pizza in town. I've tried a lot, and I'm extremely saddened by the absence of a good pie here on the West Coast. The closest I've had was from this place called Escape From New York. Most pizza places here use spaghetti sauce.... GROSS!
Ok, I've got some beef cubes and potatoes in the croc pot I should probably take out before I go to bed. Goodnight All!
There's something about life without a car that really puts your surroundings into perspective. Things that used to be 20 minutes away are now an hour and a half. A seemingly small list of errands to run takes nearly the entire day to do, and about a half hour to plan. Life begins to revolve around bus schedules, and distances by bike, and the weather (which is rarely anything but rainy). Job schedules begin to take form in favor of the bus world. And I begin working on Saturdays.
Before this past Saturday, I hadn't been in a car for over two months. The plan here was to get a car so Arlo could get a proper job. Luckily, he found a job without one two weeks ago, but we thought it would be best to get one anyway. So we did. Nothing fancy, of course. It's a 1988 Toyota Corolla sedan. Yes, she's as old as I am. But she only ever had one owner, and the interior is in fantastic shape. More importantly, the workings of the car are in fantastic shape as well. We've been told this kind of car is a "tank" and nicknamed "indestructible". The 236,000 miles on it were less than ideal, but these babies seem to run well into the 400,000 range before calling it quits. Now that we have the car, we see it everywhere. And it's a good thing when you see multiple 23-year-old cars still out and about.
Speaking of calling it quits, I just put my two weeks in at my current job. It was fun while it lasted, but the nature of the work doesn't quite agree with me. Maybe I'll go into details later, but for now I'll leave it at that. I'm certainly happy to have had the experience, but I need something else. And so the search continues...
Oh, and that place on the hill you say? We're moving in on Thursday. And the view is truly incredible! Pictures are yet to come. Not to mention the house is beautiful and the people are very nice, and have doggies for Damascus to play with! So much transition in so little time. Honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of this. But good things lie ahead, and time brings them closer.
Having a car is a luxury I dearly missed. I did just fine without one, and I think it was really good for me to experience, but oh my dawd does it make things easier! My only concern is that the car is manual, and I have no idea how to drive manual. Arlo is supposed to teach me tomorrow, and I have to be able to do this by Thursday when I'm moving all of our belongings across town (I'm taking the day off). I hope I don't roll backwards down the big hill!
Anyone wanna send me a cheese pizza from Nicolosi's in Phillipsburg? I have been DYING for a decent slice. Ever since I got here, I've seen articles and advertisements for the best pizza in town. I've tried a lot, and I'm extremely saddened by the absence of a good pie here on the West Coast. The closest I've had was from this place called Escape From New York. Most pizza places here use spaghetti sauce.... GROSS!
Ok, I've got some beef cubes and potatoes in the croc pot I should probably take out before I go to bed. Goodnight All!
Monday, March 21, 2011
In a Rush!
Each weekend/day off/few minutes I'm able to be on a computer with full internet access, I look at the link to this page bookmarked in the middle of my favorites, and think about the things I should write here. I think about the great time I just had at such and such a place or the crazy person I just encountered on bus 4, and wish I had the time and energy to write it all down here for future enjoyment or reading or whatever it's for. And as I sit here at Starbucks in downtown Portland, I find myself needing to rush out the door to meet Arlo at a nearby Max station so we can go put a down a deposit on a new place with an amazing view of the town. More details on that later...
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Long Time, No Blog
Life has been coming at me so fast, I haven't had the time to write it all down here. My job is wonderful. It really is! The worst part about it is the commute. I leave the house at 4:42am and get back at 5:30pm, so more than half my day is spent at work or commuting. But that's a wonderful thing, being in a town where a lot of people spend all 24 hours of their day looking for a job instead of working at one. So even though the commute is not so good, I could be in a much worse situation.
I'm not allowed to share the details of my job as far as who I work for and who our clients are, but it's so much fun! I have a few more weeks of training, and then I'm on the floor taking calls. I've never been in a room with so many intelligent, hilarious people before. So very cool.
Something I've noticed over the years is the people your working with make all the difference in the world when it comes to enjoying a job. I'd rather have a job that I don't like with people I do like than a job I like with people I don't. If you don't like your boss or co-workers, quit. They're not worth the stress, and you can find another job. So many people live life thinking they're locked into situations because of certain circumstances, and end up taking medication for anxiety caused by a crappy job and poor quality of life. Don't you owe it to yourself and those around you to change some things and make yourself happy? It might mean taking one step backward to take two forwards, but it's much better than being stagnant in a cesspool of doo doo.
Arlo and I are trying to get a car. The idea of getting into more debt is scary and undesirable, but this is our step backwards to take two forward. Arlo really can get a decent job without a car. It just doesn't work that way in the construction world. Yes, he could probably find a part time job at Subway or something, but he can make a lot more doing construction, and he would be much happier! So this is our quest. I don't know exactly how we'll do it, but it will be done, and he'll get his job. And then we'll get out of debt, and we'll start saving $, and then who knows what. We're not leaving the city any time soon. But I doubt we'll be here for a terribly long time. The travel bug is fairly insatiable, but will have to be subdued for a while. Plus, this job I have is rockin.
Today, Arlo and I did a bit of Zwicklemania, which is a yearly celebration of Oregon breweries. Many breweries (and there are a lot in Portland alone) participate by offering tours and samples. We went to two breweries nearby and enjoyed the freebies. I'm glad Arlo doesn't like beer, because that means I get two free samples! =D I'm such a lucky girl. ^^
This is a double decker bus turned dress shop called Lodekka. It was across the street from one of the breweries we visited, so we decided to check it out.
I'm typically not a dress wearer, and have owned fewer dresses in my life than I have fingers and toes, but I ended up leaving with a dress! Crazy, right? I have no pictures of it yet, and can't really wear it until the summer. But I guess it's cute. Arlo was very insistent on buying it!
Tomorrow we're planning on going to the Wunderland (Nickle) Arcade in NE Portland! Yayyyyyyyyyyy!!! Whoever came up with the idea of a nickle arcade is a GENIUS! There's also this arcade in downtown called Ground Kontrol that I'd like to check out.
Fun stuff!
I'm not allowed to share the details of my job as far as who I work for and who our clients are, but it's so much fun! I have a few more weeks of training, and then I'm on the floor taking calls. I've never been in a room with so many intelligent, hilarious people before. So very cool.
