bad day @ work.

see - it's kinda like bursting a bubble.
once you realize that this may not be your dream job.
things are bound to happen.
but the things that recently happened make me think twice about where i am.
some people have their minimums, their preferences, exceedingly high expectations and their limits.
and i have mine too.

stereo sound.

i just walked up from the staircase and entered my hallway and heard really loud noises coming from the apt right in front of the stairwell.

she sounded like she was in pain.
but i'm thinking - not.

i don't think they know (they moved in after me) how thin the walls really are. (gross)

"p-U"

taking the staircase to the 5th floor of my work building is the only consistent exercise i have been able to maintain.
it's usually empty or i may see 1-2 other ppl, it's never crowded.
today, on my way down to the gym, one of the building employees was standing non-chalantly outside of the 3rd floor. not going up or down.
and as i passed him, i wondered what he was up to until i took one whiff....

*ewwwwwww* he must've laid bombs all over it because i was walking through h#ll! it was terrible. and i listened for his footsteps again and only heard silence.

work in progress

status:

Volunteering -->

1. Puget Sound Blood Center: still no match yet. Completed all my paperwork and volunteer interview. Tried to sign up for either the - downtown or Northgate but either won't work due to scheduling. Waiting to hear back on Tukwila.
2. Library: Turned in application. still no match. Waiting to hear back on meeting with someone at either/both the Central Library n Cap Hill Library.
3. Volunteer Activity Co-leader: my first meeting is still next weekend.

Classes -->

1. My first photography class is on the 6th. I'm pretty excited it's the "Basics of Digital Photography". Because let's face it I still haven't mastered the basics - gotta start somewhere!
2. Went into Michaels today and got a schedule of the upcoming classes! Found a beginning Knitters class & a Card Making class I'd like to sign up for. You need to sign up/pay in person. It's right by my work so I can do that at lunch tomorrow!
3. HR: I'm holding off for right now, #1 because I missed the deadline for UW Extension Course. But as an interim measure I was able to xerox the complete "SHRM Essentials" workbook to do some self-study.
4. Computers: I just put a 5 DVD set to brush up on some MS Excel. I'd love to dive into Photoshop but 1 - I thought I had it and I can't find it and 2 I really want to squash these lingering Harry Potter books so I can get on with my life =).
5. Exercise: I have been delaying on getting back into Yoga because I am cheap. That's pretty much what it boils down to. I pay $15/month for our gym @ work. It has the basics (handful of machines) and I found out today that if I take lunch at 1:30pm - then at the most, there's only going to be one other person there with me. Then I could just eat while working, like I always do. Or I could always walk outside during lunch too. No it's not rigorous but it's so convenient! and cheap(er). =/

Other....
I have a 28 item queue for the Seattle Public Library, 2/3 of them are actual books....still have not gotten one yet.

Off to read the Potter!

wired

according to Forbes this year, Seattle ranked 3rd in "Most Wired Cities". Only to be beat by:

1: Atlanta
2: Orlando

alone movie of the week.

this weekend i skipped the semi-routine of going to the movie theater alone.
Well, we watched Saw III on opening night - Friday - which rocked! You need to see I & II before even thinking of sitting in front of III. A lot more gore than scary scenes.
I finished up the third book of Harry Potter =/
And watched movies: I, II & III.
Am I Harry'd out?
Absolutely.
But it's a strange inter-conflict of wanting to read something different and the need to finish the series. I have The Life of Pi on my shelf - patiently waiting. And it sounds like I'm going to finally start the Lord of the Ring books and have a queue in the Public Library that will never get touched!
I am torn..............as I open up Book IV, "And the Goblet of Fire".

W.T.F.?!

I sent this email to a counterpart in HR and I laughed hysterically after I sent it. then i thought...maybe it's just me? but she said she was laughing out loud too =)

"Morning xxxxxxxxxxx!

I had a quick question to run by you:

An employee was previously enrolled in EC and had been migrated (their info) over to HMO.

