c.at.all

Yes, as I recall no one said it would be easy.

Friday.

Seattle - Arrived - 3:30pm'ish.

---> rented my first car by myself @ Dollar Rent-A-Car. Red Corolla.
---> aimlessly drove around - literally picked an exit and ended up in Capitol Hill. right where I wanted to live. I turned around, hey - this is a cute street (checked the street sign "Broadway" holy crap) I'm right where I wanted to be.
---> met up with Christine for dinner

Saturday.
Christine had to work all day. I woke up and was out of the house in my rental early morning and parked myself in a coffee shop (yes I OD'd on coffee the whole trip). I started calling up all of the craigslist ads and found myself on the phone forever with "rc". his rent was right, he sounded like someone I could get along with (2bdrm / 1bth) and his location was cool. It was the equivalent of Oakland: SF. We met up for coffee (not me though) and talked more. He seemed....nice...but I was still not 100% (not comfy) but he invited me back to see his place the following afternoon, 5pm.
So I split, since I was late for my next housing appt in Capitol Hill.
*boom* I hit my rental car, the side mirror starts dangling and I'm screwed. I hit it about 4 min prior to my appt. This was a sign, I was not meant to drive rental cars but I was also not meant to see this next house. I was unsure about the guy but now this confirmed it. So I called Christine and told her I was heading over instead, after I turn in the car. I got in Car #2, a grey Camery. And made a friend at the rental car place (he hopes to see me when I get back!). He was the driver of the van and he was the same guy that picked me up from the airport the day before and also the guy the dropped me off for my flight home. I ended up hanging out with Christine and Dan's friends that night. We partied in Seattle and I got trashed. Dude, who orders 5+ shots of 151 for a SATURDAY NIGHT!? well...they do! it was terrible. but SO much fun. The next morning I was the first one up for my next appt w/"g" in a 2bdrm/2bth east of Bellevue. I knocked on the door twice w/no answer but I could hear football in the apt. I called him on my cell and I got the right door and a couple seconds later he opened up and he was 'normal' (looking at least)...the place was so nice! and new! and fully furnished! and a sublet! and......*drumroll*....a walk-in closet w/W&D in the apt! holy ta-moly! no background checks! no first month / last month! no deposits! no extra for parking! and we got along! dude?! so, I asked him about his other lineups and he had another appt about 15 min later. So he said he would make a decision as soon as possible. I walked away wanting the spot! it would be perfect - it would give me enough time to find a regular job, be able to find housing close to the job and a better sense of the surrounding cities and specific districts in seattle aside from capitol hill!

MIL-Lila was next. She was in Wedgewood and had a 900+ sqft mother-in-law unit, brand spanking new. She hadn't posted it on craigslist.org either! I got there and it was just that, brand new everything! and spacious! but...I told her I couldn't sign more than a 3month lease due to the fact that I wouldn't have a solid job once I moved and we both decided it would not work out. i say both because the other option she gave me was to have someone co-sign for a six month lease and i didn't want to do that.

'rc' - was next. I was about to go out the door to rc's place to check it out when I thought to check my email and see if maybe 'g' had good news for me. and he did!!! he emailed me and said i was first pick. i called rc right away and cancelled. oddly enough though, he wants me to hit him back up once i settle back in, which i thought was nice.

sunday 5pm. that's when i finished my housing search. which was right on track since monday and tuesday were tucked away for employment.

Monday and Tuesday:
-Met with Victoria (who specializes in HR reqs) who got me a follow up interview for a one-yr contract w/benefits (Pam) on Tuesday.
-Met with Pam on Tuesday right before my flight.
-Met with Judi, but she said they don't get much HR reqs (scratching off list)
-Met with Deborah, who got me two phone interviews for T-Mobile
-Met w/Shannon who interviewed me (as well as her dept) for a direct hire full time HR position
-Phone conference w/Courtney who's jobs won't pay my rent
-Met 'g' for coffee to confirm that i'll be his new roomie (woohoo!) and logistics as well
-scheduled a phone interview w/google.
....i packed in monday and tuesday so much, when i finished my last interview tuesday, i drove directly to the airport....literally.

Highlights:
-I got lost everywhere! EVERYWHERE!
-But! I also found where I wanted to be - everytime
-I didn't have tunnel vision. I have that here. There, I would walk by myself, drive by myself, eat by myself. In a domino effect, it enabled me to talk to the person behind me in line, sitting nearby me, the person taking my order for coffee, the person walking towards me. I need to see what I'm capable of by pushing myself out there. I was only there for a few days but I can see myself going in the direction I want to. in any direction for that matter. before, i felt like i wasn't moving at all...

"but why are you moving to Seattle?"...

It's not why. it's why not. only three words but people get it mixed up. it's really just about why not.