Something I've noticed over the years is the people your working with make all the difference in the world when it comes to enjoying a job. I'd rather have a job that I don't like with people I do like than a job I like with people I don't. If you don't like your boss or co-workers, quit. They're not worth the stress, and you can find another job. So many people live life thinking they're locked into situations because of certain circumstances, and end up taking medication for anxiety caused by a crappy job and poor quality of life. Don't you owe it to yourself and those around you to change some things and make yourself happy? It might mean taking one step backward to take two forwards, but it's much better than being stagnant in a cesspool of doo doo.
Arlo and I are trying to get a car. The idea of getting into more debt is scary and undesirable, but this is our step backwards to take two forward. Arlo really can get a decent job without a car. It just doesn't work that way in the construction world. Yes, he could probably find a part time job at Subway or something, but he can make a lot more doing construction, and he would be much happier! So this is our quest. I don't know exactly how we'll do it, but it will be done, and he'll get his job. And then we'll get out of debt, and we'll start saving $, and then who knows what. We're not leaving the city any time soon. But I doubt we'll be here for a terribly long time. The travel bug is fairly insatiable, but will have to be subdued for a while. Plus, this job I have is rockin.
Today, Arlo and I did a bit of Zwicklemania, which is a yearly celebration of Oregon breweries. Many breweries (and there are a lot in Portland alone) participate by offering tours and samples. We went to two breweries nearby and enjoyed the freebies. I'm glad Arlo doesn't like beer, because that means I get two free samples! =D I'm such a lucky girl. ^^
This is a double decker bus turned dress shop called Lodekka. It was across the street from one of the breweries we visited, so we decided to check it out.
I'm typically not a dress wearer, and have owned fewer dresses in my life than I have fingers and toes, but I ended up leaving with a dress! Crazy, right? I have no pictures of it yet, and can't really wear it until the summer. But I guess it's cute. Arlo was very insistent on buying it!
Tomorrow we're planning on going to the Wunderland (Nickle) Arcade in NE Portland! Yayyyyyyyyyyy!!! Whoever came up with the idea of a nickle arcade is a GENIUS! There's also this arcade in downtown called Ground Kontrol that I'd like to check out.
Fun stuff!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Post You've All...er... I Have Been Waiting For!
Fingers uncrossed. I have a job! It's a hefty 1.5 hour commute to Beaverton, OR, but a job is a job! I'm going to be working in a call center in the sales retention center. Basically, I'm going to be trying to convince people not to drop their service with our clients all day. And our clients are video gamers. Pretty cool! It might be a rough job, but I'm up for the challenge. I'm up for anything after a two week + job search. The workplace is pretty nice, too! There's a pool table and video game systems/computers everywhere to use during break. It kinda reminds me of that movie Grandma's Boy with Nick Swardson. I really need this job to work out well!
In celebration, Arlo and I went to St. Johns Theater and Pub for dinner. They have a cool deal on Tuesdays that includes a beer, a burger, and a movie for $10 per person. There are so many privately owned gems like this here! It's definitely not like this back in Jersey where just about everything is corporate owned. I had a beer made by McMenamin's called Ruby, which is a delicious raspberry ale. It makes we wish I had the chance to try Weyerbacher's raspberry ale while I was still on the East Coast. Hopefully, they'll still be making it when I come back sometime!
I'm still missing Dunkin Donuts.... they were drinking it in the movie we saw tonight (Fair Game).
Now that the weight of not having a job has been lifted off my shoulders, I plan on cruising through town tomorrow on my bike for a while. I'm excited to finally get to know the town without speeding through it to get to an interview or somewhere important. I'm going to spend my time paging through books at Powell's City of Books and the Central Library. I'm going to stare into windows without want, but with simple appreciation. I'm going to savor a pastry or two from Voodoo Doughnuts, and then rest in the park along the Williamette River. Maybe I'll pedal through Chinatown or peek in a thrift store. Whatever it is, I'm going to take it slow, and enjoy.
=)
In celebration, Arlo and I went to St. Johns Theater and Pub for dinner. They have a cool deal on Tuesdays that includes a beer, a burger, and a movie for $10 per person. There are so many privately owned gems like this here! It's definitely not like this back in Jersey where just about everything is corporate owned. I had a beer made by McMenamin's called Ruby, which is a delicious raspberry ale. It makes we wish I had the chance to try Weyerbacher's raspberry ale while I was still on the East Coast. Hopefully, they'll still be making it when I come back sometime!
I'm still missing Dunkin Donuts.... they were drinking it in the movie we saw tonight (Fair Game).
Now that the weight of not having a job has been lifted off my shoulders, I plan on cruising through town tomorrow on my bike for a while. I'm excited to finally get to know the town without speeding through it to get to an interview or somewhere important. I'm going to spend my time paging through books at Powell's City of Books and the Central Library. I'm going to stare into windows without want, but with simple appreciation. I'm going to savor a pastry or two from Voodoo Doughnuts, and then rest in the park along the Williamette River. Maybe I'll pedal through Chinatown or peek in a thrift store. Whatever it is, I'm going to take it slow, and enjoy.
=)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Goodbye
The car that carried me, Arlo, Damascus, and all of our stuff from one side of the country to the other is now gone. $300 and 20 seconds later, it was driven away to be pulled apart and sold in hundreds of smaller pieces. It was a short relationship of about 4 months, but she did a lot for us. This is the first time since early high school that I haven't had a car, and my feelings are pretty mixed.
It was definitely the right time to sell it. Even if the car was in perfect condition, it would have cost several hundred dollars just to get it registered in Oregon, and possibly get it smog-free. Riding a bike every day is definitely good for the travel gut (All that restaurant and fast food we consumed on the trip certainly left it's mark).
The amount of money we're saving right now by not having a car is great. Not having a car is the way to go if you can manage without one, and a city is definitely the right place to try. However, it has caused us to narrow our job search quite a bit. Arlo is especially hindered by not having a car, because construction employers usually require employees to have their own car for transporting materials.
The goal here is to get a job. Really any job would be welcome at this point so we can drop the shovel and stop digging ourselves into a debt-hole. I would love to not have to fill out another job application for a looooonggggg, long time. It's not even that the employers are telling me I'm not qualified for positions I've applied for, it's that they don't even respond. I've called the few that have phone numbers listed, and they've all told me they have gotten 50-100 applicants for a single position. I've always had confidence that if I can get an interview, I can get the job. But I can barely get an interview for most of these places. I hope this all changes soon...
Yesterday, I was riding my bike and saw a quick lube place. I immediately thought, "Oh! I haven't gotten my oil changed in a while. I better do that soon!" And I then realized I don't have a car. Haaaa..... My days are filled with many moments like this one.
Reaaaally though, it's not bad biking everywhere or taking the occasional bus. It feels good in a way. Saving money and saving the planet... pretty good deal.
But I'm still not giving up my plastic bags!
