tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60722040525037581692024-03-13T01:38:10.406-07:00lost and found in seattlea colorado native adopts a new hometowntatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-49857345261826751922015-02-20T17:46:00.001-08:002015-02-20T17:46:31.174-08:00by way of chinaTo my handful of followers, check out my latest wild adventure here: <a href="http://bywayofchina.blogspot.com/">by way of china</a>!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-86663954191047222722011-04-14T18:24:00.000-07:002011-04-14T18:24:40.948-07:00session day 95i'm no longer living in olympia, but i'm still living on capitol time. i am seriously obsessed with budget talk. i listen to budget hearings all day while working and have even taken to watching cspan. i'm so very happy i have found my passion. but how that translates into a post-graduate job, i have not a clue.<br />
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i'm back at united way of king county and so very grateful for it. the people are truly wonderful. i've been working more closely with the public policy team and am getting a much wider perspective on local, state and federal policy.<br />
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life is really hard right now, but i'm privileged and hate to complain. i know i have been out of touch with pretty much all of you (does anyone even read this?), but know you are always on my mind. <br />
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we decided to continue our gardening efforts and actually planted seeds this year. we were a little late in getting started, but we do have some sprouts coming up. inside right now we have both red and yellow tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, basil, mint, and marigolds (for the pests). outside we have radishes, beets, blueberries, strawberries and carrots. we have yet to start our arugula. this is the most exciting thing in my life right now, so once things really start popping up i'll snap pictures and post.<br />
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here's to getting back to blogging!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-77913153095587933372011-03-16T07:28:00.000-07:002011-03-16T07:28:36.520-07:00one of these daysah friends, one of these days i will triumph over this ridiculously dramatic quarter. that day is not today, but i shall return victorious. miss and love you all. if i've been a bitch i'll apologize through a more appropriate forum after i violently strangle this last paper. hugs!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-9215124423173385752011-02-24T09:26:00.000-08:002011-02-24T09:26:43.605-08:00thank youi can hardly keep up with myself these days! more changes are in store, and it's been a rough past couple of weeks (nothing tragic, just stressful). but the point of this blog is to thank all of you that have been showing me the love. you have been so incredibly supportive and validating. i've even gotten new socks out of all this. ;)<br />
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i can't wait to graduate.tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-88422226525850686422011-02-14T18:58:00.000-08:002011-02-14T18:58:33.029-08:00session day 36whoa, people at the capitol are into valentine's day! all day long i heard people saying "happy valentine's day!" 75% of the people i saw were wearing pink or red. there was candy on my chair when i arrived this morning. and i got cookies for hearing out the legislative agenda of occupational therapists. feels like elementary school! except i am working on cost-benefit analysis and researching federal food safety. even better!<br />
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i apologize that i don't post pictures any more. i started taking the shuttle to and from the parking lot. aside from that, i don't make it outside very often these days. and, trust me, you don't want pictures of what i'm looking at all day. something exciting- i attended the senate hearing for the death penalty elimination bill last week. it blew my mind to see some of these senators in action- in an unsettling way. people, be careful about who you vote for. make sure you let your legislators know what are agenda is. seriously! i was glad i was there to witness it though. and, the house has introduced a companion bill. we'll see how far we get this year!<br />
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additional exciting news: daylight! it starts getting light around 6:45 am and doesn't start getting dark again until about 5:30 pm. this is hours more daylight than we were getting just a month ago. even if i don't catch it while leaving the office, at least i get to enjoy my drive into work!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-13555408358294930532011-02-13T12:33:00.000-08:002011-02-13T12:33:38.181-08:00i'm still here!we're about one third of the way through session here, and i am still struggling to get my bearings. it's been hard- really hard. everyone is stressed to the max, which results in bad moods among some. it's hard to work with such drastically different personalities and give everyone what they need- right NOW! i must say it has been an interesting session, despite the drama. i've already learned a great deal about the processes involved in making and amending state policy. i can't say i haven't thought about how wonderful it might be to go back to united way. with each passing day i am more and more grateful for the thought my supervisor at uwkc put into make my time there worthwhile. these days i'm particularly concerned about what it will take to get a good recommendation out of this and, most importantly, a J-O-B.<br />
