Monday, December 29, 2008

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
- Aristotle

Sunday, December 21, 2008

SnowStuckStoryUpdates...

(pics taken BEFORE it snowed alllll day today)




Well, public transportation has served me well thus far (other than adding a few hours to my commute)....

On the second evening I took the bus home the driver let us on for free! (well other than attempting to steal the Christmas present I had in my arms...) so that was nice. There was a crazy man on the bus talking to himself, and another kid sitting near him that was apparently insulted by whatever talking-to-himself man was saying, because they almost came to blows and there was a lot of raised discussion, including several verses of "You BETTER not be talkin' to me!"...fortunately one got off the bus before it escalated much more. However, one has to wonder...how can you get so mad at a man who is clearly talking to himself? No matter what he's saying....hmmmm....
Unfortunately, on my way down the hill to my apt (walking) I slipped on the lovely ice and that was NOT fun, I have purple spots on my hips to prove it...I'm an old woman, get me a walker!

The next morning began my jaunt (which isn't jaunty at all) up the hill in the snow barefoot (ok not barefoot, just making sure you're paying attention...lol) and suddenly at my side appeared a woman! LITERALLY, I did not see her prior and then all of the sudden she was there, and chatting with me! We chatted politely about the weather, the hike up the hill, and the usefulness of the bus. Then standing at the busstop, she suddenly got a worried look on her face and said something along the lines of "Honey, you know, if you need a real coat (mind you, I was wearing a Columbia ski jacket) they are giving away coats and warm things for people who need them at the Westgate Chapel."......Me:...."oh....well....uh.....thank....you....."....I was amazed. Apparently, I'm not only poor, now I look like a poor person! Ohhhh, what a blow to the good ol' self esteem, and also comical....for what it's worth, I'm not yet in need of charity and am surviving just fine, although certainly not living a life of luxury, I have more than a lot of people in this world (just not compared to spoiled Americans).

On Saturday, Alma and I met up on the bus and headed to work, before which we stopped at Home Depot to look for some liquid de-icer to unfreeze my car doors (oh yeah, i left my car at work for a few days because the doors froze shut)....unfortunately the woman at Home Depot gruffly informed us that the entire state is sold out....duh (implied). Then she took us a to large man named "Moose" who sold me on denaturalized alcohol...which would supposedly melt the ice, over a period of a couple hours (and I really hope not take the paint off my car!). Needless to say we were late to work....bah!

On my break I headed back into the cold and put the alcohol on my car doors....and then headed back inside and proceeded to attempt to thaw my feet, with the help of a space heater and loving coworker...working all day with cold feet - ouch! This was the day that my beloved younger brother was meant to arrive from Moscow (Idaho, not Russia)...so my parents were on their way over to pick him up from SeaTac and were nice enough to meet me after work to put chains on my car. Unfortunately they were over an hour late, so I sat and waited for them.....yowza, cold! They headed off to pick up the brother and I puttered home on my chains at 20 miles an hour....but I made it home! (Finally around 4 in the afternoon).

A few short hours later, my parents discovered my brother's flight was delayed...and then delayed...and then cancelled...then transferred....Needless to say, he DID get as far as Boise, and then spent the night in the airport. Around midnight my parents finally ended up at my apartment, as they were stuck in Seattle waiting for my brother. They spent a very uncomfortable night worried about my brother all alone (on his first ever solo flying experience) and sleeping on a very small and hard futon....with the piddly amount of spare blankets and sheets I own for warmth! This morning my brother finally got a flight into SeaTac on standby - praise the Lord! My parents were able to go get him and made it home safely to Sequim by this evening. Once all this was accomplished I think I was finally able to let all the stress of this past week go (at least to some extent) and spent a large part of the day asleep....I really needed it! I didn't get much else done today, but I can rest a little easier now, knowing that the most important people in my life are safe and sound. My hope is to make it to Sequim to be with them for Christmas...but even if I can't, at least I know they are all there :)

Tomorrow morning I'm headed back the the bus....we shall see what interesting stories await me......It hasn't stopped snowing today....at all, except for maybe a half hour this morning......

To all of you out there who are struggling with flights or in airports or simply trying to get home for Christmas, I empathize with you and wish you the best of luck in your (mis)adventures!

P.S. Who ever wrote "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...." - IDIOT!

Friday, December 19, 2008

El Mano? A salute to Public Transportation...

So, for those of you who don't know - current Washington weather has been crazy snowy! Due to scarily icy road conditions, I took the bus to work this morning. As we all know (well those of us who live in Seattle and have, at some point in our college lives, taken the bus on a regular basis) - there are always weird adventures on the bus! Public transportation...makes me laugh. So this morning I sat down on the bus, hoping for a chance to thaw a little as well as talk to my mom on the phone. That was not in my cards however as I ended up sitting next to the ONLY chatty person on the bus! He was a small Vietnamese man...well, I don't know that for sure...but I thought he was Vietnamese because he kept talking about Vietnamese people at his job, and making it sound like he was one of them...but then something confused me! On his hand he had a tattoo...and it distinctly said "El Mano". Well, in Spanish the word for hand is "La Mano"...so this greatly confused me. If he had a tattoo on his hand that said "The Hand", how ridiculous would that be? On the other hand (haha, pun intended) it DIDN'T say The Hand...it said something else...but what?!? What does El Mano mean? Anyone know? And what language is it? Was it some sort of inside joke?...Anyway, needless to say it made the the trip interesting between contemplating what El Mano meant and attempting to listen to his muttering conversation about everything from the weather (obviously) to HIS SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (yes, he told me his social security number...ummm what?!?!) to his job and everything in between. So I say thank you Public Transportation, you are always good for an ironic chuckle.
Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

Don't we all know people like that?

