Now that the weather is cooling, and fall is encroaching, my list of things to see is dwindling. Alki Beach is still on the list, and the weather this weekend would have been nice (if one was not swimming), but rumor had it that some event was going down and it would be packed. Other than that, I still want to see the Ikea store, the neighborhood called Georgetown, Kobuta Gardens, Kabaret Verboten at Can-Can (which I'll never be able to drag Grayson to), Gregorian chanting at St. Mark's (a huge cathedral in Capitol Hill), and possibly, maybe, Mt. Rainier, though I'm not much of an outdoorsy person, it's probably prettier to look at from the city than to go to ;) There are also TWO more shops for cupcakes I need to hit. Also: three more renowned coffee shops, and Grayson and I are planning a jaunt to Victoria and Vancouver for his birthday.
This weekend, there were three things in three different parts of town that I wanted to do within the space of a few hours. I have enrolled in a Virginia Woolf reading class that lasts for 6 weeks, in Capitol Hill, from 10-2 on Saturdays. We are reading
Mrs. Dalloway and
To the Lighthouse. This Saturday was the first meeting, and there was also supposed to be a National Novel Writing Month (November) meetup for people who are writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days (which means a 1,667 words a day goal, which takes me 1.5-2 hours, I have written two parts of one big novel this way, and am planning on participating this year, as I have an idea for a new novel to write) in the U-District at 11, and Chris Onstad, the creator of
my favorite web comic, was going to be in Wallingford at 2. I managed to go the class, which was GREAT, then straight to Wallingford where Grayson and I met and went to the signing. There was a huge long line of fellow nerds, some asked poor Chris stupid, annoying questions. We got an issue of the zine he has created in the voice of his characters signed to both of us. He was very nice, and I asked him if he would ever bring back one of my favorite characters, Ultra-Peanut, who has been MIA for 6 years. He responded positively, which makes me happy. Rumor had it he was going to hang out after the signing, but I didn't feel like finagling the crowd of drooling fans (among whom I definitely count myself, Onstad is a genius), so we walked home and hung out for a while,
had German street food for dinner,
and went to see Burn After Reading, which was hilarious (from the Coen brothers!) and gross (who brought you the delightful woodchipper scene in Fargo). It was playing at a few theaters here, but we chose the Seven Gables Theater, because it's one we haven't been to, and it was quite a place, it only has one screen, and it's all built into this ancient, gorgeous Victorian house. It was very cool.
Today, I want to try port (which they sell at Safeway here, whoa!)
Aussi, le dimanche je nettoyer mon apartement. Which reminds me: part of what has been occupying a great deal of my time is a French class I'm taking. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I leave work a little early, come home, eat dinner, change clothes, and take a 20 minute bus ride, along a hill overlooking Lake Union and the downtown skyline, then the Fremont troll, to Fremont, then I walk for ten minutes in the twilight past the 3400 Phinney chocolate factory, the Fremont Outdoor Cinema, and the Canal (very Euro) to the Seattle Language Academy, for an hour and a half of French. The class is small, and very helpful, and fun. I have a bundle of phrases under my belt already and it's only been two weeks. I want to spend time in the interim before I go back for my English degree studying a language (as well as reading the classes), so this is part of reaching that goal. After class, I walk back to the bus stop in the dark, and wait 30 minutes for the next bus (all this waiting and extra commute sure help cranking through those classics), come home, and crash. On my non-class days, I strive (and usually manage) for an hour of studying. Now, between my Saturday class, my Tuesday and Thursday class, and the soon to dominate my life National Novel Writing Month, in addition to working full time, will certainly prove taxing. I find however, that it seems that the more I pile on my plate, the more I tend to actually manage my time properly and get everything done. Though this many things on my plate may be a different beast. All of it does help to meet people, though.
AFTER
Here is where it went
Hobbes inspects my work (his white kidgloves are obscured)
Which item does not belong?
What was once a pile of indiscernable food, boxes and small appliances...
