Sicknesses

I got sick in the early part of November. I was at work, in a meeting. About halfway through it, I could feel my body just 'shthlump.' I went from feeling fine and happy to chilled and droopy. At least there were only four more hours of work and then my weekend. I spent most of the next day either in bed or on a chair watching TV. Karen took care of me, making meals. After another day, it was time to get back to living; there were many things left to do around the house and the first winter snowstorm was on the way. I needed to bring many wheelbarrow loads of bark dust to the back yard and spread it over the garden, do some weeding, rake the fallen leaves...I probably pushed myself a bit too hard, but I have to admit, it sure felt good being outside. Then, when the snow fell over the next two days, I could feel that I got things done. A few days later, I was still coughing and a bit hoarse, but now Karen was the one feeling sick. Now, she's bottomed out, feeling really bad, taking medicine and getting restless nights of sleep. I'm still coughing after more than two weeks, but not too often. I sure wish Karen would start to feel better. I could tell this morning that she at least wasn't getting any worse--she started flipping me some attitude during breakfast! Yippee! My loving Karen is scratching her way back from the depths of illness! Hopefully it won't take much longer and Karen will be smiling again...

Sleepless Nights: Epilogue

It's been a week now since our invader first arrived. Karen and I laughed about it when it was overwith on Wednesday but while it was going on, we had no idea what would happen next. When we tell the story to friends and family, we smile at the fact that what we were doing to keep IT out was actually keeping IT in! One thing we don't always say, but can provide a good background at why we were initially freaked out about this whole incident: The former owner of this house had two rotten girls who grew up to be unruly, morally-questionable women. Even now, we get letters from local police and vice departments. Neighbors have told us horror stories of what they were like. Then, just before the Sleepless Nights began, Karen had two incidents of cars stopping on the road right in front of our house and the people inside just looking this direction. Were they the former daughters just checking up on their old home? Or, maybe they were ex-boyfriends looking for a fight...

We haven't seen that cat since it left Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. We looked around the house to see if it had left any piles or puddles but didn't find anything. We did finally see some faint pawprints in the bathtub closest to the bedroom he was staying in. Smart kitty, using the bathtub! One other note, when Karen and I each searched the house Tuesday morning, we both noticed that the rug in that bathroom had been ruffled up but we each thought the other had done it and didn't mention it until Wednesday. Funny!

I wonder what our next event will be in our new home?

Sleepless Nights: Part Four--Face To Face with Fear

I was at work all day on Tuesday, so I couldn't be with Karen. I hoped she would be OK, especially as night settled. The forecast called for thundestorms, which really perpetuated to cinematic feel to everything that had happened the past few days. Really, when you think about it, we had the full horror-movie quotient at play. Dark nights, eerie scratching sounds outside then inside, shadows creeping about in the bedroom. Of course on this night, it had to include an unrelenting storm. I got home at my normal time, pulling up to our house with all the lights off. What were we going to experience tonight? I had practically resigned myself that this was how life would be during the summer months. I mean, we had moved out of a fourth-floor condominium right into a ground floor house. We already had to deal with ants, slugs, even maggots coming from...wherever they come from. I felt strong, maybe just like horror movie characters do when they're faced with no choice but to confront their worst nightmare. I unlocked the front door and walked in. A strange odor tickled my nose and I wondered what Karen had fixed herself for dinner. It was dark inside, save for the light coming from the family room. Karen had left the TV on and gone to sleep already?

I stepped into the kitchen to drop off my backpack and take off my soaked jacket.

"Chad? Come here." Karen's voice was strangely calm, coming from the TV room.

I paused for just a moment. I don't recall ever hearing that tone in her voice before.

I walked down the hallway to join her. Why were there no lights on? What was that smell? The walk seemed to take forever as I thought about what I might see in that room. Which movie might it reflect? "Amityville Horror" with blood streaming down the walls? "The Exorcist" with a green liquid spewed over the carpeting? "Poltergeist" with it's portal to purgatory? I entered the room. Karen sat in her chair. The TV was playing "That 70's Show."

Karen said flatly, "Turn the light on." I flipped on the switch and bathed the room in harsh flourescent light. "I saw it."




























