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dolariI'm sorry I've been so slow on the Road Trip updates...it's been a busy month. So before I get too too behind, especially since I'm in the first week of the new apartment, here's a quick update:
LIVE
Seattle from Union Lake (3442x240, 528k)
Seattle has proven to be a really nice city, a lot like an overgrown version of Austin, with cleaner air and cooler temps. It's also a hideously expensive city. Rents are nearly double what you see in Austin (I pay $150 more for 100sq ft less), gas prices are at least a half a buck more, and groceries at least a third more (Thank you fo rall your dontations, they were WAY WAY WAY appreciated).
That said, this is a BEAUTIFUL city. Tons of lakes, mountains all around us (On a good day, you can see Mt. Rainier over Lake Washington), and little towns all around not polluted by Wal Marts and McDonalds (Fall City is neat - it's like walking back into the good parts of the 1950s).
Traffic could use some work. It's not nearly as bad as Austin, it just lasts longer, especially with only two bridges crossing Lake Washington. From the suburbs into town.
Downtown is NICE. I work right in the heart of downtown, and there's tons of little places to eat and enjoy the ocean. Lots of "street culture" with pubs and stores and restaruants n the bottom floors of highrises. Pike's Place Market is up the street. The town is pretty steeply graded (my pickup hates crawling up them, especially since it's a manual transmission), but the walk is good for me.
The apartment is small, but serviceable. As long as it has a dishwasher and washer/dryer, I'm happy. I live at the top of a very steep ridge known as Eagle Ridge on Renton Hill. Steep enough that my first floor apartment looks at the roof of the two story apartment building in front of me. The view from the apartment isn't so hot, but the view from the nearby park is amazing, looking over all of Renton, Skyway and southern Lake Washington. You can see planes taking off and landing at Boeing field. The only bad thing is there's only one way in and out of the area, so you are bottlenecked through one road. It's also a really nice area. Very wooded, very green. Not very quiet, though, as I-405 is just down the hill.
WORK
Snoqualmie Valley and Mount Sai (3170x600 1.14MB)
I usually call my places of work [workplace] in order to not make it too obvious where I work (for my sake, and my employment's sake). In this case, I'm giving my place of work a name - Globex. Not as in the invenstment firm, but as in Hank Scorpio's Globex from the Simpsons. No really. :D This place is EXACLY like Globex, minus the Evil Villan Owner. They're very very very employee oriented, with no dress code, no scripting, and essentiually, no rules. I was worried that my wallpaper of Hanna in her angel form and huntress forms might be offensive (Huntress Han'a is in her hides with lotsof skin showing). Then I saw a screen saver on an employees desk f bondage latex gear. Yeah. Really. On goes the Hanna wallpaper.
When we first got the jobs, we were told how much of the copany is emplyee focused, and how much independence and leeway we're given. Frankly, I've heard this everywhere, and it's was practiced NOWHERE (DNP (I can say the name now since I don't work there anymore) gave us leeway and independence, but it was never promised...it was jus tthe side effect of being a small company) If I was to rank all the places I work, Globex is uptop, just above DNP.
How great is it? I went to HR to have The Talk. I usually have The Talk pretty quickly with HR to let them know I'm trans, that I'm not in the closet, and if people have question, I'm okay with it. I mentioned that I'd been fired from a previous job for someone cmplainin that I was using the "wrong" restrooms, and before I continued the HR person interrupted me and said "That won't happen here. We don't hire people like that." And for once, looking around work, I believe her.
They have parties on the roof every two weeks. Music AND booze. Movie passes in the game room. XBox, DVD player AND surround Sound system in the game room. Quiet Rooms. Ice Cream Socials. Heck, they're having a newbie party for us on our last day.
They mentioned that we were all hired for our "character." Not so much out tech skills (I have no networking skills) or customer service skills (I've got tons). And looking around at the 9 of us (pared down from 65!), I believe it.
The only problem is it doesn't pay much. In fact, to take this job, I took a $2 an hour cut, which hurts considering how much more expensive it is out here. This place is awesome. This place is great. I hope I can afford it, cause I don't really wanna leave. DNP knows I'm willing to come back if the call volume picks up. If they pay me the same I had before I left, I'm so there. But at the same time, the new place? AWESOME.
