12th of October- the Jamie Lloyd/ Seattle Tourism Edition

Greetings from Seattle, where the day was spent touring landmarks and visiting with friends, much fun was had by all!

9:09 am- Starting the day at the bus stop. Jamie and I took the 66 to the 8 to get down to Seattle Center to start our adventure. This picture is fun because it also highlights my building (left side)!

9:38 am- just got to Seattle Center, we're starting the day at the top!

9:43 am- we purchased our CityPASS's and we're ready to get going. I highly recommend this as a way to see Seattle. $69 for 6 attractions, we for sure wanted to see 3 of the places featured (Space Needle, Harbor Tour, and Experience Music Project) and realized that we would spend $65 on just those 3, so the pass was worth it.

9:58 am- view from the top, facing North towards UW, Gasworks Park, and Queen Ann

11:42 am- into Pike Place Market! We made several (poor) attempts to get this photo before a man offered to help us.

11:57 am- CityPASS stop #2, Harbor Tour!

12:07 pm- On the boat, picked our seats, ready to depart!

12:39 pm- This was a great way to see Seattle and learn some fun facts. We also saw seals, a Coast Guard boat, learned that Seattle is actually the #6 rainiest city in the country, etc.

1:34 pm- this is where the CityPASS really paid off. The Harbor Tour ended and Patrick was meeting us downtown but his work was being silly and keeping him late, since we were right next to the Aquarium (and had tickets!) we headed inside to stay warm and walk around while we waited. The first picture in this series is of Rain, the male octopus at the Seattle Aquarium. Octopus are nocturnal, so getting a picture like this is very lucky. Also, ESPN U was filming while we were there, so if you happened to see their broadcast (and if they even included this) I was standing just to their right when I took this photo. No big deal.

1:35 pm- Jamie is playing in the touch tank, I'm not entirely sure she's excited about it.

2:07 pm- we didn't want to miss the chance to get ourselves in another CityPASS photo.

2:30 pm- we found Patrick! And we're having lunch at a restaurant that Sean and Becky have talked about since they knew I was moving. We took this photo to send Sean and make him jealous; I think Becky was more jealous as Sean likes the fast food version better.

4:26 pm- back in Pike Place with Patrick, this trip is about to get really delicious...

4:01 pm- FIRST STARBUCKS!!!

4:13 pm- my sugar free hazelnut soy latte at 140 degrees with no foam add a pack of honey cup of pure deliciousness

4:13 pm- Jamie bought a new city Starbucks mug (I'm not really sure what those are called), and I have no idea what she ordered to drink... oops.

4:14 pm- Patrick, I am also not sure what he ordered... double oops.

6:53 pm- I didn't take any pictures on my phone of Olympic Sculpture Park (one of my favorite places in Seattle) or at the pub we got a cider at. But this photo is just before heading back up to the top of the Space Needle again for a night time view!

7:05 pm- downtown Seattle at night, pretty rad.

7:56 pm- headed towards the bus stop to head home, this view of the Space Needle was one of the best of the day.

9:48 pm- after inviting Aaron to join us for dinner, we learned that he had a Living Social deal for a place near UW, so we stopped at a dive bar for dinner. Aaron is not a Husky and we were both given UW glasses (Jamie's did not have a logo), I'm pretty sure it's because they know he's a Cougar and because they know I work there (and look so good in purple)

Tomorrow, we're headed to Canada for an adventure in Vancouver!

September 12th... the RA Training post 2012

RA Training has gotten the best of me this month. This blog is going to be 2 things: 1- late. 2- short. I was so tired after work this day that I went to bed by 8:00 pm- I needed it!

8:23 am-- prepping for the day in my office. New office view, if you're a regular to my blog you'll probably be able to tell that it's different.

9:01 am-- first training session of the morning, Dawg Daze presentation. The RAs are getting the inside scoop on welcome week at UW.

9:28 am-- my RA (Abby) and I finally made Terry Hall a twitter #TeamTerry #WhatTheWhat

10:18 am-- we got a 30 minute break between sessions and so the Res Life staff decided it was time for a coffee break. Housing and Food Services (the department I work for at UW) has recently opened a grocery store, District Market, and a coffee shop, Husky Grind. This photo is of the ceiling.

10:19 am-- a minute later I noticed this wall of quotes. I think many will resonate with this quote: "In Seattle, you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running"

10:25 am-- everyone will need to soon return to the Alder Commons (conference space in the new building) for the next session. I am talking to my RA (Anna) through the crack to remind her to remind others not to bang on the glass doors.

10:46 am-- back in training, this session is with the Foundation for International Understanding Though Students (FIUTS) about welcoming and helping international students adjust to living/studying at UW.

11:38 am-- during training we did an activity where we wrote with our non-dominant hand, it really made me think about how students who's first language is not english would really struggle to take notes in a class.

2:42 pm-- now we're back in Terry and doing some in-hall; my returners are leading the sessions so I'm just watching.

6:17 pm-- surprise phone call from my friend Jaime, it was a good reminder to leave my office and catch up with the important people in my life!

After this I went home and went to bed. I was so tired. So I only took 10 pictures, oops. Also, it's weird to post a blog in September that's about RA training... that used to be an August event in my life.

Thanks for reading my late blog! Sorry about the delay.

The August 12 on 12

As I sit waiting for the Spice Girls to come on the closing ceremonies of the 30th olympiad (I just said that like I watched more then 30 minutes of all of the competitions total), I am delighted to write my first 12-on-12 from Washington.

Today started pretty boring, but I think ended with some great highlights.

6:59 am-- I spent much of the morning waking up at various times. I've been trying to sleep without earplugs because as my phone reminded me this morning, I am on-duty tomorrow (and I don't like to sleep with earplugs while I'm on-duty)

8:59 am-- Departing my apartment to head to my office for a little bit, I know it's sunday- but I am prepping for (half of) my staff's arrival today. I bought this curtain to match my black/white/red theme in my bedroom, I think it looks really cool.

