Drastic changes

It is truly INSANE how much can change in just a month! Matt and I moved out of Seattle, I started writing classes, and we're living with JR now. AND I started a little herb garden. ALL SINCE MY LAST BLOG POST!

Breaking the lease and moving from a 1 bedroom apartment to a 4 bedroom house is kind of crazy in itself. But Forrest is in love with the yard, and the neighborhood, and the stairs, and basically everything about it! We haven't wrapped up the apartment paperwork yet, but that should be over with by next week. I'm trying to adjust to commuting, and I do enjoy catching up on music (and car-aoke), but I can't say that I really love sitting in traffic in the morning...

Writing class is overwhelming at times, especially because I'm losing about two hours of non-work time on commuting days and I have assignments due during the week. Boy am I glad that I decided to register for just one class at a time... I can barely keep up! I do enjoy the work that we're doing, though, and I am learning some new things even from the very first core class of the program. I actually did a paper about my gardening project! And I still enjoy getting good grades, very much. I love seeing the 100% running total percentage in my student account. It makes me so happy!!

Living with JR is pretty awesome. At first I was concerned that maybe we'd butt heads at times or I'd be peeved with his habits (just because I can be finicky), but it's been smooth sailing so far. He's a really generous and helpful housemate, and I'm glad he's here. Houses kind of creep me out, but having Matt and/or JR at home most of the time makes me feel safer.

The house is ridiculously nice. We have an integrated sound system, an industrial-sized overhead cooking vent system, lots of TVs, a nice little office for my WFH and homework sessions, gigantic pantry and way too much cabinet space, and enough grass to keep Forrest entertained forever. I think the stairs are keeping me in better shape (or at least that's what I tell myself as I grumble silently every time I forget something upstairs/downstairs). The bathrooms are plentiful and super spacious. The only thing that is kind of annoying, is that because the house is so big... I can't reach the top shelves of any cabinets, and I can't reach the top of the closet without climbing onto a stool.

We've been at the house for weeks now, and we still haven't finished settling. The office is finally set up for the most part, but the master closet is still a mess, and the second living room (of three) has random boxes sitting out. We even got a ping pong table! That's not set up yet either, of course.

Moving  + commuting + school + work. OMG. Head explosion. So exciting! So exhausting. Zzzz. And so expensive. -___-

 

Two types of basil, two types of parsley,

two types of cilantro, oregano, and rosemary!

gadgets & gizmos aplenty

Loving the new neighborhood, new apartment, new adorable doggie neighbors, and most importantly my new gadgets! We got a small Eureka Quick-up stick vac and a big Bissell PowerForce Helix -- I've missed vacuuming so much! And I also got the Nespresso Pixie that I use on days when I work from home, and on weekends. Definitely loving the electric kettle that my brother gave me for Christmas, and I've been getting LOTS of use out of the fruit-infusing water bottle that Matt's sister got me! I have yet to use the electric wine opener, but I will soon. Maybe this weekend!

I've also been playing Just Dance 2014 at least 3x a week... I think it's keeping me more engaged than Dance Central used to. It's odd because Dance Central had so many more songs that I liked, but Just Dance is more fun to dance and sing to.

The Leaf HD receiver has been working well for us, and we're surviving just fine without cable (I knew we would). We've been watching lots of streamed TV shows and movies, and there's still plenty for us to catch up on. The Pure Komachi knife set has been nothing short of amazing, and it makes cooking fun! I've even been wearing my Fuelband regularly now.

We fell in love with a reclining couch at Macy's but decided that our couch is still fine (especially since I washed all of the covers after we moved). Maybe during our next lease we can get a new one; it's also probably not a good idea to get a new couch if we're thinking about getting a dog. In the meantime, I've been looking at food processors.. but they're so expensive. I'm really hesitant! I do, however, definitely need a new set of ceramic pots. That's next on the list. The never-ending list!

New Horizons - Apartment & Bungie Jumping!

Last Friday, after work, Matt and I did our walk-through at the new place and then started hauling all of our crap in. Moving in hungover was not fun, I should not have gotten wasted in Kirkland on Thursday night. The boys did all of the heavy furniture lifting but it was mostly Matt's anyway. I had to drag my laundry bags of clothes, along with the other boxed items that I've amassed all by my lonesome! SUCH A WORKOUT! It ended up being a really late night, and not everything got finished. My bed was only half built, so I slept on the couch but I was so exhausted it didn't matter.

