Landing / Living

It's been about two months now in a new job in our new home in a new city. I still feel a bit caught up in the whirlwind--and I'm miles away from where I'd like to be in terms of getting our home together and establishing routines--but I'm grateful every day for this opportunity and new adventure.

We had one weekend where Josh and I were both in Seattle to find and sign an apartment lease, complicated by several factors, including our three cats. But, we found a place we liked in a price range that didn't make me immediately faint, and snatched it up: a two bedroom condo on the west side of Lake Union. It's a pretty central location with easy bus access and a killer view. Witness:

The "inside" pictures are on my other computer, but we really liked the kitchen, which is nice and open, and this:

A real, working fireplace!

The space is a bit small for us overall, but we're managing--and purging. We even have a guest room which is currently mostly storage, but we make a bit more progress every weekend.

Here's a shot of Lake Union taken from the Fremont Bridge:

My friend Brianna says that the Center for Wooden Boats (not pictured) offers free boat rides every Sunday. Nothing can go wrong with this plan!

---------

Over the Fourth of July weekend, we flew to Reno, NV and then drove about an hour west to Donner Pass, to the Sierra Club lodge reserved for my friend Ryan's wedding.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to get married here -- what a dump.

The lodge is open to travelers worldwide and seems like a popular destination for student groups over the summer -- we overlapped with a group from Summer Search, and just this week I saw that kiddos from Houston's The Woods Project were staying in the same location. For the wedding day, though, it was just Ryan and Dave and their friends and family.



One of the fun things was getting to spend time with my college roommates and their families, including several little ones. Josh discovered a latent skill as rock monster.

It's so rare that I get to see this crew together in the same place, but when I do, I always feels instantly like myself: at home.

Time Lapse

What Seattle feels like (sort of):



I have been to Pike Place market, the gum wall (on accident), and last week I met the Fremont troll. That bridge is just north of where we live. I drive over it on my way to work, and then I take the most windingest road around the top of Lake Union to the university.

The clouds are really cloud-y.

It's a Dog's Life

I started my new job this week and they are walking me / keeping me busy. It is exhausting. No time to blog, only to nap.

BUT

Day 2 and who did I meet on campus??

Dubs, the official UW Husky dog!



I did not snap a picture because I did not realize this was the one official husky dog and that Dubs spottings can be rather elusive; I just thought, "oh cool, someone has a husky." Clearly, I am an idiot.

But at least I reacted with the appropriate amount of jaw-droppage when he looked right at me and did this:



AHHWOOOOOO!

On Moving Cross Country

Sell sell sell!

Full report coming soon... but the short and sweet version is: sell/give away everything you own, grab your loved ones and irreplaceable items, fly to next destination, start over.

The opposite of what we did, basically. Do that.

All the Single Ladies

The weekend before the big move, Josh and I attended his cousin's wedding in Mobile, Alabama. I was a bit apprehensive about this trip--adding additional travel so close to when we needed to have everything ready at home--but it turned out to be a great opportunity to visit with family, and a fun afternoon.

After the ceremony and right before the cake cutting, wedding-goers started rounding up the single ladies and I got ready to employ a polite but firm "oh hell no" reserved for being asked to leap for wedding bouquets in ones 30s. Then I was told that cake was involved and I was like where do you want me?

A cake pull is a southern wedding tradition where charms are built into the base of the cake, and the bridesmaids and single female guests gather round before the cutting and each pull out a charm. It was a lovely moment where we went around and shared our charms, with the bride sharing the symbolism of each. I drew the crawfish (and called it a sea monster: go home Yankee), and was told that it symbolizes a life of culture. And then I lost it in the craziness of the move. But, a nice memory.

So, yay cake pulls! I think Beyonce would approve. Some other highlights:

• A month ago, I lost my elite status on the local airline and have experienced the long hard fall back into coach flying. To add fuel to the fire, Josh did NOT lose his status, and they keep trying to upgrade him whenever we fly together. #FIRSTWORLDPROBLEMS, I know. This has caused a lot of tension between us and one very unhappy four hour stint in the air, after which I declared "I always want to sit next to you on airplanes." So on the flight to New Orleans (which was delayed 2 hours and got in at 3am), they were able to upgrade both of us to first class seats. We rode out the short and turbulent journey in luxury. 

