Walking Around on March 24, 2010

I started my day walking to a USPS mail drop box. I finally filled out my Census form and wanted to mail it in. Then a quick stop at the Capitol Hill Library http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=6

To my surprise, I ran into Emily and Lindy. I told Emily that Eva would want to join us for working on cover letters and resumes. Which I need to work on before we meet. I should have some type of rough draft ready.

After CAP I went up to Volunteer park where I climbed the water tower. It took me at least 1.5 minutes. I forgot I had a stopwatch on my phone before today. I don't know if 1.5 minutes is a good time or not. Still not running all the way up. Of course, I had been pushing myself up until I hit the park.

Walking past the park, I hit the forest. I took the right hand fork this time. It was a nice walk down some steps. No woman putting on her make-up this time. Got to 23rd Avenue and walked past Montlake Public Library.

http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=18

I wandered around for a while and eventually got to Top Pot donuts in Wedgewood. The Chocolate Bar and Orange cream soda hit the spot. That was around 15:30.

NET http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=20

After sitting around and reading for 45 minutes, I got up to leave and ran into Sheri.

Stopped to use the computer at GLK http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=11 And figure out where I was going from here. It turns out I walked around the lake.

And then went to Wallingford.
WAL had closed by the time I got there but it was still nice to figure out where it is located.

WAL http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=28

Same thing with Fremont Library. It was closed but I finally found the branch.

FRE http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=10

After this, I went to see the Troll and walk across the Auroa Avenue Bridge.

I was hoping to keep the question of walking across the Aurora Avenue Bridge as an existential question. But I finally walked across it. I was not sure I could do it.

Why I am walking

I am walking around in an attempt to get someone out of my head. Unfortunately, no matter how much I walk, those thoughts are still in my head. Sometimes with reinforcements. But I don't want to stop really. I just need a change in pattern of thoughts.

That someone in my head is myself. And no matter where I walk or how I walk, that person follows.

Relationship books and other sources say physical exercise is part of the cure but I find that the more I exercise, the more I think those thoughts that I am trying to get away from. I think those sources of advice are wrong. Except....exercise focuses ones thoughts.

Of course the last time, it took ten years to get over someone. But then again, if someone were to ask, I would probably admit to still having feelings for Laura from kindergarten. And that was almost 30 years ago. That is scary to think about. I wonder whatever happened to Laura. I wonder if I could find her if I tried. Would I try? Trying to find someone from 30 years ago might be difficult.

Getting out of Neutral

Yesterday, I took a first step to getting out of neutral as regarding my career. I actually sent in a cover letter and resume for a different job at SPL. I know I sent in a bad cover letter and resume but that is okay. This is more than I have done in the last seven years about a new job. Now I need to get a new cover letter and resume done for the Continuous Recruitment Process. This may be the easier one to do which is why I have not done it.

I like being a Page and moving up to a library associate I or II is going back to being like a retail clerk. I did retail in my late teens and early twenties. I am not sure I want that same job again. It would mean more money, I guess. I have been putting it off until August of this year. I do not want to change my life too much until after my birthday.

Insane Walk to 3 Libraries

I was up early this morning and I wanted to walk. That is my new day off activity. It used to be driving around but I need more exercise. First stop today when I finally left around 12:15 was the Capitol Hill Library. I was returning the items I checked out the day before.


Next stop was in Volunteer Park. I figured since I was walking, I would walk up the Water Tower. A block away from the park, I saw this weird little car.

Then I got to the Water Tower. Yes, I climbed to the top. Yes, I had to pause at the landings. Hopefully one of these days I can run all the way up.

Views from the top of the Water Tower.

As I left the Water Tower, I found this circular block sitting in the grass. A random block of concrete is always a good find.

Moving on from the park, I kept going towards the Montlake Bridge. I went over the University Bridge on Sunday, I figured Montlake Bridge today. To get there, I came across a forest with a path going through it. I hoped it would take me down the hill and get me closer to Montlake. As I walked through the forest, I came across a woman and her Corgi. The reason I mention this person is she was putting her make-up on in the forest. OKAY.

Then I ran across these construction guys fixing some steps on a slope.

Finally made it to the bottom of the forest. Thankfully, there was a trail.

Then I came across a Greek Orthodox church. Of course, I was going the wrong way and I did not know it at the time.

I should have realized when I passed under the 520 without seeing Montlake Bridge. I finally saw the gas station that is my landmark for the Montlake Bridge and realized that I was walking towards the University Bridge instead of the Montlake Bridge. I got to Eleventh Ave, saw the University Bridge and went, "Fuck, I gotta backtrack."

I made it to Montlake Branch finally. I went in and used an Express Internet Terminal to update Facebook. Just as I was finishing, Emily made an appearance. I was hoping she was working today. Otherwise the backtracking I had to do to get here would not have been worth it.

I got on my way and passed over the Montlake Bridge. I love walking over water. I just have to remember not to jump. I stayed on the east side of the road. On Sunday I was on the west side of the road which includes the Burke Gilman Trail. The East side has Husky Stadium. I caught a Women's Soccer team at practice. When I first saw the field, I could not tell which direction they were playing. It almost looked like they were using four goals at one time. I walked through student parking where they have these crossover bridges from the campus. The bridges had two sets of stairs coming down. I would walk up one set and walk down the other. It was pretty cool.

I made it past the parking. I was across the street from University Village shopping center. I got this picture of a stream that runs under 45th Avenue. I had to wait forever to cross 45th. The light would not change. I had hit the cross signal on one side and then after waiting forever, I walked over and hit the other signal and the light finally changed.

