"born on the fourth of july" | tuesday | july 4, 2006 | 8:33 am

T'S BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE MY SEATTLE ADVENTURE STARTED. It was one year ago that I visited Seattle right around the 4th of July to find a place to live. It was one year ago that I walked all over Capitol Hill and settled on the Kahala apartment. It was one year ago that my life in Seattle began.

And I keep finding myself looking back. But that's a whole different story.

Right now I am tired, groggy. I have to confess that I really do not like the 4th of July. I have probably talked about this before. I am just not much of that kind of patriot. It's just not a holiday that speaks to me. Beyond the larger ideological issues I have with "Independence Day," I am ultimately irritated by those kind of party patriots that like to set off (illegal mind you) fireworks at two, three, four o'clock in the morning. For what? Some sense of becoming overwhelmed by the love of country? For the celebrating of past victories and the glory of battle? (For the original purpose of firecrackers to ward off evil spirits?) I think not. It is exactly such fairweather patriots that woke me in the dead of night last night, not to mention my upstairs neighbor who decided once again to play music 1:30 AM. I am so tired of it.

Much of the last few weeks since the end of quarter (and it really hasn't been that long ago since I was in class) has been spent taking it easy and looking for a new place to live. I really need to move. And the house search has been long and decidedly less than fruitful. I found a couple of good leads, but they did not pan out. My friend Jane and I applied for a pretty cool little townhouse, but did not get it (we were second in line of applications). I have been perched at my computer most days just watching the listings on craigslist to be the very first to respond to an ad. There have been places, but just not within the right parameters. Most recently, I saw a two-bedroom flat (right down the street from the aforementioned townhouse and built by the same builder) this past Sunday. Jane and I applied yesterday and should be first in line this time. I hope, hope, hope that we get it; I really don't see why we wouldn't get it. I should find out later this week and could be moving as early as the coming weekend. That, my friends, would be awesome.

I need this big piece of my life to fall neatly, nicely into place.

I have been trying to stay occupied otherwise. Most of the people I know have fled the city. But there are a handful of us left, those that are trying to call Seattle home. I have been going out on occasion. I have been hanging out with folks here. I went to the Fremont Fair for the summer solstice. And then of course there was Seattle Pride, which was a lot like other prides I've been to. That's about it.

More later. Wish me luck.

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"victoria court" | friday | july 7, 2006 | 11:01 am

AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT I AM MOVING. Pretty soon, in fact. Things moved rather quickly as of this past week. Sunday, I saw the ad for a two bedroom apartment online. I called and went to see it right away. Monday my friend Jane and I got in our application. First in line, mind you. And two days later, the landlord called to offer us the place. It's modest, but it's got character. It's in the same neighborhood, Capitol Hill, but on the northern side (about ten blocks north of where I am now). It's one of six apartments around a courtyard of a one-storey building. It's more like a series of rambler townhouses. We're the end unit with hardwood floors. I was hoping for a little more space, but the price and the time is right. I'm in the midst of packing right now. And I hope to be moved out of the Kahala by the end of next week and into my new digs. Here's a taste of the new place:

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"layer" | saturday | july 8, 2006 | 11:01 am

APPY BIRTHDAY TO LAUREN! I hope you have a wonderful, great, positive, powerful, cheeky, cheery, delicious day! I'll have to celebrate with you when I visit (hopefully next month)! Take good care.

"moving on up" | wednesday | july 12, 2006 | 8:58 am

OMORROW IS MOVING DAY. Most of my apartment is packed. Now all that is left are the dribbles, dregs, and bits of flotsam and jetsam that somehow didn't make it into a box. The last things to be packed, also, will be my television and my computer. I have been pretty much stuck inside the apartment for the past two days, not seeing a soul, and just wallowing in my transitory anxiety. I just want everything to be done. Finished. Moved. Unpacked. New day started.

The plan is pretty simple: 1) tomorrow morning, I get the moving truck, 2) a handful of people come over to help load it, 3) drive said truck over to the new place, and 4) handful of people help unload it. Repeat as necessary. I hope to get the majority of the moving done tomorrow. Then the weekend can be for anything else, cleaning up the old place, and getting situated at the new place.

Hopefully, I'll have everything moved and mostly settled before I go on my short vacation back east to Maryland.

Cross your fingers.

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"phoenix" | friday | july 28, 2006 | 11:01 am

APPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIEND JASON! Alas, I'll be in Maryland and you'll be in Maine, but I hope you have great day (I'm sure you will). We'll celebrate when we're both back in Seattle. Best.