Growing up - not out...

When I was in jr. high I was called a lot of things...some of them kind some of them unkind. If you can recall, jr. high was the period of development and growth, separating girls from bigger girls. I have a terrible memory but I do remember a few things. I remember sitting in Geometry class (which I took twice btw AND in one of them, the teacher taught sex ed and talked about how she masturbated in a science class in college by rocking her stool a certain way) and Sasha walking by and calling me a flat b!tch. I remember sitting in Pre-Calculus (or was it pre-alg?) and talking to Ken and a guy walking by me and stopping to say that I'm going to be fine when I develop. "Beanpole"...yes, for a period I thought that was my nickname. In high school, I remember going to college fraternity parties with a female friend of mine who shall remain nameless (although, obvious) and even though she was a few yrs younger than me, all of the guys thought she was the older gal...and I am going to make a safe assumption in the mind of a college boy - it was probably because her boobs were huge....*shrugging shoulders*...but i'm only assuming...I remember always knowing that I would get "enhancements" when I could pay for it. Whether it was college or on my first job...
I felt like I got jipped.

...but somewhere after...somewhere between then and today. I started appreciating how much easier it was for me to keep good posture. Less backaches. I appreciated that I didn't have to spend as much money on sports/bras. I tried to joke to myself (in very bad taste) that at least it would decrease my chances of breast cancer cuz of the lack of specifically/strategically placed fat cells. =/ (bad joke). I told myself that breast examinations would be quicker. I felt like it was a more efficient way to screen out the boys. Some girls have to worry that guys are only talking to them cuz of their boobies / bodies and I never had the problem...I only got the cream of the crop, the ones that saw past the superficial and took the time to get to know the "noggen"...or so I like to assume (please don't argue this one...I like my assumption =)).

I am not religious but for some reason, I felt like I was created the way I am for a reason. And boobie enhancements, as widespread and as easy as they are - wasn't what I was going for anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still have a pair of those jelly boobies (this is the hypocritical personality trait I wrote about) - I rarely use them cuz they feel weird and I'm afraid of them falling off on the dancefloor. Like, if you ever saw the episode of Will and Grace when Grace wears a water bra to impress this boy at a gallery and it pops while she's there, so her boob isn't dripping H2O it's spraying H2O - that's what I would think would happen. I feel like I would be dancing and then I would be sweating cuz clubs never have good ventiliation and then all of the sudden *plop* - "what's that!?" err.....oops "can you pls. not step on my left boobie" (remember that 'ol imagination of mine!). So...I'm hoping it's safe to say that even though I didn't grow out(but big cheetos/cheezits bellies are still in right?), I grew up.

blah.

Yesterday morning I discovered that Goodwill had an Outlet. (who would've thought? its already hella cheap as it is...but I've been viciously seeking thrift stores since I found out about the apt) I found a screamin deal and got a brown leather chair for $4.99! For like $11 I got, two books, a blanket, a J Crew sweater and the chair! I volunteered at the BeerFest and remembered how cheesy guys get when they're buzzed. After pouring beer for 3.5 hrs and recieving my reward of 6 beer tickets, I felt like i wasted my pay off (one guy was like "Will work for Beer!" and that's exactly what I was doing! except, I don't drink beer....*scratching head...*) when I spent two on cidars and gave the others away to some random so he would leave me alone. At night, I ended up meeting Christine, D & M to go to War Room. That was fun. Recognizing the drunk girl from the weekend before, and seeing that she's actually psychotic or something. She came up to one of D's friend and had an altercation of some sort, had him apologize to her friend and spanked him somewhere in between. yeah...i don't know...and still I could not deny drunk munchies and downed a blackberry milk shake and raced to my lactaid pills once I got home. Today was for packing and compressing cds and getting stuff together for goodwill. Friday I went to get a makeover at the Clinique counter w/J. That was interesting. I realized that makeup counter guys, should not smoke because even when they put that mint in their mouth, for the whole hr all i could smell were cigarettes...especially with makeovers....all up in the personal space...crazy.........odd that with all of this non-smoker talk recently that most of the guys i have dated were smokers....weird or maybe not.

