The Awaited, Long Over-due Update of Bryan's Life

Ok ... so I've made a decision.

I still have not heard from all of the places I interviewed at (the one remaining is the private practice in Seattle).  Anyway.  Nevertheless, I have made a decision.  But before I get to that you all need some context.

First, it looks like California is going to be a bust.  Although I got an offer at the autism clinic I am not going to accept it because I have fundamental problems with their ideational philosophy of therapy.  Basically - they believe that by shaping simple behavior with small reinforcers (candy, verbal praise) they can shape complex behavior and ultimately cognition.  I think that the human brain is much more complex and what is really going on is they are shaping the students to be ... well, well-trained.  So, I do not think that I should go there.  Then, the hospital in San Mateo went with another candidate.  And finally, I withdrew my application at the third place (long story - basically they didn't want to hire me because of my stutter [illegal, I know, but if this is how they're going to be I don't want to work for them anyway, so there's no point in pursuing legal action].  There's a lot more to the story, maybe I'll recount it in a later entry).  So - that sums up California.  California = bust.  Which - that's sad because I really liked the weather.

So, in Seattle.  I have an offer at the public school system and I'm waiting to hear from the private practice.  The school system might work - but I'm not excited about that either.  Besides there are lots of hoops to jump through - finger prints, sending transcripts, etc.  And it's not what I really want to be doing anyway. So ... this is the decision I've come to:

I'm moving to Seattle regardless of whether I get the private practice job or not.  If I do not get the job then I will work at a nursing home for a while until something better comes along.  It's not an ideal job, but I'll make more money that I would in the schools and I'll feel better about leaving in the middle of the year if something better comes along.

So I'm sure there are a number of questions.  For instance, why Seattle?  Well - because I absolutely LOVED it out there.  It was amazing.  There was enough to do, the people were friendly, there is city, mountains, water, wilderness all within an hour drive.  Plus - it's just a super cool city.  And if I'm not going to get my ideal job I'd rather be in an ideal place with a less than ideal job than a less than ideal place with a less than ideal job.  

Next - why nursing home over school?  It's not ideal, but it gets me medical speech pathology experience and higher pay.  The road to unhappiness is paved with gold, this I realize.  But if something better comes along mid year I want to feel okay with leaving.  And nursing homes can better afford to contract out.  Plus, I'll be working with a contract company, so they will provide a housing stipend for me.  Along with more continuing education money, a sign-on bonus and moving expenses.

Anyway - I don't have a job yet ... and I will not be moving until I have a job.  So, I need to get cracking.

So, that sums up my life so far.  YAY for Seattle! 

Update ...

So, it is about time I gave an update on the good ol' job search.  

Sadly, it doesn't look like California is working out for me.  I was rejected from one place, terminated my application at another (that is a whole other blog post ... to be relayed later), and got one job offer that I'm not too terribly excited about (they ascribe to a therapy paradigm that I think it absolute crack science).  Then, up in Washington, I have virtually gotten an offer (contingent on references and letters of recommendation ... these should all be fine).  And then I'm waiting to hear from the final place (which coincidentally is the job I like the most ... grrrr ... if patience is a virtue you can keep it).  They will get back to me the end of July. 

Meanwhile, I am sending out more applications.  This time, I think I'm going into a more medical focus ... I'm sending applications to various Veteran's Affairs hospitals (Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, So. Cal., DC).  I do have the opportunity for a phone interview with Cincinnati Children's Hospital - but it's for a satellite campus for psychologically impaired kids - not sure that's exactly what I'm looking for, we'll see.

Anyway, that's my job search life in a infinitesimal nutshell.  Hopefully it suffices for now.

Dilemma

So, I've got this dilemma.  I've been over hearing this group of English teachers discuss their coursework for the coming year ... this is not the interesting or dilemmatic aspect.  The dilemma resides here: one of the teachers stutters (very mildly, his colleagues might not even notice, but it's there ... short blocks, repetitions, prolongations, interjections and avoidance of words).  So, I'm wondering, do I go introduce myself and ask about his experiences stuttering?  Or would that freak a guy out?

We'll see.

