LeighMo's bit of heaven (or hell)

I have my second interview for a job next week; Tuesday at 1pm to be exact. Second as in the second one I've had here in quantity; I'm hoping this will be a one interview shot with minimal hoopage through which I have to jump.

It is working a coffee kiosk in a building. At the amazon.com HQ building. Oh wait, it gets better.....its 10/hr minimum plus tips to start, 40 glorious hours per week of day shift hours, with all weekends/holidays off as well.

So, just to summarize:
espresso based coffee shop job (just like the one I had and loved so, so much)
in the mecca of techie land
waiting on uber techs
during the day
for not bad money
did I mention a full benefits package?
oh, and for only $60/month, I can ride a green, high tech, electric train into the heart of downtown Seattle, and back home, passing the congested tri-lanes of I5, in under an hour total commute time AND walking time.

I think the winds have changed, fortune is about to be mine, and I am about to thoroughly enjoy myself.

one heck of a good time!

Not like that.

Little M and I made us some "scrap crayons". Now, for those of you who didn't go to daycare centers that offered new, shiny, pointy-tipped crayolas for budding creative geniuses, allow me to enlighten.

One takes broken, dull, and otherwise over looked crayon refuse and melts them down. *remove paper first* Then, allow to cool. And presto, chango, you have new, psychedelic, chunky color chunks.

I admit, our first batch doesn't resemble the ones I was forced to use as a child I recall, but is life not an experiment, a procedure of trial and errors, by which we learn what does and does not work?

We had fun, recycled some otherwise useless crap, and I had something with which I could bribe her to get my work done (Murphy's Law: child will be grounded from all electronics, outdoor play, and anything else she may enjoy on the one day I actually have paying work.)

Without further adieu, here are our "bullet crayons":

So, we had a pretty good weekend 'round these parts. The little M went off to her mother's to enjoy some Seafair this weekend (water festival in Seattle). N showed me some of the old stomping grounds from his days living in the city, including the U of Washington campus. As far as campuses go, it is gorgeous. The buildings are very gothic in nature, huge brick buildings with ornate trimmings, spires, and even a gargoyle or two. I like architecture.

Sunday we went camping. Very grab and go; we didn't take a tent, figuring if we had to vacate the campsite by 6 am we could just sleep in the jeep. And it was quite comfy. Did some hiking, took a few paths that were off the beaten trail, because with no kidlet, we could be slightly adventurous.

There hasn't been much in the way of precipitation out here this year, but we did come across one river that was full of water, with the falls rushing and echoing through the campground. I love water, even though I fear it a little, and could listen to it fall from level to level all day long.






















I also took some time this weekend to do my toes. My toenails, I mean. I got a new pair of flip flops for 80% off the other day, very blingy, and figured the nails should match. This particular shade is Caribbean Blue. Enjoy!

So, yesterday in the great NW was 106. That's right, triple digits. The locals are all screaming about dying, for they are unaccustomed to the heat. Personally, I am hot, but it is very low humidity (unlike Michigan's 90+ degree July/August, with 90% humidity), so as long as there is a breeze or a fan going to move the air, I can deal. I've been assured this is NOT typical, western Washington weather, but I am starting to wonder if my presence here has upset the weather Gods.

I'm kidding.

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I've been here almost three months, and I still have yet to meet anyone in the flesh I can call friend. I think I am starting to pull into myself again, and I am not liking it much. I'm slowly devolving back into the person I was before the big D, and I vowed I would never get there again.

Oh, but old habits die hard, lest we not stay awares.

So, in order to "pull myself up" by the proverbial flip flop strap (because here in heaven (or hell), we don't do boots when its >65 degrees), I've got a few goals for myself:
1. start volunteering at http://www.thehumanesociety.org/ the Tacoma Humane Society in August. They need all sorts, from care givers to "socializers" (meaning, play with the critters). I think I would like that; I miss my Cricket so much, and every time I see a dog out walking I have to stop and squee over it. I've heard so many owners of little dogs say 'wow, Flippy likes you, she didn't growl at all!' I'm the anklebiter whisperer, I think.

