The confrontation!

SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!

"Ailey, I need to talk to you!" The girl from upstairs yelled through my door. When I got up to answer it, she was swaying in the hallway and wreaking of booze.

"I want to know what the hell is the deal with you making all of these noise complaints about us!" she said, obviously looking for a fight.

I had been doing my laundry and packing for my long weekend away. Needless to say, I was a little surprised to be verbally assaulted in the middle of my peaceful domestic chores. I was also surprised because (a) the girl doesn't even live in the apartment above mine, (b) we almost never speak to each other, and (c) she was approaching me while drunk.

I calmly explained myself to her - I work during the week, I get up early, I'm a light sleeper, I NEED to sleep. What I didn't mention was that I couldn't help but wonder who stays up until 5 AM on a week night anyway? And who gets drunk every night? And who, at our age, still thinks that the party outweighs the need for other people to carry on with their lives?

"What do you want, to come home to this quiet sanctuary or something? Because, I mean, sometimes I come home from work and I want to get wasted, but there's no one here and I can't. That's frustrating, but I deal with it. So, I mean, maybe you shouldn't expect to have this quiet sanctuary."

I don't expect a quiet sanctuary. I come home to the bass pounding from upstairs, doors slamming, people yelling, marijuana smoke curling underneath my door. I don't mind as long as I'm not trying to sleep. So, I'm at a loss. Can't we all just get along? Can't they all just shut up?

"Drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, Son."

Ah, my favorite quote from Animal House . . . I want to direct this to my upstairs neighbors who kept me awake until 5 AM last night and who, regularly, wake me up in the middle of the night with their music, drunken wrestling, and yelling. Who are these characters, you ask? Well, one is 22 and the other is a startling . . . gasp . . . 37. They work for the 37 year old's parents doing construction. I have nothing against construction and I'm not entirely opposed to working for one's parents. I AM opposed to being drunk and stoned EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. And I AM opposed to being an adult, but living like an irresponsible teenager. When will these guys grow-up? When will they let me sleep through the night? I grow weary of calling and having doorstep 'talks' the following day. The next time I'm kept awake, I will call the police and I won't feel bad about it. That way, the police can tell them to shut the hell up for once and chastise them by saying, "Drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, Son."

Exciting Developments

Despite the fact that Sean's dad told me I looked like a 'gay longshoreman', things are going really well for this soon-no-longer-Seattleite. Next weekend is Memorial Day which should be an extravaganza of awesomeness. My friends and I are renting a jet ski, going to Sasquatch at the Gorge (Death Cab for Cutie and the Decemberists are playing) and hanging out in what I hope is a lot of sunshine. Sadly, Climberchica and Corporate Media Whore will not be in attendance because they fear good times and socializing. We will enjoy ourselves despite their absense.

Also, I got my placement, sort of, in Japan! All I currently know is that I'll be living in the Hyogo Prefecture, which is on Honshu and close to Kobe. There was a huge earthquake in Kobe in 2006 and that's all I know about the area. Perhaps it's time to do some research.

So many exciting developments. So difficult to focus on other things. Like work. Which is where I am right now, typing on my blog. And thinking about Memorial Day and Japan.

How accurate are these translators? I mean, really?

Because this is what my friend Carolin's blog looks like, translated from the German to the English:

Small summary

Since my time in Boston the end leans, I will offer now a small summary to you: - so far ever so much rent for a so beschissenes room did not pay (185$ per week!!) - this was in Boston the cheapest room which I find could - cooked only eimal, with Jacqueline, because I have no kitchen - not 10 Kilos increased, separate approx. 2 Kilos decreased, despite Burger!! - in 3 months approx. 5 cigarettes smoked, perhaps also 7… - was nevertheless only 5 times joggen - 4 times Lobster ate (more would actually have had to be) - 3 time with the Karaoke sang (Ain't NO Mountain high enough, Mrs Robinson and Creep - me thereby probably quite disgraced - 5 nice Americans became acquainted with, whom definitely better all Bush can hate and sing than I - 2 of the Americans will see perhaps next year in Greece - was 2 times in the Atlantic swim - has definitely more vacation made than I has might - were in 5 different Federal States (Massachustes, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York) + Canada - to New York town center will drive tomorrow!!! - in addition, are glad, if I am on Wednesday again at home

