Before My Interview

Ok – so Seattle must be a haven for adults with disabilities who use wheelchairs – in my 10 minute walk downtown I saw no less than 3 adults (2 men 1 woman) wheeling around downtown.  Oddly enough, all of them with some spasticity.   That is more people I have observed at any one time!  And all in the same couple blocks!  Right now I’m a couple blocks from my interview, in a Tully’s Coffee House, listening to Beautiful by James Blunt.  My interview begins in 30 minutes.  I like this neighborhood.  To my right an Irish pub, directly across a party store sporting rainbow flags, next to this a Thai restaurant with some language scrawl I cannot recognize (what language do they speak in Thailand?), next to this a pizza house, followed by a little two screen movie theatre that reminds me so much of the old Main Theatre in downtown Coldwater.  Kitty-corner to me is a Washington Mutual bank with a banner for the “Wallingford Seafair Kiddies Parade and Festival” (Wallingford is the name of this neighborhood).  Finally, a Starbucks just a couple doors down on the left.   If my seat were 15 feet over I would have a fantastic view of downtown Seattle, but then I would also be sitting in the street – so I’m opting for the safer, yet less picturesque seat.  The bus system is much easier to manage than in San Francisco. 

The clouds have mostly disappeared and there is a playful blue sky overhead.  While riding the bus here I was able to see the mountains, I passed by the Space Needle.  I was told that I need to go do that, even though it’s a bit tourist-y.  The lady I’m interviewing with and I have been communicating via email and she has given me lots of ideas on what to do / see while in Seattle.  I’m excited.  I also got to see Pike Place Market … didn’t go in, because I was over laden with my stuff.  Tomorrow.  Anyway, my interview is in 20 minutes I think I’ll post this and then begin walking down the street to my interview.

Never mind, the internet has decided to stop working – I’ll post it later.  TTFN! 

The Emerald City

So I’m in a park in Downtown Seattle (in fact I’m in drinking some of “Seattle’s Best Coffee."  So - let me recap so that this minute detail is not missed - I'm online in a city park in downtown Seattle - online for free!  

My initial thought is that Seattle is a better fit for me that San Francisco (city wide free wifi - well - it's a pilot program).  The temperature is amazing – hovering right below 60.  Warm enough to be outside, but no where near the sweltering heat that Sacramento was.  The sky is gray, but the sun is trying to poke through.  Seattle makes up for the lack of color with lots and lots of plants, and colorful sidewalks (I’m looking out at some red, charcoal and gray patterns in the sidewalks.  

Meanwhile, the way the people are dressed does not make me feel like I stand out as much as I did in San Francisco.  They are all dressed preppy – like I want to dress.  I passed a Banana Republic Men store on my way here – mental note.  And really – with some notable exceptions, Seattle looks like a Banana Republic catalogue.  Ooh, wait, I just saw a mullet.  HOLY COW, I JUST SAW A MAN WITH SOME TYPE OF SPASTICITY IN HIS FACE AND (AT LEAST) LEFT ARM WHEEL PAST, WITH A BLUE DYNAVOX SERIES 5 STRAPPED TO HIS WHEEL CHAIR (for those of you who don’t know what a Dynavox is, these are the machines that can produce speech for people – I worked a lot with these machines at my school internship).  Too cool! I love Seattle, and I’ve been here less than 2 hours!  I’ve met an Australian family who is traveling to Vancouver to watch their son compete in the world Lacrosse Series. 

I must admit that the reason I find myself already liking Seattle is that I am actually in Seattle, whereas I wasn’t able to spend that much time in San Francisco itself.  So, I’m not sure that’s neither here nor there, but just a fact. 

Anyway, time to begin making my way to my interview.

Too Bad I Don't Know Any Fun Phrases Mentioning Sacramento

So, I'm at the airport leaving Sacramento.  Ben and Crystal (by brother and sister-in-law) just dropped me off.  While driving to the airport I was struck by the haze that was filling the central valley from the numerous wild fires in the surrounding area.  Crystal said she even smelled smoke while walking Jo Dee (their miniature schnauzer).

The topography of the central valley is not as exciting as that of the San Francisco Bay, with one notable exception.  While driving west on US-50 there is a hill that upon cresting one can view the entire California Central Valley.  It's pretty cool.  

Not far from that hill is a park with a peculiar name: Negro Bar.  That's right, I typed it correctly.  One must be careful not to place the definite article in front of the name because then it become completely, totally politically insensitive ('the' negro bar).  Ben and Crystal mentioned that there is a battle to rename the park.  However, some people want to maintain the historical name, while others want a more politically correct name.  Ben mentioned that they may have come to a compromise on "The Historic Negro Bar."  I say either way it's six of one half dozen of another.  

Anyway.  I had a great time in Folsom.  We walked around downtown historic Folsom, ate at the Squeeze Inn (incredibly small cheese burger joint - has seating for 11), went bowling, and a host of other stuff.  I watched Shawn of the Dean with them (first time seeing that movie - hilarious).  Anyway.  I think I should get ready to go to Seattle.  I'm excited, but a little sad, because going to Seattle means that my Out West Extravaganza is more than half over.  I still have four days - it's going to be great!

i just saw a jet take off. Kinda fun.  It was small, black and very angular looking.  Don't know that it's really that cool, but I thought I'd mention it.