One heartbeat moment later, she told me about her day here at home. She had an uncomfortable feeling that there was a presence in the house all day with her but couldn't find anything. Finally, just before 11:30 pm, she was watching TV and felt something behind her. She swiveled around to see...a BLACK CAT trying to pry open the door of the laundry chute! Time slowed as Karen and the cat stared at each other. He must have felt the rush of cool air coming from the basement and probably felt that was his last desperate way out of the prison that this house had become for him the past two days. Karen's startled gasp sent him darting to the guest bedroom. Now that she knew what it was, Karen could finally relax. She opened up a can of tuna fish and served it with a bowl of water, placing it just inside the doorway of the bedroom. That explained the odor I encountered when I came in. I walked into the bedroom and peered under the bed, all fear of "Poltergeist" and that movie Clown drifting away. Under the far end of the bed, there it was, a dark mass of fur and two glowing eyes. It wasn't moving, just waiting. After a few minutes of trying to coax the frightened cat from under the bed, I ended up taking the tuna fish out of the room, opening the window and closing the door.

Karen and I slept well Tuesday night, after laughing about the last two nights. The next morning came, like it always does, and I checked the guest bedroom. Sure enough, the bowl was nearly empty of water and the cat was gone. I stuck my head out the window and said a quiet goodbye to our unlikely guest.

Sleepless Nights: Part Two--The Next Night

So, Sunday night, we seemed to have a nocturnal visitor. Scratching at the wall-twice-trying to get somewhere. What was it? Why were there no marks at the window? We had no answers and no evidence. I went to work Monday morning and Karen was left at home alone. While at work, I got a few opinions from co-workers. Most likely, everyone agreed, was that it was a raccoon. Or a cat. Maybe even a squirrel. Whatever it was, we were going to be prepared Monday night. We gathered up a flashlight and I had my backscratcher ready to beat back anything that would attack. Hey, who knew what was lurking in the shadows outside?

Laying in bed, we slowly drifted off to sleep. Then, about 1:30am, I woke up to the sounds of scratching above us. Karen was already sitting up, distressed. I was immediately awake, hearing the scratching at the wall behind our bed, which meant that whatever was making it had to be inside our home. Then the scratching moved over us, as if in the attic. The scratching stopped. Karen and I sat up in the dark and whispered about how to proceed. This was just nuts. How could something be scratching a wall inside our house? The windows were closed and Karen had been careful to not leave any doors open during the day. There must be something inside the wall, that had to be the only--then I saw a slow moving shadow by the laundry shoot close to our bed. "GET OUT!!!" I yelled. I turned on the light, rushed out of bed and stomped down the hallway, switching on every light that I could. But, searching every room, every corner turned up nothing. That's it. Was I imagining it again, like the night before? Maybe I was seeing things due to the stress of it all. But, nerves were now rattled and needed to be settled. I closed the other bedroom doors and we left the hallway light turned on just like Mom leaving the closet light on to keep away childhood monsters. Thankfully, we don't have a stuffed clown doll like in the movie "Poltergeist." Morning would be here soon and the daylight would chase away the shadows. We both finally fell asleep.

We still had no answers to this mystery. Is this something we would have to deal with every night? Would we just have to get used to it?

Sleepless Nights: Part One-The First Night

Karen and I have been in our new home for about 10 weeks now. We are loving it here. Who knew I would enjoy doing yardwork after 20 years of apartment and condo living? We've got plenty of room here and every night we are thankful that we have a good solid home. We enjoy spending time in the kitchen, planning and shopping for each of the rooms--I'm looking forward to someday soon getting our first HDTV. Going from a small one-bedroom condo in a busy Seattle neighborhood to a wonderful house in a quiet Shoreline neighborhood has meant a few adjustments. Its much darker here at night, and much more quiet.

But, two nights ago, our nighttime peace was broken. Around 2:30am, we woke up to sounds of scratching. I swore that they were coming from INSIDE the window. Of course, that would just be crazy! It just had to be a raccoon or something crawling outside. I figured maybe it was trying to jump the fence we had right outside our window and kept hitting the house. Creepy, for sure! Scratching, clawing sounds are not what you want to hear at night. Then, maybe 5 minutes later, the same sound. Now, I was wide awake as was Karen. We had the window open just a little to get some air circulation, as it had felt stuffy when we went to bed. I sat up in the near-pitch black of night. What was I expecting to see? Well, all the horror movies I've seen over the years started to play back in my mind. What makes scratching sounds? Or sounds like it/they are moving around in or out of the house? The alien visitors from "Signs" first came to mind. But that would be too far out there. Some sort of stalker right outside the window. Maybe, logically, it really was just a raccoon outside. Karen had told me she had seen one recently. So, sitting up and straining to focus my eyes I tried to see if there was anything inside the room. Nothing, no sound but my beating heart. Way back in the kitchen, the refridgerator turned on and I jumped a bit at the sudden sound. A deep breath and a relaxing sigh at what it was, then IT MOVED! Something darted from the window into the bedroom! Something not really there, but yet there. Something dark and shadowy, the kind of something you can only see out of the corner of your eye. I yelled out, jumped out of bed and shut the window. I turned on the lights and nervously started searching the...thing...that I was sure I had just seen jump from the window. I walked down the hallway, turning on every light I could because I didn't want that thing to jump out from the dark. But, then I thought it must be just a trick and maybe it was trying to lure me away from Karen. But, she joined me in the kitchen, nervous as well. Another moment later and I realized I must have just seen something move because of my imagination. We went back to bed, a little on edge still, but thinking it just had to be a raccoon or animal outside making the sounds. It was maybe another 30 minutes before I went back to sleep...

I woke up Monday morning and checked outside at the window. Hmmm...no scratches on the wall and no footprints in the dirt. What the heck happened Sunday night? Did I see anything or was it sleep and stress induced halucination?

Now, what happened Monday night? That comes in the next post...

SHUSH!!

I can see that Karen is getting serious about completing projects now. When I came home from work tonight, she said "SSSHHH!!" and put up her hand to quiet me. She was in the middle of a thought and just could not be disturbed in case she lost concentration.

The two of us have many things to do over the next six months. First of all, Karen needs to finish her college application by Thursday and she is trying to write her personal essay. She is really good at so many things, but she admits writing (or talking) about herself does not come naturally for her. We also are putting our condo up for sale, so we need to start packing our 'stuff' and clearing out anything we won't need for the forseeable future. We need to de-clutter as much as possible, so there go 99% of our books, CDs, DVDs, clothes, and most of our dishes and furniture. So, we need to pack up and store it. We want our 525 square feet to look as big as possible! Plus, we need to buy a car as ours was totaled last October. We also need to look for a house to buy that will be our home for the next, say, 10 years--if not forever. I like to say we've got six months of work to do in the next 30 days. What has prevented us from getting started is that around Christmas, we both got sick and are just now starting to get the strength and will to accomplish these things.

Good luck to both of us!

What a month!

OK, we've all had those kinds of months, where things just don't happen they way you want them to. October was the month that our car was totaled due to some guy careening into it due to driving too fast in the rain. Karen has spent the past few weeks studying really hard for her GRE. We've had lots of condo meetings about the three big things that need to get done--soon before the main winter rains come! I'm sure there are other things that have happened in the past few weeks but I can't remember them.

But, the past few nights, Karen and I have ended our days reading a few(turning to many) strips from Calvin and Hobbes. It is my favorite comic strip of all time. When Karen came to America, she had in one of her suitcases her complete collection of Calvin and Hobbes books and we put them on a shelf for easy access whenever we need them. Just turning to a random page will turn both of us into laughing nutballs! In the 10th Anniversary book, the creator explained many of the strips and the meaning behind them. Some of the reasons were quite subversive! But anyway, reading the books have been a great way to end the past few days. Lots of laughter that makes the day drain away...Who can have a grumpy time when Calvin and Hobbes are giving out their insightful views of the world? Just look at the picture at the top again and try NOT to smile!

Dentist update

Well, I finally had my dentist appointment for my toothache. The dentist did all sorts of tests to figure out where the pain was coming from and finally discovered it--OUCH!! She felt a root canal was the best way to go since it was a tooth that had periodically bothered me through the years. Who am I to say no to two hours of drilling and picking? And now I get to have another session later this month to complete the root canal. What I can say is right now, I feel the best I have in four days and when this is done, I shouldn't have any more discomfort. But, I do get to have the pictures! I've always wanted to get a picture of me in a dentist chair. Why? Just because...

I've got a toothache!

