*Walks in bouncily and lies down*
My goodness Mr. Blog!
My wish was granted this week and I had my
first cruise ship job interview downtown Tuesday.
I found it by surfing cruise line career websites.
If I get picked, I start work in Hawaii February 1st
for five months. Twenty seven day cruises.
Bonnie offered to drive me to Elliot Bay which was
shocking, but her husband doesn't want her to work
outside the home and she likes to leave their rural
home for a big adventure once in awhile. Lucky me!
She arrived at 7:30 and I had just finished
pouring myself into my Spanx-like undergarment
and suit. I was a very naughty kitten at Louise's
party Thursday night and paid dearly for it by not being able to
breath the next seven hours!
It was a brutally windy, rainy morning
and Elliot Bay looked like a vanilla milkshake!
I saw an interviewee get dropped off and in the time
it took her to cross the road to the hotel,
her hair looked like a Don King look a like.
I asked Bonnie if she didn't mind driving down
and turning around to go under the hotel entryway
and she did not mind one bit.
I hated to be a princess but this hairdo
put me back one hundred clams!
I got in and found the lower lobby of the Marriot
and it was around 8:30. Two people had just arrived
and one man was already inside our conference room.
I took my time starting my make up and hair touch up.
There was a magnifying mirror on an extensible arm
that was dandy. Wish I had one at home!
After primping for a solid hour I thought I might
be able to pass for forty seven or eight!
I went in the room at 9:30 and got a seat in the front
and about a dozen people had come in.
I chatted with the ladies behind me.
One was applying for youth staff and one to cook.
At 9:45 the lovely interviewer ladies came in and
greeted us and they were around my age.
The first thing she did was give us all silk leis!
That was inspirational since it was freezing outside.
One went to the lobby to sign in people while
the other set up her laptop spooled into the projector.
First she told us about the job and details
of the itinerary and Hawaii.
Then she said that if we did not have one year's
experience in the job we sought we need not
stay since there is no on ship job training.
I was so relieved since I've taught for six years.
After that she told us about the TWIC card we needed.
Transportation Worker Identification Card.
After the 9/11/2001 Bombing of the World Trade Centers
in New York, America strengthened its homeland security.
The TWIC card would allow us access to get to our ship.
Then she talked about the Coast Guard physical
and said not to worry, if she could pass it so could we!
She was really warm and friendly and funny.
I was shocked that half the people showed up
in blue jeans, with piercings or black nail polish.
There were about one hundred of us.
After an hour I was called with the first group of ten
to wait in the hall for a one on one interview.
I was very happy!
My last interview to get in the UW teacher college had
five people interviewing us!
At the airlines it was common for three people to interview
you and I did over fifty of those interviews.
I was called in by the other lady and she was so gracious.
I gave her my paperwork and she frowned slightly and said,
"I see you are a teacher. We want to entertain the children
more than teach them."
I felt like the floor was opening up to swallow me
when she said that and I started hyperventilating.
I told her I brought something to show her and very
slowly reached down to my tote bag on the floor
and brought out my Kwakiutl and Ecuadorian masks I had made.
I told her that I was a cub scout leader for ten years and
knew all kinds of games and arts and crafts.
She broke into a huge smile and started scribbling all over
her interview sheet. Then I told her as a PTA volunteer that
I had organized the school carnival for ten years
and she scribbled even more frantically.
I closed my mouth and smiled a small smile and
she looked up and said, "If I could hire you on the spot
I would. The youth staff director hires her staff.
Here is my business card and if you don't hear from her
within two weeks, e-mail me and I'll call her."
I asked if she could jot down the other nice lady's name
so I could send her a thank you card and she had
the biggest smile!
Then she put a tiny blue post it note on the top
of my application and I stood up and thanked her
and shook her hand and left.
Well you know I have been beating myself up lately
Mr. Blog for using all my extra energy volunteering
instead of getting a master's degree or something and
this interview made me realize that I had done what I loved.
I had helped people have fun
and feel good about themselves.
That is what I am really good at but I don't think of it
as a special skill set of any kind.
But maybe it is?
When I subbed the following day I was so excited to
get to work I was way too early.
I told the office manager about my interview
and she said she had been on a great cruise
with Royal Caribbean. When I got to the classroom
I looked at their website and there was a full page
ad that said, "Wanted: Imaginative Youth Staff!"
I was shocked and happy because I learned so much
at the interview about what they are looking for
and you know what Mr. Blog?
It is me.
I must have a thousand games and arts and crafts
rattling around in this old brain of mine.
So all day yesterday I dug through photographs of
fun scout games, carnival games I'd built etc.
I dashed to the UPS store and had them color copied
on sheets of paper that looked terrific.
Then I updated my cover letters and got them
all in three clear plastic folders for
Holland America, Princess and Royal Caribbean.
I put them in card stock priority mailers
and made it to the post office at 4:45.
The truck comes at five.
I got home and put away all the papers and pictures
and folded up my table and tucked it away.
Now you and I both know I am fifty-three Mr. Blog.
Several decades past the age of most new hires.
But now I have a dream.
The latest a full time teacher ever gets hire is October.
For the last seven Novembers I have spent the first
week in bed crying because I didn't get hired to teach.
I will tell you my dream.
I am standing at the door way of the Explorations Cafe.
The ocean is out the window of both sides
and I am all dressed up in a navy blue suit
greeting a middle-aged couple
and asking them,
"How may I help you?"
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
10/19/2010 The Older Lady From Nordstroms That Got Picked
*Dashes in and perches on the edge of the armchair*
Oh, I forgot to tell you why I feel so cheery Mr. Blog!
I woke up remembering an Alaskan Airlines flight attendant
interview that I went to down at the Sea Tac Red Lion Inn
around 1982.
There were hundreds of us well-groomed women in the lobby
and I sat in a circle of ten and we were chatting.
The oldest lady in our group looked to be around forty-five.
She was wearing a classy red and white stripped dress
instead of the obligatory navy blue interview suit
that the rest of us had on.
She was warm and friendly and said she worked at Nordstrom.
At the end of the interviews I noticed that she was one of
the handful that made it to the second round of interviews.
And I thought about her and Nordstroms and why women pay
double to shop there.
It is because of their, "The customer is always right." policy.
And that lady seemed to really represent that kind of background
of excellent customer service.
When I interviewed with the airlines and was rejected
dozens and dozens of times over five years,
I was a mail carrier.
Now a mail carrier is sort of a customer service job
but not like working at Nordstroms and
certainly not working as a flight attendant!
So at this interview,
I get to be the lady from Nordstroms.
The older lady that gets picked
because she knows all about excellent
customer service and how to give it
because I was a FLIGHT ATTENDANT
for eight years!
My pals at Continental used to tease me and call me
Connie Continental because I was so serious about
passing out pillows and blankets and magazines.
The food had to be hot
the drinks had to be cold
and the people had to feel special.
I felt like every flight I worked was my home
and I got so excited for my guests to arrive!
I couldn't wait to see them
and take them on vacation or to work
whatever they needed to do
I was there for them.
So next Tuesday, a week from today
I am going to be that older lady from Nordstroms
and I'm going to get picked!
Ciao!
Oh, I forgot to tell you why I feel so cheery Mr. Blog!
I woke up remembering an Alaskan Airlines flight attendant
interview that I went to down at the Sea Tac Red Lion Inn
around 1982.
There were hundreds of us well-groomed women in the lobby
and I sat in a circle of ten and we were chatting.
The oldest lady in our group looked to be around forty-five.
She was wearing a classy red and white stripped dress
instead of the obligatory navy blue interview suit
that the rest of us had on.
She was warm and friendly and said she worked at Nordstrom.
At the end of the interviews I noticed that she was one of
the handful that made it to the second round of interviews.
And I thought about her and Nordstroms and why women pay
double to shop there.
