lbysong's blog

MOVED!

I'm moving this blog to here: http://bysongasaurus.blogspot.com/ in order to be somewhere that lets people make comments without having to be a member.  This one's discontinued and everythings over on blogger. :)

WOO!

I now have two interviews lined up for the week of July 23rd! 

Hectic!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks.  I cannot believe how fast time is flying.  After I posted regarding the cost of a Journal-Sentinel ad, I sucked it up and placed a 4-day ad (Friday-Monday, June 29-July 2).  I cleaned the car out on Friday afternoon after recieving about 10 calls about the ad, and met with a family who lives near my apartment at 5 p.m.  By 5:15 p.m. they had traded me cash for the car and I was done with the whole thing.  I got more than I had thought for it, and cash is ALWAYS welcome. :)  So that's done, and that's extra Seattle money.

Lori Talking

I had my going-away party for work on the night of July 2.  The picture at right is me 'saying a few words' after my boss Toby (far left in the picture) read a little poem and gave me a raincoat, a hooded sweatshirt, and an umbrella with the MU logo on them.  A lot of people showed up and I had a great time talking to people, though it got a bit tiring explaining that no, I don't have a job... yes, I do know that Seattle has the highest suicide rate in the country... etc...

On Wednesday, the 4th, I ended up going to Harrington Beach State Park, which is about 30 minutes north of Milwaukee.  There were five of us and we grilled out then laid on the beach awhile.  My friend Tony and I were the only two brave enough to get in Lake Michigan, as it was FREEZING.  Would have felt good yesterday when it was 99 degrees, but it wasn't quite that warm on the 4th. :)

 

Paddy's Patio

I took the 5th and 6th off this year, and Thursday was spent in Oshkosh/Appleton/Neenah with Matt and his mother as we ran errands and so forth.  Friday night Matt and I decided last minute to arrange a going-away party for all our friends Saturday night at Paddy's, this great little Irish bar near our house.  Paddy reserved a bunch of the round white tables on the right side of the picture for our group, and we provided a keg of Blue Moon for all our friends and loved ones.  Had a SUPER-fun time, and got to hang out with Tianna, Aaron, and Andrea AND a bunch of people that I haven't seen in a loooong time, like Jeff who I went to grad school with and therefore used to see three nights a week for 2.5 hours at a time.  I'll have pictures of the party to post soon.

So today it's back to work.  Wah, wah.  I haven't been here for 6 days, and it is amazing how easy it is to get used to being on vacation.  My last day here is Thursday, the 12th, and I am so excited to be done.  I have a feeling this week is going to fly by.  Then I'm camping from Thursday to Monday in the Dells and when I get back, I'm two days away from actually packing the truck and leaving.  Insane.

And a zig-a-zig-ahhh...

Spice!

I can't believe I forgot to mention the Spice Girls reunion tour!!  Both Tessa and Casey had to sit through Spiceworld (a testament to the level of their loyalty AND my love for the Spice Girls), and I am sooo excited they're touring again! 

Apparently they are letting you register on their web site to get a chance to by tickets rather than just selling them right out through Ticketmaster or something.  Interesting.  See here for tour details and to register for tickets.  They also made a little video about their decison to reunite.  You can see that and other pics and stuff here.

Slowly But Surely

I'm definitely making progess on the various to-do lists I have laying around.  Yesterday I bought an ad in the Journal-Sentinel for my car; it'll run Friday-Monday and hopefully I can sell my car relatively soon so that is no longer hanging over my head.  Plus, it'll be nice to have the extra money to contribute to the moving fund.  I'm thinking, though, that it might be kind of a hassle, having to go meet people at my parking lot (about 8 blocks from my apartment) every time someone wants to see the car.  But, it has to be done.

I've also started researching health insurance, and found some good options in Washington and Wisconsin, but I actually have to make a bunch of phone calls because some require you to be a state resident, so I don't know if I get it in Wisconsin, if the insurance will be canceled when I move.  And if I have to get Washington insurance, how do I prove I'm a resident when I'm not?  Hmmm...