It was definitely the right time to sell it. Even if the car was in perfect condition, it would have cost several hundred dollars just to get it registered in Oregon, and possibly get it smog-free. Riding a bike every day is definitely good for the travel gut (All that restaurant and fast food we consumed on the trip certainly left it's mark).
The amount of money we're saving right now by not having a car is great. Not having a car is the way to go if you can manage without one, and a city is definitely the right place to try. However, it has caused us to narrow our job search quite a bit. Arlo is especially hindered by not having a car, because construction employers usually require employees to have their own car for transporting materials.
The goal here is to get a job. Really any job would be welcome at this point so we can drop the shovel and stop digging ourselves into a debt-hole. I would love to not have to fill out another job application for a looooonggggg, long time. It's not even that the employers are telling me I'm not qualified for positions I've applied for, it's that they don't even respond. I've called the few that have phone numbers listed, and they've all told me they have gotten 50-100 applicants for a single position. I've always had confidence that if I can get an interview, I can get the job. But I can barely get an interview for most of these places. I hope this all changes soon...
Yesterday, I was riding my bike and saw a quick lube place. I immediately thought, "Oh! I haven't gotten my oil changed in a while. I better do that soon!" And I then realized I don't have a car. Haaaa..... My days are filled with many moments like this one.
Reaaaally though, it's not bad biking everywhere or taking the occasional bus. It feels good in a way. Saving money and saving the planet... pretty good deal.
But I'm still not giving up my plastic bags!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Crossing Fingers
No job yet, but I could possibly have one by the middle of next week (I hope!). I had an interview for one job a week ago, and he said he would let me know by the middle of next week if they want to hire me. And I just got an in-person interview for another job, which is on Tuesday. I had a half-hour phone interview today, and passed to the final round of their recruitment process. Woohoo! They said if they decide they want me at the conclusion of my interview on Tuesday, that they will hire me on the spot. I have a few other job prospects, but it seems most employers are taking their time with the hiring process. Gaadjhfdhsjd! So close...maybe..
We got Damascus a crate today. Hopefully, we'll be able to start leaving him in the house by himself without him throwing a hissy fit. He loves his new house!
Yesterday, I went into downtown Portland on the bus and brought my bike. Arlo always used to go into NYC and zoom around on his road bike going in between two lanes of opposite traffic. I never thought I would ride my bike in a city, but it's really not so bad. Then again, this is a West Coast city where everyone is nice and loves trees. I guess that makes the atmosphere for biking a bit more tolerable.
If there's one thing I've learned about Portland in my week and a half of living here, it's that there is good food everywhere! I miss my reliable Dunkin Donuts, Quick Chek, WaWa, and Turkey Hill, but there's just nothing like these mom and pop shops. There aren't as many chain stores on the West Coast (at least that I've been able to identify). The community here is much more supportive of the unique, family owned joints. BUT WE STILL HAVE 7-ELEVEN! Mmmm there's nothing like a good high fructose corn syrup slurpee!
There are these cool little food shack towns sprinkled around the Portland metro that have absolutely fantastic food! I went to one called Potato Champion yesterday, and it was heaven! They sell Belgian-style fries (frites) and you get to chose from a variety of dipping sauces. I had horseradish ketchup with mine. YUM!
They also sell Poutine (look it up) and a few other delectables. I need to visit Belgium someday. Great frites, great beer, sounds like a good place to me! My next food target is the ever-famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Arlo and I tried to go there our second night here in Portland, but they were crazy busy. We asked some people in line, "Hey! Uhhh what's going on here???" Some girls replied, "Just doughnuts..... and a chapel, too. If you need that." Silly little hipsters! I'm looking forward to my first taste of yummy pastry!
Something else that's a little different here is the push to be the first state to ban plastic bags. They have people walking around door-to-door asking for donations and signatures. Fred Meyer (our supermarket/superstore [no, I won't compare it to Wal-Mart]) only has recyclable brown paper bags for groceries. My biggest dilemma in all of this is: What am I supposed to pick up dog poop with? The big brown paper bag just doesn't do the job. And I'm not going to recycle dog shit anyway. So what am I to do with the poo?
My biggest concerns in life are when/where I'm getting my next paycheck, stretching the money we have left, and where I'm going to put all this doggie doodoo.
Ay Caramba!
We got Damascus a crate today. Hopefully, we'll be able to start leaving him in the house by himself without him throwing a hissy fit. He loves his new house!
Yesterday, I went into downtown Portland on the bus and brought my bike. Arlo always used to go into NYC and zoom around on his road bike going in between two lanes of opposite traffic. I never thought I would ride my bike in a city, but it's really not so bad. Then again, this is a West Coast city where everyone is nice and loves trees. I guess that makes the atmosphere for biking a bit more tolerable.
If there's one thing I've learned about Portland in my week and a half of living here, it's that there is good food everywhere! I miss my reliable Dunkin Donuts, Quick Chek, WaWa, and Turkey Hill, but there's just nothing like these mom and pop shops. There aren't as many chain stores on the West Coast (at least that I've been able to identify). The community here is much more supportive of the unique, family owned joints. BUT WE STILL HAVE 7-ELEVEN! Mmmm there's nothing like a good high fructose corn syrup slurpee!
There are these cool little food shack towns sprinkled around the Portland metro that have absolutely fantastic food! I went to one called Potato Champion yesterday, and it was heaven! They sell Belgian-style fries (frites) and you get to chose from a variety of dipping sauces. I had horseradish ketchup with mine. YUM!
They also sell Poutine (look it up) and a few other delectables. I need to visit Belgium someday. Great frites, great beer, sounds like a good place to me! My next food target is the ever-famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Arlo and I tried to go there our second night here in Portland, but they were crazy busy. We asked some people in line, "Hey! Uhhh what's going on here???" Some girls replied, "Just doughnuts..... and a chapel, too. If you need that." Silly little hipsters! I'm looking forward to my first taste of yummy pastry!
Something else that's a little different here is the push to be the first state to ban plastic bags. They have people walking around door-to-door asking for donations and signatures. Fred Meyer (our supermarket/superstore [no, I won't compare it to Wal-Mart]) only has recyclable brown paper bags for groceries. My biggest dilemma in all of this is: What am I supposed to pick up dog poop with? The big brown paper bag just doesn't do the job. And I'm not going to recycle dog shit anyway. So what am I to do with the poo?
My biggest concerns in life are when/where I'm getting my next paycheck, stretching the money we have left, and where I'm going to put all this doggie doodoo.
Ay Caramba!
