I love Seattle. Living downtown we get to wander and see the silly signs that people and businesses post to encourage us to shop and laugh. I try to imagine living in suburbia again, walking by carefully manicured lawns on the clean sidewalks and shopping the ubiquitous strip malls amid big box retailers. No. Thank. You.
Block by block, the streets of Seattle always present a new view, interesting people watching and signs galore. Here are my favorites from today’s walk:
Girl’s Weekend! My sister Becky along with our best friend since grade school, Patti aka Trish, and I took on Chicago this weekend for a glorious girl’s only experience which featured food, fun, music and, of course, wine. Oh. Yeah. 
We have been best friends for 45 years believe it or not. I know, how can that be??? We all look so young! From swimming at our neighbor’s pool every day in the summers to sneaking smokes in the field between our houses, we have been through life’s challenges and celebrations-divorce, death, weddings, births, businesses, etc. with lots of tears and laughter along the way. I truly don’t know what I would do without these great women in my life.
After meeting up in our amazing suite at the Warwick Hotel on the Magnificent Mile complete with complimentary champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, we headed out for a walk by the waterfront, enjoying the blue sky and warm temps and then through historic Astor Park where the multi-million $ brownstones are to-die-for gorgeous. Next on the agenda was a late dinner at Volare. Even with reservations, the place was packed and it took awhile to get our table and food. A HUGE appletini for Patti and wine for me eased the hunger pains but then the food arrived and LOTS of it–mushroom risotto, caprese salad, minestrone, pasta–all to share and sample. YUM.
Becky and I are the “walkers” with matching FitBits so we got up early leaving Patti to her beloved sleep and took off for a walk by the river from bridge to bridge. Satisfied that we were well on our way to 10,000 steps, we pried Patti out of bed with the temptation of a Saturday brunch at a neighborhood café where we sat outside until the rain began but not before a courteous street dude walked right up to us, declared, “Charlie’s Angels” and walked away. You betcha!
It proceeded to mist on us as we ventured out of the downtown core to the Hyde Park Art Fair. I have no artistic skill whatsoever so am in complete awe of the interesting creations that the artists were showing. I saw an interesting cross necklace made out of antique silverware (only $35!) and pounced on it to purchase. Patti and Becky also wanted one so they are going to order online at: Silverware Artistry. Later we hit the Magnificent Mile and shopped till we dropped at Nordstrom’s (and the Rack), Anthro, Victoria’s Secret and Banana Republic. All my favorite stores and the stars were aligned for us all to find stuff we loved to take home. New Kate Spade shoes. Check. New Anthro white jacket. Done. Ring at 50% off. On my finger.
Nothing says “Girls Weekend” like a concert by awesome artists so, lucky us, got to go see Sean McConnell and Kris Allen at City Winery on Saturday night. I’ve seen Sean play in Seattle, opening for Griffin House at Columbia City Theater and, believe me, he is destined for greatness. His new album comes out July 2nd and he is touring as the headliner in the fall, coming to Columbia City in Seattle on August 19th and Neurolox in Boise on 9/3. Go see him before he blows up and is playing at huge arenas. Seriously, if you like rich lyrics and soulful tones, you will enjoy Sean’s music. Plus, I modeled my new hairstyle after his-seriously. I told him that story after his performance when Becky and I talked with him so she could buy his CD. He laughed.
Next up was Kris Allen and his band who got the crowd engaged, singing and clapping. Thom and I saw him just last week in Seattle at The Triple Door and he was equally entertaining. Singing by himself or with the group, Kris is a true talent that I have enjoyed since he was on American Idol. He is a hard worker with a brilliant voice. I hope he gains a wider audience and enjoys great success. 
After a lovely evening with wine, great food and wonderful music, we once again got a quick Uber (I’ve even made Becky an Uber lover!) and off to the hotel for some rest. The next morning Becky and I again wandered the neighborhood, walking to the lakeshore to get in our 10,000 steps. Then, it was off to the train to South Bend to see Mom. These 3 chicks had quite the time in Chicago and we vowed to make this a yearly event! Cheers!
Oh hello Sexy Beast Yes, that is the name I’m giving my Midlife Crisis and it materialized in the form of a sleek black BMW Z4 Roadster. I haven’t even LIKED driving since the Subaru was totaled a few years ago. And spending my hard-earned money impulsively when my motto is: Save ’till It Hurts? No. Way. Then my totally impractical and beautiful Sexy Beast appeared on the Sell/Buy company internal site and I was a goner. SOLD!
