Blogging from DC

After rain, we're at our first stop in DC. Saw Andrew and Kitty and Alex and Rebecca...

last week in H-town

The summer heat and humidity has arrived in Hartford. We had a going-away party last night. Not a lot of people came, but the people that did made it great. My upstairs neighbors had their going-away party too...most of them are about 4-5 years younger than me...and I felt quite old. Not really into drinking games anymore. Nevertheless the neighbors are nice. Going-away parties are funny. I guess it's a time when people reflect on where they are in life. I just ate leftover wings for lunch...way too much...blah. It's getting really hot. It takes effort just to breathe. If this were Seattle it'd probably be record heat. That makes me happy. I have to do some serious packing today. There are still a couple more going-away events to go this week. We are looking forward to seeing all the people on the way to Seattle (Alex & Rebecca, Andrew, Peter, the fam. in Utah). My dad is probably going to meet us in Seattle and stay with us upon our moving-in. He still hasn't made up his mind as to where he's going to end up. It would be really awesome if my whole family lived around Seattle, so maybe we can convince him to move northwestward. My newest nephew is due on the 7th...that will be one heck of a crazy day. Then it's off to Chicago on the 9th. It's definitely going to be stressful in July, but come August once we get settled in, things should be very nice. I still have no idea what I'm going to do for work upon our arrival in Seattle...probably end up temping. Maybe waiting tables...who knows?

Today would be a good day to go to the beach, but that's not feasible for us considering our moving priorities. Merinda has not been feeling well, and she's at work. She's interviewing for a corporate position (claims examining) at Nordstrom on the 7th. If she doesn't get that she will get a sales positition at the Bell Square store which should be more lucrative than West Hartford at least. As every day passes I know more and more that we are making the right decision. I know Seattle won't be a perfect fairyland, but we'll be a lot happier there than here in Hartford. We have met great people here whom we will not forget, and hopefully not lose touch with, but unless you are from this area, there just isn't much of a draw. Anyone is welcome to stay with us and come visit Seattle. I look forward to seeing Cara and Josh for the short time that they will still be there. The Washington State Bar still hasn't sent me my bar number, which is annoying, considering I took and passed the exam, paid them all my fees, was sworn-in and I finished watching their ridiculously boring 4-hour video that they're now making all new WA lawyers watch. It basically just rehashes what was already covered in the bar exam. Useless waste of time in my opinion. Leaving Hartford will be a little bitter-sweet...but mostly sweet.

counting down

Still in the process of planning the route out west. This trip is definitely going to be a long trip, but we are looking forward to seeing everyone. A few days after our arrival in Seattle we fly back to Chicago for a trip with Merinda's family...all in all quite a crazy mid-June to mid-July. It's hard to believe I've only got a couple of weeks left in New England. Packed up a couple more boxes today. I guess we're going to go ahead with a tag sale next Saturday. I was debating whether or not it was worth the effort. The neighbors are helping out though, so it should be okay.

Enough with the Rain Comments

Every place needs a myth. People that live in one place are constantly attempting to dispell the myths about where they live when they are in another place. Utah's myth is that it is a dry boring state with nothing but Mormons. Connecticut's myth is that it is an idyllic land of quaint New England villages full of really wealthy people where all is perfect. Seattle's myth is the rain. The first thing out of most people's mouth is "what about the rain?" or "better get a good umbrella" when they hear I'm moving to Seattle. No one asked me when I told them about the move to Connecticut five years ago, "what about the oppressively hot and humid summers and cold winters?" Even my father-in-law, who grew up in Seattle warned me about the rain. My only explanation for that is that he lives in one of the driest places in the country (Utah), and compared to Utah, Seattle is indeed very wet...so is Connecticut. It's a shame that the rain myth is so pervasive that some will refrain from visiting one of the most beautiful parts of the country because they're worried they'll get rained-out. Now, if you plan to visit and hate rain, do not pick the winter as your time to visit. I know someone who did this (visited in January) and now just feels that she was justified in thinking that it always rains in Seattle. You wouldn't visit New England in winter if you hated the cold. If you don't like rain, don't visit Seattle in its rainy season. Summers in Seattle, on the other hand, are amazing. Also, people generally don't carry umbrellas in the Seattle area because it "mists" much more than it rains. So, I now know that for the rest of my life I will be defending the weather in Seattle, as I have defended the culture of Salt Lake City and...well...watered-down the fabulous reputation my current home enjoys everywhere.

