Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Day 6 - Sleepless in Seattle

This moring, I headed out in search of something reasonably priced, healthy, and quick. And preferably not Starbucks, for Adam dislikes their coffee (too burnt tasting). However, after walking half a block and reaching Starbucks #4, I realized the task at hand was a bit over zealous. For $9, I got a coffee, a tea, and a "protein plate" which included an egg, some fruit, a bagel and peanut butter, and a wedge of cheese. This met 2 out of 4 criteria. Sigh.
We lucked out on the weather, which was supposed to be 50 degrees and rainy for our entire trip. It was actually sunny and clear, so we decided to head to the Space Needle first, then hit up the Experience Music Project. Honestly, when I found out the Space Needle costs $16 per person, I considered bailing on this uber-touristy endeavor. But, in the end, I figured you only live once, and the price of things like this was only going to go up. As we ascended in the elevator, I became very pleased with my decision. The Space Needle views were great, they have a ton of interesting interactive computer displays, and there was a great write-up on the design and construction of the building. I must nerdily admit that I really liked learning about it.
The Experience Museum is a "history of rock and roll" museum set up by the heirs of Jimi Hendrix, who was a native of Seattle. The coolest thing about this was a 50-foot tall sculpture made of over 400 instruments (mostly guitars) that actually plays a composition via a computer generated strumming machine. There were also a bunch of guitars, and exhibits on other well known Seattle bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and I had a blast. The building itself is also an exhibit of its own. It is designed by Frank Geary and has his standard "ball up a wad of paper towel and model a building after it" kind of design. As an engineer, I must say this style is complicated for the sake of being complicated, and overly difficult to build. I much prefer a straight-lined, practical building.
After our two tours, we walked around Seattle and got a feel for some of the neighborhoods. We picked up apartment guides and Realtor books, and we got seafood on the waterfront. We watched the ferry load up with cars, and we got a bottle of local wine.
After a short nap at the hotel, we hiked out to a brew pub near the University of Seattle, and had one drink before heading back. I had sent a few text messages to friends and family from the bar, thinking it must be like 4am back home. They returned the favor by replying in a chorus around 5am pacific time.
Adam has just left for "the interview". We are both torn over this - I have a job offer, and another interview scheduled for next week in Baltimore. I have found no openings for engineers here. Do we like Seattle enough to uproot and move across the country?
Only time will tell.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Day 5 - Remember the 90's?

I am in Seattle! As I wait for Mr. Sleepyhead to get his patoot out of our lovely king size bed at the Hyatt, allow me to relate our travel day.

We awoke bright and early at 5am, and apparently took a stupid pill instead of vitamins. By 6:38am, we arrived (late) to my sister's house where she was waiting to take us to the airport before she went to work. (God love her.) We loaded up the car with almost everything - our suitcases, and Adam's carry-on made the trip. We decided to leave my carry-on in the back of my Cavalier in Baltimore. I realized this in a panic at the airport, thinking my wallet was in there. But luckily, my wallet did make the trip. No, I did not technically need anything in the bag for the trip - I only needed it to make me happy. Among my things to pass the time on the plane, it included a few pieces of fruit and some nuts for our breakfasts. Those bananas will be just delicious after four days in a car...
Next step, the check-in. Note that at this point, I am decidedly UNhappy. Adam checked in without too much trouble, though he nearly upgraded to first class for $150. However, the computer did not find me, and we were forced to ask the angry people at the front desk to help us. Actually, they were just on the border between rude and polite - they helped us, but they made it clear that if we were beings of average intelligence, we would have been able to do this ourselves. I also learned at this time that baggage checks now cost extra money. Yet, you are not allowed to take a carry-on with more than 3.5 ounces of fluid, so those of us with contacts are screwed. Even the trial size bottle holds 4 ounces. I had planned on the check-in due to the liquid, but I had not planned on the $15 fee. Remember the 90's? This used to be free!
Step number 3, the security check point. We proceed to the nearest terminal gate, and wait in line for about 30 minutes. At the front, we are told that we have waited in the wrong line. This is when I begin to wonder if perhaps the non-angry angry people at the front desk may have had a point. It said right on the ticket - gate C9, and we had waited in line for the D terminal. A brisk 5 minute walk to terminal C, where the line was only about 10 minutes long.
At gate C9, they are boarding the plane. I would have to wait about 3 hours to eat at the St. Paul airport, unless I got something at the nearest eatery. Adam thought it would be quick, and encouraged me to get something, since I tend to be unpleasant company without food in my belly. It was not quick.
The place was a bit understaffed, and it took about a bazillion years to get a bowl of oatmeal and a coffee. A man came running through the terminal with his bags trailing behind him. He stood in the boarding line, gasping for breath as the agent pulled up his boarding pass and instructed him (almost rudely) about where to put his oversized luggage. We were behind him.
Finally we boarded the plane with breakfast in hand. Remember the 90's? Food used to be supplied on the plane - for no additional cost!
In St. Paul I perused the Sudoku books with $4 in hand, which I felt would be sufficient for my purchase. Not. Every book cost $5.99. I picked up a USA Today for $1 - there is one Sudoku and a crossword puzzle, which would have to do. As I tried to pay, I got a phone call, but I did not answer because I think it is a bit rude to answer a call while you are trying to pay. Turns out I got a job offer! This was good news indeed, but as I called the guy back, I heard my name over the loudspeaker. I had to hang up, and I didn't get the specifics. Grr. But at least we got our seats changed so we could sit together.
In Seattle, our intelligence returned. Perhaps this was because we had eaten breakfast and consumed massive amounts of coffee by this time. While looking at the bus map, a man overheard us saying we need to get downtown, and pointed to a bus which was just pulling up. We hopped on, and another man told us which stop to get off on. We got off, walked two blocks to our hotel, and we were parked at our room in the Grand Hyatt - with view of the Space Needle - in no time. It was then that I found out there is no continental breakfast. Perhaps rich people are not aware that practically every other hotel chain has a breakfast! You do not need to pay $9.00 for a bowl of oatmeal! I expect you rich folks to work on that by the next time someone pays for me to sleep in one of your fancy hotels.