I'll stop there, namely because that's as much as the translator would process at one time and I'm too lazy to continue. My favorite quote is, "not 10 Kilos increased, separate approx. 2 Kilos decreased, despite burger!!" I think that this is referring to the fact that she didn't gain any weight, despite all of the burgers. Ironically (correct use of the word?), I gained about twenty pounds when I went to see Carolin in Germany, probably from eating too much Bratwurst.

Why doesn't someone create a grammatically accurate translator? And why doesn't Carolin blog in English?

Communal laundry protocol

Is there a set of rules for using communal laundry rooms? I ask because it seems like everyone has a different idea of what is polite and what is correct. Last night I needed to wash socks (desperately), but when I went to the laundry room, I saw that the girl from upstairs had left her clothes in the washer AND dryer. Rather than throwing her clothes on the floor or on top of the nasty washer, I placed her dry clothes in her laundry hamper on the floor and put her wets in the dryer (but did not dry them). I even hung her puffy jacket to dry! Was this wrong? Did I overstep my boundaries? Because she got PISSED. I could hear her yelling about it from my apartment and was completely at a loss. Something about her jeans . . . I honestly have no idea. But, really, she shouldn't have left her crap in the machines for an hour. Because THAT definitely goes against protocol.

Things that the Filthy Rich have and I don't

After catering a party last night for some Filthy Rich, I realized that there are many things that the Filthy Rich have that I don't. I'm of the mind that they actually want to keep these things secret from the Other People, perhaps to perpetuate the idea of a 'classless' society. My friends, this 'classless' society is a hoax! You read it here first! Please don't be too upset by this revelation, I'm just trying to keep it real. Let the listing begin:

1. Filthy Rich own the entire floor of a high-rise building in downtown Seattle. This entire floor is their home.
2. Filthy Rich have foreign butlers that live with them. The butler's apartment is nicer than your house. It is also nicer than your neighbor's really nice house. It is nicer than that Guy-at-work-with-the-really-nice-house's house. I could go on.
3. Filthy Rich have 360 degree views of the city. Oh yes, the Filthy Rich also have glass walls.
4. Filthy Rich host catered dinners for a friend's birthday. Filthy Rich present this friend with a gift of Chihuly glass.
5. Filthy Rich age beautifully. Because they can.
6. Filthy Rich are patrons of the arts and they have a LOT of it. Their art is worth more than Other People's lives.
7. Filthy Rich have a faux-driftwood horse actually made out of iron. Because it is cute, this iron horse is 'eating' out of a Chihuly trough.
8. Did I say 'entire floor'? I meant to say that the Filthy Rich own two floorS of high-rise buildings in downtown Seattle. My mistake.
9. Filthy Rich have things that Other People have never seen before - like doors that look like wooden walls. They have these because doors are unattractive.
10. Filthy Rich have an entire room for their security system. This is to keep Other People from coming in and seeing their things or, even worse, taking them. It is important to have thousands of flashing red lights because this will intimidate Other People.

So, as you can see, Filthy Rich have many, many things that we Other People might never even dream of. For example:



I am currently thinking about how much I could sell this chandelier for, because I'm hungry and broke. I am so obviously an Other Person.

In the market for new legs

I had my first indoor game of the spring season on Monday and, aside from the fact that I always forget how unbelievably hard indoor is, I had a great time! Indoor is perfect for someone with a short attention span because there are only two twenty minute halves, compared to two forty minute halves in outdoor. The game is over before you have the opportunity to get bored! Despite the short halves, I had shaky legs when I walked off the field at the end of the game. Another girl on the team was asking me if I thought she could run around Greenlake in her indoor shoes and I almost puked a little into my mouth. A different girl talked about her ultra-marathon relay that she'd raced in the day before. "I ran thirteen miles, so I might be pretty useless today," she chirped as she bounced onto the field. I am still sore. I can't wait for next week's game.