PLAY
Mt Rainier from Sunrise Summit (3767x480 1.05MB)
One of the nice things about this place, is I already have a bunch of friends here, and have already made new ones. From Erin Lindsey & Lissa, who lent me their studio and massage table till I got my own, place, to Loren Coven, Jade Gordon and Dov Sherman, who helped me realize I'm not alone here (as well as showing me where parks and good asian stores are), to Morgan, Cam and Steve who taught me how to play D&D, laughed at my corny jokes and made fun of movies with me....I've had a freaking blast.
I've visited the Twin Peaks/North Bend/Snoqualmie area several times now - and if I ever get a job that allows me to telecommute, I'm so moving there. As it is, they're about 20 minutes away, and on a good clear day, the trip is totlly worth it. Mt. Rainier is only four miles, however we're getting into the winter season, so that may be a bit of a stretch to get to. I'd love to see more of the mountains, since onthe way up, all I saw was Mt. Shasta and Mt. Baker (St. Helens was in clouds on the way up).
I've also started getting into D&D, although I'm VERY VERY VERY newbieish about it. It runs a lot faster than I'm used to (I used to agonize over choices in Infocom games), so I don't always make the right decisions, especially (as in my last game) you had someone who really WAS the character, and roleplayed as one during the game (distracting, but I need to get used to folks doing that). At least everyone was patient with me during the two games so far (it helps they've all mostly been former and present Casa Lindsey roomies).
Drawing comics is fun, too, with Loren and Erin. Having a bunch of artists around really helps get the pencil scratching, and I like to think it helps them as well. I'd like to start an Artist's night, where just the artists in the area get together and work on something while movies or music play.
A moviegasm is being planned. I don't know where it's going to be as I have a tiny club house. I know Morgan wants to make a "private" moviegasm at his place (which is huge). Maybe we'll have one or two there toget interest going before i have mine. I'd like to do a Christmas Themed one, where we watch the Star Wars christmas special and Santa Claus coquers the martians and what now in December.
Anyways, that's where I am so far. I'll get back to posting the road trip soon (possibly tonight). Once my regular shift kicks in (EVENING SHIFT!), and I get a desk (easier to type!) and more of my stuff from Texas, it'll be easier to and faster to write this stuff.
Missing y'all in Texas....
LIVE
Seattle from Union Lake (3442x240, 528k)
Seattle has proven to be a really nice city, a lot like an overgrown version of Austin, with cleaner air and cooler temps. It's also a hideously expensive city. Rents are nearly double what you see in Austin (I pay $150 more for 100sq ft less), gas prices are at least a half a buck more, and groceries at least a third more (Thank you fo rall your dontations, they were WAY WAY WAY appreciated).
That said, this is a BEAUTIFUL city. Tons of lakes, mountains all around us (On a good day, you can see Mt. Rainier over Lake Washington), and little towns all around not polluted by Wal Marts and McDonalds (Fall City is neat - it's like walking back into the good parts of the 1950s).
Traffic could use some work. It's not nearly as bad as Austin, it just lasts longer, especially with only two bridges crossing Lake Washington. From the suburbs into town.
Downtown is NICE. I work right in the heart of downtown, and there's tons of little places to eat and enjoy the ocean. Lots of "street culture" with pubs and stores and restaruants n the bottom floors of highrises. Pike's Place Market is up the street. The town is pretty steeply graded (my pickup hates crawling up them, especially since it's a manual transmission), but the walk is good for me.
The apartment is small, but serviceable. As long as it has a dishwasher and washer/dryer, I'm happy. I live at the top of a very steep ridge known as Eagle Ridge on Renton Hill. Steep enough that my first floor apartment looks at the roof of the two story apartment building in front of me. The view from the apartment isn't so hot, but the view from the nearby park is amazing, looking over all of Renton, Skyway and southern Lake Washington. You can see planes taking off and landing at Boeing field. The only bad thing is there's only one way in and out of the area, so you are bottlenecked through one road. It's also a really nice area. Very wooded, very green. Not very quiet, though, as I-405 is just down the hill.