Monday, January 17, 2011
2 Year Anniversary!
Yayyy 2 yearsss!! This day two years ago, Arlo and I were sitting in his car in the parking lot of Best Buy when he asked me to be his girlfriend. We've done a bit of squabbling about when the official date actually is (we had been hanging out a lot over the previous week), but we've come to agree on the 16th, as that is when he actually asked me to take up the gf status. He thinks it should be the day we met, but this makes absolutely no sense in girl world. The boy must ask! Are you taking notes, boys?
We celebrated today by playing computer games for hours on our desk top computers that we set up on a tiny, tiny desk last night. It's amazing we were able to fit them into such a small space when they took up the majority of our trunk for the whole trip.
Later, we ventured out into Portland on our bikes to rest our bloodshot eyes and exercise our flabby bodies. St. John's is a quaint little part of Portland in which we live. It's a great fix for those wanting to live in the city, but without all the hustle and bustle. It fits me.
Out of all the cutsie, hipster places we could have stopped at for a drink or bite to eat, we somehow decided on 7 Eleven. Slurpee's and hotdogs! How nutritious! Damascus couldn't wait for his share.
I canceled my car insurance, and we cleaned out all of our stuff. Now it's just an empty shell that was once stuffed to the gills with computers and blankets and bodies. I don't know what's in the future for this car, but I do know that we aren't. We're going to list it on craigslist for a bit. Hopefully someone can get some more use out of her.
Still looking for jobs! The hopes for getting called for an interview are postponed by a holiday. JUST GIVE ME A JOB ALREADY!
We celebrated today by playing computer games for hours on our desk top computers that we set up on a tiny, tiny desk last night. It's amazing we were able to fit them into such a small space when they took up the majority of our trunk for the whole trip.
Later, we ventured out into Portland on our bikes to rest our bloodshot eyes and exercise our flabby bodies. St. John's is a quaint little part of Portland in which we live. It's a great fix for those wanting to live in the city, but without all the hustle and bustle. It fits me.
Out of all the cutsie, hipster places we could have stopped at for a drink or bite to eat, we somehow decided on 7 Eleven. Slurpee's and hotdogs! How nutritious! Damascus couldn't wait for his share.
I canceled my car insurance, and we cleaned out all of our stuff. Now it's just an empty shell that was once stuffed to the gills with computers and blankets and bodies. I don't know what's in the future for this car, but I do know that we aren't. We're going to list it on craigslist for a bit. Hopefully someone can get some more use out of her.
Still looking for jobs! The hopes for getting called for an interview are postponed by a holiday. JUST GIVE ME A JOB ALREADY!
Friday, January 14, 2011
New Life in Portland
Ok. No more daily updates. My coast to coast adventure is over (at least for this particular trip). Now it's time to get acquainted with this green town called Portland. There are many places to explore, and I can't think of any greater city to land in (and we've seen many cities and towns). I like it more here everyday. But my heart is still up in the air with not having a job yet. Oh, and to make matter's worse, my car just lost another life (it has lost several so far). The transmission is toast, and completely unrepairable. We certainly don't have enough to fix it, and I'm not entirely sure we want to anyway. It's a bit of a money pit, and I think we can do just fine here with our two bikes and the city's transportation system. Having a car is great, but having somewhere to live is more important.
So here I sit in our small room typing away on my laptop, reminiscing in my head about the places visited, food eaten, and friends made over the past.. how many weeks? I haven't even counted it out yet...ok, it was 2.5 weeks (18 days). I'm actually already missing life on the road, but it also feels really good to be sleeping in the same place every night, and not having to worry about packing everything up. It was the right time and place to drop our packs and make camp.
Every now and then I remember something about the trip that I forgot to write down. One of my favorite experiences was when we visited the Antique Arcade on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. We put money in a player piano (the kind that play on their own), and then Arlo grabbed my hands and proceeded to dance with me. We danced and danced, right there in the aisle, until the song was over. It was an elating 40 seconds! We were smiling and twirling, and life was good. It was like something from a fairytale or a romantic comedy. It's one of my fondest memories. =)
This trip has been a big lesson for me about planning. Some things work best planned out, while others are better when done spontaneously. I tend to over-plan things, whereas Arlo tends to under-plan. Neither are terrible qualities, but they both have drawbacks. We have slowly been working on learning from the other. It's a process, and I feel I have made several big steps in a good direction.
Here's another arcade experience I forgot to mention: we went to this nickel arcade called Wunderland in Beaverton, OR (right next to Portland), and it was soooooooooo coooooooooollll!!!! It's the arcade-goers dream! 5 cents per play? YES PLEASE! Some of the better games cost 20 cents, but that's still less than a quarter!!! Some of you know that I'm a sucker for those games where you drop coins down into this bed of many other coins, and they're slowly pushed until you add enough to make them fall over the edge. I once spent $10 in quarters at an arcade in Cape May, NJ in about 60 seconds on one of these machines. And now look! I can support my addiction for much less! Nickle arcades are the best things ever. EVER! It's a good thing we don't have any within biking distance from our place, because we wouldn't have a place very long...
Poor Arlo is still sick. =( His ears are clogged and he can't hear well because of it. Plus, his body feels poopie. It's hard to be aggressive about getting a job when your body just needs to rest. I have two potential jobs, and I super-triple-doggie hope I get one of them!
I hope my next update is about my new job... that would be nice. Very nice.
So here I sit in our small room typing away on my laptop, reminiscing in my head about the places visited, food eaten, and friends made over the past.. how many weeks? I haven't even counted it out yet...ok, it was 2.5 weeks (18 days). I'm actually already missing life on the road, but it also feels really good to be sleeping in the same place every night, and not having to worry about packing everything up. It was the right time and place to drop our packs and make camp.
Every now and then I remember something about the trip that I forgot to write down. One of my favorite experiences was when we visited the Antique Arcade on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. We put money in a player piano (the kind that play on their own), and then Arlo grabbed my hands and proceeded to dance with me. We danced and danced, right there in the aisle, until the song was over. It was an elating 40 seconds! We were smiling and twirling, and life was good. It was like something from a fairytale or a romantic comedy. It's one of my fondest memories. =)
This trip has been a big lesson for me about planning. Some things work best planned out, while others are better when done spontaneously. I tend to over-plan things, whereas Arlo tends to under-plan. Neither are terrible qualities, but they both have drawbacks. We have slowly been working on learning from the other. It's a process, and I feel I have made several big steps in a good direction.
Here's another arcade experience I forgot to mention: we went to this nickel arcade called Wunderland in Beaverton, OR (right next to Portland), and it was soooooooooo coooooooooollll!!!! It's the arcade-goers dream! 5 cents per play? YES PLEASE! Some of the better games cost 20 cents, but that's still less than a quarter!!! Some of you know that I'm a sucker for those games where you drop coins down into this bed of many other coins, and they're slowly pushed until you add enough to make them fall over the edge. I once spent $10 in quarters at an arcade in Cape May, NJ in about 60 seconds on one of these machines. And now look! I can support my addiction for much less! Nickle arcades are the best things ever. EVER! It's a good thing we don't have any within biking distance from our place, because we wouldn't have a place very long...