It's that time of year

Now that it's gotten warmer, stays lighter later, and my bike has been tuned-up, it's time to ride as much as possible. This morning I woke up with stiff calves and burning quads. It's awesome! My sister once told me that my bike was too old and heavy. 'Real' cyclists use clip-in pedals and would have a newer, lighter bike. Well, maybe I'm not a 'real' cyclist, but I do have a good time. And that, Nopo Girl, is really all that matters.

Rest and Relaxation

After weeks of going and going and going and going and . . . well, you get the idea, I decided that it was time for some sleep and unaplogetic television watching and reading and running as long as I want to. Because Seattle has too many distractions and noisy neighbors, I came to the serenity of my parents' house. I slept for four hours yesterday afternoon, woke up and watched a movie, then slept for twelve more hours. As I was stretching in bed and thinking about how wonderful it is to actually rest and, for once, not worry about what I could be doing, my Mom knocked on the door. "Ailey," she said with obvious concern, "are you depressed?"

"No," I replied. "I'm just well-rested."

The small, still voice

Last week, I received my invitation for the JET program (to learn more about JET, check-out the website at http://www.jetprogramme.org/). If I want to go, I need to send in my letter of acceptance by April 24th. I've been hanging on to my letter for over seven days now. I know what I need to do, but I feel like I'm waiting for that small, still voice to turn into a bolt of lightening and strike me down with the correct answer. A year in Japan would definitely be, as my friend Nick says, sadical (sad/radical). Sad because I'd miss my friends and family and, of course, the city, but it would be an awesome experience and completely radical. Sadical - get it? Well, stay posted to find out if I'm wise enough to trust the small, still voice. I could be posting from Japan in four months.

Do you like to do Awesome Stuff?

Because I like to do Awesome Stuff. For some reason, it's hard for me to find people that also like to do Awesome Stuff. I live in one of the most active cities in the United States, but it seems that most of my friends have differing interests. In case you're wondering, Awesome Stuff includes skiing/snowboarding, camping, hiking, rock climbing, surfing, cycling, and running. Most people like to do one, or even some, of the above, but few (a staggering few) like to do them all. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expert or even particularly good at most Awesome Stuff, but I still like to do it. I especially like to do Awesome Stuff with my sister, Nopo Girl, my brother-in-law, Corporate Media Whore, and Noah the Dog. This blog entry was inspired by the fact that it's spring again and the time has arrived to do Awesome Stuff. In fact, Nopo Girl, Corporate Media Whore, Noah the Dog and I are going to do Awesome Stuff in two weeks. So, if you like to do Awesome Stuff and want someone new to do Awesome Stuff with, just let me know. There's lot's of Awesome Stuff to do around Seattle, but it's definitely more fun to have someone to do it with.

Retrospect (introspect?)

I just realized that it has been almost exactly a year since I was medically discharged from the Peace Corps. This week, I've been celebrating my year anniversary by reading old posts and reminiscing about the good and bad times. It's hard to believe that a little over twelve months ago I was walking through ankle-deep mud (buttcock - seriously, that's the Kyrgyz word for 'mud') to get to school, bathing once a week, and using a hole in the ground. It's hard to believe that Kyrgyz was my main language of communication. It's hard to believe that I witnessed a revolution.

Sometimes I have dreams that I'm back in Kyrgyzstan. In my dreams, I'm given another chance to make it work. I reunite with my students and my host-family and, always, my friend Umut and our reunions are exciting and hope-filled. Sadly, though, even in my dreams I know that I'm dreaming and that I can't stay. In my dreams, I always wish that I could stay.

