I was having a good week. And it was gearing up to be a pretty good weekend, too. A bike ride to Ballard with Ashley. A visit from my sister. My anniversary dinner with Jeff.
And then tonight, my brand-new bike got stolen.
This week just got a whole lot worse.
19.10.06
13.10.06
I forgot how busy life can be here at UW. There's always something I can fill my free time with. Sometimes, I have problems visualizing the concept of eternity, but right now I think I have a pretty good comparison: it's my life right now, where there are no breaks for rest or for fun. Every gap between classes and work has to be filled with homework, or some other sort of productivity. Thank goodness that's only in theory, not in practice, or else I'd have to shoot myself. In reality, I do allow a little bit of fun to slip its way in there. Probably not how my professors would like to have it, but it's definitely necessary...
Constant sleep-deprivation is also something I have to reacquaint myself with. In Tuebingen, I always had enough sleep because I had enough free time. Now, I consider it success if my lack of sleep doesn't result in me getting sick.
Other random notes that relate to my life at this moment:
-I am addicted to avocadoes. I eat at least one a day. I hope they are good for me. God knows I probably shouldn't be buying them, considering how much they cost.
-At work yesterday, there was a 4-pack of avocadoes in the trash because one of them had split open. The other three were fine, but they had to be tossed anyway because that's the policy at TJ's. Last time that happened, I wrote down the price on the spoils sheet and took the other 3 to the breakroom so people could eat them. It kills me to see such good food go to waste. Andrea would have a fit working at TJ's.
-I am going to buy myself a bike in the near future and ride it everywhere. I should do it sooner than later, or else I won't get to enjoy it in connection with the splendid weather we've been having lately.
-My neighbors are the coolest bunch of people ever. We all play dress-up every day.
-Being back at UW, I feel like I encounter a whole bunch of walking cliches as I make my way through campus. Sorority girls in their North Face jackets and their straightened hair. College boys with long hair and cargo pants. So much of the same thing. I'd rather see some diversity; I love seeing it when people are different and wear things they like, and do things they like to do. That's why normal is boring, and why my neighbors and housemates are so cool.
-My physics exam this morning wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Sweet. Hopefully my bio stuff on Monday will go just as smoothly.
-I love and miss my family. They will be up tomorrow for the UW/OSU game, and I can't wait to see them.
-The sun is out, and I'm going to go enjoy it a bit before it's time for work. Ciao!
Constant sleep-deprivation is also something I have to reacquaint myself with. In Tuebingen, I always had enough sleep because I had enough free time. Now, I consider it success if my lack of sleep doesn't result in me getting sick.
Other random notes that relate to my life at this moment:
-I am addicted to avocadoes. I eat at least one a day. I hope they are good for me. God knows I probably shouldn't be buying them, considering how much they cost.
-At work yesterday, there was a 4-pack of avocadoes in the trash because one of them had split open. The other three were fine, but they had to be tossed anyway because that's the policy at TJ's. Last time that happened, I wrote down the price on the spoils sheet and took the other 3 to the breakroom so people could eat them. It kills me to see such good food go to waste. Andrea would have a fit working at TJ's.
-I am going to buy myself a bike in the near future and ride it everywhere. I should do it sooner than later, or else I won't get to enjoy it in connection with the splendid weather we've been having lately.
-My neighbors are the coolest bunch of people ever. We all play dress-up every day.
-Being back at UW, I feel like I encounter a whole bunch of walking cliches as I make my way through campus. Sorority girls in their North Face jackets and their straightened hair. College boys with long hair and cargo pants. So much of the same thing. I'd rather see some diversity; I love seeing it when people are different and wear things they like, and do things they like to do. That's why normal is boring, and why my neighbors and housemates are so cool.
-My physics exam this morning wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Sweet. Hopefully my bio stuff on Monday will go just as smoothly.
-I love and miss my family. They will be up tomorrow for the UW/OSU game, and I can't wait to see them.
-The sun is out, and I'm going to go enjoy it a bit before it's time for work. Ciao!
10.10.06
Work and school are, in an increasing effort to make me go insane, taking over my life and consuming all my time. Consequently, I have little room in my schedule for much besides working hard and then relaxing. As such, I rarely get around to blogging anymore. Maybe it's just as well, since I don't have much to blog about except for work and school...
... but since I am already posting, I might as well post a little bit of something. And it's going to be about customers in stores, especially at Trader Joe's, and what you should or should not do as a customer.
My list of do's will probably be short. But what else can you expect from the employee?
-DO ask the employees where stuff is. We'll help you find it faster than you just wandering around, and we don't mind.
-DO apologize for getting in the way of an employee, especially if they apologize to you first.
-DO be at least a little friendly when you interact with us. We're people, too!
-DO bring your own bags - either old paper ones or reusable cloth bags. Save a tree.
-DO bring things to our attention. We need to hear feedback, because we want to offer stuff that you people want to buy. We need to see when something is missing a price tag, or is located in the wrong place, because that way we can get a price on it, or move it.
Now, the list of don'ts:
-DON'T dig in the back for the freshest milk or cheese or meat, unless you need it to last a while. You should see the stuff that gets thrown away at night at a grocery store.