Saturday night, while at work, my tooth started hurting a bit. I thought it was nothing, maybe just a temporary soreness due to biting on something. I took some ibuprofen and didn't think about it. Sunday night, it got worse. I couldn't get to sleep; I'd get close and then the pain in my tooth would wake me up. Monday morning, 6am, I woke up and knew I had to get some help. I called in sick and then called the dentist. They could squeeze me in at 9am--relief!! They discovered a bit of decay under an old crown. They gave me an appointment for 2pm Wednesday to get it fixed. They also gave me two prescriptions, one for Vicodin to help with the pain, and one for pennicilin, in case there were any infections. I've spent the last two days taking that medication and it really seemed the Vicodin had no real affect on me. For most of the past two days, I've gotten very little sleep and the pain in my tooth would come and go. I couldn't go to work on Tuesday since I could barely see straight at times-maybe the medication was having some sort of an effect after all? So, the past two days have been spent at home with Karen. She's been great, tending to my needs. I've spent my time sleeping whenever I can, reading two books from the library, watching some TV, and having great conversations with Karen.

I'm really looking forward to going to the dentist tomorrow. Maybe I need a root canal, maybe not. Whatever happens, I just want to be able to sleep without pain and not worry about any side effects of medication.

Thank you, Karen for all you've done the past two days!

Block Party

Tonight, Karen and I went to a neighborhood Block Party. My friend David and his family were co-hosting a block party at their home just a few miles from us. I thought it would be lots of fun to go and I'm glad we did. Karen made some delicious and spicy chicken wings and we also brought some fruit salad. When she was making the marinade for the chicken wings, even she was affected by the Jalapeno Chili Peppers! I wish I had a picture of her with her face all contorted--those things are stronger than onions and black pepper combined.


We had a great time, getting there a bit early to help set up tables and the food. There were lots of people there, from at least 8 houses in the area. Two propane grills were brought out for cooking and the tables were full of food.



The street was blocked off, allowing all the children to ride their bikes and draw with chalk on the streets without fear of cars. We met most of the people there. laughing and talking. They would ask us which house we lived in and I would tell them that we were friends of residents, but that we were also 'auditioning the neighborhood' since I know at some point we will be buying a home--maybe in this neighborhood? It reminded me of my own childhood in Salem, Oregon where kids could play in the streets without worrying about strangers, cars, or whatever, and everyone knew everyone else.




Thanks David and Susanne for inviting us!

Lets explore!

Wednesday was such a fun day. Karen and I woke up early because we wanted to get out and explore the region on my day off. After a blueberry pancake breakfast, we headed up north. My plan was to show Karen the eastside of King County, where the smaller towns and berry fields are. She's seen a lot of Seattle already during her driving lessons and since we had all day, I wanted a road trip! We started up in Monroe and went south from there. Going through the cute towns of Duvall and Carnation, we stopped at Remlinger Farms for lunch. I also wanted pie, since I really enjoy their frozen pies at home. But, they didn't have any available to eat(just a huge warehouse of frozen pies!). We continued south to Snoqualmie, past Snoqualmie Falls. Entering in the town, there was a stand selling cherries. Big sweet cherries, two big boxes for $11. We got two boxes of Rainier cherries, which are not as common as other kinds.


After we got the cherries, we stopped at the Snoqualmie Train Museum. Walking around the trains, we ate cherries and spit the pits at each other, just like I used to do to to Mark, Scott and Linda when we were all children. We found out that on the weekends, there are train trips around the area--I wish I could have weekends off from work!



After enjoying the trains, we continued south when Karen said, "I'm thirsty. I want something cold." Well, I knew where to go!

Starbucks? Not this time! In Issaquah, there's an iconic restaurant called "XXX Drive In." I'd only been there once, but loved it. They make their own root beer, which may be the best I've ever had. Great burgers and the best onion rings. But, we actually weren't very hungry, just thirsty. What to have? Lets have a look at the menu, shall we?


Karen: "What's a XXX root beer float?"

Chad: "How about a milkshake? They make 'em big and good here."
Karen: "Which flavor? Chocolatecherryraspberryvanillaoreo...there's a million here! I think I'll just get a chocolate one this time and get a different kind every time we come here."


Chad: "You get a milkshake and I'll get a root beer float."



Karen: "I want both!"

We got a chocolate milkshake and a root beer float, both which were yummy! We shared them, and also shared the sugar buzz afterward.



After a stop at Gilman Village to explore the cute shops, we headed home. How can a whole day have gone by already?