Poor Arlo is still sick. =( His ears are clogged and he can't hear well because of it. Plus, his body feels poopie. It's hard to be aggressive about getting a job when your body just needs to rest. I have two potential jobs, and I super-triple-doggie hope I get one of them!
I hope my next update is about my new job... that would be nice. Very nice.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
01/09/11-01/10/11 Portland, OR
I'm combining yesterday and today's blog entry because they were filled with a lot of the same thing.
Long story short, Arlo and I are moving into our new place tomorrow! We're renting out a room in a house in North Portland. Portland is such a beautiful city! And I'm so excited! I get a new place for my birthday!!! =D
We've spent much of the last two days searching for a place. The room we're renting out is on a month by month basis, which is awesome for us. It's time to settle down and work again. Time to make money for the next adventure!
We would not have been able to do this without the support of our friends, family, and total strangers who let us stay in their home for a night. We're forever grateful to everyone!!!
I think I'll probably continue to update here every now and then. And I'll definitely do day-by-day updates on our next adventure (whenever that may be).
I'm so happy to have a place to call home, and a bed to call my own. It'll be nice to be able to leave my stuff somewhere everyday that isn't my car.
We're now very aggressively looking for jobs. A million different things are going through my head right now. Just look at how this blog is laid out! I have 1-2 sentence paragraphs everywhere!
In the middle of all this exciting newness in my life, I really miss my doggie Tiffany back at my parent's house. I really miss her unique way of saying "welcome home!". I would walk in the door, my arms usually full of stuff. She would be laying down on her blue recliner in the front room, and suddenly, her big radar ears would perk all the way up in excitement. She wouldn't get down from her spot yet. "Hey Tiff Miff!" I would call to her as I unloaded the contents of my arms onto the coffee table. Her ears would immediately flatten to her head, and she would respond with a welcoming coo/growl that anyone else would think was some threat to stay away. I would do the same back to her. At this time, she would jump down and either run up to me, or run to the back of the house, depending on if anyone else was home. If my dad was home, she would run out to him and bark a lot, letting him know I was here. She did this anytime someone came home. After her fanfare of barks, she would run back to me and I would scrunch up her little cheeks in my hands, scratch behind her big ears, and then down her back. She would only take about 10 seconds of this before she backed out of it, making another coo/growl. After refusing further petting, she would run away, and come back with a toy, usually a ball, and drop it in front of me. She would nudge it toward me with her nose, and make a noise between a growl and a bark, as if to say, "Let's play!". Corgi's are very vocal. I'd throw her toy, and she would repeat the dropping, nudging, and growling. I don't think we've ever reached a point where she didn't want to play anymore. I'm pretty sure she could play herself to death if someone was willing to sit there and throw the ball long enough. I know that if I came home right now, this is exactly what would happen. And it's one of the only things that kills me to be anywhere else but there in the front room, playing with my girl.
I miss my family. I miss my friends. And I really miss my Tiffany.
Long story short, Arlo and I are moving into our new place tomorrow! We're renting out a room in a house in North Portland. Portland is such a beautiful city! And I'm so excited! I get a new place for my birthday!!! =D
We've spent much of the last two days searching for a place. The room we're renting out is on a month by month basis, which is awesome for us. It's time to settle down and work again. Time to make money for the next adventure!
We would not have been able to do this without the support of our friends, family, and total strangers who let us stay in their home for a night. We're forever grateful to everyone!!!
I think I'll probably continue to update here every now and then. And I'll definitely do day-by-day updates on our next adventure (whenever that may be).
I'm so happy to have a place to call home, and a bed to call my own. It'll be nice to be able to leave my stuff somewhere everyday that isn't my car.
We're now very aggressively looking for jobs. A million different things are going through my head right now. Just look at how this blog is laid out! I have 1-2 sentence paragraphs everywhere!
In the middle of all this exciting newness in my life, I really miss my doggie Tiffany back at my parent's house. I really miss her unique way of saying "welcome home!". I would walk in the door, my arms usually full of stuff. She would be laying down on her blue recliner in the front room, and suddenly, her big radar ears would perk all the way up in excitement. She wouldn't get down from her spot yet. "Hey Tiff Miff!" I would call to her as I unloaded the contents of my arms onto the coffee table. Her ears would immediately flatten to her head, and she would respond with a welcoming coo/growl that anyone else would think was some threat to stay away. I would do the same back to her. At this time, she would jump down and either run up to me, or run to the back of the house, depending on if anyone else was home. If my dad was home, she would run out to him and bark a lot, letting him know I was here. She did this anytime someone came home. After her fanfare of barks, she would run back to me and I would scrunch up her little cheeks in my hands, scratch behind her big ears, and then down her back. She would only take about 10 seconds of this before she backed out of it, making another coo/growl. After refusing further petting, she would run away, and come back with a toy, usually a ball, and drop it in front of me. She would nudge it toward me with her nose, and make a noise between a growl and a bark, as if to say, "Let's play!". Corgi's are very vocal. I'd throw her toy, and she would repeat the dropping, nudging, and growling. I don't think we've ever reached a point where she didn't want to play anymore. I'm pretty sure she could play herself to death if someone was willing to sit there and throw the ball long enough. I know that if I came home right now, this is exactly what would happen. And it's one of the only things that kills me to be anywhere else but there in the front room, playing with my girl.
I miss my family. I miss my friends. And I really miss my Tiffany.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
01/08/11 Grants Pass, OR - Portland, OR
Staying at the Super 8 in Grants Pass was quite lovely. We enjoyed Belgian waffles for breakfast, and followed that up with a dip in the hot tub. It was a nice relaxing start to our day!
Arlo is sick with a cold. =( I've been doing my best to play nurse and make sure he takes his medicine. He's still walking, talking, and eating, so I think he'll make it.
Something I meant to mention about yesterday, was when we were at McDonald's using their wi-fi for about 2 hours. There were these two cute little kids playing on the stools and chairs. They were making up their childish games about how one could do something cooler, faster, or better than the other. I remember being that young, and viewing the whole world as a playground. Anything I could climb on was something to play on. My brother and I played games like this all the time when we were younger. One of the kids started playing peek-a-boo with me, and I played along. He giggled his little head off and got his little sister into it, too. They were so happy and careless. Ahh, the good ole' days.