-DON'T just sit there and watch us bag your huge cartful of groceries. The checkers at TJ's don't usually have baggers, and it's stupid to just sit there and do nothing while the checker scans everything, then bags it for you. Help out!
-DON'T walk up creepily behind an employee and start asking your question. Say "excuse me" or "hi, can I ask you a question?" This is basic human decency. If you fail to lead into the conversation, how are we supposed to know you're talking to us? I think this has to be my pet peeve, when I'm doing something and a person behind me just blurts out something like "do you have any rice noodles?" It shows complete arrogance on the part of the customer.
-DON'T scold us for things like high prices or low quality of a product. Low-level employees have nothing to do with these things. Submit a complaint or talk to the management. They get paid more to deal with that kind of crap. We get paid low wages to stock shelves and lift boxes.
There are many reasons why customer service is crap. In Germany, they don't give a flying frick about customer service. You gotta eat anyway, right? So you have to shop at a grocery store. They win their consumers over with low prices. That way, they cut out this whole thing where you have to kowtow to the customers' every demand. The customers know that the employees personally don't care if you find everything you're looking for or not. In the US, the employees don't care either, but they have to pretend they do. It's really just a bunch of BS, and it's nice that Europeans tend to bypass that.
I'm sorry, I don't know how I got on that rant. I'll just go to bed now, since it's almost 3 am anyway. Have a good night.
... but since I am already posting, I might as well post a little bit of something. And it's going to be about customers in stores, especially at Trader Joe's, and what you should or should not do as a customer.
My list of do's will probably be short. But what else can you expect from the employee?
-DO ask the employees where stuff is. We'll help you find it faster than you just wandering around, and we don't mind.
-DO apologize for getting in the way of an employee, especially if they apologize to you first.
-DO be at least a little friendly when you interact with us. We're people, too!
-DO bring your own bags - either old paper ones or reusable cloth bags. Save a tree.
-DO bring things to our attention. We need to hear feedback, because we want to offer stuff that you people want to buy. We need to see when something is missing a price tag, or is located in the wrong place, because that way we can get a price on it, or move it.
Now, the list of don'ts:
-DON'T dig in the back for the freshest milk or cheese or meat, unless you need it to last a while. You should see the stuff that gets thrown away at night at a grocery store.
-DON'T just sit there and watch us bag your huge cartful of groceries. The checkers at TJ's don't usually have baggers, and it's stupid to just sit there and do nothing while the checker scans everything, then bags it for you. Help out!
-DON'T walk up creepily behind an employee and start asking your question. Say "excuse me" or "hi, can I ask you a question?" This is basic human decency. If you fail to lead into the conversation, how are we supposed to know you're talking to us? I think this has to be my pet peeve, when I'm doing something and a person behind me just blurts out something like "do you have any rice noodles?" It shows complete arrogance on the part of the customer.
-DON'T scold us for things like high prices or low quality of a product. Low-level employees have nothing to do with these things. Submit a complaint or talk to the management. They get paid more to deal with that kind of crap. We get paid low wages to stock shelves and lift boxes.
There are many reasons why customer service is crap. In Germany, they don't give a flying frick about customer service. You gotta eat anyway, right? So you have to shop at a grocery store. They win their consumers over with low prices. That way, they cut out this whole thing where you have to kowtow to the customers' every demand. The customers know that the employees personally don't care if you find everything you're looking for or not. In the US, the employees don't care either, but they have to pretend they do. It's really just a bunch of BS, and it's nice that Europeans tend to bypass that.
I'm sorry, I don't know how I got on that rant. I'll just go to bed now, since it's almost 3 am anyway. Have a good night.
1.10.06
I've decided I might not write my paper for the German bio class, meaning I won't get a grade, because I think I'll get credits for choir. And that rocks! So since I finally have a day off from work tomorrow (woo!), I'll have to seek out an adviser and make them transfer my grades so my scholarship goes through.
Working at Trader Joe's started out pretty stressful, but I think it's going good now. Today was the first day that everything went completely smoothly, which is to say that, unlike at least one of the other days, I did not minorly hurt myself, make a big mistake, let a shelf get too empty before I restocked it, or drop anything. Also, I felt like I was getting along better with my co-workers than before, and I can answer a lot more questions from customers. So things are good. Now, if I can only get it to where I'm working 3 shifts a week, and not 5. That will be a lot nicer.
Trader Joe's is generally a cool place to work, because the people who work there are mostly young too, and the customers tend to be really awesome as well. We carry a lot of strange items that you can't find anywhere else, so we attract this weird mix of hippies buying organic/vegan products, young college-age people buying cheap booze and ethnic foods, and yuppies buying expensive cheese, wine, and trail mix. I think my favorite is the first group, because they always wear cool clothes and have neat hairstyles, and they bring their own cloth bags and help you bag their groceries. Because of working at Trader Joe's, and also because of being in Germany for a year, I think it's really dumb when people just stand there while you bag their food. They've got nothing else to do, so why not help? Seriously, it helps everything move a lot faster. I know it's my job, not theirs, but... I still think it's dumb. The Germans do it right!