Moving In...

When I was moving into my last apt, I remember my dad mentioning that there were signs up saying that two robberies took place within the building a couple of days before......great....

Today, when I was asked where I'm moving to and I said Capitol Hill, I was told of this event

(see link)
http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0613/shootings1.php
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/25/seattle.shooting.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest
....great...

is it just me or is this like "40-year old virgin"? (Bellevue, WA) 

Tampons

I only started using tampons just within the last 2 -2.5yrs. I always thought the idea was yucky, to have something stuck in you for prolonged periods of time. It seemed...awkward. But I got used to them. But for some reason, I could not shake the fear of them getting stuck inside. And after one drunken weekend...and one drunken night...the hungover morning after, I couldn't remember taking the tampon out. But after drunken nights, how many thoughts and experiences are actually remembered?! but still I had it engrained that I could not recall taking it out - therefore, by logical reasoning (my logical reasoning) it had to still be in there. but I could not find it. that's when all of the (il)ogical thoughts starting coming back...what if it's there and i stick another one in there, and can't get them both out? what if i have s-e-x and i forget it's still in there? what if it just gets higher and higher? (like how it's now endless!) i couldn't find it...i asked the guy i was seeing at the time to find it...nothing...i went to my gyno...and nothing. and even after the professional confirmed, there is nothing there, i still...feared it. and every month, i still get paranoid. it's weird. i know there's nothing there, but that paranoia of it gettin' stuck in no man's land...still won't - shake.

East>West>North>South

• The entrance to the building isn't next to Dominos...it's the on the West side of the building
• This sign here doesn't say you can't "park past this sign"...it says you can't park East of this sign
• To get the apt, you don't go past 7-Eleven and make a right on Broadway....cuz you're going to go East and once you see Broadway, you're going to go South.
• The parking lot isn't on the backside of the building, it's on the West side of the building, right outside your windows
• The apt you're going to see has windows facing South so you can see ABC Building
• The volunteer sign on booth will be on the North side of the building.

For someone who is geographically-challenged I sure did find the place to knock it out all at once. At times I feel like my AAA map really needs to be updated with a GPS system and a compass but whatever gets me there...I'm just glad I haven't had too many time limits to miss. Right now since I'm still figuring out places, I like to just go in the direction and keep getting familiar with the streets and find things I wasn't looking for at the same time.

**How could I forget the most important!?!

--> Streets are not just "10th Ave" because it's probably "E. 10th Ave" or "10th Ave SE" or "10th Ave NW".

---> Just because you're on 10th Ave doesn't mean if you go East, it'll automatically hit "E. 10th Ave" becuz it may randomly stop.....and pick up somewhere else...or another street will intercept. i.e. John ---> freeway ---> E. Olive ---> E. John ---> E. Thomas....*sigh*

Gmail Chat w/Sammy

me: sammy i'm fat

Sammy: no way
you can't be

me: i had pho for lunch
and then on my way home
thought about a mcflurry - but­terfinger
and they didn't have but­terfinger
but when they asked what i wanted
i said a #9 with bbq sauce
and an oreo mcflurry

Update

"Hey Jo, what did you do yesterday?"....
"eh, nothing, just GOT A JOB!"

"Hey Jo, what did you do today?"....
"eh, nothing, just GOT AN(MY FIRST APT ON MY OWN) APT!"

*brushing off shoulders smiling*

The Duck Tour!

How funny.......I already have a waiting list to go with me when summer hits =)

Thanks...

emissivitee!

for your feedback on the neighborhoods for drinking. I had been analyzing for living and been hearing about drinking...I had been on the same vibe. I had been thinking either Belltown or Capitol Hill for living. I still haven't been to Pioneer Square for drinking although we passed by real quick last night. It's definitely not someplace I'd feel safe living by myself! Um...what else and! and also my two main internet resources right now were The Stranger and Seattle's Craigslist.org for everything

'appreciate it! =)