And for those smart asses that might be thinking “She’s a little past the midlife stage” may I remind you that the women in my family live a very, very long life. Grandma Hannah was 99 and still living on her own and my mom is kicking it strong at soon-to-be 91 so, yes, I’m still somewhat midlife right now. In my mind. Shut up.
Why a midlife crisis now? Over the long winter months, I started a new job, which I love but, let’s face it, all new jobs are stressful. Health issues challenged me from a freaky frozen shoulder that has lasted now almost a year and shingles on my head which, believe me, was just as awful as you would think that would be. Getting old SUCKS. Totally. After years of not even knowing what my natural hair color was other than I knew I had skunk-like streaks of white (thanks Mom!) and dark (thanks Dad!), I ripped off the band aid so to speak after a strong Old Fashioned cocktail and took my still recovering head to the barber and told him to shave (#4) it off. Every follicle on my head hurt from the shingles and there was absolutely no way I was going to layer toxic chemicals on top of it so off it went onto the floor and I’ll be going au natural from now on. Ahhhh….relief. After the initial shock, I’m now liking it. I’ve been told it looks badass, sassy and fierce. Yep, that’s me. And-bonus-it only costs $10 for a buzz cut. Now I can afford gas, a parking space and insurance. Winning!![Melinda [77532]](https://travelswithmelinda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/melinda-775321.jpg?w=640)
Now, let the fun begin. The shoulder is slowly but surely unfreezing and the shingles, after two rounds of meds, have healed. Time to hit the road and see the Pacific Northwest in our Sexy Beast!
In the three days we have owned SB, the weather has been amazing and we have visited new pockets of Seattle including the largest beach we have ever seen in Seattle just north of Ballard, Golden Gardens. There were THOUSANDS of people there on a abnormally warm and sunny Monday evening. Who knew? I can’t wait to take Mia there and let her run in the sand. Next night we roared around the curves in Magnolia admiring the fancy view homes and then swung downtown to walk Pier 66 where we happened upon the Clipper Round The World racing yachts. The Danang Vietnam boat had just docked after 35 days at sea where they suffered severe damage. We welcomed the crew gathered on the dock to Seattle and can’t wait to tour their boat when it opens to the public on Saturday. 
Next, it was off to Madison Park to watch the moon rise over the Eastside and chill with the geese on the beach. Mia will enjoy the park there that is just made for 2-year olds with slides and swings galore. Such great restaurants and bars there with lots of outdoor seating just made for warm summer nights. The ride over Capital Hill to get there was fast and furious with Thom at the wheel. I’m betting a speeding ticket is in his future. He is loving this car and is so supportive of my midlife crisis, which is much easier to support when it includes a sporty two-seater. YOLO!
The sun shone brightly on Friday as all of Seattle rushed outside in anticipation of the first warm sunny weekend this year. Then, the phone rang and I heard my sister telling me that mom was going into the ER and then a short time later, emergency surgery. Pause.![V__8ECE [77531]](https://travelswithmelinda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/v__8ece-77531.jpg?w=640)
Shaken and waiting to hear the outcome of the surgery, I needed Happy Hour. Bad. We sat outside in Belltown at Bell and Whete and tried to enjoy nibbles while I nursed a stiff Old Fashioned. One moment of levity came when the manager, whom I had seen flitting around, came by our table and reached for our credit card and bill to cash us out. Thom, who hadn’t seen him before, immediately jerked it out of his hand and asked who the hell he was, distrustful New Yorker that he is and always will be. The manager just laughed and introduced himself and I vouched for him. Oh Thom!
After hearing that mom came through with flying colors and was already charming the nursing staff, we were able to enjoy a perfect Saturday in Seattle. After a lazy morning, we took off downtown to the waterfront to get in our 10,000+ steps on our FitBits. Sitting in my happy place, Sculpture Park, high above the water, we decided to hit the ferry and take it for a ride to Bainbridge Island just for the heck of it. What fun for only $16 for both tickets! With the chllly breeze blowing us around, we enjoyed the company of a couple of parrots on their way back home after seeing the vet and took in the view from the ferry we see every day from our window crossing Elliott Bay.
