nicotine musings

I had another weird dreams. It was one of those dreams that comes in between your last pound on the snooze bar and waking up to reality.
I had a sense that it was a really hard, long day. I don't know what my job was...but that's not the point of the story. so i had a long day...i go to a store and i'm standing in line waiting when i turn to the cashier next to me and say, "Excuse me, do you have a cigarette? I could really use one right now. You wouldn't believe my day." She looks at me with skeptical eyes and says, "Well, that depends, how much do you smoke?" Smirking at her very intelligent and relevant question I laughed sheepishly and said, "Oh, I never have before. I just really need to start." She double knots the tie on her work smock and says, "Well then, sure! I was just about to take my break." She steps out of her booth and lights up right there in the store and hands it to me to take a drag. I smile and take 3 puffs...proud of myself for remembering not to inhale all the smoke. I hand it back to her and say, "You can finish it. I needed that- thanks." I smile over my shoulder, give a little wave and walk out the door.

The weirdest thing is I have never, ever had a desire to smoke or put any foreign objects near my mouth. That dream certainly came out of nowhere.

Adventure to Seattle, Washington

with my friend Hilary, her husband Nic, and his friend Luke.

One white mocha
One mindbending crossword puzzle
Three sets of FREE HEADPHONES (courtesy of the airline, thank you)
One connecting flight
.... And we were in Seattle, Washington

We drove about 30 minutes north of the city and stayed at the Autry home located in Everett, WA for 3 nights.

I saw many unique things downtown Seattle and it seemed like a mini-New York City. One of my favorite things was all the street musicians in Pike Market square. They were similar to hippies, i like hippies. Sometimes I wish I was one...or a gypsy. (According to gramps, wearing rings on every finger I was destined to become a gypsy- but somewhere along the way I stopped wearing that much metal on my hands. Messed up my chances real good.)

We saw the crazy fish-flinging fishermen and lots of seafood for sale. I ate a sample of some raw salmon. It was so delicious- you'd never know it was uncooked.

We also visited the first Starbucks store ever...it was not as I had pictured it. But still fun to see. It's just an old brick storefront coffee shop squeezed in between everything else on the fishermens wharf. Decorated with alot of wood and neutral colors. Reminiscent of it's simple beginnings. I'm sure the original owners never intended for it to go national- or corporate. blah

We went on this underground tour of the city of Seattle. Apparently a fire burned the whole city down at the beginning of the century and so they just rebuilt on top of it. Underground is also referred to as Sin City because of all the brothels and moonshine that was exchanged for money down there. The sidewalks above have these cool lookin' squares of glass- skylights into the underground city alleyways.

Nic's friend Luke is a chef here in the Twin Cities and was very eager and willing to make us a Seafood Feast on Friday night which included: mussels, crab, halibet, shrimp, and salmon. It was SO GOOD! My first real seafood experience and all I can say is I am not that crazy about the texture of the mussels, but other than that- DELICIOUS! Seafood is especially good with a glass of wine or champagne.

The view...breathtaking! Pictures don't do justice. But I took them anyway. We did alot of walking around and I loved being there. We went to The Taphouse one night and got sushi & drinks...very delicious and upscale.

Loved it, but I learned that I am a Midwest girl at heart.

ROADTRIP

Seattle, WA --> Minneapolis, MN

1664 miles

Left Saturday morning @ 10AM EST. 29 hours of driving (31 hrs after the time zone changes). We ran into a snow storm in the mountains, but we just went slow and used the 4-wheel drive to blaze a trail through it. The mountains are SO BIG! I'd def call them majestic, and it made me want to downhill ski. (Maybe on my next adventure) Montana is def big sky country...and ENDLESS. There were lots of deer crossing the road in the middle of the night. Crazy deer must've been mating because they could not be controlled...all that street crossing!

North Dakota..well- not much there. Everyone at the McD we stopped at was over 60 and missing at least 1 tooth. Interesting breed of people out there.

The Minnesota border never looked so good...even though it was 4 more hours after that. We pulled up to my flat about 4pm CST on Sunday...and I quickly showered and scurried off to church.

Annoyed that the guy in charge of getting volunteers for running the espresso machine double scheduled. I decided to let the other couple handle it and I stayed for the young adult's Last Sunday which was about NOISE and how all the chaos in our lives distracts us from listening to the Lord's voice. Just turn it all off and listen to the silence. Finally got back to the house around 7pm and forced myself to stay awake until 9pm.

My dark, warm, quiet bed never felt so good. *happy sigh*

dream life with tv sitcoms

I keep dreaming in Laverne & Shirley episodes. I actually am there with them in their Milwaukee apt laughing and doing crazy stunts with them. We go to work everyday at the bottle capping factory and hurry home to change before we head off to The Pizza Bowl. Naturally, Lenny and Squiggy burst through the door after well-placed sentences. When I wake up, I actually feel like I've been teleported there & back during my sleeping hours. Strange, I know.

I am, therefore, taking a break from watching episodes in marathon proportions.

the gray squirrel

I saw a squirrel this morning braving the elements, and I thought to myself:
'Poor, foolish squirrel! I bet he wishes he was neatly tucked away in his treehouse, barricaded by acorns. Doesn't he realize it's going to be -35 in windchill by tomorrow?! There he goes bounding across the frozen expanse. I wonder what was SO important that he felt he had to wake up?'

At what temperature would a squirrel die from the cold?

Found this little gem on the good, ole internet when I was searching for the answer to my question... http://www.deadsquirrel.com/essays/essay009.html

(Editor’s Note: Mr. Park, aka The Squirrel Scientist, has been unavailable for the past few days due to the fact he was under psychiatric observation at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center. He was found wandering the backyards of his Buffalo neighborhood soaking in olive oil, with a battery powered blacklite taped to a Werhmacht helmet. It was this strange glow that caused the neighbors to turn him in. In a pocket was a bottle of what was later determined to be pancreatic extract. It was found to be derived from cows, so no charges were pressed. However, the excessive insulin had rendered him irrational from hypoglycemia. He also had a Radio Shack metal detector that he was using near squirrel nests, claiming he wanted to find their alien teleportation equipment. We found only a desiccated squirrel body, dead of natural causes, that weighed perhaps two pounds when alive. He was also had upon his person a forty megabyte hard drive, a broken nicotine-stained keyboard, miscellaneous computer chips, and a frightfully cat whizzed-upon copy of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle.)
I suppose you've heard of my run in with the authorities, cleverly duped by the squirrels as they are. It was to be expected they would take action against me as I stumble precariously close to the truth. That is why I need all the help I can get; IT'S THE SQUIRRELS, STUPID!

young and vivacious

'Cause they don't serve breakfast in hell

I ate a fortune cookie for breakfast. I don't know quite what that means...if anything, but it struck me as funny and unique to this Tuesday.

I chopped off my hair yesterday. When I was standing in front of the mirror last night as well as this morning as I went about my morning routine I just kept thinking, "Wow. I really cut my hair. It wasn't a dream." I do miss my luscious locks, but the compliments I received this morning from my coworkers made it all worthwhile. It is very short...above my shoulders- a first for me, i think. What will my mother say? At least there's time for it to grow a little before my next pilgrimage home.

spontaneous roadtrip

I'm going to Seattle in 2 weeks.

WAHOOO

Hil and Nic asked me if I wanted to fly out to Seattle with them to pick up a car, stay a couple days at the Autry residence and roadtrip it back on beautiful I-90. At first I said I couldn't go, but then I realized...

*brace yourself*

I can do AnYtHiNg I want at this stage in my life!!!! I can pick up and go to Seattle on a whim and no one would be bothered. :-D

I will bring my new digital camera and capture the moments. Perhaps I will visit the fish market and the first Starbucks EVER (just to say I've been there) AND see the great Pacific Ocean.

Stopping to take a few snapshots of The World's Biggest.... also a must.