Longwalkhome

Sitting in the narrow room at the back of my apartment I generously call “my office”, listening to passing by weirdos and smiling at the snippets of conversation I hear.  A unique combination of ambient noise, foliage, and window placement generally means I can only hear people for a second or two.  This leaves their actually conversation totally a mystery to me, but I do get some slivers of it.

Sometimes, I want to run down on the sidewalk and follow people to get the rest of their conversations.  Normally, I don’t do this…on account of a) my laziness b) the fact that the rest of the conversation probably blows.

Here are some I took note of while wrapping up some work:

• “We don’t need Central Distribution, they need us.”
• “I am the sword of Christ!” - Yelled, crazily.
• “Nice bike, man.  You doing anything tonight?”

Nope.  These aren’t significant or even interesting (maybe I should have said that at first and saved you the trouble of reading?).  But most of the time aren’t particularly those things most of the time either, except for me.

Sure, this was new years eve and most of the neighborhood was up yelling “Wooohooo, NEW YEEEEAARS. ARGAHABARGHA!” But that can’t possible cover the circumstances for sub-par parking that would have to have happened for this person to park like this.

Here’s the setting, on the 11th between Pike and Pine. Back in slant parking only. This guy was nose in, nose three feet from the curb, ass taking up most of one lane on the street. He was at least 3 feet away from the cars on either side, essentially taking two spots up. Which is quite a departure from my last parking post. Just goes to show, takes all kinds.

Forgive the blurred grainy photogs, iPhone’s photo taking powers are diminished at night, while walking, and yelling “WHHHOOOHAHOAH!”

From my “office” in our apartment I have a nice view of the street below. Now, I don’t get some much of the Marching Bands, Naked People, and total weirdness that Pike-Dwellers get…but I do get some entertainment.

A Highlight of my morning is watching people park. There are three parallel spots in front of the building…oddly, only the center one seems to revolve at any regularity. Basically I get the Bad Parking Channel, 24/7. This is the one from this morning. Please note the large clearance in the front and negative clearance in the back.

This was the result of a solid 15 point parking job, executed over 10 minutes. Awesome.

New all time favorite place to get a good, reasonably priced, bite on the Hill.

Ali Baba Enterprises (heretofore to be called ABE) offers Mediterranean grub. But dang if it isn’t good stuff. We knocked off a chicken gyro and some falafel. The owner brought out some sweet tea, sage I think, that hit the spot.

ABE comes in a fair bit cheaper than the other Mediterranean offerings on the hill, is open earlier in the day during the week, and is right on par in terms of tastiness.
Also, any restaurant with “enterprises” in the name is pretty great.

Ali Baba Enterprises
408 Broadway E
Seattle, WA 98102
Capitol Hill Neighborhood
(206) 860-6826

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I went for my regular bi-decadal eye checkup, knowing full well I have janky vision and will be scoffed at.

When it comes time to read the letters off the wall, I could only read the big huge “E”. Like the one that is an entire row, the one that is the same size they use for banners when towed behind airplanes.

So, now. I am glassed and adapting to enhanced vision.

By the way, my friends at Capitol Hill Vision were great.

Time Lapse Incremental Improvements from longwalkhome

Well if not Goodness, at least mediocrity. Just playing around for now, working on something a bit more engaging.

Time Lapse from longwalkhome

Excuse the screen in the shot, it was just a test.

Now that I am on the Hill and have some more interesting landmarks to remark on, I referred back to wikimapia. As I have covered before on the CHILL site, wikimapia is a user based collaborative geographic doodad.

Near to me you find such wonders a street marked “DO NOT PARK HERE!”

Nice.

So, we signed the lease to our new place off of Broadway in Capitol Hill. We are really looking forward to hanging with our close friends (screw you unclose friends!) and walking around.

I like it here, below is a dialogue I had with one of our neighbors (not from the building mind you, just the street).

Shady Looking Guy (SLG): “Mmmummble, mumble jacket, mumble?”
Me: “What?”
SLG: “Wanna Mummmble 99 Cent, Mumble!?!”
Me: “WHAT?!?
SLG: “Wanna mumble mumble cent Jacket!!!”
Me: “Use your words, what do you want me to buy?”
SLG: “99 Cent Jacket!”

Of course, why didn’t I get it the the first time? Anyone know if this is just a term I am not familiar with? Or did I just miss out on the jacket deal of a life time?

Bumped into a fellow Ex-Doxa person today at the Mall. It seems She is looking for a Church to check out as well.

She mirrored Kate and I’s feelings about not being ready to sign up for Mars Hill West until we get to experience their actualy Church. We are all about keeping the ties of our community open and active, but just not feeling called to Mars Hill.

This passing encounter with a Sister made me think about the need to have a reunion-type get together for us Doxa people. Everyone that wants to come, just to share a meal and hang out. Keep it informal, make it 100% open regardless of where people are going.

I am starting to think there are some wounds that need to be healed out there. Loving our community of believers could help.