Sunday morning means volunteering at Shared Breakfast where my son joined us for the first time, after missing last week when he overslept. After a few hours serving 275+ folks in need a hot breakfast, he retired for a nap and we took off to enjoy the Fremont Street Market. A great mix of food, arts & crafts and unique junk finds, we could have bought too much but we abstained and decided to travel light. Good thing we did because we just kept on walking the path by the canal, ending up several miles later in Ballard.
![InstagramCapture_70fada81-3a5c-4e0b-8681-9b3a056a7369 [77529]](https://i0.wp.com/travelswithmelinda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/instagramcapture_70fada81-3a5c-4e0b-8681-9b3a056a7369-77529.jpg?w=349&h=349&crop=1&ssl=1 "InstagramCapture_70fada81-3a5c-4e0b-8681-9b3a056a7369 [77529]")
![V__14FD [77530]](https://i0.wp.com/travelswithmelinda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/v__14fd-77530.jpg?w=283&h=349&ssl=1 "V__14FD [77530]")
Now, we’re watching the Mets and I’m listening to explicit language I haven’t heard since the World Series. Play ball! Listen up Mets–please start winning so Thom doesn’t have a heart attack. Ahhh Spring Time in the George household. F*@king Mets, hit the f&%cking ball! Oh Thom…watch that NY mouth of yours and take a sedative. The season has just begun.
![Melinda [77532]](https://travelswithmelinda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/melinda-77532.jpg?w=640)
Have I been called a “bulldog” by my former bosses? Yes. Am I a decisive leader who is confident in my presentation style? Yes. So, am I pushy or passionate?
This week I was called “pushy” by someone. Wow-really? Hmmmm…It really made me think broadly about how people are perceived and the role gender plays in that process. When a woman is strong and confident, do people view her as pushy or passionate? Are men perceived differently when exhibiting the exact same qualities?
No doubt, I am passionate in everything I do. I have energy to burn and project that in my interaction with people. Even in grade school and high school, I was a leader in 4H and other clubs. It’s just in my DNA. I attribute this to my Mom who is smart as a whip and a natural-born leader in all that she does. We were lucky to have her as a strong role model growing up. My attorney sister and I followed in her very able footsteps.
The reality of life is that when a woman leader is confident and strong she is viewed differently than when a man exhibits the same qualities. He is a “force to be reckoned with” and will surely succeed in the business world. The woman with the same qualities might be labelled “one scary bitch”…watch out. As I binge-watch House of Cards, I’m thinking that Claire Underwood might qualify as “one scary bitch” but me, no way! As Frank battles Claire this season, he will be following his own advice that he shared on the campaign trail with college students, “A true leader embraces challenge.”
I’ll also take Frank’s wise advice and embrace challenges. I will win over those who mistake my passion for “pushy” once they get to know me and I will never give up. Because that’s who I am and that’s what I do.
As the intriguing images were dealt and my Tarot Card story unfolded, I was shocked at the narrative I was hearing. “You have a new job that is energizing and has far less drama than your old one.” Yep. “You have a very good marriage.” Totally. “You will write a book.” Coming soon to Amazon.
DAMN. She was good. Now, I’m not saying I’m a true believer. I’m just open to lots of things that can’t be proven. I’ve had my palms read in a back alley in Hong Kong and wasn’t all that impressed. This gal, Eugenia Van Vliet, at the Pink Door in Seattle has been doing this forever. I believe that she probably is a great observer of people and is a storyteller who loves telling the history of each card. If nothing else, it was an enjoyable way to spend time on a cold winter evening in Seattle with a friend while drinking a delicious cinnamon Old Fashioned to warm me up.
The first card dealt, the 4 of Wands, which is the “Lord of the Perfected Work” and is the card of the professionals was followed by the O The Fool card which speaks to a new beginning. Combo these two up and you have me starting my new job and loving it. As the cards continued to flow after I shuffled them, the O The Fool came up again and signified that the dog shown on the card was keeping me safe from falling over the cliff with mistakes in this new path. Cool-I need a four legged sidekick to keep me in check. Too bad I can’t bring mine to work with me! The Ace of Pentacles predicted a financial change for the better–does that mean the stock market will recover? I liked the message of the 5 of Swords-success can be achieved but only through relentless hard work. That’s always been my motto-I may not be the smartest but I surely will work the hardest.
We primarily talked about my new work gig but touched briefly on the family as well. The card signifying a great relationship came up twice so we discussed Thom. A few more cards after and she could tell that he was the creative, sensitive one in our marriage (yes, he cries more it’s true) and would be seeking an artistic outlet soon. Hmmmm……Thom has been working hard on our book covering our adventures in China. She even knew that, after seeing the card with an ancient scroll. How random that this would come up in the course of the reading. It certainly gave me reason to pause.