It is because of their, "The customer is always right." policy.
And that lady seemed to really represent that kind of background
of excellent customer service.
When I interviewed with the airlines and was rejected
dozens and dozens of times over five years,
I was a mail carrier.
Now a mail carrier is sort of a customer service job
but not like working at Nordstroms and
certainly not working as a flight attendant!
So at this interview,
I get to be the lady from Nordstroms.
The older lady that gets picked
because she knows all about excellent
customer service and how to give it
because I was a FLIGHT ATTENDANT
for eight years!
My pals at Continental used to tease me and call me
Connie Continental because I was so serious about
passing out pillows and blankets and magazines.
The food had to be hot
the drinks had to be cold
and the people had to feel special.
I felt like every flight I worked was my home
and I got so excited for my guests to arrive!
I couldn't wait to see them
and take them on vacation or to work
whatever they needed to do
I was there for them.
So next Tuesday, a week from today
I am going to be that older lady from Nordstroms
and I'm going to get picked!
Ciao!
10/19/2010 Rhetorical Questions Don't Need Answers
*Walks in jauntily and lies down*
Hi Mr. Blog,
I shouldn't feel this cheery but I do.
A few days ago I was talking to Brenny on the phone
and I asked the rhetorical question,
"I wonder if the cruise lines practice
blatant age discrimination like the school districts?"
And instead of just listening to my worries and doubts
she answered me, "Why the heck do you think they'd want you
when they could have some cute young twenty-five year old?"
I was crushed.
Because I know she may be right.
Funny thing is, despite being plagued with self-doubt,
I'm working twice as hard on my resume
and craft samples that I'm taking along.
I feel cheery and full of self-doubt at the same time!
Ciao!
Hi Mr. Blog,
I shouldn't feel this cheery but I do.
A few days ago I was talking to Brenny on the phone
and I asked the rhetorical question,
"I wonder if the cruise lines practice
blatant age discrimination like the school districts?"
And instead of just listening to my worries and doubts
she answered me, "Why the heck do you think they'd want you
when they could have some cute young twenty-five year old?"
I was crushed.
Because I know she may be right.
Funny thing is, despite being plagued with self-doubt,
I'm working twice as hard on my resume
and craft samples that I'm taking along.
I feel cheery and full of self-doubt at the same time!
Ciao!
Monday, October 18, 2010
10/18/2010 The Bobble-head Doll Wife
*Skips in again and plops down*
Whew, I didn't think I could divert Terry
that time Mr. Blog!
I have to have two cups of coffee
before ANYONE talks to me so I came up
with a very effective strategy to deal
with his WAKE UP FULL OF ENGERGY
AND BLABBERMOUTHNESS.
On his day off during the week,
when the kids are gone,
I let him talk to me in the morning.
It is SO BRUTAL
but I love my husband
and want to stay married
so I came up with a strategy last year that
REALLY WORKS!
I leave in my earplugs when I hear Teddy leave for school
and I come upstairs, get my coffee and sit on the couch
next to his big daddy recliner
and I put up the footrest built into the couch
and pretend to listen to him for TWO HOURS!
Aren't I a genius Mr. Blog?!
I can't really hear anything he is saying
but it doesn't matter
because it is all about the post office
which would kill me from boredom if I could hear it.
I just stare at him, smile, and bob my head up and down
the entire time.
He is so happy! AND I get to stay married
and it is only two hours each week.
I am the bobble-head doll wife!
Ciao!
Whew, I didn't think I could divert Terry
that time Mr. Blog!
I have to have two cups of coffee
before ANYONE talks to me so I came up
with a very effective strategy to deal
with his WAKE UP FULL OF ENGERGY
AND BLABBERMOUTHNESS.
On his day off during the week,
when the kids are gone,
I let him talk to me in the morning.
It is SO BRUTAL
but I love my husband
and want to stay married
so I came up with a strategy last year that
REALLY WORKS!
I leave in my earplugs when I hear Teddy leave for school
and I come upstairs, get my coffee and sit on the couch
next to his big daddy recliner
and I put up the footrest built into the couch
and pretend to listen to him for TWO HOURS!
Aren't I a genius Mr. Blog?!
I can't really hear anything he is saying
but it doesn't matter
because it is all about the post office
which would kill me from boredom if I could hear it.
I just stare at him, smile, and bob my head up and down
the entire time.
He is so happy! AND I get to stay married
and it is only two hours each week.
I am the bobble-head doll wife!
Ciao!
10/18/10 My Marriage is Like Making a Souffle and I Can't Follow the Recipe!
*Skips in merrily and plops on couch*
Wow, that was one long pity party I had Friday night
and Saturday and yesterday!
Whew!
Glad that is over with.
They can take their half day kindergarten job
that they gave to a intern graduate and
go fly a kite with it! There.
Feels so good to let it go and move forward.
So I noticed lots of my friends have had relationship
problems and failures and I was thinking about how
I had terrible problems with relationships
until I met Terry.
My "just right" husband.
But there are so many times that I feel like
my marriage is like making a souffle and I
can't seem to follow the recipe!
Like how on earth can he enter and leave the house
without kissing me and saying, "I love you."
I have been trying to train him to do that
for twenty-four years now without success!
And how can he expect me to feel romantic
when he spent the entire previous day nagging
me about money and not having a job?!
Like I forgot everything he said?
I had to remind him of what our marriage counselor
in 1994 told us. He said,
"Always sit down for discussions and make sure
the TV is off and pretend Jesus is sitting there."
That image alone removes any mean words
and has been very effective.
But why does it have to be so hard Mr. Blog?
Caio!
Wow, that was one long pity party I had Friday night
and Saturday and yesterday!
Whew!
Glad that is over with.
They can take their half day kindergarten job
that they gave to a intern graduate and
go fly a kite with it! There.
Feels so good to let it go and move forward.
So I noticed lots of my friends have had relationship
problems and failures and I was thinking about how
I had terrible problems with relationships
until I met Terry.
My "just right" husband.
But there are so many times that I feel like
my marriage is like making a souffle and I
can't seem to follow the recipe!
Like how on earth can he enter and leave the house
without kissing me and saying, "I love you."
I have been trying to train him to do that
for twenty-four years now without success!
And how can he expect me to feel romantic
when he spent the entire previous day nagging
me about money and not having a job?!
Like I forgot everything he said?
I had to remind him of what our marriage counselor
in 1994 told us. He said,
"Always sit down for discussions and make sure
the TV is off and pretend Jesus is sitting there."
That image alone removes any mean words
and has been very effective.
But why does it have to be so hard Mr. Blog?
Caio!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
10/16/2010 I Am A Potato Bug
*Walks in and lies down*
I am a potato bug Mr. Blog.
I crawl around under the fringes of society
where I am invisible most of the time.
When I crawl out
I get stepped on.
Over and over and over again.
Sometimes people notice me and step over me
and look down and poke me.
Over and over and over again.
I curl up in my armor
and try to survive.
Then they decide to
just step on me.
Well, I have sat on the pity pot long enough Mr. Blog.
I'm off to run errands in the sun.
I hope I don't get stepped on!
Ciao!
I am a potato bug Mr. Blog.
I crawl around under the fringes of society
where I am invisible most of the time.
When I crawl out
I get stepped on.
Over and over and over again.
Sometimes people notice me and step over me
and look down and poke me.
Over and over and over again.
I curl up in my armor
and try to survive.
Then they decide to
just step on me.
Well, I have sat on the pity pot long enough Mr. Blog.
I'm off to run errands in the sun.
I hope I don't get stepped on!
Ciao!
Friday, October 15, 2010
10/15/2010 Mary Gutterson's TheNovelLive Book Writing Event
*Skips in merrily and plops on couch*
Good Morning Mr. Blog,
That book writing event yesterday was probably in the
top ten oddest things I have done this year.
