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susandennisI fell in love with Seattle immediately. It was shocking. I'd never even really had more than a passing fancy for a place before I got here. But at every single turn, I ran smack dab into something new that I loved about it. The weather, of course. Cool. There really was very little air conditioning of cars and nearly none of homes back then (1992) which I thought was a bit miraculous. No bugs. I'd never ever lived in a place where you didn't need screen doors and windows. Even now 25 years later, as I sit here with the door to the terrace wide open, I'm delighted by not having to have screens.
Seattle is also beautiful. There are spots all over town where you can look east and see snowcovered peaks. And then turn around and look west and see snowcovered peaks. All Freakin Year Long. The boats and the water are always so beautiful and peaceful.
But, you know, what really got me and got me fast was the mores. The conversations you'd over hear on buses and in restaurants. What people deemed appropriate thoughts, ideas and conversation. I was used to meeting new people who wanted to know who my daddy was or what church I belonged to. Here people did not care one bit who my family was or even if I had any. Your church membership was and is a private matter and viewed as not appropriate to casually ask about.
It was amazing and liberating and all of it gave me an instant sense of belonging that I had no idea was even possible in a place before.
My job was, on the other hand, very not interesting. I had signed up for 'anything' and got exactly that. I basically entered orders for leased PC's into an antiquated computer system that worked mostly. Yes, this was IBM but in 'the cobbler's children have no shoes' scenario.
The people were nice enough but the work was really deadly.
On the up side, the office was in the center of town and lunch time was great fun. And walking home after work was always full of adventures. The most wonderful Seattle Public Library main branch was in the next block and I was a voracious and passionate reader. I was chewing through every mystery and thriller I could find like nobody's business.
I discovered a mystery book store in my own neighborhood and just melted into their doorway. I worked there part time for several years and even now am listed on their website under former inmates "Susan Dennis was our first computer guru. In fact, our original e-mail address was through her. She read tons of books, kept a running commentary about each on her personal website, knitted constantly, was a long-time baseball fan, and collected mugs."
There was one series about a Seattle Police detective that was my tour book. Each book was about a murder in another part of Seattle and the author would explain all about that part of the city with a little history and a little description of what it was like and what was there. On the weekend, I'd hop a bus and go to that section and explore. It was a great way to 'meet' my new city. (The JP Beaumont series by J.A. Jance are not great literature and not even very well written but they sure served me well.)
My desk got moved to the 4th floor looking out over the Fairmont Hotel - a grand old dame hotel. And a week after the move, they started filming the movie Disclosure with Michael Douglas and Demi Moore there. We could see a whole lot of the filming action. It was very cool.
So my job kind of sucked but everything else had a very high degree of fabulousity.
To Be Continued
Seattle is also beautiful. There are spots all over town where you can look east and see snowcovered peaks. And then turn around and look west and see snowcovered peaks. All Freakin Year Long. The boats and the water are always so beautiful and peaceful.
But, you know, what really got me and got me fast was the mores. The conversations you'd over hear on buses and in restaurants. What people deemed appropriate thoughts, ideas and conversation. I was used to meeting new people who wanted to know who my daddy was or what church I belonged to. Here people did not care one bit who my family was or even if I had any. Your church membership was and is a private matter and viewed as not appropriate to casually ask about.
It was amazing and liberating and all of it gave me an instant sense of belonging that I had no idea was even possible in a place before.
My job was, on the other hand, very not interesting. I had signed up for 'anything' and got exactly that. I basically entered orders for leased PC's into an antiquated computer system that worked mostly. Yes, this was IBM but in 'the cobbler's children have no shoes' scenario.
The people were nice enough but the work was really deadly.
On the up side, the office was in the center of town and lunch time was great fun. And walking home after work was always full of adventures. The most wonderful Seattle Public Library main branch was in the next block and I was a voracious and passionate reader. I was chewing through every mystery and thriller I could find like nobody's business.
I discovered a mystery book store in my own neighborhood and just melted into their doorway. I worked there part time for several years and even now am listed on their website under former inmates "Susan Dennis was our first computer guru. In fact, our original e-mail address was through her. She read tons of books, kept a running commentary about each on her personal website, knitted constantly, was a long-time baseball fan, and collected mugs."
There was one series about a Seattle Police detective that was my tour book. Each book was about a murder in another part of Seattle and the author would explain all about that part of the city with a little history and a little description of what it was like and what was there. On the weekend, I'd hop a bus and go to that section and explore. It was a great way to 'meet' my new city. (The JP Beaumont series by J.A. Jance are not great literature and not even very well written but they sure served me well.)
My desk got moved to the 4th floor looking out over the Fairmont Hotel - a grand old dame hotel. And a week after the move, they started filming the movie Disclosure with Michael Douglas and Demi Moore there. We could see a whole lot of the filming action. It was very cool.
So my job kind of sucked but everything else had a very high degree of fabulousity.
To Be Continued
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Date: 2017-06-02 08:19 pm (UTC)It's amazing and wonderful that the mystery bookstore has lasted so long.
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Date: 2017-06-03 03:03 am (UTC)nice post!!
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