Wow, a blog can get really boring when all you have to talk about is work. Let's see, what else do I have...
Emily came up this weekend to visit. She had studied abroad in Tuebingen with us last year, and goes to school in Oregon. She and Ronda had worked it out so that she could stay in Ronda's room for two nights and hang out with us. So Friday night, Ronda and I picked her up from the train station, and after dropping her stuff off at the house, we went to the Mix and got some ice cream right before they closed. Then we went on campus and sat in the Quad, eating said ice cream. It was delicious. Then after work yesterday, we hung out with some friends at our house and played Cranium and drank PBR. It was quite pleasant. Jeff and made a few runs to some other parties on our block. We couldn't find the host at the first one, and since he was the only person we knew there, we left and went to the neighbor's to the left of my house, since they are awesome and there is always something going on at their place. Sure enough, people were in there talking about deconstructionism or something, so we sat and talked for a bit, then went to bed.
Wow, all this work stuff doesn't leave a whole lot of time for other stuff. Better watch out for that...
Time to study!
Working at Trader Joe's started out pretty stressful, but I think it's going good now. Today was the first day that everything went completely smoothly, which is to say that, unlike at least one of the other days, I did not minorly hurt myself, make a big mistake, let a shelf get too empty before I restocked it, or drop anything. Also, I felt like I was getting along better with my co-workers than before, and I can answer a lot more questions from customers. So things are good. Now, if I can only get it to where I'm working 3 shifts a week, and not 5. That will be a lot nicer.
Trader Joe's is generally a cool place to work, because the people who work there are mostly young too, and the customers tend to be really awesome as well. We carry a lot of strange items that you can't find anywhere else, so we attract this weird mix of hippies buying organic/vegan products, young college-age people buying cheap booze and ethnic foods, and yuppies buying expensive cheese, wine, and trail mix. I think my favorite is the first group, because they always wear cool clothes and have neat hairstyles, and they bring their own cloth bags and help you bag their groceries. Because of working at Trader Joe's, and also because of being in Germany for a year, I think it's really dumb when people just stand there while you bag their food. They've got nothing else to do, so why not help? Seriously, it helps everything move a lot faster. I know it's my job, not theirs, but... I still think it's dumb. The Germans do it right!
Wow, a blog can get really boring when all you have to talk about is work. Let's see, what else do I have...
Emily came up this weekend to visit. She had studied abroad in Tuebingen with us last year, and goes to school in Oregon. She and Ronda had worked it out so that she could stay in Ronda's room for two nights and hang out with us. So Friday night, Ronda and I picked her up from the train station, and after dropping her stuff off at the house, we went to the Mix and got some ice cream right before they closed. Then we went on campus and sat in the Quad, eating said ice cream. It was delicious. Then after work yesterday, we hung out with some friends at our house and played Cranium and drank PBR. It was quite pleasant. Jeff and made a few runs to some other parties on our block. We couldn't find the host at the first one, and since he was the only person we knew there, we left and went to the neighbor's to the left of my house, since they are awesome and there is always something going on at their place. Sure enough, people were in there talking about deconstructionism or something, so we sat and talked for a bit, then went to bed.
Wow, all this work stuff doesn't leave a whole lot of time for other stuff. Better watch out for that...
Time to study!
27.9.06
I messed with blogger for a while today to try and fix some problems with the layout. If I have caused any more problems by doing this, please, please let me know. My blog looks different on my computer than it does on many others.
I came across a saved conversation that I had more than a year ago. It made me laugh, so I decided to reproduce it here. Screen names removed to protect the innocent:
Kyle: mornin :-P
Me: hiya!
K: how goes your monday?
Me: uhhhhhh......
Me: kyle, what universe are you living in?
K: what do you mean?
Me: Today is Wednesday.
K: WHAT??????
K: that's not funny
K: i have a project due thursday
K: AH CRAP!!!!
K: why does nobody tell me these things???
K: and it's 11 PM ?!? damnit!!!
Me: kyle, you're freaking me out
Me: what are you talking about?
Me: it's wednesday...
K: how the hell did i lose 2 days???
K: well, i guess almost 3
Me: kyle, are you serious?
Me: hmm
K: wtf! this sucks
K: :-K: good to know i can not exist for 3 days and nobody even notices....
Me: you didn't even go to class?
Me: I saw you walking on Monday
Me: !!!
Me: the real monday!
K: seriously??
K: when? where?
Me: yes!!! from red square towards Bagley!
K: i see....
K: and you didn't even say hi?
Me: Well, you were far away... and I was talking to this high school student prospect that I was showing around
K: high school prospect? can't find a guy good enough for ya in college?
K: :-P
Me: so, did you skip tuesday?
K: i'm in the labs
K: and are you sure it's not monday morning?
K: cause i swear it is
Me: kyle
Me: it's wednesday
Me: check on the intranets
K: i did
K: i don't believe it
Me: it's true
Me: you didn't go to classes yesterday?
K: no
K: did you?
Me: yes!
Me: kyle!
Me: omg
K: ?
Me: nevermin
Me: i'm going to bed
Me: night kyle
K: hehehe
K: April Fool's!
K: g'night :-P
Me: dork
Me: bye
Me: :-)
K: i'm slow, what can i say
K: bye
Me: wait you're serious?
Me: i don't understand you
Me: bye kyle!
K: what do you mean?
K: and nobody understands me, especially me :-P
I came across a saved conversation that I had more than a year ago. It made me laugh, so I decided to reproduce it here. Screen names removed to protect the innocent:
Kyle: mornin :-P
Me: hiya!
K: how goes your monday?
Me: uhhhhhh......
Me: kyle, what universe are you living in?
K: what do you mean?
Me: Today is Wednesday.
K: WHAT??????
K: that's not funny
K: i have a project due thursday
K: AH CRAP!!!!
K: why does nobody tell me these things???
K: and it's 11 PM ?!? damnit!!!
Me: kyle, you're freaking me out
Me: what are you talking about?
Me: it's wednesday...
K: how the hell did i lose 2 days???
K: well, i guess almost 3
Me: kyle, are you serious?
Me: hmm
K: wtf! this sucks
K: :-K: good to know i can not exist for 3 days and nobody even notices....
Me: you didn't even go to class?
Me: I saw you walking on Monday
Me: !!!
Me: the real monday!
K: seriously??
K: when? where?
Me: yes!!! from red square towards Bagley!
K: i see....
K: and you didn't even say hi?
Me: Well, you were far away... and I was talking to this high school student prospect that I was showing around
K: high school prospect? can't find a guy good enough for ya in college?
K: :-P
Me: so, did you skip tuesday?
K: i'm in the labs
K: and are you sure it's not monday morning?
K: cause i swear it is
Me: kyle
Me: it's wednesday
Me: check on the intranets
K: i did
K: i don't believe it
Me: it's true
Me: you didn't go to classes yesterday?
K: no
K: did you?
Me: yes!
Me: kyle!
Me: omg
K: ?
Me: nevermin
Me: i'm going to bed
Me: night kyle
K: hehehe
K: April Fool's!
K: g'night :-P
Me: dork
Me: bye
Me: :-)
K: i'm slow, what can i say
K: bye
Me: wait you're serious?
Me: i don't understand you
Me: bye kyle!
K: what do you mean?
K: and nobody understands me, especially me :-P
26.9.06
As always, the busier and more interesting life gets, the less time you have to blog about it. Such is the case as of late with yours truly...
I got home a few hours ago from my first day working at Trader Joe's. First day on the job, and I already feel like I kind of belong there. The staff is all really friendly, and some of them are so cool that I can't believe I've met them. (Okay, so this is first impressions here, but still.) The job pays well, but it's a lot of work. If you've ever been to the U-District branch, you'll know that the place is always bustling with staff and customers, since the store is quite small and not open 24 hours a day like many grocery stores in the US. So you're constantly on your feet, responding to calls, looking for something to do, be it stocking, making basket and cart collection runs, and dodging other people. Needless to say, I came home dead-tired. Now the laundry I was supposed to do is waiting for me in my closet, the paper I still need to write is still unwritten, and surprise! I'm working every day this weekend, starting Thursday. It's going well so far, though.
Of course, classes start tomorrow. I'm not quite ready, but ready as I'll ever be. So there's that.
It feels like life has been nothing but work, which is partially true; I'm still doing some stuff with parking, so I've been busy with that as well as interviewing and starting at TJ's. So I was working at a lot this morning and yesterday morning. Aside from getting up at 6.30, it hasn't been bad. We had to stand there and tell people they got to park for free in the Montlake parking lot, which elicited smiles, cheers, and brief, bright outpourings of gratitude. (The fee for the lot is usually $5, or $2.78 with a student I.D.) Today we realized that if we just taped up smalls signs over the card swipers that said "free parking today", we could sit off to the side and read in the early morning sun for three hours, interrupted only on occasion by a customer with a question. ("Why is parking free today?")
In comparing the jobs, I've realized that parking isn't so bad. Sure, it's a mundane job, and usually you're charging obscene prices, so most people hate you and the office you work for. But work times are super-flexible: you get an email stating dates and times that they need people, you sign up for what you want, and then you work. Usually half that time is idle time, either because customers aren't coming in droves at the beginning, or you're being driven from the office to the lot. Shifts tend to be short, only 3 or 4 hours at a time (except for football days). Plus, you get to work outside, which I've really enjoyed lately due to the nice weather. (I know that last point will change when the weather does, and that will be soon.) And the people at parking are a mixed lot. Some are awesome people working to make some extra money, and they're pretty laid back about the whole thing. Other people... are weirder. And I'll leave it at that.
In other, non-work-related news, Jeff and his parents showed up in Seattle last Friday. I took the bus to the airport to greet them, and we all helped Jeff get his stuff into his new house. He lives a good 20-minute walk from my place; it's down the hill, which is only an advantage in one direction, but there are buses. The next day, I worked parking all day and then went to the game with the three of them. It was a blast, and the Huskies destroyed the Bruins, so the evening was peachy. Sunday morning we went to Mass at St. James downtown, then to a lovely brunch at Ivar's. Related: I love crab legs. Mmm-hmm. After eating all that food (actually, after an entire weekend of wonderful food - we also visited The Ram and the Mongolian Grill within 48 hours), Jeff and I rode the bus back to the U-District and crashed. Four hours later, I woke up and proceeded to do nothing - something that I haven't been able to keep up since. We did try to go to Compline on Capitol Hill that night, but due to a mysterious bus disappearance, we didn't get there until 10 minutes before the end, so we missed most of it. Which sucked.
Yesterday was a fantastic day as well. After a lazy shift at parking, I interviewed at TJ's, which went even better than the previous interview. Then Andrea, in a move that involved absolute perfect timing, called me from France right as I walked out the door, and I proceeded to wander north through the U-District, not caring where I ended up as long as I still had Andrea on the end of the line. Talking to her definitely brightened my Monday. After catching up for a good half hour, she concluded that the people in line behind her for the phone should get their turn before they forcibly took it. By that time, I was on Roosevelt and near a thrift store, where I spent 5.73 on a cool jumper thingy, a shirt that Jeff told me was "me", and light bulbs that still don't fit the lamp I need light bulbs for. Grr. But anyway, the jumper made good attire for the Flogging Molly concert that Jeff and I attended on campus a little later that day, at 5 PM. I'd never seen a show before and frankly didn't know their music very well, but I'm glad I went because they rocked. Jeff and I moshed up front and got sweaty and dirty and bruised. So it was a success. I felt great being back on campus and seeing familiar faces again, and so I swang into social mode, handing out Parking Services flyers to as-of-yet jobless frosh, and greeting those people I recognized from before Germany. After the concert, we met the bass player, Nathen Maxwell, and he signed Jeff's flask with a skull and crossbones. His attention was directed to us because somebody had worshipfully given him some weed, and Nathen made mention of my dreadlocks, saying, "You're the one with the dreadlocks; you've gotta have some rolling papers!" I said I didn't, but would he mind signing my boyfriend's flask and letting us snap a picture of him. So that picture should be up on Facebook soon. Then Jeff and I dragged our butts up the Ave to WOW Bubble Tea, then took showers, then hung out at my house, exhasted, for the rest of the night. All in all, a pretty sweet day.
You know, that laundry's still sitting there, and it's not going to wash itself. Dinner won't cook itself, either. Plus, I think I've updated you on everything there is to update on. And there are classes tomorrow, which sucks a lot, but it's that time again. So have a good rest of your week, faithful readers, because you aren't going to hear a lot more from me in the next few days.
I got home a few hours ago from my first day working at Trader Joe's. First day on the job, and I already feel like I kind of belong there. The staff is all really friendly, and some of them are so cool that I can't believe I've met them. (Okay, so this is first impressions here, but still.) The job pays well, but it's a lot of work. If you've ever been to the U-District branch, you'll know that the place is always bustling with staff and customers, since the store is quite small and not open 24 hours a day like many grocery stores in the US. So you're constantly on your feet, responding to calls, looking for something to do, be it stocking, making basket and cart collection runs, and dodging other people. Needless to say, I came home dead-tired. Now the laundry I was supposed to do is waiting for me in my closet, the paper I still need to write is still unwritten, and surprise! I'm working every day this weekend, starting Thursday. It's going well so far, though.
Of course, classes start tomorrow. I'm not quite ready, but ready as I'll ever be. So there's that.
It feels like life has been nothing but work, which is partially true; I'm still doing some stuff with parking, so I've been busy with that as well as interviewing and starting at TJ's. So I was working at a lot this morning and yesterday morning. Aside from getting up at 6.30, it hasn't been bad. We had to stand there and tell people they got to park for free in the Montlake parking lot, which elicited smiles, cheers, and brief, bright outpourings of gratitude. (The fee for the lot is usually $5, or $2.78 with a student I.D.) Today we realized that if we just taped up smalls signs over the card swipers that said "free parking today", we could sit off to the side and read in the early morning sun for three hours, interrupted only on occasion by a customer with a question. ("Why is parking free today?")
In comparing the jobs, I've realized that parking isn't so bad. Sure, it's a mundane job, and usually you're charging obscene prices, so most people hate you and the office you work for. But work times are super-flexible: you get an email stating dates and times that they need people, you sign up for what you want, and then you work. Usually half that time is idle time, either because customers aren't coming in droves at the beginning, or you're being driven from the office to the lot. Shifts tend to be short, only 3 or 4 hours at a time (except for football days). Plus, you get to work outside, which I've really enjoyed lately due to the nice weather. (I know that last point will change when the weather does, and that will be soon.) And the people at parking are a mixed lot. Some are awesome people working to make some extra money, and they're pretty laid back about the whole thing. Other people... are weirder. And I'll leave it at that.
