I decided to go on the Monkey Run ride to Port Townsend (via Whidbey Island–see the shamelessly stolen Google map right) yesterday. Monkey Run is a camping rally, and with my tent and sleeping bag in storage… no, it’s more that I was worried the Seattle scooter crowd would be…
I mentioned a few bits of culture shock when I blogged about my first two days at Microsoft. This past week, I’ve almost become obsessed with the differences between the two companies. Yes, OK, there are some major business differences. But it’s the little things that blow my mind. Here’s…
Last night, I returned my rental car. Normally, this would be an unremarkable event. But as a new resident of Seattle, it proved to be quite a challenge. Why? Because I needed to fill up the tank up with gas. The map below is centered on the car return location…
I wrote a check for an apartment yesterday. It’s not ideal: the lease is only for six months because the owners of the building are trying to sell. Worst-case scenario, I have to move again in six months. But on the bright side, it’s an almost new building a mere…
This weekend was my first trip to Portland. Mom had flown in from New Jersey to visit the girls and the kids, so I figured I might as well drive down so we could all spend a little bit of time together. Ellie’s birthday is two weeks from now, and…
Yesterday was Day One at Microsoft. All day orientation. An interesting experience. Part of the day included an incredibly detailed description of Microsoft’s health plan. Two hours. My new boss summarized the plan as “Microsoft pays for everything.” After a point, hearing how this is covered and that is covered…
I took a swing past several maritime sites in Seattle yesterday. I needed a break from stressing out about finding an apartment–which I had been handling by sitting in my temp housing watching TV for hours on end. Yeah, I shouldn’t be getting sucked in by TV, but I felt…
You can’t find everything on Craigslist. In San Francisco, you can find everything in life on Craigslist–furniture, apartment, job, lover, moving supplies, etc. There’s no need to go elsewhere. For me, that’s the place for apartments. I don’t think more than a handful of San Francisco apartments aren’t listed on…
Internet access is insanely expensive. FedEx Kinko’s charges $0.20 per minute. A coffee shop on Denny charges $0.14 per, but the first 30 minutes is free with a drink. This other copy place in Capitol Hill charges $0.10 per, which is the best I’ve found. I think I spent $24…
I tired out the 545 ST Express Bus from Capitol Hill to Microsoft this morning. Traffic-wise, the problem–at least at 9:15am–is getting out of Seattle, onto the 520, and then onto the bridge. After that, there was little, if any, traffic until the Microsoft exit (just like the persistent “Oracle…