Sometimes I'm filled with regret that I couldn't stay. I miss my host-family that I never had the chance to say goodbye to since I was whisked away in the Peace Corps all-terrain vehicle to the capital city without any notice. I miss my students. I miss the other volunteers and our nights of pseudo-pizza and involved discussions on bowel-movements (VERY important to a Peace Corps volunteer). I wish that things could have been very, very different.

This has been a really good year for me and I am so happy right now. It doesn't mean, however, that I don't think about what could have been.

Training again

I gave up skiing this weekend to purchase new running shoes. It's a sad, sad realization that I can't afford to do both. I can run, or I can ski. My sadness about missing out on this weekend was compounded by the fact that 'the snow was totally-gnarly, man!' Buying the shoes wasn't really an option, since it's time to start training again. Ah, yes, the race season is starting-up and the Olympia half-marathon is only a few short months away. My knees and shins were screaming daily from running on my old, broken shoes and I knew that this wasn't a splurge, but a necessity. I love to run, but I love to ski. If only I didn't love to eat, as well, I might be able to do both.

My desk is producing flowers

It's inexplicable . . . When I left the office last night at 5 PM, there were no flowers on my desk. But when I came in this morning, there were two bunches of red, white, and purple flowers! I looked for a card, but there was none. I looked around at my co-workers - could the flowers have been placed on my desk by mistake? But none of my co-workers jumped up with an accusing finger pointed at me shouting 'THIEF'. They all continued to stare glassy-eyed at their computer screens and I finally concluded that the mysterious flowers must be meant for me.

After doing some research, I discovered that one of my clients had dropped them by the office last night. When I talked to him this morning, he said, "You've worked so hard for me. I figured there's no harm in say 'thank you.'" What he didn't realize is that I have been in a terrible mood all week - antisocial and grumpy - and I've been hating my job. Getting flowers on my desk has made my day and my week. Who knows, maybe even my month. So thank you, Bob, if you read this. They are the most beautiful flowers I've seen in a long time.

These are cranberries

These are also cranberries

Cranberries are good for more than just bladder infections

I'll bet you didn't realize how good for you cranberries actually are! Aside from curing and preventing bladder infections, they are full of vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin C. Cranberries are packed with fiber, too, so if you're concerned about your inner-workings, you can rest peacefully knowing that they will help keep you regular. Dried cranberries are especially delicious - they taste good in salads and on top of my cereal in the morning. Frozen cranberries can be blended into smooth and fruity shakes. Cranberries are not so tasty without sugar added.

Cranberries also make very good music! I know, you are just as surprised as I was to discover this! They're a little before my time, more from my older sister's era, but they are great. They rock out with their Irish accents. I don't know what makes them Cranberries, but they are excellent bus-ride music, bored-at-work music, and long-hot-bath music. Check it out.

Cranberries should be included in your every day life.

ANTIGUA!!!

Did I mention that I went to Antigua for New Year's? Oh, I forgot to tell you? Yeah, I went there. Antigua. Have you heard of it? It's in the Caribbean. In case you want to look it up or something, it's spelled A-N-T-I-G-U-A. I laid on the beach and swam in the Caribbean Sea and snorkeled and danced and ate and explored and drove a moped as a moped has never been driven before. It was amazing! Don't get me wrong, there were bad parts, too. For example, the mosquitos that descended like a plague every night that we actually moored the boat. Or having to administer first aid to Kelli after she ate gravel on her moped. Or what about Liat Airlines (Leave island any time) delaying our flight in Anguilla for an hour so that we missed our connection to Chicago? So, as you can see, Antigua wasn't all glitz and glamour. At times it was quite rough. If you need proof, just look at the pictures. Antigua.
A-N-T-I-G-U-A. Don't you just love the way it rolls off your tongue?

Sailing (kind of)

The lack of effort was a lifestyle for me.

New Years at Nelson's Dockyard

Note the painful sunburn on Ailey. Mom, I swear I wore sunscreen that day.