• Before we left New Orleans, Josh ate crawfish for the first time, and I had gulf oysters. 

Becca posing with the handmade flowers

All smiles

Siblings

Avenue of the Giants

Pro Tip: Always take the scenic alternative



And remember to take photos when you get there:









I love how my "I have conquered this tree" pose gets slowly eclipsed by the magnitude of the redwoods.



Thanks, Josh!

Rainy Days and Roadtrips

Well, that was quite a whirlwind.

On Monday, a week ago, the moving van came and loaded up our house and took it off to Colorado (or somewhere). I watched the movers loading up boxes and grew less and less confident about my packing ability. Whether or not anything makes it in one piece -- and whether they can navigate the narrow alleys and steep hills upon which we now live -- we'll find out this weekend.

While the movers were loading up, I got a call from the job I'd been waiting to hear from offering me a full-time position in Seattle. The whole process moved at light speed: it took about two and a half weeks from the time I applied to the time I accepted the offer, including a phone interview, an in-person panel meeting (for which I flew to Seattle the week before we moved), and Skyping with the Dean. I am really excited for this opportunity. More to come on that, but first, back to the move...

On Tuesday, Josh and I had one final lunch in Houston before loading up the cats and what we could fit in the car and setting out on a five day adventure that took us through West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, San Francisco, and up the California coast to Oregon and finally Seattle. For anyone who would like to replicate this harrowing adventure, here's the breakdown:

Day 1: Houston --> Marfa, TX

Day 2: Marfa --> Phoenix, AZ

Day 3: Phoenix --> Los Banos, CA (*we skipped LA due to fear of traffic)

Day 4: Los Banos --> Grants Pass, OR

Day 5: Grants Pass --> Seattle, WA

Maybe you should take a shorter route, but we wanted to drive some of the California coast as a way of honoring and marking the transition between our former homes and our new one. And it was super fun to drive through San Francisco with the cats and be able to say "dad lived there!"

Speaking of the cats, some notes:

1. Zuleika freaked the eff out on Day 1 and basically exploded in her crate within the first few hours on the road. Josh cleaned her up (ruining all his clothes in the process) and after that it was smooth sailing. She didn't even meow in the car, unlike the other two blabbermouths who would not shut up the whole time.

2. We kept the cats crated in the car, and took turns letting one out to sit (supervised) on the passenger's lap. I've heard from other people who let their cats roam around, but our car was packed full, the cats don't get along, and I live in fear of a furry one under the brake pedal. So, crates.

3. It was surprisingly easy to find cat-friendly hotels, and beyond the first day's explosion the cats basically ate and used the cat box when and where we wanted them to. Kudos to La Quinta where we stayed twice and does not charge a pet fee. But, if you do this, remember to leave a nice tip!  

On Saturday, we arrived in Seattle, met our landlord to pick up the key, and sank into an exhausted puddle of sleeping bag and cats. 

On Sunday, we met up with some Houston friends who happened to be vacationing here at the same time as our move.

On Monday, we made a massive Target run and got the Internet up and running.

On Tuesday, Josh went back to work and I resumed position in the cat/sleeping bag puddle.

We're eating well and meeting up with friends and exploring the neighborhood. But, I'm trying to take it slow--and not feel any guilt about it--so I can be as rested as possible to start work next week.

It's really pretty here -- it's like a real, legit city, where the shopping carts at Target get their own escalators and everything. It's rained basically every day, with some hours of sun peeking through. My goal is to eat a disproportionate amount of oysters, and walk everywhere.

I'm tired. But, I'm happy, and excited for this next chapter.

Love to yous.

Broken Obelisk

Broken Obelisk in front of Rothko Chapel in Houston, TX

Broken Obelisk in Red Square on the University of Washington Campus in Seattle, WA

I can't seem to get an exact number, but the Internet agrees that there are only a few of this Barrnett Newman statue in the world. One is a few blocks from my house. (Love those de Menils.) The one in Houston originally came from the Corcoran Museum in DC (like me!). Another is in Seattle, on the UW campus--I got to see it this week, prompting a double take. A third is in New York and possibly a fourth is in Berlin (unless it's not). Like the fragile peace they represent, they all need repairing, all the time. 