Lost and Found Again

So, I have decided that I don't like the public transportation system of San Francisco. For various reasons - the most frustrating of which - is that even when getting directions from their website you find yourself in a not so nice part of San Francisco. However - thanks to a call to my good friend Justin and finding some wireless internet all was well again ... until it was time to find bus stop that takes me to the Amtrak station. When in the not-so-nice part of town I saw this HUGE bus stop that said AMTRAK all over it. So, when at Union Square in down town I was looking for something along those lines. Nope. A regular bus stop with a startlingly small sigh that said amtrak. So, phone calls to Justin helped a lot, but still didn't get me there, so after walking around for a bit I found a "San Francisco Visitor's Center" and I thought to myself [angelic chorus and heavenly beam of light streaming down from the heavens "ahhhhhhhhhhhhh." I went in, asked the funny old man with a Eastern European accent where I was supposed to go. Not only did he show me where to go, but gave me alternate routes just in case I missed my bus. I could have hugged him.

So, I found my train, and the morale of the story is: rent a car.

Anyway, I have just boarded the train, so I lost my internet connection, so I will actually be sending this from Ben and Crystals - because theirs will be the next internet connection I have.

So, while I'm typing here I'll go ahead and give my review of San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay area.

My first observation is the topography. All I have to say is WOW! It is beautiful out here. The mountains covered in grass that has been scorched brown by the sun while dotted with green trees. Up further on the peninsula the brown grass is replaced with the glint of houses. The hills of San Francisco proper remind me of what I think the hills of the Mediterranean might look. Down further on the mainland the rocky coasts of Monterrey look , quite simply, picturesque. The train is taking us along the East Bay right now (right along the coast) and it is beautiful. Typical of the rest of southern California there are wild fires here. I have learned to distinguish between clouds and the smoke from fires. Initially I thought the smoke was clouds, but they were "too brown" (they looked white to me, but after a second glance I did notice how they were more brown than the clouds high in the sky. Right now there are fires across the East Bay.

My second observation is the vegetation. It's all totally different from Michigan. (Well, I guess not totally different, but vastly so). The palm trees and palmetto trees, the redwoods (not giant redwoods, just small ones - although I heard that the biggest redwood is in Palo Alto), and then there were a bunch of trees I don't know the name of. The occasional cacti (prickly pear, not giant cactus). Kinda fun seeing things other than Maple, Oak, White and Red Pine and Evergreen greens.

My third observation is the infrastructure. It is a mix of what I would consider Spanish Hacienda with Mediterranean Villa. This is true of the smaller buildings only. The larger buildings can only be described as "Urban Jungle-esque" But, this urban jungle has a lot more class than other urban jungles (i.e., Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago, even Boston and New York). the buildings are not just giant box-like obelisks. There is color, glass, interesting shapes.
The golden gate bridge is fabulous. I wasn't able to see it up close, sadly, but I was able to see it while driving over the Bay Bridge.

Of these I have one regret: I did not take enough pictures. And, you know it is difficult to take pictures while lugging around all your luggage. Just makes life difficult. Anyway.

My fourth observation: the Urban Sprawl. It is necessary just because San Francisco is so expensive. Accordingly, the traffic during rush hour is gross, but bearable in a Toyota Scion with a sun roof open, windows down, and iPod blaring whatever I felt like playing.

I'm done observing things - I feel like a nerd

Anyway, I just realized that I had not blogged about the third (and final) interview I had in the bay area. The friend I was staying with (Joel) also happens to be a speech pathologist. And it just so happens that Joel's boss is looking to hire another speech pathologist. So, as soon as Joel's boss (Jen) heard that I was in town she wanted to talk to me. So - she called me to set up an interview (coincidently, Thursday morning). So I went into the interview and I really like the place they've got there. So much so, that I stayed all day. I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but I have a small world story. So we all know about Ben and Crystal's friend Sergio who moved back to California a while ago. Sergio is dating a speech pathologist, Alex. And it just so happens that Alex is also employed at Bay Area Speech. So I was able to meet her and go out for lunch with Sergio and Joel and his girlfriend, Cindy. It was great fun. So, the interview went very well. It was so informal - Jen and I sat out on the clinic's patio drinking coffee and looking out at the mountainous hills surrounding Morgan Hill. It was simply beautiful. We talked about theories of intervention strategies and research experience, my personal experience with stuttering, hers with ADD. Honestly, I think I liked this place the most.

Anyway. That is a chronicle. and I'm done now.

Ahhhh

Ok, so I'm walking around downtown San Francisco and having a blast. Right now I'm in a starbucks having just sucked down my double shot espresso on ice (I was desperate for something cold). Anyway, my train leaves in about an hour and a half so I should begin making my way there. Just keeping you updated.

Slight Change of Plans

Ok - so I began making my way towards the Golden Gate Bridge and then decided that I would rather spend my time in downtown.  So, I made my way to the San Francisco Public Library, and now I am resting / cooling off while providing another blog update (it dawns on me that for this type of shenanigans I should really be using Twitter, but who cares).  Anyway - I'm in the SFPL, and it's nice and cool, with wireless internet.  Smells like a library.  In a minute I'm going to walk around city hall.  It is going to be great.  I only wish I wasn't lugging around all my luggage with me - good thing I packed light.

Alright, until next time.

Fun Stuff

Guess who has two thumbs and is kind of lost in San Francisco?  This Guy!!!

But - don't worry, thankfully, SF has lots of internet cafes so I can check bus schedules and stuff like that.  Soon enough I'll be at the Golden Gate Bridge.