I can't believe it took me four years to get over the
death of my mother and father and able to frolic again.
Of course Lisa Martinez is to blame for all my wild behavior
at this ripe age of fifty-three.
She was such a little rascal at Bryant when I met her
in 1966. We were in the after school bamboo dancing club
and girl scouts together.
Oh how I LOVED bamboo dancing.
I was such a fearless little thing and Mr. Hakola, the Vice Principal
even let me design the crisscross pole dance when I was ten.
Instead of dancing down and back through six sets of poles
we had two sets criss-crossed and we danced around
in a circle pattern until we built up the nerve to cut
through the middle!
Can you imagine that?!
Four poles slamming together that could potentially
break your legs if you weren't fast enough.
I was fast.
A childhood of being an unwanted little sister
helped me build up great speed.
If you are annoying, you'd better be fast!
So anyway, um. Lisa, odd things, over grief.
Lisa and reconnected all us Roosevelt people together
through Facebook and I started going to socialize.
Little did I know I would go to book readings and
high teas and other activities that I would
normally not know about.
But getting over my grief last winter
was like waking up.
So you know I have been going to BINGO most
Wednesday nights with Pam, Margo and Michelle.
A month ago I was at Third Place Books
down in Lake Forest Park and I saw a big poster
on the information desk for The Novel Live.
I look at everything and read everything in public places.
I noticed on the poster it said something about
The Seattle Seven.
A little light bulb went off inside my little brain
and I remembered reading about that group in
The Seattle Times book review section.
It is a wonderful book review section and I have
dozens of clippings of books I want to buy
when I get a job someday.
What caught my eye when I was reading about
The Seattle Seven, was Mary Gutterson's name.
I didn't even know she was a writer!
So anyway, I was at Lake Forest Park, looking at the poster
and they had a basket with invitations to this book writing
at a place called the Richard Hugo House.
I went home and googled The Novel Live
and was so excited to see Mary's name on it!
I called Margo right away and told her that Mary was
writing a book with thirty other authors
at a big event downtown.
She sounded excited too so I took the invitations
to BINGO and passed them out and we talked about it.
We had never heard of Richard Hugo or Hugo House,
but we love Mary and would do anything for her
so we decided to go.
Now that was where we had to do some serious planning
since all of us moved out of the crowded part of Seattle
when it filled up with awful skyscrapers and too many people.
Margo and Michelle are both in Shoreline and I'm next
door in Kookmore. Where the kooks are.
None of us remembered how to drive into Seattle
or where to park and didn't want to
so Margo had the brilliant idea of Michelle and me
to take her access bus with her.
Margo fell off a loading dock and broke her
back and hips and is waiting for a hip replacement
so she is in one of those electric wheelchairs.
Well, she got the arrangements made and Michelle and I
met her at her house yesterday at two PM.
It was a fine sunny day with just a little nip
in the air that got nippier and nippier as the day went along.
The van came and we met a nice lady going downtown to the doctor
that had had foot surgery.
We got into downtown and the traffic was
horrendous but we got to do some serious people watching
so we were quite happy to have to park in
the middle of downtown
while we off-loaded the nice lady.
It started misting of all things as we approached
the Richard Hugo House.
I thought it was by Lake Union but it was
on Capital Hill instead.
We found the wheelchair ramp and got inside
and it was the most wonderful old Victorian House
you ever did see!
I used to shop at the REI near there as a teenager
and bought my first backpack there in 1969
with my babysitting money.
We would sleep overnight on the sidewalk to be the first ones
inside to get the discounted down sleeping bags
that no one earning $1.00 an hour babysitting
and mowing lawns could normally afford.
So we go inside the building and it is darkish
and full of rich wood floors and furniture
and my blood pressure dropped like a rock
and I felt all kumbiiyaish.
The nice young lady showed us to the caber at stage
and there was an attractive young lady on the
stage typing!
Well!
I had never seen such a thing and I
was mighty impressed as you can imagine.
I mean, when I go to bed every night around eight,
I read for two or three hours
and I often wonder how writers can sit there and write
and there I was as an EYEWITNESS to this
novel being written.
Once we had our table, we wandered around a little and
guess who we found?!
MARY!
Margo said Mary had been ill with a cold
but she sure didn't look it.
If a human were to be labeled as a specimen,
like lazy, fast, slow, et cetera,
Mary would be labeled as vigorous!
She just plain exudes vigor and vitality and
warmth and friendliness.
She was happy to see us and let us take
a few pictures with her before she
went to the green room to study
what the twenty-two previous authors
had written.
The girls had coffee and I looked at all the
merchandise for sale
and dreamed of having a job
so I could buy a cute
The Novel Live t-shirt.
Mary had on the black and white one
and she looked so magnificent
with her still-girlish figure
and wild, dark curly hair.
And her smile.
A smile that would soften even the cruelest heart.
After browsing the merchandise,
I explored the building further
and happened upon The Green Room.
When I saw Mary sitting at the long table
covered with papers I tried to
inch back out quietly so I wouldn't disturb her.
She spotted me and yelled for me to come sit next
to her for a minute,
which I was disinclined to do
since she was scheduled to go on stage in five minutes
and I certainly didn't want to distract her.
She just laughed when I told her that
and I could tell right then that she was the
consummate professional.
She had already read the previous chapters
and was raren' to go.
She looked like a cat would look
if she were surrounded by a floor full of
open cans of tuna fish.
Happy, relaxed, full of Sudafed
and eager to dig in.
She was called to go out
and I glanced at the wall covered with butcher paper
outlining the plot and the characters.
It was fascinating!
Who has ever seen
the brainstorming for a novel on butcher paper
up on a wall. A twenty foot long space of wall
covered in ideas.
I just marveled at it.
I dashed out to snap a few photographs of Mary
getting settled in with the technology people.
They had hooked up an author-cam for the five day
event so people could see them typing and read
what was being typed at home on their computers.
Once Mary was settled in Michelle, Margo
and I sat at our table eagerly watching her
every move.
She typed like blazes Mr. Blog!
We were stunned!
We could just barely read what she was typing
before the screen scrolled up to a new page.
And brilliant.
Talk about Brilliant with a capital B.
I had been working the two previous days
so I didn't know what the plot was
but apparently the protagonist, Alexis, a teenager,
had been locked in a room by the evil Richard
and had to get out.
She saw her murdered friend's crow out the window.
We were SO EXCITED.
Mimi Castillo showed up a minute before our bus arrived
and Mary's parents and other friends were there too
and also her hot new boyfriend with a sexy accent.
When we slipped out to jump on our bus it was
really raining. Not pouring, but cold and wet.
We got on the bus and met the other rider, Swan,
that had just moved here from Chicago
and had a pleasant ride out of the
claustrophobic city out to Margo's house.
We were so excited about what Mary was writing
that we all had ideas of how we wanted Alexis to
escape from her twelfth floor prison.
Michelle wanted the crow, Habib, to somehow make a
parachute with the other crows to carry her off,
and Margo wanted Mr. Kenji to kick in the door and save her
and I wanted her to jump into a dumpster in the alley below.
Margo has a small machine called a Blackberry
and she was able to find Mary on the internet
and read us what she had typed.
When we found out Mary had all the crows enter the
building and cause pandemonium,
we all cheered.
We cheered so much we fogged twenty feet of
windows on the Metro Access van!
Well, I won't tell you more Mr. Blog because
I want you to buy the book when it comes out this spring.
The proceeds fund literacy in Seattle and
what more noble cause is that?!
Of course the advent of video games
has led to a nation of youth
that don't have to read for entertainment.
When I was little, TV was black and white
and had three channels and the remote control
hadn't even been invented yet.
But even as technology expanded I was engrossed
with the written word.
Especially character driven stories.
