It's hard to not write about my experiences

A few months ago, I decided to stop writing about my life, and write about the milieu instead. My life isn't an accurate reflection of the times we are living in; for that matter, it is hard to capture the pulse of an era from the experiences of just one person. I thought writing about technology, about current affairs, about stories that grabbed my attention would help me piece my life together when I looked at it from some point in the future.

Oh well, there are news sites dedicated to chronicling the happenings of the World around me. The NYTimes has opened up its archive to its members, and if Rupert Murdoch has his way, the Wall Street Journal will also be available for free for the World to read. There is really no publication that tracks my life except this blog, which is my soapbox - by that token, if this page doesn't contain a reflection on my experiences, should it should cease to exist?

My parents arrived on US shores (Seattle is a coastal city, so the phrase is literal) on the 18th of June. The timing of their trip was immaculate because of my hiatus from work, and their opinions have proved invaluable in my house search. Searching for a house has to be easily the toughest task I have undertaken in my personal life. While driving through the Alaskan viaduct a few days ago I drew a parallel between finding a house and a life-partner - you have to fall in love, and even when you do, you have to recognize that you are making a compromise of some sort. There is no way you can find a house that meets all your criteria, so the key is that the selection (house or partner) meets the key criteria. Anything more that is on offer is gravy...

After touring approximately 50 houses, I have put an offer on two places that we saw on our last day of touring. Both places are in West Seattle, and funnily enough, I wouldn't have considered that neighborhood in my search had it not been for the insistence of my uncle. Alki Beach is about a mile from both houses, and the area seems both affluent and well connected. Most importantly, West Seattle has a pulse and underground culture of its own, something that is sorely lacking in my current Redmond address. If you are so inclined, please keep your fingers crossed (or say a prayer) so that I can close on one of the two offers I have made.

The three of us have seen most of Seattle due to the house tours, and now that the search is winding down, I am going to start showing my parents the remainder of Washington state that is worth visiting. I have a short list of places that they should see, but if you have any suggestions, please send them my way. Most of all, I hope you are enjoying the Summer - the weather in Seattle has only gotten warmer since the 18th, and I can't get enough of this...