I spent Saturday cleaning the kitchen and my bathroom - wiping everything down and sanitizing. I went to Fred Meyers, Safeway, Dollar Tree, and a few other places to get household essentials. I was too tired to even think about cooking so I went to Victor's for dinner, he was trying to make pork but he accidentally made curry. It was delicious though! We went back to my place to pre-drink, and then we all headed to HG Lodge. My first real Seattle clubbing!! The club was nice looking, clean, and the people were more than decent. Mostly skinny asian girls and clean cut asian guys, then a few odd balls here and there. The most amazing thing is that there is NO dress code. Hat, sneakers, probably sweats even. You can wear anything in Seattle?! That's something to get used to.

Sunday we went BUNGIIIIIE JUMPING!!!! It was sooooo crazy. I was terrified, horrified, petrified, anything that ends with "fied" I was! The feeling of freefalling is like nothing I've ever felt before, and then the bouncing around after the initial fall is kind of like when you fly up on a peak on a roller coaster, except it's 5x more intense. I was so tense that I couldn't even scream! It was amazing though, and now that I know that I won't die from jumping I want to do it again. I'm sure I can really enjoy it next time! The people there were really nice and it was a spectacular experience. I wish it wasn't a 3 hour drive away, but I think it'll be worth going at least once more! When I think about the fall, I can still remember what it feels like and it gives me chills. That two hundred foot drop is insanity man. LOVED IT!

Settling into Seattle

I'm two and a half weeks into this new chapter of my life.. and everything is GREAT! I'm catching on pretty quickly at the new job - I've already been entrusted to check customers in and estimate on repair orders! I still have a lot to learn with how to explain services to customers and upsell, but I think it will come in due time. On a daily basis I balance books and do lots of that maths. I'm getting better at it. LOL

Things I love about Seattle so far:
- Radio stations: such awesome music! If I made my own radio station it would play exactly what 89.5 FM plays here.
- THE WOLF! My favorite morning show from the Bay Area (Fitz in the morning) is still on the air in Seattle. SUCH A TREAT!!!
- Gorgeous weather: I haven't had to wear, nor borrow, a jacket since I first got here! The weather is simply perfect at the moment. People keep saying it'll start raining anyday now, but hey it's been sunny and warm for 2.5 weeks!
- Nice people. Everyone here is nice! My new friends, my coworkers, my customers at work - no one is rude or condescending. HUH?! I know!
- Easy mornings: When I get up at 7:15 AM, the sun is already fully up! It's so easy to get out of bed.. so much moreso than it was in SF. I'm just a tad bit worried about when winter sets in and the sun doesn't come out until late. Oh well, I guess I can worry when the time comes.

Over the past week, Matt and I have been making preparations for moving in together. We found a place near where I work, and it's also convenient for Matt to take the bus to his work. It was a tough choice! After viewing a handful of complexes we got our options down to two, and we ended up applying for the cheaper, more convenient and smaller unit. The one we almost chose had tennis/bball courts, 4 pools, a duckpond, and a gym. It was also huge and really nice! But Matt would have had to take two buses to work from there instead of one, and I'd have to drive to work instead of being in walking distance.

I think either choice would have been fine though. And I don't regret the decision we made. We're moving in on Friday! We already got our furniture and we're still in the process of getting other household things together. Exciting! I'll post pics next week :)

Final Feasts & Farewells

Reality has just started to set in. I've made my final rounds of goodbyes over the past few days, and each one has taken a piece of me.

Last Friday I had dinner with the girls at Sotto Mare in North Beach! Janet, Rainbow, Amy, Cindy, and I were laughing through most of dinner. Catching up with each other and crazy stories - I had a blast. I wish I had hung out with them more before, and it's so stupid that I realize this now that I'm leaving.

Saturday night ended up being hot pot and movie night with Kevin and Janet. Everyone else seemed to be at Comicon or camping, so we had Thai Stick and watched Horrible Bosses. I really enjoyed hot pot, I thought it was a nice way to hang out my last weekend in SF. The movie wasn't so great, but everything else about the night was. And I got to try Teaway finally!

