I'm Not Joe or Max

This morning I woke to the sound of someone yelling outside my building. It started at about 6 a.m. and continued for a good 45 minutes. He'd yell out, "Joe!" then he'd yell out, "Max!" then he'd mutter to himself that this was "f*ckn' crazy". Yeah, I'd have to agree. He'd wait a little while, then do the whole thing again. And again. And again. At one point he asked if they could just open the door.

I thought about opening the door for him. However, I thought that if he didn't have a key to the outside building he likely didn't have a key to the apartment either. I didn't want him inside the building making a ruckus outside someone's door in the hallway.

Turns out, though, that someone did let him in. Which allowed him to come knocking on my door. I was in the shower when I first heard the knocking. When I got out I heard the knocking a couple times. When the knocking got louder and more insistent, I went to my door and checked the peephole that it was him. Yep.

So through the door I asked who it was. "Austin." Sorry dude, I have no idea who you are and I am not Joe or Max." He quietly apologized and left. But he didn't leave leave, because he was back to yelling for Joe and Max when I left for work.

Living downtown is awesome for lots of reasons. But it also sucks for lots of reasons.

Superhero'd Out

I am officially superhero'd out. I started to feel this after the latest Captain America movie. I knew it was legit when I had no desire to see the latest X-Men movie. But I haven't stopped seeing movies. Far from it.

It started a couple weeks ago when I caught a showing of Zootopia, after reading a friend's impassioned status update regarding it. I remember seeing the trailer for it while experiencing The Force Awakens way back in December. I thought the sloth scene was hilarious, but was one of those scenes that would only be funny the first time you saw it, and I didn't think the entire movie would be able to live up to that scene. It DID! And not just because it was funny, but because the story was so timely and needed. I love the message it sends about going for your dreams, not giving into stereotypes,and that we are all in this together.

I also found it refreshing that the main character was a female and that a romance wasn't shoehorned in. Don't get me wrong, I like romance just as much as the next person and romcoms are one of my favorite genres. It's just that sometimes it's nice to see a story play out that is just about having friends. The female protagonist is not very common, considering that three of the trailers before the film were for cartoons that are populated by men and the token female voice. It's depressing.

My friend Rachel and I had a movie night last week. We generally focus on romcoms and this time around we watched Notting Hill as Rachel had never seen it. Notting Hill came out way back in 1999, and is the story of a regular ol' book-store-owning English bloke and the famous movie star he falls in love with. It sounds ridiculous, but in the deft hands of Richard Curtis and stars Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, it is wonderful. What I like about the film is that the characters are adults and act as such. They don't have any cloying, annoying misunderstandings that keep them apart before the end of the movie. There are no getting ready montages. No character types - "She's a stiff, he's a life-force" in the words of Joss Whedon - just regular people with regular, normal personalities. And the soundtrack is killer.

Last Saturday my friend Steph and I hit up the Angelika to see hot indie flick The Lobster. The premise is that couples are favored over single people. Anyone who is single is sent to The Hotel where they have 45 days to find a companion. If they don't they are then turned into an animal of their choice. The first half of the movie was clever and just the right kind of satire and commentary on society's fascination with pairing off. But then it veered wildly and was rather strange. The best part of the film was the experience when the film ended, the lights came up, and everyone in the theater awkwardly laughed and wondered aloud what had just happened. It was a shared movie-going experience that was both fleeting and everlasting. Steph and I have discussed the meaning of the film multiple times. I would only recommend this film to a small number of people; it's not for the masses.

Yesterday I went out to see Love and Friendship, another indie that's been pretty hot since it debuted at Sundance earlier this year. The film is based on a Jane Austen novella, however I hear this film version has been heavily adapted. I did not enjoy this movie. I found it boring and insufferable. I didn't care about any of the characters and is only the second time I wanted to leave the theater before the film ended (the first being X-Men Origins: Wolverine). I get what it was going for, but for me it fell really flat. However, my movie-going cousin loved it, so for another side of the story read her review.

