UGH.

I have a cold sore.

This week is the opening of Night Watcher, training for house managing, a CREW event, and most importantly the Gala on Saturday where we dress up and ask doners to give upwards of $20,000. And of course I now have a small mountain on my face. An eye sore from tumor hell. I only get these when I'm stressed, and granted things have been a bit busy, but I don't feel that I've warranted this gargantuan virus eating away at my lip.

I went to Bartell's with Fran to buy something to clear it up. The pharmacist said, "For fast acting relief on the first day of your cold sore, try Abreve." Thanks buddy, that stuff is $19. I feel like a moocher, but Fran bought it for me. I didn't ask her to, she just picked it up and said, "We have to get you looking great for Gala." She's such a sweetheart. I now owe her lunch and my first born male baby. It's the least I can do for getting rid of this friend-repellent.

I've tried so hard to keep these posts upbeat, because who likes to read about this kind of crap? But bear with me, I'm in rare form today.

On a lighter note, I've written another post for Seattle Rep. I should charge extra for this stuff.

Two Words: GREEN PANTS

Instead of doing actual work right now, I decided I'd rather share the photos taken of all of the interns during my first week. I think we're cute.

Yeah, my feet are really not even off the ground. But at least I didn't have to have my belly photoshopped out like some people.

Dorky, but charming.

And this one is my FAVORITE. They said, "Do something crazy!" And of course the best we could come up with was jazz hands.

Blog Me About It

I just wrote my first post for the Seattle Rep blog. It's a short "get to know me" piece mixed with a cupcake investigation. You just have to read it to understand.

Seattle Surprises

1. Did you know that 10 Things I Hate About You takes place in Seattle? Yeah, I didn't know that. I watched that movie last night with some friends from work and we figured out that the house Bianca and Kat live in is probably in Queen Anne somewhere. We've already made plans to find all of the locations in the movie and photo document the event. Consider yourself warned, Facebook. We also cracked open a bottle of wine to drink while watching the movie. I do not recommend the game take-a-drink-whenever-you-miss-Heath-Ledger. You'll only end up with an empty bottle and a little hole in your heart. 

2. So much for trying to be a classy professional. I've only been at work two weeks and I'm already organizing a bar crawl. They apparently have never heard of the concept and are surprised that the idea came from an Iowan. The hard part is going to be figuring out where to go and what design to put on the shirts. The two higher ups are named Ben and Jerry so I might milk (bad dairy pun) that theme. Kurtzy is going to help me figure it all out and hopefully it'll be a good time. Basically you can take the girl out of Iowa but you can't take the party planner out of the girl. 

3. This actually isn't a surprise, but more of a happy shift in attitude. Mollie and I are doing really well living together. She works 8-4:30 and I'm more of a 9-6 girl. So we completely miss each other in the mornings and by the time I get home she's already had dinner. But we've been bonding a lot. She'll sit with me while I eat dinner and we'll talk about our work days and the stuff that we want to get done in the apt. (We're still working on the cable and internet.) One night I was watching something in my room and she had a question for me. She stood in my door way, looking as if she felt like she was intruding or interrupting. Girl needs to learn that I have very small personal boundaries. I invited her in and we sat on my bed and chit-chatted the night away. Very Babysitters Club of us, but it was fun. I think we'll get along really well and won't be needing that roommate contract after all. 

4. I actually liked the movie Tropic Thunder. Kurtzy and I were in giggle mode after a particularly stressful day at the Rep. So we hauled it to the movie theatre to do the two things we love most: relaxing and paying for overpriced tickets. We didn't have time for dinner so I ordered a small pizza at the theatre and they delivered it to me during the movie. Now that's just cool. Unfortunately you could barely find a pulse with the audience we saw it with, but the two of us were dying the whole time. I completely recommend it if you want something light and frothy to watch. Thinking was not required for this one. On our way home we saw that that day was also the opening of the H&M downtown! We went in and explored the two store mecca complete with purple blazers and a trashy chick DJ playing euro-techno. It was pretty much the best way to end any day. (Mental note: I'm not allowed to go to that store until I have an actual paying job for fear that I'll spend my rent check.)

5. People in Seattle think "oxtail" is something you eat. I mean, I know you could put raspberry chipotle sauce on pretty much anything to make it taste good, but oxtail? Jury is still out on this one. 

6. I've finally decided to stop complaining about the government and to stand up and do something about it. Fran, Kurtzy and I have been given the go ahead to organize a booth where people can register to vote in the lobby of our theatre. You have to register by Oct 4th in WA so we're going to be making our effort for about a week as we go into previews for The Night Watcher (starring a woman who was on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, I kid you not). I hope that we can get a lot of people to sign up so that we can make some changes around here. But I swear, our efforts are non-partisan. To a point. 

