Another Angel is Born!!!!

David Jackson Layfield the Third decided to bless us all almost a month early! Congratulations DJ and Courtney!!!!!! There have been many days that Clay and I have wanted to be back in Georgia, and today is one of the strongest yearnings yet.



First Ginny's baby, now DJ/Court's, next Shirley's...I miss kids sooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's a pic of the latest angelic bundle of joy!!!! Half tiger, half gator, less than 6 pounds and a month early... I can't WAIT to meet "deej"!!!!!


Love and miss you all - have I mentioned that yet?!?!?!?!?!

ps-Prayers and thoughts with your mom, DJ - may she join you all as soon as possible!! :D

Are they really naked if they're painted??

Happy Solstice Everyone!

This Saturday was the famous Fremont Solstice Parade, so as new locals I decided that it was our duty to go see it and boy am I glad we did!! You might remember Fremont from an earlier post of mine that included the Fremont Troll statue in which I explained that this is the artsy part of town. You might also be like me and think that the best people watching was in airports. Boy Howdy was I wrong!! Welcome to Fremont everyone!! :)

So the celebration starts off Saturday morning with a parade. Now you all know what a giant band geek I am and thus I think I am not overstating my expertise when I say I am a bit of a parade connoisseur. Folks. This was like no parade I've ever seen. Maybe it's the altitude, maybe it's the extreme political leftness, but probably mostly because of the hippieness, but whatever it is it makes for an interesting weekend for this southern peach! The rules are quite simple I guess - anyone can be in the parade (no matter what you are wearing or what you are not wearing) as long as you do not use anything motorized or display any written words or logos. There were a couple of small marching bands, many randomly dressed (or undressed) people walking or dancing to their own beat, and several "floats" each with its own theme and agenda. For example, it took us awhile to figure out what the huge red, white, and blue boat looking structure was that about 5 people were hoisting up high down the parade route until we figured out it was a 6 foot long doobie with about a 6 foot diameter (silly us for not expecting such a thing out here...). I'm still not sure what the meaning of the guy wearing an orange prison suit while carrying a huge cross as a guy in camo carrying a big fake gun followed him, but then again I don't think I want to know.

And now for the real stars of the parade: the naked cyclists. That's right folks, about 50 men and women painted either a little or a lot wearing nothing but paint. Really. N-O-T-H-I-N-G!! (ok that's not entirely true, many of them had piercings in various places, but I kid you not, that was it). Surely it can't be comfortable and they all must be huge exhibitionists, but whatever the case they clearly all look forward to this all year long and spend much time planning out their "outfits". (As a side note it's really funny to see them try to gain speed by standing up to pedal and thus exposing berries of all kinds and areas on their tooshies the approximate size and shape of the bicycle seat where the paint had rubbed off). Here is one example to the right (there were lots of girls in fairy themes), but note she is only wearing that sash b/c we were in the beer garden where covering of some kind was required around the waist. But believe you me, as soon as they headed out of the beer garden it was 'au naturale' again!


We definitely marveled at the unabashed lack of self-consciousness that (literally) ran amok. I'm telling you it was people watching at its best!! So the parade ended at "Gas Works Park" where there were lots of food and drink booths, bands playing on stages, and people everywhere. It was a blast. The pic to the left is Clay with a coworker of mine Vanessa (the one from Florida - surprise, surprise I get along with her best of everyone here at MS - she's a smart arse southerner of sorts as well!). Third in the picture - I know what you're all thinking, but the man in the middle is not Jesus from the parade, but is in fact Vanessa's husband. They are both tons of fun and I'm definitely glad I met Vanessa here!


So I have soooo many pictures from the event but I'll only post a few here (for all of your benefit, I'm leaving out the one of the old man who was one of many who decided the paint wasn't necessary at all and just went buck for buck's sake - oh and DJ I'll send the naked man painted as a tiger straight to you). So enjoy, and if you like what you see, plan to be here for next year's Solstice - now we know to get to the parade route early to stake out a front row seat!! :)

He's here, he's really here!

Dang, it's good to have Clay back in my same zip code and sharing the same views that I have been (that's the view of the needle from our living room)! Don't get me wrong, I love that we were both reminded of how tough life was without each other (and by "we" I mean "Clay" - haha), but it sure feels much more real now that he is here, like we are now Seattlites together (of course no longer owning property in Georgia would mean at least as much, but in the meantime I suppose I'll settle for another rebel by my side...). Furthermore, I got the good word today that work is going to help out a little extra with the whole duplicate mortgage issue above and beyond what they promised in my offer for awhile, which is beyond amazing! So there's not even remotely a doubt in my mind - I am STILL drinking the kool-aid!!! :)

But back to my handsome roommie...I'm so proud of him. I mean I guess getting your MS in CIS is a pretty big deal, but yesterday he managed to top that accomplishment. He braved the Seattle Public Transportation all by himself!! Of course he didn't get it quite perfect, but I'd say he did pretty darn good considering the transportation system he's used to back home.... However, I think it's safe to say he's learned his lesson about finding the correct corner to wait at, deciding when he needs to get off the bus, and the necessity for exact change -I think he ended up paying $10 for his $2 bus fare ;)

So after a trip to the walmart on crack, we headed home. As you have probably gathered by now, we are SURROUNDED by water up here. It can be quite beautiful, especially when the weather is nice enough to have boats out on the water. This was most definitely the case as we drove past Lake Union that night. Believe you me: if you added up every sailboat I've ever seen in my entire life - including those I've merely seen on tv - there still wouldn't be more than there were out on Lake Union. Seriously!! It's impressive enough when looking down from the interstate, but we decided to take a closer look and I was instantly amazed that so many boats could sail around in circles so fast and not run into each other! (I couldn't help but have flashbacks to the hundreds of minows swimming frantically around the mud ditch across from grandma's house growing up!)

So Clay and I spent an hour or two just walking around the lake and the "museum of wooden boats" that might better be described as an "old boat part graveyard" or perhaps even as crudely as Clay's "junkyard" description :) It was pretty cool and we are looking forward to going back there once it warms up and renting a boat or two ourselves. There are several WAC's (water activity centers) throughout the city where you can rent anything from a canoe or kayak to a sailboat. We're even considering taking beginner sailing or crew classes for fun... But for now we're tiptoeing into the waterworld with viewing trips like this one. You should all come to visit and check it out with us! :)

ps-DJ this pic is for you - Clay wanted to show you what a real man's prop looks like....

My mission is clear...

....well there are lots, but I must admit that I have a personal agenda working at MS. "What is it", you ask? Well. I am absolutely determined to meet Bill. I know my odds are dwindling as he's about to retire to work fulltime with his non-profit org (which is way cool, by the way) and is therefore only going to be on campus 1 day a week, but I will see him in person!! That's really my mission - I'm entirely too shy to actually talk to him, but how can I look someone in the face, tell them where I work, move to Seattle to do so, and not see Bill in person? Glee I know this is just setting you up for kool-aid talk galore, but I've become so impressed with him the more I read about him.

Only one problem though - it turns out I got the wrong job. I completely missed my calling. Bill's house has a nanny's quarters! Can you even imagine living in his estate? Check it out here. I have to admit I actually got directions and one day when I decide traffic is too much to take, I'll take a detour just to see how close I can get :)

They're having a huge town-hall to say goodbye and thanks but of course there's not going to be seating for everyone, so they're actually having a drawing for seats. How much do you think those bad boys are going to go for on ebay? Just kidding. But I am hopeful that I'll get one - I must! Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Ok, back to my tivo and my air mattress - Glee bring on the cult bashing!! ;)

Sick in Seattle :(

So I've been homesick plenty up here, but a cold in June??? I know I only made it through Anatomy and Physiology 1, but I'm pretty sure colds in the summer aren't normal. Oh wait. It's still not summer here......sigh.....

So besides this annoying cold, life goes on as normal as I await Clay's arrival. 4 women showed up at the house on Wednesday and packed up everything in the house (I'll never do my own packing again!), then more movers showed up on Thursday and packed up the piano, all the million boxes packed the day before, and all of the furniture we're moving. Apparently they were all completely done in only a few hours this morning!! I think they're picking up another house or two's worth of stuff and supposedly 12 days later it will all be here!!!! It definitely seems weird that I'll never see my Marietta house again as it was before I left, and hopefully the next time I see it someone else will own it.

So what's it like living in a beautiful condo with no furniture? Here it is, the glorious life of a vagabond (ok not really, but kinda!): a queen air matress, 2 lawn chairs, a tv tray, and Clay's new amazing tv. Note my last necessity of any abode of mine - puzzles! That's the one good thing about lots of hardwood floor space - all the room for more puzzles! But the good news is that furniture or no furniture, the views are always amazing.

Ok an under-the-weather-Erika isn't very creative so I'm off for now...wish me rest on my plush, high-quality bed now.....

Life with the Rika

Hey y'all!

This is Erika's most favorite Seattleite, Joe. To some of you, I can be referred to as HGJ (but that's all I'll fill ya in on).

I can't tell you how much fun it has been over the last 2 months hanging out with Rik (short for Rika). She's a totally amazing person. LOVE HER!

Rosie came to visit a few weeks ago. And, might I just say... wow. She's rad-as-can-be. We had a total blasty-blast. From hangin' at the Aboda, to Bainbridge, to crawling on the Troll, I can honestly say that we had so much fun hanging out! I'm happy that I was able to meet her. It was great to put a face with the name.

So... on to bigger and better stories!

Rik moved into "The Condo". Wow, is it amazing. Her original apartment (corporate housing), as you all saw, was totally amazing. LOVED IT. The view was nothing like I'd ever seen in Seattle. Sweeping views, and amazing location. However, now... she's in the most awesome condo EVER. The entire building is staffed by a CONCIERGE! Yeah. If we (or Erika and/or Clay) need anything from ÜBER last minute dinner reservations (on Valentine's day, no less), to suggestions on good take out, these homies can make it happen! They're great. Plus, not to mention, they all greet you by name as you walk in. It's rad. This condo ROCKS. I'm jealous as hell. It's no wonder I've been sleeping on the floor for the past couple of weeks. I don't wanna go back to my own. *sigh*

I can honestly say that Rik is doing very well in Seattle. Not to worry though, all you Atlantans, I do know that she misses you all and, of course, everything that is and always will be Georgia. She can't stop comparing...

• We call them FREEWAYS in Washington. Not INTERSTATES.
• There is NO Kudzu in Seattle. I have actually never heard of it.
• Traffic is Seattle is AWFUL. I'm sure something can compare, but it just flat-out sucks.
• Air Conditioners are most definitely NOT a requirement, nor a necessity in Seattle. There's just no point.
• Yes, the weather has sucked lately, but I can definitely attest... it's NOT normally like this.
• The roadkill situation is baffling me. I have totally noticed all of the roadkill. I don't normally see it this bad.

That's all I can think of for now... I'm sure I can come up with more as the days, weeks, months and years progress... but for now, on this guest blog... I'll leave it at that.

Hope everyone is doing well in Georgia. I can't wait to meet you all some day.

Peacin' out.
Joe

A Dukes of H.C. Cameo as I Channel Glee

So those of you who know me at all know that public speaking is my biggest fear in life (well that and snakes - I'm convinced that my hell is public speaking to a room full of people all holding snakes as snakes hang from the ceiling and slither through the room and up the walls and all over me). So when I found out I had to do some training at work I was beyond terrified. Luckily I was able to ignore it for several weeks and live in the wonderful, blissful world of denial, but this week reality came and slapped me upside the head like it always insists on doing. Another twist to the story involves working for a truly global company (aka more than just "off-shoring" with India). It turns out that not only does every training session have to be given for the US, an early morning call must be added for those in Europe/Middle East/Africa and an evening session must be done for those in Asia. Ok wait a minute. Stop the presses. Isn't it bad enough that I have to present once? Now you're telling me that I have to present the same thing 3 different times??? Ouch. But hey, speaking with those in countries all over the world and getting to know their local quirks and concerns is interesting so I guess I can deal. I guess.


Enter my Glee channeling (Glee's job involves lots of training and she appears to be comfortable with it for some crazy reason - damn extroverts!). So Wednesday brought the first 2 sessions but alas - I didn't have to present until the 2nd 2 sessions scheduled for Thursday. Ahhhhh, sigh of relief. I'll wait to practice until Wednesday night so I can avoid it as long as possible (just like speech class in college). La-di-da...Wednesday afternoon I'm still living in denial until I turn a corner at 5pm on Wednesday. That's when I was attacked with horrendous news: server problems mean Erika must present tonight! Haha, funny joke guys. No. Really. No! REALLY???

PANIC!!!!

Less than one hour to prep for the 6pm Asia call. Lovely. What? You're recording this session for anyone to reference throughout the year? YEAH - thanks for turning the pressure up EVEN MORE. Fine!

Many, many, many sweat beads, voice shakes, and finger trembles later, the call is over. PHEW! (Good thing asians are quiet and don't ask any questions!) Thursday morning at 7 comes way too soon and all the anti-persperant in the world can't calm me down. That's fine. I can do this, I can do this. FINALLY! Done. Only one more to go - Friday afternoon in person.


So I still had to attend Thursday night's session but I was able to completely relax knowing that my part was over and I was simply there for assistance. This time the fact that it is recording is much less intimidating! Blissful Erika in the room simply catching up on email and doing a little online shopping. It's super silent and the lead lady is leading. Enter the faint echo of the "Dukes of Hazzard" theme.

OHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I ruffle through my bag as quickly as possible, (just them good ole' boys....) but not before the damage is done (they don't mean you no harm...). Turns out I found yet another way to get glares shot at you like needles in a conference room. Go figure: in a conference room that I can never seem to get reception in, a call from my brother who hardly ever calls, and on the one and only day in as long as I can remember that I actually have my volume up (I used it as an alarm as I was completely paranoid about sleeping in past my mandated 6am wakeup to train) I'm in a silent meeting that's being recorded!

