So, Seattle is the best place.
Thursday.
There's something about the transient nature of airports that makes people anxious or emotional anyway. This time, I was flying farther than I have ever flown before, so naturally a little of that emotional charge got to me. I was doing well, aside from the fact that I was so bored and restless on the plane, until we came down out of the clouds above the Rocky Mountains. I'm hardly a person to get emotional over nature (partly because I've never seen...like anything), but the mountains are so beautiful. So majestic, and being above them gives you such a different perspective on their vastness. I thought I might cry. Then, as the plane was coming into Seattle, a got a pretty rad view of Mt. Rainier. Truly, this place is so beautiful.
I can always tell if I'm going to like a place right when I get there. There's a tangible energy present in most places, and I can usually check into it right upon arrival. Seattle has that energy, and its very good. (Unlike Baltimore- "It's like Gotham City without Batman.") Anyway, that's that. I could kind of just tell that I would like it.
Ray picked me up at the airport, and took on a mini tourist-y romp through the city. I got to see the harbor, Pike Place, the Space Needle...all of those things. Ate WAY too much Indian food at this little restaurant called Qazi's in Fremont, and then got to tour the UW campus (it's beautiful, a lot like the prettier parts of FSU's campus, just much hillier). Met up with Joyce at the school, met a few teachers, sat in an aria class with BagelsBaigs...Arian...and kind of just chilled out. There really are a billion Starbucks' here.
Friday.
I got a friggin FULL night's rest thanks to the time change and my general sleepiness. Had a couple of meetings with people- GoMap for funding/multicultural stuff and met two great girls, one of which was at FSU when I was there (random), sat in on a 20th century music class (and wanted to contribute my thoughts on Stravinsky's Les Noces, but didn't want to seem like a presumptuous ass...), and then got lunch at this freaking nummy place called The Hi-Life. Had a voice lesson with Joyce later in the day (holy CRAP my e vowel is on its way), and then while Joyce was at school finishing up her day, Ray took me to the Ballard Locks, these fascinating reservoirs descend to allow ships to navigate the differentiated water levels of the dam. I took a lot of pictures, but I’m a dope, and they're on the camera’s internal memory and I don’t have a cord to get the pictures. I will eventually. Take my word for it, it was awe inspiring. The idea that there is a pump strong enough to funnel in enough water in a chamber to raise a massive fishing ship up by 30 feet was fascinating.
We had dinner at Tawon Thai, a delicious little Thai restaurant in Fremont. I'd never had Indian food until the day before, and I'd never had Thai food until this, and I can say with some clarity that I ate more than my fill. Seriously- at Qazi's I just got plate after plate of Indian food, and at the Thai place, we all ordered a big something and kind of shared (and I made sure that there was very little leftover.) It was so good. Pad thai, curry, bean threads, and some fried eggplant looking thing--- I rolled home. For realz.
Saturday.
Not sure why, but sleep in Seattle seems to be a lot better and longer than sleep in other places. I suppose that three hours never really caught up with me, so I felt really indulgent sleeping as late as I was on Eastern time...
I woke up at around 11am and Ray and I went down the street to this place called Blue Star for breakfast. I got some sausage and egg scrambly thing with the most delicious red potatos. I was a very happy Christopher. After that, I got showered and got ready for my audition. The tie that I’d brought with me (this navy blue and forest green paisley thing) matched my ensemble perfectly, but because I was hell-bent on my full Windsor knot, the tie (and who am I kidding- I can’t expect that much, I did buy it on sale from Target…) was too short to handle all that knottage, so I couldn’t wear it. Luckily, Ray had this fantastic green and yellow creation that worked perfectly. I went to the school and sight sang (like a bad-ass, if I may say so myself), rehearsed with Laura, my pianist (who sadly hadn’t looked over my music at all…) and then auditioned. I don’t have the same audition chops that I used to, meaning my voice isn’t up to the dry, nerve-wracking challenge of auditions like it used to be, but I should say with some confidence that I thought things turned out well. First two songs went well, then Tom the Voice Coordinator, wanted to hear my long (sick nasty long) aria, which was also fine- I just completely forgot the last 20 bars of the aria. I mean, my accompanist wasn’t doing me any favors, but I seriously just…forgot the end of the piece. So, instead of acting a fool and stopping or trying to figure it out, I just stood there…pleasantly…until the end of the piece. Freakin’ lulz.
