I can warn you now that my next few posts will be on restaurants. Along with the training, I get meals paid for for the next three days. Honestly, that was a big plus for me when it came to agreeing to do this training. I'm all about the free food.
It's funny how, when money's not a factor, the options suddenly open up. Since I get a fair amount of food weekly in my food donations, I'm more likely to get creative cooking because I'm not out money if my cooking ends up sucking. The same thing goes with my lunch choices today. I was a lot more willing to be disappointed since I wasn't paying for it and boy, was I ever disappointed.
I went to Chino Sai-Gon. The place had only two real vegetarian options. I ended up getting the Charcoal Tofu over steamed rice. I specified that I didn't want fish sauce in it and I wanted it all vegetarian. Then I was given a cup of chicken and noodles soup as an appetizer. Sigh. The service was practically non-existent, the food was blah and the atmosphere was cliche' and minimalist. I found absolutely no reason to ever think about going back again or ever recommending the place to anyone but, hey, it was free.
It's bunk that, with the economy the way it is, employers get away with saying, "You're not getting the raise that you expected (or 'You're not getting a raise this year') but we should just be thankful that we have jobs." I've heard that this year but I also know that my job is adding other perks, like education. If I get into grad school (fingers crossed) and work pays for it, that's a big perk! Today, work also invested in me by sending me to a three day training, the National Certification in Employment Services training. It cost $250 and I'm in a classroom at the double tree for three days, getting paid. All in all, it's pretty sweet! So while a pay raise would be nice, I'll take any of the educational opportunities while I can get them.
Another Sunday afternoon drive, this time to Sauvie Island. It is actually quite a beautiful place and I will definitively consider coming back here when the weather is a little warmer. I've been to the island before but I've never seen so much of it. I was amazed by how much farm land is out there. There's also some cool beach area. I'm looking forward to a nicer spring.
Dean had a play-date today with Bucket, a dog that Sophia has been watching this week. It was a great way to start a Saturday, a two hour walk around Mt Tabor. We decided to keep our play-date even though it was raining because if you can't go outside during the rain in Portland, you're screwed.
It's funny that I've gotten to the point in life where Friday afternoon's are 'Miller Time.' I'm not actually drinking Miller beer (ewwww) but I definetly needed an after-work drink today. Ashes and I went to the loan officer and I was lost after two minutes. Then I was mad. Then disheartened. Then frustrated. Then exhausted. It turns out that we need to go there with more information still. The good news is that I have excellent credit. The bad news, amongst other things, is that we would have to pay over $1400 a month for 30 years on a $200,000 loan. So it's Miller Time.
We went to the Delta today. I've been there once before but today I got a Hard Road. It's habanero-infused vodka and some other stuff that doesn't do much to counteract the burning sensations of the vodka. Still, it was good and stiff and just what I needed.
Today, we took the first step to being serious about possibly getting pre-approved for a loan to buy a house. This is going to be such a difficult process that will probably age me five years.
Owning a house just makes sense. Rent is flushing money down the toilet when you could actually be putting your money towards something that you will eventually (waaaaaaaaaaaaay down the road) own. I like Portland so I could definitely see living here through the duration of a mortgage loan but I can't see living in the same spot for that long.
We went to a real estate loan officer at Advantis and were told that we need fair amount more paperwork before we can get pre-approved so we will be coming back on Friday. The house in the picture above is one that we are sort of considering. I don't think that I can spend the next 30 years living three blocks from 82nd though. Why do we have to live in a system where everything is so damn complicated and expensive and...committing?
This borders on abuse and I should be ashamed. I've been meaning to re-pot my office plant for some time now but I kept putting it off. Today, I poured water into the pot and it ran out, down my file cabinet and across my flat screen monitor. That was it's way of letting me know that I have put it off for too long.
I brought it home and tried to take it out of it's pot. The roots had grown through the outer pot and were bunching up around the bottom of the pot. I broke them off and pulled off the outer pot to find the roots completely surrounding the inner pot which I also had to break off. I actually did feel really neglectful of the thing, like the time in junior high when I had a tree crab and went to feed it for the first time in weeks and it's legs fell out when I picked up the shell. This plant's not a dog but it's a living thing and I should take better care of it.
I remember hearing people say that the idea of a roadtrip was passe since gas prices were so high. I'm happy to say that it is not the case, at least not right now. I hate cars but I love getting out of the city for the pure enjoyment of getting out of the city. We took the new RV George out for a test run today to McIver Park and she passed with flying colors.
At my house, we've all been sick too long. A few weeks ago, I ran a high fever and was over it the next day. Then two weeks ago, my allergies kicked in and kicked my ass. All this past week, my housemates have all been sick. Friday night, I started to feel a head cold coming on. We've all been trapped in the house too long and a ride in the RV to a state park on a Sunday afternoon is just what the doctor ordered.
I'm updating my blog from the Bagdad Theater, awaiting the series finale of Battlestar Galactica. The line was as long as it was the first time I came to watch it here but they cut off people a lot sooner. I was only a half block away when they announced that nobody else was getting in but we the people did not give up, at least not all of us did.
I didn't believe them and I didn't have anything to lose by hanging in there. They ended up handing out ticket, even though it's a free show, just to make sure they didn't exceed capacity. A few more were allowed in and then they cut it off right in front of me. I hung in there and finally the lady appeared with two more tickets and asked "Who was next?". I didn't let her finish before I grabbed the ticket & pushed my way in.
I made it! I searched for a seat and settled for a carpeted stair. They announced nobody else was getting in so the guy next to me offered a sweet ass seat.