Thursday, December 18, 2008

It's all about the witty banter...

We Are Marshall - My rating 8.5
I'll just admit it right now, I'm a total sucker for sports movies (whether it's Remember the Titans or Rookie of the Year), they pretty much always make me cry...as did this one! I enjoyed the movie immensely, despite the crying, and felt like it was a little more realistic than a lots of sports movies (in which the main goal is generally to win some sort of championship). This movie has heart! I also thought it was very refreshing to see Matthew Mcconaughey in a movie where he DIDN'T play a man-slut or an irresponsible young man. I thought he did a surprisingly good job playing a serious part and actually playing it well. Definitely one to watch...

Tales of Beedle the Bard (book)- My rating 6.0
For those of you who don't know this is somewhat of an addendum to the Harry Potter series...it is referenced in the final book of the series. It is a book of short stories that is supposedly to the wizarding community what fairytales are to the "muggle" community. Essentially, these are short stories, each with an identifiable moral at the end. I really enjoy J.K. Rowling's writing style and so even though parts of this book were a little slow, I thought it was interesting (although nothing compared to the actual novels). Worth a read for any true J.K. Rowling fan.

Monk - Season One - My rating 7.0
I actually haven't finished this yet, but from what I have watched so far it's a show that I like. The one thing I don't like about the show is Monk's sidekick/nurse. She is really annoying. Monk, however, is a very entertaining character. Despite his neurosis (which I find oddly comforting in a way, perhaps because I have similar, albeit less obvious, tendencies) I think he's a great character. Reccomend watching...

Frasier - Season One - My rating 8.0
I never realized that I would like this show! I always thought it was dull from the bits and pieces I've seen over the years, but upon undertaking to watch the entirety of it, I've discovered that the witty banter and unique characters on the show hold fast my attention.

Facedown (book)- by Matt Redman. My Rating - 9.8 (yes you heard me right).
Never on this blog has any book/magazine/movie/tv show gotten such a high rating! This book was an incredibly insightful look at worship. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to deepen their love and respect of The Almighty God. All throughout the book I marked passages that either provoked great images or emotions for me that I will share with you all eventually. Definitely worth the read.

By the way - one of my co-workers, having noted what a bookworm I've become gave me a Barnes and Noble gift card for Christmas (secret santa) - what a perfect gift!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Scrumdiddliumptious

I'm currently reading Tales of Beedle the Bard (by J.K. Rowling, it is something of an addendum to the Harry Potter tales...although more of a concordance, if you will, than a novel...) So far I have learned a few new words due to it (I always enjoy adding to my vocabulary, nerd alert!!)

palatial: [puh-ley-shuhl]
–adjective 1. of, pertaining to, or resembling a palace: a palatial home.
2. befitting or suitable for a palace; stately; magnificent: a palatial tapestry.


mien - [meen]
–noun air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.: a man of noble mien.


sagacity - [suh-gas-i-tee]
–noun acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment.
(this one I had heard before in the form of sagacious but was unclear on the exact meaning)


simulacrum - [sim-yuh-ley-kruhm]
–noun, plural
1. a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance.
2. an effigy, image, or representation: a simulacrum of Aphrodite.

There you have it folks, new knowledge for the day.

P.S. It's SNOWING AGAIN, and I'm dreading my drive home. eek!

Adventures on Ice

So apparently Lynnwood is the snow pocket of western Washington. At my apartment, and for about 4 surrounding blocks, there is a thick blanket of snow (which is now mainly ice on the roads!), however the further you drive in any direction the less and less snow there is. It has been 2 years since I dealt (sp? doesn't look right) with snow, and to tell you the truth...I'm not a fan, and I had no idea! Remember when you were a kid and snow was an excuse for a snow day from school, a world full of entertainment, and a tasty snack? lol. No longer...now a "snow day" includes a precarious trek driving on the ice to work. The last couple of days my tires have started sliding all on their own twice....suffice it to say...I'm beginning to strongly believe I belong in a warmer climate, so far, all signs point to yes......!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Getting hit on accidently...

Awkward moment that happened at work the other day....

Me: Hi, how are you doing today? What can I help you with?

(40+ year old) Man: Hey, I'm good just doing a deposit...It's cold outside, etc etc.

*Man's phone rings*

Man (to person on phone): (IN SPANISH) Hey man, I can't talk right now I'm chatting with the pretty girl at the bank...

Me (in my head...): wow, awkward. He has no idea that I know what he just said.