7. People really mean it when they say Ask and Ye Shall Receive. Mollie and I asked for some stuff for the apt from SRO, our volunteer organization. These people came through like gangbusters. We got: a tv, lamp, laundry basket, 12 white hand cloths, spoon, spatula, salad spinner (?), grater, stir fry pan, and the piece de resistance, a cast iron pan. We've made out like bandits (that's what she said) and it's all for free. I might as well ask for a Wii and a Jaguar just to see what their limits are. 

8. The thing at the Rep that I'm most looking forward to working on is, drum roll please, managing their internet image. I'm going to be blogging, creating Facebook groups, and updating their MySpace page with the help of Andrew, a fellow intern. I'm so excited that the things I do voluntarily and incessantly in my free time, they want me to do at work. It's like paying me to blink or make sarcastic comments.  Once I get rolling I'll be sure to post the link so you can read whatever dish I come up with. This is such a beautiful thing. 

9. And finally, in a completely unsurprising turn of events, it has started to rain here. It's been overcast and chilly since Thursday and today it decided to stop threatening rain and just go all out. To be fair, it's not like we're Tina Turner to some Hurricane Ike, but it is coming down pretty hard. 

Too soon?

The Old Man Across From Me Smells Like His Nurse Forgot the Sponge Bath

No seriously, this guy smells terrible. I'm trying to only breathe out of the corner of my mouth so that I don't pass out or throw up. I would move but this is the only chair left in the place that is unoccupied. That's a lie. There is one next to a man in all camo that talks to himself really loud about God knows what, so I try to give him a nice 50ft radius.

But the good news is that Mollie has divulged that she too would like internet and cable. So once we get a tv we'll look into our options. Once I can blog from the comfort of my own bed, I'll be a happy camper.

Right, so Mollie. The new roommate. She got here on Saturday morning. I rushed down to the street to help her move her 80lb suitcases up the cement stairs. I only took one, and let her heave the other two. Then we assembled our death futon from Target. I know for a fact that this futon is uncomfortable and will fall apart in a mere week, but I let her take charge of it and will keep my mouth shut. So then we chatted for awhile and I made us lunch. Great roommate award, over here. Then she went into her room to start getting settled in. And that's where she stayed the whole weekend. Door shut, in her room, and quiet. Whenever she does seek daylight we get along and talk a bit. I've been making a point to keep my door open and watch my movies or read my books in the living room. But she doesn't come out. I feel like a freshman again, trying to get my next door neighbor to play with me. The whole point of living together, at least for me, was so that I could have someone to talk to. So that the apt wasn't so unbearably silent. We're still working on that I guess. I'm just trying to give her some space. It might feel like it is more of my apt since I brought a ton of stuff and had been living in it for a week. Hopefully once she gets more unpacked and settled we can start bonding. Fingers crossed on this one, guys. There are no roommate agreements to fill out so I'm gonna have to wing this thing. Oy.

Work picked up considerably in the last two days. Tomorrow night, Fran, Jessica and I are going to a reception at an Art Gallery with the cast of the two plays that we're putting on. It will be a great chance to get to meet a lot of Equity actors and hopefully make a good connection with the Gallery owner. I'll be wined and dined so I'm all about it. We also have a Company Meeting tomorrow. This is where we all get together, and I mean everyone, to talk about all of the new stuff that we're working on at the Rep. The Audience Development department has decided that we will illustrate our points by creating a series of carefully crafted tableus, and thereby winning the Biggest Losers award. Whatever, we're geeks and we know it.

Every time I have a meeting, that person takes me out for coffee. Which is fine, and great, and I'm happy that I never have to pay for it. But, seriously, I'm not a committed coffee drinker. Not yet. Today, I got so wired that I didn't eat lunch until 4:30. I was twitching my leg under the table so much that I'm sure everyone thought I was on something. Next time I'm getting a smoothie and calling it a day.

I don't think I've mentioned it, but the Rep is so quirky. For instance, when I log on to my computer I choose between the Dagohbah or Tatooine systems. Star Wars may have just put out a really crappy movie, but these guys couldn't care less. Also, one of the women on staff is named Christy Carlson. For anyone that has ever seen Even Stevens you'll know how to complete that thought. And my personal favorite, at 4:00pm on Friday the market across the street was giving away free Cupcake Royale cupcakes and the Rep practically shut down so that we could all go over there and feast. That's just plain baller. PS those were the best cupcakes I've had in my entire life. And that even includes Funfetti, which is really saying something.