They asked me a few questions (which I think I answered well), and then they asked my GPA. Now, to just keep it real, my final GPA from FSU wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad. Like… it was way above a 2.0, but not quite a 3.0, and that was largely due to my staggering lack of motivation my fifth year and my insistent depression at the beginning of that school year. It kind of became too late to fix what I’d messed up when Cassie shook me to my senses. Anyway, my GPA was a bit of a hindrance, and I found out that I would need to write a little something explaining what the hell was happening in my life to make my grades plummet. I of course have no issue with doing that, but had a mini-crisis at Qdoba after the audition, because my whole life I’ve always been THE smart kid. You know the one. The one who went above and beyond the mandates of an assignment, the one who would rather read a book then go out with friends, the teacher’s pet, the know-it-all…you get it. Through high school, I was more laid back, but still a well studied smart ass. And even in the first four years of my undergrad, I got great grades. So needless to say, it was hard for me, having to face, for the first time in my life, that it was my grades serving as the obstacle. I suppose its not that huge a deal, especially because it was only one year, I hardly failed out, and I got my degree. I guess that there was just something so...pedestrian in the predicament, that I had a small crisis afterwards. But I worked through it. Arian and I started promptly drinking.
After a couple of (very strong) cocktails, we went to the get together at Joyce’s, which was nice. I met a few people and talked with everyone, had a few beers, at some pizza. It was a good time. After that, we went back to Arian’s for a little beer pong and further pregaming, and I got to meet (or re-meet, as it were) Arian’s friend Alexa. Turns out, I have known Alexa for several years, but only peripherally. She got her Master’s at FSU while I was in the beginning of my undergrad, and our circles crossed here and there. Regardless of all of that, she’s awesome, and it was great getting to spend time talking to her.
Dave drove us downtown. We couldn’t find the club, Baltic Room, so we walked the streets. I met these two guys on the street in Capitol Hill that gave us the absolutely WRONG directions (and “Pete Albertson” told me Facebook him…I didn’t, but it was amusing that I woke up on Sunday to find his name scrawled on my arm.) Arian changed the game plan, and we went to this place called Amber. It was actually a really cool bar, with a great vibe and reasonable drinks, but there was a really strange demographic represented. We chilled there for a while, but decided we might be able to rage harder at home, so we braved the cold, naturally got some Taco Bell, and beer ponged hard at Arian’s. Mucho fun-o… and I passed out on the left side of Arian’s king sized princess bed. Mmmm plushy. (I haven't, at any point yet, mentioned how completely opposite Arian and I are. Yet somehow, we always have a wonderful time together. She has me drawing out the word 'fuck' until it disappears, and speaking in abbrevs. Oh no.)
Sunday
Dear Christopher, work on your tolerance. I had a ridiculous hangover all of Sunday. I didn’t get up until like…1pm. And I felt nauseous all day. Seriously, I felt like dying. Was it worth it? Yes.
Arian and I, after rolling out of bed, went for brunch at Hi-Life and then to take care of some of the more touristy things around the city.
- A picture with the statue of Vladimir Lenin in Fremont --- check
- A picture of the space needle (we didn’t go up in it because it costs $15 and it was a cloudy day- not the best conditions for the experience) --- check
- Visit Pike Place Market --- check
- Pictures of the universe’s first Starbucks --- checkity check
- Delicious Seattle salmon via the Seattle Crunch roll at Umi Sake House --- om nommity check check
- Meeting my future boyfriend while sampling freaking om nommy cheese --- I die.
Pardon my French, but you've got to be fucking kidding me. FUCK YEAH, RADIOHEAD.
Monday
The flight home sucked. The heater wasn’t working on the plane, and it was freezing. Like…seriously freezing. I don’t know if you know this, but it’s like…negative tens of degrees that high up in the air. IT WAS FREEZING. Not to mention, I’ve never flown back from the West Coast so a four hour and a half hour trip became a seven and a half hour trip. Boo.
Since getting back, I haven’t been able to sleep very well (not so much a new occurrence)… but it’s been nice being home. I missed my family, so being back has given me even more perspective.
I’ve also seen the remaining three Best Picture Oscar nominees that I hadn’t seen- my thoughts on those will be coming soon (though I should just put this out there- this year’s nominees are perhaps the most congruously fantastic set of films for the last few years).
So, moving forward- waiting to hear back from UW, finishing up an arrangement or two, getting ready for the ANY reunion, doing some CASA work, and getting used to my fancy new glasses. Life is good. More later.
2 comments:
LOVED this post. That is all.
PHONE HOME BEEYOTCH> I need to talk to you!
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