I've never lived in West Seattle before. I guess it was high time I 'tried out' the neighborhood. I think I ended up in a great spot. I live next to a fire-house. Firemen and paramedics at hand and of course the requisite hook-and-ladder truck. It's true, they really do get washed constantly. (I mean the trucks, silly)
I'm 3 blocks from Blockbuster and an antique store; 4 blocks from the library, drugstore, cheap movie theater, my bank, premium grocery store, quicky-mart, Italian restaurant and a laundromat (if the need arises). It's 5 blocks to the mainstream grocery store, Starbucks, another restaurant-or-2 and about 6 or 7 blocks to visit my long-time friend from Eugene, along with her bf and their son. I'm about a mile or so from Alki with it's beach and eateries and scenery.
While I've worked in a downtown high-rise before, I've never worked on the 44th floor of one until this year. It was interesting to discover that your ears actually do pop on the elevator ride, as a rule. I knew, in theory, that the tall buildings are earthquake proof and are built to give and sway a bit. During today's wind-storm the proof was in the pudding. (Actually I prefer chocolate peanut-butter pie, but I digress) Even when you can't feel it, on mildly windy days, you can tell the building is swaying by watching the window-shades. They will sway in unison... slowly... back... and forth. Not to be confused with the chaotic movement caused by the HVAC. It reminded me of being on a cruise ship and feeling the movement of the ship during a squall. It's odd to feel your equilibrium being tampered with. I, fortunately, am not particularly bothered by it in small doses.
So, there's a lot of 'new' for me for 2007. It will almost be new again to travel home for the holidays. I took a couple years hiatus from that drive because after travelling down I-5 to Oregon and back a couple times a year for 15 years or so, I needed a break. My family didn't understand very well at first. I was accused of distancing myself from them. It hurt. A bunch. Much as I love my brother I don't know if I'll ever quite be comfortable with him again. Hmmm... this rumination has gone in a direction I didn't plan. It appears I need to find a way to vent. This has been a good start though. I really am lookin forward to seeing the family again. Seeing how much the nieces have grown. They're really starting to take off. I'm afraid they'll be young ladies before I know it.
For now, I'm afraid my lunch period has ended. I must close this for now and come back later.
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Your place sounds nice. I love that about being in the city -- everything within walking distance. I, for example, have crack available across the street, prostitutes next door (should the need arise), and thugs on call pretty much any time of day. Wanna catsit again?
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