As I type this I can feel the grainy substance that is super glue rubbing against the keys. It's making me a little crazy! However, today's scrapbooking marathon was very successful. I completed my train trip with my mom--its on top of a map of the U.S. east coast and I marked the places we went with blue points, an ex-boyfriend page, my time at Kuentz Elementary School complete with letters from my kiddos, started my college graduation party layout, and order 200+ prints from Costco.
My next layouts are my first car, my road trip to Washington, and my first month in Washington. Of course I've also got to make a page for my time at Redland Oaks, for my family, and for Jessica!! :) It'll take awhile, but I already love looking at what I've done. It tells a story so much better than just prints in an album do. Much, much warmer.
Looking forward to picking up my pictures tomorrow! :)
While eating my yogurt this morning, I realized I was trying to eat it with the bigger spoon from the draw, not the "normal" sized one and my yogurt cup was almost too small for it to fit. Of course, it called to mind rejected cartoons. I had to go watch this. You should, too!
Once again I've managed to waste a day trying to find a job. I get a mysterious phone call yesterday from a publishing company that I sent my resume into a few weeks back. The man tells me he's Elliott Wolf, of Peanut Butter Publishing. Okay, sure. The only reason he called me, in my opinion, is because I ACCIDENTALLY flooded their company email with my cover letter and resume. Three times to be exact, all because I was trying to apply to Penguin Publishing. Whoops.
Anyways, he calls and asks if I'm Mary Newcomb, which I am. So he's all, "Hey, haven't we talked before? You're from Silverdale, right?" Uh, wrong. So I explain my situation and he tells me that if I'm ever in the city to stop by and we hang up. As I'm sitting there in the aftermath of that weird phone call, I start thinking about how desperately I need a job and who am I to turn down the expertise or job opportunity from a founder of a publishing company. So, I call back and arrange a meeting with him for today at 1:00 p.m.
What a waste of a cute outfit. :P
Flash forward to this morning: I get ready, drive to Bremerton, get on the ferry, and I'm off to Seattle. After that, it's all downhill. I get super lost, have to reroute directions about 6 times, finally find the area his business is supposed to be in--it's not there!! Nope, nothing but residential apartments and houses on the waterfront with a cool park. I drive up and down this road searching for the address 2925. I find 2920,2922, 2921, etc...but nothing for 2925. Finally I decide it's time to give up because after walking around a bit on foot, I realize if this man does have his business where he says he does, he must be running it out of his house and there is no way in hell I'm going in there. So, I spend another $15 to get on the ferry and come home.
Tonight, I'm going to Sluys to get some viking donuts. The sweet spot in all the bitterness of this day.
I know that people are curious as to what is going on with me now that I've moved 2000+ miles away. I started this blog over a year ago as way to communicate my thoughts with the world, so I might as well start using it again.
Since I've been here, going on three weeks, I've be wandering around the beautiful outdoors. I don't think I'll ever be able to get over how lush and green everything is. Davey showed me a park where there are paths that cross all over town and people walk or run them to get away from the city, while still in the city.
Another thing that is just unbelievable is the weather. Coming from Texas, and the 100 degree temperatures, imagine my surprise to find it never gets past 70 degrees here. The days are warm and the nights are cool. My long sleeves actually have an active role in my life now as opposed to sitting in my closet waiting for that brief two week window sometime in January or February. Another shock is that it has barely rained since I've been here. Of course, I've been promised by the locals to just wait until summer is over! I'll get plenty of that rain I've been craving.
And, of course, the reason that I came out here in the first place was to find a job. No, I still haven't found one. However, I did land myself an unpaid internship working with a small publishing company! It should be great experience. I have applied to a number of other jobs, all having to do with publishing or communications, but in various fields. Hopefully, I'll hear back from someone soon.
Missing everyone I love who lives under the Texas sky!
I had to try to emulate a speech written by Aldous Huxley for class, and this is what came out:
I speak to you tonight as a person living in a world that is changing. And yet, despite all the change that is occurring, many important aspects of our society have not changed. Racism and prejudice are still an issue. The only “change” that has occurred there is that now people are not as open with their prejudices—if they know what is good for them.
The world has changed—oh, yes! We have lived to see an African American President inaugurated. In fact, he was elected on the platform of change. His call for change, like so many others before him, has been met with resistance. There are many—the very religious, the good ole’ boys, the republicans—who have called him names and degraded him. He has been referred to as the anti-Christ; or, even worse, a democrat! I ask you, what do these words even mean? The only reason these words have power and meaning is because we, the people of the United States, give them that power.
Another change in recent times has been our view on the safety of our beloved United States. September 11th—a day not soon to be forgotten. This day has left its mark on our society. The ash that engulfed the city of New York has engulfed the entire nation—its black mark felt by all. We lived for eight years with a President who spoke out against terrorism, who spoke out against those who would seek to do us harm, but for all the nice and patriotic words he spoke, he did not put those words into actions I can agree with. Thanks to George W. Bush and September 11th, Muslims in the United States do not get to feel safe.
The Muslims who live here—who have worked hard to be here and who are just as patriotic as the rest of us—are feeling the prejudice brought upon them by the Bush Administration and the actions of other Muslims. Why should Muslim people living here feel like they have done something wrong? They did not plan the September 11th attacks. They have done nothing wrong, but their whole lives have changed. Now people are wary of Muslim people as if they are all terrorists. What good has this change been for them? What good has National Security and the Iraq War done them?
When talking about changes in our society, it would be impossible to overlook the changes in regards to Gay and Lesbian rights. Just like any group of people who have been enslaved and persecuted, gays and lesbians are fighting for their rights. They are fighting for equal rights given to any other citizen—the right to be married, to have children, and to be able to stand at their partner’s hospital bed. As human beings, why would they not deserve the same rights as everyone else? This isn’t a matter of sexual preference, but a matter of if we are all human or not. The obvious answer is of course we’re all human! It is so frustrating when people are close-minded and prejudice. What good does it do to treat people with beliefs that are different than yours as if they are bad or wrong?
Many things in our world have changed, but change is gradual and only comes if people are willing to try to change. Change requires sacrifice—a martyr. For the African American’s, people like Martin Luther King Jr., and all those who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. For Gays and Lesbians, people like Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office. Change requires bravery and should be respected, but many times people are too blind, ignorant, or cruel to realize this. We have an African American President and Gays and Lesbians are slowly gaining their deserved rights, but we still have a long way to go.
I think the only thing that will never change in our world is that there will always be people who resist change. There will always be religious extremists. There will always be racism. What will change is who resists the change, what religion is in power, and who is feeling the prejudice of racism.
I speak to you tonight as someone who lives in a world that is constantly changing, without actually changing. I hope someday that real change takes place. When that day comes, it will be something to see, and that will be the world I want my children to live in.
I've felt lost lately, and I'd like somewhere to put my thoughts. Sometimes, things in your head get lost or all confused. It is nice to have a place to say them "out loud." I'd like to use this place to put my thoughts on life, love, music, books, school, work, and everything else imaginable. And, to share my writings. Maybe, I won't use this often, but it's a comfort knowing that I can, if I want to.
As I type this I can feel the grainy substance that is super glue rubbing against the keys. It's making me a little crazy! However, today's scrapbooking marathon was very successful. I completed my train trip with my mom--its on top of a map of the U.S. east coast and I marked the places we went with blue points, an ex-boyfriend page, my time at Kuentz Elementary School complete with letters from my kiddos, started my college graduation party layout, and order 200+ prints from Costco.
