Geeky Talks
If I could have anything in the whole world, I’d have a shoe full of sand
Years ago, I moved to a small town where I attended college and ?found myself? in the most clich? since of the word. I was on my own for the first time in my life, I had a houseful of great roommates, I obsessed about dumb things like boys and homework and trying to balance a checkbook on a 250 dollar a month student job and financial aid. I spent much time by the water writing in my journal, on pen and paper (back in THOSE days) and being idealist and liberal and hippy.
And then I grew up.
Mr. Flinger and I have a lovely story I?ll share with you one day. It?s really very long and tiresome full of words like ?we were on a break? and ?14 years together before we got married? and ?moving away to find out we loved each other after all.? It?s a lovely story that we enjoy telling too much and never tire of hearing although I?m sure our close friends do. We?ve had one thing in common these many many years: To move back to the Puget sound, the north cascades, the rugged landscape we fell in love with during that fragile period in life called ?your early twenties?. The water is healing, the grass is greener and the air is so fresh, you get a little high on the pure oxygen.
This, of course, is total B.S.
Reality, finally, is here. The housing market is impossible, the traffic is horrific, the taxes are killing us. You know, it rains nine months a year in Seattle? It does. Also, most people are introverts and don?t bother with the new people in the complex, in the church, down the street, at the coffee shop. I am the ?new person? and it?s an awkward and judgy place to be. The closest park on the Sound is full of sand fleas and gnats and smelly crawfish that make the ?I?ve been camping six days in a row without a shower? body smell like fresh pine. I have no playgroup. I have nobody to share the toddler thing* with and I have nobody to meet at the puddle park (where the HELL is the damn puddle park here?) or have over for dinner because I have no place for them to park.
It?s not the ?writing in my journal for hours alone? kind of place I remember because I?m not the same girl I was then. I?m a mom now. I have no such thing as ?alone time? and when I do, I do something useful, like poop. This land I remember filling my shoes with sand and walking for hours letting my feet be exfoliated by the soft rocks is no longer here.
But as I sit here and write in my laptop next to the slushing sound of Lake Washington, just miles from where my best friends from that same house years and years ago live, it?s not exactly like I remember it. But that?s ok. It?s not so different, either.
*I wrote this before I found out Kate lives about 7 minutes from our new condo! I love the blogosphere.
** AND CARRIE!! WOOT!
*** Sorry, we’re not there for ever yet. Just went up to sign papers and it hit me.. holy shit.. in 30 days this will be home.
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Your descriptions of it back then and now all sound like heaven to me! I’d love to hear the Mr. and Mrs. Flinger story one day (soon?).
I’ve lived here (south Texas) half my life and I still feel like the “new person” who doesn’t have anyone to share the toddler thing with.
But, that’s why I have you (and the rest of the blogosphere)! And, we can still find a way to get you Flingers to move down to south Texas now, can’t we? I mean, it only rains about 9 times every three years!
See you should have moved to MN. We at least have 4 distinct seasons - Rain, Road Construction, Cold, and Cold as Shit. See fun!
I love to tell people about me & G. But when they throw in the whole “awww, high school sweethearts” I quietly vomit in my mouth because, that is so not me. And we just aren’t normal that’s all!
Pooping in our free-time. I think I know what that is all about. I still long for the days of my free-spirited, hippie loving, determined to make a difference in the world days. My escape was the ocean with endless hours of drawing and writing. Someday I will get back to that. You will be closer to that place real soon. I hope that with a toddler and another child soon, you will still be able to connect with your inner self on the shores of the sound.
The Flinger love story is always so good to hear. I am just glad that the Jelly Belly’s aren’t alone, because our stories are pretty damn close! Glad to see you found Kate up there. Another toddlering mommy! Yahoo for that! :jealous sigh:
Technically, it rains 12 months out of the year in Seattle, but whose counting? Did you know it rains more in New York and Washington DC and even Atlanta than it does here in Seattle? It does. The difference is that when it quits raining over there, the clouds go away. Here, they stick around. But all the moisture is good for the skin right? And since I’m being all technical, I looked up the average rainfall in Seattle vs. Salem, and it rains 1.8 inches more in Salem! See! You’re moving to a city where it rains less! That’s a good thing! And it’s cooler here in the summer and warmer in the winter than Salem. Even more reason to move here! Yeah, the housing market sucks, the traffic is horrible, blah blah blah. Just remember the amazing views of all the mountain ranges, the Sound, the lakes, the trees… That’s what I try to remember when I’m stuck in traffic on the middle of the floating bridge crossing Lake Washington everyday. “Oh look! Mt. Rainier. Oh look! The Sound. The Cascades. The Olympics. The shitty ass drivers clogging the road…”
You’re going to do just fine up here. We’re not all introverts who don’t want to talk to anyone new. That’s just me. (Kidding!) You’ll find a playgroup and a puddle park and you’ll meet plenty of great people. That’s what you do! You pick up on chicks in Costco. You just get to do it in a new city.
And what’s this about writing on your laptop by Lake Washington? Where the hell are you? And why didn’t you call me? Hmph.
“Do something useful, like poop”
Why is that sentiment so pathetic and true at the same time, I HEAR YA!!!
Hooray for finding out you have a blog buddy nearby! And yyou and Mr. Flinger loved each other after all sounds very, very familiar to the story of me and my hubby. Here’s to rediscovering your old stomping grounds and making even better memories!
Are you guys official Washingtonians now? That may convince me to come visit my sister in the next year so I can stop by and meet you…
I already sent you links to nearby Starbucks - now I’ll send links to parks in your new area! Toddlers are the best icebreakers in meeting new people.
I know the feeling when we followed our dream to move back to my college town. I kinda expected everything to be the same, but it wasn’t exactly and the people I knew here were gone. There were glimpses of the same feelings/dreams, though, and I’m sure you’ll experience that. C’mon up - I can watch LB while you take laptop/journal to Larrabee for a few hours…
You’ll do just fine making new friends and getting to know “the” places to go. It’ll help already knowing people and the area!
It is sad when places change, but sometimes it is for the better!
Nice post. I’ve recently been pining to be in the Northwest, now I don’t feel so bad! Of course the gloomy weather and introverts are right up my alley.
Had the same experience when we moved to Portland, OR (where DH is from) and then back to Columbus, OH - one of the reasons to move back - the people were NOT very friendly, even when I initiated conversations. I mean, I had a baby, they had a baby, why wouldn’t they want to chat for a couple of minutes??!!
At least the nature up in the Northwest is gorgeous!
I don’t know where you are, but Isaac and I used to go to View Ridge park at 70th St NE & ~45th Ave NE (http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/viewridge.htm) for our wading pool adventures. If you’re in the University District or parts slightly north, I could dredge my memory and help you out with things to do and places to meet hot young mommies. We lived at 65th St NE & Sand Point Way.
Hey…I’m right there with ya in Tacoma-a few miles down the road!