On Monday, I had Jack's Prime for lunch with Josh and we took our time with leisurely conversation. I really will miss my lunch buddy, and I can't believe we've known each other for so long. I remember when we were friends in high school, and oddly enough, I think our friendship is still exactly the same - definitely in a good way though.

For dinner, I met with Vinnie and Ryan at San Mateo Prime. We got there at 6:30 and stayed until 10:30, probably one of the longest dinners I've ever had! The time flew by and we reminisced from the days of high school, to the now work griefs, and finally the conversation turned to the future. I really am glad that we three kept in touch through the years. Vinnie and Ryan have always been great friends, and I truly appreciate having motivated and honest people in my life - they keep me grounded.

On Tuesday, I had lunch with my girl CARRIE!!!! Super excited for her, because she's 8 mo preggers and I HAD to see the bump. She was glowing and gorgeous, actually she was extra glowing and gorgeous because she usually is. We ate at Langkawi, but they didn't have the Fried Squid that day. SADFACE. Oh well, I was very happy that I got to see her, she's always been there for me and she's definitely one of my all time faves.

For dinner on Tuesday night, Albert, Calvin, Andrew, and I went to Red Crawfish. Andrew and Albert had never had crawfish before, GASP! They were in for quite the treat! It was nice to hang out with them, it's been literally years since the summers where we all saw each other everyday and hung out at Andrew's place. I miss those days, when we had pool parties and watched movies, made BBQ and burgers, and played games until the sun came up. I really miss that. Everyone is growing up and trying to find themselves, and at the same time none of our personalities have changed. Some for the better, some for the worst. It was really nice to catch up with those guys though.

Wednesday was my last day of work. I was excused by HR in the morning, but Neda planned a lunch party at Hokkaido for me so I stayed later in the day. The buffet was great, a nice change of scenery. I got to chat it up with my coworkers a bit more before having to say goodbye. It was a sad moment when I got into Gary's car with Rod and Jonathon, and one of them said "this is the last ride we'll take together." Those were some AWESOME coworkers. I had TONS of laughs and will take many fond memories of DeviceAnywhere. Even though I don't agree with a lot of things that I experienced at the company, I really appreciated my colleagues. I'm really glad I went to the Giant's game with them. Even though I hate baseball because it bores me to death, I somehow had a great time.

For dinner Wednesday night, I wanted to meet with Joe but he wouldn't be able to get into the city until late. Instead I met with the gang at Toyose. It was a night of forced speeches, and drinking. I managed to avoid making a lengthy speech, and I felt really awkward everytime I was repeatedly asked to make one. I'm not a public speaking person!! I'm the kind of person who prepares and memorizes my lines. We ended up playing a game in which people anonymously wrote down what they will miss most about me, and I'd guess who wrote each. I'm going to keep those little pieces of garbage forever. Even though some of them made me feel really misunderstood, I will accept them as they are, as I have done with my friends.

I was fine saying goodbye to everyone until the very last moment. When Andy and Alex dropped me off at home, and I realized I had to get out of Andy's car for probably the last time in a while, I started crying. And even now as I'm typing this, tears are rolling down my face. Through all of the irritating things that my friends do, and all of the times we clash, I really am thankful for them. I have the best friends a person could ask for, and it makes SF so hard to let go of. I wish I could take them all to Seattle with me, but my suitcase isn't big enough.

Today (Thursday) Cindy cut my hair in the morning and then we had lunch at Little Lucca's. This bitch is so crazy, she wouldn't let me pay for the food as a thank you for cutting my hair. She actually pushed me so she could give her card to the cashier. I love her. She's been there for me through tough times and she's one of the realest and sweetest people I know.

For dinner, I had lunch with my dad. HE BOUGHT ME A KINDLE!!!!!!! I'm so F'ING EXCITED TO USE IT!! But I won't, until I get to Seattle. I'm afraid if I take it out of the box it'll get damaged in the move. So I'd rather not! This dinner was longer than our usual, we talked a lot about what I'll be doing in Seattle and how I should go about housing, insurance, etc. I'm very glad that I got to catch up with him before leaving - now I feel like I've made a full round of goodbyes and can take off properly.