The projects I'm working on are all really varied. I'm going to start blogging for the Rep, I'll be organizing a lot of initiatives for the fellow interns, I'm leading a lot of Marketing and PR work for events that we're putting together, and there's a lot of envelope stuffing. I haven't gotten coffee for anyone yet and I've only done a bit of copying. I'm just glad to be doing real work and building that portfolio. I've also somehow been appointed as the resident grammar expert so I proof read a lot of stuff. I'm sure Konrady is twitching somewhere at the thought of it. But as a huge BONUS they are going to train me to become a House Manager during performances. I'll make $12.50 an hour and will hopefully pay off all of my flights back and forth to Iowa. I'm like the Donald Trump of Seattle. But with better hair and a complete lack of authority to fire someone.

Here's a link to the two shows we're putting on: The Night Watcher and Three Musketeers. I'll let you know how those turn out. I can't take pictures of anything because of Equity rules and, you know, job security. But if I can get my hands on anything I'll be sure to post it.

The old man is still here, and I'm tired of holding my breath. Till next time.

I now have business cards?

First week of internship: done and done-r. I'm absolutely amazed at how much I love this internship. Coming in to work everyday is like always having your favorite songs play on the radio while you drive. It is familiar and comfortable while also being fun and exciting. There is also just a lot of singing going on around the office, which is an obvious plus.


So here are my responses to those teasers that I promised you!


1. When Kiki Met Fran

Fran Kao (last name pronounced "gow." it's like cow but with a "g") is the name of my boss. When I was applying for the internship in March I had to do a phone interview with her and immediatly knew that we would be like Thelma and Louise, but without the cliff. Our 25 min interview lasted at least 45 mins with all of our laughing, dishing, name dropping, and theatre ramblings. We had been in contact over e-mail all summer and for some reason I was really nervous to meet her. I wasn't supposed to get to work on Monday until 10. I was outside of the theatre at 9:30. Then I bought a water and it was 9:32. Then I paced around the main door and probably had people inside the theatre watching me do a mini freak out. At 9:45 I couldn't wait any more. I walked in and headed straight to where my desk was. Fran saw me and gave me the biggest hug ever. She gushed that she was hoping I'd come in early and was finding it hard to wait until 10. "I'm so glad that you're finally here." I'm already loved at this place. Fran is just amazing. She has a great sense of humor, is one of the most genuinly kind and outgoing people I've ever met, and we just really click. I like her so much I'd even do her dry cleaning. But hopefully she won't ask me to.

2. I'm not above Kurtzy-ing

When I was interviewing last March, I also had to talk with Jessica Kurtz. She was the Arts Management intern last year and is now a staff member for the Rep. She sits with Fran and I in the Audience Development Pod of cubicles and is pretty awesome. She's really great at filling me in on all of the people and events that I need to know about. She'll explain why something is funny in a meeting. And best of all, she'll give me the dirt on everything going on in the Theatre. She is fabulous. We've become really fast friends. She's already taken me out to lunch, and one night we went and got dinner with a friend of hers and saw Shrek: The Musical (more on that later). We're talking about campaigning for Obama together and seeing as many free shows as possible. She's a complete "gets it" and it's nice to have someone closer to my age to be around everyday.

3. HOLD MY CALLS I'M IN A MEETING

On my first day of work, Fran sat me down with a calendar and started giving me my schedule until mid-October. I have, ahem, meetings to attend. I'm that important. Typically once a day I'll have a meeting with the education dept or the audience development dept or the whole company will get together and crack jokes for 3 hours. It's awesome. Most of the time I have no idea what is going on. Names and acronyms are flying by my head and I usually make a list so that I can ask Jessica what they all mean later. But I'm trying to take detailed notes and pretend to have something to contribute. Like when I was in a meeting with our volunteer organization I noticed that they were all at least 65 and wrote, "The color pallete is very muted with this group. When dressing for this meeting in the future, think Easter." Professional.

4. ...and how is this different than being an RA again?

I've come to the kind of crazy realization that I'm a bit more prepared for this job than I realized. My RA training will actually come in quite handy. For instance, Fran asked me to print copies of all of the intern's pictures and to glue them to a huge map so that people could get to know their names and titles. That sounds eerily like a bulletin board. Another time we were outlining the events that we're throwing and talking about all of the numerous ways that we want people to hear about it and how many we want to attend. Hold the phone, is this a program we're talking about? If she mentions anything about "outcomes" I'm crying foul. All I need is Kate Fitzgerald actually running this theatre too with her neon green fleeces and crew-cut-of-love. But luckily for me I actually do like this kind of stuff. On day one she had me making buttons for a huge kick off event that night. Little did she know that Molly, Katie and I made buttons by the mass in high school to promote our plays. But don't worry, I wasn't making buttons for long. Eventually I trained Jarred, the recently released from prison guy who was looking for easy community service and decided that pounding out buttons was his new license plate making. I wish I was kidding.