2. Find some likeminded parters in free pool partaking on Tues. nights at a local dive bar. I haven't shot pool since March, and I fear my skillz are going to be lacking. I couldn't care less about drinking, but if I see free pool, I want me some.

3. Talk to the N meister about locating someone to sit here at night once in awhile, so we can get out by ourselves. Not so much babysitting as 'making sure the house doesn't burn down while M. sleeps' sitting. We're cool, he does his things, I do my things, we all three do lots of things, but there hasn't been much his and my things, and I miss hanging out with him. Life has a way of eeking the free time out, and without M's gramma 'round the corner for sleepover Saturdays, we're overdue for "date night" or whatever its called.

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And that is about it. I had an interview yesterday, at a printing shop for a Customer Service Rep/graphic layout person. They are interviewing about fifty people, and taking their sweet ass time with it, so if I get a callback it will be in 2-3 weeks. I got there early (because a lovely lady gave me a ride, so I didn't have to walk 1.5 miles in 100 degree heat), waited patiently while the interviewer was late arriving, and basically came up slightly short in experience, but ahead in train ability. I knew the difference between vector and bitmap art, but I drew a blank at RGB vs. CYM channels (and it occurred to me later that I knew that....gar). I know photoshop, dreamweaver, flash, fireworks, but not InDesign, although they are all the same suite now and shouldn't take me more than a few hours to figure it out. I have no print experience, but plenty of examples demonstrating typography and layout work on the web. So, in theory I can be trained for the print industry, but realistically they may want to go with someone who already knows it. We'll see, I suppose. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and that is your over used cliche of the day, mi amigas.

We live in the ghetto. We joke about it a lot; the buildings are older (70's two story row apartments) and were allowed to fall into disrepair before a new dude bought and took it over, and he is slowly and steadily trying to improve. He cleaned up tons of junk, mows the grass, has put in bids to replace things, and dutifully comes around to take care of little things here and there.

In truth, though, it really isn't that bad. We sit on our deck overlooking a small creek and watch ducks and raccoons play. It is fairly quiet, because the only people who come back here and people who live here and nobody wants to bring company over because the places are so jangy.

The one downside (other than being ghetto) is my downstairs neighbors. The woman can't talk below shrieking; she screams at the boyfriend, the kid, but talks to her 14 year old pit bull like its a baby. Last week they fought from the backyard all the way through their apartment, finally spilling out into the parking lot (which happens to be under our bedroom window). He told me later about the nose she split open punching him, getting locked out of the house, every day there is something to set her off and he just can't figure out how to not set her off anymore (classic case of emotional abuse in addition to the battering.) He can't leave because she works and he watches the kid to save on daycare, and he doesn't go anywhere because she gets mad if he leaves the house. Or has people visit him (I think that is what started the last big fight).

She's up early today; 9 am and she is outside, screaming already. I hope she has to work today; if not, they fists will be flying by noon. It is sad, I hate watching people in these situations, but I know how hard it is to see the reality of something and come to terms with the truth of it.

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My hair needs doing. The bottom half is a washed out black, and the roots are brownish with some light sunbleaching going on at the scalp. Not so attractive, I assure you. I'm conflicted; I like it black and it doesn't look totally fake, but I really want to do something kind of out there, like bright blood red or pink. In order to do that, though, I would have to bleach out the black, thereby frying my hair, and adding dye on top of it, which would render it to putty. I could cut it short, but it grows too fast to maintain it properly. Ach. When I get bored the first thing I change is my hair, and there is plenty of boring around here since I'm getting zero work coming in.

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I have a friend (we'll call Alice). Alice is very hairy. She shaves twice a day. She has to pluck chest hair. And now she thinks she's noticing a stash coming in. She knows she can't shave it, and nair makes her break out in hives and does nothing to take the unwanted hair away. What should she do? Any less abrasive remedies for unwanted hair that I can pass on to Alice?
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I didn't make it home for Liv's birthday, but she had a great day nonetheless. I talked to her on the phone four times, and hopefully she got my card and the pictures I sent her (a few of her and I together). My mom took this one of her over the weekend while Liv stayed with her; this is her birthday present: