I just booked a ticket back home to Michigan...APRIL FOOLS!

Wait...I'm staying in Seattle? Yup.

It was getting down to the wire. I had to choose: a plane ticket or an apartment.

There were pros and cons to each. It's so much safer to go home where I can see my family, cuddle with my dog and sleep in my room. But then again, would I be able to find a job in my small town? Well, I would be applying to places everywhere and could move to that location when I got the job. But it's so much harder to get a job when you aren't in that city. I do have a couple of leads on jobs I want in Seattle, but who knows when they will get back to me?

I struggled to sort through my thoughts and asked a TON of people their advice. B told me to get an apartment and take a chance because if I go home I could get stuck. My grandma said maybe I should wait it out and see if any of these jobs come through. She reminded me that my mom went to California when she was young and it opened her eyes and fostered a lot of self-growth. MSM told me to come home and then quickly changed his mind and said I better stay because I always do the opposite of what he says.

It was such a difficult decision. And then I made up my mind. I called my dad up and said with vigor "I'm coming home, Dad!" Guess what he said. He said that I have some really good opportunities in Seattle. He told me he wanted me to be happy and that he knows that I really want a job and that it wouldn't hurt to stick it out here. He'd hate to see me fly all the way back to Michigan and get an offer and have to fly all the way back to Seattle. "Think it over," he said.

Thanks a lot, Dad. I'd already thought about it so hard, why'd he have to go and mix me up again? That night, my mind was still set on going home. I think I was also so ready to leave because I had been looking for a room to rent with hardly any luck. If I were going to stay, I needed to know I wasn't going to be homeless. Finally, some people finally responded to me and although this didn't change my mind about leaving, it made me breathe a little easier.

So Monday, I decided to take a look at a room so I took the ferry across Puget Sound, wandered around until I found the Pioneer Square station, rode the bus across town, and walked until I found the house I was looking for. In her car was the rental manager. She showed me around the house and it looked like these girls were young, welcoming, fun people. There was a well-stocked bookshelf, St. Patrick's Day decorations, a dry erase board with their names and pictures of what they did (one had a stethoscope, another a cocktail, etc.). I told the lady I'd think about it and took a stroll. The public library was across from the bus stop and had a gorgeous little nature area. Just steps from that was a mall and shopping area and after awhile, I started to think I could see myself there.

So yesterday, I decided to jump on the opportunity. Even today I called my dad again upset and wanting to come home, but he talked me through it. I'm not sure what will come of it, but I'm going to work my tail off to get where I want to be, whether I stay here or go home. But for now, I'm going to try it out. Sooooo please send good vibes my way and I'll try to send some back. xoxo

Books + Museum + Rainy Afternoon in Seattle

To be quite honest, I feel like I'm pushing forward without a sense of what my path is. My internship at YES! is ending next week, I haven't booked a plane ticket anywhere (even though my parents keep asking me what day I'm flying home), I don't have any arrangements to stay in Seattle, and no job.

One way to look at the situation is I'm in deep trouble. Another way to look at it is I have a lot of options.

I mean, not everything happening in my life is bad. I have a second interview on Friday for a recipe editor position at a new cookbook app. I should hear back about a job at the Society of Professional Journalists headquarters next week. Also, my bestie who is living in California keeps telling me I always have the option of staying with her for as little or as long as I want. Plus home is always awaiting me with open arms.

The thing is, I just want to pave my own way and jump into this crazy life head and heart first.

Anyway, onto other things, Sunday I decided to take a trip to Seattle. I have been dying to visit the iconic Elliot Bay Company and Frye Art Museum, so here's some pics from my trip:

I was exhausted, but happy, when I finally saw Frye Art Museum. I'm still a little intimidated by public transportation, so I walk everywhere. This was quite a trek in the rain - ten blocks uphill! And when I say uphill, let me just tell you that it was so steep that people holding onto the wall as they were descending because the rain had made it so slippery.

After about eight blocks and soaked from the rain, I called my daddy. Yes, I rely on my dad even when we're over 2,000 miles apart. He assured me that I was almost to the museum and I kept on with my journey.

Hello, Frye. Nice to finally see you. Bonus: this museum is always free.

I wasn't totally thrilled with the exhibit, but there were a few pieces that caught my eye. Caption: Rud[olf?] Gliesch. Plate 68, Omamentik der Gegenwart, 1905-6. Published by Verlag Christian Stoll, Plauen, Germany.