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it's such a relief to come back to seattle. in fact, it makes it almost too hard to do anything besides rest. i am so far behind on school work! it's excruciating to think about adding anything to my schedule- including trips. we had been thinking about visiting denver over my spring break, but it's just too much. too much money and too much energy. we're both just about at our max these days. actually, we're probably significantly over our max. we did get our tickets to cleveland for a wedding in april. and with the bahamas in may, graduation in june and oregon for independence day, it's looking like we won't get back to denver until mid-july (we have a boulder wedding on july 16th). kind of a bummer, but such is life right now. if you're thinking about visiting, please wait until may or later. by then our house will hopefully be a little more visitor friendly too! we're trying to do some re-decorating and re-configuring in order to make our home more amenable to having friends or vacationers over. it will be a slow process, but i'm hoping to get the bulk done by mid-march. stay tuned for pictures- maybe. :)tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-60004189288100863712011-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:002011-01-30T18:20:55.628-08:00christmas...a month later<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_l8Sga8HE5CEaZJ0mTQUon0nqY7QJcO7QyJXVlEeIIj31UBjeJivqxRcxlFh0Uzs9mtQl1C2jaiMxSOedjQ60-wLKNZa_ci8fmOcWbpZdDwzuNhj6dPqL5j2KR0KsJOXImxauBnbVmsx/s1600/P1010222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_l8Sga8HE5CEaZJ0mTQUon0nqY7QJcO7QyJXVlEeIIj31UBjeJivqxRcxlFh0Uzs9mtQl1C2jaiMxSOedjQ60-wLKNZa_ci8fmOcWbpZdDwzuNhj6dPqL5j2KR0KsJOXImxauBnbVmsx/s200/P1010222.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>our christmas cactus has been blooming the past couple of weeks, and i had to share. it's got plenty of blooms at the moment, which is a nice reminder of spring. anthony got this plant as a gift from his (late) sister vivian nearly ten years ago. it has bloomed every season. it often is about a month off- last season it bloomed over thanksgiving, but i'm not complaining. i'm surprised it has stuck with us all these years and continues to put on a spectacular show! especially considering it's in the same plastic pot from from the store. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">and while i've got christmas on my mind, i wanted to share this photo i got over the holidays in denver. as you know, lilliana and umeko visited. lilli really loved kiyomi and even let her mom leave her in kiyomi's arms for a solid hour. this is what ensued...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrxiKXAgPfitqNkHiFXtLWjJZcBJF4hagjiSF5K14l2n7H0HENAV7miSTLFnSgbRhTAxE1s9eb-Mz88u3c_0cDhSkVU5MWzZArLQTBXJ812dVLgu78lHCQPyAuboidtR5vozvoJDPFXQJ/s1600/P1010200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrxiKXAgPfitqNkHiFXtLWjJZcBJF4hagjiSF5K14l2n7H0HENAV7miSTLFnSgbRhTAxE1s9eb-Mz88u3c_0cDhSkVU5MWzZArLQTBXJ812dVLgu78lHCQPyAuboidtR5vozvoJDPFXQJ/s320/P1010200.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKzrTRESfltj-YfySv50O55-ThlwUqt40fZJwYt0fg-yl4hLWHacJA_Nrfk-IXRYszWFYbA3beCykBwc1gECIJoDqhiaSte4R5WDS4-JNiFG7GtFNn9WK9NJYr6E3CSTt5ykp4ZVmt_wh/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKzrTRESfltj-YfySv50O55-ThlwUqt40fZJwYt0fg-yl4hLWHacJA_Nrfk-IXRYszWFYbA3beCykBwc1gECIJoDqhiaSte4R5WDS4-JNiFG7GtFNn9WK9NJYr6E3CSTt5ykp4ZVmt_wh/s200/photo.JPG" width="150" /></a>speaking of spring, i shot this picture of some shoots coming up in our front yard. i took a walk around green lake this morning and saw all sorts of green things pushing their way into the sunlight. spring will come eventually!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-28195701325415898122011-01-25T19:59:00.000-08:002011-01-25T19:59:28.208-08:00session day 16today i was looking in the bathroom mirror trying to rub off the mascara smudges under my eyes. turns out they are dark circles. fabulous.<br />
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olympia is amazing. it's rough running around the capitol campus in heels 10-12 hours a day. but, i love it. and it's strangely energizing. i have been spending more time in senate hearings, which are more different than the house hearings than i expected. there are so many interesting bills and budget proposals floating around that there is no way any one person can keep track of it all. going to different committee meetings in both houses helps me get a wider perspective of everything that's happening beyond the scope of my few issues. tomorrow will be a huge housing lobbying day. i've got msw friends who have organized gatherings, so i'm looking forward to observing their hard work in action.<br />
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state policy is definitely where it's at for me.tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-61363442742987533812011-01-17T18:17:00.000-08:002011-01-17T18:17:41.068-08:00session day 8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8QQ7YdjbfULCeD_-mSqqoxYtdLFj-6Qm237yI5S7Uhyphenhyphen52hjjL3EkdWlYnw3paA4WV1MkDEl-oDvmVIsJEn1AtHCw1434NSMuKkACqAu8foBeEYifuWj9ffFLD3gS8TDzzLtYGp1hzLWo/s1600/session+day+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8QQ7YdjbfULCeD_-mSqqoxYtdLFj-6Qm237yI5S7Uhyphenhyphen52hjjL3EkdWlYnw3paA4WV1MkDEl-oDvmVIsJEn1AtHCw1434NSMuKkACqAu8foBeEYifuWj9ffFLD3gS8TDzzLtYGp1hzLWo/s320/session+day+8.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
this is what the capitol looks like at 5:00 p.m. today was a big lobby day for lots of groups. it was wonderful to see so many people advocating for their communities. i'm really looking forward to all of the upcoming lobby days. i'm finally getting settled in and learning what i will be working on this session. i'm sure you will get sick of hearing about my issues, so i will spare you for now. when i know more, you will too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiR1LnA8Abs4zSRnq58LL9KAUoMlpwU9VxIO_e7kC2bnVR1H_tPN3bhIrSca-6koxeSIb0fn4ogE-M43fZmKoWoK9SxBk03uxJHJxPpXQHMk4wfMtU-xyQCNz4WaYTd4S6vfnqbR5GMHeQ/s1600/umbrella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiR1LnA8Abs4zSRnq58LL9KAUoMlpwU9VxIO_e7kC2bnVR1H_tPN3bhIrSca-6koxeSIb0fn4ogE-M43fZmKoWoK9SxBk03uxJHJxPpXQHMk4wfMtU-xyQCNz4WaYTd4S6vfnqbR5GMHeQ/s320/umbrella.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>it was great to be home this weekend, although we were so busy i still didn't manage to get any school work done. it has been pretty warm, but wow did the winds really kick up. it was blowing so hard last night our windows were shaking. that means no sleep for me. i better get used to that though. the weather this week is supposed to be mild, and we may even get some sun! this will certainly be a welcome change in comparison to the snow, heavy rain and wind we've had this past week. i snapped this picture in the university district sunday morning after volunteering at the youth shelter. i can relate, as i have now broken my 4th umbrella since moving to seattle. this time anthony bought me one with wind vents. woohoo!<br />
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another welcome change is that i'm just starting to notice the days getting a few minutes longer. i have been complaining to myself that the winter solstice is one big hoax, as the days seem just as short as they have for the past few months. however, the sun seems to be setting about 15 minutes later. i'm not sure the sun is rising any earlier, but i'm hopeful that spring will indeed come. :)tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-82677278742471631362011-01-11T19:29:00.000-08:002011-01-11T19:29:33.776-08:00session day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7EHflcuYkEcNQ3jmX7QmIDWMmGi7onBswrUGAXNuE9WvjT18C2OrSkHsPW-kBPfWBBKptqzwkB8q50h2DRuKAs-8d8Lpq2X6gcF1MgWTaLm2e-4TXdRpdm4MNjPZVtQBHrd6rr7cqIeA/s1600/sessionday2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7EHflcuYkEcNQ3jmX7QmIDWMmGi7onBswrUGAXNuE9WvjT18C2OrSkHsPW-kBPfWBBKptqzwkB8q50h2DRuKAs-8d8Lpq2X6gcF1MgWTaLm2e-4TXdRpdm4MNjPZVtQBHrd6rr7cqIeA/s400/sessionday2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
this is what the capitol looks like at 7:30 a.m. there are actually lots of beautiful buildings on campus, but i work in this one (yep, the one with the dome), which is the legislative building. the house floor is in this building, so it's nice to not have to travel very far for session. today i got to watch the governor's state of the state address. i even got a seat! it was very ceremonial, but also packed full of awesome moments.<br />
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i also went to two hearings today and listened to many, many testimonies from constituents, advocates and lobbyists. it was more emotional than i was expecting, and there were even tears from those speaking. this is going to be a very difficult session.<br />
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it's snowing right now. it has snowed every day that i have worked at the capitol (this does include last week!), so i guess it is a little more winter-y in olympia than seattle. i do not enjoy cleaning off my car and scraping windows at 7:00 a.m., so i am looking forward to the warm front that is supposed to move in overnight!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-76831715961792306292011-01-10T20:04:00.000-08:002011-01-10T20:04:10.646-08:00session day 1<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">the 2011 legislative session has begun! this morning began with snow! not always my favorite thing to see, but it kind of added to the excitement of the day. the office was bustling throughout the morning with lobbyists, lawyers and others stopping in with candy, fliers, etc. and asking to schedule appointments. mid-day i got to watch the house opening ceremony, which was pretty exciting. after roll call, the members voted on speaker (rep. chopp), speaker pro tempore (rep. moeller) and chief clerk. i had to learn what the responsibilities of the speaker and speaker pro tempore are (as well as the caucus and whip- lots of terms i've heard, but never stopped to think about what they mean) in the afternoon i attended the ways and means committee meeting, during which the someone from the governor's office reviewed the supplemental budget with the members. i learned that the ways and means committee deals with the operating budget, which is obviously a huge project, particularly in this very difficult year. i'm really looking forward to attending those meetings for the rest of session. overall, the day was exhausting and i still haven't even found my desk or logged into my leg email account! now i understand why legislators cannot even get around to reading constituent mail, much less respond! thank goodness for legislative aides!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(pictured is the door to rep. pettigrew's office) tomorrow i will be attending the health and human services committee meeting, hopefully finding my desk and logging into my email account, attending the agriculture committee meeting, attending the ways and means committee meeting and then possibly going to a budget review later in the evening. i had a 10 hour day today and will be working 12-13 tomorrow. it's 8pm and i just want to go to bed. how the heck am i supposed to do school work?!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">here's to a productive learning experience!</div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-79543399113518561252011-01-06T08:20:00.000-08:002011-01-06T08:20:06.062-08:00changes in the new yearhappy new year! our nye festivies were pretty low key this time around. maureen made a last minute trip to seattle to see us (and watch intervention) for the new year! we got a drink at the pink door late afternoon and then made our way home hang out. we made a simple dinner and then just watched fireworks on tv. we didn't even open any of the sparkling wine we bought! just one of those years.<br />
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i need to get you all up to speed on my big change...i have officially changed practicums to work with Rep. Pettigrew. i finished up my big evaluation project at united way of king county at the end of december. i got a loan to help with housing (and other) costs, and my dad got me a great suit. just before the new year, maureen and i drove down to olympia to look at some rooms for rent and check out the capitol campus. the campus is absolutely beautiful. and although seattle is surrounded by water, i was shocked at how many lakes are around olympia. it's definitely a small town, but i imagine i will be too busy to even notice. i did find a place to rent that is just 1 mile from the capitol. it's not exactly what i was hoping for, but it's short-term and i will basically just be sleeping there. from what i hear, i won't be home until after 9pm on most days, so i probably won't even be eating much there.<br />
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the legislative session officially begins monday, january 10th. in just a few short days i'm getting swept away into the madness! i will be moving down to olympia this sunday. i have been driving back and forth this week to help get the new office set up (he has moved into a leadership position, so new fancy office). i got my id badge and am getting set up with email and a parking pass. on friday i have new staff orientation. i will have to leave seattle by 6:30 a.m., so a very long day before my frantic weekend of packing!<br />
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classes started yesterday, and i am off to school again today. i'll be olympia 3-4 days a week, class 2 days a week and work 1 day a week. busy, busy, busy! i am hoping to update about my new legislative experience once a week. my dad gave me his old iphone, and i am trying to figure out how to blog from that. i can get into this site, but it won't let me upload pics from my phone. any tips?<br />