Ballard Locks

Here is a beautiful montage of pictures that Karen put together of our trip to the Ballard Locks last Thursday. With the sun shining so bright and the promise of warm weather, we decided to go on a picnic. We packed lots of food(a sandwich, a few pieces of chicken, potato chips, cookies and frozen lemonade to keep things cold) and ventured out to the bus. We wanted to take the bus there so we wouldn't have to worry about finding parking, paying for parking and then having to look at our watches to make sure we didn't overstay. Taking the bus is so easy and cheap, just $1.75 each way for Karen since I get a bus pass from work. And it drops us off one block from the entrance, right at a 7-11 store where we each bought an ice cream treat for dessert.

It was really warm, and I wore my short pants for the first time since being in Singapore. We found a small hill with a big tree for shade and ate while watching all the boats coming in and out of the locks. Afterwards, we walked around and explored most of the area, walking across the locks and getting close-up views of the boats going through. The air was definitely cooler by the water!

In all, we were there more than three hours. Such a nice relaxing afternoon, and I know we'll have more of them through the summer. The last two summers were very cold and wet, even for Seattle, so I think we're due for an extra long, extra warm one this year!

Hello, Mr. Bus Driver

I can always make Karen laugh when I mention she should say "Hello" to the bus drivers as she gets on the bus. She usually says "Nooooooo!!!!" It's one of the many little differences I think of between Singapore and Seattle. Besides the obvious, like the heat and humidity year-round, the crowds everywhere, and how clean everything looked, I think of the small differences and smile.

When I visited Karen in Singapore October 2007, I didn't really know what to expect. I had read a book called "Culture Shock" which explained many of the cultural differences to look forward to, but reading a book is nothing like experiencing it first-hand.

The first one: Here in Seattle, when I get on the bus, I usually say Hello to the bus driver. Since I take the same buses every day to/from work, I often see the same drivers. It's always just a quick greeting but there's recognition there and even a "haven't seen you in while" if either of us have been away. In Singapore, I said "Hello" to the driver as I boarded for the first time and I remember he looked a bit shocked and mumbled a kind of "Hello" back to me. Karen laughed when we sat down and said that rarely does anyone talk to the driver. I took that as a kind of challenge and would greet the driver every time I got on. I noticed that nearly everywhere, no one hardly ever noticed the public-works people like ticket-takers, bus drivers or even security guards in the MRT stations. But I started nodding a "Hello" whenever I could and many times got a smile in return. Karen would poke me in the ribs and tell me to stop but of course that would just make me want to do it more. I felt that I could get away with it since I was a visitor/foreigner and wouldn't know the customs. As it went on, I started to joke about making it even a bigger greeting, until I thought about doing something really big like saying really loudly, "Hello, Mr. Bus Driver. How are you? It's so nice to see you. How's Mrs. Bus Driver today? I'm going to Toa Payoh Central and then going to take the MRT to Orchard Road. I hope to see you again soon!" I never went that far, but I laugh whenever I think about it and it usually can make Karen smile because she knows the background to that statement.

The second one: People love to eat and mingle. We met many of Karen's friends over the ten days I was there but it was always at a restaurant or food court. Except one time when I made dinner for Karen and three of her friends so they could all meet me at the same time. There are food places everywhere, whether full restaurants, food courts, food stands, or just hawkers selling finger foods and drinks. But wherever there was food, there was people sitting and enjoying being out with friends and family. Here in Seattle, when I've gone out, either alone or with family and friends, I can always see a few people out by themselves, enjoying their quiet time. Reading a book, writing a letter, or on a computer. I used to do that all time and never thought twice about it. In Singapore, I rarely saw a person sitting alone. I sat by myself a few times, during days that I would go exploring and just needed a quick bite to eat or wanted to rest at TCC or Starbucks, but even then I would engage in conversation with people. At a Starbucks, I would say I was from Seattle and how I loved going to various Starbucks there. At TCC or somewhere else, I would mention that I was visiting my girlfriend who was working, giving me time to explore Singapore.

The third one: At a restaurant, the servers will not give you the bill until you ask for it. They don't want to give the impression that they are pushing you out. And I never noticed any cold looks from them as Karen and I would linger over coffee and dessert. Here in America, they will almost always give you the bill but say, "Whenever you're ready, no hurry." Usually, I am not one for lingering after I'm done eating but in Singapore with Karen, I never even would think about leaving until we were done with our conversation and felt it was time to go.

I'm sure there are more small differences that I'll think of soon, but I want to hit 'publish' now and go laugh with Karen...