So moral of the story - check your cell phones before each meeting!! Thanks for the southern interuption Jake - you made my day!!!!

And for those of you still reading and concerned about the training I had left - well it's done and I'm still alive. But kinda like my dad purposely messing up in the kitchen at the beginning of their marriage, well hopefully MS will no longer ask me to present! ;)

It's raining cotton in my first 50 degree June

....and the culture shock continues. First of all, I can't even explain how weird it is to see sweaters, jackets, and scarves in JUNE. So far I'm enjoying the cool weather, but I can only imagine that time is all that stands between enjoyment and a yearning for some warm sunshine (I think I'm growing paler by the second up here, it's no wonder that there are tanning salons on every other corner - but who are they kidding? At least down south there's at least a chance your tan came from the actual sun...). Next enter the cotton. It's sleet...it's snow...it's bird droppings... NO - it's cotton! So there isn't the yellow pollen overcoat there is down south up here (thank goodness!), but the pollen up here is literally cotton flying through the air. It's so heavy it actually gathers in clumps in parking lots, yard corners, and street gutters - an odd site for sure!

A few other differences I've noticed:

• They don't pick up their roadkill up here - whether it's because they don't have rednecks to scoop it up for dinner or because they are simply lazy, I'm not sure. Either way, it's nauseating to see each evening for weeks on end, especially with the traffic causing nice, slow observances of said roadkill. Blech.
  
• Seattlites think they know humidity, thunderstorms, and good pizza. They don't. (Then again, to be fair, Atlantans think they know lakes and mountains)
  
• This is completely random I know, but I swear there is an abundance of lisps up here. At first I thought maybe it was a company culture thing (as in maybe programmers just don't know how to speak clearly?) but it has become obvious that this condition runs wild up here. So you know what I say? I need to head back to school ASAP to become a speech pathologist - apparently they have none up here! It's how I'm going to make my millions...
  
• Lastly and most upsetting: The locals are completely apathetic (with the obvious exception of the George W hatred that is apparently piped through the city water).
  - They call it laid back and friendly.
  - - I call it boring and unpassionate.
  I have tried desperately to spark a few rivalries, to poke for some feel-good sarcasm, to pit teams against each other.....all to no avail. Let's have some fun people!! Where is the good old fashion hate that is bred in hordes between UGA and Ga Tech?? "Well Erika," you're thinking, "what about University of Washington vs. Washington State?" Nice try. I try and I try and I try. I even have about a 50/50 split of alumni on my team and I try so hard to get them to spar...but...NOTHING. You know what I say to that??
  B-O-R-I-N-G.
  Needless to say, I've been visiting the Good Old Fashion Hate site often to get my fill.
  So bring it on you under-educated, overly proud bulldogs!! ;)

Ok, I'm sure I've offended enough people by now so I'm going back in hiding for awhile ;)

Love you and miss you all,

-e :)

It's time to warn the neighbors...

...both Clay and my furniture will be here soon!!! We have officially booked our move - the movers are packing on June 11 and loading on June 12, with an estimated arrival by June 28th!! Clay will be coming up the weekend of June 14th and we are both so excited!! By the way - Clay deserves a huge congrats now too, he just finished his Masters in Computer Information Systems on Monday!!! I'm so proud of him :)

So now for the bad news: no, the house hasn't sold yet :( We've had lots of traffic, but still no offers :( Who knows, maybe it will show better without furniture..............

But enough of the downer talk, yea for Clay and furniture!!!!

Ok, gotta run - soooooooooooooooooooo much work to do. Don't tell SunTrust, but sometimes I miss the slow bank pace! Of course then I remember how much I hate them and how horribly they treated me and the feeling passes immediately. Speaking of which, can you believe they actually billed me for a fourth of my signing bonus?!?!?!? I am absolutely appalled. Not only do I know for a fact that they usually don't do that, they didn't tell me I was going to have to pay anything back upon my exit. I also know that they were the ones that drove me out of there, they know how bad it was for me and actually said specifically that they don't blame me for leaving, and amongst all of that I still graciously agreed to stay an extra week to help them out without any additional incentive, even though I was trying to pack and prepare to move across country!!! And I won't even mention never giving me the raise I was promised for 6 months... but boy howdy they sure took real nice care of the managers that drove everyone out of the department. Definitely clear to me that they were all out for themselves and no one else!! Sad and infuriating at the same time. So bottom line? Boycott SunTrust!!! :)

Ok, I'm off my high horse now...back to the wonderful world of high tech at a company that actually appreciates good talent and rewards performance, not years of service and who you know :P

ps-where are those resumes people?!? ;)