WORK
Snoqualmie Valley and Mount Sai (3170x600 1.14MB)
I usually call my places of work [workplace] in order to not make it too obvious where I work (for my sake, and my employment's sake). In this case, I'm giving my place of work a name - Globex. Not as in the invenstment firm, but as in Hank Scorpio's Globex from the Simpsons. No really. :D This place is EXACLY like Globex, minus the Evil Villan Owner. They're very very very employee oriented, with no dress code, no scripting, and essentiually, no rules. I was worried that my wallpaper of Hanna in her angel form and huntress forms might be offensive (Huntress Han'a is in her hides with lotsof skin showing). Then I saw a screen saver on an employees desk f bondage latex gear. Yeah. Really. On goes the Hanna wallpaper.
When we first got the jobs, we were told how much of the copany is emplyee focused, and how much independence and leeway we're given. Frankly, I've heard this everywhere, and it's was practiced NOWHERE (DNP (I can say the name now since I don't work there anymore) gave us leeway and independence, but it was never promised...it was jus tthe side effect of being a small company) If I was to rank all the places I work, Globex is uptop, just above DNP.
How great is it? I went to HR to have The Talk. I usually have The Talk pretty quickly with HR to let them know I'm trans, that I'm not in the closet, and if people have question, I'm okay with it. I mentioned that I'd been fired from a previous job for someone cmplainin that I was using the "wrong" restrooms, and before I continued the HR person interrupted me and said "That won't happen here. We don't hire people like that." And for once, looking around work, I believe her.
They have parties on the roof every two weeks. Music AND booze. Movie passes in the game room. XBox, DVD player AND surround Sound system in the game room. Quiet Rooms. Ice Cream Socials. Heck, they're having a newbie party for us on our last day.
They mentioned that we were all hired for our "character." Not so much out tech skills (I have no networking skills) or customer service skills (I've got tons). And looking around at the 9 of us (pared down from 65!), I believe it.
The only problem is it doesn't pay much. In fact, to take this job, I took a $2 an hour cut, which hurts considering how much more expensive it is out here. This place is awesome. This place is great. I hope I can afford it, cause I don't really wanna leave. DNP knows I'm willing to come back if the call volume picks up. If they pay me the same I had before I left, I'm so there. But at the same time, the new place? AWESOME.
PLAY
Mt Rainier from Sunrise Summit (3767x480 1.05MB)
One of the nice things about this place, is I already have a bunch of friends here, and have already made new ones. From Erin Lindsey & Lissa, who lent me their studio and massage table till I got my own, place, to Loren Coven, Jade Gordon and Dov Sherman, who helped me realize I'm not alone here (as well as showing me where parks and good asian stores are), to Morgan, Cam and Steve who taught me how to play D&D, laughed at my corny jokes and made fun of movies with me....I've had a freaking blast.
I've visited the Twin Peaks/North Bend/Snoqualmie area several times now - and if I ever get a job that allows me to telecommute, I'm so moving there. As it is, they're about 20 minutes away, and on a good clear day, the trip is totlly worth it. Mt. Rainier is only four miles, however we're getting into the winter season, so that may be a bit of a stretch to get to. I'd love to see more of the mountains, since onthe way up, all I saw was Mt. Shasta and Mt. Baker (St. Helens was in clouds on the way up).
I've also started getting into D&D, although I'm VERY VERY VERY newbieish about it. It runs a lot faster than I'm used to (I used to agonize over choices in Infocom games), so I don't always make the right decisions, especially (as in my last game) you had someone who really WAS the character, and roleplayed as one during the game (distracting, but I need to get used to folks doing that). At least everyone was patient with me during the two games so far (it helps they've all mostly been former and present Casa Lindsey roomies).
Drawing comics is fun, too, with Loren and Erin. Having a bunch of artists around really helps get the pencil scratching, and I like to think it helps them as well. I'd like to start an Artist's night, where just the artists in the area get together and work on something while movies or music play.
A moviegasm is being planned. I don't know where it's going to be as I have a tiny club house. I know Morgan wants to make a "private" moviegasm at his place (which is huge). Maybe we'll have one or two there toget interest going before i have mine. I'd like to do a Christmas Themed one, where we watch the Star Wars christmas special and Santa Claus coquers the martians and what now in December.
Anyways, that's where I am so far. I'll get back to posting the road trip soon (possibly tonight). Once my regular shift kicks in (EVENING SHIFT!), and I get a desk (easier to type!) and more of my stuff from Texas, it'll be easier to and faster to write this stuff.
Missing y'all in Texas....