Ugg

So, I'm back.  I'm at my usual haunt - Waterstreet.  However, today I am not enjoying my typical dark roast coffee, instead I am enjoying "Iced Coffee with a BANG!"  Basically, a really cold and really strong Americano.  Anyway.  So, I've been back for a little over 8 hours and I miss the west coast already.  While leaving Midway airport in Chicago walking outside was like walking into a brick wall - you don't realize how much you don't miss humidity until you don't have it for a while and then are suddenly pushed into an atmosphere that's more water vapor than air - gross.  It's before noon and my clothes are already sticking to me.  So I'm left wondering ... why don't we all live on the west coast?

Anyway.  My Out West Extravaganza has officially come to a close.  Now is the time I enjoy my last summer vacation and read lots of books and wait for the job offers to roll in.  (here's to hoping). 

On the whole it's hard to say whether I liked the bay area or Seattle better.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.  The bay area has beautiful summer weather ... my friend just walked in, I'm going to hang out ... I'll finish this later

Truths

Of all the truths in the world that exist, this is most evident - my feet hurt.  I have literally walked miles all over Seattle, and I didn't bring good walking shoes to boot!  So, I'm back in one of my fun little parks I've "discovered" - this one is right downtown two blocks down Pike St from the Pike Place Market.  The one with the wifi.  This is truly a multi-sensory experience, there is the constant drone of traffic rumbling down Pike St and 3rd Ave, a bagpipe playing in the distance, the shhhing of the fountain behind me, the voices of people passing by.  Then there is the actual sport of people watching - very interesting ... one of my favorite past times.  I'm just going to list the things I see - just for fun.

Two guys attempting to discretely drink beer from styrofoam cups (one of which had a repaired cleft lip) ... I must admit that I aided and abbedded the beer drinkers, I let them borrow my bottle opener ... after which they offered me swigs of their beers - two good beers, Harp Lager and Smithwicks ... good quality beers ... although warm.  They are actually from Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH - imagine that.  

An elderly man feeding bread crumbs to the pigeons

Several homeless people napping on the benches

Tourists taking pictures

Children running through the fountain (and screaming too)

A pigeon mating ritual, or something ike taht - a big puffed up pigeon chasing a smaller one

A girl walking her boxer who just spat, very un-lady-like, on the groud

Ok - I'm done with that now.

Let me tell you another truth - this truth is about my night last night.  I went out an walked around the Capital Hill neighborhood last night.  Walked around, looked at some apartments I had found online, played a couple games of pool, hung out with some random people I met - I had a great time.  So - I begin to make my way home, only to realize that the bus route I had intended on taking made it's last run about a half hour before.  Not a particularly ideal situation.  So, I found another bus that was headed in the same direction and decided that I would hop on that one and get off once it stopped going in the direction(s) I wanted to go in.  So - that's what I did, and thankfully my plan worked - the bus stopped going the direction I wanted to go (North and/or East) about 16 blocks from my friends house.  16 blocks - that's nothing.  So, I walked back to his house, past some raucous parties (Philip lives right near the University of Washington, Seattle).  So anyway.  I get to Philip's house and all the doors are locked.  I call him ... many many times, send him text messages, pound on the front door, back door, his bedroom window ... it is as this point I make a realization : Philip is very much like his older brother: they both sleep like the dead.  So, I knew there was no way I was going to get into the house.  So, I thought about going to a 24 hr coffee shop or some other establishment ... couple flaws with that plan.  My computer was locked inside the house, so I couldn't locate the nearest one, and seeing as though we were in a neighborhood that was quite a distance from downtown, and university was out for summer I assumed that finding a 24 hr establishment was going to be difficult.  So, I went back to the Safeway I had passed on my way there and searched for a blanket or towel ... no dice.  So, I bought some paper towels instead.  Then using a broken coffee table, chair and door mats laying on the front porch I made a lean-to against the house in and effort to break the wind, then wrapped my head and feet and stuffed my shirt with paper towels ... at this point I should mention that I was wearing a very light t-shirt, a tank top underneath that, pants and sandals (no socks).  That night was by far the coldest night I have had in a long time.  Finally, several (like 4) hours later about 4:30 Philip woke up and opened the door for me.  Needless to say - I was not happy. So, I slept until about 10 and then got up and began my day much later than I wanted to.  