Then there is Me Before You, which I have seen more than once in the ten days it's been out. I rather adore this film, and it was just what I needed in a testosterone-filled summer movie season. Before leaving for Seattle I had seen the trailer, and decided that I would make it my in-flight reading material. I purchased the book at the airport and read it on my four-hour there and back flights. I love the friendship between the two characters, and how they each provide what the other needs. Read this gentleman's write-up of it, and then make the blueberry scones he recommends (I just did and they are wonderful). My cousin also has a lovely review of it.

The Summer Movie Season isn't always the time to find small, character-driven stories. It's also not the time to find female-oriented stories. So I was happy to have found these, even if some of them I didn't like.

You Look Like.....

Everyone has a celebrity look-alike. Mine is Kirsten Dunst, or at least that is what I've been told for years. Especially during her heyday in the late 90s and early 2000s. When I was purchasing the soundtrack to Spiderman 2, the cashier looked at the cover, looked at me, then said, "You look like her." Here she is in Bring It On.

The other day I was at Rusty Taco getting dinner. I have been here a lot, and I recognized the kid behind the counter as someone who had helped me before. He finished taking my order, and as he handed me back my card he said, "Has anyone told you you look like Bryce Dallas Howard?" No, I've never heard that. But obviously I was flattered, because Bryce Dallas Howard is beautiful.

Right? (I mean I clearly found the best picture of her to share)

I don't actually think I look like her, and I really don't think I did when that kid made the comment. But whatever, thanks for the compliment. 

Hashtag Heroes Take the PNW: Bellingham and Seattle

The second half of our adventures in the Pacific Northwest.

May 22, 2016 - Day Three: Bellingham
Sunday was kept simple. Kate showed us around Bellingham briefly before we went to church. Afterward we had lunch and then did some exploring of Bellingham. We went to the beach and checked out a cool waterfall and bridge.

 Some friends who also lived in Kansas (and are from Bellingham) were in town visiting, and since it coincided with our trip they came over for dinner. It was a mini-Kansas reunion in Washington. We stayed up late playing games (it was just like old times, except we were missing game-playing stalwart Will Bishop).

Monday morning we left Bellingham and headed south to Seattle. We first stopped at Deception Pass to check out the beach. With its huge black rocks and pieces of wood, Kate refers to it as a "Washington" beach. We rode a ferry before making our way to Seattle for a helicopter tour.

 

 Yes, we did a short helicopter tour and it was amazing!

Before heading to downtown we made a pit stop at the Fremont Bridge Troll, because if you are going to visit Seattle you need to see it at least once.

We then made our way to downtown Seattle. I LOVE cities. It felt fantastic to be in one. Don't get me wrong, I also love nature and I loved being in the mountains. But I feel alive when I'm in a big city, surrounded by tall buildings and people and rushing cars and passing buses and people on bikes.

We had lunch at Dick's, which is a famous/well-known Seattle hamburger place. It reminded me of Crown Burgers in downtown SLC when we walked in. If you ever go, please know that they only take cash and they do not take special orders. However, the food and milkshake was still delicious.

We then headed to Pike's Place. Which is every bit as awesome as you might imagine it to be. We stood around with all the other tourists to catch a fish toss (which we eventually did), then perused the marketplace. It's a beautiful place full of colors and smells. We walked along the pier and had dinner at Ivar's, another famous Seattle location, for fish and chips. If you eat outside by the water you can feed fries to the seagulls. They can be tossed at them, but it's much more fun to stand with a fry in your hand and hold it above your head so a seagull can fly by and snatch it away. Jess and I both did that.

Next it was a train ride to CenturyLink Field to catch a Mariners vs. A's game. It's a beautiful stadium with a fantastic view of downtown.

 

Then we headed to Kate's parent's home, where we slept before each heading home the next day. But not before planning on our next adventure. #FourCornersOfTheUSAPartTwo

Adventures in Transit

I love transit. I love meeting new people when I'm on the bus or train. Here are some delightful encounters from my trip to Seattle.