Drinking.Bollywood.Home.TV

This weekend I rediscovered that I can not drink worth anything.
Last night I had: shot of Ciroc, raging kettle, some kind of peach schnapps / vodka shots (2) and a B-52. I can't tell if it was the amount of alcohol, which isn't that much...or the fact that there was kahlua and baileys in the B-52 *bleh* shot, but I hurled up my drunk munchies AND dinner on the drive back. Not even cool. I could not even sip on a drink at the BBQ today *gross*. But I felt SO much better when I woke up this morning! sh!t! But what was even more funny - entertaining is that it was actually "Bollywood Night"! My first time and it was an event. We were approached immediately by "the one guy in the club who refuses to take off the sunglasses". Who out of pure stupidity insists on buying us drinks, without even knowing us?! if there's anything in the world that I've tried to pound into my lil bro's dome, is to NEVER - NEVER waste money on chicks at a bar. I swear to god, you might as well just burn your money away. Because, after we did our polite dances for the free drinks, we excused ourselves to the bathroom and darted straight to the exit. (It was SO much fun.)


Bollywood Night - "DJ’s Anshul and Advent will provide you with the finest International and Bollywood Sounds combined with blends of Hip Hop, House, R&B and Bhangra."

Bollywood: Bollywood is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based Hindi language film industry in India.

Bhangra: Today the word Bhangra is more associated with the style of dance pop music. bhangra has been fused with disco, reggae, techno, house, rap, ragga and now jungle


Then to drunk munchies (story of my life).

At drunk munchies in International District, there was this chick who was clearly drunk as heck, all clinging to her man as if she was his second layer of skin. The other couple at the table with them sat awkwardly. She was stumbling for awhile. And I couldn't stop staring at the odd vibe of the table. And the clear embarassement of the boy. But! but! TWO SECONDS later, next thing I know the girl is balling. Balling! Balling to the point where Christine's like, is that her crying, I turn to look and her mouth is wide open and she's practically lying on her man, just balling. "Don't let me have what she had."

Yesterday and today I spent my days in Capitol Hill. Taking coffee breaks in shops. Calling and notating in my car. Highlighting, circling and writing anything and everything. I made some appointments and went to some Open Houses but what I spent a huge portion doing was literally walking my butt around the neighborhood, looking for signs outside of complexes with vacancies and calling on the spot. I picked an area, I just needed to find an opening and what better way to do it than to walk my butt around and make it happen. Still not done. There was always someone coming in after me, with me, leaving before me, and most importantly, someone before me on the waiting list. I don't have one set aside for me yet, I'm just on the lists. I have just a few more to wrap this and a jobbie job up. I was thinking of either Belltown or Capitol Hill. I thought it would be so cool to walk to work (in Belltown) but Capitol Hill just seemed like home. And I would still be near main streets with frequent buses and it wasn't a long ride at all. I could still even walk to Downtown on nice days too.

TV - Today was my second chance to see if I could get on TV!

Today during the showing of "LoverBoy" on Channel 11 from 2-4pm today, the dating service that I volunteer at was featured in between segments. I wasn't around a TV then but was curious to see...and supposedly I was caught answering the phones as well. (cool!) They asked me to come in and help them out with the phones while they did 'a taping' and only found out the specifics afterwards. I thought that was cool. I also never told anyone while I did the phones for the live taping for the PBS segment. I thought that was cool too, I wanted to do that before, before, but not now but before =)

What I learned

What I learned about my first time looking for housing was not to judge a book by it's cover. Pleasantly surprised once inside some of these buildings and the opposite for others.

I learned that picking an apartment isn't just the complex or the unit, it's also the building manager. One of the places, I was waiting outside for the mgr with these two guys. Small talking, the manager, very disorganized and kinda frantic and spastic let us in. She lost her keys and went to look for them, leaving us alone..."I wouldn't trust her as my building manager, living here..."....that's right. She's the "Go-to" person. We weasled our way out fairly quickly but I learned quick the importance of the small talk I had enjoyed with the prior managers and realized, I'm not just finding a nice place.

