Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Just because I'm home does not mean I'm available.

Dear Upstairs Neighbor -
  I do my best to come to the door with a smile on face when you knock, and say hi when you happen to be on your deck as I come in and or out of my unit. With all due respect, our lifestyles are not condusive to any substantial relationship, but I'm more than happy to be friendly. I understand that living on a lower unit in a building built in the 1980's says there isn't a lot that can be done about the noise of your kids running around like rhinos, and I'm sure that occasionally you hear my TV or what not from down here.
  Just because I'm home does not, however, mean I am available to answer the door. Due to the large number of solicitor's lately, I don't answer the front door during the day unless I'm expecting a package delivery or repairman.
  However, knocking the rear sliding glass door of my apartment is not okay. Ever. I will never answer a knock on the rear glass door short of an emergency. (Even in that case, emergency workers announce themselves.)
   Especially after 10pm at night.
  Yes, I know you knew I was home. I know you could hear my TV.  However, I was watching Game of Thrones with My Sailor and was unavailable to attend to your need - even if you had knocked at my front door.
  Sincerely,
The Downstairs Gal

Friday, May 27, 2011

Good News and Work News

First, the work news:
It's easy to think that, since I work from home and my job didn't require a 4 year degree (just a test-passing certification), my job must be a piece of cake. Well, if you call dealing with annoyed doctors "a piece of cake" than this is the job for you! Did I mention the FBI comes to visit if I screw up? (Hasn't happened yet, but it doesn't sound like a social call to me.)

Last week, my work computer crashed. I mean worse than blue-screen-of-death crashed. Hard drive and RAM failure...

Anyway, I shipped it back to HQ and they shipped me out a new one. My company was awesome to pay me for the few days off in the without dipping into my currently non-existant PTO.

This means I'll be working over the holiday weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. It's unavoidable. Between the set back of this week and going to a wedding in Yosemite next week, I can't prevent working about 5 hrs on both days, and 10 hr days during the week to make up a few hours. While I appreciate having a job, it can feel a bit overwhelming when all I do is work work work. Then again - I had a few days of forced vacation to get other stuff done too. I'm sure things will loosen up next month.

On to the Good News:
I got a part in a local production of Into the Woods! It's a favorite musical of mine. I get to play Jack's Mother. Sure, I was going for The Baker's Wife or The Witch, but this is a very funny party as well. Jack's Mom is a bit of a crazy old bat, and I have history of playing crazy old bats, so it'll be fun to show my stuff - during one of the hardest musicals ever written.

More on the good news front:
I get to drive to Yosemite during the first weekend in June! I've been dying to go there and Green Guy and his gal gave me a great excuse. "Will you sing at our wedding?" YES! Of Course! Anything you want!
The wedding is at Glacier Point. I haven't been to Yosemite since I was a kid (camping) and I don't remember it. I remember my brother and I putting on puppet shows for our parents in the woods on  a camping trip, but I couldn't tell you where it was. (Our folks say it's was in Yosemite.) I'm pretty excited about it (after I got over the disappoint that My Sailor will be staying behind to care for Clydas - since he might have duty over that weekend.) I'm really looking forward to the road trip though! I love road trips, and it's been a long time since I've been on a solo one. Usually at LEAST the dog is with me.

Should be fun! Expect lots of pictures in June.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Farmer's Market, Geeking Out, and A Few Minor Adjustments


our Farmer's Market/produce stand haul
Getting out on the Ferry
Lately, we've had some pretty awesome weekends, so I'll try to catch ya'll up.
However, a couple weeks ago, we got some news that changed our plans for a November wedding. But then again, even sucky things aren't that bad with My Sailor around.
2 weeks ago, we explored the local wine cellar that does weekly tastings. We also checked out the Farmer's Market (hopefully more vendors will show up next time), and a local fruit/veggie stand (SCORE!). I doubt we'll be going anywhere BUT that fruit/veggie stand in the future. We saw Thor, which was so much fun, and capped off the evening with a BBQ and poker night held by one of the men on My Sailor's sub. It was a great chance for me to meet some of the wives/fiancees/significant others. AND I got some very helpful information regarding what to expect for the rest of the year regarding My Sailor's deployments.(More on that later.)


Sunday, we went called our mom's to wish them a happy mother's day before heading to the community's breakfast they offer every Sunday. And then it was off to Seattle! We took the ferry over (so relaxing - and exciting for me since I LOVE being on the water) and found our way to Seattle Center. The day cleared up BEAUTIFULLY.


Our first destination in Seattle Center!






A peice of the Berlin wall tucked away in Seattle Center.
Yeah - we're nerds...



Doing what I do! Singing at the Music Experiment musem

On top of the Space Needle


The Sci-Fi Museum and Music Experiment from the Space Needle




Our initial plan was to check out the Science Fiction Museum, assuming that that was where the Star Wars exhibit would be housed there. Well, it wasn't. It was at the Pacific Science Muesum just across the park. By the time we go there, it was sold out completely. While that was a downer, we had a great time at the Sci-Fi and Music museum. They were showing an exhibit on Battlestar Galactica, which was really cool to see. Those big set peices made me itch to act again. To work on something with that kind of scale must be amazing! Definately a far cry from Community Theater.

