"One Short Day ..."

"... in the Emerald City, one short day full of so much to do. One short day, and we're warning the city, now that we're in here, you'll know we've been here before the day's through." These are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite Broadway shows, Wicked. I've been hesitant to write anything here lately because what comes next in the logical order of things is the summation of my time in Seattle. And quite frankly, I'm just not done with that chapter of my life. So I delayed for a while trying to think of something else I could write before I was ready to wrap up the time I spent there. I came up with nothing. I'm not sure I have the energy to do this subject justice, but I'm gonna do as much as I can without crying and causing myself to go into hysterics. I did that on the drive home, and I scared poor Heidi half to death. See, I'm generally a fairly composed person. I have very overactive tear ducts, but I can let the huge alligator tears roll down my cheeks silently, and even carry on a conversation without any fluctuation in my voice. It comes in handy in my line of work. I can watch the most tragic of all tragedies without batting an eyelash, but show me a sentimental Oprah episode or McDonald's commercial (yeah, it happened :) ) and I go to pieces. Let's not talk about when the Yankees loose :). My temper is also hard-wired to my tear ducts, which just fuels the anger more, there is nothing worse than wanting to furiously yell at someone, but having the effect lessened by the small streams of water running down your cheeks and neck.

See, now I'm getting off track. Weird, I know. So, Seattle. It seems like just last week I was so excited to be out of my car after an immaculate but long drive up the Pacific Coast Highway from South Orange County. It seems like just last week, I hauled all my stuff up the elevator and into my new apartment. It seems like just last week that I went to work and made instant friends with the staff there. It seems like just last week that my life was turned upside down by a stomach full of twittery butterflies of anticipation of what was going to happen, and all the new feelings that were coursing through me at lightning speed. But it wasn't. It was 5 months ago. Five months!!!! Two months longer that I've stayed at any other travel assignment, and words can't describe how fast the time seemed to fly.

Seattle is beautiful!!! I was immediately enamored with the view of the shipyard and Elliott Bay that I had from my balcony. I also was instantly captivated by the fact that everything was green --even stuff that wasn't supposed to be, like moss covered dirt and tree trunks. I did NOT appreciate the drivers there, but after a while, I came to tolerate them out of sheer realization that my angry frustrations were not going to change things. I don't know why I don't have the power to move vehicles out of my way with my telekinesis, but I'm working on it. I fell into a pattern of shopping every day at Pike Place Market for fresh fruits, vegetables, and sea food. I'm still trying to work out how I'm going to survive without this.

I worked at a fantastic place. The staff was amazing, and the relationships and teamwork reminded me a lot of home, which was nice. They have this incredible computer charting system that I will miss terribly!! I still occasionally have a hard time figuring out why all computers don't respond to my tapping on the screen to get what I want (the whole system was a touch-screen). I won't bore you all with the specifics of the inner workings of the department, because I realize that while fascinating to me, most of you would not understand what I meant (or care if you did.) You're welcome Becky and Kristin ;)

I could have spent hours staring at the water and watching for whales and otters and fish to jump out of the Bay. I could have spent days at the Science Center and Aquarium just walking around. I have already explained that I could have lived at Pike Place. There is not one thing about Seattle that I did not thoroughly enjoy. There is one thing though that I don't understand. There is an exorbitant amount of homeless people in Seattle. Homeless in Seattle? Really? Why? It is cold and wet all the time! I was still wearing a jacket in August! Migrate south man! Time for the homeless people of Seattle to discover the beaches of Southern California!

I've learned different things from each of my assignments and the cities I've lived in. In New York I learned to be independent and stand up for myself. I gained immeasurable amounts of confidence. In Orange County I learned the value of customer service, and the way that people should be treated and act. In Seattle, I was home. In Seattle, I fell in love. I fell hard, and it was wonderful. And now it's awful, because for whatever reason, I am supposed to leave and go to New York. I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time discussing this, I'm just not ready, and my family as anxiously watching over my shoulder, waiting to comfort me when I fall apart. Darn it! All I want to do is curl up in a ball in my own little apartment and not have to talk or deal with anyone until I'm ready. The grass is always greener. When I would have hard times in Seattle with the decisions, I would feel so alone, and I longed for the arms of friends and family to hug me and tell me everything would be OK, and that it would work out the way it was supposed to. I know this, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. (BTW, a special thanks to those of you who put up with late-night hysterical phone calls) Now that I'm here and have access to plenty of hugs, I just want to be left alone. This is getting depressing ...so, moving on.

So, in Seattle, I fell in love. I also found the other half of my brain. My friend Siobhan and I are literally the same person. She is the non-LDS version of me. I lost count of the times that we said the same things at the same time in the same tone of voice after the first hour we spent together. It never got old freaking Josh and Joe out when we would look at them with the unknowingly same expressions on our faces. I'm not sure what I'm going to do without her! It feels like we've been friends for our entire lives. Thank goodness for phones and the internet! I'm not sure what my post-Seattle adventures hold, but I'm excited to find out. OK, I'm willing to find out. I left my heart in Seattle, and I'm not sure when I get it back. I'm excited to throw myself into blood and guts at the level one trauma center in Manhattan. I'm excited to get lost and found again in the beat of the city that I once loved so much. So stay tuned. I'm assured that many adventures are yet to come, and if the Lord truly does bless up like I believe he does, what's coming next is going to be freaking awesome!!!

Oh, ps, I'm on my parents old-school dial-up non-highspeed internet and don't have the patience to post pictures, so just check out my facebook page for them, or I'll try to post more later!