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gotta run to catch the bus! best wishes for 2011!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-20164489268110346482010-12-17T16:22:00.000-08:002010-12-17T16:22:09.844-08:00december opportunitiesi finished finals this week. the quarter felt very, very long. i have been unhappy with the opportunities that uw has offered to date. transferring is still one of the best decisions i have ever made in my life. however, i have become increasingly anxious about whether i will truly get the experience i need to have a career in policy right out of the graduation gate.<br />
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that MIGHT all be changing...another student left her legislative position with House Representative Eric Pettigrew. Rep. Pettigrew is a very well-respected community organizer in seattle and south king county. he was just appointed to house caucus chair. i jumped on checking into whether i could move into that vacancy. well, i shouldn't say jumped as i agonized over whether i should even ask. thanks to prodding from classmates, i asked. and then had a long sleepless night while trying to figure out the best way to tell my united way supervisor. i told her and she has been very supportive. i learned the position is open. however, there are some special conditions. i interview next week and will learn about those special conditions then. currently, i am all over the board about whether i should commit. see, the capitol is nearly 2 hours outside of seattle. this means i will need to find housing in olympia. that means we have to pay rent on two properties for 3 months. that also means anthony and i will be living apart again. and i will have to commute for class. and i will have to drop 2 of the policy classes that i have really been looking forward to. and i will have to buy a new wardrobe that is appropriate for legislation making- suits, suits and more suits. there is usually as very small stipend ($250 a month) for students, but with the severe budget deficit i am assuming one of the special conditions will be that i cannot get this stipend. that is scary. very, very scary. so, i'm going to have to get a private loan to afford all this. AND the session starts in just a few weeks. so, first i have to interview, then i have to accept. and then comes everything else- finding housing, dropping classes, figuring out how anthony and i will share 1 car while living 100 miles apart, etc. ugh. this is all very overwhelming. and then i remember that THIS is why i transferred. THIS is the opportunity of a lifetime. THIS could set my career in motion. THIS could be the ONE opportunity that puts me on the road to legislation greatness. that's right folks- legislation greatness. :)<br />
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anyway, no decision yet. i'll keep you posted.<br />
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i've been cooking a lot lately, and am loving it as usual. our csa box is getting more and more boring with the change in seasons, and i cannot imagine eating the same damn root veggies for the next 4 months. but, for now i'm using food blogs to get creative. at this moment i'm eating roasted beets with horseradish dressing and fried capers. if you've never fried capers, try it. even if you don't like capers. they are very tasty! and they puff up and open like flowers. they are really quite beautiful! i've been doing some cleaning, but am really itching to do more. i want to take everything out of every cabinet and drawer and shelf and clean out those cabinets and drawers and shelves and then throw away and re-organize. that kind of cleaning.<br />
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as for now, i'm craving brussel sprouts. let the roasting begin!<br />
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p.s. we had a great time in oregon for thanksgiving and will be in denver for xmas in less than a week. happy birthday dad and lilli and umeko!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-80686002402890014262010-11-24T11:44:00.000-08:002010-11-24T11:47:08.025-08:00seattle snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6mI45Wi5k1avpgNAn8QEmDr2G7FOUvLhBFTRVeLNhw7-JqPoJyZURGiXuuPUemJZFavRzKT0FlZK89pokOyVRFQ6yta615aQj7yzNnpB3CNXuG4QRCFcH-SDQ9BBy-61D9jcTBexcpwV/s1600/photo4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6mI45Wi5k1avpgNAn8QEmDr2G7FOUvLhBFTRVeLNhw7-JqPoJyZURGiXuuPUemJZFavRzKT0FlZK89pokOyVRFQ6yta615aQj7yzNnpB3CNXuG4QRCFcH-SDQ9BBy-61D9jcTBexcpwV/s320/photo4.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>as many of you have heard by now, seattle was hit with an icy winter storm on monday. forecasters called for light snow showers, and the people of seattle were in full panic mode come sunday afternoon. i was actually pretty surprised on monday morning to find the snow already sticking to the streets in my neighborhood at 7:30am. i still thought people were being a bit dramatic, but not wanting to get stuck downtown i left work an hour early. well, it took me nearly 4 hours to get the 7 miles home. it was disastrous! although we only got a mere few inches of snow, the roads were treacherous. very windy + very cold = very slippery commute. even our bus with chains got stuck on ice for a few terrifying moments. thankfully we made it home just fine and fared far better than others that got stuck on buses for upwards of 12 hours!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWorWfUyNGpuqqqTR9nPzaVNh_MEiAHJaH8Qe7Yg6V05ndCczV-cdqRlZOwAenkQPGAZBHRHW6UeA3Hh099n-7SUW_6LG-zbjgemOSbaWqhalfM7XVFkUmNPH6k5C7MS2KN9UaLtvaPL3c/s1600/P1010191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWorWfUyNGpuqqqTR9nPzaVNh_MEiAHJaH8Qe7Yg6V05ndCczV-cdqRlZOwAenkQPGAZBHRHW6UeA3Hh099n-7SUW_6LG-zbjgemOSbaWqhalfM7XVFkUmNPH6k5C7MS2KN9UaLtvaPL3c/s320/P1010191.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>on tuesday both of our offices were closed, so anthony and i walked around the neighborhood a bit to take pictures. it was sunny and clear, but very cold. highs in the 20s is very unusual for seattle, and we've already broken some records. <br />
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and now it's wednesday. schools are still closed and buses are still running on snow routes. i had physical therapy this morning and decided to take the bus just in case my big hill climb was icy. however, the roads were in much better shape than i expected. i had a pretty uneventful trip out.<br />