QFC had a special on Gala Apples so I got one. I prefer Red Delicious but a Gala will do if it is cheaper. I ate my apple near the Apple store and then I got some Jamba Juice and a pretzel.
This is the point where I gave up on Sunday and took the bus. I decided that my feet were still doing pretty good so I kept walking. Not sure where I wanted to go but needing new surroundings, I walked up 45th. That is one steep hill that does not seem to end.

Getting to the main part of the University district, I had to walk past the Frat houses. It made me think of the last time I was through here. That night I was driving around and I thought that Sorority Row was going to attack.
I walked towards the University Public Library but forgot to take a picture. I did update my twitter feed and my facebook status while I was there. Now it was time to walk back towards Capitol Hill. University Bridge is a nice walk so I went that way.

I took two very similiar pictures off the bridge. Very subtle differences between the two. I like both pictures. Hitting the home stretch. I decided to walk the flat path towards downtown before cutting up the hill. I almost walked downtown to visit the Comic Book Shop but decided to go home first. My body needed the bathroom. And then I saw the stairs.

I could not resist climbing these stairs. I had gone by them for years and I have wondered where they go. Since today was a day for walking, I took the stairs. I was hoping I could cut across near Summit so I would have a straight shot home. It did not work out that way. The guy coming down the stairs is hard to see in the picture. By the time I made it to Broadway E (which is only one landing), I was doubled over trying to catch my breath and this guy passes me. I went, "No fair, you were going down when I started up." His reply, "I cheated."

Turns out I had to go all the way up the stairs to 10th Ave E. There was not a trail that I could find that let me bypass the rest of the stairs. My thigh muscles killing me, my heart attacking, I made it to the top. Still feeling okay, I walked from Howe to Harrison. I bought a vegetable plate and then went to Capitol Hill Library to update my Facebook status.

Finally, I went home and it was a little after 17:00. Not bad for a little afternoon walk. The trick is to repeat it sooner rather than later. And Friday is my next day off.

Walk to University Village Jamba Juice

Sunday October 4, 2009
Items: Jamba Juice Power size Strawberries Wild with Energy and Apple Cinnamon Pretzel

On Sunday, I felt like taking a walk. For me to take a walk, it helps to have a destination. Being Sunday, the Jamba Juice on Madison was closed. The next closest Jamba Juice is in the University Village. I forgot to take my camera and I did not have any headphones for my mp3 player. The only thing to show I made the walk was the receipt. The University Bridge is a nice walk. I walked over the Burke Gilman trail. I even picked up some sticks that were all over the trail. I must make that walk again. The sun was nice and bright out. I think I even got a little sunburn while I was drinking my juice.

I did cheat to get home though. I took the bus back to the hill. I wore some bad shoes that gave me some nice blisters. This map is not 100% accurate for the route I took but trying to change the route was difficult.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=333+Summit+Ave+E,+Seattle,+WA+98102&daddr=2690+NE+49th+St,+Seattle,+WA+98105-5010+(Jamba+Juice)&hl=en&geocode=%3BFa5M1wIdLeS1-CHeazbKgzBGyg&mra=pr&dirflg=w&sll=47.652842,-122.315276&sspn=0.007574,0.019248&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=13

I was looking over the route and it says 4.1 miles. I really did not think it was that far. And the fact that I made it in 1 hour 20 minutes, I think is really good. I made the distance in the time that Google says it would take me to get there. Now to do the distance there and back is the next trick.

How is everyone? Just a random email for you

I am fine. I am gearing up for the G.I. Joe movie www.gijoemovie.com on August 7th. It is getting a little crazy around the apartment. I am on vacation until Aug. 4. Then I work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Then I am taking a 3 day weekend for G.I. Joe. My plans are to clean and work on my blogs. In other words not doing anything.

Tomorrow or Thursday, I plan on visiting Army Surplus stores looking for a green uniform and some web belts for gear. The gear: movie toys - signal light, water gun. The picture below is kind of what I want to look like for the movie.

I am TOTALLY CRAZY! I might need an intervention. I am even growing out my beard because some of first 1980 toys had beards. Just for the movie. I don't know if I can stand a beard for another 12 days. 9 days until the start of the movie. 3 days of watching it.

Is that a cry for help? CRAZY boy here. I am going to blame the heat. It hit 94 today. I stayed inside with the windows open for the breeze. I did do some cleaning today. But I got lost as to what to do next. I own too much stuff. I need to get rid of stuff. It is hard for me to part with stuff. I see so much trash in the stuff I have kept that I want to hit myself in the head for not throwing it out a long time ago. And then I look at stuff and go, "Oh yeah, I have plans for that." 7 years ago that is I had plans for it. It makes getting rid of stuff difficult.

The beds are cleared off for now. Just gotta put sheets on them.

Okay, that is too much information. I need to get back to cleaning. I did not realize it was already 20:30.

Thank you to www.yojoe.com for the picture.

Terminator: Salvation

This was a Monday. I worked from 8-12 today. Linda from work saw the movie with me. We had lunch at Elephant and Castle before the movie.

Trailers: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, District 9, Bruno, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Sherlock Holmes

This may be a few weeks after the fact. I really enjoyed the movie though. They even played the Guns N' Roses song from T2, You could be Mine. I thought it was quite good. It had enough plot and enough story to keep it interesting. Plus it made several good references to the series of films that preceded it.