Twenty pounds later, I'm all packed up and ready to go. Leaving the city in a matter of hours and not quite sure what I'm getting myself into. I'll miss everything about SF, and home, and I'm hoping that this new adventure is worth leaving my whole life behind.

Loose Ends, Last Goodbyes

So the days have been dwindling quickly, until I finally need to move my whole life 819.5 miles up North. Luckily, everything is coming together quite nicely! I started packing hair tools/makeup/random crap on Friday, and spent today tying up loose ends and making some serious progress with organizing my possessions.

I visited BMW this morning to catch up with the guys, and I also shipped a box with dresses, undies, socks, and scarves - the light essentials. It was very nice to see my old colleagues before leaving, I would have felt sad not saying goodbye. When I got home I also packed the heels that I want to take, AND BOY I'LL TELL YA - IT WAS LIKE PLAYING REAL LIFE TETRIS WITH UNFAIR SHAPES! I must have packed and unpacked those suckers 3-4 times each. I finally worked it out though.

I also paid my dental bill, activated my satellite radio subscription, drove my brother to his apartment to drop stuff off, and settled my monthly bills. So much accomplished! I had time to sneak a nap in before Thai Stick with Janet and Kevin also, PHEW. Dinner was delicious, and we went to Teaway for some boba action. Afterward, we watched Horrible Bosses, and now I am exhausted!

All I have left to pack is clothing and the last minute daily-use items like my electronics and such. I'm glad I left myself 4+ days to pack clothes, because that's probably going to be the hardest part. Really having to decide what is "important" enough to take with me is an ENTIRELY new experience. But trimming the fat is a good thing, right? Yes, I believe it is ALWAYS a good thing.

My mom decided to drive up with me yesterday, so we'll get some more time to hang out before I leave her. She gets to stay with Aunty for a few days also so it's a double-win for everyone. I just hope we don't kill each other along the way, 12-14 hours? YOWZA! SO many exciting things happening, so little time. The clock is counting down and I'm sad to think that I'm saying goodbye to my life in San Francisco. I'm excited for Seattle and I'm hoping that it will temporarily fill the gaping void that will grow larger as I drive further and further away from my home, in only 5 short days. The anxiety is absolutely tantalizing.

Gargantuan Leaps & Bounds - Seattle, Here I Come!

I've never been so emotionally confused, ever. There are all kinds of feelings writhing and wrestling within me - excitement, sadness, fear, hope, curiousity, and I don't even know what else.

All of my life, I've only known the Bay Area. And even within the Bay Area, I've never moved out on my own! So now is the time to grab and tear at the bubble that I've known forever. To make myself vulnerable and force myself to experience a new era. To leap into the darkness and dive head first into an uncertainty. I, AM, SO, F'ING, EXCITED!!!!!

There's so much to do, that I don't even know where to begin! Last Wednesday, I got a call about a job at a shop and the phone interview turned into an invite for an in-person interview. I flew out Friday night and spent the weekend with Victor, then Monday morning I was driving to my interview - no nerves at all! Given my track record (consistently getting offers after interviews - 7 for 7), the pressure is always on. I'm usually breathing deeply, concentrating intensely, and tapping my fingers. But not this time? Whatever the case, the interview went well and now it's time to get the ball rolling. I accepted the very next day.

I submitted my resignation yesterday and had an exit interview with my bosses today. It was actually scheduled as my long-overdue annual review, but given the circumstances, that became a moot point. I really will miss the people at DA, and the twisted humor that results from ridiculous working conditions. Also, strangely enough, I was all nerves turning in my resignation, and I nearly broke down during the exit interview when I was explaining my reasons for leaving. I definitely am sad to go, but there are too many compelling reasons to move on.

Now I'm checking out apartments, getting my things in order, figuring out what I want to ship and what Klaus will take, deciding which day I should leave, and trying to figure out the 20+ things I'm overlooking. Moving out for the first time is overwhelming, especially with a new job and relocating to a new state. I'll really miss my mom, and that's certainly the hardest part. I'm thinking that this will either be a great experience or a horrible experience, and I'm praying it'll be the former. In any case, IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING! Time to grow up and put my big girl pants on - I'm going to give it all I've got. Leaps and bound, cartwheels and freefalls, I'm taking Seattle on and living my life.