Since their information had been moved over, including their PCP info – would there be any reason that their PCP (under the EC Plan) could not be their PCP under the HMO?

(EC, HMO, PCP, TTYL, BRB, TGIF….)

Thanks,
*insert Company info here*

2?

Omg. I feel like any free time I have is spent reading this freakin' series. who would've thought. only just finished book II - when will it end?? *opening Prisoner of Azkaban*

Beautiful

I'm trying to find the beauty in my job.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my cold cold apartment.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my haircut that's a lil' bit shorter than I pictured.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my 30 min commute to work.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my blurred out pictures.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my dilemmas.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my challenges.
I'm trying to find the beauty in my new ventures.
I'm trying to find the beatuy in my old routines.
I'm trying to find me.

*muah*

Yesterday I embraced the joys of going to the movie theater alone. (more kettle korn for me i say!)

I checked out "The Last Kiss". I don't know how I felt watching it knowing that I am the same exact age as the main characters in all of their "love" catastrophes. There are no directions or instructions. Nothing is set in stone. you gotta 'just keep going'.

Toto - we’re not in Kansas anymore!

Friday I sent out my first non-work related company wide email. Yes I spammed the company in search of Hot Pot recommendations (for Aileen’s b-day dinner).

This was not uncommon. We have a distribution list just for the site, to reach out to our co-workers for help (build the community in the company!): Anyone have recommendations for a Dentist in Tukwila? Anyone know of a good mechanic in Bellevue? Anyone use Flickr? There’s pizza in the kitchen! Anyone need this face cream I just bought? Anyone want to buy these tickets for Wicked? Anyone want to write and tell me why you deserve my iDog? ;)

So in essence, yes I hesitated before pressing “send” but I justified it in my mind. I kept the email short and sweet – “I am planning (last minute!) a dinner for my friend’s birthday tonight. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good Hot Pot restaurant?” Some things you don’t think about before moving, starting to find your regular spots – from scratch!

The responses were immediate but all pertaining to…..fondue, specifically they were mostly responding with “The Melting Pot”. (but I’m not looking for fondue……) however Wiki actually defines Hot Pot as “Chinese Fondue”.

à http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot

You know…Hot Pot? Hot Pot (Jo’s definition) = Christmas Eve Dinner. Da been lo. What my family would eat on Christmas Eve. We’d cook clams, shrimp, fish, beef, chicken, tofu, vegetables, noodles in a community broth / soup in the middle of the table. Fish everything out with a little nets. You know – hot pot!
I received about 5-6 leads for Hot Pot in Seattle / Eastside but not a restaurant specifically for Hot Pot. One of my co-workers said there was one restaurant specifically for Hot Pot in Renton….but it went out of business. Really!? His lead, let him bring in his own ingredients if he wanted. Are you sure?! Well…..I know the lady though…..See!!

My ignorance for the miscommunication almost lead me to email back and send the wiki link to the Hot Pot “definition” but I didn’t want to overdo it. But how else would they know? They’ve just never had Hot Pot before, so "The Melting Pot" sounds close? (one EE wrote back 'Marie Calendars'?!) I only sent out the wiki link to one of my coworkers but that’s because I felt comfortable enough – “thanks for the info! Hot Pot is similar to “The Melting Pot” – I’m not good with words but here’s the link…..” And he ended up having gone to Hot Pot before, he just didn’t know what it was called.