One more thing, I can't wait to stop ridiculous hearing chatter about the Red Sox and Yankees everywhere I go (elevator at work in the morning; lunch; work; I can't escape the land of Red Sox and Yankees). These people are ridiculous and I dare say pathetic. I am driven to hate both teams in the same way everyone alive in the last decade was driven to hate the Macarena. Now I was a huge Jazz fan as a kid...watched every game or listened on the radio, bought as many tickets as I could, etc....but I was 13 years old! And I was the exception! Here every adult is as obsessed about the Red Sox/Yankees as I was about the Jazz. Do these people not have any lives?

Random Survey Opportunities

Another collegial day at work. My apartment was basically an open house today...a lot of people looking at it. I wasn't there for the tours though. Am getting very excited to commence our adventure. I'm trying to decide whether or not to have a "tag" sale, as they say in Connecticut. "Garage sale" is the term in Utah. Today I received an email from a certain legal service provider asking me if my experience was satisfactory. I noticed that the person was in Bellevue and had the title of manager, so I emailed her about job opportunities. We got chatty (via email) and she is going to send my resume around. Who knows. While sometimes it is scary having no idea what I'll be doing a month from now, today the feeling is thrilling, especially knowing it'll be in Seattle. I am so happy that Merinda and I are of completely one mind concerning our decision. I locked myself out of my apartment twice in about the space of two minutes last night and had to have my landlord downstairs (who is awesome) let me in. Kind of embarassing, but we couldn't help laughing a lot.

It's been raining here a lot. I don't mind it...really I don't. Today's music...Elliot Smith.

So I read a lot of negative reviews of the apartments I'm going to be moving into on apartmentratings.com. I'm not too worried. These people have obviously never lived in Hartford, Connecticut. I seriously wonder if they have ever lived in apartments. Maybe Hartford has made me haaad, as a Boston person would say.

Good Feelings

So, yesterday I told work about the move and they have been really awesome and even helpful in my efforts to get a job in Seattle. It really makes me realize how lucky I was to get a job at a firm with such great people. I will miss them all and will be lucky to find as great a place in Seattle. Merinda's job prospects have solidified since a conversation with the Seattle Regional Manager. A couple of people have shown interest in the buying our old Saturn, which is full of sentimental value. It is the car I owned when I met Merinda...the car I drove her in on our first "date" and when I used to give her rides home...the car I bought when I was 19 and galavanted across the West with, and then across the country. I have been slacking on the bicycling the past couple of weeks, but things have been crazy and I'm okay with it because I will pick it up hardcore when back in Washington...where cycling is a common obsession. We will also live across the street from a 300 acre nature preserve on Lake Washington and miles of bike trails. Our landlords are showing our apartment now. It'll be a while before we live in a place this big again. I am excited to make new friends and meet old ones when I arrive. Merinda's parents also are taking us on a short trip to Chicago just after we move-in. All in all things seem to be on the up and up. All I need now is a job. I must say that it has been frustrating blogging when I feel constrained from describing half the things that are going on in my life. A colleague of mine could not understand why I was so anxious to tell work about my plans. Life as a double-agent is stressful. I'm glad it's over. Otherwise, the legal job market does not appear to be exactly hopping at the moment, but I was being totally ignored when I was sending resumes with a Connecticut address. I will try the audioblogging from the road, which should be interesting.

The Road to the Emerald City

It's official. Merinda and I are picking up and moving to Seattle..well, Bellevue to be exact. The blog will chronicle our journey. Just informed work today. I was sworn-in to the Washington bar last week. I am still in need of a job, though Merinda appears to be set up at Nordstrom. This is 100% a lifestyle change decision. We want to live closer to family, in a place we enjoy and we have figured that the best way for me to get a job (after months of vain attempts) was to get ourselves there. It's going out on a limb, but at the very least may make the blog more interesting. We are driving to Seattle via DC, Nashville, and Utah. Using a moving service called ABF UPack. We need to finish packing our apartment, sell the car, and drive out.

As if to confirm we're making the right decision, 19 people have been shot in Hartford in the past two weeks...I am listening to sirens as I type.