Oregon is a pretty cool place. I drove the 4.5 hours today and got to experience intermittent rain showers. I'm a fan of the mid-section of the state. Instead of mountains being right on top of one another, they're separated by vast, green fields full of sheep and cute little farm houses. I wouldn't want to live there, but it was just an adorable section of land. Take I-5 up from California, and you'll know what I'm talking about.
Portland is big! I didn't get to experience too much of it yet, but I think I really like it here. With no luck (yet again) on couchsurfing, we decided to stay another night at a hotel. With Arlo being sick, it was really the only reasonable option.
This quite possibly could be our new home. We've started looking for apartments and jobs. Tomorrow starts the big search. Anyone have experience with getting a place and a job at the same time? It kind of seems to me that you need one to have the other, but I don't know how to get both at the same time! I mean, I know it happens everyday, but I really don't know how. I guess this is where the unlimited knowledge source called the internet comes in handy.
Don't buy your plane tickets yet, friends! I'll be sure to update with more info as the days go by.
Is this the possible end to our cross-country adventure? It's almost as weird to think about as not living on the East Coast anymore. All of these feelings are strange and exciting! I'm not quite sure how things go from here, but I do know it's still an adventure, even if we might not be moving from town to town.
What fun!
Arlo is sick with a cold. =( I've been doing my best to play nurse and make sure he takes his medicine. He's still walking, talking, and eating, so I think he'll make it.
Something I meant to mention about yesterday, was when we were at McDonald's using their wi-fi for about 2 hours. There were these two cute little kids playing on the stools and chairs. They were making up their childish games about how one could do something cooler, faster, or better than the other. I remember being that young, and viewing the whole world as a playground. Anything I could climb on was something to play on. My brother and I played games like this all the time when we were younger. One of the kids started playing peek-a-boo with me, and I played along. He giggled his little head off and got his little sister into it, too. They were so happy and careless. Ahh, the good ole' days.
Oregon is a pretty cool place. I drove the 4.5 hours today and got to experience intermittent rain showers. I'm a fan of the mid-section of the state. Instead of mountains being right on top of one another, they're separated by vast, green fields full of sheep and cute little farm houses. I wouldn't want to live there, but it was just an adorable section of land. Take I-5 up from California, and you'll know what I'm talking about.
Portland is big! I didn't get to experience too much of it yet, but I think I really like it here. With no luck (yet again) on couchsurfing, we decided to stay another night at a hotel. With Arlo being sick, it was really the only reasonable option.
This quite possibly could be our new home. We've started looking for apartments and jobs. Tomorrow starts the big search. Anyone have experience with getting a place and a job at the same time? It kind of seems to me that you need one to have the other, but I don't know how to get both at the same time! I mean, I know it happens everyday, but I really don't know how. I guess this is where the unlimited knowledge source called the internet comes in handy.
Don't buy your plane tickets yet, friends! I'll be sure to update with more info as the days go by.
Is this the possible end to our cross-country adventure? It's almost as weird to think about as not living on the East Coast anymore. All of these feelings are strange and exciting! I'm not quite sure how things go from here, but I do know it's still an adventure, even if we might not be moving from town to town.
What fun!
01/07/11 - Arcata, CA - Grants Pass, OR
I was eager to get out of that gas station parking lot. I turned on the car, and started driving at 6:15AM. It was still very dark, and I was still very tired. The reason we didn't just drive farther than Arcata was because we wanted to see the Redwoods in daylight. I pulled off twice, once at a beach, and once at a gas station, to pass the time waiting for the sun to come up. We drove up this cliffside, and decided to descend the side of it to get down to the ocean. It was one of those scary tide-could-come-in-at-anytime-and-kill-us places. It was probably a stupid idea, but also a very cool one. There was a small cave in a giant boulder that was even with the tide when we got there. I wanted to explore it, but I also didn't want to die. We left about a half hour later, and it was just in time. When we got back up to the top, we could see where we had been walking was now covered with ocean. Cool!
OH! OH! WE SAW SOME ELK!
Hungry bellies lead us to a small town called Klamath for breakfast. It was yummy and decently priced. I love love love the fresh seafood! I can't get enough.
Along the way, Arlo and I went off on a hiking trail near a giant statue of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. Very pretty and Jurassic-like. I was waiting with my camera for giant velociraptors to jump out in front of me.
We stopped again at another beach, and had fun running from the tide as it crashed in. The waves here are huge! Love it.
A couple thrift stores and towns later, we ended up here in Grants Pass, OR. Oregon has been rainy and a bit colder than California. This town is nice and clean, just like our hotel room. It's such a treat now - hotels are. Going without makes you appreciate things so much more when you have them, no matter if it's by choice or necessity.
The rest of the night is to be filled with updating pictures, blogging, and enjoying the amenities of the hotel. Yesssssss
OH! OH! WE SAW SOME ELK!
Hungry bellies lead us to a small town called Klamath for breakfast. It was yummy and decently priced. I love love love the fresh seafood! I can't get enough.
Along the way, Arlo and I went off on a hiking trail near a giant statue of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. Very pretty and Jurassic-like. I was waiting with my camera for giant velociraptors to jump out in front of me.
We stopped again at another beach, and had fun running from the tide as it crashed in. The waves here are huge! Love it.
A couple thrift stores and towns later, we ended up here in Grants Pass, OR. Oregon has been rainy and a bit colder than California. This town is nice and clean, just like our hotel room. It's such a treat now - hotels are. Going without makes you appreciate things so much more when you have them, no matter if it's by choice or necessity.
The rest of the night is to be filled with updating pictures, blogging, and enjoying the amenities of the hotel. Yesssssss
01/06/11 Fort Bragg, CA - Arcata, CA
I think I slept for a good 11 hours. Lovely!
We had a light breakfast and set off to do laundry. Clean clothes are one of the best things in the world! We sat in the cafe next door using their wi-fi and eating a little more breakfast while we simultaneously washed and dried our clothes. It was a handsome, warm morning, and I was in love.
We checked out a sea glass museum and some thrift stores before heading out of town. Rt 101 along the coast of CA is such a beautiful drive. We stopped and explored one of the beaches for a long time. Soo pretty!
We did a decent amount of driving today. Most of our hours were spent stopping off at the gorgeous sights and exploring. We watched the sunset from a rocky peninsula. It was a great, peaceful day.
The night however, was a little tedious. We planned on staying in a hotel somewhere in Eureka, CA. We had temporarily given up on couchsurfing because we weren't sure if our car could get us where we needed to go. Anyway, Eureka is a dump. There was really no nice part to the town, and I didn't feel safe at all. We opted to see if we could find something in a nearby town, even a campground or something. After following a few dead leads, we wearily drove around looking for anywhere to just turn off the car and sleep. We found a gas station off the freeway in Arcata, CA, and did just that.