Actually, this whole "are there three or four?" is kind of interesting in its own right.

Let's go to Berlin and find out!

We Have a Lease!

Make sure to adequately pad your cat before boxing

Remember those index cards I made to prepare for evacuating for home showings? Y'all: my house went on the market on Monday, I had a full-priced application on Tuesday, and a signed lease by Friday. The check is literally in the mail with the realtor on his way to the property management company. Which means: tear up the index cards; break out the boxes; screw tidiness, we have a move to prepare for folks!

Between the lightning quick rental and the many networking calls I've been having with kind people in and around Seattle (including a surprise in-person interview next Wednesday), I am feeling very optimistic about the journey ahead. I'm confident that I'll find work with an organization that inspires me, that all five of us love cats will survive the long road trip, and that none of us will starve or become homeless.

In three short years this house has taken me through the end of one job, the beginning of the next, the end of that job, and the entire lifecycle of the next (wherein it got to serve as a home office). It saw the end of one relationship, and then a long pause. It was patient while I ditched it time after time to go west for new beginnings. And it's been a solid, if awkward, home base for Josh and I while we slowly plotted our way forward. It's collectively housed one dog and three cats, in various combinations.

And now it gets to be someone else's fresh start. So break out the boxes!

Packing Tips

Packing, packing, packing.

1. You've got a bunch of old linens, and you want to donate them to a women's shelter so they aren't taking up your valuable closet space. Good instinct, but hold on grasshopper, don't donate them yet: use them to pad pictures and other fragile items, or just to pad a box filled with books with that one annoying empty space that nothing fits in. Donate on the other end! Accumulate more linens.

2. Need newsprint to wrap kitchen items? Grab some weekly freebies or better yet, raid the local coffee shop's newpaper recycle pile. Get a medium iced jumper cable and try not to think about how much cream is in it because you are gonna need the caffeine for all that late night packing.

3. Yeah yeah yeah you can buy boxes on Craigslist but also U-Haul sells them for like $1 and they'll buy back whatever you can't use. Allocate resources accordingly.

Packing, packing...

50/50

When I first started processing the move, I had a grandiose idea to blog individually about 50 things I'd miss about Houston, and 50 things to look forward to in Seattle: one of each for 50 days. I quickly lost steam on that idea and saved in it a file called "whatever.txt." The next couple weeks are shaping up to be pretty crazy, so I'll present what I have here in full and perhaps go into more detail in future posts. A goal was to experience each of these things in Houston before I left. Maybe I'll get to a few, and I'll have memories (and the future) to sustain me in the rest.

Without further ado:

50 Things to Miss about Houston

1. Alabama Ice House

2. Ninfas

3. The Orange Show

4. President Heads

5. TX Junk Store

6. Discovery Green

7. Aurora Picture Show

8. Menil

9. Rothko Chapel

10. Dirks/Diedrich

11. 100% Taquito | Tacos a Go Go

12. Art Car Parade

13. Big Bag of Books Day

14. Allen Parkway

15. Main Street Theater

16. Bombay Sweets

17. Brasil

18. Half Price Books

19. Bombay Pizza

20. Alley Theater

21. Inprint Reading Series

22. YES / KIPP

23. Fitzgeralds

24. PPG

25. House of Pies

26. Central Market

27. Rice University

28. MFA 

29. Houston Center for Photography

30. Blue Bird Thift Center

31. Chuy's

32. cost of living

33. Yar!

34. Domy | Brazos

35. Rodeo

36. Bluebonnets

37. My House

38. H Mart

39. Galveston

40. Sam Houston statue (driving to Dallas)

41. Saint Arnolds

42. Galleria

43. Heights

44. Moody Towers

45. Jackson Middle School

46. Numbers

47. Proletariat

48. Grand Prize

49. Blue Mambo

50. Miller Outdoor Theater

50 Things to look forward to in Seattle

(I only got through 36...)