Orange Juice

Odwalla orange juice. It can be expensive, but it is so good! I tried it once a few years ago when I had the flu. Looking at the label and seeing the 120% of Vitamin C, I just had to sample it. I've had other Odwalla drinks and also like their Limeade during the summer. Karen and I went to Costco last week, falling into the trap that many people do, I'm sure.

"Let's go to Costco and pick up a few things."
"Sounds good. Let's go! You drive, OK?"

We get there, thinking of the five or six items we are going to get. But of course, wandering through the aisles,

"Oh, we should get this now because we are running out."
"Do we need four months of it?"
"Definitely!"

So, our 'few' items ended up being more than a full cart. We went in with the idea of getting orange juice(Vitamin C!!), coffee, granola bars(for my lunch at work), and other things. An hour later, we're loading up the car with cereal, chicken, fruit, granola bars, bread, and lots of things we'll use over the next few weeks. Also, Karen wanted to get a supply of candies to bring to Singapore since it is so much cheaper here than there. I'm not allowed to even look at that stuff!

I sure hope Karen feels better soon!

Anticipation

Every year, after the Academy Awards, I like to take a few days 'off' from the world of movies. Then I start to get excited about movies that are coming out this year, especially the summer movies. The ones I'm most looking forward to are "Terminator: Salvation" and the new "Harry Potter" movie. Kind of looking forward to the new "Star Trek" movie. "Star Trek" movies have been very good in the past, but also rather horrible. The more I see of the upcoming version, the more I'm NOT looking forward to it. At first, I thought it would be great to take the whole "Star Trek" universe, shake it up a bit and see what happens. And J.J. Abrams has done a perfect job with TV's "Lost." I also thought his "Mission: Impossible 3" was very good. He's got a great way of telling a story that is usually better than most. But, the previews for the new "Star Trek" movie make it seem like "90210" in space and that sickens me. I hope I'm wrong and that it's just Paramount that is screwing it up. I'll still see it, but I doubt that I will wait in line for hours like I did with "Star Wars."

Yes, I waited a very long time for the last three "Star Wars" movies. And I loved every minute of waiting in 1999, 2002, and 2005. Plus, back in 1997 when the first three were re-released and way back in 1985 when Seattle was one of 10 cities to show the first three back-to-back. Back then, it was $10 for all three and I still have the ticket stub from the UA150, my most favorite movie theatre of all time. I waited in line for eight hours to buy tickets and another two afterwards before the doors opened. Aaaahhh...good times!

What brought all this up is that tonight, Karen was watching the beginning of the first "Lord of the Rings" movie on TNT. It was only the beginning of it, but watching it on TV was just too difficult because it was made to watch on a 68-foot long screen with THX, Dolby Digital sound and warm popcorn. Not on a small, square TV screen with commercials and logos covering it. I will always prefer going to a movie theatre but I know that won't always be possible, with the plans that Karen and I have for our future but even with a big screen TV and a home theatre sound system, it still won't be the same. When I go to Singapore in April, I'm hoping there will time for us to see a movie there since there wasn't time the last time I was there. Karen rarely saw movies in Singapore, she said, because she was either busy or couldn't find someone to go with. Well, I will always be available!

Scott and David are going to be joining us in Singapore for our wedding. I'm excited about going back there, and can't wait to see more of Singapore and Malaysia with Karen. Also, it will be interesting to see what David and Scott think of Singapore, the heat and the humidity. And the public transit system that is so easy to use and gets you most anywhere you want to be.

So, my calendar is getting rather full for the next six months. Singapore, Wedding, Bali, movies and SUMMER. I can't wait for Karen to see how beautiful Seattle can be during the summer. Warm to very warm days, picking berries, fresh fruit every day and relaxing time in the sun. I will have accumulated more vacation time by the end of summer, so we may plan a vacation for September or October. Karen really wants to go to Disneyworld and I haven't been there since the early 1980's so I would love to go back, too. That would definitely take all my vacation!

The Lion King

Last night (Wednesday), Karen took me to see "The Lion King" musical at the Paramount. She loves going to see musicals and this is the second one we've seen together now. It was a great show and I loved it! My favorite part was the character of the adult Simba singing about how he's got to grow up. He's all alone on stage, no special sets or anything. Also, I loved the effects of how they brought back the spirit of Mufasa. Now, "The Lion King" is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time and I'd heard that this show was spectacular. But, even I was surprised at how well it translated to the stage. I loved how the 'animals' walked down the aisles at the beginning of the show. It definitely startled some people! Karen loved it, too. She had seen it before in London and was curious about how it would be on the Paramount's stage. The two children who played the young Simba and Nala were very good and it looked like they were enjoying themselves in the roles. All the actors were good and the songs were well done.