In the end it was narrowed down to two restaurants: Hon’s and Seven Stars Pepper. Hon’s sounded like a strong lead from one of my co-workers but when we drove around – I couldn’t find it. So that left the other choice which was packed! Good food…good drinks…good desserts and ok ppl – what more do you need?......j/p ;)

take me!!!

finding the ideal volunteer gig is almost as hard as a real job.

i've done the one-stop gigs....Beerfest (pouring beer AKA: tolerating drunk boys and their 'funny' comments), VegFest (cashier), another registration for a fundraiser that I found on craigslist.org - and i can't even remember the cause or organization(!?), Oktoberfest (passing out Pogs - again tolerating drunk boys 'funny' comments), *sigh* KCTS (answering phones for pledges), the dating org that will remain anonymous - doing any admin stuff they needed help with, one-evening stint at the Youth Homeless shelter in the U, been trying to get into Planned Parenthood since....April!? - still no matches with scheduling - just on the waiting list right now........the ideal volunteer gig is hard to find. I even posted under the "Volunteers" section of craigslist.org with my ability to type anything anyone needs help with! (no bites!). I even did the full 9-yards to volunteer for SIFF (best volunteer orientation I've ever been to!) but ended up working back.and.forth. in CA <---> WA, so that didn't work this year.........these are all my attempts since Feb when I landed here.

You have to want to help the cause. You need to feel productive - like you made a difference coming in that day. You need to like the environment & people. And also the biggest - scheduling.

I have an appointment with the Puget Sound Blood Center on Tuesday. I picked this one because of my experience trying to donate blood. I just received a packet from the Henry Art Gallery because they were looking for tour guides but all of the mandatory training sessions are during mid-day, business hours. I picked this one because I don't know a lick about art and that's one heckofa way to learn. I just mailed in my application to volunteer at the Central Branch - Seattle Public Library. Why - because I was mesmerized just by the tour of this awesome building. I'd love to volunteer there and help others find their way around it. And I have a meetup in a wk or so at Tullys to see if I would be a good match for an Activity Leader for this social group. but as of yet, no perfect match. just gotta keep going....

mikey

i just realized that Life Commercial was the complete opposite. oh well!

The U

Yesterday I walked along University Avenue towards the Varsity with books in arms. I tried to head over early to figure out my game plan for classes and to finish up Harry Potter over some caffeine =/. I got sidetracked into the U. Bookstore and was only able to tackle half of the store for the time being. After a random started asking me even more random questions. Then I thought about how I just really wanted to be outside. "really cheap books huh?" "do you speak French?" "do you go to school here? are you studying Sociology? Politicial Science?" "Are you a Professor" "Are...." ......"ok.thanks.have.a.good.night!"
crossing the street, I must've ordered the one item on the menu that you're not supposed to order because my vanilla chai boba tasted like crap! i felt so bad throwing it away so I saved it to see if S could salvage it and even he said it tasted like crap (and if you've ever been a kid - watching that "Life Cereal" commercial where Mikey eats anything...well, yeah - he eats anything so if he tosses it - it's crap.) But we watched Renaissance.

"....yeah typical film noir....." I overhear as Brian and S thoroughly critique over gyros....*what?* which led me to Wikipedia -->

Film Noir: The term film noir (French for "black film"). Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those focused on sex and corruption. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression.
...learn something new every day! i could've gone to sleep right after that convo i guess. *shrugging shoulders*

myspace hackers...

really need to find better things to do.

finding the unknown - one farmers market at a time

i am sitting in starbucks right now in the fremont district. I came here because I still had a starbucks card that I could cash out on. (pretty proud, it was part of my going away present from my old job and i've held onto it for at least 3 months!) And i came here purposely because they have a sunday's farmer's market that has fresh kettle korn. it's not a ritual - but i had been coming the last couple of weekends, just for that. always by myself. this time i came here because it finally stopped raining and i realized it's sunday! so i packed up my timbuk2, loading it with my laptop, camera (woohoo!), iPod and phone. i forgot that half of the vendors do not show up in the rain so the kettle korn lady wasn't there! she's not here! i nearly panicked. i didn't know what i was going to munch on for the next week?! i still don't! *sigh* but whenever one door closes another one opens" well, since i had gotten conditioned to coming here on sundays for my kettle korn it reminds me that i have a goal. as frivilous as it is, it was to hit up every single farmers market in seattle. at least once. and i've been here since feb and i've hit up:

-pike place

-broadway

-fremont

-U-district

....that's it. but i've been to the Fremont and Pike Place - A LOT!

so it's time to hit the maps and the schedules and get back to basics and get back around the city.

day

i felt like today is a typical seattle winter day.
whatever the heck that means.
i don't know.
it felt nice.
it feels nice.
it doesn't feel warm.
i'm actually freezing my butt off (which was also the 4-letter "b" word I used in scattegories last night)
i leisurely woke up today before 9am.
leisurely meaning, the alarm went off around 730am, however i only got outta bed before i got the boot around 9am.
then i leisurely came home and cooked breakfast and ate it while watching 2 episodes of will n grace. (i still love that show)
and took a shower and got ready to go to the library (since I lost my library card) and got sidetracked by my current read (harry potter - who would've guessed? i'm only on the first one though) and took a nap (oops!).
(one of the experiences i wanted to enjoy more - was to watch more movies by myself. i believe that since i moved to WA - this was only my second one.) i woke up to find Shoreline (nothing there...) and find "The Crest" which was showing "An Inconvenient Truth" for $3.00 - score! i would've had a great deal if i still don't have my *need* to buy popcorn. so my refreshments (to no surprise) were 3x the cost of my movie ticket.
but it was crazy. Gore is actually coming to Seattle on the 23rd ? (@ Key Arena). In going to Ticketmaster and playing with the tickets - the cheapest ticket came up to $45.00....hm....i may need to rethink this. but it sounded like an awesome idea. information overload.
off to Vivace for coffee w/GF n Denise!

Chat -->

"...my primal instinct draws me to it(them?)- but that's not all that i am made of."

i am bad at quoting or 'verbatim'
but whatever it was, i keep thinking about it.

(good riddance)

T & T - weather lesson

Ideal time to visit Trinidad & Tobago: Jan ---> March

By May - rainy season starts ---> Dec.

it's monday where are you?

cuz i'm at home - where are you?
i went to work even a tad early - strolled into the empty office around 7:45am'ish?
but i'm at home.
i didn't feel straight.
i didn't feel right.
and i asked to leave.
i felt bad because it was my boss' first day back in awhile so there would be a lot going on but i left. i wasn't going to do any good there.
yesterday i saw the Science of Sleep @ Egyptian w/GF. talk about randomness. gael garcia bernal - *woozers* (never saw him on screen before~!).
got to go walking around the neighborhood and meet A for the first time. learned some of his picture taking pointers and pretty much watched him in action. try to see what he sees. get a feel for "his eye". and feed off his photography knowledge. plus it's always fun meeting someone for the first time.

"Have you been reading your book?"

errr....no. but, i told myself that i would make it a point to select certain topics to share on my blog.
i thought sharing insights on my blog would ensure that i don't let any dust collect. I feel that I learn best when i regurgitate it in writing.
i've been making it a point to ensure that i read more. not more but regularly which essentially equates to more.
i'm currently reading norweign wood. i picked it up one night and after one chapter put it right down.
the next night, i picked it up and thought it deserves one more try and i'm almost done.
that had to have been - this past monday or tuesday.

and so, incrementally - i'm going to slowly go through "The Rough Guide to Trinidad & Tobago".

What I learned today:

I learned that the collective term for residents of Trinidad & Tobago (AKA: T & T) --> Trinbagonians.

Trinidad = 5000 sq kilometres
Tobago = 300 sq kilometres

Trinidad = is more partying and everything else. Clubs, music, beaches & rainforests.
Tobago = is more beaches.

Biggest Celebration --> Carnival.
Capital is --> Port of Spain. located on Trinidad.