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this afternoon i'm headed over to the u-district for a volunteer orientation. anthony and i are going to start cooking breakfast for homeless teens 1 sunday morning each month at <a href="http://www.rootsinfo.org/">ROOTS</a>. i never thought i'd be working with youth, but somehow i've become entrenched. through my work with united way i've had the opportunity to do some qualitative interviewing with homeless youth ranging from 15-20. these are unaccompanied youth, meaning they have no parents are guardians. it's hit me really hard. much harder than i expected. and with this severe weather, it's all i can think about. there is only one shelter in seattle that serves this population (that's ROOTS). many youth sleep in the woods. these are KIDS. please, do what you can to support your local shelter. we've started picking up extra pairs of gloves and socks when out shopping. oftentimes, it's just an extra $5. blankets and food are in huge demand. but if you've got time, that's needed too. cook a meal, even just once. it might change you.<br />
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side note: we've been trying a lot of new recipes. pictured are goat cheese zucchini pizza and cranberry apple pie. (for some reason these pictures won't rotate or change size.) the pizza was phenomenal. i still hate pie, but anthony ate the whole thing in 2 sittings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYpBH9nsoBtwT9LKPM0Lt91Im02yIkzVdXh2p0R9SXNA9LR20fUbm82Tav0GOFpJ_lYhlJBipKqjDW__ppPF1icgvr8StclOrsLwVZlgojWmde6Dhfo41Qo1TqxSsIu3rgPwWKvshwaqT/s1600/pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYpBH9nsoBtwT9LKPM0Lt91Im02yIkzVdXh2p0R9SXNA9LR20fUbm82Tav0GOFpJ_lYhlJBipKqjDW__ppPF1icgvr8StclOrsLwVZlgojWmde6Dhfo41Qo1TqxSsIu3rgPwWKvshwaqT/s400/pizza.JPG" width="296" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zra5ZIBQxifHjmg8a5PlqKP0-eufn6ix4ZIwp4mN_KGBMMpS5pr7JwTBCq0hTx3i4w0lnhDA18Owx1n6SqId1o4EdXg4c2k9YCDVjsaKuHw5RtEQXcHh1xVxD0SwD6BFxlkGQqToQvRZ/s1600/pie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zra5ZIBQxifHjmg8a5PlqKP0-eufn6ix4ZIwp4mN_KGBMMpS5pr7JwTBCq0hTx3i4w0lnhDA18Owx1n6SqId1o4EdXg4c2k9YCDVjsaKuHw5RtEQXcHh1xVxD0SwD6BFxlkGQqToQvRZ/s400/pie.JPG" width="296" /></a></div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-77829823269505602272010-11-13T21:42:00.000-08:002010-11-13T21:42:17.673-08:00seattle's dark days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj23KAmFjpjpvkHR4idt-rEpu_Xj-gaE-9SECFGqExT-9AkVT821jrdePSrAkusKTw7hTcJdzUEem3dtH2COOFY15sexjhyphenhyphen_tbMVVpHbFLF811lNKUAp7IiFeRcJ62aqOvO70KYZ8v3nEc/s1600/P1010142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj23KAmFjpjpvkHR4idt-rEpu_Xj-gaE-9SECFGqExT-9AkVT821jrdePSrAkusKTw7hTcJdzUEem3dtH2COOFY15sexjhyphenhyphen_tbMVVpHbFLF811lNKUAp7IiFeRcJ62aqOvO70KYZ8v3nEc/s320/P1010142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>it's mid-november and seems to be dark 'round the clock here now. it actually is light in the morning by 7am, so i catch some sun on my way to work and school. however, the sun sets at 4:30 in the afternoon so it's dark by the time i get out of work or class every day. i didn't seem to notice last fall, but this year the change has really surprised me. i think part of it was that daylight savings happened while we were in MEXICO! i swear, the season seemed to have completely changed while we were away.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguzWERhhBduK1aQqeblHAGQZGbLcJfL-fmlL0mCUJc712dJ0kb_fN6bdCV-bTQJyODrF2N8M02hbZ1a7d9Tam1WvJbfG1XqDMyev2XZ26v_WnSd0E3K4PvnptDNt6MBu91NqN5aY_VU7y/s1600/P1010152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguzWERhhBduK1aQqeblHAGQZGbLcJfL-fmlL0mCUJc712dJ0kb_fN6bdCV-bTQJyODrF2N8M02hbZ1a7d9Tam1WvJbfG1XqDMyev2XZ26v_WnSd0E3K4PvnptDNt6MBu91NqN5aY_VU7y/s320/P1010152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9ym4S46d1Q-zJh49iqUrTEgfSnYuT6i546YmeYud_4oi5OSSegM_Bh2Q84ac0M_FunR5-Mj7C_-T00AeYNLcIOGcY6UbJkceyPixFHHeL4pkEUWDsfW1GBeeZyNeEtLJPzWICEY7qcd0/s1600/P1010173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9ym4S46d1Q-zJh49iqUrTEgfSnYuT6i546YmeYud_4oi5OSSegM_Bh2Q84ac0M_FunR5-Mj7C_-T00AeYNLcIOGcY6UbJkceyPixFHHeL4pkEUWDsfW1GBeeZyNeEtLJPzWICEY7qcd0/s320/P1010173.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>so, mexico...we were in cabo san lucas for just a few short days for christy and ben's beautiful wedding. it was such a wonderful break (hello sun and beach!) and such a treat to be a part of their special weekend. we didn't have too much time for lots of activities, but we did get to swim with dolphins and enjoy massages on the beach. anthony also went atv-ing. it has made me look forward to the other weddings we'll be flying out of seattle for in april, may and july. better get a new swimsuit for the bahamas in may!<br />
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i've got exactly on month left in this quarter, and i am so looking forward to a new set of classes. for next quarter i am registered for ALL policy classes and will get to take one at the school of public administration. it should be interesting to analyze policy from a different theoretical perspective. i actually will be taking one (and possibly two) more classes than i'm in right now. i'm just trying to remind myself that i will have a very light load in my last quarter and will hopefully be spending my free time enjoying the gorgeous spring weather we WILL have!<br />
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things aren't easy right now, but i'm just trying to hold on through the next few months. i sense a lot of change on the horizon (what's new for us, right?), but i'm counting my privileges and doing my best to enjoy what i can. stay tuned for the holiday excitement!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-91934687020325107102010-10-30T16:58:00.000-07:002010-10-30T16:58:50.222-07:00updates all aroundcan you believe november is just around the corner? the autumn has been beautiful thus far, but today the real rain finally moved in. we had a big storm last weekend (i was out of town) and we're in the midst of one right now. it's actually supposed to turn worse with possible flooding on monday and/or tuesday.<br />
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i'm a little disillusioned with school right now, which is hard to say since i left du in hopes of better things. i'm not sure that i'm getting the experience i need to find a job i will actually like. we'll see how it goes next quarter, but right now i'm still feeling a huge gap.<br />
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as for the foot, i'm still in physical therapy but have scheduled a termination date. it's just not helping anymore. they told me i have a deformity that means i'm not built to run. alas, my running days are over. they told me to take up swimming or biking. honestly, i'm a little scared to bike. cars are scary. also, it's not exactly the right season to start biking. i'm going to wait until after the near year (when i will hopefully have more time) and then re-evaluate.<br />
