Man, has it been over a month?? The inspiration comes and goes (all too quickly, I suppose). New posts are coming soon, though--promise. Expect to see my 2005 best-of (it's so late, I know), as well as posts on why I can't seem to get enough pop these days and how I'm learning to love my ever-present sense of self-loathing (and maybe a blurb on my love of hypens)...soon-ish.
In the meantime, a PSA:
Are you like me? Do you enjoy that crazy P2P filesharing the kids are into these days? If so, you might care to know that the man is watching you. Whether you're Bittorrenting, Soulseeking, or riding your eDonkey, chances are that organizations such as the MPAA and the RIAA are spying on you.
Even if you have a software firewall installed (you should) and/or a firewall enabled on your router, you may still be at risk. I found this out recently for myself when I installed PeerGuardian, a small, open source IP-blocking firewall for Windows and OSX. I was Bittorrenting something, instructions on how to better care for my sickly grandmother or some shit, and sure enough PeerGuardian was showing hits from all sorts of weird IPs trying to scan my port. So unless you want to stop all the downloading, I suggest you do the same--install PeerGuardian and stop this ridiculous intrusion on your digital privacy.
1.10.2006
12.06.2005
Favorites
My new favorite ice cream is...
Ben & Jerry's Half Baked Frozen Yogurt
My new favorite cartoon character is...
The grandma on Adult Swim's Squidbillies
My new favorite stand-up comic is...
Louis CK
I remember first seeing him on Dr. Katz back in the mid 90's. He did a bit about going in Wal-Mart and buying a bunch of weird, unrelated stuff just to freak people out. It was funny, but I soon forgot about him and carried on with my sad, pathetic Louie-less existence.
Flash forward to August 2005, when I was lucky enough to catch a particularly good episode of HBO's newly-resurrected One Night Stand featuring, yes--you guessed it, the comedy stylings of Mr. Louis CK. And it was good. It was so good, it was more like fucking excellent. In fact, I actually el-oh-eled quite a few times, despite watching it alone. I'd even go as far as to say it's a damn near perfect half hour of comedy. If you have the means I highly suggest you Tivo that shit or something. Here's an audio clip (NSFW):
+ Louis CK: HBO One Night Stand clip [MP3]
He's got an album called Live In Houston for sale on his site, too. It's not quite as tight as the HBO special, but it's definitely worth checking out. Some klips (mostly NSFW):
+ Louis CK: Diner Ordering [MP3]
+ Louis CK: Diet [MP3]
+ Louis CK: Itchy Asshole [MP3]
So apparently the guy's been busy since that Dr. Katz episode. In addition to the stand-up, he's written for Conan, Letterman, and the Chris Rock show, among other things. And now he's taping his own sitcom for HBO. It's called Lucky Louie and will premiere sometime in 2006. You can read all about it in a hefty article from a recent issue of the Boston Globe Magazine here.
Despite his busy schedule, Louie was kind enough to grace the boards at A Special Thing, a site that started as a Tenacious D fan site but has become a haven for comedy nerds everywhere. Actual, life-sized comics like Brian Posehn and Scott Aukerman (Mr. Show), Andy Kindler, and Patton Oswalt sometimes stop in for a chat. Louis CK recently started a “Question and Insult” thread there by promising “anyone can ask me any question and I will provide an answer that is deeply insulting to the person who asks the question.”
Here's what BrickSprickly (aka me) had to say to Louis and the insult offered in return:
BrickSprickly wrote:
Louis:
I know you're busy with your fancy new show, but do you think you'll do a stand-up show in Seattle in the near future? Will you tour after your show doesn't get picked up or what?
PS: I hope your show does get picked up. I'm gay for you.
It will be very hard for me to hit the road for a while. Once the show hits the air, however (in june) I'll probably to go on the road and make some cash. I miss standup and being on the road a lot. And I love working in Seattle.