I was super happy to hear the prediction that I would be living abroad for work in either London or Dublin in 2-3 years. Score! Since we are already planning a trip to Dublin in the fall, I’ll start scouting out neighborhoods. You just never know with us! James will be out of law school and living on his own again so it might be time for another adventure abroad. 
If you want to know what your future holds, check out Eugenia in the bar at the Pink Door, Sunday-Thursday from 5-7 p.m. Interesting stuff!
Wandering around Seattle over the last two weeks, it struck me that I definitely have my favorite places that I gravitate to now when I want to have a great experience. Having a bad day? No problem-just check out these places and life will be good. Let’s just call these “happy places”. Honestly, doesn’t everyone need some happy places to get you through the sometimes cold and always rainy Seattle winters? Not everyone can run off to Hawaii, St. Maarten or Florida for a sunny/warm interlude (you know who you are and I’m damn jealous!) so without further ado, I thought I would share these happy places with you, whether you live here and need some new adventures or if you are crazy enough to plan a visit to Seattle during the long winter months. Here is the top 10 countdown of “can’t go wrong happy places” in Seattle:
Happy Place #10-Seattle Sunsets as seen across Elliott Bay. Check it out from any number of parks, restaurants and Pike Place Market on the waterfront. I’m lucky to see this nightly show from my balcony. Blessed!
Happy Place #9-Seattle sporting events. We enjoy the Mariners, Seahawks, Storm, and Reign but nothing beats the excitement of a Sounders game. You must get the start-to-finish experience beginning in Pioneer Square with the March to the Match and then wait after the game is over to see the players applaud their passionate fans.
Happy Place #8-Elliott Bay Book Co. on Capital Hill. From the friendly staff to the huge assortment with lots of staff recommendations pointing you to great reads, nothing beats a book store on a rainy Seattle day. They even have a great café for a bite to eat and coffee. Pres. Clinton even visited here recently on his whistle stop through town, taking in the neighborhood ambience.
Happy Place #7-Sculpture Park on Elliott Bay. Not only is there iconic public art but they have awesome concerts here in the summer. Not many tourists venture this far north of the market so it’s relatively quiet even on gorgeous summer days.
Happy Place #6-Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is a gem with events and new exhibitions coming and going. We really enjoyed their Remix event, an after hours party with music, events, dancing, etc. that draws a huge crowd. We just became members so we can come and go frequently whenever we are in the mood.
Happy Place #5-Chinatown, of course! We can’t wait to go celebrate Chinese New Year-Year of the Monkey on February 8th in our own Seattle Chinatown. There are several dim sum places that are excellent as well as the bakeries where I can get an egg tart. The Uwajimaya grocery has all our favorite snacks from China and always has cool stuff to buy.
Happy Place #4-Uptown Movie Theater. This totally charming old theater is a treasure and shows 3-4 movies, usually independent flicks, and is part of SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival). Best part-it is a block from our house and it serves lattes and wine.
Happy Place #3-The Seattle Center is more than the Space Needle. The lights twinkling in the trees at night while the fountain shoots its water bursts in time to the music make it a wondrous place. People think it is just for tourists but we walk our dogs there every day multiple times and enjoy it so much.
Happy Place #2-Who isn’t happy shopping? In downtown Seattle, our favorite stores are John Fluevog for handcrafted shoes, Everyday Music (EM) for extensive vinyl assortment, Pike Place Market, of course, for leather slippers, lavender sachets and flowers/flowers/flowers, CostPlus World Market for coffee/tea/wine, and Nordstrom’s Rack for shoes and clothing with an onsite tailor. We can walk down and then take the fun Monorail home when we buy too much. Running since the 1962 World Fair, it’s only $2.25 one way for a quick trip from downtown to the Seattle Center. Super convenient for us!
Happy Place #1-MUSIC! I am constantly on the lookout for new and well-loved artists for us to check out in Seattle. Our favorite venues are The Paramount, The Moore, and the Triple Door though we often have to travel to Ballard to the Tractor Tavern to see folks we like. Last year we got to enjoy Eilen Jewell (coming again 2/25 to the Tractor Tavern-check her out!), Allen Stone, Glen Hansard, LeRoy Bell, Elvis Costello, David Bromberg, Florence & The Machine and wish we had seen Alabama Shakes live. I’m sure this year will be an even better year for concerts, though we had to plan a trip in March to LA to see Bruce Springsteen’s final concert on his tour since he snubbed Seattle. Come on, Bruce! Seattle IS the music place to be!