Anyway, the wind has picked up a bit and now my arms are getting a bit chilled ... think I'll go inside.

SPL

Ok, the Seattle Public Library is BY FAR the COOLEST library I have ever been in.  You need to look it up online and read about it - because my limited linguistic skills cannot do it justice here.  That's all I really have to say.  

My last interview is in about an hour.  I've got my bus route all planned out.  It is going to be great.  Anyway.  I went to the Space Needle after I left Cafe Bella.  That was fun.  I just saw a sign that said roof access ... I have to go check that out.

Cafe Bella

From the Italian, meaning beautiful coffee.  To which I agree.  If you haven't guessed, I am in, yet another, coffee shop.  Frequent purveyors of my blog will realize that I do most of my blogging in coffee shops.  So this coffee shop is right outside the Space Needle.  I found the downtown terminus of the Monorail and decided I should go see the Space Needle, but I didn't want to ride the there, so I decided to follow it and found myself at this little park next to this coffee shop, another Thai restaurant and a laundromat.  Thus I am enjoying my broccoli and cheese croissant and cafe americano.  Both are delicious.

Anyway.  About my interview yesterday.  For those of you who were not aware, this interview yesterday was at the place that, prior to leaving on my Out West Extravaganza,  I thought I really wanted to work at.  And, it seems like a good place to work.  There is one glitch (with all of my job possibilities) I fear that my desire to live without a car is quickly vanishing.  At this job my time would be split at the offices in Seattle and Bellevue (a suburb approximately 15 minutes away).  However, the interview itself went quite well.  Carol (my interviewer) took me to a private coffee shop just down the street from the office for our interview.  (That coffee was my fourth of the day 1- on the way to the airport, 2- in downtown Seattle, 3- waiting for my interview and 4- at the interview).  

On my Out West Extravaganza I find myself drinking a lot more coffee and eating less often - probably not the healthiest thing to be doing - but I having a great time doing it.  Yesterday I had Cheese Nips on the plane, and then some chips and salsa and 1/2 of minestrone soup.  I'm starting today off better with a broccoli and cheese croissant (I think I already mentioned that).  

Anyway, keeping with Seattle tradition, I saw yet another elderly man using a wheelchair today; however, I think he was a repeat from yesterday.  They are everywhere out here - I love it.  I love that they feel comfortable to come out and interact with society in day-to-day activities.  That's how it should be!  Due to the fact that I have seen so many of them (relatively) I assume that they do not encounter too much adverse reactions.  It would be interesting to talk to them about the reactions they get during their day to day interactions.

Anyway.  In Seattle the weather is beautiful.  Blue skies, clear view of Mt. Rainier.  The Sound is a picturesque shade of blue, David Gray has just come on over the speakers of Cafe Bella.  To all you people that said it rains so much in Seattle - it hasn't rained yet!  

Anyway.  I'm just about done with my (late) breakfast.  OH, I didn't tell you about my sleeping arrangements.  They are ... interesting.  I'm staying with my friend's brother in a house filled with several examples of the archetypical college undergrad male.  To be fair, two of them just graduated.  There are three of them (I think - there might be four, two of which are brothers).  I'm staying in was, at one time, a hookah lounge.  There are bean bags everywhere, red sponge paint radiating out from the window in lines whose width increases as they move away from the window (I assume in an attempt to simulate the sun), multi-colored veneer cloths hanging from the ceiling underneath which is a singular strand of multi-colored Christmas lights.  Furthermore, it has a slight twinge of cat pee to it (probably from the bean bags).  I'm sleeping on what my friend's brother called a futon.  This is not a futon, this is more like a long, overused pillow.  My friend didn't have a a blanket to give me, so we had to go buy one, as well as a pillow.  And he gave me a sheet to cover the 'futon'.  The sheet is an intricately designed  duvet cover.  Now, I'm not knocking my sleeping arrangements - they are free and these guys don't have the lifestyle to welcome a guest in comfort and leisure.  (however, a towel would have been nice - I might buy one today).  

Funny - I just saw a me walking around outside.  White guy with a backpack and camera walking around looking for pictures.  Alright, I think I'm going to sign off and go out an explore some more.