In other, non-work-related news, Jeff and his parents showed up in Seattle last Friday. I took the bus to the airport to greet them, and we all helped Jeff get his stuff into his new house. He lives a good 20-minute walk from my place; it's down the hill, which is only an advantage in one direction, but there are buses. The next day, I worked parking all day and then went to the game with the three of them. It was a blast, and the Huskies destroyed the Bruins, so the evening was peachy. Sunday morning we went to Mass at St. James downtown, then to a lovely brunch at Ivar's. Related: I love crab legs. Mmm-hmm. After eating all that food (actually, after an entire weekend of wonderful food - we also visited The Ram and the Mongolian Grill within 48 hours), Jeff and I rode the bus back to the U-District and crashed. Four hours later, I woke up and proceeded to do nothing - something that I haven't been able to keep up since. We did try to go to Compline on Capitol Hill that night, but due to a mysterious bus disappearance, we didn't get there until 10 minutes before the end, so we missed most of it. Which sucked.
Yesterday was a fantastic day as well. After a lazy shift at parking, I interviewed at TJ's, which went even better than the previous interview. Then Andrea, in a move that involved absolute perfect timing, called me from France right as I walked out the door, and I proceeded to wander north through the U-District, not caring where I ended up as long as I still had Andrea on the end of the line. Talking to her definitely brightened my Monday. After catching up for a good half hour, she concluded that the people in line behind her for the phone should get their turn before they forcibly took it. By that time, I was on Roosevelt and near a thrift store, where I spent 5.73 on a cool jumper thingy, a shirt that Jeff told me was "me", and light bulbs that still don't fit the lamp I need light bulbs for. Grr. But anyway, the jumper made good attire for the Flogging Molly concert that Jeff and I attended on campus a little later that day, at 5 PM. I'd never seen a show before and frankly didn't know their music very well, but I'm glad I went because they rocked. Jeff and I moshed up front and got sweaty and dirty and bruised. So it was a success. I felt great being back on campus and seeing familiar faces again, and so I swang into social mode, handing out Parking Services flyers to as-of-yet jobless frosh, and greeting those people I recognized from before Germany. After the concert, we met the bass player, Nathen Maxwell, and he signed Jeff's flask with a skull and crossbones. His attention was directed to us because somebody had worshipfully given him some weed, and Nathen made mention of my dreadlocks, saying, "You're the one with the dreadlocks; you've gotta have some rolling papers!" I said I didn't, but would he mind signing my boyfriend's flask and letting us snap a picture of him. So that picture should be up on Facebook soon. Then Jeff and I dragged our butts up the Ave to WOW Bubble Tea, then took showers, then hung out at my house, exhasted, for the rest of the night. All in all, a pretty sweet day.
You know, that laundry's still sitting there, and it's not going to wash itself. Dinner won't cook itself, either. Plus, I think I've updated you on everything there is to update on. And there are classes tomorrow, which sucks a lot, but it's that time again. So have a good rest of your week, faithful readers, because you aren't going to hear a lot more from me in the next few days.
19.9.06
Finally, the day that some of you have been waiting for all year: International Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Knock yourselves out.
Knock yourselves out.
13.9.06
Tina's comment on my last post got me thinking again about this topic of media influence on American society. The American Dream is such a fallacy. Not everyone can "make it" because there is a finite amount of money. If somebody has a large portion of that money, it means that somebody else doesn't have it. That's where the credit card companies jump in, allowing even the plainest of Average Joes to buy the things necessary to project an image of a certain level of status. Want to show that you're moving up in the world? Go ahead, buy that new Lexus; just charge it to your card. So what if you have to spend the next 10 years of your life struggling your way up the corporate ladder to pay it off? Oops, did that major purchase cost you exactly the quality of life you were hoping to gain? Too late now. Visa's on your butt and the interest is adding up. Might as well buy something else that costs more than you have; it'll be your only reassurance in a life that is becoming increasingly dismal due to overblown ownership.
I miss Germany.
Gotta go; more on this topic later.
I miss Germany.
Gotta go; more on this topic later.
7.9.06
It has become more evident to me since my return to the US that in America, there is a driving force urging us to all be alike. Of course, this happens in every culture, which is, not coincidentally, the factor that leads to the stereotyping of peoples. But I mean it in a more acute sense: there's a pressure to "grow up" and become that which you're supposed to become. We're all sent messages from the media and corporations to buy a mass-produced car, make a downpayment on a mass-produced house, watch mass-produced T.V. and eat mass-produced food. Then there's a social pressure to do more of the same: to dress like them, socialize with them, listen to the same music and have the same nine-to-five cubicle jobs. What happened to diversity, the strength of all societies and communities?
Anyway, I have been working on writing a paper for the better part of my day, and I think it's starting to mess with my mind. Time to go home and carry out another task: organizing my stuff for the move up to Seattle on Saturday.
Anyway, I have been working on writing a paper for the better part of my day, and I think it's starting to mess with my mind. Time to go home and carry out another task: organizing my stuff for the move up to Seattle on Saturday.
4.9.06
Does anybody know of any good hikes in the southeastern Olympics? Jamie and Dad and I want to go hiking today, but I'm having trouble finding a good, reasonable hike on the internet. I think we're going to go with Lower Lena Lake, but it doesn't have much elevation, which is what we wanted (so we can get some sweet views). Still, it's the smarter choice, since we haven't left yet and it's already 11 am. Another choice would be High Lookout Rock or whatever that one's called, but it's such a winding drive over to Rainier that I'd rather go with Lower Lena Lake and Highway 101 (also winding, but it's hiking, what can ya do?).