2013 Times Square-2014 Shanghai-2015 Seattle-2016 Boise…it was never my intent to celebrate New Year’s Eve in different cities/countries but that’s just how my life rolled and I enjoyed every second of it. So what’s ahead in 2016? No idea but I’m excited to find out. Reflecting today on 2015, I am so thankful for all the experiences I’ve been so blessed to enjoy. Life is truly wonderful and amazing in so many ways.
2015 for us was all about transition and travel. We moved back from China in late 2014 and settled into our new place in lower Queen Anne. Oh, how I love that water view and our urban neighborhood. Being able to walk everywhere you need to be is liberating and so healthy if you don’t count being a convenient block away from the greasy bliss that is Dick’s. Having decorated our apartment last year to make it cozy, we can now enjoy entertaining more in 2016. Bring on the cocktail cart and amazing sunsets! Having James move back in with us while he attends Seattle U. Law is an added bonus as well. I appreciate being closer to family but we do miss living in China so much-a unique adventure I will never forget.
Last year was also a travelling time with my old job taking me to exotic locations like Detroit in February, San Antonio during the torrential rain storms, Durham, Orlando in the brutal summer heat, Vancouver and NYC-my favorite that never disappoints. I may not travel with my new job for awhile but then it will become a global odyssey. Cannot wait. Oh the places we will go!
Amsterdam/Bruges/The Hague dazzled us on our autumn trip and was a highlight for sure and just as charming as I thought it would be. We definitely need to explore more of Europe SOON. Nothing beats a family vacation, though, and we got to all be together on the lovely Big Island as Baby Mia was learning to walk while on the beaches in Hawaii! That was priceless and appreciated so much. That Mia makes me smile.
Flying through the trees and across the valleys in Hawaii on the zip line with the kids was breathtaking. Travelling with friends is also fun so when Patti and Larry drove across America on their road trip, we joined them to enjoy an Amtrak trip up to Vancouver where we took walking tours and found the best dive restaurant in town, serving milk shakes AND martinis right next to the triple XXX shop. Yummy and crazy at the same time!
I was lucky enough to enjoy lots of great musical moments in 2015 and got to experience the great artistic stylings of Glen Hansard, Florence & The Machine, Allen Stone x2, Eilen Jewell, Griffin House, Elvis Costello, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Dave Brumbeck plus interesting talks by David Sedaris, John Oliver, Jesse Eisenberg, David Axelrod, Ira Glass and Joe Klein. Such smart and talented people! Looking forward to seeing Lewis Black soon in Seattle. He always brings me to tears of laughter with his passionate rants. Need to seek out some women speakers this year. Here’s to diversity and hoping Hillary comes to town! Best concert of 2015-Glen Hansard with Allen Stone as a close second. I would go see them anytime, anywhere. GO SEE THEM!
We also got to go to many Seattle Storm basketball games at nearby Key Arena and see Jewell Lloyd win Rookie of the Year. It was a rebuilding year so they should win more in 2016. The Sounders were inconsistently frustrating but always a fun game to go to with awesome fan support. Throw in a few Mariners games and the Seattle Reign too and we have begun to truly immerse ourselves in the Seattle sports scene. Of course, Thom and Mike got to see their beloved Mets play in NYC in the World Series. Epic moment for those two-here’s hoping the Mets come back swinging again this year so I don’t have to listen to Thom cry and whine.
2015 WTF Moments
Trump-if by some horrible chance he wins, we would have to leave. Are you with me? Belize perhaps? That he is even in the race, let alone leading, is embarrassing for the U.S.
Guns & Violence-something must be done. Hopefully Obama will look at his Fu*&it List and take action. I’m looking forward to seeing Hannah make a difference with her work for Moms Demand Action, an organization funded by Bloomberg. People, we need to take a stand and say NO MORE.
My shoulder froze and my local gym closed so health and fitness were challenging for me this year. Frozen shoulder, mainly affecting women of a “certain age”, made moving painful and awkward but it’s getting better now with the aid of my masseuse’s cruel and painful sessions and it certainly could have been worse. Going to try out a new gym next week and start the new year off right. Hoping 2016 is a healthy one for all of us.