So now I'm sitting cozy and giddy with anticipation. This is going to be an amazing two hours.
I installed a pull-up bar in my bathroom doorway months ago with every intention of hanging upside down on it someday. However, I didn't have a lot of confidence it would hold. Today, I realized that I swing off of it quite a bit. I decided to risk it and tuck my legs into it. It didn't move at all so I'm pretty sure it's secure. I used to do upside down sit-ups at Creston Park all of the time years ago. It's a habit that I'm looking forward to picking up again!
Today was a sign of how old I've gotten. After an extensive party the night before, I was wiped out today. I did do a little shopping (I got a great riding outfit) and I managed to get out to eat too. A few of us met for dinner at Thai Thai, a charming little restaurant that does not get nearly enough attention because it's east of 39th on Hawthorne. Anyway, this is a great place and it's Crispy Broccoli dish is an acceptable substitute for Than Thao's Garlic Egglplant and Tofu. I really love Thai food and Hawthorne perfect for it. You can't throw a stone on Hawthorne without either hitting a head shop or a thai restaurant.
There's a bit early on in the TV show 'Dexter' about eating while driving. It's resonated with me because it's a funny idea that the main character, a serial killer, considers eating while driving to be a major flaw of his. It's an awesome show with wonderful writing and great settings, not to mention one hell of a sexy lead. Anyway, I share that one flaw. I eat and drive all of the time. I take edibility into consideration when trying to plan what I'm going to eat if I'm driving around. One of these days, I'm going to get into an accident and there will be burrito all over the car.
Today, I made a poor choice in stopping at Franks A Lot (for the first time) for my drive-by lunch. The food was excellent (I have a Chicago veggie dog) but it wasn't eat and drive food. I tried but I started to end up with peppers in my lap. Plus the peppers made it require water and drinking and driving is just not okay by me. :)
Given my stance on driving out of my way, I think that driving out to 85th and Woodstock for nothing more than a burrito by myself could constitute something new for me. Also, I walked home in the snow today (Damn schizo weather). Anyway, I had a craving this evening and I wasn't sure I'd get out to my favorite taco cart any other day this week so I went out there tonight. It's open til nine which is surprising for a food cart, especially one in a residential neighborhood but tonight, I was glad they are.
I saw a great DJ at a church today...There's a sentence I never thought I'd say.
There's a church house here in town which actually was a church but now it's a house. Anyway, a friend of a friend had a birthday party and this guy (pictured above) DJ'ed it. I was thoroughly impressed. As I've said before, I'm not really comfortable at house parties unless I really know the people but this was fun. I danced a lot and didn't have one bad vibe...except for when I left. One the way home, I thought, "Damn, I'm not anywhere near that guy's caliber and I'm going to DJ a party next weekend?" But then, I think I'll be fine. You got to start somewhere.
In my OIS class, we had to come up with our stress relievers. A few of us had to think a little harder to come up with things other than drinking, etc. I decided that music soothes my savage beast and walking. Today sucked at work and I needed to practice my stress relievers in order to let go of it all for the weekend.
I had to go to PSU to finish turning in all of my transcripts so I opted to hoof it there from work. First off, it was a gorgeous day. Second, it's Friday. Third, I got a chance to walk along the river on the westside, south of the Hawthorne Bridge. I realized that I've never really explored this area. My first year here, I took Dean down to the docks and the dumbass jumped off of the dock there there was a eight inch railing which he couldn't climb back over. I had to grab his paws and drag him up onto the dock again, soaking myself in the process and breaking my CD player. Today was much more relaxing.
I spent all of my workday today in a room in Gresham. I'll be here tomorrow too. I'm at a training for work on Oregon Intervention Systems. I've had the training two years ago but they wisely make you go to these trainings every two years to stay on top of things. Basically, it's how to avoid and then handle confrontations with the developmentally disabled. Today was a great training and I met some pretty cool people that I'm glad are in the field.
One guy I met is a paid neighbor. It's one of the most unusual jobs in the social services field I've ever heard of. Basically, this guy is paid (and presumably has rent paid as well) to live in a six apartment complex with five people with DD. He's paid to assist them, to be there to talk, to help them with meals, dispense meds...basically to just be a friend. It'd be odd because you'd always be on the job but, as he explained it, you're just living your life. There's no 'on the job' and 'on break.' It's a real radical way to think about support for people who need it. I love my job but, I'm not sure I'd be up for it immersing my life like that.
Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a writer. It really upset me to hear writers say, "Don't plan on making a living writing. You don't write for money." It demolished me time and time again because I didn't want to make a living any other way. I was always very opposed to work. However, I have a job that I like now and now I write for fun.
The hardest part of writing for me is the inspiration and the setting. I'm not talking about the setting of the piece I'm writing but the setting in which I'm in where I can feel comfortable writing. There has to be easy music in the background, I have to be sitting comfortably and I have to have something to drink (coffee, tea, water or alcohol). Lately, I've been trying to write more but I've also been wanting a better environment in which to do it. Tonight, I went to the Pub at the End of the Universe early, just to write. I was meeting a friend there but I was actually in the writing mode by the time they arrived and I thought, I will have to do this more often.
So maybe it's not completely a new thing but it's a new mode for me. The Pub is a good muse. There are good vibes there and, except for Monday night, usually not a lot of people. I'm looking forward to heading there again with my notebook and a pen ready.
I can warn you now that my next few posts will be on restaurants. Along with the training, I get meals paid for for the next three days. Honestly, that was a big plus for me when it came to agreeing to do this training. I'm all about the free food.