I also learned that everyone in Washington wants to work at Microsoft and use it as some kind of hierarchy or level of status. that's all we need another means to segregate others in or out...

what am i thinking...

well, i don't know about before and i don't know about later but at this moment, I think that you really need to see this f'n movie....

V for Vendetta

(still thinking...)

(thinking...)

SF vs. Seattle

1.) tons of people are not really from here.........tons!!!!
2.) there are so many 1-way streets here
3.) downtown they charge for parking by every 20 min. Yesterday I spent $16.00 on parking for an interview.
4.) the weather isn't really that off, I mean I think we avg around like 10-15 degrees less but it's really not by that much.
5.) there are a million different lil neighborhoods with all of their distinct characteristics and i'm still trying to learn all of them. Capitol Hill = Haight....that's all I got so far...Eastside = East Bay...Mercer Island = Treasure Island...
6.) bridges everywhere but they don't charge for toll or anything.
7.) any apts near downtown charge a bundle for parking spaces or they just don't have any

This weekend was the annual ski trip and I missed it. I couldn't afford the plane ticket back yet and I felt like I still had work to do in terms of finding a job and apt before the end of the month. I can't say I didn't think about it while the weekend was passing, here I was getting up at like 7:30am on Saturday(and Sunday!) morning to volunteer at VegFest (I'm not even a vegan or vegetarian!) while others were in Tahoe enjoying each others company. *sigh* Booked my flight for Laurie's bachelorette party for memorial day weekend! woohoo! so amp'd it's going to be a blast! hopefully i can squeeze in an extra day or two in the Bay to visit and comingle over some dirty martinis! Up for another day of schmoozing some employers and volunteering tomorrow! and the monthly required class for volunteering at the shelter. Tonight I went to the first monthly mixer for the dating service I'm volunteering at. My responsibility was to walk around and be seen and sign people up for upcoming classes / events. Since the ratio was like 6:1 guys:girls. the first two guys I went up to (separately), i thought it odd for both of them to have obvious asian fetishes. keep in mind again, the age range was like 45-55 y.o. I walked away with both of them telling me all of their asian knowledge and experience(and a business card that was shoved in my hand) i.e. "my ex-wife was japanese, you know I always could tell the south east asians....." "I'm looking for an asian, chinese or japanese running partner, you know it's so hard to find a chinese or japanese running partner, you know i'm going to japan in a......." after a while (a good 20 min each, these guys had no probs talking) i stopped listening, but you can't be rude when you're representing a company, if it was a club "oh i'm sorry, i need to use the bathroom, excuse me pls." (running out the back room) ...what a snatch...i know...i know...at least you were warned, just keepin' it real =)

Will & Grace

It must have been at least a few yrs ago.
I was watching Will and Grace at T's house.
It was the episode where Grace freaks out cuz Nathan (Woody Harrelson) proposes and then she ends up trying to propose to him and gets dumped. And I covered my face as soon as I could and I hear "you're not crying are you????" as he spits out while trying not to laugh.
I hear that that's odd, to be crying over a sit-com but as I turned on the re-run while eating my dinner today - I felt the tears come out so naturally, today, years later, as well.
wtf dude...*sigh*

This is what I signed up for.

Friday afternoon.

I was reflecting in my car the other day...

My computer crashed and I got impatient - so I thought - mall!
It was about 5pm and I was driving in my car to the mall to get more interview clothes.
(Last minute, my last carry-on luggage did not fit all 4 interview suits I had accumulated over the years, so I picked my lucky one and forgot the minimum was actually - 2.)

It was hailing, thunder and lightning. The freeways had snow all over them and we were going about 20 miles/hr. Random cars would pass by me with inches of snow covering them all over.
I had just finished a day of calling back my old boss, a couple of phone interviews, a call back from a headhunter, the library, following up with another headhunter, writing cover letter emails, sending thank you emails, searching for housing, regular emails and errands. I had no idea where the day went.

I just called J. We had been exchanging emails for awhile and set a place to meet up for the first time. She's a married 29 yo chick who recently moved here too and is plain bored and wanted to get out and meet people.

Then I thought about an IM conversation I had with A, where he goes "poor jo"...

And I thought to myself...I have no plan. I have no place of my own yet. I don't have a job yet. I don't really even know many peeps here yet. And I don't have my fav hangouts yet. And most of the time, I don't know what I'm doing the day after.

But...no poor jo, this is exactly what I signed up for and I'm just relishing in it. =)

Chill

Weather.com

---> 37degrees - feels like 30degrees....

dang...

i was grumpy yesterday...

office snatch

my boss emailed me the other day asking me to answer questions for my replacement and to give him my cell number so i can do so. i emailed him back, saying that i would prefer to wait until i'm set up as a contractor first...just to get it outta the way. "nothing in life is for free!"...that's what he said to me! his response was "when"....that was it...nothing more and nothing less. so i emailed him back, "when - what" and left my number in there. 7:30am the next morning he calls me on my cell. 7:30am to unemployed people is like midnight to employed ppl. that was like monday and i haven't checked the vm yet. so what do i do, i start dreaming about work - all night last night, in between my interrupted sleep because all i kept doing was stressing. and that's when i feel i FULLY realized how much stress he was, throughout the last year. i thought it was the stress of the new job, acquisition and such but it wasn't, it was all him. when i would talk to others and tell them, scenarios from work, they're like - wow, he's demanding...when i would say that he calls me an average of like 10x during projects, they look at me like i'm crazy but i'm like no...i get my exercise running from my office to his. *sigh* so it's making me really really look at these potential bosses during interviews and try to figure out within that limited timeframe how they would manage me. because as much as i learned from working with him, all i did was work. and being here in a new city, i definitely need a better balance so i can enjoy everything after 5pm as well.

also what threw me off was my coworker asked me for a second time for my self review for 2005 via email. when i was still working i spent 2 business days working on that freakin' evaluation that was like 10+ pgs long. i did it to take with me and to prep for interviews and he asked me then and i said no and i was perplexed when he emailed me today and asked me again. he's like, well...because we were on ABC project together. and i'm sitting here like, he's 50+ yo and received a 5K bonus for that same ABC project when i didn't get a red cent...i think he can do this evaluation on his own, management sure felt like he was an integral part, he should at least be able to showcase that in writing himself instead of cutting/pasting my 2 cents. *sigh*

ok, i feel better. now bring back the cheer!

Craigslist.org ad "[part-time jobs]"

personal assistant females only apply 20-30 an hour

Reply to: job-140006341@craigslist.org Date: 2006-03-07, 9:54PM PST

over 18 young hot intern personal assistant must be hott openminded and clean with a fit body if interested send pictures and info

Job location is n seattle
Compensation: 20-30 an hour
This is a part-time job.
no -- Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
no -- Please, no phone calls about this job!
no -- Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
no -- Reposting this message elsewhere is NOT OK.