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we've had some visitors over the last 6 weeks! first, maureen and jana came. we got to do some tasting at <a href="http://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/">novelty hill/januik winery</a> in woodinville. we also had pizza there! we did the <a href="http://www.theochocolate.com/">theo chocolate tour</a> too, which was amazing! it's definitely a great way to spend time with visitors. then, joan came and stayed with us for a short weekend. we went to the <a href="http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/">seattle art museum's</a> picasso exhibit. it was wonderful, and i'm so glad we made it. i am always excited about new exhibits, but we so rarely make the time to actually go. i was really pleased we were able to go to this one. for the past few days my friend sophie and her boyfriend james have been visiting. they are the ones with the wine property on sonoma mountain. they've got 4 barrels of wine in the works! last night we went to <a href="http://www.thepinkdoor.net/">the pink door </a>and <a href="http://www.japonessa.com/">japonessa</a>. the pink door is a seattle institution in pike's market. the food is amazing. japonessa is a new sushi place. i prefer more authentic sushi. the food was pretty good, but i don't like all those extra ingredients and aiolis's on my sushi. anyways, they stayed at the <a href="http://www.hotelsorrento.com/">sorrento hotel</a> and raved about it. so, if you need a place to stay, there's one recommendation!<br />
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i was in denver last weekend for a friend's bachelorette party and to celebrate sarah's 30th birthday. i missed her surprise party, but still got to surprise her with a very quick visit. we got pedicures and went to lunch. it was absolutely wonderful. i really miss girl time. it's getting hard not having friends here. <br />
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next weekend we'll be mexico for christy's wedding and then we'll be in portland for thanksgiving. we're heading to denver for xmas. we also have some trips in the works for next year!<br />
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hopefully i'll be able to explain my school situation a bit better later in the school year, but for now hang with me while i post less often. i will definitely try to get some mexico pictures up!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-39512726704303054382010-10-05T07:02:00.000-07:002010-10-05T07:02:32.556-07:00bus adventures #2 and #3i'm on a new bus to my internship and riding the bus to school more frequently as well. this means a different crowd. since my internship falls into normal business hours, that bus is mostly filled with professionals. the school bus is mostly students but a bit more mixed, since the u-district has a very high homeless population.<br />
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#2 <br />
the other morning i sat near a woman who was sewing lace. as in, she had white thread, a regular needle, and was MAKING lace! MAKING LACE! it was amazing! i had no idea that was possible! i always figured it was made on some kind of fancy loom. but no, it's made by middle-aged ladies on the bus!<br />
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#3<br />
on a bus ride home from school i sat across from a very... dynamic? man. he is 85 years old. he has been shot 23 times. i know because he showed us all of the scars. meaning, he pulled up his shirt AND pulled his shorts all the way up to his crotch to make sure we got a good view of every single one. he also drinks 25 $0.99 beers every day. he showed us his backpack full of beer. he also showed us his 50 hits of acid. he smokes cubans every day. he also carries around a steel water bottle full of cuban rum, which he proceeded to share with those that wanted a swig (only one guy took him up on it). oh, and he has 16 kids, ranging from their 20s to their 60s. he's a grandfather and a great-grandfather. his grandkids drink all his booze and smoke all his pot but they're good kids. i'm sure there was more he shared with us, but those were the highlights.tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-84668937006563709232010-10-01T08:23:00.000-07:002010-10-01T08:23:41.134-07:00foot updatei have a lot to you update you on (i'm back in school, my internship, maureen and jana's visit, more bus adventures), but for now we'll focus on the dreaded foot.<br />
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tendinitis (or as my PT continuously points out, it's truly tendonosis) in 3 tendons on my left foot plus bursitis. i've also developed some tendinitis in my right foot as a result of over-compensation (not to mention hip weakness, and back, neck and shoulder pain). anyways, i'm in physical therapy twice a week and have to do lots of stretching and some exercises at home. i did a round of 6 days of steroids, which was what i imagine a crack binge to be. right now i'm at about 5 weeks no running. my goal is october 21st to get back. although, when i asked my PT about it she kind of laughed and said, "we'll see." basically, it's much worse than i ever imagined and requires long-term therapy. i'm also doing ultrasound and electrode therapy with each visit. at first it was a lot of massage, which was great. but this week she broke out the medieval torture tools. excruciating. basically she takes these weird shaped tools and runs then all along my achilles and the bottom of my foot. there are cracking sounds. that is the sound of fibrous tissue being broken up. there is me clutching the table for dear life and burying my face wherever i can to cope. it's bad. but i guess there's lots of research supporting it. so, i'll deal. i'm scheduled into november for now, and hoping i won't need to go into the holiday season. hurray for running! :)<br />
