Time for an update from the right side of the country, no not the correct side, the...nevermind...

How are y'all doing today? I'm doing pretty well, thanks for asking. Just finished visiting with Papa Miguel, briefly, and walked back across the city to J's apartment, that I might write this blog post, and inform you all of the fun and exciting things I've been doing.

Spent the day and an evening in Seattle prior to flying across the nation, and had a good time behaving like I was younger than I actually am. What did I do in whilst in the city? Well, I drank some really fine coffee, and I checked out the Seattle Public Library, which is an interesting building, which seems massively non-functional.

While I was there it rained more vigorously than I've ever seen in that part of the world; maybe it wasn't actually as heavy as it seemed, but it was fairly horizontal at any rate.

That evening I went out to a went to a show with a couple of guys I met at the hostel. It was a fun time. There was a German college student, and a Canadian vacationer, and several bands one of which at least, was awesome. There was poor-quality domestic beer, and of course there were uncountable hipsters. The hipsters seemed less antagonistic than usual, though, and seemed to actually be enjoying themselves rather than the irony of the situation, which was odd, but refreshing.

I've been in DC for a week now, and have gotten to do many of the things I love to do, in this city. I've been to my favorite museums, some more than once. It really is fantastic to be able to pop into the Smithsonian American Art museum, or the protrait gallery, and check out an exhibition in the ten or twenty minutes you have to spare while downtown. None of the possibility of art fatigue you can sometimes get when you're trying to fit too many museum visits into one day.

Some scenes from around the city, including my some shots from the mall:

The Natural History Museum:
Carousel:

These guys, outside the Hirshorn, are favorites of mine. They make me think of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

This piece of Korean pottery is in the Freer, my favorite museum, and is an image of turtle a representative of the dragon king of the sea, who Maggie and I are all too familiar with:

What else have I been up to? I know this will come as a shock to many of you, but I've been pickling things, and sprouting things, and baking bread, although I couldn't bring my starters with me from Washington, so have been restricted to baking with commercial yeast. Curtido and flax seed bread, anyone?:

Produce from the farmer's market:
Spent a lovely evening with Sarah, eating dinner and having several of J's cocktails at Rasika. My favorite was the nutty rickey, but the gingersnap was pretty delicious as well. He really knows what he's doing, as I'm sure many of you know. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, make the time if you're ever in town. Have eaten some other pretty fantastic meals while here, including going out for Ethiopian food for lunch one day, which apparently means that It has become the ethnic food I eat most often...seriously; once a month for the past three months.

The walls and statuary in DC often have words of wisdom to share with us:

I get into Atlanta on the eleventh, and have a show to go to that evening, cause that's just how these things work, but other than that I'm really excited to see you all, and get to spend some quality time with you(without the stress of an impending wedding).

Well, family and friends, I leave you with this image, which sums up how I'm feeling pretty well at this time:

Hey look, it's Aaron(Ihate that guy...kidding) updating his blog for the benefit of providing information about his whereabouts and activities...

Hey there, mi familia. I know. It's been a while. I've missed you to. Have I been busy? Not as you'd say, but it has seemed that way. I really am not good at idle, but fortunately all too soon, that won't be an issue. I'm preparing for my journey to the East coast, and I really can't wait to see you all. I have a laundry list of things I want to do, and people I want to see. My internship will be starting soon after I return to the great Northwest, and after that it'll be more hard-work, and learning as much as I can, and adapting to a new situation and a new place.

How is my current situation? Well, I'll admit that it has been difficult at times, but it has also been an enlightening and enriching experience. I'm living with the Athair family, and their roommates, Maggie and Ron. They are all wonderful people, fascinating and intelligent, and totally welcoming of me, despite the inherent challenges of a larger number of people living in close quarters(and sharing a single bathroom). Despite any difficulties that may arise, I have loved my time here, and am glad to know that I can mostly manage to live in a way that hasn't driven my roommates to drive me from the house.

I've experienced many things here that I never would have otherwise, including the best snowball fight of my life, and the chance to cook last minute birthday dinner parties, to play boules inside, and the chance to watch other people live their lives in a way which is unlike anything I was familiar with. It's been a great opportunity for me. Not to mention late night moonlit hikes over snow encrusted trails to the hot-springs, and the chance to be in such a magnificent place, with fantastic special people.

I'm coming to DC(I already have a list of shows to go see, and I couldn't be more excited for some of them). I can't wait to see J and Papa Miguel again. I'm excited to work with J's friend Nate, and can't wait to learn as much from him as I can squeeze into the time I'll be there. Given the opportunity I'll also see if I can't spend some time working with other people as well, maybe tour some farms in the outlying areas.

I'll be in Georgia for a week starting the second weekend in March(have some shows to go to in Atlanta, too), and I'm especially looking forward to seeing everyone I didn't get to see in December, mom and Jon, Rebbecca, Ashley, and Matt. It's been too long, and I can't wait to see you all. Maybe I'll get the chance to ride my motorcycle this time around.

So what have I actually been doing? Knitting, riding my bike, writing everyday. Submitted a story to the local college literary magazine. Getting back in the groove of finishing stories, editting them, and submitting them for publication. Still no success on that front, but I keep getting better, and so long as I'm persistent, one day I may be good enough to achieve that goal. I've read some pretty fabulous books lately, and I've been doing a lot of cooking for friends, I might wind up baking bread for a wedding, after I return to town.

All in all it's been a good month, not without it's challenges; I'm really ready(past ready)to get back to work. I've never done well without a job, and this time has been no exception, but I know that I'll be plenty busy soon enough. I'm incredibly excited about starting at Solstice, and equally excited that I'll be close to Port Townsend, and closer to Seattle, although I don't expect I'll have a ton of time for going into town. I'll also miss the people who become such an integral part of my life here in Port Angeles, but I'm so excited about the opportunity that even the sadness at the though of leaving what I have here behind is mitigated by the opportunity.

No pictures at all this time, just haven't been rocking the camera lately. I'm getting pretty beardy, though, I'm sure you can use your imaginations. I have to finish this up, I'm making a farewell dinner for my housemates, who are leaving on an adventure of their own tomorrow. I love you all, and hope you're doing well, and some of you I will see sooner than others.