Yesterday, my sister and I hung out as I went through some of my stuff. We ended up trying on my old dresses that I found in a box, and she picked out one that I wore as a junior to homecoming. She'll probably take it in to get altered and wear it to a dance. It looks so nice on her!
Anyway, we gotta get going if we're going to make it to the trail in time. Til later!
Yesterday, my sister and I hung out as I went through some of my stuff. We ended up trying on my old dresses that I found in a box, and she picked out one that I wore as a junior to homecoming. She'll probably take it in to get altered and wear it to a dance. It looks so nice on her!
Anyway, we gotta get going if we're going to make it to the trail in time. Til later!
2.9.06
Been home for only two days, and I think I'm going to go insane. Football season is here in all its glory, and it's doing a good job of reminding me exactly why I hate living at home in the fall. In fact, I've made it a priority to never, ever be at home again during the fall. That way, Dad and Alex can watch and play and talk about football all they want, and I don't have to suffer through a minute of it. It's not like my company is at all important during football season, nor would it be missed. For example, on the way back from Seattle today after the Husky game, Dad had the post-game radio show on full blast. I asked him a few questions about the game, which he answered. Then I asked him if he was tired, since we had left the house at 5 that morning to get me to work on time at 6. His response was "Kyla, I'm trying to listen to the post-game show. We can talk in a little bit." Fine. So I was silent for a little while, and then the moment I opened my mouth again, he replied, "I haven't had football since last season, I'm hungry for it. Why don't you sleep or something." Great. Glad to see that I'm appreciated around here. I tied a handkerchief around my eyes and did my best to stay out of the way so Dad and his beloved radio show could bond.
Then at home, Alex and three of his friends were watching more football in the theater room in the house. Dad walks in the door, turns the TV in the other room to football, and pulls out food from the fridge, adding it to the piles of food already on the counter. I stop to make myself a quesidilla, which as you probably know consists of two ingredients: cheese and a tortilla. Well, Dad looked at me, looked at the food covering the counter, and said, "hey, can you clean some of this up?"
What am I, a live-in maid? None of that mess was mine. Sheesh. I'm going to Seattle the next chance I get. Next weekend can't come fast enough.
So, on a more positive note. Seattle was wonderful today, with beautiful 90 degree weather. Unfortunately, I spent the entire morning selling parking passes again. I told myself at the end of sophomore year that I wouldn't ever go back to that job, but turns out that traveling in Europe is expensive. Who knew. At any rate, it's a job and it'll earn me some money for the year. After I got off work, I went up to Ashley's apartment and saw Ash, Fletcher, and Andy. I was so happy to see Ashley again! We're all going to be roommates and it will be peachy. We went to the house today to meet the landlord and move in a bit. Rondar came! In a Kermit shirt! It made me happy! As for the house, I hereby declare it fabulous. My room is on the top floor in the back of the house, and has a large closet space for all my junk. Our landlord is also pretty much the coolest landlord ever. So all this makes me very excited to live in the house, and I can start as soon as I want! So, I will... next weekend. Woo! And every day, our house will be host to Naked Disco Happy Hour, and due to the abundance of mini-fridges in the house, we will never, ever be more than 10 steps away from a cold beer. Best. House. Ever.
Settling back into the American way of life is going pretty well. I'm not used to sales tax yet, or the new 10 and 20 dollar bills, or getting carded. (Bought my first 6-pack today in Seattle. What did I get? That's right, Pilsner Urquell.) But things are going well. When I was talking to him on the phone about cultural differences, Jeff pointed out that we can say "Sieg Heil" in the US without repercussions. Thanks, Jeff, for helping me remember the most important differences. But really, it made me laugh really really hard, and made me miss my boyfriend even more than I already had. Come back to Washington, baby!
(Oh, and by the way, we can technically deny the Holocaust in the US without getting thrown in jail, too. So that's another difference.)
One more thing before I go: I found my Arrested Development DVDs!!! They were in the attic among boxes of other things that belong to me. So tonight, I'll probably watch about 10 episodes. Maybe not that many, but I'm sure I'll watch more than I intend to. Joy!!!
Okay, I'm tired of typing. Til next time.
Then at home, Alex and three of his friends were watching more football in the theater room in the house. Dad walks in the door, turns the TV in the other room to football, and pulls out food from the fridge, adding it to the piles of food already on the counter. I stop to make myself a quesidilla, which as you probably know consists of two ingredients: cheese and a tortilla. Well, Dad looked at me, looked at the food covering the counter, and said, "hey, can you clean some of this up?"
What am I, a live-in maid? None of that mess was mine. Sheesh. I'm going to Seattle the next chance I get. Next weekend can't come fast enough.