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today is frankie's 3rd birthday. happy birthday frankie jane!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BT96mxsZnUdWTGnrXZmfyOu1eri3i5rYY5ZPiGpRl-n-K-7NpbpaR7IpI-WjVhVexptiRD1JVbx1HH_HLz2GDPXo3hNurJdTwPDZurTb_cCIHmH6XLnf4NBXmA5PsFztaoJgU7s8k74p/s1600/P1000706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BT96mxsZnUdWTGnrXZmfyOu1eri3i5rYY5ZPiGpRl-n-K-7NpbpaR7IpI-WjVhVexptiRD1JVbx1HH_HLz2GDPXo3hNurJdTwPDZurTb_cCIHmH6XLnf4NBXmA5PsFztaoJgU7s8k74p/s320/P1000706.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-12362540340701715812010-09-13T15:49:00.000-07:002010-09-13T15:49:23.500-07:00seattle bus adventuresfor months i’ve joked about dedicating a blog solely to my adventures of riding the metro bus. it truly is an adventure, and not always pleasant. i actually do enjoy riding the bus (the majority of the time), and some days you’ll even hear me say that i love it. why? well, it’s actually a humbling experience. riding the bus reminds me to keep it real, to use my manners, and to recognize my privilege. just about every day i see (and/or hear) something strange, scary, hilarious or heart-breaking on the bus. so, i’ve decided that i should begin sharing some of those experiences.<br />
#1<br />
while boarding the bus, a little girl looked up at the driver and confidently announced, “excuse me, i’m four years and 5 months old today.” she was so proud, and just about everyone in ear shot of her smiled.tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-77988523455988529132010-09-11T17:05:00.000-07:002010-09-11T17:05:24.039-07:00denver revisitedi forgot to mention something very important about my trip to denver. i visited my grandparents. they are getting a bit senile and are even showing signs of dementia. i’ve been hearing lots of stories, but i have not seen my grandparents in long enough that i just couldn’t imagine them being any different than i’ve always known them to be. anyway, we had a lovely visit, which was timed perfectly with my grandfather’s 84th birthday. it was wonderful to see them, and i even left with treats. one of my (and probably all of my siblings’) favorite treats growing up was<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muisjes"> muisjes</a>. there are different versions, but we always had the chocolate sprinkles (dark or milk). yep, pretty much just chocolate sprinkles. but, you have to get right kind (the dutch kind of course), and you have to put them on buttered bread to make it officially dutch. deliciously dutch!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCKWWBnGNOXN6QUQBNVVTuEJjx5WJq8t0mp0TWPTrI4y5d8NqMGiDZnpBh_P0-jOV4Wr-cPdQR12bE5qRfWrBvWuVbSlPuOFUPJgLc2csmwb12S4X00UR3O-zAcezxYSgh8RvfGt2VzjA/s1600/P1010095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCKWWBnGNOXN6QUQBNVVTuEJjx5WJq8t0mp0TWPTrI4y5d8NqMGiDZnpBh_P0-jOV4Wr-cPdQR12bE5qRfWrBvWuVbSlPuOFUPJgLc2csmwb12S4X00UR3O-zAcezxYSgh8RvfGt2VzjA/s400/P1010095.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-48283912565530100762010-09-10T16:12:00.000-07:002010-09-10T16:12:46.439-07:00labor day weekendas we head into the weekend once again, i’d like to tell you about a few things that happened over the holiday weekend. <br />
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to start, we had a gorgeous run on saturday morning along <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_Bay">elliott bay</a>. we started at the <a href="http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/osp/">olympic sculpture park</a> and made our way along <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=311">myrtle edwards park</a>. we got to watch a seagull gulp down a starfish for breakfast. another wonderful thing about living on the water. later, we had lunch at an <a href="http://juliasindokitchen.com/">indonesian restaurant</a> i’ve been wanting to try for awhile. those of you reading this should know that my father and his side of the family are from indonesia. honestly, i didn’t get much exposure to indonesian culture while growing up, and as an adult i feel i’ve missed out. so, this was a big deal for me. anyway, i got nasi goreng (essentially chicken fried rice with an egg on top) and anthony ordered beef and rice a la carte. we ended up trading, and neither dish was excellent enough to elaborate on. however, the teh tarik (black tea with milk and spices) and the black rice pudding (sweetened with coconut milk) were incredible! incredible enough that i will certainly go back just for that. and, although the dishes we selected weren’t mind-blowing, i’d like to continue sampling. i’m sure there are a few things on that menu that warrant writing home about.<br />
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on sunday we went on a beautiful (albeit CHILLY!) hike up<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes-of-the-week/rattlesnake-mountain-trail"> rattlesnake mountain</a>. during the hike we met some seattle newbies (as in 2 weeks and 2 months new) looking for new friends. we had such a great introduction that they invited us for a labor day cookout. so, we spent monday hanging in ballard with our new friends who love wine. woo hoo!tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-23912272455263975782010-09-09T08:24:00.000-07:002010-09-09T08:24:24.677-07:00stopped in my tracksok, not literally. but i do seem to have injured myself again. some kind of bursitis/achilles issue in my heel. and it's actually throbbing as i type this, even after ice and ibuprofen. it started bothering me during my first run post-race (nearly 3 weeks ago). i figured i had just twisted it a little in the mud as it wasn't painful, just irritated. since then i've had 2 speed classes, 1 4-mile run and 1 4-mile hike. this is less than half of what i would normally be doing, and it's just getting worse. the only thing that seems to help is wearing heels. seriously. not tennis shoes, not flats, not a 1 inch wedge heel. real heels. i know it seems nuts, but it's the only relief i've gotten.<br />
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i skipped speed class last night and am supposed to start my half marathon training on saturday. i'm pretty bummed that i might need to halt my training. i keep thinking it will just heal with my limited activity, but it's getting so much worse. anyways, i'll keep you posted, but there is a chance i'll have to keep the running to a bare minimum and re-start my training with the new year. yucky.tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-89913209841934195902010-09-08T13:24:00.000-07:002010-09-08T13:24:31.385-07:00d-towni spent almost 5 days in denver at the end of august. the weather was nice and hot (what summer should be) and we got to see lots of friends and family. besties maureen and jana picked me up at the airport (many thanks), and we got to spend the day together. we all met up with my sister at <a href="http://pajamabakingcompany.com/">pajama baking company</a> for afternoon treats. that evening joan treated me to dinner at <a href="http://www.thesqueakybean.net/">the squeaky bean</a>. i've heard lots of buzz about it, but i think we were both a little disappointed about the small servings and high prices- and i live in seattle. however, we got delicious dessert at<a href="http://littlemanicecream.com/"> little man ice cream</a> to make up for it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPp-OVJXT_s_AaEL7mCDgQLMmOIrQK7KXzV-jantAbVpkSsh-K18ghzWdf5el6TJKlnBCGBlGb4RDPsmgN38gaqfDiQLRtz_EH4srmnIg5PVPR3SwCd1eAtLs2RQXZVEkaRk3ZnKhb7AlG/s1600/P1010090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPp-OVJXT_s_AaEL7mCDgQLMmOIrQK7KXzV-jantAbVpkSsh-K18ghzWdf5el6TJKlnBCGBlGb4RDPsmgN38gaqfDiQLRtz_EH4srmnIg5PVPR3SwCd1eAtLs2RQXZVEkaRk3ZnKhb7AlG/s320/P1010090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