5. Shrek: The Musical ????

Like I said, I'm pretty important. So of course I was invited to go for FREE to the premeire of Shrek: The Muscial. There were photographers everywhere. A green carpet was laid out in front of the doors. And who knows how many almost famous people I saw. It was a really fun night. I don't want to ruin it for people that want to see the show in the future, but here are my 2 cents:

Kiki's Critique Corner

I think that this play is going to be a major success. It already has the recipe by milking one of the biggest cartoon movies of all time and packing it with A list talent including: Sutton Foster, John Tartaglia, and Christopher Sieber. Not to mention Pulitzer Prize winning author David Lindsay-Abaire, and my current obsession, wrote the book and lyrics. The play did everything it needed to. It delivered the scenes that are everyone's favorites from the movie and did the dialogue verbatum. It tapped into the areas that were brushed over in the movie to have them explode in different directions on the stage. It didn't recycle all of the old material and instead brought new and hilarious insight to the characters, storylines, and fairytales in general. It also related to the new audiences by making fun of musicals in a hilarious and unpredictable way. The sets were amazing, and were half constructed by the Rep. Those sets will go all the way to Broadway which is quite the acheivement. They also did amazing things with special effects including 3 different turntables which rotated in all different directions. It was truly amazing. The one down side: the actor playing Donkey had zero comedic timing. I know playing a part originated by Eddie Murphy is a daunting task, but this guy phoned in the whole thing. Overall, I can't remember the last time I had that much fun at a musical and can't wait to see it again once it's gone through it's final tweaks and cuts.

And here are a few side notes that I thought you all would enjoy:

1. On my way home from work a woman yelled out "Go Hawkeyes" when she spotted my Iowa hoodie. Gotta love that Iowa pride.

2. Also on my way home from work, two women were sitting at a table asking for donations for a battered woman's shelter. After I politely declined, one of them (who sounded either drunk or Australian) said, "Yeah, well you look like a battered woman." You know what, I'm tired and circles under my eyes happen from a lack of sleep and not "walking into a door" thank you very much.

3. (mom, don't read this one b/c it'll just get you worked up) I was going into the market to buy food for a party we had today. On my way in a man ran into me, almost knocking me over. Then he sprinted outside and was followed by two men in green aprons and white polo shirts. I started looking around the store to see if anyone else was noticing what was going on. Nobody had a clue. Eventually the two guys were pulling this insanly skinny guy back into view. He was struggling so hard that they started taking off his shirt because he was trying to get away so forcefully. Eventually the fatter one sat on the guy and got him to calm down. Then they picked him up and ushered him into the back offices of the store. And no one around me was watching. They just went about their day while I stared, open mouthed at the whole thing. The craziest part was how quiet it was. There weren't noises of a struggle or the yells of profanity into the air. Just three guys wrestling. It was wild. I've never seen anything like it. It's just my small town Iowa coming out.

4. And finally, my Mom once told me that she needs signs to help her make big decisions. And they have to be big. Small stuff will just pass her by. She needs something loud and in her face. Well, I was in a room today that had a bunch of posters from years past and I came across this play. If that isn't a sign, I don't know what is.

I miss you all like crazy. You're the Timbaland to my JT. Call often.

Lifestyles of the Poor and Sassy

Here is a link to the video that I took of my apt. I tried to actually load it onto blogspot, but the file was apparently too big. This was very distressing for me to find out when I tried to upload it on Sunday at 8:00 pm while I was getting eaten alive by killer mosquitos. I'll bare the scars of that unfortunate night for years to come.

VIDEO!

I would also like to apologize about the number of times I describe something as "cute little..." or how often I say "swoop." They just kind of slipped out.

My internship started on Monday and, shocker of the century, I'm absolutely LOVING IT. But, as work should, it has absolutely worn me out. I plan to do a much longer post later on detailing my first week there. But to leave you hungry, here are some trailers to entice you for more.

1. When Kiki Met Fran

2. I'm not above Kurtzy-ing

3. HOLD MY CALLS I'M IN A MEETING

4. ...and how is this different than being an R.A. again?

5. Shrek: The Musical ????

Sweet City Woman

I can't spend another day cooped up in my apt and making up excuses to go check my mail at the library. It is Saturday, therefore a day to do something exciting. I charged my iPod, packed an umbrella, Dubuque Senior Rams sweatshirt and my camera into my backpack, threw on my kicky new Nike's and decided to head off downtown. I got directions off Google Maps yesterday, so the route should be no problem. (I need to cut a deal with Google Maps so that I get like a buck every time I give them free advertising. Maybe then I can afford such luxuries like turning the lights on in my apt or buying food. Hey, a girl can hope.)