I loved Mary's book, 'Gone To the Dogs.'
It made me laugh and cry and I would call it poignant.
So after we made it to Margo's and parted
from each other with sorrow
and promises of future fun together,
I drove home in the miserable drizzle
and found my sons and Carlos
all snuggled in playing those awful
video games I can't stand.
But I woke up wondering
who on earth was Richard Hugo?
So I did some digging and found out he was born in
White Center of all places in 1923
and got a master's degree in Creative Writing at the UW
before moving to Montana to teach that subject
at the University of Montana.
He was a very famous poet and did some other writing
too and I would like to read, 'The Real West Marginal Way.'
We roamed that area as kids with my mom and her
boyfriend Bill Ravet in the late fifties and early sixties
when we lived in Rainier Valley and later, Beacon Hill.
Bill took us fishing in the Duwammish River along there
and around Harbor Island in a small boat.
And we'd eat fast food along Marginal Way.
Seems to me that was where there were some
Buildings that looked like Cowboy boots.
In 1997, Linda Jaech, Frances McCue and Andrea Lewis
decided Seattle needed a center for Seattle writers and readers
to congregate and they created the non-profit
Richard Hugo House, named in his honor.
Besides the cool cabaret area that Mary worked in,
there is a theater, art gallery, library and
meeting rooms.
It didn't look 16,206 square feet but it is!
What a good idea!
With three hundred and forty-seven cloudy,
gloomy days a year, Seattle is the perfect place
for writers and readers and artists.
It is far too miserable to go outside most of the time
so many people have time to live in their heads.
Then when a rare ray of sunshine comes out
the inspiration of life is a very heady experience.
Gets those creative juices flowing.
It was so nice to see Mary in her literary glory
and I hope she feels better today.
I hope she feels triumphant
but I know sometimes people can be
self-critical.
I'm an expert on that.
Well, I have a million and one chores and errands
so have a great day Mr. Blog!
Good Morning Mr. Blog,
That book writing event yesterday was probably in the
top ten oddest things I have done this year.
I can't believe it took me four years to get over the
death of my mother and father and able to frolic again.
Of course Lisa Martinez is to blame for all my wild behavior
at this ripe age of fifty-three.
She was such a little rascal at Bryant when I met her
in 1966. We were in the after school bamboo dancing club
and girl scouts together.
Oh how I LOVED bamboo dancing.
I was such a fearless little thing and Mr. Hakola, the Vice Principal
even let me design the crisscross pole dance when I was ten.
Instead of dancing down and back through six sets of poles
we had two sets criss-crossed and we danced around
in a circle pattern until we built up the nerve to cut
through the middle!
Can you imagine that?!
Four poles slamming together that could potentially
break your legs if you weren't fast enough.
I was fast.
A childhood of being an unwanted little sister
helped me build up great speed.
If you are annoying, you'd better be fast!
So anyway, um. Lisa, odd things, over grief.
Lisa and reconnected all us Roosevelt people together
through Facebook and I started going to socialize.
Little did I know I would go to book readings and
high teas and other activities that I would
normally not know about.
But getting over my grief last winter
was like waking up.
So you know I have been going to BINGO most
Wednesday nights with Pam, Margo and Michelle.
A month ago I was at Third Place Books
down in Lake Forest Park and I saw a big poster
on the information desk for The Novel Live.
I look at everything and read everything in public places.
I noticed on the poster it said something about
The Seattle Seven.
A little light bulb went off inside my little brain
and I remembered reading about that group in
The Seattle Times book review section.
It is a wonderful book review section and I have
dozens of clippings of books I want to buy
when I get a job someday.
What caught my eye when I was reading about
The Seattle Seven, was Mary Gutterson's name.
I didn't even know she was a writer!
So anyway, I was at Lake Forest Park, looking at the poster
and they had a basket with invitations to this book writing
at a place called the Richard Hugo House.
I went home and googled The Novel Live
and was so excited to see Mary's name on it!
I called Margo right away and told her that Mary was
writing a book with thirty other authors
at a big event downtown.
She sounded excited too so I took the invitations
to BINGO and passed them out and we talked about it.
We had never heard of Richard Hugo or Hugo House,
but we love Mary and would do anything for her
so we decided to go.
Now that was where we had to do some serious planning
since all of us moved out of the crowded part of Seattle
when it filled up with awful skyscrapers and too many people.
Margo and Michelle are both in Shoreline and I'm next
door in Kookmore. Where the kooks are.
None of us remembered how to drive into Seattle
or where to park and didn't want to
so Margo had the brilliant idea of Michelle and me
to take her access bus with her.
Margo fell off a loading dock and broke her
back and hips and is waiting for a hip replacement
so she is in one of those electric wheelchairs.
Well, she got the arrangements made and Michelle and I
met her at her house yesterday at two PM.
It was a fine sunny day with just a little nip
in the air that got nippier and nippier as the day went along.
The van came and we met a nice lady going downtown to the doctor
that had had foot surgery.
We got into downtown and the traffic was
horrendous but we got to do some serious people watching
so we were quite happy to have to park in
the middle of downtown
while we off-loaded the nice lady.
It started misting of all things as we approached
the Richard Hugo House.
I thought it was by Lake Union but it was
on Capital Hill instead.
We found the wheelchair ramp and got inside
and it was the most wonderful old Victorian House
you ever did see!
I used to shop at the REI near there as a teenager
and bought my first backpack there in 1969
with my babysitting money.
We would sleep overnight on the sidewalk to be the first ones
inside to get the discounted down sleeping bags
that no one earning $1.00 an hour babysitting
and mowing lawns could normally afford.
So we go inside the building and it is darkish
and full of rich wood floors and furniture
and my blood pressure dropped like a rock
and I felt all kumbiiyaish.
The nice young lady showed us to the caber at stage
and there was an attractive young lady on the
stage typing!
Well!
I had never seen such a thing and I
was mighty impressed as you can imagine.
I mean, when I go to bed every night around eight,
I read for two or three hours
and I often wonder how writers can sit there and write
and there I was as an EYEWITNESS to this
novel being written.
Once we had our table, we wandered around a little and
guess who we found?!
MARY!
Margo said Mary had been ill with a cold
but she sure didn't look it.
If a human were to be labeled as a specimen,
like lazy, fast, slow, et cetera,
Mary would be labeled as vigorous!
She just plain exudes vigor and vitality and
warmth and friendliness.
She was happy to see us and let us take
a few pictures with her before she
went to the green room to study
what the twenty-two previous authors
had written.
The girls had coffee and I looked at all the
merchandise for sale
and dreamed of having a job
so I could buy a cute
The Novel Live t-shirt.
Mary had on the black and white one
and she looked so magnificent
with her still-girlish figure
and wild, dark curly hair.
And her smile.
A smile that would soften even the cruelest heart.
After browsing the merchandise,
I explored the building further
and happened upon The Green Room.
When I saw Mary sitting at the long table
covered with papers I tried to
inch back out quietly so I wouldn't disturb her.
She spotted me and yelled for me to come sit next
to her for a minute,
which I was disinclined to do
since she was scheduled to go on stage in five minutes
and I certainly didn't want to distract her.
She just laughed when I told her that
and I could tell right then that she was the
consummate professional.
She had already read the previous chapters
and was raren' to go.
She looked like a cat would look
if she were surrounded by a floor full of
open cans of tuna fish.
Happy, relaxed, full of Sudafed
and eager to dig in.
She was called to go out
and I glanced at the wall covered with butcher paper
outlining the plot and the characters.
It was fascinating!
Who has ever seen
the brainstorming for a novel on butcher paper
up on a wall. A twenty foot long space of wall
covered in ideas.
I just marveled at it.
I dashed out to snap a few photographs of Mary
getting settled in with the technology people.