Truth Be Told

xxxxxx: cause most women i've met flock to assholes like flies to shit

J0mammma95: what else is new?
xxxxxx: not much
xxxxxx: trying to get milk for free so there's no need to buy the cow
J0mammma95: lol
J0mammma95: isn't every guy
xxxxxx: i didn't used to be
xxxxxx: but i figure, fuggit
xxxxxx: since i've had this attitude, things have seemingly worked out better for me
J0mammma95: everyone else is doing it
J0mammma95: do tell..
xxxxxx: let's just say, i've had a lot more success since i've worked on becoming a detached, emotionally unavailable jerk
J0mammma95: that makes sense
xxxxxx: it's weird, i'm fighting my best instincts and intuition
J0mammma95: those are the only guys i end up dating
xxxxxx: totally counterproductive
J0mammma95: and then cry about it later
J0mammma95: i'm happy for you
xxxxxx: i mean, i was raised by my mom and sister, and i'd hear them complain about guys (my dad) and the guy's my sister dated
xxxxxx: so i grew up knowing what "girl's want" but apparently that's not what y'all truly want
J0mammma95: not until we're mature enough to realize it
J0mammma95: ya know?
J0mammma95: we have to meet a bunch of mr.wrongs before
J0mammma95: hand
J0mammma95: that's what i strongly believe
xxxxxx: well, seems that y'all don't mature as quickly as we've all been led to believe
J0mammma95: so what they say, is literally what they want....later on.
J0mammma95: wah wah wah...
J0mammma95: (cheap shot)
xxxxxxx: no, a distillation of a truth
xxxxxxx: women are supposed to mature much quicker than men do, both physically and emotionally
J0mammma95: i know
J0mammma95: but...
J0mammma95: sometimes we slip
xxxxxxx: well, dunno what it is
xxxxxxx: i'll become myself again when the women i date are about...40 then
J0mammma95: sounds about right
xxxxxxx: cause most women i've met flock to assholes like flies to shit
J0mammma95: yup
xxxxxxx: it's like, if i'm myself, i get walked on by women
xxxxxxx: if i fight the default of being nice, it's so easy
J0mammma95: don't let the secret out
J0mammma95: to your competitors
xxxxxxx: but honestly, i hate having to front Jo
J0mammma95: just go with the flow for now
J0mammma95: and save the good stuff
J0mammma95: for the one you want for realz
xxxxxxx: no, i did save the good stuff for the one i wanted for real
J0mammma95: ok
J0mammma95: try the next one
xxxxxxx: but she wasn't havin it
xxxxxxx: nah, imma wait till i'm like 40
J0mammma95: um maybe 39
J0mammma95: 40 sounds so old
xxxxxxx: but then it's a waste because at that point, i'm not going to get married
J0mammma95: why
J0mammma95: not
xxxxxxx: the main reason i'd want to get married is to have a family, and that's too late for me
J0mammma95: not really
J0mammma95: you could adopt
xxxxxxx: for you, maybe not, but for me it is
J0mammma95: you could find someone with timeless childbearing hips
xxxxxxx: no, i don't want a child that i'm that much older than
J0mammma95: not older but wiser
xxxxxxx: no, i just don't want to be sixty when my kid finally turns 18
J0mammma95: hair dye?
xxxxxxx: ha
J0mammma95: botox?
J0mammma95: did i lose you?
xxxxxxx: no, i know what botox is
J0mammma95: no i know you do
J0mammma95: i meant in terms of my sarcasm with it ya know, lightheartedness
xxxxxxx: no, just didn't respond
xxxxxxx: i'm just frustrated with the contradictory nature of your sex
J0mammma95: hey buddy
J0mammma95: i get a lil frustrated over here too!!!
J0mammma95: come on now!
xxxxxxx: and from my frustration, self-conflict is generated
xxxxxxx: on one hand i feel bad for acting like a jerk to hook up with women, on the other hand i feel like i'm just treating them how they truly expect to be treated
J0mammma95: just go and watch Closer and vow to be single forever like me
xxxxxxx: so, the bed they make they must sleep in
J0mammma95: hey buddy, if that's what they're asking for...
J0mammma95: sure
xxxxxxx: more and more, i feel like i shouldn't feel bad
J0mammma95: why not
J0mammma95: nope

Volunteer status

he lived in Alaska, he was born in Oregon, he was homeless, is homeless, a drug addict, worked at Mercedes and supported two lazy girl's rent. He sat down next to me and with his Safeway sushi, started talking and before I knew it my hr was up.

I started my volunteering at the Young Adult Homeless Shelter tonight in the University District. I had no idea what to expect and had the hardest time finding parking and finding the spot. I was almost about to call to cancel but I was so close....yet still like 15min late. I felt like I didn't know what I was doing, all of the volunteers were "U-Dub" students but as soon as I sat down and starting chattering away, time passed by so fast. One guy in particular, the one that was born in Alaska, we got along so good. The whole experience for the 2.5 hrs I was there was very eye opening. They had lost "privileges" cuz they found a needle in the bathroom, so they didn't have a movie that night, or shower privileges or a smoke break. One of the volunteers started playing the piano and had to stop cuz that was in the conditions as well. They have a "Homelessness 101" class given 2x/month that all volunteers are required to attend and as the guy started listing off all of the drugs and rehab that he'd been through, I caught myself speechless. So I'm going to attend next Wednesday night...