The bathrooms are cool though.

Well, I gots to find me some vittles, lest I wither and die. On to new adventures!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Day 4 - Where have all the Jennys gone?

I woke bright and early for my interview this morning and put on my new Sears digs. I pulled and tugged on a pair of medium panty hose, also newly purchased. Yes, you heard correctly - medium. Nearly all of the large shirts and pants I tried on at Sears were too big. Of course, the first few were considered flukes, but after 4 trips to the dressing room, I started picking the mediums. So, while at Target picking hose, I read the little chart on the back expectantly, hoping to be in the medium category. Average. Is that so much to ask? Anyway, with a little creativity, I decided medium was the way to go. Ooops. They are a tad too small and I had to resort to an old trick - put a pair of underwear over the hose to keep them snuggly snuggled you know where. Before leaving, I even applied some lip gloss. I do not do make up, so this is about the extent of my abilities. All in all, I cleaned up well.

The first person I was introduced to was a girl about 2 years out of school named Emily. Argh! Why are all engineers her age named Emily? Because of Emilys, I have had to add last names to all my contacts on my phone. When I was a kid, girls were named Jennifer. I remember counting about 10 Jens that I knew on my hand. I only knew one Emily, and she was in my sister's class. Now, it is all reversed. I still have a friend named Jen (with a daughter named Emily) but I have four Emily's in my phone. Only one is my age - actually I like to reminder her that she is 8 months older than me. I guess she was ahead of her time.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Day 3 - She's Got The Look

Today, I am very glad that I saved my $80 Sears gift card from Adam's parents. In preparation for my interview tomorrow, I decided to swing by the department store to purchase some "proper business attire." The process took about three hours.

I talked to my sister when I returned, and told her of my accomplishment. Immediately, she said, "Did it take three hours?" and proceeded to list all of the pitfalls I encountered during my visit. At least I am not the only one.

So, Ladies, consider this blog a time saver. There is no need for us all to go through this experience only to learn lessons that are already known. I figure the process can be cut to about an hour by utilizing the following helpful hints...

Dressing Room Visit 1: Pants are no good. Proper suit pants that match a jacket are for some reason unbelievably long. You would need a tailor or some really good duct tape to hem them. Or, if you're a do-it-yourselfer, you might attempt sewing a hem. However, even if the idea of threading a needle doesn't phase you, the suit pants tend to sit unflatteringly high on the hips. They cost more than the skirt, and you will never never wear them again.

Dressing Room Visit 2: Business attire is just plain ugly. Ladies, you are not dressing for a cocktail party or a friend's wedding. You must relinquish all fantasies of finding a "cool" thing to wear to an interview. The hot-looking suits worn by female lawyers on TV are not sold at Sears.

Dressing Room Visit 3: Forget the skirt-shirt combo. If possible, find a dress with jacket combo. The dress, of course, is hideous, but so was the skirt. The difference is that the dress doesn't get all bunched up under the jacket.

Dressing Room Visits 4, 5, and 6: If you do not find a dress-jacket combo, you will need the skirt-shirt-jacket combo. Skirt and jacket are fairly easy if you remember visit #2's lesson about ugliness. Shirt? Not so easy. So I developed several shirt rules:
One, light colors such as white or tan work best with black (which was the only color available at Sears). Wacky colors such as turquoise, purple, or yellow must be avoided.
Two, quarter length sleeves should be avoided. Short or long are acceptable, while quarter length tend to bunch at the elbow, making it difficult to bend the arms. Option is to remain straight armed, which may make shaking hands a tad awkward.
Three, buttons up to the collar are needed. You do not actually have to button all buttons, but there were a ton of shirts which did not even include them above a certain level. Thank you fashion designers, but I think I can figure out which buttons to use on my own.