Kanye

On a completely different note, I'm digging Kanye West's new song and video for "Stronger," his first single off of Graduation.  Click here to check it out!

T Minus 23 Days

It's now 23 days until July 18, our move day.  It is only 17 days until my last day of work.  It's absolutely crazy how fast time is flying, and how my to-do list keeps getting longer and longer instead of shorter and shorter! 

For example, I found out today that it would cost about $80 for the most basic Journal-Sentinel ad to sell my car, so now I think I'm going to take photos of it and try to put it on ebay.  Then, once that gets settled I need to remember to cancel my auto insurance and tell the people at my lot that I don't need anymore parking, etc...  It's like everytime I make one decision or settle one thing, about 4 more pop to the surface.

Other things are going well, though.  We just got a bunch of boxes to start packing up the things we don't use everyday and some garbage bags to throw away or donate the things we NEVER use.  It's amazing how much junk accumulates even in a tiny one-bedroom apartment.

I'm getting so excited for the Dells vacation and the end of my working days here!  I guess I only have 17 days to wait!

Ack!

Turns out that moving across the country is relatively stressful.  I am sitting here looking at my desk, knowing that I'm going to have to take all the personal stuff home (and then find somewhere to pack it).  I also have to decide what I want to take from the files I've created, etc, as a portfolio. 

I also have to get rid of my car, which will be sad.  I've had the same vehicle since...1998, I think?  Crazy.  I think I'm going to try to use Ebay, as Matt has had success selling things there.  I should get on that this weekend, though, so I can avoid paying for parking in the month of July.  Hmmm...  Ugh.

I know everything will be fine, and I'll get everything done... but right now it's all overwhelming.  I have to keep reminding myself to take it just one little step at a time.  But some steps (like selling my car) seem really big.  *sigh*

Penske...WOO!

Penske

After driving from Washington, D.C., to Rockford, IL, last August with one Miss Casey Frary, I have been a huge fan of Penske rentals.  I have never driven a U-haul, and the only real experience I have with them is the experience of unloading the little pull-behind Tessa got for her move to Chicago... and the fact that one of Matt's friends works for U-haul.  However, the wonderful experience I had with Casey in her Penske convinced me that if we were going to do the move ourselves, we would go with the butter stick-esque trucks over U-haul.

Also, apparently because U-haul is the industry leader, Penske is more flexible with prices and willing to negotiate.  So I called them up yesterday and was told that a 16-foot truck would be close to $1700 for our move.  Between my AAA discount (thanks mom!) and my superb negotiation skills (thanks Dr. Vance!), the final price including tax and insurance is less than $1400.  Woo me!  Additionally, Penske guarentees a truck at the location you specify for the day you need it (I guess U-haul sometimes says you have one reserved, but then you don't), and the nearest Penske location to our Milwaukee apartment is literally two blocks away.  So that will be fantastic.

Basically, the plan right now is to have Matt's friends drive out with us, taking turns in the Penske and the Jeep.  One of the guys who is planning on coming works for Midwest and can fly home for a minimal amount of money.  We were going to hire movers, but it would be so much more expensive, and I've heard the drive is gorgeous.... and I guess if we have friends willing to road trip with us, why not?

So.  Things are slowly coming together.

It's Official

 

Capitol Hill

As of last Friday, it's officially official.  Matt and I are moving to Seattle in the middle of July!!  We secured an apartment in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, which you can see in the map at left.  Where it says "Seattle," is downtown, and the green arrow is where my new neighborhood is going to be.  Pretty close to the downtown area, but enough of a distance so as to ensure we're living in a nice residential neighborhood.  If you go to maps.google.com, you can type in "Capitol Hill Seattle" and check it all out for yourself.  I'm really excited, because this area was one of the top two in which we focused our search.  E-mail me for more details (such as my new address, etc...)!

Seattle Skyline

I have such a long list of things I need to take care of before we leave.  Not least of which are getting a moving truck and figuring out where/how to sell my car.  Not to mention COBRA for health insurance, my termination and exit interview.... Ack!  So scary, yet so exciting!

Finally, this is my new favorite quote:
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor do the children of man as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."  -Helen Keller