And you're not gay for me. You're gay for the trillions, literally trillions of cocks that have been in your ass. Do you realize what that means? Trillions of cocks. There have never been trillions of people alive ever. That means that, on top of the billions of cocks that have been up your ass, meaning the cock of every man that is and ever was, there have been billions, trillions more up there, cocks that must just exist on their own without people attached to them, that were conjured by your wizard friend, just so they could go up yoru ass and die.
LCK
http://www.louisck.com
ps. you are not good.
If that's not awesome, I don't know what is. Oh, and by “I'm gay for you” I meant “I really enjoy your work.”
So there you have it, folks--my new favorite ice cream. [Sorry, David Cross. You've been crossed out, my man. Yeah, I'm still a little gay for you too, but you have to understand that things change.]
Ben & Jerry's Half Baked Frozen Yogurt
My new favorite cartoon character is...
The grandma on Adult Swim's Squidbillies
My new favorite stand-up comic is...
Louis CK
I remember first seeing him on Dr. Katz back in the mid 90's. He did a bit about going in Wal-Mart and buying a bunch of weird, unrelated stuff just to freak people out. It was funny, but I soon forgot about him and carried on with my sad, pathetic Louie-less existence.Flash forward to August 2005, when I was lucky enough to catch a particularly good episode of HBO's newly-resurrected One Night Stand featuring, yes--you guessed it, the comedy stylings of Mr. Louis CK. And it was good. It was so good, it was more like fucking excellent. In fact, I actually el-oh-eled quite a few times, despite watching it alone. I'd even go as far as to say it's a damn near perfect half hour of comedy. If you have the means I highly suggest you Tivo that shit or something. Here's an audio clip (NSFW):
+ Louis CK: HBO One Night Stand clip [MP3]
He's got an album called Live In Houston for sale on his site, too. It's not quite as tight as the HBO special, but it's definitely worth checking out. Some klips (mostly NSFW):
+ Louis CK: Diner Ordering [MP3]
+ Louis CK: Diet [MP3]
+ Louis CK: Itchy Asshole [MP3]
So apparently the guy's been busy since that Dr. Katz episode. In addition to the stand-up, he's written for Conan, Letterman, and the Chris Rock show, among other things. And now he's taping his own sitcom for HBO. It's called Lucky Louie and will premiere sometime in 2006. You can read all about it in a hefty article from a recent issue of the Boston Globe Magazine here.
Despite his busy schedule, Louie was kind enough to grace the boards at A Special Thing, a site that started as a Tenacious D fan site but has become a haven for comedy nerds everywhere. Actual, life-sized comics like Brian Posehn and Scott Aukerman (Mr. Show), Andy Kindler, and Patton Oswalt sometimes stop in for a chat. Louis CK recently started a “Question and Insult” thread there by promising “anyone can ask me any question and I will provide an answer that is deeply insulting to the person who asks the question.”
Here's what BrickSprickly (aka me) had to say to Louis and the insult offered in return:
BrickSprickly wrote:
Louis:
I know you're busy with your fancy new show, but do you think you'll do a stand-up show in Seattle in the near future? Will you tour after your show doesn't get picked up or what?
PS: I hope your show does get picked up. I'm gay for you.
It will be very hard for me to hit the road for a while. Once the show hits the air, however (in june) I'll probably to go on the road and make some cash. I miss standup and being on the road a lot. And I love working in Seattle.
And you're not gay for me. You're gay for the trillions, literally trillions of cocks that have been in your ass. Do you realize what that means? Trillions of cocks. There have never been trillions of people alive ever. That means that, on top of the billions of cocks that have been up your ass, meaning the cock of every man that is and ever was, there have been billions, trillions more up there, cocks that must just exist on their own without people attached to them, that were conjured by your wizard friend, just so they could go up yoru ass and die.
LCK
http://www.louisck.com
ps. you are not good.
If that's not awesome, I don't know what is. Oh, and by “I'm gay for you” I meant “I really enjoy your work.”