Saturday afternoon, I went to PBS to take pledges for their Live Broadcast. It was a cooking show. I thought it would be an interesting event. Little did I know that all of the other volunteers attending that shift were all in the same organized high school (girl) troupe....therefore, I felt oddly outta place. Especially since the one lady that wasn't in their group, got moved last minute, so I was literally sitting front row, by myself for like 4 1/2 hrs. But at least the Producer introduced himself after awhile and emailed me after the show as well for more opportunities, so hopefully it wasn't all for a one-time deal. I like the make the networking benefits apparent to me...if not during, at least after.

This morning, I went back to PD and put in another 4 1/2 hrs. The only hard part about their place is location, it's prime location but parking is harder. I think I may try to go in 1/wk and do a full day instead next week vs. 2 half-days or some virtual maybe. Half of today was promoting their myspace with event listings and so forth, so it's not hard, it's all about getting their word out right now and record maintenance. I get along with the team (3 people) well though and it's fun, so it's something, I'm going to try to maintain.

Son Dae

Today I looked onto craigslist.org and found this ad for an "Indie shopping experience" and went and found local designers and craft artists! what a better buy than GAP! (well actually not, their stuff is more expensive, like I got this cute apron for when I cook (which is usually never but when I do, I'm prepared! it was a 50's style red/white apron - how could I resist?!) and also this members only jacket that's not a members only jacket.) but yeah so I went there and then since it was in Belltown i wandered over to Pike Place and got some sweets @ Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (yes, I googled it after Whistler), walked around and watched the Fish Boys for a long time actually. The "Fish Boys" AKA, the guys that work at the Pike Place Market where all of the tourists take pictures of them. It's a local fav i think, cuz I've watched them a million times over too. Then I thought about this Pho place Bernice mentioned on Capitol Hill - where they give you a cream puff in the beginning, so I drove over there and shopped around a bit and ate a #9 with Young Coconut Juice (did you know coconut juice is a natural laxative?). I came back here and enlightened (or brainwashed) my roomie with Closer, one of my favs and then went to ---> Day #4 of exercising! woohoo! My game plan is to keep rebuilding my stamina at the gym onsite this month. Next month, my new roomie has an elliptical machine in the living room strategically pointed at the TV. Then when I get my own place and am stationed, I can start finding classes to take. I don't know what, but I enjoyed Kardio Kickboxing with Cinco @ Poly and the feeling of Bikram Yoga afterwards...but you know the drill, hardest part is getting there!

Introducing...sushi!

Day: Thursday night
Scene: Living Room
Characters: Roommate and myself

I'm sitting on the couch eating spicy mixture of maki rolls. He's eating some Burger King delicacy.

"Wanna know a secret?" Roommate says smiling at my dinner.
"What?" Jo
"I've never had that before" Rommate says pointing to my fishies.
"Whaaaa???"

Day: Friday night
Scene Kitchen
Characters: Roommate and myself

I'm just getting home with a bag of take-out surprises.

Since the thought of raw fish and fish eggs grossed him out, I thought baby steps. So if I remember correctly, everything that I got was new for him, some edamame and miso soup, Hamachi Kama, an unagi maki roll, Kani handroll and Amaebi.........with the heads =) You know I was going for the baby steps and I thought.....maybe he'll eat a head!

I'm trying to pass on the "making your world bigger" thing, I got going on here! I proposed for the next stop to be Ethiopian...

Parenting 101

Honing my parenting (alertness & attentiveness) skills. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Unemployment

(don't tell my mom, but I'm loving not being employed)

Yesterday I had an appt to meet with an ad on Craigslist.org that I answered for volunteering. I'm new in town and I'm unemployed. I've previously been a volunteer and also a volunteer coordinator. It just makes sense for me to volunteer while I'm job hunting (leisurely) to network, keep active and hopefully have fun at the same time. Benefits on both sides right?! So....here's what my calendar looks like so far for March.