They had hooked up an author-cam for the five day
event so people could see them typing and read
what was being typed at home on their computers.
Once Mary was settled in Michelle, Margo
and I sat at our table eagerly watching her
every move.
She typed like blazes Mr. Blog!
We were stunned!
We could just barely read what she was typing
before the screen scrolled up to a new page.
And brilliant.
Talk about Brilliant with a capital B.
I had been working the two previous days
so I didn't know what the plot was
but apparently the protagonist, Alexis, a teenager,
had been locked in a room by the evil Richard
and had to get out.
She saw her murdered friend's crow out the window.
We were SO EXCITED.
Mimi Castillo showed up a minute before our bus arrived
and Mary's parents and other friends were there too
and also her hot new boyfriend with a sexy accent.
When we slipped out to jump on our bus it was
really raining. Not pouring, but cold and wet.
We got on the bus and met the other rider, Swan,
that had just moved here from Chicago
and had a pleasant ride out of the
claustrophobic city out to Margo's house.
We were so excited about what Mary was writing
that we all had ideas of how we wanted Alexis to
escape from her twelfth floor prison.
Michelle wanted the crow, Habib, to somehow make a
parachute with the other crows to carry her off,
and Margo wanted Mr. Kenji to kick in the door and save her
and I wanted her to jump into a dumpster in the alley below.
Margo has a small machine called a Blackberry
and she was able to find Mary on the internet
and read us what she had typed.
When we found out Mary had all the crows enter the
building and cause pandemonium,
we all cheered.
We cheered so much we fogged twenty feet of
windows on the Metro Access van!
Well, I won't tell you more Mr. Blog because
I want you to buy the book when it comes out this spring.
The proceeds fund literacy in Seattle and
what more noble cause is that?!
Of course the advent of video games
has led to a nation of youth
that don't have to read for entertainment.
When I was little, TV was black and white
and had three channels and the remote control
hadn't even been invented yet.
But even as technology expanded I was engrossed
with the written word.
Especially character driven stories.
I loved Mary's book, 'Gone To the Dogs.'
It made me laugh and cry and I would call it poignant.
So after we made it to Margo's and parted
from each other with sorrow
and promises of future fun together,
I drove home in the miserable drizzle
and found my sons and Carlos
all snuggled in playing those awful
video games I can't stand.
But I woke up wondering
who on earth was Richard Hugo?
So I did some digging and found out he was born in
White Center of all places in 1923
and got a master's degree in Creative Writing at the UW
before moving to Montana to teach that subject
at the University of Montana.
He was a very famous poet and did some other writing
too and I would like to read, 'The Real West Marginal Way.'
We roamed that area as kids with my mom and her
boyfriend Bill Ravet in the late fifties and early sixties
when we lived in Rainier Valley and later, Beacon Hill.
Bill took us fishing in the Duwammish River along there
and around Harbor Island in a small boat.
And we'd eat fast food along Marginal Way.
Seems to me that was where there were some
Buildings that looked like Cowboy boots.
In 1997, Linda Jaech, Frances McCue and Andrea Lewis
decided Seattle needed a center for Seattle writers and readers
to congregate and they created the non-profit
Richard Hugo House, named in his honor.
Besides the cool cabaret area that Mary worked in,
there is a theater, art gallery, library and
meeting rooms.
It didn't look 16,206 square feet but it is!
What a good idea!
With three hundred and forty-seven cloudy,
gloomy days a year, Seattle is the perfect place
for writers and readers and artists.
It is far too miserable to go outside most of the time
so many people have time to live in their heads.
Then when a rare ray of sunshine comes out
the inspiration of life is a very heady experience.
Gets those creative juices flowing.
It was so nice to see Mary in her literary glory
and I hope she feels better today.
I hope she feels triumphant
but I know sometimes people can be
self-critical.
I'm an expert on that.
Well, I have a million and one chores and errands
so have a great day Mr. Blog!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
10/13/2010 I Love My Hairdresser
*Walks in and lies down*
I probably shouldn't come in at night Mr. Blog
because I usually get tired and then the
jobless blues set in
but you know what?
My hairdresser just called me.
She is so wonderful.
She is going to let me write a post-dated check for
my hair so I can go in Friday.
It's bad enough being old and fat and
feeling like a jobless loser,
but having bad hair
just adds insult to injury.
Janet Ferris is not just my hairdresser,
she is my friend.
I probably shouldn't come in at night Mr. Blog
because I usually get tired and then the
jobless blues set in
but you know what?
My hairdresser just called me.
She is so wonderful.
She is going to let me write a post-dated check for
my hair so I can go in Friday.
It's bad enough being old and fat and
feeling like a jobless loser,
but having bad hair
just adds insult to injury.
Janet Ferris is not just my hairdresser,
she is my friend.
Monday, October 11, 2010
10/11/2010 Columbus Day
*Strolls in and lies down*
Hi Mr. Blog,
My sore throat is finally gone
and I feel much better.
Happy Columbus Day!
I'm glad he found this beautiful country we live in
and I appreciate so much about it.
Fifty united and wonderful states.
The same language and money uniting us.
Freedom to go to all the states without border patrols.
This day is fraught with controversy though.
It is a scientific fact that Asian people
crossed the land-bridge up
where Alaska nearly meets Russia ten thousand years ago
and there is some evidence that the Polynesians
crossed from Polynesia to South America
AND there is also evidence of Vikings
cruised the North American coast to.
There were about one million Indians living in
North America when Italian explorer Columbus,
working for Spain, brought his ships,
the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.
The Europeans did not know the land was here
and wanted Columbus to find a short-cut to the
spices of Asia.
Didn't know there was a giant continent
in the way in 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
When I was a little kid
Columbus Day was always celebrated on October 12Th.
It was a big deal in school too.
I went to Van Asselt elementary on Beacon Hill
and we'd have poems and make those newspaper sailor hats
and have assemblies.
Then when I was thirteen, in 1971, it got switched
to the second Monday in October and
made into a Federal Holiday.
Most county and state offices are open on Columbus Day.
I can remember when they made it a federal holiday
there were huge Native American protests across the country.
It was big news.
They were like, "Um, we were already here jerks."
Well, that's how people are Mr. Blog.
Discovery, colonization, Manifest Destiny.
Whoever holds the purse-strings gets to do
whatever they want historically.
But you know what Mr. Blog?
I love living in America
and I love all people in the world
and want them to all have safe, happy lives
but today I'm saying,
"Thanks Columbus!
g
Hi Mr. Blog,
My sore throat is finally gone
and I feel much better.
Happy Columbus Day!
I'm glad he found this beautiful country we live in
and I appreciate so much about it.
Fifty united and wonderful states.
The same language and money uniting us.
Freedom to go to all the states without border patrols.
This day is fraught with controversy though.
It is a scientific fact that Asian people
crossed the land-bridge up
where Alaska nearly meets Russia ten thousand years ago
and there is some evidence that the Polynesians
crossed from Polynesia to South America
AND there is also evidence of Vikings
cruised the North American coast to.
There were about one million Indians living in
North America when Italian explorer Columbus,
working for Spain, brought his ships,
the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.
The Europeans did not know the land was here
and wanted Columbus to find a short-cut to the
spices of Asia.
Didn't know there was a giant continent
in the way in 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
When I was a little kid
Columbus Day was always celebrated on October 12Th.
It was a big deal in school too.
I went to Van Asselt elementary on Beacon Hill
and we'd have poems and make those newspaper sailor hats
and have assemblies.
Then when I was thirteen, in 1971, it got switched
to the second Monday in October and
made into a Federal Holiday.
Most county and state offices are open on Columbus Day.
I can remember when they made it a federal holiday
there were huge Native American protests across the country.
It was big news.
They were like, "Um, we were already here jerks."
Well, that's how people are Mr. Blog.
