Sprizee :: A simple girl replete with complications

What I feel like as winter comes.

Download 30 free songs by singer/songwriter Tyler Stenson (formerly based in Portland, Oregon). Sometimes free things are awesome. 

It looks like a battle field; 
This October sun has lost its appeal
And as it disappeared,
The summer solstice became cigarette light.

Why? Because, obviously, he's rad.

Yawn.

I almost forgot how to log into this site. That's how long it's been.

This is how life feels lately. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Wake up. Get up. WAKE UP. Get ready. Take a shower. Brush your teeth. Get ready. GET READY! Drive to work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Eat. Eat. Eat. Work. Work. Work. Leave work. Think about work. Eat. Eat. Eat. Think about work. Work. Work. Go to sleep. Go. To. Sleep. Sleep! Rinse. Repeat.

Anyways, the first Sounders FC playoff game is tonight so I'm mixing it up today! Kind of.

Back to school.

My summer vacation comes to an abrupt end tomorrow. I meant to sit down and write something meaningful about this before now. But like so many other things I think about writing about, I never got around to it.

This summer was busy, and yet, I'm sort of kicking myself for all the missed opportunities I can't get back. I should have gotten together with my friends more. I should have completed more projects. I should have traveled more. I should have gone to Crater Lake while I had the chance! After all, it's not like I had a job keeping me busy.

Then again, I was looking for a job almost full time. You know, when I wasn't watching Hulu, posting pictures on Flickr, updating Twitter, podcasting TBTL, doing a photoshoot with the Seattle PI, traveling to Chicago, roadtripping it to Portland and catching up on Mad Men or The Wire. Oh Chicago, how I adore you!

Anyways, tomorrow totally feels like the first day of school. Slightly terrifying but mostly exciting! I keep having these dreams about missing the appointment for my last interview (even though I already got the job!) or being asked to do something I have no idea how to do (last night it was fill in for my mom's elementary class, yikes).

I wish I had been better at stressing less about not having a job, and simply savoring it more. I remember a couple friends telling me to take my time and enjoy it while it lasted. At the time I thought they were sort of crazy, thinking I'll enjoy it when I have another job lined up! But now I totally get their point. I mean how often as an adult do you get weeks off at a time to do basically whatever you want. Being laid off, pushed out of a company I was really ready to leave, looking back was one of the best things to happen to me this year. Maybe the best.

My new company is a 5 minute drive from my house, door to door. This, after commuting across town for the last 6 years, still blows my mind. And the folks I'll be working with? They're a bunch of smart cookies and they've done nothing but made me feel welcome and wanted since day 1. So, yeah. I'm excited. Let's do this thing.

Honey Bunny.

Honey Bunny., originally uploaded by sprizee.

Wow, it's been a long time since I've made it to the Evergreen State Fair. How long? Not since 2004. Don't get me wrong. I've been to other fairs between now and then, but the ESF is different since I worked there during summers in college. It made me nostalgic.

It also made me hungry. Good thing there was a corndogs, elephant ears and strawberry shortcake to keep me company.

But it also made me insane. Because I bought tickets to watch all demo derby and car racing events and I actually enjoyed it. Crazy figure 8 racing trailer racing. One beat up car towing 2 other beat up cars (or trailers, or boats!) behind them while racing around in a infinity shaped race track. Which I enjoyed watching. Who am I? Like I said. INSANE.

You can take the girl out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the girl. Apparently.

C'mon, baby don't you wanna go?

I'm headed to Chicago in a couple weeks. I've never been before and I'm totally excited. This will be the first year in the last five than I haven't left the country. Okay, I left the country in May to cheer on my friends who were participating in the Vancouver Marathon but I barely think Canada counts seeing as how it's a mere 3 hours away. Don't argue with me!

View Chicago Scoop in a larger map (and to see what I've mapped so far)

My point is I spent the morning mapping out sights to see. But have you been before? Do you have some recommendations for me? Even if you haven't been, what have you heard? I've already got tickets to see U2, the Cubs at Wrigley Field and a whole lot of places to stuff my face. But I could always use more suggestions. I know there's at least one monkey out there that could teach me a thing or two. Now's your chance. Get bossy!

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, and the major lift.

What do you get when you combine the lyrics of Leonard Cohen and the voice of Tyler Stenson?

Tyler Stenson - Hallelujah on Acoustic Conversations

Last week I found out Tyler Stenson is moving to Nashville, Tennessee. What? No! I had always planned on seeing him live in Portland, Oregon. I mean he plays a show at least once a week. But the last time I was down there in April I missed his set because other plans got in the way. Plus, it was easy to rationalize I could just catch another show on another trip. But now he's leaving, soon. I'd go to his final PDX show in a few weeks, but I'll be in Chicago (to see U2). Luckily there's also a few other sets between then and now.

Which means, there's a road trip in a my future. Who drives 3 hours one way just to catch a live show? I mean, I like lots of bands but won't go out of my way to see them live. I had a ticket to Interpol once that I just gave away to another friend because I couldn't be bothered to drive 3 miles. And I really like Interpol! But it probably has more do with the type of crowd and the venue. I don't enjoy having to fight my way to the front, avoid having beer spilled on me and my toes stepped on. I know. Strange.

There's a small list of bands I'd go out of my way to see: Blind Pilot, David Gray, OK GO, and obviously, Tyler Stenson. Notice how U2 didn't make the list? Yeah, that's because standing in line all day just to get pushed out of a good spot right before the concert starts isn't exactly my idea of a fun. For some bands I'll go out of my way. Mostly mellow, wistful bands. But not all the way to Nashville.

Anyways, my point is I can't wait to dine at the Waffle Windown! (And catch a live Tyler Stenson set.)

A heavy dusting of powered sugar over nearly every flat surface.

It took me 3 months but I finally wrote a little bit more about my trip to New Orleans back in March. Cafe Du Monde to be specific. I'm telling you, that town is magical. I found a place in Seattle last week that had beignets on the menu. They were good, but no comparison. None.