1. That place where they throw fish at you

2. Hills

3. Asian food!

4. Duck tour

5. Game night

6. Go on a boat

7. Lightrail

8. Japanese garden

9. Bookstores!

10. Coffee!

11. Big warm coats

12. Co-working

13. Take your girlfriend to work day

14. Being outside in the summer

15. Cool umbrellas and rainboots

16. Visitors

17. Islands

18. Theater

19. Chihuly Garden and Glass

20. huge nerds

21. Old friends wut

22. something called "Seafair"? Maybe there are airplanes?

23. You can see Alaska from my house!

24. Bumbershoot music festival

25. That place where you can watch the salmon swimming upstream (Ballard Locks)

26. It's where the apples come from, right?

27. How did I get this far without mentioning the Space Needle?

28. Find and visit someone who lives on a houseboat

29. Sasquatch & Decibel 

30. Being in a city where both Josh and I can work

31. Hiking

32. Roses

33. Go local

34. Mt Rainier

35. fremont soltice day parade

36. whales

On Dealing with Stress and Logistics and Emotional Situations

 me:  I am going to be a crying mess at this wedding and I don't know either of the people being wed

I'm just going to cry like the whole time and your family is gonna be like, "Josh: wtf?"

"Did you tell her she can't have any cake? What's wrong with Mary?"

ps do NOT tell me I can't have any cake because in addition to crying the whole time I am going to eat everyone's cake

 Josh:  you get all of my cakes

(Like this but the other way around)

Home Showmanship

My house went on the market for rent today, and almost immediately I got three requests for showings. How this works: I get a text message asking if it can be available on a specific day and hour block (meaning: can it be clean and you be gone?). Today, one of those hour blocks was 15 minutes from when I got the text. I can always say no, but here are some helpful tips that make it easier to say Yes:

1. I made three large index card "to-do" lists that live near the door: 1) At Home; 2) Out and About; 3) At Computer. When I'm home, I focus on the first list and doing whatever I can to make the house look welcoming for a potential renter (packing, cleaning, improvements). When I come across errands I need to run or things to buy, I add it to the second list. When I think of things I need to do at the computer (apply for jobs, update resume, network, blog about moving) I add it to the third.

2. When I get that last-minute text, or when I know I need to be out, I grab the second and third lists and take them with me. Usually I can knock out a few errands in an hour, and if I have extra time I can set up with my laptop at the coffee shop around the corner and work on computer stuff.

3. I'm planning on adding two additional lists: 4) Before Leaving Home. This will be a quick checklist to make sure that the house is in tip-top showing condition before I leave: clean catbox, empty sink, clear clutter, admonish cats to "be good," turn on AC, etc. With only 15 minutes notice, it's easier for me to just run through a pre-written list than try to think of things off the top of my head and worry about what I'm missing. I also have to keep the house pretty clean ALL THE TIME which is a good exercise that everyone should experience, if you're not already living it.

4. And for the last list: 5) Places to Go. The coffee shop is easy, but I could also spend an unplanned hour at the Menil, or the Contemporary Arts Museum, or go for a run (requires some prep), and feel like it was an hour well spent.

I'm generally keeping my laptop by the back door and a bag big enough to carry it, so I can just load and go. I am also going to have to make sure to shower and get dressed early so that I don't look like a crazy person when I'm out running errands.

And, it's not lost on me that were I still working this week, it would be a lot more difficult to get up and go, making this a mixed blessing.

On Unemployment

Tomorrow is my first day of unemployment, after being downsized from my job two weeks before a cross-country move. The decision was one of those tough calls all non-profit organizations are forced to make as they evolve and face uncertain funds. "It sucks," was my abbreviated reply, "but I understand."

I have great hopes and confidence about the future of the organization where I worked for the last six months, and I feel the same way about my future in a new city with a happy, newly employed partner who conveniently now has the opportunity to support our relationship the way I did while he was searching for his dream job.

And, since we have already signed a lease (thankfully on the less expensive apartment and not on the more expensive "renovated mansion"--my Achilles' heel) and plan to stay in Seattle for awhile, it's actually the perfect opportunity to find a new job where I can do what I love.

So, I don't think you should feel sorry for me.