So there you have it, folks--my new favorite ice cream. [Sorry, David Cross. You've been crossed out, my man. Yeah, I'm still a little gay for you too, but you have to understand that things change.]
12.02.2005
She Can Let You Down (Part 2)
Sometimes a band transcends the new-band-gone-old paradigm by instead taking on an old-band-going-older role. It just takes a little time. Such is the case with LA's 80's-gone-60's Paisley Underground scene which spawned several worthy bands, including the Dream Syndicate, early Bangles, The Three O'Clock, super group covers project Rainy Day, and future Mazzy Star guy David Roback in his early bands Rain Parade and Opal, among others. I have to admit I'm not really through checking out these bands and exploring this "scene," but so far Rain Parade has sort of stood out to me as a band worth going back to. Their debut album, 1983's Emergency Third Rail Power Trip does a commendable job at sounding like 60's psychedelic folk rock (i.e. The Byrds). It's nearly tranparent. I've found that this song in particular manages to both sound old and authentic and still sink it's fucking hooks inside my brain. That's timeless magic. What's it done to my mind? I can't stop listening to it!
+ Rain Parade:“What's She Done to Your Mind” [MP3]
Jumping back to the present day (or a present-day reflection on the past), England's The Clientele have released a few good records recently. First came their second album, Strange Geometry, released in the US on Merge Records back in September. The follow-up to their solid debut album, The Violet Hour (2003), and the excellent preceding singles collection, Suburban Light released back in 2000/01, Strange Geometry shows the band changing things up just a bit. Without sacrificing much of their core sound (wistful, melancholy, shimmery, dreamy, and yes, 60's-ish), they've made a few alterations this time around: First and most noticeably, they turned down the reverb considerably on the vocals, so they're a bit more clear and upfront than usual. They rock out a little more on tracks like “Impossible,” which at its climax features something of a psych rock guitar solo. There's also the inclusion of spoken word vocals on the track “Losing Haringey,” which is pretty interesting. Aside from these small details, and maybe a bit of a cleaner, more well-recorded sound overall, they're still putting out the good ol' reliable dreaminess that I can't seem to get sick of.
I got to see the band play here recently, and they were excellent. I can't think of a more suitable vibe for the rainy days of the Seattle winter. They played a good range of material, centered of course on their new album, including several of my personal favorites from Suburban Light. At the show, I picked up the early/unreleased songs collection just put out in time for the tour entitled It's Art Dad. It's self-released and currently available only at their shows or by mailorder from the band. The songs included (which were recorded from 1991-96) are lo-fi, with a home demo sound that might be a put off for some. I think it actually works pretty well for them. In most cases, it suits their warm-n-fuzzy sound just right. This disc may only appeal to big fans like myself, but there are actually a few gems that are worth checking out.
+ The Clientele:“Dear Jennifer” [MP3]
+ The Clientele:“The Evening In Your Eyes” [MP3]
+ The Clientele:“St. James' Walk” [MP3]
Before I go, I want to get back to something I mentioned in first part of this post, about how comforting I find old (and old-sounding) music. The Clientele, more than any other band I've mentioned here, typifies this feeling I'm failing to accurately describe. And not only do they seem to match so well the dreary weather of Seattle (which is probably pretty similar to that of the band's London home), but they seem to match me, too. It's strange. I can't think of any other band that so often suits my mood these days. I've really connected with it. Yeah, I need to get fucking happy, right? Well until I do, there's this band that seems to know exactly how I feel. That's just magic.