2016 Highlights to look forward to
*watching Mia turn 2-she grows more enchanting and smart every day. Definitely want to spend more time in Boise if we can carve out some time in between renters of our cute cottage there. It’s popular!
*publishing a book on our adventures in China-Thom will explore consulting opportunities around our expat experiences as well and we even have our own YouTube Channel now to bring the book to life: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46Dht4h7e7Tebgx6Ri9tMA?view_as=public
*discovering Dublin and seeing Glen Hansard sing in his natural environment and a NYC trip to see old friends and old haunts once it warms up some and the Mets are playing again.
*back home again to Indiana to see Mom, Sis and corn waving in the fields. Once Hoosier, always a Hoosier!
*an art-filled year. We just became Seattle Art Museum members so our weekly dates will probably be including art as well as going to their incredible Remix events. If you live in Seattle, check out these after hour events with music. Fun.
*learning a new job-again but trying for better work/life balance. Finally!
Here’s to 2016 and savoring the wonder of each and every day. Expect nothing & appreciate everything.
What incredible talent (NOT the Seahawks but that’s another story) we experienced this weekend in Seattle-AMAZING! To start off, we were lucky enough to finally get to see Glen Hansard, who was performing at The Moore. The star of Once (my favorite movie AND Broadway play), Glen is a 45 year old Irish lad who can rock passionately and croon softly. The sold out crowd of devoted fans sang along, danced in the aisles and enjoyed his banter in the intimate setting. We didn’t want the night to end…
Falling Softly earned him an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Original Song and was the showpiece song for Once. However, his music from his new album, Didn’t He Ramble, was addictive and, coupled with his energetic live performance, it made me immediately want to see him perform again. Seattle should only be so lucky to have another Hansard concert soon. At the end, he and his bandmate surprised us when they popped up in the balcony, swung their legs over and serenaded us in a duet to die for:
Of course, I was hoping nobody ACTUALLY died but it was a close call as Glen was banging on his guitar and swinging his legs high as he perched above the crowd. Luckily no one was injured and he went on to join his whole band and crew to perform an acapella Irish ballad in his final farewell to the audience that was so sad to see him go.
The next night, another sold out show for us, but this time taking place at the beautiful and spacious Benroya Hall, where we laughed till we cried as David Sedaris read story after story of his tales from picking up trash from the roadside near his home in England (he is known as “Pig Pen” to his neighbors), sharing his North Carolina vacation home with his dysfunctionally hilarious family and just commentary on life in general from his unique yet twisted perspective. Of course he has written many books but he read, not from those, but from his New Yorker articles: http://www.newyorker.com/contributors/david-sedaris
Funniest story of the night for me was his tale of having a lipoma (fatty tumors like what Izaac, our Viszla gets all over his body-I call him lumpy in an affectionate way) removed illegally by a fan who took him “across the border” from Texas to New Mexico. David got his lipoma chopped into small pieces and sealed in a baggie on ice for the journey to his summer home where he intended to feed it to his favorite turtle, who was also disfigured by a tumor, this one on top of his small head. Unfortunately, the turtle had died recently according to his neighbor. So, dropping the bloody unfrozen tumor bits and pieces to turtles under the bridge near a tourist mall, he was asked by a Southern gentleman what he was feeding them because they were snapping it up mighty fine. “Chicken” declared David to the guy he deemed a red neck yahoo by his tacky t-shirt. David then thought to himself, who I am to judge? I am, after all, feeding a turtle parts of my body. Good point, David.
David also read from his many diary entries, which will comprise his next book. An avid Fitbit user, he once hit 72,000 steps in a day, which is just impossibly hard to do. WTF! I was dying in Amsterdam when I hit 18,000. But I get it because he explained that his Fitbit was taunting him, luring him, day by day, into more steps with sassy text message challenges. Mine tells me frequently that I am an “overachiever”. Duh!
When regaling us with his thoughts on politics and specifically the rise of Trump, he didn’t even know where to begin but spoke of his talk to a German fellow who asked David what he thought of the Trumpster. David likened him to a cartoon character whose Vice President would just have to be…. wait for it…..THE Hamburgler. Of course, David had to explain to the German what a Hamburgler was in American culture. Spot on, David.