Discovery, colonization, Manifest Destiny.
Whoever holds the purse-strings gets to do
whatever they want historically.
But you know what Mr. Blog?
I love living in America
and I love all people in the world
and want them to all have safe, happy lives
but today I'm saying,
"Thanks Columbus!
g
Sunday, October 10, 2010
10/10/10 Beard Trimmings
*walks in slowly and lies down*
I'm back because I forgot to tell you
what Terry did last week Mr. Blog!
For twenty-four years I have been trying
to train him not to leave his beard trimmings
on the bathroom sink ledge.
So last week on his day off we are
in our downstairs bedroom
and he finishes buzzing around
with his beard trimmer
while I am sitting on the edge of the bed
putting on my sneakers
and he says proudly,
"Look honey. No trimmings."
He goes outside to look at the pool
and when I finish tying my shoes
I walk in the bathroom and am shocked
that there is NO HAIR on the edge of the sink!
Then I look down
and see he has
wiped it all off the edge of the sink
onto the floor.
I'm back because I forgot to tell you
what Terry did last week Mr. Blog!
For twenty-four years I have been trying
to train him not to leave his beard trimmings
on the bathroom sink ledge.
So last week on his day off we are
in our downstairs bedroom
and he finishes buzzing around
with his beard trimmer
while I am sitting on the edge of the bed
putting on my sneakers
and he says proudly,
"Look honey. No trimmings."
He goes outside to look at the pool
and when I finish tying my shoes
I walk in the bathroom and am shocked
that there is NO HAIR on the edge of the sink!
Then I look down
and see he has
wiped it all off the edge of the sink
onto the floor.
10/10/10 Foot In The Door
*Walks in slowly coughing and lies down*
Cold and flu season Mr. Blog.
The unexpected side effect of subbing.
I can't believe how germy my little customers are.
I treat them all with dignity and respect
so when I introduce myself, I always shake their tiny,
sticky hands
Bad idea.
No matter how many times I wash my hands I get sick.
Probably from the point-blank coughing and sneezing
that coats me for seven hours a day.
So yesterday Patty saw a job advertised under one of
her office worker searches and e-mailed it to me.
It was for a receptionist job down at the Holland America
corporate office headquarters
that we went to last week
on our way home from the job fair.
I met all the requirements except working a ten line phone line.
When my sister Heimy called she said she did that job once
and it would be a piece of cake for me.
So I went online and applied but it didn't seem like my
application was uploading to the website.
So do you know what I did Mr. Blog?
I whipped up a cover letter and updated resume
and raced out to the mailbox to make
sure Anthony got it for snail mail.
I tossed in a copy of my new job-seeker picture
in my nautical navy blue suit so they can see
that I take looking professional seriously.
I was thinking that if I could memorize
ten thousand addresses for mail sorting and delivery
at Bothell Post office in the eighties,
and the safety and security and service procedures
for eight different aircraft configurations at
Continental Airlines in the eighties and nineties
and all the math, science, Language Arts and
ten thousand years of history to be a school teacher
that maybe I could work a ten line phone line.
I hope so!
I am totally absorbed with going back to the
hospitality industry.
I love to serve people and make them happy.
And, while I love to teach, it is TOTALLY hazardous
to my health!
Cold and flu season Mr. Blog.
The unexpected side effect of subbing.
I can't believe how germy my little customers are.
I treat them all with dignity and respect
so when I introduce myself, I always shake their tiny,
sticky hands
Bad idea.
No matter how many times I wash my hands I get sick.
Probably from the point-blank coughing and sneezing
that coats me for seven hours a day.
So yesterday Patty saw a job advertised under one of
her office worker searches and e-mailed it to me.
It was for a receptionist job down at the Holland America
corporate office headquarters
that we went to last week
on our way home from the job fair.
I met all the requirements except working a ten line phone line.
When my sister Heimy called she said she did that job once
and it would be a piece of cake for me.
So I went online and applied but it didn't seem like my
application was uploading to the website.
So do you know what I did Mr. Blog?
I whipped up a cover letter and updated resume
and raced out to the mailbox to make
sure Anthony got it for snail mail.
I tossed in a copy of my new job-seeker picture
in my nautical navy blue suit so they can see
that I take looking professional seriously.
I was thinking that if I could memorize
ten thousand addresses for mail sorting and delivery
at Bothell Post office in the eighties,
and the safety and security and service procedures
for eight different aircraft configurations at
Continental Airlines in the eighties and nineties
and all the math, science, Language Arts and
ten thousand years of history to be a school teacher
that maybe I could work a ten line phone line.
I hope so!
I am totally absorbed with going back to the
hospitality industry.
I love to serve people and make them happy.
And, while I love to teach, it is TOTALLY hazardous
to my health!
Friday, October 8, 2010
10/8/2010 Okay, You Will NOT Believe What My Husband Said to Me Monday
*Drags in coughing and lies down gingerly*
Ugh Mr. Blog.
I don't feel good. Headache, sore throat.
Bleh.
I think it's from stress.
Job hunting is very stressful.
Especially when you spend forty thousand dollars on a college
degree and feel like it is getting you exactly
no where.
So on Monday, I decided I liked my husband
but you will not believe what he said to me.
I spent THREE HOURS making his favorite meatloaf
from my grandmother's secret recipe.
I made garlic roasted red potatoes and corn
and ran out of time to make Apple Brown Betty.
I just baked the fresh apples with butter, sugar and cinnamon.
So Terry eats it all up like a horse
then he goes and lies down on the couch to watch TV.
I get in my nightly spot to tickle his feet and you know what he says,
"I'm surprised you didn't put the crust on the Apple Brown Betty
like you usually do."
I just smiled but I was seething inside thinking
about my great grandmother's Ex-Lax meatloaf recipe.
It came out in 1930 in The Lady's Home Perfect magazine
to help with pompous husbands.
That's all I have to say about that Mr. Blog.
while I spend the next hour doing dishes
Ugh Mr. Blog.
I don't feel good. Headache, sore throat.
Bleh.
I think it's from stress.
Job hunting is very stressful.
Especially when you spend forty thousand dollars on a college
degree and feel like it is getting you exactly
no where.
So on Monday, I decided I liked my husband
but you will not believe what he said to me.
I spent THREE HOURS making his favorite meatloaf
from my grandmother's secret recipe.
I made garlic roasted red potatoes and corn
and ran out of time to make Apple Brown Betty.
I just baked the fresh apples with butter, sugar and cinnamon.
So Terry eats it all up like a horse
then he goes and lies down on the couch to watch TV.
I get in my nightly spot to tickle his feet and you know what he says,
"I'm surprised you didn't put the crust on the Apple Brown Betty
like you usually do."
I just smiled but I was seething inside thinking
about my great grandmother's Ex-Lax meatloaf recipe.
It came out in 1930 in The Lady's Home Perfect magazine
to help with pompous husbands.
That's all I have to say about that Mr. Blog.
while I spend the next hour doing dishes
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
10/6/2010 With Enough Hair Spray I Can Too Defy Gravity or How I Went to the QWEST Field Job Fair
*Skips in cheerily and plops on couch*
Ahhhh, Mr. Blog!
You'll never guess who feels like a million dollars today!
Wow. You are good.
So after my pathetic pity-party yesterday morning I
jumped around with my Jane Fonda tape
and hopped in the shower to get ready to go.
I spent FORTY-FIVE minutes on my hair!
Can you believe that?!
Well, I did.
Hadn't spent that much time on my hair since 1987
when I went to SFO for my Continental interview.
Got hired 'cause of my good hair that day and was hoping for a repeat.
I sprayed and used my curling iron
over and over and over again until...
I was FIVE FOOT EIGHT!
I know.
I am so silly.
No wonder no one will hire me.
With enough hairspray I can too defy gravity!