Me (out loud): (IN SPANISH) Hey guess what? I understand you...I speak Spanish.

*awkward pause...at least 30 seconds, he just stares at me*

Finally he says: Well....I didn't say anything that isn't true! You are a beautiful girl....

Awkward...so much awkward. I proceeded to chat with him in Spanish for the rest of the transaction.

Monday, December 8, 2008

I'm a little behind...

on my media ratings! So I'll attempt to sum up that last couple things I've read/watched...

When Harry Met Sally - My rating: 9.2
I realize this isn't a new one, but I had a very limited movie viewing permission as a child and haven't seen a majority of movies that everyone else has. I really enjoyed this movie, and it was quite entertaining to see Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal - the younger years, poofy hair styles high-waisted pants.

Shrek the Third - My rating 6.1
While I thoroughly enjoyed the first and was more or less amused by the second, the third edition of this beloved story felt a little flat. However, with the same beloved characters it was a necessary watch and was enjoyable seeing the happy couple with their new brood (oops, spoiler!). All in all, pretty typical for a third in a series (especially if it wasn't originally a series)...

Entourage (TV show) - My rating 0.2.
Really, that was my rating. I watched half of the first episode and turned it off and returned it to the library. Definitely not worth watching. It's a show all about 4 guys who live together and all they care about it money and getting laid. The language is vulgar and offensive, as is the theme....would definitely not recommend it.

Four Weddings and a Funeral (movie) - My rating 3.5
Normally I adore movies with Hugh Grant, one of my favorite "chick flick" actors. However, I found the liberal use of the "F-word" offensive and while the movie was cute, and a typical love story...I did not find it as endearing as I normally would with this type of movie. Wouldn't recommend it.

The Alchemy - (book) My rating 6.0
Typical Christian romance novel. There are two people who obviously (from the start of the book) meant to be together, but before they can, they have to go through many trials and find God. Recommended for easy reading.

The Tapestry - (book) My rating 6.3.
Ditto to previous (The Alchemy). This was actually the final book in a series of 4, I liked the first and fourth better than the middle two books. However, it was a typical Christian love story. Recommended for easy reading.

ALIAS (Season Two) - My rating 9.0.
Ok, not really fair to re-rate this one. It wasn't a first time watching, however, I thoroughly enjoy this show (and I don't normally enjoy anything that involves fighting/punching/blood/etc...) and would highly recommend it for its entertainment value. Totally worth watching.

Desperate Housewives (Season 4) - My rating 6.0
I really enjoyed the first season of this show (which was nothing like I expected it to be...) I was kind of anticipating (and wary of) a show solely about women cheating on their husbands. However, the show is much different than that. The first two seasons were good, but now into the 3rd and 4th season they seem to be grasping for straws to keep story lines going...like tornadoes, and more arson (there is a LOT of arson in this show! weird.) Anyway, would recommend watching the other seasons first.

Father of the Bride (movie) - My rating 7.5
Another typical chick flick that was enjoyably cheerful. Recommended for an light evening movie viewing.

A Hundred Million Suns - Snow Patrol (music!) - My rating 9.2
I have loved Snow Patrol for a few years now, and have even been to one of their concerts. This newest album keeps true to their music style and is great for listening to, as well as thinking about the lyrics (another hobby of mine). If Snow Patrol had one fault in their music it would simply be that a lot of their music tends to sounds similar, however - it's great, so I guess that just makes it all great! Highly Recommended.

Gossip in the Grain - Ray LaMontagne - (music) - My Rating 9.2
Equally as good as the Snow Patrol album, but different in style. Very good for quiet music and also singing in your car. I really enjoy his sound, and how different it is. Highly Recommended.

Currently watching:
Monk (first season)

Reading:

The Kite Runner (haven't actually started yet, but it's next on the list)

Facedown - (still!) It's an incredible book, but I only read like a couple pages at a time. It's really one to just think about while reading it.

Listening to: The Decemberists and The Shins (enjoying both!, review yet to come)...

What I want for Christmas....

Sunday, December 7, 2008

17 Cent Karma

Today (I started writing this yesterday) I had an event which, if I believed in karma, would have been very karmic. I was at the grocery store getting ready to purchase my items, and there was a girl (ok, woman) in front of me who was short 17 cents. Now (and this speaks to what has come of our culture) I didn't have any cash, and neither did the checker, to give her. She just kind of stood there looking sad and helpless and holding out the cash that she did have...Before I even realized what I was doing I offered to buy something for her....She was very shocked (as were the checker and bag boy) but accepted and I purchased her taco seasoning.....Not a big deal right? I know you all would have done the same, it seems like a pretty common, and small, blessing to be able to give someone. Then as I walked out to my car and unloaded my groceries, a man pulled into the spot next to me and got out. He offered to take back my cart! Also not unusual, but still a small blessing. The two events seemed to balance each other out in my mind - and I blame it on the Holidays. People are in such a better mood at Christmas......Which is why the Salvation Army people are out at Christmas...speaking of which, I haven't seen any of those yet...odd. I'm sure now I will.....Holiday blessings to all of you!