In the end, neither my sister nor I purchased a button down shirt. I found a regular shirt with a square neck. After all those button downs, the plain old shirt felt like heaven, and I ended up picking up a second one in red.

Then there are the shoes. I walked down the aisle and tried on shoes one by one. I have suspected for several years that my left foot is significantly larger than my right, but my normal shoe choices of hiking shoes or loafers have not revealed this definitively. Today, I confirmed my suspicions. There is very nearly a half size difference. Despite this, the shoe choice was the easiest one to make - I found only two pair that fit comfortably in my (left foot) size. One of the two had a cutsie strap that was less desirable, and so I happily tucked the other pair under my arm.

During my shopping spree, I did not consider cost. But after picking a decent looking dress-jacket combo and a pair of shoes, my total cost was $45. Sweet. This is when I went for the kill, and found a black skirt for $10, then picked up the two aforementioned shirts. Total was $84, so I handed the woman a fiver and popped down the street to a cheapo hair place for a trim.

At the very least, I will look good tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Day 2

I have never considered myself a self-motivator. In school, I was guilty of every procrastination imaginable at the time. I suppose I am old enough at this point to add those last three words to my sentence, because if "Facebook", "Blogging", or "Sudoku" had been popular in my day, I wouldn't have stood a chance. However, if I am excited about a project, I can usually get into it. Sometimes a looming deadline was the catalyst for excitement, so I spent a few late nights working on papers and projects.
I am excited about my current project: me. I consider it my job to get a job, so I have already sent five copies of my resume to friends at other firms, scheduled an interview for Friday, and booked a flight for Seattle to begin my west coast onslaught. The job looks pretty promising - it is with an old co-worker and friend who I remained in touch with for several years. I have two other friends at this company, and the office just moved into a really beautiful green building with an employee gym in the basement. It is about 7 miles from home, which means I may even be able to ride my bike there.
So, yesterday was spent determining exactly how long I could last without withdrawing from savings (6-8 weeks!), then figuring out how long the savings would last (more than a year!). Today, I am almost mourning that my "vacation" may not last very long at all.
Seattle is a bit of a whirlwind. Amazon is flying Adam out there, and picking up the hotel stay. He has an extensive interview with them on Wednesday in their office. It is his spring break next week, so the timing works well for him. I could have used a little more time to follow some leads. But it is what it is, and I am looking forward to the adventure.
Research suggests that Seattle is a city for people who like live music, brew pubs, and outdoor sports. Has anyone read my profile?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Day 1

There is so little time in a day. And so much time at night.

My first stop after losing my job was a trip to the liquor store. Is this bad? I am not sure. But it is the truth, for Monday is my night to cook for my sister and me. We have read that a glass of wine is healthy for a long life. There is a catch though - only red wine seems to reap these benefits. So we came up with

a plan.

Simple really: we decided to "taste" as many red wines as possible, until we have acquired the required pallets which might deem this desirable drink drinkable. This plan has, thus far, been working fabulously. That first glass goes down a bit harshly, but the second is much smoother. By glass number 3, we seem to develop a wonderful euphoria which makes us wish to consume a 4th glass. It is around this time we decide that perhaps, just maybe, we are canceling out our red wine benefits. Shortly after that, we decide we do not care. Incidentally, we do not, at that particular moment, care about much of anything. And on a day like yesterday, that is a very good thing indeed.

I refrained from further wine because I had to go to the office and pack up my many many things. Even with Adam as a helper, the process took over an hour, and we filled his entire car with the books, photos, and knicknacks I had lovingly placed in my home away from home for all these years.

Then came

the night.

I laid awake for hours. I dozed. I woke again. A short nap before morning. I watched the sun rise. I figure I got about 4 hours, not necessarily in a row. My head was throbbing, my nose was stuffy. Crying for approximately 6 hours (with breaks for wine drinking euphoria) will do that to a person.

Thencametheday.

I emailed pretty much everyone I knew today. I talked to friends and family. I filed for unemployment. I made room in my closet for my books. I petted a very happy pussy cat who was elated to have a lap to sit upon. I lost track of time, and was late meeting a friend for dinner. Some things never change.

I am afraid of

the night.

But I think it will be better than the last one, thanks to all your well wishes, Constant Readers. Keep those comments coming!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Finally, Something Interesting

I have not updated the ole' blog for a while. I have thought of it often, but it is sometimes hard to come up with interesting things to say. This is especially hard when you lead a relatively uninteresting life.
Unfortunately, I have news that is not really news these days: I am, as of about 4pm today, unemployed. (at least it is interesting.)
Honestly, I do not feel I will have trouble finding a new job, because I know a lot of people in my field. I do feel betrayed for having a sense of loyalty to my employer. I have felt the call to leave in the past, but thought better of it, knowing that to leave at one particular time or another would make it hard on the company.
I am too emotional right now, and I find myself crying whenever I am left alone in a room. I guess you will be hearing a lot from me in the near future...
I don't have anywhere else to be.