+ Rain Parade:
Jumping back to the present day (or a present-day reflection on the past), England's The Clientele have released a few good records recently. First came their second album, Strange Geometry, released in the US on Merge Records back in September. The follow-up to their solid debut album, The Violet Hour (2003), and the excellent preceding singles collection, Suburban Light released back in 2000/01, Strange Geometry shows the band changing things up just a bit. Without sacrificing much of their core sound (wistful, melancholy, shimmery, dreamy, and yes, 60's-ish), they've made a few alterations this time around: First and most noticeably, they turned down the reverb considerably on the vocals, so they're a bit more clear and upfront than usual. They rock out a little more on tracks like “Impossible,” which at its climax features something of a psych rock guitar solo. There's also the inclusion of spoken word vocals on the track “Losing Haringey,” which is pretty interesting. Aside from these small details, and maybe a bit of a cleaner, more well-recorded sound overall, they're still putting out the good ol' reliable dreaminess that I can't seem to get sick of.
I got to see the band play here recently, and they were excellent. I can't think of a more suitable vibe for the rainy days of the Seattle winter. They played a good range of material, centered of course on their new album, including several of my personal favorites from Suburban Light. At the show, I picked up the early/unreleased songs collection just put out in time for the tour entitled It's Art Dad. It's self-released and currently available only at their shows or by mailorder from the band. The songs included (which were recorded from 1991-96) are lo-fi, with a home demo sound that might be a put off for some. I think it actually works pretty well for them. In most cases, it suits their warm-n-fuzzy sound just right. This disc may only appeal to big fans like myself, but there are actually a few gems that are worth checking out.
+ The Clientele:
+ The Clientele:
+ The Clientele:
Before I go, I want to get back to something I mentioned in first part of this post, about how comforting I find old (and old-sounding) music. The Clientele, more than any other band I've mentioned here, typifies this feeling I'm failing to accurately describe. And not only do they seem to match so well the dreary weather of Seattle (which is probably pretty similar to that of the band's London home), but they seem to match me, too. It's strange. I can't think of any other band that so often suits my mood these days. I've really connected with it. Yeah, I need to get fucking happy, right? Well until I do, there's this band that seems to know exactly how I feel. That's just magic.
11.28.2005
She Can Let You Down (Part 1)
There's something about old music that just does me right. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I can come close by saying that I find it very comforting. But it's not just comforting--it's something more. It's like a favorite sweater and a good cup of coffee on a saturday morning: warm, well-worn, and cozy.
I wasn't lucky enough to be born to parents with good taste in music, so I missed out a little growing up and have had quite a bit of catching up to do. Every so often, I seem to reach back for something that I've missed. Sometimes I find something cool, sometimes I don't. Either way, I learn something new. One thing I learned recently is that new music is sometimes very good at sounding old. This is good news because, let's face it, some day we're gonna run out of real old music, aren't we?
Yes: Espers, a psych-folk band from Philadelphia, has recently released an EP of covers. The songs are old. The band is new. Blah blah blah. Weed Tree (Locust) is Espers turning it's dark, folky hymns to the past. The covers include songs from Nico, Blue Oyster Cult, Durutti Column, and a few traditionals like “Black Is the Color,” as well as one original song, “Dead King.” Espers do a good job at sounding kind of old already, so songs like the medieval-y traditional “Rosemary Lane,” which makes me feel like I'm at a Reniassance Fair (minus the cleavage and weird sticks of meat), tend to fortify the vibe they're kinda going for. Seriously, this song isn't just old--it's olde:
+ Espers:“Rosemary Lane” [MP3]
Speaking of dark and old, Tarnation was a great band who was a big part of that whole dark, spooky Southern gothic country explosion that happened in a dream I had recently. Seriously, I don't know who you could compare them to, but the mostly female vocals sound a little like the ghost of Patsy Cline's equally talented lovelorn younger sister, Petula. The music is slow, twangy and with lots of reverb and only brightens up occasionally for a few upbeat numbers here and there. This song, featured on both their debut, I'll Give You Something to Cry About (1993) and their second and best album (and first for 4AD), Gentle Creatures, is especially good at sounding old, if maybe at the risk of sounding slightly affected:
+ Tarnation:“Game of Broken Hearts” [MP3]
I wasn't lucky enough to be born to parents with good taste in music, so I missed out a little growing up and have had quite a bit of catching up to do. Every so often, I seem to reach back for something that I've missed. Sometimes I find something cool, sometimes I don't. Either way, I learn something new. One thing I learned recently is that new music is sometimes very good at sounding old. This is good news because, let's face it, some day we're gonna run out of real old music, aren't we?