I feel more confident when I'm taller.
Patty said she didn't even recognize me standing by the
side of the road waiting for her.
She had never seen me in my interview attire
and I clean up fairly well.
Good practice wearing my Spanx-type gear
and squeezing into my size twelve navy blue
double breasted interview suit.
I think the pain was worth it
because I looked very nautical.
Patty started shouting at me when I got in her van,
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God Gretchen!
You look like you work on a cruise ship!"
I just said, "Dress for success baby."
We popped into Kookmore Starbucks and I put a coffee for her
on my business charge card.
I hated to do it but she was a living doll to drive us
down there to QWEST field.
It was a gorgeous sunny day without a cloud in the sky!
The kind of day that people see when they are on vacation here
and then move here and realize there are only ten of those a year.
We jumped on I-5 and there was a big crash so it was
basically a giant parking lot.
Patty has a million good stories so I didn't care.
I especially like her Aspen Colorado stories
because I was based in Denver sever years and flew over it lots.
So we get to the parking lot and they want ten dollars to park
but I only had five and he directed us to the garage which is only
five dollars. They built a cool new ramp to get in it.
Patty couldn't believe I slept overnight in my van there when
I sold my driving games at the RV show in February.
She said that since I am afraid to leave Kenmore, she couldn't
imagine me doing that.
Well, I set her straight Mr. Blog.
I'm not afraid to leave Kenmore,
I just don't like to.
Unless it's to go work a 120 day world cruise.
THEN I like to go.
We got to the job fair and it was really fun.
We split up and I went to all thirty booths to find
out what jobs were hiring.
There were no school districts or cruise lines there
but I met some really nice people!
Plus I got thirty high-quality pens and loads
of candy and even a cool, clear red ice scraper
from Wells Fargo banks.
I got Teddy a camo lanyard from the Army booth for his keys.
I was interested in Sky Marshall and Border Patrol
but the age limit was thirty-seven for those two.
Patty and I finished up at one-thirty and gorged
ourselves on mini-candies as we walked to the garage
down Occidental.
We admired how they have fixed up Pioneer Square so much
since we were kids.
Back in the sixties it was really run-down looking.
I got up the nerve to ask Patty is she wouldn't mind
driving up Elliot Avenue so I could drop in on the
Holland America building corporate headquarters.
I could spot it right away from Brenny's mom's description.
Plus they are a classy company and it had an
old world meets new world charm about it.
Not all glass and brassy looking.
I was in so much awe when I went in.
They had the giant Holland America logo
right on the wall past the glass doors that lead
to the reception area.
Well, I guess it was silly to think Stein Kruse would
be walking through and hire me on the spot
but I was certainly wishing so.
In the mission statement video he says,
"WE DON'T JUST DO THINGS RIGHT.
WE DO THE RIGHT THINGS."
Don't you just love that Mr. Blog?
He was born in Norway so he has a cool accent.
Must be hard work to run an entire cruise ship company.
But you know what Mr. Blog?
They really do do everything right.
Most of their ships aren't so huge that the passengers feel anonymous
and they are decorated tastefully so even people that
can't live fancy can enjoy the elegance for a week or two.
His statement refers to all the charities they donate to
and the deck walks for Race For The Cure and more.
Geez, I got so off topic.
So I get to the desk of the young receptionist
and tell her that I really want to work for
Holland America and that I had applied online and
hadn't heard anything back yet, so I
decided to hand deliver an updated resume.
She said that I couldn't talk to anyone
without a previous appointment
and of course I'd seen too many movies
where people just barge into the executive offices
and demand to be seen, but that is not reality.
She said she would be delighted to put it in the
inter-office mail!
I just about died when she said that I was so happy!
She picked up the big yellow envelope
with lines of names crossed out and slid
my clear plastic folder into it and wrote
the name on it. You know those envelopes
that are made from that heavy paper and they have a
tiny brown circle fastener with a string
they wrap around?
They use those at the school districts too.
So Patty and I drove home and got coffee at McDonald's
and went back to my house.
It was chock-full of teens but I didn't kick them out
'cause I was in such a good mood.
Patty took a few pictures of me in my interview suit
since the cruise lines require it with your application
and Teddy came home from the school bus and snapped a cute
shot of us together.
To remember all our fun times being jobless together.
Ciao!
Ahhhh, Mr. Blog!
You'll never guess who feels like a million dollars today!
Wow. You are good.
So after my pathetic pity-party yesterday morning I
jumped around with my Jane Fonda tape
and hopped in the shower to get ready to go.
I spent FORTY-FIVE minutes on my hair!
Can you believe that?!
Well, I did.
Hadn't spent that much time on my hair since 1987
when I went to SFO for my Continental interview.
Got hired 'cause of my good hair that day and was hoping for a repeat.
I sprayed and used my curling iron
over and over and over again until...
I was FIVE FOOT EIGHT!
I know.
I am so silly.
No wonder no one will hire me.
With enough hairspray I can too defy gravity!
I feel more confident when I'm taller.
Patty said she didn't even recognize me standing by the
side of the road waiting for her.
She had never seen me in my interview attire
and I clean up fairly well.
Good practice wearing my Spanx-type gear
and squeezing into my size twelve navy blue
double breasted interview suit.
I think the pain was worth it
because I looked very nautical.
Patty started shouting at me when I got in her van,
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God Gretchen!
You look like you work on a cruise ship!"
I just said, "Dress for success baby."
We popped into Kookmore Starbucks and I put a coffee for her
on my business charge card.
I hated to do it but she was a living doll to drive us
down there to QWEST field.
It was a gorgeous sunny day without a cloud in the sky!
The kind of day that people see when they are on vacation here
and then move here and realize there are only ten of those a year.
We jumped on I-5 and there was a big crash so it was
basically a giant parking lot.
Patty has a million good stories so I didn't care.
I especially like her Aspen Colorado stories
because I was based in Denver sever years and flew over it lots.
So we get to the parking lot and they want ten dollars to park
but I only had five and he directed us to the garage which is only
five dollars. They built a cool new ramp to get in it.
Patty couldn't believe I slept overnight in my van there when
I sold my driving games at the RV show in February.
She said that since I am afraid to leave Kenmore, she couldn't
imagine me doing that.
Well, I set her straight Mr. Blog.
I'm not afraid to leave Kenmore,
I just don't like to.
Unless it's to go work a 120 day world cruise.
THEN I like to go.
We got to the job fair and it was really fun.
We split up and I went to all thirty booths to find
out what jobs were hiring.
There were no school districts or cruise lines there
but I met some really nice people!
Plus I got thirty high-quality pens and loads
of candy and even a cool, clear red ice scraper
from Wells Fargo banks.
I got Teddy a camo lanyard from the Army booth for his keys.
I was interested in Sky Marshall and Border Patrol
but the age limit was thirty-seven for those two.
Patty and I finished up at one-thirty and gorged
ourselves on mini-candies as we walked to the garage
down Occidental.
We admired how they have fixed up Pioneer Square so much
since we were kids.
Back in the sixties it was really run-down looking.
I got up the nerve to ask Patty is she wouldn't mind
driving up Elliot Avenue so I could drop in on the
Holland America building corporate headquarters.
I could spot it right away from Brenny's mom's description.
Plus they are a classy company and it had an
old world meets new world charm about it.
Not all glass and brassy looking.
I was in so much awe when I went in.
They had the giant Holland America logo
right on the wall past the glass doors that lead
to the reception area.
Well, I guess it was silly to think Stein Kruse would
be walking through and hire me on the spot
but I was certainly wishing so.
In the mission statement video he says,
"WE DON'T JUST DO THINGS RIGHT.
WE DO THE RIGHT THINGS."
Don't you just love that Mr. Blog?
He was born in Norway so he has a cool accent.
Must be hard work to run an entire cruise ship company.