I also got a chance to hear Jesse Eisenberg speak at my work on his new book, Beemis gives me hiccups. At Q & A, I told him he appeared to be channeling Woody Allen and asked him what he thought of the great man since he had just worked with Woody on a new movie. His nervous mannerisms, thoroughly NYC attitude (born in Queens) and self-deprecating style was SO Woody. He strikes me as more of a writer than an actor just from our brief meeting.
Afterward, I researched Jesse and found out he had idolized Woody since high school, sending him screenplays at an early age. Nice to know when Woody dies (as David S. would surely point out) we have a younger version standing in the wings ready to take over Woody’s post as the neurotic New York artist.
My only regret this weekend was that we were not able to see Allen Stone perform in NYC at the Apollo. I’m sure it was legendary! Next week we are off to Boise to spend the holidays, where we will continue our date nights and seek out adventure when we are not babysitting the incredible Mia! Nai Nai is on her way, baby girl!
Got socks? I’m looking for 400+ pairs of warm socks to give to the folks in need who gather for Shared Breakfast every Sunday morning at First United Methodist in Seattle. If you have contacts with any retailer who might want to donate new warm socks, please let me know. I’m not afraid to ask-got to try, right? Warm feet and a warm belly are fulfilling basic needs for people living on the streets of Seattle.
I was lucky enough to serve 330 people a warm yummy breakfast of fresh scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits & gravy with oj/coffee and hot or cold cereal last Sunday. Thirty or so volunteers, some experienced and others like me learning the ropes, served each individual with respect and warmth from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thom was on compost duty and I not only waited on tables but graduated to the kitchen line getting the food out while it was hot and delicious. The gal running the show knew her regulars and made sure special requests like no meat or no dairy were quickly addressed. She was even vigilant in ensuring the presentation of the plates was perfect, sending back a few where the eggs got dropped on top of the sausage by mistake. This was a well-run operation from start to finish with compassion and hard work to serve those arriving in three waves for service.
Chatting up the fellow volunteers, I met a group of teens who went to school on Mercer Island. James was a Senior who hoped to get into Stanford for college. He had a big smile and worked quickly to do whatever was needed on his first volunteer assignment. I believe he will go far with that type of servant leadership mentality. The very capable lady running the grill churned out scrambled eggs by the tubful while simultaneously stirring the hot homemade oatmeal, ensuring it was seasoned well with cinnamon before going out to the floor in huge bowls to be served. She is the volunteer driving the sock distribution on Thanksgiving. If I can’t find a corporate sponsor, I will do my share and pitch in with a personal donation. Luckily, my company matches 501(c)(3) donations so I can get double the bang for my buck to support them. What a great company I work for-not only do that do that but they also will pay any place I volunteer $25/hour to the organization when I log my time. Imagine if every company was so generous what an impact we could make in our communities???
I also was able to take advantage of some new items like t-shirts and backpacks that weren’t going to be used by my company to support a donation drive for YouthCare in Seattle, which supports teens from 12-24 who are homeless and in need. Imagine their delight when they see these game-logo items plus the RockBand unit I also was able to donate to the center. I am hoping to pull together a group outing for my business co-workers and do a gaming party for the teens soon. I’ve done this before and it is always a huge hit!
Thom and I both felt it was time to give back to our neighborhood. We’ve been back a year now from China and settled into our new home and new job after a year of hectic travel. Thom has reached out to the local non-profit radio station to volunteer to do photography, his passion, in addition to supporting Shared Breakfast. I will also continue to support Shared Breakfast by learning how to do grant writing and seeing if we can provide a more reliable stream of donations so that we never have to worry about feeding those who are hungry.
My daughter and son grew up assisting us in volunteering and have such huge hearts to help others. Hannah just took on a volunteer post as the Idaho Chapter Leader with Moms Demand Action to Gun Sense in America. It’s sad that guns are so prevalent and parents need to quiz other parents about their gun safety in their homes before allowing their children to visit but it is the reality of life here in the U.S. I know Hannah will make a difference and even if she saves one young life with her message, that is HUGE. I am so proud of her.
Now, I have volunteered on and off for years so I am the first to say I could and should have done more. But now I would ask that you reflect on what YOU can do in your local neighborhood. Today. That could be donating to the food bank, planting a tree or serving breakfast to the homeless but do something. Isn’t that what life is all about? Most people aren’t as blessed as I am and I forget that sometimes so shame on me and I get bogged down in living life vs. seeing the big picture. Do you have money? Do you have time? Do SOMETHING. Please. And, as Hannah would say, “Kind words cost nothing.”
Travels with Melinda 