Yes: Espers, a psych-folk band from Philadelphia, has recently released an EP of covers. The songs are old. The band is new. Blah blah blah. Weed Tree (Locust) is Espers turning it's dark, folky hymns to the past. The covers include songs from Nico, Blue Oyster Cult, Durutti Column, and a few traditionals like “Black Is the Color,” as well as one original song, “Dead King.” Espers do a good job at sounding kind of old already, so songs like the medieval-y traditional “Rosemary Lane,” which makes me feel like I'm at a Reniassance Fair (minus the cleavage and weird sticks of meat), tend to fortify the vibe they're kinda going for. Seriously, this song isn't just old--it's olde:
+ Espers:
Speaking of dark and old, Tarnation was a great band who was a big part of that whole dark, spooky Southern gothic country explosion that happened in a dream I had recently. Seriously, I don't know who you could compare them to, but the mostly female vocals sound a little like the ghost of Patsy Cline's equally talented lovelorn younger sister, Petula. The music is slow, twangy and with lots of reverb and only brightens up occasionally for a few upbeat numbers here and there. This song, featured on both their debut, I'll Give You Something to Cry About (1993) and their second and best album (and first for 4AD), Gentle Creatures, is especially good at sounding old, if maybe at the risk of sounding slightly affected:
+ Tarnation:
10.25.2005
'Cause She Never Dreams
Whoa. I haven't posted in a while, huh? Don't worry, nothing much has really happened. I'm still looking for a job. It's real fun stuff. (Not really; it's utterly depressing, but I'll spare you.) Otherwise, there's not much more to report. Things could be better; things could be worse. Nothing new there. I've been trying to decide whether I should even bother with this site. It's embarrassingly out of date, for one thing. And well...I'm not sure my heart is in it anymore. Whatever. Who knows. I'll figure something out.
I did get to see the Dirty Three a few weeks back. They were excellent, and the show really gave me a new appreciation. It suited my mood so well it was almost kind of creepy. But it was good. Really good. Would've been even better had they played in my living room. There are quite a few shows coming up that I'd like to attend. Guess we'll have to see if my wallet cooperates.
Upcoming “Jeff” Shows:
10.25.05 - American Analog Set/Verevin @ Chop Suey
10.27.05 - The Decemberists/Cass McCombs @ Showbox
10.30.05 - Broadcast/Gravenhurst @ Neumo's
11.12.05 - Broken Social Scene/Feist @ Showbox
11.15.05 - The Clientele/Radar Bros @ Chop Suey
12.03.05 - Echo & The Bunnymen @ Showbox
I've been without extra money for a while now, but it hasn't stopped me from hearing new stuff (hooray for slsk). I'll post something soon about music stuff. For now, here's a little mix of a tracks I put together in some of my hopeless-est moments as of late. Enjoy.
Sad Bastard Anthology Vol 2: Modest Melancholia
[Deleted]
1. David Pajo: Oh No No
2. Tarnation: The Well
3. Do Make Say Think: The Apartment Song
4. Colin Newman: Alone
5. Malcom Middleton: Loneliness Shines
6. Vincent Gallo: A Wet Cleaner
7. The Places: Program Ten
I did get to see the Dirty Three a few weeks back. They were excellent, and the show really gave me a new appreciation. It suited my mood so well it was almost kind of creepy. But it was good. Really good. Would've been even better had they played in my living room. There are quite a few shows coming up that I'd like to attend. Guess we'll have to see if my wallet cooperates.