Anyway, we topped off the evening by watching the Red Wings play the Sharks. The Red Wings pulled out a hard victory in the end, which capped off the evening pretty nicely overall.

By the time we got home, it was time for Game of Thrones, an HBO series we've been following based on one of My Sailor's favorite book series.

So all in all, it was a good weekend.

What we learned at the BBQ:There is a very good chance that My Sailor will have zero free time after September, so the November wedding has been postponed until sometime next year. That means that My Sailor will probably be gone at some point this year. We knew this could be the case, so we are prepared to get the paperwork out of the way and hold a "wedding" next year when his schedule is more regular.Why spend the money on a wedding and not just elope? Because we feel it's important to include our families and friends in this commitment, as well as give them a big fat THANK YOU for all their love and support. Love is something worth celebrating.

Next post - Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium photos from last weekend.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Dragons to Princesses

Source - Jonathon Bowser
"How should we be able to forget those ancient myths that are at the beginning of all peoples, the myths about dragons that at the last moment turn into princesses; perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us.

So you must not be frightened if a sadness rises up before you larger than any you have ever seen; if a restiveness, like light and cloudshadows, passes over your hands and over all you do. You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; it will not let you fall." - Rainer Marie Rilke

Lately, My Sailor and I have been talking a lot about his deployments. As the reality of him going away sets in, I know I'm going to be sad. I get sad just thinking about it. I knew this part of our lives was going to be tough, but "sometimes knowing the future doesn't make it any easier." (Quote: Diana Gaboldon) 

I'm naturally an independent spirit, so I can handle being on my own. Being alone has become something of an art form for me. I relish the time to be creative and daydream. Flying solo gives the world a different perspective. I find I talk less and listen to the world more. However, sharing time with someone special is a gift as well.

But that doesn't negate the fact that there will soon be a new "dragon" to face. My Sailor checks into his boat on Monday, so a lot is up in the air until next week. Yes, I have a lot of support. I have work, theater, writing, and maybe some travel to keep me busy as well. It's a pretty big dragon, I won't lie - but being together apart is a whole lot better than being apart w/o the together part.

And I'm sure homecoming will bring a "princess" all the same. I can't wait until our November Honeymoon.  I definately think we earned a little R&R!  :)

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Death of Romance and Imagination...

This past weekend, I really enjoyed Fast Five - a fun, action packed, heist movie with a little bit of heart shoveled in for effect.

But in thinking of the shows currently on TV, nothing compares to the 1987 series, Beauty and The Beast. Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman captured the hearts of nearly every romantic in the country. Now, we like our crime dramas gritty and thick, where the good guys aren't always good and the bad guys aren't always bad - and the guys that really ARE good don't always "win". Now, we want realism.

It makes me wonder about what is happening on our modern day American culture. If our TV is any indication, we're turning more and more away from true fantasy and romance. It's as if we are 'escaping' into "realism". It's into the crime drama filled world of Law and Order SVU, or the bloody teenage drama of Vampire Diaries. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy Bones and House and other shows like that, but I'm saddened by the loss of imagination, even in those shows. The biggest part of creativity is how to make the crime more "real" or more heinous. And House? Well, it's how to break the rules.

Lately, I've been revisiting the world of Beauty and the Beast. Behind the 1980's hairdos and the shoulderpads is true heart. The world Below shows us all that is good about man-kind when left to the very basics of survival. When accumulating things and status don't matter. The bonds of love, brotherhood, and family helped people through any and all situations. While I learned most of my ideals about love and life from my family and my upbringing, shows like this definately reinforced it.

Idealistic? Maybe. But why not believe in the power of love? Why not believe that good will triumph over evil? Why not believe that words have more meaning and power than just something we say or write from time to time? Why not believe that there are more things to the world than what can be seen or touched or studied? Is it possible for 2 people to be so close, so connected, that they can feel each other's emotions? (Ask any twin and I think you'll find that to be inexplicably true.)

Maybe that's the difference I've always felt between me and those who are content to strive for life to just be "okay".

Maybe that's what makes me a dreamer.

But there is one thing that goes unspoken - like a secret breathed from children to artists, from pages to stages everywhere (though seemingly lacking on the screens of late).

 An uninspired life isn't one worth living.

Grab inspiration, dear readers, where ever you can find it. 

Monday, May 2, 2011

A Sunny day in May.


 The first day in May out here was GORGEOUS! Temp was in the 60's and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. You could see for miles!

My Sailor and I decided to get out of the house and enjoy the weather. (Afterall, I'm raised So Cal, so if the sun is shining, I want to be in it!

Here are a few photos from the day:
(Did I mention it was AMAZINGLY clear yesterday? Today it's pouring all day with a high of 50.)


Happy Dog

 And, of course, Clydas came along for the ride! Boy, was he exhausted after a few hours in the park!

Too pooped to pup!