The population: 1.3 million
40% indian
39.5% black
18.4% mixed race (maybe this is where my mom's family fits in?)
0.6% white

We went to try a new T&T restaurant (Pam's Kitchen?) that opened up in the U-District (50th/university ave.) Friday night.
It was good. but it was definitely different.
I associate roti with family gatherings - they're special/a treat. roti with chicken curry / veggie curry and callaloo and sorrel and cousins and aunts and uncles.
once a year at the most. usually when someone traveled back to T&T. This trip was walking distance and immediately served and so plentiful.
it's easy access confused me.
I tried goat for the first time and a drink made with tree bark/anise and other ingredients.
oh and also had sorrel & homemade coconut ice cream - yum...

shhh....

i just set off my fire detector burning breakfast.
and - my ceiling is so high that the only stool i had - i stood on and still couldn't reach the detector to make it stop.
what's even worse is that i'm pretty sure no one is up in my building now, if they were they're already at a coffee shop.
(sorry guys!)

"even"...."balanced"

it was bound to happen.
i've been having just *awesome* days recently.
work - been awesome!
challenging - interesting - high speed - just plain 'ol - awesome.
but today.
today - sucked crap!
it was horrible!
terrible!
i knew it when i woke up this morning - i should call in sick.
but my tummy ache - was bearable. so i went.
and it just kept getting worse and worse.
finally - i decided to take a lunch and go to the asian grocery store and pick up some stuff, browse a little. redirect the attention.
but this guy.
oh boy. an older "non-asian" male - comes up to me, gets real close up into my personal space and speaks ever so slowly - "DOOOO YOUUUUUUUUU SPEAKKKKKKKK ENGLISH????!!!!"
*jo staring blankly at him wondering how i can take him down*
"yeswhatcanihelpyouwith"
"IS THIS (pointing at tempura sauce jar) FOR DIPPING (using the hand motions to dip something) SHRIMP?"
"shrimp tempura? it's a tempura sauce?"
"SHRIMP!!! (looking around his basket - fiddling around apparently looking for shrimp) you know......SHRIMP"
"yeahsurewhaddavafineuhuh"
"OK!!!!"

jo walks away.

man what an a$$. but then i start to think - i'm just being a snatch. let me stop.

so i get in line to buy a small box of noodles and the guy gets in line behind me. And as soon as his turn came up (while I was waiting to pay for my food) - he just kept being such an A$$ to the employees! i couldn't believe him. complete jerk. where everyone in line was just staring at him.

and thought - this was a stupid place to come to destress from work! (shoulda went for my walk!)

but as I sat down to eat an awesome vegan thai dinner with C for his belated bday, everything just got better. away from stress, away from work. good food, good company. this is better.
as i turned onto my street to go home, a couple of guys flagged me down(what was funny w/this picture was that there were 3 guys and 1 gal and the gal was the one jumping the car) - they need a jump. so i stopped and i felt better. like i was wrong - my day did have meaning.

Home according to the net

Here is a quiz to help you figure out the best place for you to live…

http://www.bestplaces.net/fybp/quiz.aspx

I was somewhat surprised at my results:

1. SF
2. LA
3. Seattle
4. Washington DC
5. Boston

iWon!

Today a co-worker sent out a company wide email out of *fun*

Email sent:

-----Original Message-----
"Do you like the letter "i"? Do you like dogs? Then you may like an iDog, and you should read on.

I have an iDog here at work that I have been neglecting. I would like to find a new home for him. This iDog can be yours if you tell me how much you'll love him, and give him new batteries, and let him listen to Patrick Swayze.

I'll read all the replies and pick a new owner at 1pm. So get writing!"

**I got SO excited-I responded right away. By then it was still over an hr away....
I didn't take lunch - I ate my potato/spinach frittata from Trader Joes for 'brunch' while working. I had to pee around 1pm and waited....and waited. I couldn't wait any longer so I finally left my desk for a second. and that's when he sent the results. I think he sent out the results around 1:30pm'ish. Coming back to my desk my coworker asks - did you win?? I don't know, did he say? Yes - but only that it has a new home, not who won. So i logged back onto my computer and saw two emails from the guy. One general one to say game's over! and the second............TO SAY I WON!!! i had to read the email twice. woohoo! I was *so* excited. I was *so* excited I started laughing so much to the point where I almost started crying and my coworker asked if I needed tissue! I even asked my other coworker to come with me to pick him up! I had no idea - why I was so excited....I - I don't even or didn't even know what an iDog was-it was more in the spirit of writing about a love or passion and someone acknowledging it or someone hearing it? i don't know. i love that i have my first puppy now (still unnamed)!