Upcoming “Jeff” Shows:
10.25.05 - American Analog Set/Verevin @ Chop Suey
10.27.05 - The Decemberists/Cass McCombs @ Showbox
10.30.05 - Broadcast/Gravenhurst @ Neumo's
11.12.05 - Broken Social Scene/Feist @ Showbox
11.15.05 - The Clientele/Radar Bros @ Chop Suey
12.03.05 - Echo & The Bunnymen @ Showbox
I've been without extra money for a while now, but it hasn't stopped me from hearing new stuff (hooray for slsk). I'll post something soon about music stuff. For now, here's a little mix of a tracks I put together in some of my hopeless-est moments as of late. Enjoy.
Sad Bastard Anthology Vol 2: Modest Melancholia
[Deleted]
1. David Pajo: Oh No No
2. Tarnation: The Well
3. Do Make Say Think: The Apartment Song
4. Colin Newman: Alone
5. Malcom Middleton: Loneliness Shines
6. Vincent Gallo: A Wet Cleaner
7. The Places: Program Ten
9.13.2005
Here I Am
I'm in Seattle now, living with Wally (my cat) in a 1 BR apartment in Capitol Hill (which is sort of like a less yuppie Dupont Circle, for all you folks back in DC). It's not too bad--I've been getting along just fine, though reality has set in and I am definitely not on vacation. The weather is weird. It feels like Fall already here.
Moving across country has proven to be a pain in the ass, but what did I expect? My Charlie Brown luck was not left behind. But, despite trouble getting back online and issues with my new bank and a few broken dishes, I am settling in pretty ok. I have a bed and a couch and new set of speakers for my stereo. No TV/DVD yet; that will have to wait until after I've secured employment. I made one trip too many to Ikea and dropped a hefty chunk of change at Target for household supplies. Feh.
I've begun to send out my resume, to temp agencies and to a few local companies. Wish me luck. I need to start working again very soon.
I'd planned to write a bit more, about the moving process and my adventures so far, but I'm not feeling up to it. But if you want to check out some photos of my new place, you can do so here.
Last, but surely not least, I just want to say thanks to everyone back in DC (especially my old housemates) for the going away party. It meant a lot. Thanks also to The Antiques for a playing a great little set in my (old) dining room. It was awesome. And many many thanks to Sara for all the help in transitioning to the next phase. You rock.
Moving across country has proven to be a pain in the ass, but what did I expect? My Charlie Brown luck was not left behind. But, despite trouble getting back online and issues with my new bank and a few broken dishes, I am settling in pretty ok. I have a bed and a couch and new set of speakers for my stereo. No TV/DVD yet; that will have to wait until after I've secured employment. I made one trip too many to Ikea and dropped a hefty chunk of change at Target for household supplies. Feh.
I've begun to send out my resume, to temp agencies and to a few local companies. Wish me luck. I need to start working again very soon.
I'd planned to write a bit more, about the moving process and my adventures so far, but I'm not feeling up to it. But if you want to check out some photos of my new place, you can do so here.
Last, but surely not least, I just want to say thanks to everyone back in DC (especially my old housemates) for the going away party. It meant a lot. Thanks also to The Antiques for a playing a great little set in my (old) dining room. It was awesome. And many many thanks to Sara for all the help in transitioning to the next phase. You rock.
8.31.2005
8.23.2005
Packing by Moonlight
Three boxes of books, four boxes of CDs, a few crates of vinyl, and about 30 lbs of DVDs. Approximately 80% of what I own is media. Personal entertainment. Shit to listen to, shit to read and watch. Music magazines. Damn—how many back issues of Tape Op does a guy really need? Or what about the ten yellowed issues of Arthur Magazine? Sure, there's my computer and some music equipment, and of course there are my clothes, but I have so much crap.
I have been selling stuff, too. (Which is a bit unsettling when some of it, like my dumb Ikea furniture, is being sold right from under my ass.) Where's my stuff? Yeah, it's crappy Ikea things and dusty synthesizers I've barely touched in months, but still. Very weird. I'm paring down now. It's more cost effective this way, I suppose.
Oh well, it'll be nice to start over. Maybe I'll get some real furniture this time.