I have issues with sleeping in the car, and it really has nothing to do with the car itself. I sleep pretty well sitting upright. It's not terribly uncomfortable to me, and it's a cheap, simple fix for not being able to find a decent place to stay. Where we park the car, however, is what freaks me out. In the middle of the woods? In a scary town? Behind a gas station in the dark? I'm constantly in fear of the worst case scenario. I suppose I'd feel better if I had a gun or something to defend myself with, but until then, I'm afraid Big Foot will bash in my window and eat my brains.
The whole night at the gas station, I thought the cops were going to come and throw us in jail or something. I woke up every two hours to turn the car on and look around for axe murderers. It was pretty restless.
01/04-01/05
01/04/11 San Francisco, CA - Bolinas, CA
Today turned out to be quite frustrating. We started off by exploring the Golden Gate Bridge. Very fun, and very necessary to visit if you're ever in town! As a tip to anyone who might use the bridge: it is only free if you are leaving San Fran. If you are going there via the bridge, you have to pay the big toll!
We continued to explore the national park area on the opposite side of SF. It was pretty, and gorgeous just as everything else in the area. But this is when the frustration began. As we were walking around, Damascus started limping and favoring his right, front paw. When we tried to see if he got glass in it or something, he would collapse and begin to howl and scream. Extremely worried, we rushed him off to the nearest veterinary clinic. We were very lucky to find one in the next town over. They were closed, but the secretary who happened to be there called the vet in. He looked him over, and to our surprise, Damascus was beginning to act a lot better. A few hours later, you would have never know he was hurt. Next time, we'll save the $40 and wait another hour or so before we bring him in. I mean, I'm really happy there was nothing wrong with him, but $40 on a strict budget is a rough plunge. I'm glad we had the peace of mind from it. Now we know he's just a cry baby, and we'll wait a bit longer next time.
Right after the vet's office, we went to the gas station, only to find the contents of our transmission spilling out all over the ground. By some stroke of luck, there were 4 different mechanics within a ¼ mile of each other right there in town. We found out the front seal on our transmission was wearing out, and was the culprit for the continuous stream of fluid we were leaving behind on the road like a trail of breadcrumbs. Enraged and hungry, we quickly had a bite to eat at Dip Sea. We split a pulled pork quesadilla, and it was sooooooooooo yummyyyy!!! It was a nice break from the mess we had to figure out.
I don't know how we thought this would be the best idea, but we got in our car and drove to the last hippie town in the world, Bolinas, CA. They took all the road signs down to prevent many travelers from coming in. We were tipped off about this place from Gina, Steven's girlfriend who we ate breakfast with the prior morning. It certainly was a gem! The bar, Smiley's, was really cool. The town had a really different feel to it. The community was really the best example of the term. Everyone was willing to go out of their way to help the other. We learned this after sharing about our car troubles. Some locals hooked us up with the local mechanic, who ended up looking at our car, confirming that it was the problematic front seal, and giving us a bunch of really good advice. For Free. It really is a wonderful community!
We spent the night in a park in our car. It was cold, and I was petrified the whole night. Scenarios of horrific content flashed through my head. I watched in the third person as the door I was leaning on was ripped open, and some ravenous creature pulled me by my hair off into the woods to eat me slowly and painfully. It was something like a scene from the movie Paranormal Activity. I know it sounds silly, but you try sleeping in a creepy corner of a parking lot in unfamiliar woods.
*shivers*
01/05/11 Bolinas, CA - Fort Bragg, CA
Knock Knock Knock
“Park Ranger! Open up!”
Ugggggggggggggghhhhhhhh. Not good. It was 7:30AM, and the park ranger was knocking at our windows. Turns out, we were illegally camping (in a car?) in the parking lot of a national park. The fee? $120. By another stroke of amazing luck (and probably some brownie points for cooperating with the ranger), he told us that if we could be packed up and off the lot in 10 mins, that he would let us go. WOOOOOOOOO! We were out of there almost immediately. No night in the car is worth paying $120 for.
We later ended up in the very quaint, very rich Petaluma, CA. We walked around town a bit, and visited a Seed Bank and McNear's for lunch. The Seed Bank was in an actual bank building, which was really, really cool! We stayed quite a while in McNear's using their wi-fi and admiring the decorations. Lunch was tasty, and the weather was warm.
The drive thereafter lead us through wine country. And, of course, I had to stop for a tasting! Roederer Estate was one of many fancy wineries with a room open for tasting. $6 got me samples of about 8 different wines, and all were delicious! They specialized in sparkling wines, which I have not had much experience in tasting. It was a special treat!
We crashed at a hotel in the coastal town of Fort Bragg that night. That is, after we enjoyed some gourmet pizza. So, the pizzeria pizza here is no good, but these people had it right for this gourmet stuff! And the draft root beer, a weakness of mine, was also scrumptious! Yum, yum, yum!
I tried really hard to blog and update pics when we got back to the hotel, but I was too tired to care about anything but sleeping – in a bed – . Hotels are oh-so-lovely and appreciated after sleeping in a car.
And something for you about sleeping in cars: It was not because we're dirty poor. We're simply saving money to prolong our amazing trip, and allow for more amazing meals. A hotel is a hotel just about anywhere. But the food and many other conscious experiences? I really don't mind a night in a car so I can have them. It's a pain, but it's worth it!
01/03/11 - San Francisco, CA
When we got into San Francisco, we went straight for the Twin Peaks for the best view of the city. If you ever visit, you MUST check this spot out! You can see e v e r y t h i n g !! After that, Arlo and I found this really nice dog park for Damascus. It was probably the most beautiful dog park ever, minus the fact that it was pretty muddy. Later, we hit Fisherman's Wharf for some seafood (delicious!), the Antique Arcade, and China Town. All were very cool, very unique places. This city is so alive and exciting! Do not let your life pass by without experiencing the West Coast (if you live in the East).
Visiting Abby was so good for the soul! It had been many years since I had last seen her, but she still feels like my best friend!!! It's amazing how many years can pass by, but we still have so much to talk about. I challenge the few of you that might read this blog to reconnect with an old friend. Have some drinks. Have dinner. Talk on the phone. Reminisce! It's so refreshing.
That night, we had some tacos and Corona's at this great Mexican place. The West Coast can't make pizza, but it can make one hell of a taco! Good friends, good food, good drinks, and all in a great city. Who could ask for more?
Monday, January 3, 2011
01/03/11 Sacramento, CA – San Francisco, CA
I'm feeling a little less tired today, but still not quite up to speed. Arlo and I went to breakfast with Arlo's internet friend, Steven, and his gf Gina. They were so funny and nice! Steven is someone that Arlo talks to/plays games with on the internet a lot. The Granite Rock Grill was delicious and had huge portions. It was a very pleasant breakfast!
