NOVEMBER 2002
For two months now, we are sure, you have been checking our site daily to see when we'd announce the new name of our cat. You have been desperately waiting for more photos of her, now in her new environment. You have worried that we'd died and that's why we couldn't update the site. Well, the long wait is over: Introducing ... Luna!
Her full name is Metaluna, named for the alien planet in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" (which is the same source for the name Rando, our departed gerbil). But we call her Luna. Or Looney, sometimes, especially when she races around for no reason, chasing invisible prey. On occasion, we tempt her with toy prey, which she loves to bat at and pounce on. You can see pictures of her stalking these items in her photo gallery.
What else have we been up to? Everything! We're having a blast exploring Seattle and enjoying all the cultural opportunities here. In October we won tickets to see a sneak preview of the film "Frida" at the Seattle Art Museum, and to view a sneak preview of their Mexican Modernism exhibit featuring Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Then in November we went back on their free day and saw the rest of the museum. We also caught a showing of current Mexican artists on the free day at the Henry Art Museum on the nearby University of Washington campus.
In October we also attended the 2-day Northwest Bookfest, an event held in a former airplane hanger with over 200 authors speaking. Amanda got to see several mystery writers including one of her favorites, J.A. Jance, and Steve saw travel writer Rick Steves and Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk. There was also a crafts table where we both made envelopes out of cool paper like pressed-flower parchment, and Amanda made a hand-stitched journal. Steve found some books he'd been wanting at the book swap, and we both trolled for free goodies from the booksellers tables.
There are tons of other author readings around here (most of them free), and in October we saw Newsweek columnist Anna Quindlen and novelist/memoirist Anne Lamott. Lamott is one of Steve's favorite authors, so it was a real treat to meet her and have her sign a book and video for us.
Sharon came to visit in September; we spent one day downtown, where we saw a Sept. 11 memorial taking place, went to the Experience Music Project since they were handing out free tickets, and walked the shoreline. We spent one day on a scenic drive up the coast and down Whidbey Island, stopping at Deception Pass and picnicking. We spent the last day visiting all the places within walking distance of our apartment, like Ravenna Park, the U Village (where we got yummy World Wrapps), and the U District (where we had great coffee at Still Life on the Ave.).
UW offers an "experimental college" where you can learn new skills and find new areas of interest. This summer Amanda took hat-making (see photos!), and Steve took cartooning. This fall Amanda is in ballet (no photos available, ever), and Steve took Thai cooking. We've been having so much fun trying out things we might not otherwise attempt!
We celebrated Steve's birthday by returning to the Studio 6 hotel that was home to us for several months, and did all the fun things we enjoyed there like eating teriyaki yakisoba, shopping for gourmet cheeses, fancy sandwiches and expensive candies at the nearby store, doing puzzles and watching cable shows, being messy and taking the time to relax.
We've been to a comedy club (a Star-Wars-themed evening, which, it turned out, had very little to do with Star Wars), a few plays ("Seussical", which Steve loved and bought the soundtrack for, and an adaptation of "Little Women," Amanda's childhood favorite), a few movies (including the excellent "Space Station 3-D" on the IMAX screen, and the new "Harry Potter"), several new restaurants (a Russian eatery and a crab place). We visted the Museum of History and Industry, the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and had the unique opportunity to watch the Bolshoi Ballet warm up before their production of Swan Lake. We went to a short-film festival focusing on spiritual themes, called Damah, with Jeff and Christie Lynk, attended the birthday party/poetry reading of our friend Jeff Overstreet, and met local Wheaton alumni at an annual BBQ.
Last but not least, we voted. Although it might not seem like much, this vote included Seattle's proposed monorail line that would help connect the city in a rapid-transit system. (We were all for it -- since moving here we try to take the bus as much as possible because driving is such a pain.) After leading by 4501 votes on election day, the absentee ballots that came in chipped away the lead 2830, then 2207, then 1526, then 582, then 326, and then actually erased the lead (!) and were defeating the proposal by 3 votes. It was a very tense two weeks as we watched the numbers come in. Finally, on the very last day of counting votes, the tally for the monorail surged ahead and won by 868 votes out of 188,706 cast (or just .23% difference). We were so glad to be a part of this historic vote that fulfills the promise of the 1962 one-mile monorail that has become an emblem of the city.