So, on a more positive note. Seattle was wonderful today, with beautiful 90 degree weather. Unfortunately, I spent the entire morning selling parking passes again. I told myself at the end of sophomore year that I wouldn't ever go back to that job, but turns out that traveling in Europe is expensive. Who knew. At any rate, it's a job and it'll earn me some money for the year. After I got off work, I went up to Ashley's apartment and saw Ash, Fletcher, and Andy. I was so happy to see Ashley again! We're all going to be roommates and it will be peachy. We went to the house today to meet the landlord and move in a bit. Rondar came! In a Kermit shirt! It made me happy! As for the house, I hereby declare it fabulous. My room is on the top floor in the back of the house, and has a large closet space for all my junk. Our landlord is also pretty much the coolest landlord ever. So all this makes me very excited to live in the house, and I can start as soon as I want! So, I will... next weekend. Woo! And every day, our house will be host to Naked Disco Happy Hour, and due to the abundance of mini-fridges in the house, we will never, ever be more than 10 steps away from a cold beer. Best. House. Ever.
Settling back into the American way of life is going pretty well. I'm not used to sales tax yet, or the new 10 and 20 dollar bills, or getting carded. (Bought my first 6-pack today in Seattle. What did I get? That's right, Pilsner Urquell.) But things are going well. When I was talking to him on the phone about cultural differences, Jeff pointed out that we can say "Sieg Heil" in the US without repercussions. Thanks, Jeff, for helping me remember the most important differences. But really, it made me laugh really really hard, and made me miss my boyfriend even more than I already had. Come back to Washington, baby!
(Oh, and by the way, we can technically deny the Holocaust in the US without getting thrown in jail, too. So that's another difference.)
One more thing before I go: I found my Arrested Development DVDs!!! They were in the attic among boxes of other things that belong to me. So tonight, I'll probably watch about 10 episodes. Maybe not that many, but I'm sure I'll watch more than I intend to. Joy!!!
Okay, I'm tired of typing. Til next time.
31.8.06
So I'm back in the States. After spending the night in the Stuttgart airport, flying to Frankfurt, going through ridiculous security checks, and then flying 10 hours to Portland, I finally made it off the plane. Dad picked me up in Portland and within minutes, I was whisked away back into a life I haven't seen in a year. My brother's football team plays tonight, so we drove straight to Corvallis. We checked into a hotel, and Dad handed me a Beavers cap and an orange t-shirt. The hotel is right across from the stadium, so the lobby is busteling with proud parents and cocky college kids turned game day officials, in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly. It's a world that I'd almost forgotten about. Something tells me that I don't quite fit in here. Is it because I'm a Husky? Is it the dreadlocks? Is it the jet lag? Or is it simply a stage in my readjustment period, of readjusting to life as an American?
I guess I should leave a little bit of time between touchdown and speculation, but I can't help but offer some quick observations. I'd forgotten what culture shock is like, and reverse culture shock is another flavor of the same thing I went through last fall. Normal culture shock means being surprised by the little things that are done differently, but in reverse culture shock, it's stuff that you are shocked by, and then feel dumb about it because you already knew about it, but had forgotten. So far, it's just been little things: using the US plug-ins again, receiving embarrassed smiles when you catch somebody staring at you, strangers asking "how are you?", unnecessary small talk, dollars instead of euros, having to apologize when you brush by somebody, asking officials questions in English instead of German. Things like that. I can imagine it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Anyway. I've been doing nothing for the past 24 hours but sit, eat, and sleep. I think it's time to go to the hotel gym and work out, and maybe even get some laundry done while I'm here. A month on the road in Europe has not been friendly to my hygiene. Then it's off to the football game, that good old American institution. More on all this later.
I guess I should leave a little bit of time between touchdown and speculation, but I can't help but offer some quick observations. I'd forgotten what culture shock is like, and reverse culture shock is another flavor of the same thing I went through last fall. Normal culture shock means being surprised by the little things that are done differently, but in reverse culture shock, it's stuff that you are shocked by, and then feel dumb about it because you already knew about it, but had forgotten. So far, it's just been little things: using the US plug-ins again, receiving embarrassed smiles when you catch somebody staring at you, strangers asking "how are you?", unnecessary small talk, dollars instead of euros, having to apologize when you brush by somebody, asking officials questions in English instead of German. Things like that. I can imagine it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Anyway. I've been doing nothing for the past 24 hours but sit, eat, and sleep. I think it's time to go to the hotel gym and work out, and maybe even get some laundry done while I'm here. A month on the road in Europe has not been friendly to my hygiene. Then it's off to the football game, that good old American institution. More on all this later.
26.7.06
Andrea is here! Which means that our trip has officially begun, and I am now forced to use the official travel blog. Well, not forced. But you know what I mean. So here's the link:
http://kaineurope.blogspot.com/
Expect little or no updates on this blog for the next month or so. Instead, you can follow our exploits on the aforementioned blog, as we leave Tuebingen, travel with my dad and sister across Germany to Austria, and then spend about 3 weeks moving through Croatia, Italy, and Spain. It's going to be a great time! And now, I have to go to my last class. Ciao!
http://kaineurope.blogspot.com/
Expect little or no updates on this blog for the next month or so. Instead, you can follow our exploits on the aforementioned blog, as we leave Tuebingen, travel with my dad and sister across Germany to Austria, and then spend about 3 weeks moving through Croatia, Italy, and Spain. It's going to be a great time! And now, I have to go to my last class. Ciao!
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