i got to spend most of the next day with my little sister, catching up since her return from japan. and then i went to <a href="http://www.henryssalon.com/">henry's salon</a> to get my hair chopped off! hooray! the following day joan hosted a yard party for us so we could see lots of friends. it was fun catching up with everyone (like hearing about amy and stephen's engagement story, bill and josephine's wedding update, how much baby isabella has grown, meeting baby evan, and getting the dirt on amanda's job and nick's crazy workouts). one of my favorite moments... talking to sydney about her upcoming first day of kindergarten. we definitely had to get a picture to commemorate that conversation! and now sydney is a kindergarten pro at more than a week in!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ai7VsCZYSV6Mb_lFkDmdJhuvVleKJIiBAaI9FWFaZwkr55TC-_sQfEpQN6a8pb_OKz8IQW8KSXdIYlW4reXrRxgOfIQ1BzQPRqesKPd2Dxhas3397aOuLL4YMJ5OKZb1Ps4b0lev4jEj/s1600/P1010086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ai7VsCZYSV6Mb_lFkDmdJhuvVleKJIiBAaI9FWFaZwkr55TC-_sQfEpQN6a8pb_OKz8IQW8KSXdIYlW4reXrRxgOfIQ1BzQPRqesKPd2Dxhas3397aOuLL4YMJ5OKZb1Ps4b0lev4jEj/s320/P1010086.JPG" width="251" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">we couldn't leave without having breakfast at <a href="http://www.luciles.com/">lucile's</a>, and i had the privilege of seeing christy at her new place (not so new for her anymore!). can't wait for her mexico wedding in just a couple months! we had so much fun seeing everyone, and we hope to catch you during our next visit over christmas!</div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-13205201512502875682010-09-07T10:42:00.000-07:002010-09-07T10:42:28.821-07:00sarah visits seattleyes, i'm very behind. i finished school and still can't manage to keep up. but, it's important that i keep track of these special visits rather than just starting at present.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0S2ue-REonOgoDWwgNPDCNBYLvtct7VMEmNjzjPDTv25pYsz0S7WR6hxmKIHiogAN7g1omB1NQSeeOnbvTxWQ8tu3p9IyeZ-xjNz1GSXi8jFeXU7-Gf0nPufAiiTx0eTQFO8WsrDLa4H/s1600/DSCN3017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0S2ue-REonOgoDWwgNPDCNBYLvtct7VMEmNjzjPDTv25pYsz0S7WR6hxmKIHiogAN7g1omB1NQSeeOnbvTxWQ8tu3p9IyeZ-xjNz1GSXi8jFeXU7-Gf0nPufAiiTx0eTQFO8WsrDLa4H/s320/DSCN3017.JPG" /></a></div>my beautiful, wonderful friend sarah came to visit in august. it was a quick visit, but we managed to pack in lots of fun and tons of love. to start, we had a fantastic lunch at one of my all time favorites- <a href="http://www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com/">volunteer park cafe</a>. then, the sky completely cleared for a gorgeous, sunny walk around green lake. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGEgvQcUPN1qa4Rih7hMRyqrG8pZIj1SldAsuebdkZdEUtWZjSRRhCQNn_p0h0fXupc_EFMtyhcrhMrg4-Lcz8QU6W2jTwSCB085lcFzx3ccahnv0idlzr_roha3jdhvld_ARpy5NsH8F/s1600/DSCN3023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGEgvQcUPN1qa4Rih7hMRyqrG8pZIj1SldAsuebdkZdEUtWZjSRRhCQNn_p0h0fXupc_EFMtyhcrhMrg4-Lcz8QU6W2jTwSCB085lcFzx3ccahnv0idlzr_roha3jdhvld_ARpy5NsH8F/s320/DSCN3023.JPG" /></a>sticking with the water theme, we had drinks and dinner at <a href="http://www.joeyrestaurants.com/">joey's restaurant</a> on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Union">lake union</a>. the views were pretty incredible, with plenty of sea planes landing and taking off during our meal. the next day we spent some time in <a href="http://inballard.com/">ballard</a>, but the highlight was definitely the <a href="http://106pine.com/TOUR.html">urban wine tour</a>. i did the tour a few months back, but this time around i got to try all new wines and visit different wineries! very exciting! we did end up buying a couple bottles plus some new wine glasses from <a href="http://106pine.com/index.html">106 pine</a>. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujAuJlaz8X9lUrKSc2Aw6wqF9A9lI6A7pGR1DATa35OsO1Q_xdNYpxvt7h9TzxO_LCeQBprSLFq299OqnHvZijQk-5ixIjkGFR9F2zMYN0zXlgudsIqb_DcqLXOgxiGB0ijJplnDCdZhs/s1600/P1010082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujAuJlaz8X9lUrKSc2Aw6wqF9A9lI6A7pGR1DATa35OsO1Q_xdNYpxvt7h9TzxO_LCeQBprSLFq299OqnHvZijQk-5ixIjkGFR9F2zMYN0zXlgudsIqb_DcqLXOgxiGB0ijJplnDCdZhs/s320/P1010082.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">we had such a great time, and fortunately, i got to see her again the following weekend in denver!</div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6072204052503758169.post-27064884803157265982010-09-01T15:06:00.000-07:002010-09-01T15:06:44.088-07:003 and counting...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eSlM4xc5nWhf7CCbmTwslP4BMexhKM1JztFVw2fBUpBrFxLgWsMY0l08onHLOiFQ3Ih_h1EwheeS8A3NDMacWVTPXc0XyeJSi2jQGCFuaLgxnwp9QoryOgdMY9Aa3wfO2cAGtSF8h8CO/s1600/0594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eSlM4xc5nWhf7CCbmTwslP4BMexhKM1JztFVw2fBUpBrFxLgWsMY0l08onHLOiFQ3Ih_h1EwheeS8A3NDMacWVTPXc0XyeJSi2jQGCFuaLgxnwp9QoryOgdMY9Aa3wfO2cAGtSF8h8CO/s400/0594.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
happy anniversary to my amazing husband. i cannot believe our wedding is 3 years behind us. and you readers probably won't believe that we've been together for nearly a decade. that's right! our lives have been a whirlwind for the last few years- bought a house a week before the wedding, wedding, joined americorps 3 days after the wedding, 1st year of graduate school for me, new job and moving to seattle for anthony, me moving to seattle, moving to a new neighborhood in seattle, another new job for anthony and starting my last year of graduate school. phew! a whole lot of stress, but we've only grown closer. you rock my world. you are my rock. i love you.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">photos by <a href="http://www.jennawalkerphotography.com/">jenna walker</a></div>tatsuko & anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02360709617230807573noreply@blogger.com0