Where else would I venture off to other than Pike Place Market? I didn't get to walk around down there the first time we saw it so I figured a nice 45 min stroll downtown would be the perfect time to see what all the fuss was about. Well, it was pretty amazing. It was like a small town festival with people selling yard art and cat magnets, except that there were wall-to-wall people. Everybody and their Asian brother were there. I had to fight my way through the crowds just to get to try a sample of hickory smoked moose jerky or the garlic mustard raspberry jam spread (both of which were not bad). I loved looking around at all of the little shops and getting to try all of the different food there. I had a bad smoothie incident this morning back at the apt so I was pretty hungry and they didn't disappoint. I didn't see any fish being thrown but I think that was because I was hear around 10:45am and not 5:45am. That would be one early morning walk.

I snuck out behind one of the shops and it had a great view overlooking Elliot Bay. I caught one of the ferries going by and had to get a picture. Derek Shepherd would be proud. It was a really gorgeous day. I was only slightly getting annoyed with the blister that was forming on my left  heel but I decided to press on. There was more to be seen and done. 

Here's a shot of the street that runs along the market. Like I said, there were just people everywhere. I know it's a Saturday and it's a big tourist trap, but I guess I thought it would have quieted it down by lunch time. It's just not that type of place. This thing was still going full speed. You don't want to get in the way of customers trying to get free samples and haggle over okra prices. The bathroom stall doors also only came up to my shoulders. This was concerning to me, but I overlooked it. 

Eventually the guilt of only eating for free began to weigh on me so I began my hunt to find the cheapest food possible. I heard this woman speaking with, what I assumed was a bit of a Polish accent. She was selling this hot pocket type thing that you see above. I bought it to see what it was like. It wasn't bad, it just didn't taste like anything. Ah, the Polish way: you pay extra for taste. It was also scolding hot. Those little buggers really can hold the heat.

I got this shot just as I was leaving the Market. I was on my way to find the movie theatre that was only a few blocks away. Apparently I was in just the right part of town. On my way I stopped inside a Starbs and got a Green Tea Frappuccino, which Suzanna got me hooked on, to finish off one of the many gift cards I have there. Then I felt a little sassy and decided to stop by Sephora and put on black shimmer eye liner. Foxy. All of the stores that I would ever want to go to were on these 6 blocks so I'm glad I found it. Gap, Old Navy, Tiffany's, it was all there. 

I finally made it to the movie theatre where I bought my ticket and watched the movie by myself for the first time. It wasn't too bad. The only other person in the theatre was also by himself. Probably because he looked like Colonel Sanders. I saw Hamlet 2 and it was so hilarious. It made me miss high school theatre, and college theatre, but also get really excited for Seattle Rep Theatre. So that's a plus.

I was thinking about taking the Monorail to cut some of the walk time down, but it was a nice day and I wasn't in a rush. I don't think I noticed how hot it had become. Or how much that blister was starting to hurt. Or the fact that getting downtown was pretty much down hill the whole way. Going back home was...an experience. By the time I got to the bottom of the Queen Anne hill I was tired and in pain. Looking up at it, I seriously thought about throwing in the towel. But I didn't want my first time climbing up the hill to be after a hard day at work so I sucked it up and started the trek. I could feel the blood dripping down my heel into a pool in my shoe. I was sweating through my shirt to the backpack that was hanging heavily on my back. I was carrying a blanket from Bed Bath and Beyond that I bought on the way home that might was well have been an anvil. I only paused once, to lean against a telephone pole and not pass out. But the worst part? A 60 yr old Indian man was doing double time up this thing without breaking a sweat. I felt embarrassed and like I wanted to hurl. But I made it home, ripped off my shoes, bandaged my heel and drank the entire contents of my Nalgene bottle. Then I proceeded to wash my face and lie spread eagle on my living room floor. This will take some getting used to.  I think if I ever walk home with my future roommate there will be a strict no-talking-while-hyperventilating-up-the-hill policy. 

White Female Seeking Any Human Interaction

Internet is going to be a bit difficult. I don't want to pay for it because I have no money. There also doesn't seem to be anyone in my apt building or general vicinity who doesn't have theirs password protected. Doesn't anyone trust anyone anymore? Sheesh. So I'm going to have to go to the library to get my free internet. And that would all be fine and dandy except that they keep weird hours. So most of the time I'll have to sit outside of the library, on the steps, like a huge creeper, just so that I can check my mail. And they call this America. 

Well I know you've been checking this blog perpetually to see if I've updated. You may now exhale. I hate disappointing my faithful followers. I don't know what it is like to not get your fix when you become so addicted to something, but I hear it sucks. So here is the up-to-date scoop with my seemingly-uninteresting-but-you-can't-get-enough-of-it life. Cheers.