That said, let's talk about unemployment.

I realized with some shock and gratitude tonight that I have never been unemployed before. I worked in high school, and went straight to college afterwards. I got a job halfway through my senior year of college and moved to Houston immediately after graduation to begin training for what would turn into three years of teaching. Since then, I've worked for three different organizations consecutively, never stopping for a breather or to go back to grad school. It turns out, that if you get a little experience raising money for a non-profit, everyone wants to hire you. My rationale: Why would I stop actively earning income... as long as I'm learning and happy where I'm at?

So, I went from job to job to job, back to job, to job to here.

And even now, the unemployment does not feel freeing like I thought it might, but rather scripted out: my job for the next two weeks is to pack, clean my house, rent my house, apply for jobs, drive across the country, arrive in Seattle, interview, start working?

Perhaps it will take a little longer than that. My search last year took nine months, though I'm convinced it was extended due to not living in the same state where I was trying to find a job. And, that could be ok.

Buuuut whaaaat ifffff instead of rushing immediately into the same type of job I've been doing, I tried to do something completely different? What would that even look like? Would the search bring me happiness?

There's more to say. About dealing with sudden bad news as a person prone to addiction (spoiler alert: I started smoking, stopped, started again, saw a God lizard, stopped), about facing an immediate future with no health insurance and how we came really close to the most unromantic proposal/not proposal over the telephone, about the decision whether to apply for unemployment in TX while moving to Seattle and is that even possible?? (spoiler alert: probably, and yes) About all the things I'm going to miss about Houston and all the things I'm looking forward to in the Pacific Northwest. About renting a house through a property management company. About driving across the country in a Hyundai hatchback with three cats.

And, lucky for me, maybe lucky for you, it looks like I'll have some time to say it.

Costa Rica Packing List

It was a very lovely trip, and more importantly, a very successful packing job. I have been killing it lately in the packing department, and am happy to share my success and lessons learned with you.

Overall philosophy:
Our goal for the trip was to be able to easily transport our stuff via bus, shuttle, foot, water taxi, etc. We decided in the end to use duffel bags and not backpacks to avoid "looking like tourists" (fat chance). Josh thought non-luggagey bags were less likely to be targets for theft. And, I love him, so overall I packed:

1. Cheap-o backpack (like the kind you'd wear to grade school)
2. Messenger bag purse (inside backpack for the flight and my "purse" on land)
3. Medium duffel carry-on

Josh brought a larger duffel that we checked, and the waist pack from his hiker's backpack.

Our trip was 10 days in early February, Costa Rica's "summer."

I took inspiration from Yes and Yes the definitive what to pack list (my inspiration for the black travel dress and the black tank, most of which scored MVP status), and from Mighty Girl, who's been providing packing envy and inspiration for years.

Weather & Required Attire:
We were told we wouldn't need jeans/sweatshirt in Montezuma, but I get cold on planes (and everywhere). Complicating the packing was the fact that our retreat included two yoga sessions *per day*, plus hiking and adventuring and whatnot in-between. I got comfortable with the fact that I'd be working out in clothes multiple times, and we brought a laundry bar to hand wash clothes as needed. I decided that on a trip like this one, rarely do you hear a person say "I wish I'd brought more clothes." Over-packing can really kill a good time, and under-packing just means you can shop more.

Gadgets:
We left our phones at home, but I brought a digital camera and a laptop. I might have skipped the laptop, but it's a tiny thinkpad leftover from an old job (it's so old they didn't even want it back) and I didn't care if it got lost or damaged. It was great to have internet access when we needed it, and it enabled us to connect with Josh's friend in San Jose. I also brought my Kindle for reading. I understand that the new e-readers can also connect to email and the Internet, which might eliminate the need to bring a laptop. Definitely a consideration for future trips.

OH and I brought my iPod mini from forever ago, and headphones. Totally saved the night in Jaco at a noisy hostel.