I have been selling stuff, too. (Which is a bit unsettling when some of it, like my dumb Ikea furniture, is being sold right from under my ass.) Where's my stuff? Yeah, it's crappy Ikea things and dusty synthesizers I've barely touched in months, but still. Very weird. I'm paring down now. It's more cost effective this way, I suppose.
Oh well, it'll be nice to start over. Maybe I'll get some real furniture this time.
8.19.2005
Gimme Shelter
I'm writing this post from tens of thousands of feet in the air, old-fashioned style (on paper), on my return trip from Seattle, currently en route to DC via JFK in New York. I am extremely happy to report that my apartment-finding mission was a success.After three long days of Craigslist checking, bus riding, walking up and down hills, calling, asking, and being disappointed by no-pet policies and rents just out of reach, I found a place for me and Wally to call home. The apartment is a spacious one-bedroom in a neat building a few blocks off of the main drag in the thriving, fashionable neighborhood of Capitol Hill.
While the location of the building isn't exactly where I wanted to be—I was shooting for closer to 15th Ave., in the more grown-up part of Capitol Hill, rather than Broadway—I can't really complain. Finding an apartment in a strange new city in less than a week's time is no easy feat, but I did it. I fucking did it! And thank god, because I was nearly losing it this week worrying and wondering about my oh so uncertain future and what might happen (or not happen). Now that I found a place of my own, I have one major goal off my back.
With all the running around this week, I didn't have much time for fun. I hardly took any photos. I ate quickly and cheaply. And I made no unnecessary purchases (i.e. records). I was however able to hang out with a few friends. Sara, an ex-girlfriend who has been in Seattle for a while, was kind enough to help me out by letting me use the store she works in as a sort of home base for my apartment search, offering free Internet access and a clean, private toilet. As thanks, I treated her to tasty dinner at Thai Tom over in the U District before heading to the Bus Stop back in Capitol Hill for a beer.
And then last night, after handing over the deposit for the apartment and breathing a huge sigh of relief, Kevin swung by and picked me up from my new neighborhood and we drove out to West Seattle and Alki Beach, both of which I had failed to see during my June trip. It was beautiful and awesome driving along the coast. The sun was setting with the Olympic mountains in the distance to one side and the downtown skyline and Queen Anne to the other. Keving and I chatted as we wound our way around West Seattle and took in the sights. That's when it hit me—I live here now. I'm looking at home. I felt a strange mixture of contentment and anticipation, and I knew I'd made the right choice.
8.14.2005
C Ya
Now that the cat's out of the bag at work (and has been for a while—Friday was my last day!), it can now be told: I am moving to Seattle at the end of the month. For those of you who didn't already know, I've been planning this for a quite a while. My trip to the Emerald City back in June was in fact part vacation and part reconnaissance mission. And having checked it out as thoroughly as possible, through my visit, personal recommendations, and reading through several books (namely, this and this), I have decided to give a whirl.As for my reasons for moving, I won't get into the details. It's just not that interesting. DC isn't doing it for me anymore. That's basically it.
And I picked Seattle because, in all my years as a so-called “army brat,” I never spent any time in the Pacific Northwest. So why not?
I'm flying out tomorrow to find an apartment. I've got three solid days of looking and hopefully securing a place to live and then it's back to the east coast to pack my stuff, sell whatever else I can, and then get the hell out of here on the 1st. Oh, and I guess I've got some hanging out to do before I go. I'm heading to the beach to spend some time with my brother and his family for a few days next week, for one. And then there's the going away party that's supposed to happen here at the house. More on that later, though.
I'm pretty fucking excited—I've never lived in my own place before. And I wanna do it right. It's supposedly a renter's market out there, but they go quick. I have only a few neighborhoods in mind and what I want is pretty specific (old building, 1BR, hw floors, cats allowed, in hip-but-not-too-hip neighborhood). Still, I am cautiously optimistic.
Wish me luck.
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