Wednesday

My dad and I woke up early to finish off the list of things we needed to get done. Mainly: our test runs. 

Test Run One: We drove to the apt and parked the car so that we could perform my very first "walk to work" and get an idea of how long it would take.  (Test Run One Bonus Feature: Right as we arrived, the people cleaning our blinds let us in to the apt. My dad finally got to take a look around the place. There were no ceiling fans, as promised, but the apt looked like it was in great condition. We also saw that the mailbox was open and the new checks that had been ordered had already arrived. Yahtzee.) So we set our watches and began the walk. Google Maps, or my new best friend, told us that the walk was 1 mile long and would take about 22 mins. It neglected to mention the pain that my butt would be in later that night because of the extreme hill that we had to walk down. I'm telling you, that hill is a monster. It made me aware of muscles I never knew existed. The walk took about 27 mins. And we won't talk about what will happen when it rains. Most likely me barrel rolling down the thing in a mere 20 seconds. But at least I won't have paid for the bus. Now that is what I call living on the edge.

Test Run Two: Since we were all the way down by work, why not pop our heads in to look around. We were there at exactly 10:00, which is the same time that my boss said to get there on my first day. I can see why; that place was just opening up. If 10:00 is opening time, then score one for the home team. I could really get into that. We opened up the doors to lead us to the lobby, but it only let us in to the box office area. We then stood there for a bit, looking confused and arguing about whether or not to call my boss when a man opened the lobby doors.

Man: Are you with the tour?

Me: No. I'm actually an intern that is starting on Monday.

Man: Oh yes. You're Kiki Abba. Right this way. 

Mind you, there is another girl starting on Monday and I am one of fifteen interns. The fact that he knew my name was amazing. He introduced himself as Rob and said that he was in charge of marketing. I'm assuming that I'll have to work with him a lot for my internship so I'm glad that we've already met. He seemed really laid back and nice. We then went up the route that he described and found the education department. I thought my boss would be there but she was in a meeting. So instead I got to meet Scott who is in charge of the department of education as well as Jessica who was one of last year's interns that is now working full time at the Rep. These two are awesome. They were really welcoming and showed me around a bit. I even got to see my desk. Let's just say it's a good thing I packed a lot of sass to spruce the place up. The computer is from the 80s and the phone I swear was in the movie 9 to 5, but that's totally cool. I don't need high-tech gadgetry. I'm much happier with a friendly work staff, and I think I've got that.

Test Run Three: We tried our hand at the bus system to see what it was like. Overall it was really simple. We bought these tickets at Bartell's Drugs so that you don't have to have exact fare when you're riding. Then we hoped on the #2 bus and it took about 5 mins to arrive less than a block away from my apt. It was extremely convenient and saved us from climbing back up the hill and then taking my dad to the hospital. I'm going to try to be good and only use it when it's raining or I'm in a hurry. But man, is it tempting. 

The rest of the day was really chill. I used a piece of mail I got from my mom to get a library card, which is how I'm blogging to you right now. Then we went to an area mall so that I could buy a drying rack for my clothes, a pair of rain boots, and a rain coat. I paid an arm and a leg for these things, but they look well made and hopefully will last me for a long time. Then we headed back to the hotel. Dad watched Road House and kept pointing out moments for me to watch. Compelling stuff.  I meanwhile sat online and reserved movies from the library. For many of them I'm at least the 300th person waiting so I made a point to reserve a lot of them. I've already got 6 checked out. I'm practically one cat away from spinsterhood, but I don't care. Free movies will help pass the time till I make friends. Don't judge me. 

We weren't very hungry for dinner so dad treated us to some gelato. It's just better than ice cream, pure and simple. We waited for a very long time for the woman to call to say that we could get into the apt. Finally, an hour after she said she'd call, she phoned us and we rushed over to the apt. We did a quick walk through (now complete with ceiling fans???) and looked for damages (a la RCC style) and then she was off. My dad and I hauled all of this heavy crap from IKEA up the flight of stairs and into the apt. We were done around 10:00 and were getting ready to head to the grocery store to stock the refrigerator. Wouldn't you know it, the keys didn't work. I called her back immediately and complained. She said that she could have someone come in the morning to give us a new set of keys. Perfect. This set us a bit behind so we rushed back to the hotel to catch some Zzzzs before the hellish morning to come.