Not wanting to pay for 6 days of parking at the airport, I walked to the train station in downtown Denton and rode the train to the connection with DART. After some minor issues (thank you Google Maps and the random coincidence of me checking at the exact right moment - it was at the Royal Lane stop so clearly it was kismet), I made it through the downpour to Love Field two trains and two buses later.

My bus driver to the airport was chatty. He wanted to know where I was going, then proceeded to tell me the things he liked about Seattle. He was friendly, and I enjoyed his good attitude as I embarked on my vacation.

Once in Seattle, I needed to make my way to the Northgate Mall to meet my ex sister-in-law. Once I knew I was going to Seattle I planned to make time to see my nieces and nephew, who moved up there last year when Joylynne got remarried. She and her husband were going to meet me halfway between Seattle and where they live in Edmonds.

I hopped on the lightrail and spent the time talking with my realtor (the option period on the home I had made an offer on was expiring this day and we were trying to get the extension of it all sorted out). Then I got on a bus headed for the mall. I chatted with a guy on the bus who asked if I was coming home or arriving in Seattle. When I told him I lived in Texas we made a connection because he used to live in Austin. He helped me with the best walking route to the mall from the bus stop, and I waved as I left the bus.

When we took the train to the Mariners game we were able to have conversation with another passenger. I was wearing my KC hat, as was Kate, and he asked us how we became Royals fans. We chatted and it felt homey, something that brought us together.

When I got on the train headed to Denton,  a girl noticed my "Check Meowt" shirt, which I was wearing. I heard her tell her grandma that we were wearing a shirt with the same words on it. And we did!! Which obviously made us instant friends. I then chatted with her and her grandparents as the train made its way to Denton.

Once we arrived and were walking off the platform, I looked over to see my friend Suzi! She was returning form a trip to San Francisco with her boyfriend. It made me so happy to run into friends. Suzi and I chatted as we walked, and the check meowt girl's grandma made a comment that it was probably my shirt that helped me make friends (yes, that made me very happy).

I treasure these transit experiences. None of them could have happened in a car. And each of them made me feel connected to the people and world around me. Yes, I'm glad I have a car, but I'm also glad for the transit opportunities I have.

The Seattle Nieces and Nephew

I am lucky enough to be an aunt to six amazing people. I am unlucky enough, though, to live far away from them. This sucks. I miss out on a lot of things in their lives. I miss out on them growing up and seeing them change into the people they are currently.

I was lucky enough, however, to get to spend a little bit of time with the three that now live in Seattle before I started the adventure with my friends that had brought me to Seattle in the first place.

My being in Edmonds (the suburb of Seattle where they live) was kept a surprise between me and Joylynne. I love surprises. Ivy was the first to see me. She needed to be pick up from school, as her rehearsals for that day were rescheduled. She opened the back car door to get into the car and there I was, just hanging out in the back seat.

Mo was next. He came walking through the front door and there I was, just sitting in his living room. Then we all went to pick up Elliett from her walk home from school. I hid behind them all as she walked up then revealed myself.

I hugged them all and loved it. They showed me where they each went to school. They all showed me the art projects they had worked on, the papers they had written. Mo showed me his action figure collection and all the comic books he owns. Ivy did a reading of the play she was getting produced at her school. Elliett got to show off her softball skills when I attended her practice.

I didn't take enough photos, but here's one of us at the beach. They are getting so big!

 I love them. And I'm so glad I was able to have this little moment of time with them.

Hashtag Heroes Take the PNW: Canada

I'm not sure how my friends and I got the name Hashtag Heroes. I seem to recall it forming just before I left Kansas, when Kate, Janae, Jessica and I had a sleepover at Kate's. I don't know what it means, or who coined it, but for whatever reason it has stuck.