Packing List:
On the plane:
-Jeans
-T-shirt
-Nice sandals that can handle some walking (Clarks Indigo)
-Light hoodie
-Summer scarf
-Watch with alarm
-Simple jewelry

Backpack:
-Laptop & cord
-Notepad & pen/pencil
-Sunglasses (I took a free pair from last year's art car parade so I wouldn't be annoyed when they broke or I lost them... which I did)
-Travel alarm
-Cipro, Tums, ibuprofen, Pepto
-Travel money belt
-Gadgets bag (see above)
-Hive
-Snacks (mango and ginger slices, granola bars)
-Moon guide to Costa Rica
-Lonely Planet - Costa Rican Spanish
-3 New Yorkers
-Passport & Itinerary w/confirmation #s & schedule
-2 credit cards (with no foreign transaction fees), debit card, health insurance card, 1-year-chip

Clothes (in Duffel):
-10 tops -- mostly cotton/poly short sleeve shirts for yoga but a few nicer; 1 long-sleeve & 1 short sleeve button-down (good swimsuit cover-up)
-4 dresses (one black travel dress, 1 short sundress, 1 long sundress, 1 "fancy" dress)
-4 yoga pants/shorts
-3 sports bras & 1 yoga top
-2 swimsuits
-2 pair of shorts (1 khaki, 1 sporty)
-1 skirt
-8 pair of undies

Shoes:
-Tevas
-Flip flops
-Vibrams
(Wore nicer sandals)

Etc.:
-basic toiletries including extra contacts & glasses
-1 travel yoga mat & yoga socks
-1 hat
-an extra big summer scarf
-travel towel
-headlamp
-sunscreen
-bug spray (40% deet)
-twine & laundry bar

Packing Tips:

-I could have brought half as many dresses and about 4 fewer t-shirts, most notably I'd leave behind the "nicer," more fussy dress. People just don't "dress up" at night in Montezuma. Lipstick was the only cosmetic I could deal with, and even then only at night, so I made it a bright one. Black dress, bright lipstick, let your beachy hair down -- go to dinner and eat fish on the beach, you beautiful thing!
-I didn't quite nail the shoes. I'm not a huge Tevas fan (and they are soooo ugly), although mine served me ok for the hiking we did. They weren't great with sand or rocks. I think a pair of these aqua-hiking-shoes would be more versatile. I didn't do any beach running in the Vibrams, though that was the idea (I was too busy with two yoga classes a day!)

-MVP was this big-ass summer scarf!  I actually changed into swimsuit bottoms under this on a river hike. Terrific cover-up, sunburn-protector, extra layer for warmth, makeshift towel, etc. The grey dress I'm wearing here is another comfy, versatile piece I practically lived in.
-A solid black tank top with thicker straps got a lot of play when I realized I could wear it for yoga without a bra (scandalous, I know). Most of my active wear clothes are designed for cardio and running. The yoga we practiced didn't require quite so much support, and I felt most comfortable in clothes that hugged and covered (even upside-down) but did not squeeze.

-Despite modest efforts, every part of me got sunburnt except my face. I credit this hat. Thanks, hat! It was a gift from the Houston Area Women's Center because I donated and am running in a 5k in two weeks. If you'd like to help HAWC provide support for women and families in Houston, you can donate through my run page, here. Saving faces (and lives) is basically what they do, and it's run by some of the best folks in town, so I'm happy to endorse them at home and abroad.

You Come, Too!
And that was it! I may write more about the trip later, but it accomplished my main goal for Josh and I to "get our feet wet" traveling outside the United States together. I had a lot of fears about language, transportation, connection, etc., and while we *definitely* had our challenging moments, we were brainstorming ideas for future trips on the plane ride home.

I bought our flights using frequent flier miles attained through credit cards and other methods I learned about via the website Art of Non-Conformity. Chris also runs a site called the Travel Hacking Cartel and you can sign up for a free trial to see if it might work for you, too. If you do, please use this referral link. He's visited every country in the world minus one, so dude is the real deal.

The yoga retreat was led by our friend Banyan, who is a traveler, a teacher, and a clown. Both Josh and I started off with the attitude of "we're going on this trip... oh and there's yoga too" and it wound up being deeply affecting for both of us. He's just beginning to teach these retreats on a regular basis, so you can learn more and snag a spot for 2014 now! Do it. Get bendy with Banyan.