Morning notes: back in PDX
Aug. 11th, 2010 10:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
liveonearthThis morning I awoke early and got to work entering all my receipts into a spreadsheet. I'm sorting out my finances and I just spent a lot of money during my travels, but I think I had enough budgeted to cover. This budgeting project is major considering that when I was making money I never came close to spending all my money, so I just put the extra into investments. My investments are back up to break even after the crash, thank goodness. Merck and Omnivision saved my portfolio. Whole foods is still in the doghouse. Now that I'm not making money, it's all different.
The sea kayaking trip was good. We went for 2 nights to Hope Island in the south Puget Sound. I was camping with a friend named Mindy and her mother, mother's husband, and uncle. It's always interesting being immersed in any family. The patterns of interaction are entrenched, the rigidities are on display. I liked this group of folks, but I found myself wandering off to be alone, often. I do not take well to being ordered around. And I eventually get bored with "conversations" that involve someone else telling me all that they know. I am interested in learning, but I learn best when the environment is both interactive and respectful. The Sound is a rich environment, full of wildlife and sea life and relatively mild weather. I could imagine going there again and sea kayaking greater distances, circumnavigating Squaxin Island (I couldn't get anyone to go with me and didn't go alone) and such.
For now I'm going to take a little bike ride downtown to check out p:ear. A friend of mine is a mentor there and I'd like to just get out into the city a little bit and get some exercise. I'll be back to this paperwork project soon. I also need to make a trip out to Walmart to return the IP3 player I used on my trip--it has failed before the returns window ended. Lots more randomness not so interesting as to write about.
I am feeling better about PDX after the brief escape to the Sound. When I first arrived here it was like a wave of sadness breaking over my head. Now I feel as if I may be able to maintain my brighter outlook for a while, and do what I need to do.
This morning I heard the landlord switching out the washer and dryer. We'll have coin op from now on, instead of it being included in the rent. At least I don't have to go somewhere else to do laundry. I only do one load a week so it isn't a huge expense.
The sea kayaking trip was good. We went for 2 nights to Hope Island in the south Puget Sound. I was camping with a friend named Mindy and her mother, mother's husband, and uncle. It's always interesting being immersed in any family. The patterns of interaction are entrenched, the rigidities are on display. I liked this group of folks, but I found myself wandering off to be alone, often. I do not take well to being ordered around. And I eventually get bored with "conversations" that involve someone else telling me all that they know. I am interested in learning, but I learn best when the environment is both interactive and respectful. The Sound is a rich environment, full of wildlife and sea life and relatively mild weather. I could imagine going there again and sea kayaking greater distances, circumnavigating Squaxin Island (I couldn't get anyone to go with me and didn't go alone) and such.
For now I'm going to take a little bike ride downtown to check out p:ear. A friend of mine is a mentor there and I'd like to just get out into the city a little bit and get some exercise. I'll be back to this paperwork project soon. I also need to make a trip out to Walmart to return the IP3 player I used on my trip--it has failed before the returns window ended. Lots more randomness not so interesting as to write about.
I am feeling better about PDX after the brief escape to the Sound. When I first arrived here it was like a wave of sadness breaking over my head. Now I feel as if I may be able to maintain my brighter outlook for a while, and do what I need to do.
This morning I heard the landlord switching out the washer and dryer. We'll have coin op from now on, instead of it being included in the rent. At least I don't have to go somewhere else to do laundry. I only do one load a week so it isn't a huge expense.