Now, the only thing I want to know is why the Paramount allows people to be sitted DURING the show? I figure 97% of the people were able to make it to the theatre in time. Why should we have to suffer to allow the other 3% who don't know how to tell time? About 10 minutes into the performance, the ushers showed four people to their seats in the row in front of us. That meant that during a dramatic scene, the people in front of us had to stand up to allow them to move to the seats. That blocked our view during the scene, plus those people had to take off their coats and get into their seats. Those people shouldn't be allowed to their seats until intermission. If they want to throw a hissy-fit about not being able to see the show, I don't care. If people weren't allowed to go to their seat during the performance, maybe they'd learn to get there in time. Karen tells me that in Singapore, people are constantly late for parties and social gatherings, but they are never late for shows because they know that they will not be seated until intermission.

Oh well. It was a great night and I can't wait to see another musical!

25 Random Things About Chad

1. I consider all six "Star Wars" movie to be one movie. Someday I would love to sit at a Lucasfilm movie theatre and see the whole saga.

2. I'm so excited about doing more world traveling, especially with my wife who is originally from Malaysia.

3. I fell out of my theatre seat in "Ferris Buellors Day Off." It was at the Northgate movie theatre and laughed so hard during the scene in which Ferris was playing the sound effects on the keyboard.

4. I don't like cheese. To me, it is rotten milk. It is my wife's greatest disappointment.

5. I enjoy walking fast.

6. My job is actually a career, not just a job.

7. I loved playing the drums in school and being in the marching band.

8. I mentally thumb my nose whenever I see a picture of Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter.

9. I sing little songs to my wife. Mostly, they're about what I'm doing or thinking.

10. Salmon is my favorite food.

11. I believe the Atari 2600 was the peak of video game creativity.

12. Lewis Black's riff about Starbucks is perfectly insightful.

13. "MASH", "Cheers", "LA Law", "Wonder Years" and "Picket Fences" are my 5 favorite TV shows.

14. I liked living in Montana and am thankful that I survived 2 1/2 years of extreme hot and cold.

15. I like riding public transportation. When I first moved to Seattle when I was 12 years old, I would travel wherever the busses took me and got to know the layout of Seattle pretty well.

16. "The Good Earth" is my all-time favorite book. I read it in 8th grade at Collins Academy with Dr. Bond as my teacher. The class read it over a period of about 10 days, but it is still the only book I've ever read in one sitting. I still have never finished "Dune."

17. The political leanings of artists have rarely determined how I feel about their work. I don't care that Charlton Heston was a god for the N.R.A. I still like watching "Ben-Hur." Tom Clancy could be the rightest right-wing nutjob but his books are some of the most engrossing I've ever read. I'm not a vegetarian, but Tom Scholtz and Brad Delp put together the greatest songs in Boston.

18. "The Monster Car" is my favorite episode of "Speed Racer."

19. The Cinerama is my favorite movie theatre, but I sure do miss the UA 150.

20. There are not many things I miss from my childhood, except old friends.

21. I like living in the city and don't think I would enjoy the suburbs or small towns. I couldn't survive on a farm.

22. I worked at Dicks Drive In from 1986-1989. I also worked for two months in 1992 and six months in 1999. My favorite thing to do was making french fries, from cutting the potatoes to bagging the fries. I can't stand eating the fries now because they are rarely made properly. I miss Ted and Ed!

23. I believe Bill Mahar is usually correct.

24. Karen and I went to see "The Color Purple" at the Paramount. Now she's taking me to see "The Lion King" and I look forward to seeing more live plays and musicals.

25. M&Ms plain and peanut are the perfect candies. The Christmas Mint M&Ms are the perfectest candy.

Click HERE for '25 Random Things About Karen'

Christmas 2008

As most people know, Christmas in the Northwest was canceled or delayed due to lots of snow. So, Christmas morning, most of Karen's presents for me were still not here because she had ordered them online just before the snow hit a few days earlier. What we did have though was so much fun together. We're both still trying to figure out what kind of traditions we want. She had opened her presents from me on Christmas Eve, leaving our Christmas stockings for Christmas morning. I loved surprising her with a few small gifts. And she surprised me, too. First of all, I pulled a small bag of Fritos corn chips out! It was funny because she had so little here but she had gone to the small grocery store nearby. There were some other gifts but another one I remember was a great bar of soap she had bought in France. Over the next week or so, our gifts trickled in via UPS. Maybe this is the start of a tradition?

