I just took a shower for the first time in my condo. My bathroom---like, I can paint it red or change all the tile if I want to...because it's mine! What a cool feeling: ownership. I spent most of yesterday moving---thanks to Phoebe, Ray, Peter, Gilles, Rabah, Dave & Fred for helping me out! It was all done in about 4 hours. Whew. Had a lil' 10 footer from UHaul and we did it all in 2 trips. I brought Misha over last night after the move to introduce him to the new place...he's still flipping out a bit...walking everywhere, exploring, meowing a lot. He's figured out where the litterbox is. Good. Now I've got tons and tons of unpacking to do. I don't even know where to begin....



Last night, headed out to dinner with Eugene, Juli & Todd at Il Terrazo Carmine in Pioneer Square--boy, it was yummy...and boy, it was expensive. Afterwards, we headed over to the Stadium Exhibition Center to see The Strokes, this NYC punk band for some good 'ol fun music. There, I saw Gary! Random. Anyhow, it was fun to catch up with everyone--we had a lot of good laughs. The Strokes were fun to listen to also.....that's the only word I can use to describe it..fun. Y'know, music where most people around you are just nodding their head like crazy in rhythm in addition to shaking their bodies. Just pure fun.

Whoa--this is trippy. Check this out--it's a non-animated gif...just an optical illusion. A friend of mine just sent this over.



Last night, I went salsa dancing for the first time in MONTHS. It was great! I can't wait to start up classes again next week. It was pretty eventful---around midnight, some girl's nose got broken. A crowd started forming in the corner and next thing I know, there's a girl lying on the floor with blood all over her white pants. She was likely doing some insane spin and got elbowed in the face. She was kinda small and short--so vulnerable. Ugh...I felt so bad for her. What a shock. I'm not surprised though--it gets so crowded there and I've had so many close calls...spinning around, almost running into someone. Lord knows how many times my feet have been stepped on and vice versa.

Wow, my life's been eventful lately. After the craziness of all the family during the month of September, I finally got my life back together....and *finally*---bought a condo! I am now officially a homeowner. I LOVE my new place---moving in 2 weeks. It can't get any better than this: loft, deep tub, great kitchen, Capital Hill, hardwood floors...I'm absolutely ecstatic and scared at the same time. It's been crazy dealing with all the financing and the papers that I have to sign---the numbers are mind-boggling. Locking in a rate was like a big gamble: "Should I do it now? or should I bet it'll be better tomorrow?" I ended up with a 5.375% rate--not bad...still low..could've been better had I tried earlier. Ah well. Now on to the exciting world of furniture shopping--my current furniture isn't quite "hip" enough for this new place--not that I'm selling everything..but I definitely need new furniture for the extra 700 sq ft that I'm not accustomed to living in.







Vancouver was sad but wonderful at the same time. I really didn't know how I'd react at the funeral---but it was sadder than I expected. Everyone was crying...it was just so heartbreaking. The wake was the most difficult---seeing him there in that open coffin was too much. He looked nothing like the last time I saw him, full of energy and all smiles. The wonderful part of Vancouver was meeting all these relatives I'd never met--especially a first cousin, Anthony. We hung out a lot for those 2 days and it was just so nice to catch up with someone that I'm so close to in lineage yet never knew. I also met many of the "sons of the oldest brother of my grandmother--but had a different mother than my grandmother"--way complicated once you go back a few generations.......