Thursday

We got up early, ate breakfast and stole fruit for my apt from the continental breakfast. We loaded up the car with all of our luggage and checked out of the hotel room. With all of our leftovers sitting on top of a bed of ice in a plastic bag in the back seat, we went straight to the grocery store and bought stuff like crazy. I'm now a proud owner of a Safeway Club Card. We bolted to the apt to find the door already open. Some guy was in there installing a heater in the bathroom and trying to fix my closet door. Dad and I unpacked the car and then started assembling IKEA furniture like mad. We did a great job. Everything looks sturdy and ready to go. Dad was good at putting it together while I was good at looking at the picture and telling him what to put together. We were a seamless team. Once we were done, it was time for dad to leave to catch his plane. I only cried hard for about 10 mins. Then Jackie talked me off the ledge and I spent the rest of the day unpacking. Then, when it got dark and the energy saver within me convinced myself that I shouldn't turn on any lights and would finish unpacking the next day, I watched Finding Neverland and talked with my family on the phone nonstop. My dad unfortunately got delayed in Seattle and missed his connecting flight home. He stayed up all night in Ohare, freezing his butt off and not getting any sleep. He my friends is the real hero of the story. 

My first night in my new apt sucked. I couldn't sleep or regulate the temperature. My pillow is too big and every noise sounds like a murderer coming into my apt. But I made it through. I took this morning off from unpacking and watched another movie. Then I went to the store to buy all of the things that we forgot the day before. And now, finally, I'm back at the library, and using the internet. It's sad how much I love the internet and rely on it, but I can't help it. It's what keeps me connected to you and I can't get enough of it. 

It still hasn't rained. I tried to say hi to one of my neighbors but I think I just scared her. Things aren't perfect, but it's like Tim Gunn says, "Make it work."

And On the Third Day God Made Cheap Mattresses

Today was another long day. My sleeping pill left me feeling groggy and moaning like Chewbacca this morning, but at least I got some sleep. Lately I've been waking up during the night from bizarre dreams. Hopefully now that I'm in Seattle the sleeping can commence. 

We had a lot that we needed to get done today. And I'm sure you would've liked it if we had done it nice and easy. But you see, we never ever do nothing nice and easy. We like to do it nice and rough. Just like Proud Mary. 

We some how managed to find our way to this Public Transportation type office area thing where we could get a bunch of schedules for where the buses go. I think I took about 50 packets. Anything that said Seattle Center or Queen Anne I just yanked it and stuffed it in my purse. That should hold me for a good long while. We were actually really lucky to find this place. We almost went into some condemned building we were so lost. But we're gonna look over the schedules and then hop on one of the buses tomorrow. 

We then went to the Bank and got two rolls of quarters, which will be used for bus fare and laundry. The bank isn't exactly close to my apt but it's nice to know where it is. Then we went to my landlord's office to sign the lease. She had no idea we were coming but improvised the situation really well. She's being really nice and accommodating and will let us move in tomorrow instead of on Thursday. This'll save my dad an airfare change, extra time for our rental car, and an extra night in the hotel room. That's like a bizillion dollars in case you weren't counting. So phew on that count. We'll do the walk through tomorrow night and then start the unloading process. He better not leave before this IKEA furniture gets assembled. Or Kiki's gonna have to go freak nasty on him. 

We ate lunch at this cute little cafe and I tried Clam Chowder for the first time. I really liked it. I'm one step closer to becoming cool enough to talk with a Boston accent. 

Now we're getting to the good stuff. For the first time this whole trip, Google Maps failed us. Actually, it didn't fail us at all, we just refused to believe the information it had given us. We got lost. And I'm talking yelling-at-each-other-and-making-pedestrians-stare-at-us lost. The map would've eventually taken us to the right spot but we cut out early and never made it. After a breather we decided to eighty-six going to this furniture store and go look for a bed. Bed shopping is way more fun when you're with Kristin Lang, let me tell you. But we actually had really quick luck and bought a Queen within about 15 mins. She'll even deliver on the day I want her to. Awesome. 

After that huge success we decided to try again to find this furniture store. With our heads hanging low because of our previous blunder we found the shop. It wasn't at all what we were in the market for so it was a quick hit. But I did take 2 starbursts so it wasn't a total bust. 

For dinner I made dad go to Toi (like TOY story) to get some Thai food. I never thought I'd say this but: I think I found the best coconut shrimp ever. For years the title was held by none other than Red Lobster. It was over this scrumptious meal that I forged a friendship with Alisa not four years prior. But today, at this restaurant, with my dad, I ate the most delicious coconut shrimp known to man. It was a sad day. The end of an era. But also an exciting day. Closer and better tasting prawns. Yummm. 

We finished off the day with a rousing trip to the Bed Bath and Beyond. I found a lot of jank stuff in the clearance section. There's a hunk missing from it? Add it to the cart.  That's pretty much how every conversation went. And to put a cherry on top of a deliciously busy day I filled out an automotive survey for an hour so that I could make $30. This is my life now. 

Furniture Shopping with the Stars

My feet hurt. 