9:34 am-- doing some work, trying to update the schedule for Early Fall Start move-in.

10:27 am-- Sometimes when I send emails to parents or students on the weekends, I like to delay send in an effort to keep their expectations of my response to business hours of weekdays. I'm tricky.

11:00 am-- I've just checked out 7 keys to an apartment in Steven's Court... there had been a pipe issue resulting in limited pressure in the water in my building (and rumor that it was being turned off), so I needed a back-up plan for my RAs and myself regarding bathrooms/showers. I found out a few minutes later that it was repaired and I was just being over-concerned

 2:07 pm-- headed to the IMA for a workout. I was delighted to find the 4th floor cardio and weight areas. Although, I will still show up in the free weight area on the 1st floor to politely ask people to move all the 45 lb weights from the leg press for me (since I like that less press style better. and yes, I did ask a man to move the 3- 45 lb weights on each side of the machine Friday since I would have failed at lifting all 6 of them). Also, this view from the 4th floor was much more remarkable but I didn't have my phone.

 3:16 pm-- this scale is in the women's locker room, I just think it's so interesting looking.

 3:22 pm-- I didn't have enough time to walk to the gym, so I drove. I am amused that my parking lot tells me that I am OK and uses my full name. (It's the little things).

 3:36 pm-- Pretty sure I consumed all the calories I just burned by eating these Triscuits. I brought them wine tasting yesterday and they were a hit, I recommend buying yourself a box (or 4).

 5:40 pm-- Half of my staff has arrived for Early Fall Start training and we're doing some team builders/ get to know you activities. The list in blue is from when everyone was sharing their favorite restaurant (I shamelessly took notes, and I didn't even ask it during the question game, someone else did).

 7:06 pm-- at this minute my phone started "dinging" ridiculously with messages that finally came through, I'm not sure how it happened... but literally 12 messages came through at the same time (I just counted).

 8:44 pm-- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!!! Great Facetime session with Katie, Patrick, Sean, Michael, Brice (he's in there, I promise), Jaime and Danny (also, some guy I don't know). This is my day ending on a huge highlight! Thank you, friends! :)

Gotta go, Spice Girls are coming on now. Excellent timing!

A very late July 12...

I'm hopeful that I will write another blog to explain why this blog will be dated July 12 but will be posted on July 24th but for now, I will focus on just writing this blog.

857 am-- just getting into the office after 4 days at ACUHO-I so I'm waiting (not actually) patiently for my desktop to turn on.

1009 am -- I'm moving to Seattle (hint: reason this blog is late), my friend has just emailed me with information about Bumbershoot so I can look into tickets. Things that are awesome in this picture: Missy Higgins (I love her) and Gotye

1211 pm-- I'm also confused as to why I'm not at lunch at this minute, I am instead visiting the main office and threatening to give Val a hug every time I am in the office for the rest of my time at UNC (mission: accomplished. I already miss her a ton)

1233 pm-- Coordinating a move in 2 weeks is not the easiest thing I've ever done, it's made only slightly harder by a paving project outside of my building.

129 pm-- hanging at the desk with some of my awesome summer desk staff. Almost all of them are going to or from the gym.

351 pm-- I am updating and admiring my excel document that outlines departmental processes, staff meeting schedules, and programming... I am such an excel nerd.

439 pm-- They came by and gave me a second monitor in my office.. and of course I am leaving. Also, the email that is pulled up is about Campus Beautification Day- which I was very excited that it happened before I am leaving. I am amused (to myself) because Deb wrote "Junly" and when I saved these photos onto my computer I saved them into a "June2012" folder, so clearly I was confused on which month this was.

617 pm-- Walking back from dinner from Nicole, I noticed this lovely advertisement for the UNC bear bikes... all the women's basketball players in summer school have rented them for the summer.

647 pm-- I'm headed to meet Anna (spoiler on the next photo) for a snack, we won't get to have many more #ThursdaysWithSuz

714 pm-- spending some quality time with Anna at Aspen Leaf

743 pm-- We walked back towards our buildings the long way, and went through several sprinkler obstacles (very successfully)

810 pm-- what you can't see in this picture is Todd Schuster running... we sat down and watched the stoplight for awhile, I will miss our thursday adventures!

12on12 June- late.

Only a few days late...

7:33 am- leaving my lifting class. Had a great lift!

8:31 am- I'm showered and checking the bruises from my accident on the 10th. That was a horrible day. (this is the most scandalous picture I've ever posted on my blog)

11:56 am- walking to lunch.

12:53 pm - I had lunch with Jaime and Tiffany at the UC, and then I made them pose for a picture.

1:42 pm - AFR told me to use aloe on my face bruise, I think it helped.

2:06 pm - I ended up going home from work with a headache and neck pain. I decided sleeping was my best plan.

2:17 pm - my nap was interrupted because my nephew called me on my sisters phone. Caleb and I attempted FaceTime about 3 times before he gave up, we almost got it to work.

5:22 pm - I watched a TedTalk about not saving the crap you don't use, so I started cleaning out all my boxes, this is me determining if things are an office supply or something I want to donate to the resource room.

6:16 pm - I'm testing my pens to determine if they need to be thrown away or not. I gave the pens that still worked to the front desk.

6:54 pm - when I stopped by the desk to give Zach all the pens, I forced him to watch the TedTalks that inspired me.

8:42 pm - Jason came to visit to have dinner with me! Virginia Beach neighbors almost both living in Colorado now!

8:59 pm - I was checking Facebook and found a map of the current wild fire in Colorado, it's breaking my heart so much.