Now we're on our way to San Francisco. We have a lot of great stuff planned for the day, and then we're spending the night at my friend Abby's place! I haven't seen her since I was like, 14. It's going to be awesome!
GREEN. EVERYTHING IS GREEN! I love it!
01/01-01/02
01/01/11 Moab, UT – Salt Lake City, UT
Happy New Year Everyone!
The Lazy Lizard Hostel was pretty cool. As far as hostels go, Arlo said this was the cheapest and best quality hostel he has seen. And he has seen his fair share along the Appalachian Trail. We got a cabin for $26, and although it was pretty cold, it was clean and quaint. While making breakfast in the kitchen the next morning, I met a very nice man named Cameron. We chatted about music, mandolins, snowboarding, ski lodges, education, and other things. He was visiting from Salt Lake City with his kids, and gave us some advice on the area, as that's where we were going (but actually just passed through). I wish we had been staying at more hostels so we could meet more down-to-earth people like him.
As of right now, we are in transit to Salt Lake City, and 7,400 feet above sea level. It seems I could point my camera almost anywhere and end up seeing something amazing and majestic through my lens. Today, we drove through Arches National Park. I took many, many pictures on three different cameras. It'll take me a few days to get them organized and uploaded. I reaallllyyyyy wanted to see a big horned sheep, but it didn't happen. =( The whole park was another world. I don't think I've seen many things more beautiful. We spent most of the day there, and set off for Salt Lake at about 5:30pm. The road has been cold, mountainous, and eerie. The mountains in this range (I'm not sure which it is) are different from others I've seen so far. Instead of having a big base with a gradual slope, they have almost a vertical face, and I'm pretty sure it's natural. What makes them eerie is that we're driving at night. We'll be put-putting along, and see an unknown figure that looks like a cloud. And then the realization came that it was actually a mountain, and we were almost right at the base of it. They were almost intimidating, creeping up on us like that! I kind of wish I had been able to see them in daylight, but it was kind of a cool experience at night.
We're getting very antsy on this trip. We love traveling, but we really want a place to call home... at least for a little while. It's difficult to ration out our money per day to make sure we have enough at the end of this to get an apartment. Each town has it's own way of enticing us to reach into our pockets and indulge. It's hard to choose which experiences to follow through with and which to pass by, especially when they all look so amazing. We can only hope we get the chance to come back again to experience all the things we missed out on.
Good life.
01/02/11 Moab, UT – Sacramento, CA
I'm going to preface this entry with a warning. I have a lot to write for today, as I only slept for about 2.5 hours of it. I t I s L o n g .
Yes, we made the 880 mile trek straight through the night instead of going to Salt Lake City. We left Moab, UT at 5:30pm, and it took us about 16 hours of straight driving to get to Sacramento. We weren't getting much love from the Utah or Colorado couchsurfing crowd. I think it was because of the holidays. Several potential hosts responded, saying they were out of town. We decided the best way to offset the money spent on hotels and hostels was to skip the rest of the westward travel chunk up until Sacramento, CA.
Ok, so the drive was long and tiresome. Somewhere along the way in Utah, we stopped at a Target to get a gallon of water. When I walked in, it was the strangest feeling of de-jah-vu. This store was set up exactly like the one in Phillipsburg. I walked down the isles feeling as if I was back on the East Coast. Weeeeiirddd! I quickly bought the water and walked out.
I slept for an hour or two very lightly. I started driving about halfway through Utah. Arlo was telling me he saw oceans on either side of the car while he was driving, and I thought he must have been going crazy from the driving. But we looked at our atlas, and there's some sort of very shallow water basin in the winter that surrounds I-80. It was pretty cool.
As soon as we passed the Nevada border, we were blinded by casino lights. If there's the slightest excuse to have a casino anywhere in Nevada, there will be one there. We saw at least one (there were usually 2 or more) at every truck stop and every town, both large and small. We knew we were coming up on a casino miles before we got there from the glow that loomed over each one. And they were especially noticeable in the rear view.
The desert is a lonely place to drive through. The towns, and more scary, the gas stations, are few and far between. I did a lot of thinking, and listed to NPR pod casts from This American Life. It's always really interesting, and a great way to reduce the monotony of a long car ride.
Living in the NJ-PA area all my life, I rarely got to experience the stars like someone in the country might. The relative closeness of bright, major cities drowns out a lot of star-light, making it somewhat less of an amazing phenomenon to look at. The Nevada desert, with very few inhabited areas, was perfect for stargazing. I even saw a shooting star! I was tempted to stop the car and lay on the hood for a while, but I was also committed to putting in miles. I'm sure it won't be the last time I'm in an area remote enough to get a similar experience.
I know it was in the middle of the night, but I really wanted to see some wildlife. For the whole 5 hours of driving, the only animal I saw was a little mouse scurrying across the road. At one time, I saw something big and white fly kind of close to the car overhead. But I have no idea what it was. Perhaps a UFO? Who knows?
Arlo took over driving again at 4:00am, and I conked out in the passenger seat inside a sleeping bag. I woke up a few hours later in California. The snow was the deepest I had seen yet! It was taller than our car. On the way up, we found the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail)! Arlo was stoked, as he wants to tackle this trail next. We had to go into something called a Sno-Park. If you ever happen to see one of these signs, YOU MUST GO! It lead us to a winter wonderland with snow 8ft high on both sides of the road. I think we spent about an hour there playing and taking pictures. I've never seen so much snow in my life!
Before leaving the mountains, we stopped in a quaint town called Dutch Flat for breakfast. It was absolutely adorable! The food was great, too. There is so much history in that town. And everyone was very friendly!
I slept the rest of the way to Sacramento. We spent lots of time admiring the lush, green grass, and researching prices for hotels and hostels. Hostels are usually much cheaper than hotels, but here in the Sacramento - San Francisco area, the only difference between the two words is the addition of the letter “s”.
We ate dinner at a buffet, and went to a hotel afterward. While we were in the parking lot, Arlo got a call from one of the couchsurfing ambassadors for the area, and he said that he found someone to host us for the night. Aawwwwweeesomeeee! We got there at about 8:30pm, and we got to meet a few of our host's (Jeff and Lindsey) friends. Damascus disappeared for 2 seconds, and then we found him peeing on their Christmas tree. O. m. g. I can't believe he did that! Amazingly, Lindsey and everyone else thought it was funny. We truly had fantastic hosts! The drinking started a little later, and Arlo and I were in bed before they started playing Edward-40-Hands.
So Tired.
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