Kate moved to Bellingham, WA last August, leaving just Jessica and Janae in Kansas. Since we like each other and like traveling, we started planning a trip to visit Kate probably in October. All the planning finally paid off last week when I boarded a train then a bus then another train then a plane then a train then a bus to arrive in Washington and spend four and a half fantastic days with them.

May 20, 2016 - Day One: Quarry Rock, Shannon Falls, Sea to Sky Gondola
We headed straight for Canada Friday morning, all of us semi-rested after arriving at Kate's home in Bellingham after midnight the previous night. We jammed to tunes as we crossed the border and arrived at our first destination - Quarry Rock for a simple hike. The view at the end was lovely. We had lunch at the park and then had donuts from Honey Donuts.

 

Our next stop was Shannon Falls. Janae loves waterfalls. With good reason, because they are quite lovely. We walked around and snapped some pics of the waterfall.

Then on to the Sea to Sky Gondola! The ride up was pretty spectacular, as every time we thought we near the end it kept going up and up. At the top is a fantastic suspension bridge that we walked across several times. I of course thought about Indiana Jones, even though this bridge was substantially more stable.  In the gift shop I talked with a guy about hockey and basketball, and he of course had to ask about the local political scene in America.

We arrived in Whistler to stay at a pretty fantastic Airbnb. We went to a local Italian restaurant and my ravioli was to die for. We went to the hot tub to relax before coming back to our room where I immediately fell asleep before any one else.

May 21, 2016 - Day Two: Joffre Lake, car troubles, Mexican food, Vancouver
Day two started out with a photo by the Olympic rings (we were staying in Whistler Village, home of the 2012 Winter Olympic Games). As we were driving up to our first destination Janae spotted a baby black bear off the side of the road. We quickly turned around and got out of the car to check it out. Another car did the same, and we talked with the girl and boy about the baby bear. They were from Germany and, before parting, Jessica asked if they would dance with us. See, we have this thing of recording us dancing in all sorts of places. They were a little surprised, but when we started recording they both broke out some very impressive dance moves.

We did a super simple hike at Joffre Lake. Seriously, the options are a 10 minute walk to one side of the lake, or a two-hour hike to a lake further up. We didn't have the time, so we headed back down the mountain.

 

Then the real adventure started. As we were starting down the mountain, Kate noticed her car was braking weird. We stopped at a pullout and the smell of burnt tire was strong. It was clear that the front driver side brake wasn't working, so when Kate braked it freaked out. We were in the middle of a mountain with very poor cell service. Our only option was to put the hazards on and go extremely slow down the mountain. We stopped at the pullouts to "rest" the non-functioning brake. 

We finally made it to the next town, Pemberton, and called around for a repair shop. Wouldn't you know it, everything was closed on a Saturday. Kate found a place in Squamish that was open, Ken's Auto, but it was over an hour away. He assured Kate she'd make it (after all, her brakes were working) and told her to down shift whenever she was going downhill. 

We made it to Squamish, blowing off our scheduled plans for the day, safely and arrived at Ken's Auto. Ken then arrived on his motorbike, and, before looking at Kate's car, started to tell us some stories. He started by asking if we believed in extra terrestials. Then he told a story about the Chief rock, how it looks like E.T., and some somewhat dubious claims about possible UFO sightings. He was, quite possibly, the most fantastic person we met on our trip. 

 See how the rock, called the Chief, looks like E.T?!

Turns out Kate's car was fine. It was a rather stressful situation, and Kate handled it remarkably well. It was an unplanned adventure and it was probably my favorite part of the trip. It also lead us to Mag's 99, which Ken recommended to us. It a fried chicken and Mexican food restaurant. We all got the chimichanga loco, which Ken said is what he gets, and we were most definitely not disappointed. 

We made it into Vancouver, which is lovely. Seriously. I need to go back and spend real time in Vancouver, because what little I saw I was very impressed by. We walked along the trail at Stanley Park and watched the sun set. Oh, we also got poutine before heading back to America. Eh. Canada was amazing!