This is a picture from Christmas Eve. Karen had just unwrapped a book I secretly bought her while at Disney's California Adventure. It was a bit difficult to slip away from her during our honeymoon to buy her a gift for Christmas, but I was successful--but only for a very short time! The clerk was only about half-done wrapping it as Karen walked back into the store! She was surprised at Christmas, which was nice. I tried to hide things in our small home so she wouldn't find them. Hopefully next Christmas there won't be as much snow--or any snow!--and we won't have to worry about presents not showing up.

And I wanted to add that these special Christmas stockings were given to us as wedding presents from my Mom's very good and longtime friend, Claudia. I remember her from my childhood and she helped my mom through many difficult times in her life. I was so glad she could come to our wedding since it wasn't a sure thing she could make it.

Karen and Nia

Last week(January 28th), Karen and Susanne went to NIA. That's some sort of exercise/aerobic thing that Susanne has done for a long time. Karen was excited to go since she hadn't done any real exercising since moving to Seattle last September. This picture is of Susanne picking up Karen to take her. When she returned two hours later, she was feeling really exhilarated, plus a bit achy in some parts of her body. But she loved it and remembered why she enjoyed exercising in the first place. I keep telling her that she should sign up for the new gym that just opened up in December but she still hasn't. It's only four blocks away, and it's right across the street from a Starbucks.


This is one of my favorite recent pictures of Karen. I was happy that she was finally getting out of the house for a bit, so I rode down the elevator with her when Susanne came to pick her up. This look on her face is priceless! She just couldn't wait to get on the gym floor and begin, so she started on the elevator ride.

Today was her second trip to NIA with Susanne and she had another fun time with it. A happy smiley Karen makes it all worth it!

Gran Torino

Karen and I have been catching up on recent movies over the past few weeks. After seeing "Doubt" on Christmas Eve, we've tried to see at least one movie each week. I've always loved seeing movies and it is so nice to have someone to share them with. And since so many Academy-caliber movies come out in December, it can take a while to go through them all. Then, with the Nominations last week, the clock was ticking to see them before February 22nd. We've seen most of the nominated movies but the one I liked most, and Karen did, too, was "Gran Torino." Clint Eastwood in one of his best roles and one of the best movies of 2008. Then, the Oscar Nominations came out and...nothing. How can that be? Sure, "Benjamin Button" is a good movie, but certainly not THAT good! And "Slumdog Millionaire" was inspiring, but I still have trouble seperating the reality from the movie. But, "Gran Torino" not getting a single nomination ranks up there with "Gandhi" winning over "E.T." for Best Picture. I felt that Clint Eastwood would win for Best Actor; as sure of it as I am that Meryl Streep will win for "Doubt." All we really have left to see before the Oscars are the two Kate Winslet movies, "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road."

Karen and I have gone to a few different movie theatres. My favorites in the Seattle are are definitely the Cinerama theatre and the Lincoln Square Cinemas. Both DO NOT show commercials which is very important to me. Both have great sound systems and screens which are the MOST important to me and the Cinerama has a THX sound system which makes it the best in Seattle. Plus, the popcorn at the Lincoln Square is among the best I've ever had--and it is consistently good! Other theatres we've been to belong to the Landmark theatre chain. Funky theatres all, with a wonderful Seattle history, and they play movies that the main theatre chains won't play plus I love their popcorn! And we both like the Majestic Bay theatre in the Ballard neighborhood, another locally owned theatre that is nice to go to. Plus, it is next door to Cupcake Royale, which Karen has prohibited me from visiting since our wedding.



The Northgate Theatre was my favorite theatre when we first moved to Seattle in 1981. I saw so many movies there! It's too bad that the really huge movie theatres can't exist anymore except in the biggest cities, but at least I have my memories. Some of my favorite: 1500 people screaming during "Raiders of the Lost Ark"; falling out of my seat when laughing during "Ferris Buellors Day Off"; the whole theatre going nuts when Rocky finally gets that powerful right-hook to land on Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV."

Well, here's to the upcoming Oscar Awards! This is the first year in a very long time that I won't have the day off from work to watch them because I'm saving all my accrued vacation for our wedding trip to Singapore in April.