But you know what Mr. Blog?
They really do do everything right.
Most of their ships aren't so huge that the passengers feel anonymous
and they are decorated tastefully so even people that
can't live fancy can enjoy the elegance for a week or two.
His statement refers to all the charities they donate to
and the deck walks for Race For The Cure and more.
Geez, I got so off topic.
So I get to the desk of the young receptionist
and tell her that I really want to work for
Holland America and that I had applied online and
hadn't heard anything back yet, so I
decided to hand deliver an updated resume.
She said that I couldn't talk to anyone
without a previous appointment
and of course I'd seen too many movies
where people just barge into the executive offices
and demand to be seen, but that is not reality.
She said she would be delighted to put it in the
inter-office mail!
I just about died when she said that I was so happy!
She picked up the big yellow envelope
with lines of names crossed out and slid
my clear plastic folder into it and wrote
the name on it. You know those envelopes
that are made from that heavy paper and they have a
tiny brown circle fastener with a string
they wrap around?
They use those at the school districts too.
So Patty and I drove home and got coffee at McDonald's
and went back to my house.
It was chock-full of teens but I didn't kick them out
'cause I was in such a good mood.
Patty took a few pictures of me in my interview suit
since the cruise lines require it with your application
and Teddy came home from the school bus and snapped a cute
shot of us together.
To remember all our fun times being jobless together.
Ciao!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
10/3/2010 Reverend Stephen Tarr's Inspirational Sermon
*Walks in and lies on couch*
Hi Mr. Blog,
That was such a good sermon this morning.
Reverend Tarr did a bang up job on his
"I heart ____." sermon.
The scripture was Mark 14:3-9
which is when a woman comes into the room
where Jesus is sitting with the disciplines
and anoints him with expensive oil.
She is criticised for doing so and others say
she should have sold it and given the money to the poor.
Well, there is that horrible should word Mr. Blog!
If every person in the world could focus on their own behavior
and eliminate the should word we'd be
so much better off!
So anyway, Jesus defends her to make her own choices.
Jesus tells everyone that it is right to be accepting
of the choices that other people make.
Pastor Tarr went on to talk about
All the I heart ---- bumper stickers.
He said that all people need to contemplate
what they love.
Find their passion.
Follow their passion.
Be invigorated by following their passion.
I was pretty inspired by that sermon.
It picked up on the sermon Reverend Laura gave
last week nicely.
It was about how people can stand out and be different
and go around wearing a sign that says, "Free Hugs."
I was so inspired by her sermon I almost made a sign like that
and then I remembered I already have a reputation for being a little
odd and I'm trying to shake it off.
I am so amazed at what a great job that Stephen and Laura do.
My step-dad was a minister and followed the liturgy
of the church for his sermons.
He was a great singer too.
It was outstanding when we were singing the closing hymn
'Be Thou My Vision' and pastor Stephen had his neck microphone
turned up and was singing harmony.
He is an AWESOME singer!
Unfortunately, after the first verse he turned his
microphone down.
Too bad since the chancel choir had left and without
them the rest of us sound so bad that I sometimes wonder
if we'll have our toes toasted over some hellfire
for corrupting the beautiful hymns so badly!
So, I'm off to follow my passion today.
I'm signing up for a CB radio class
which is something I have always wanted to do
and later on I'm going to the swamp for reeds
to make some miniature Nile River basin rafts.
One of Holland America's Grand Cruises
goes up the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal
and I wanted an ancient Eygptian craft
to lead on the ships.
I'm thinking an antique map replica of the world that can be rolled up
and then little poppets with costumes and gear for each country
would be fun to make.
Have a great day Mr. Blog.
I'm off to find inspiration in my laundry baskets!
Ciao
Hi Mr. Blog,
That was such a good sermon this morning.
Reverend Tarr did a bang up job on his
"I heart ____." sermon.
The scripture was Mark 14:3-9
which is when a woman comes into the room
where Jesus is sitting with the disciplines
and anoints him with expensive oil.
She is criticised for doing so and others say
she should have sold it and given the money to the poor.
Well, there is that horrible should word Mr. Blog!
If every person in the world could focus on their own behavior
and eliminate the should word we'd be
so much better off!
So anyway, Jesus defends her to make her own choices.
Jesus tells everyone that it is right to be accepting
of the choices that other people make.
Pastor Tarr went on to talk about
All the I heart ---- bumper stickers.
He said that all people need to contemplate
what they love.
Find their passion.
Follow their passion.
Be invigorated by following their passion.
I was pretty inspired by that sermon.
It picked up on the sermon Reverend Laura gave
last week nicely.
It was about how people can stand out and be different
and go around wearing a sign that says, "Free Hugs."
I was so inspired by her sermon I almost made a sign like that
and then I remembered I already have a reputation for being a little
odd and I'm trying to shake it off.
I am so amazed at what a great job that Stephen and Laura do.
My step-dad was a minister and followed the liturgy
of the church for his sermons.
He was a great singer too.
It was outstanding when we were singing the closing hymn
'Be Thou My Vision' and pastor Stephen had his neck microphone
turned up and was singing harmony.
He is an AWESOME singer!
Unfortunately, after the first verse he turned his
microphone down.
Too bad since the chancel choir had left and without
them the rest of us sound so bad that I sometimes wonder
if we'll have our toes toasted over some hellfire
for corrupting the beautiful hymns so badly!
So, I'm off to follow my passion today.
I'm signing up for a CB radio class
which is something I have always wanted to do
and later on I'm going to the swamp for reeds
to make some miniature Nile River basin rafts.
One of Holland America's Grand Cruises
goes up the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal
and I wanted an ancient Eygptian craft
to lead on the ships.
I'm thinking an antique map replica of the world that can be rolled up
and then little poppets with costumes and gear for each country
would be fun to make.
Have a great day Mr. Blog.
I'm off to find inspiration in my laundry baskets!
Ciao
Friday, October 1, 2010
10/1/2010 My Son Wants to Be A What?!
*Cartwheels in sixteen, lands on couch and
morphs back to fifty-three.
Oh Mr. Blog!
I feel great today!
Nothing like having a bit of work
lined up and under my belt.
I just love to work, work, work!
So a few days ago I told Troy that
now that he is a junior in high school,
it is time to seriously think about his future.
He said, "Don't worry mom. I already figured it out.
I want to be a building demolitionist."
I looked at the house and thought,
"Perfect. He already has sixteen years
of experience for the job!"
Of course I don't want him blown up,
but when I think of how they blew up the Kingdome
it seems like there could be SOME job security.
The explosion took one minute
and looked awesome,by the way,
but the concrete removal took months!
So we got a post card about
career exams coming up next week
and two of them cost money
but the military one is free.
He said he'd take it
and it says that it screens the student
for career aptitudes.
Dollars to donuts his comes back saying,
"Scored highest on Building Demolitionist career."
Have a great day Mr. Blog!
Ciao!
morphs back to fifty-three.
Oh Mr. Blog!
I feel great today!
Nothing like having a bit of work
lined up and under my belt.
I just love to work, work, work!
So a few days ago I told Troy that
now that he is a junior in high school,
it is time to seriously think about his future.
He said, "Don't worry mom. I already figured it out.
I want to be a building demolitionist."
I looked at the house and thought,
"Perfect. He already has sixteen years
of experience for the job!"
Of course I don't want him blown up,
but when I think of how they blew up the Kingdome
it seems like there could be SOME job security.
The explosion took one minute
and looked awesome,by the way,
but the concrete removal took months!
So we got a post card about
career exams coming up next week
and two of them cost money
but the military one is free.
He said he'd take it
and it says that it screens the student
for career aptitudes.
Dollars to donuts his comes back saying,
"Scored highest on Building Demolitionist career."
Have a great day Mr. Blog!
Ciao!
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