We shopped. We purchased and finagled.  We looped a block 6 times to get a parking spot and then as we're staring at the meter, looking utterly confused as to how to put money into it, a lady shouts "Hey it's a holiday! No meter!" Thanks stranger, we are rookies and have no idea what the crap we're doing.

Since today is Labor day most of the places we wanted to go were either closed or having  HUGE MEGA BLOWOUT SALES and were crammed wall-to-wall with people. These are not good shopping conditions but we don't have a lot of time to work with so we set out among the Seattle-ites and try our hand at bargain shopping. It didn't go so well. Most of the things that we found were over priced to begin with and the delivery charge sent us over the edge. You can't charge $150 to move a $90 table set. You just can't. But, as you can see above, the drive to get to these places was just beautiful. The view of the side of the highway is just magnificent. You can see right over into Elliott Bay and watch the boats come into port. And right behind that is the huge picturesque Queen Anne hillside that is covered in quaint houses as far as the eye can see. I took about 10 pictures but this was the only one that wasn't blurry from the car. Dad refused to slow down so I could get a good shot. Something about us "crashing and burning." Whatever, learn to take some risks, man.

After striking out at a furniture store we made it rain at St. Vinny's. Their 1/2 Labor Day sale was just the ticket to get lots of stuff for the kitchen. I wanted to get a microwave but Dad was certain that it wouldn't work. He is such a discount hater. If my Mom had been there we would have bought it in duplicate. Oh well. Then we went across the street to Sam's to buy our weight in toilet paper and granola bars. Just call me Annie Oakley. Once that bargain buster was over we went downtown to find another furniture store. This was when we had our parking debacle. But in our parking pursuit we managed to find Pike's Place Market(as pictured above)! RA's take note: It is actually a really cool place once you're not bogged down with Fish Philosophy and "making someone's day." We didn't have a lot of time to look around, but I assume I'll be there pretty frequently in the future. 

We took a break to eat some lunch at this great cafe. The food was so delicious. I've decided that BLTs really shouldn't taste as good as this one did. It's just not fair to other sandwiches. It was a really swanky place and was the type of store where you might not know it's there unless you look right at it. That's what I like about Seattle, it's like there are secret places everywhere instead of a huge sign telling you that this is MACYS. Know what I mean? 

Also--the water here is really good. Unlike Iowa City, I don't feel like I have to worry about my first child coming out with a tail. It doesn't need a filter and doesn't leave any type of after taste in your mouth. This is really important since Dubuque has pretty much the best water in the nation. Seattle so far is matching up quite nicely. 

Eventually we made our way to IKEA. And not just any IKEA. This one, I swear to God, was the size of Seattle. It just. kept. going. We were only in there for 2 hrs but that's because I made us stare at the floor, hold our arms close to our body to make us streamline, and walk like there's free ice cream at the finish line. For my first time there, I have to admit, I was less than impressed. Probably because I wanted the big ticket items and they weren't being cheap on sofas or beds. I did find a suitable dinning table, desk, and end table for pretty cheap so that was a bonus. But by the end I was getting dehydrated and irritable. A lethal combo. This is my furniture in it's beginning stages. I hope that when I take a picture of it in the future, it'll be assembled and looking fly. 

After a particularly unpleasant trip to Target (what do you mean you don't have raincoats?!?) we went and got some pizza. Once again, it was the most delicious pizza I've ever had. No seriously, it was phenomenal. My dad and I talked about what our first impressions of the city were and I think we came to the same three conclusions: 1. It's clean and organized looking 2. It's not hard to get around. Especially when Google Maps is your middle name and 3. The weather is right up my alley. For any one that has ever met me you'll know that I'm a big fan of a jeans and a hoodie. That is exactly what this weather calls for. I couldn't ask for a better situation. (In case my tune changes, remind me that I thought this on day 2)

To finish off our day we decided to head to the Seattle Center and see what we could see. Well, we didn't see much. The one time we try to go off on our own without a map and we take quite a large detour. By the time we finally got there, the sun was going down fast and my feet were starting to feel like they were about to fall off. But I got a nice shot of the Space Needle up close, so I guess it was worth it. The place was buzzing with Bumbershoot crazies and loud music echoing from every corner. We never got around to seeing Seattle Rep, but I figure we have to save a few things for us to do tomorrow. 

Before we left, we stopped at a shop to get my Mom a Seattle mug and inside there was a huge rocks display. They must have also set this up because they knew I was coming. I love me some novelty rocks. I knew my Mom would get a kick out of this.

Now I'm just chilling with my Dad in the hotel room. He was snoring like a freight train last night so I've decided to take half a sleeping pill to help drown him out. As I take the pill I spilled a little down my chin and my dad said, "See those pills work great. Any minute now and you'll begin drooling." Thanks Dad, love you too.

Days in Seattle without rain: 2