Aubrey Beardsley. British, 1872-98. Illustrations in Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D'Arthur. Published by William Dent & Son, London, 1894. Limited Edition, two-volume set, bound in ivory cloth with gold decoration.

Henri Heran (pseudonym of Paul Hermann). German, 1864-1940. Spielendes Meerweib (Frolicking Mermaid), n.d. Color wood and lithograph. Published in Pan III, no. 4, 1897.

This was part of the featured artist: Rodrigo Valenzuela. I didn't get the info on this particular piece, but it was a big room that was set up with these canvases. The atmosphere was very industrial. The rest of his exhibit was videos. One showcased African American men talking picking up trash at a stadium and talking about their lives. Another was a series of videos. The one that I watched told the story of men crossing the Mexico-U.S. border and the atrocities that happened to them.

Valenzuela's exhibition was by far my favorite that the museum had on display.

Need a bike? Rent one at one of these stations.

After I left the museum, I was on my way to Elliot Bay. Except for the fact that between 9th Street and 10th street there are probably five non-numbered streets. So needless to say, I got a bit confused.

And that's when I stumbled upon Seattle University. As I walked by, I saw a beautiful garden and decided I had to take a detour.

Everyone should have a Shakespeare garden!

The campus is just beautiful. I felt right at home and loved the mossy steps and flowering gardens.

After being lost in the city, taking a breather in nature was definitely needed.

The campus is trying to be zero waste. They're doing this by making it easy for students to recycle and compost. Did you know that there's an ordinance in Seattle against putting food in the garbage? That's pretty awesome, right?

The area around Frye Museum and the campus of Seattle University were beautiful, so when I turned down 10th Street and found it kind of dirty, I wasn't sure if I should proceed in the direction Elliot Bay was supposed to be. I kept on going and was so happy when I saw this sign. I made it!

Can I just live here?

There were four long shelves of poetry - and most of it contemporary poetry! I was in heaven. I found this gem of a book Dear Lil Wayne by Lauren Ireland.

And of course I couldn't resist the urge to buy some poetry books. I've been obsessed with Write Bloody Publishing for yearsss (was hell-bent on interning there before they stopped offering internships) and when I was watching Button Poetry videos, I found Sarah Kay. Since then, I've been watching video after video after video after video of Sarah's. As for the Zachary Schomburg book, I just couldn't put it down.

I'm tired. Here's what's on my mind today:

Let's talk about this over coffee and chocolate chip cookie. Photo taken on the ferry.

One of my favorite bloggers, Sydney over at the Daybook, once in awhile goes through a list of words and puts a little comment by each. I like that idea, so below are a bunch of words and the thought that came to mind when I read the word. The fun in it is that the exercise reveals something a little different every time it's done. But anyway, here ya go:

Making: an effort to look at my environment more and in a different way.
Cooking: stir fry is my new thing and it's delicious if I say so myself.
Drinking: lots of water. I'm trying to drink 3 liters of water everyday, which if  you haven't tried it, is a ton and hard to do.
Reading: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I recently watched the movie for the first time, and the two are so different. Alice Hoffman wrote my favorite book (The Dovekeepers), so I had to read another.
Wanting: to get a job that I love.
Looking: at my future and wondering what it holds. Things seem so unresolved and unknown right now.
Playing: with the idea of staying in Seattle.
Wasting: time. I shouldn't be procrastinating, but it's so ingrained in my nature.
Sewing: words together into poetry. Well, trying to write more anyway.
Wishing: the intentions I've been sending were manifesting.
Enjoying: the beautiful sunny, spring weather. Today someone was actually mowing their lawn.
Waiting: ...
Liking: that tomorrow I can work from my bed.
Wondering: how different my life would be if I didn't require sleep.
Loving: the music that's been playing on Spotify (Benjamin Fracis Leftwich-Stole You Away, The Head and the Heart-Rivers and Roads, Elliott Smith-Between the Bars)
Hoping: the dinner I'm going to make for my roommate is going to turn out (her internship is over and she's leaving me *sad face*)
Marveling: at how fast time flies.
Needing: soulful conversation.
Smelling: the shampoo/conditioner from my wet hair.
Wearing: pajamas (stretchy pants and the Shelby t-shirt I got in 5th grade when I went to Greenfield Village with my class).
Giggling: is something I haven't genuinely done in awhile.
Following: dirt trails in the forest is exhilarating.
Bookmarking:  this because it's too darn cute and this because I can't resist poetry.
Opening: a store of my own creeps into my mind a lot.