The End of My Solitude

My job starts tomorrow. I am really excited and yet I know that in a few weeks I will probably wish that I could reverse and relive the last two weeks. I have spent soooo much time alone, done a lot of reading and writing, exploring and listening to Shane and Shane. (I've decided that if I were banished to an island and I was allowed to bring my ipod but I could ONLY put one artist on there it would be shane and shane... hands down... woah, that's random). I feel refreshed and ready to go. I may suffer from overstimulation as I have one 8-5 day and then I am off to the san juan islands (sounds exotic, right?) on a retreat with a bunch of res lifers and I may have to shrink down my bubble, but I am sure I will be fine.

Seattle is still amazing me from every angle. I visited a church in West Seattle this evening and even though it was super industrial down there, the view of the city from the west seattle bridge was breathtaking. It is supposed to rain on Tuesday.

Sorry this is a boring post. OH btw... has anyone seen my Seattle Pacific sweatshirt? Sometime in the last 2 months I lost it. Let me know. Well, by for now I guess...

Thoughts on Online Dating

Kerri used to say it best. "Sometimes I wonder if my soulmate is out there somewhere... just waiting for me to log on." Turns out he was just waiting to grow up... and for her to come to Kentucky. I mentioned before, Kerri's attempts to live vicariously through me... single me. For instance, signing me up for E Harmony. And sending me magazine clippings with notes attached that say "people meet their soulmates on E Harmony every day." Now, in a circumstance such as the one I find myself in currently, it is a little tempting. Having recently moved to a new place, it would be a good jumping off point for meeting people. HOWEVER... I don't think that internet dating suits me.

I saw Must Love Dogs last night. The first scene was a planned intervention where each member of Sarah's family had brought a picture of a man that they thought she should hook up with. She was pretty good natured about it... more than I would be... and then when her sister signed her up for perfectmatch.com without her knowing, she was pissed. She, on the other hand, was reluctant but eventually gave it a shot. I am going to credit this to sexual frustration. Me, being without the experience of a divorced woman... can't really use that as an excuse. Of course, she found true love but again... not really sure that's my style. Maybe if I'm a 40 Year Old Virgin... (another movie that could be pretty funny to check out) I'll give it a shot. But until then I will stick with my preferred method of "not dating" as I like to call it.

Last night the girls started talking about "the thing" and I waited to hear a proper noun in place of "the thing" but it turns out that The Thing is ACTUALLY the proper noun. So, The Thing is a group of people that meets on Mercer Island. I guess it is like a Christian youth group for 25-35 year olds. I laughed at the thought... and remembered the first AND LAST time I went to a young adults service at a church in California. I laughed as I was asked (in all seriousness) "So, come here often?" Jason's coffee shop technique is looking more and more appealing every day.

In closing, I have come to the conclusion that most of our soulmates probably aren't waiting for us to log on at all... they are probably just waiting to grow up. (or for us to grow up...)

Nobody Warned Me About the Spiders

I killed the largest spider that I have ever seen aside from the tarantulas that I used to jump over on Garcia Trail. It was so nasty and I could have sworn that it would bite me through my shoe as I attempted to squish it. It gives me the shivers to think about it... ew. I am really a girl when it comes to bugs....

... I am a girl when it comes to a lot of things, actually.

I am going to hit up happy hour and then see Must Love Dogs tonight with some SPU ladies. Pretty excited about that. Finally, I will be hanging out with people! I have been getting aquainted with Seattle's coffee shops. It is about time I get aquainted with some of Seattle's people.

The coffee shops are nice, but I have learned from a close friend of mine that coffee shops are not a prime place for meeting people. I mean, this guy sat in a coffee shop almost EVERY day for a year, hoping to meet some people and all he got out of it was a book of mormon from a hot barista. That's the last thing I need.

Sleepy Trae

I have been sleeping entirely too much! I have been going to bed too early and waking up too late. I don't think that I have seen 9:00 am this week at all. Who am I kidding... I don't think I've seen 10:00. My job needs to start. I have been spending too much time alone... EVEN TOO MUCH TIME ALONE FOR ME!! That is strange. I LOVE being with only me. It has been good though. I have been reading Desiring God by John Piper. I have also read a book called Gracious Space and I am reading In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen... both of those for work. I have also taken up scripture memorization. I haven't done that since I was a kid and I haven't had to memorize anything for years so it is slow going... but this is what I have so far. "Whom have I in heaven but You and besides You there is nothing that I desire on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26 and "Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 And uh.... I am still working on todays. pretty good eh?

I am searching far and wide for a church. I went to a church called Mars Hill which is the one that all The Well dwellers told me to check out. It was definitely part of the "emerging church" movement. I didn't know any of the songs. and there were soooo many people there. The preaching was alright but I felt like people were laughing through the whole thing. I don't feel like I really learned anything and I don't really like it when people preach to get a reaction out of people. I want a church that focuses on doctrine and where I feel like I am intellectually stimulated and where I can worship in spirit and truth. I also want a place where people notice that I am there. NO ONE said hello to me at this church. sad. It might take me a year just to find a church. That's a little disheartening.

COME VISIT ME!!

I'm back!!

I think I might develop claustrophobia living in Seattle. I mean, I walked into safeway the other day and usually when you walk into safeway there is some room... maybe a watermelon stand or something. Well, I walked in and there was a guy bagging groceries 2 feet in front of me. A little close for me and my space bubble.

I am not having a terrible time getting around Seattle. My apartment is shaping up nicely and I am getting to know Paula (another RLC) quite well. The Blue Angels are practicing for the Sea Fair this weekend so they have been flying overhead all day. It's a beautiful city and I am going to enjoy living here.

I haven't worked out FOREVER!! I am getting chubby. Right now I am going to go to 1st thursday at the Art Walk with Alanna and her brother. Should be fun. I miss u!

Big love from Big Trae