Entry:

"I *love* dogs.
I mean I love dogs.
On my cell phone right now, I have about 8 different pictures.........all of random dogs that belong to other ppl that I have seem on the streets.
On my flickr.com/photos/j0mammma - I have a folder just of dogs......again other ppl's dogs.
On any sites that I have i.e. myspace or friendster or anything - they all have my favorite picture of my friend's dog.
I have never owned a dog in my life.
I have been rejected at adoption fairs to the point where I stopped applying.
I would *love* a doggie at work
Plus I just bought a pack of AA batteries (assuming those would work)
Plus I have friends who I can get Patrick swayze songs from!....?!
Plus I offered you a ride to work one day - so I'm somewhat generous?
=)

As for the letter "I" I like it some much I wrote it 15+ times in this email!"

TO DO #1

so much to do so little time.

i'm stoked!

one of the items on my list is: "BODIES - The Exhibition"

When I was at Peets Coffee this past weekend, waiting for Fremont Farmers Market to open up, drinking my soy-hazelnut latte (i know i know) i read a bit more about the exhibit. it just opened up in Seattle. Previously, it's opened in LV, London, Atlanta, NY and Tampa. I think they mentioned it's made up of unclaimed cadavers from China?! It sounds awesome. Like....my anatomy class but without any tests and with twists! sooo....excited - can't wait. it's in the QUEUE before S ships off. And if not, well gosh darn it's in JO's QUEUE. I do have until December something...

"September 30, 2006 to December 31, 2006"
"...Featuring 21 whole-body specimens and more than 260 organs that have been meticulously dissected and preserved..."

http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/bodies.html

maintenance

homes

"... what do you think about coming back?"

when i first moved here...actually let me back up...when my parents first started accepting that i was coming here - my mom would always repeat "you can always come home" - over. and over. and over again. she wouldn't let down. and i took it with a grain of salt. ok. she needs to say it. it's her motherly instinct to let me know, she's always here for me. i accept it.

and when i first arrived here. the calls were the same "you know if it doesn't work you can always come home".

ok thanks mom.

and i would try to keep them in the loop with update emails. i'm job searching. i'm apt searching. blah blah blah. let them know i'm still breathing. they need that. accepted.

when i bought my first couch, i was so stoked! that red couch that i previously wrote about which manny insists is a ski lift. and my mom, without fail, tells me i shouldn't have bought it. that i shouldn't buy furniture in case i decide to move back....?!

and it's been roughly 8 months. i just counted the months on the side of my blog. and she still writes like that...." what do you think about coming back?"

i don't know, i assume if i just read it and not respond or react. one day she'll realize that sometimes we leave home. that we can have more than one home in our life.

indifference

"once you accept indifference jo, you'll be a lot happier. it's the key to happiness".

i know i butchered the quote but i get the point, you get the point.

when i get excited about seeing a really cute doggie waddle, or have a really productive day at work, or take a picture - exactly how i pictured it in my mind - the last thing i think about is someone being indifferent about it. it's selfish. i know. it's a tad narcissistic. i admit it. but honestly that's how my brain works. and to share something i'm excited about. whether visually and/or verbally, i hope that my excitement and my enthusiasm accentuate it. can't my happiness create a happiness in you? isn't a smile contagious? or are you saying those bumper stickers are a lie...yes that leads to disappointment. yes that leads to occasional let downs but it's what i do, it's what i did. and that explains a lot. does it change anything? honestly - probably not. indifference is the key to my unhappiness.