• Beer Festival - volunteer - March 25th (and day before (friday) i can reap the volunteer benefits that the festival too!)
• Beer Festival - volunteer orientation - March 20th
• PlanetArt - Bowling Fundraiser - volunteer - March 26th
• Vegfest - volunteer - March 11th
• Vegfest - volunteer - March 12th
• Roots - Young Adult Homeless Shelter - volunteer orientation - March 6th (if this one looks like a potential then I can volunteer after work hrs and I would also take a homelessness 101 class to prep myself (required)
• PD - This one I will leave anonymous but yesterday was my initial volunteer mtg. Today was my first 4hr session volunteering. It's a small office and I get along with everyone and it's a fun start-up environment, which I haven't had that much experience with. It's a dating service essentially (networking at its finest) and they were posted on Craigslist.org along with everyone else I found. I know what you're thinking. But their target range is between 35-55 y.o. and I'm not here to meet boys, I'm here for me. Take it or leave it. You're hearing from the same chick that went 4 1/2 yrs w/o a bf throughout her college yrs. If I interpret movies like they want me to, those are the yrs where I'm supposed to be bed hopping...) It's a fun company, I could help out at events and I can still help out around the office during the day a couple days a week now that I'm unemployed. It's fun. Yes, it's only my first day but I can tell.

Yesterday while I was leaving my volunteer mtg w/PD, I was getting keys out for my car. The guy standing near my car asked if I was leaving. I said "yes". He was happy to take my space, he was unloading for the rug company right in front. I gave him my sticker for the parking (in Seattle, they have a centralized parking machine on the street and you pay by cash or credit cards and get a sticker. You put the sticker that has your end time bolded, on your passenger side window vs. drivers side) and he said "hey thanks! if you're ever looking for a rug, come and see me!" "Thanks"....(i wish he owned a candied apple store though...dangit)

**Update: Tomorrow - Taking viewer pledges live on KCTS Television/Channel 9 (PBS) in the afternoon!

They said it couldn't be done.

Today was my second day in a row *drum roll*..........exercising!

Yes, yes *patting self on back*...I am on the road to a healthy lifestyle!

The same gal that buys bikram yoga classes and doesn't use them.
The same gal that buys an elliptical machine and doesn't use it.
The same gal that just overall loathes exercising.

I know I can do it. I've done it before...I just usually tend not to.

But I'm not up here to sit on the couch(although I've been told I'm really good at it!), that's for one thing.
So yesterday I got my butt in gear and went to the gym in our complex and it wasn't half bad!

And I picked myself up again today and went for another hr before I ate dinner.
I'm drinking more water, I'm eating more veggies and I feel great!

Well, how can I not, it's only Day #2...(yay!)

"Best Positions in Bed"

That was the title of the email that had these two (along with others) pictures in them...

Sublet #4080

(Let's try this again.)

I found a sublet! It's in South Seattle and the transition should be really smooth with the exception that I don't feel comfortable asking anyone to help me and I have toothpicks for arms and way too many clothes to move. *sigh* I hadn't planned on moving expenses from March ---> April therefore the thought of renting another U-haul *irks* me. So I'm going to take it all in my teeny tiny 2-door, little by little.

That way I'll be at my current place till end of March.
2nd sublet for a month or two until I get a stable job and my own pad.

No....didn't say it was ideal but this late in the game - it's my option!

1-week anniversary

Yesterday I hit my One Week Anniversary.
Let's summarize where I'm at.

• Went to Canada - for the first time
• Went in a hot tub - in the snow - for the first time
• Watched a movie in the theater by myself - for the first time
• Went to a salsa class - for the first time (granted I was only a spectator)
• Went to a salsa club - for the first time (granted I was only a wallflower)
• Watched "Saw II"
• Scarred my roomie with "Old Boy"
• Got a recommendation for a Hair Stylist that's good and affordable (very! important)
• Invited to watch my first photo shoot - "an aspiring photographer in the makings!"
• Set up my first router and adapter with Sammy's phoned in tech support and my roomie's patience
• Ate Ethopian (not a first though)
• Job hunting, exploring, getting lost, getting found, finding niches and living it up...at my own pace.