If you are standing in front of a pair of dumpsters, holding a bag of recyclables, based on pure instinct, regardless of how the dumpsters are signed, do you put that bag in the blue or green dumpster?

I've been here for 18 months and I still have to pause in front of my building's dumpsters and remind myself that it is the BLUE one, not the GREEN one that accepts recycleables. And I'll admit that even after said pause, I've still made the wrong choice.

As a fan of bingo, I've always wanted to go to "Drag Queen" Bingo. This was pretty popular in NYC, but I never made it. Saturday night was my maiden voyage and it didn't disappoint. In case you were wondering what exactly is different about drag queen bingo from regular casino/knights of columbus bingo:

1. Bingo players are encouraged to come in costume. The theme for Saturday was "Love Boat."

2. Bingo is not played in total silence. Far from it, actually.

3. Bingo players take a "bingo pledge" before the games begin to promise to remember that "it is only bingo."

4. If there is a "false" bingo (i.e. somebody yells bingo when they don't have bingo) that person must go on stage and perform a song with the caller.

5. There is "intermission" entertainment.

Yesterday I skied for the first time this season. The reasons for this incredibly delayed start are rooted in the fact that I have been very busy at work as well as that there hasn't been a lick of new snow since before Christmas. Yesterday I decided to see if I had, in fact, been missing out on anything. I was somewhat relieved to see that the snow was nothing particularly exciting. The view was nice though. As a side note, I never thought there would be a day that getting my ski boots on and off would take considerably less effort than putting my ice skates on.

Here are the best of the pictures I took in Vancouver.  Needless to say, it is a very pretty city.  I'd even wager that on a clear day, it beats Seattle.. gasp!  shock!

Over the weekend, I went to Vancouver, BC. It was meant to be a "dry run" of sorts for my trip to the 2010 Olympics. (Did I mention that I've got tickets?) It turned out to be an enlightening weekend on several levels, during which I learned the following, in no particular order of importance:

• You would think, that now that tickets have become available, Vancouver would make information about transportation logistics with regards to getting around the games also readily available. This is not the case. Not at least for another 6 months. This could make decisions about lodging and whether to take a car very complicated.
• It is, in fact, possible to wait 3 hours to cross the US boarder from Canada by car. Believe it or not, this is not as fun as it sounds.
• I am a little concerned about the "snow" events taking place around Vancouver. I had tickets to a World Cup Snowboarding event over the weekend which was flat out cancelled due to soupy snow. I don't think that they can do that at the Olympics... just cancel events? Even postponing would suck.
• I ice skated for the first time in a very long time and I was shocked that with even with all the working out I do, the saying, "you don't use it, you lose it" is so true.
• It is totally acceptable to have drinks at the Fairmont Vancouver dressed in sneakers and a fleece, while never removing your hat.
• Lychee liquor and bourbon together in the same glass is actually pretty yummy.
• If you put a wasabi pea under your tongue for, oh... about 5 seconds, you will not only clear your sinuses but you will, for probably the first and hopefully only time in your life, burn the underside of your tongue.

This weekend I had yet another experience that illustrates why I like Seattle:

A couple of friends and I decided to take a spur of the moment trip out to Vashon Island to "follow the sun," an activity that is understandably quite popular in these parts, during this time of year, in particular. The goal was just to see what we could find. None of us had spent much time on the island before, so it was kind of an adventure. While stopping for soda at a convenience store, we procured a local map, on which some local businesses were listed. The one that got my attention was a homemade chocolate shop. Naturally.

Being that it was 4pm on a Sunday and most of the establishments of any kind on the island seemed to be shut, I had no expectations that this shop would be open. I was pretty sure it was just going to be a factory anyways. But the other chocaholic in the car offered to phone the number just to check. It turns out I was correct about it not being an actual shop. In fact, it was a woman's private home. She insisted that we come for a visit to see what she does and have some samples. No pressure to buy. She gave us detailed directions that included, "We are on the left of an enclosure with couple of llamas and a pony." Seriously. And it just gets better.

She invited us into her chocolate making kitchen, showering us with samples as well as an education about her process. She used to be a full time CPA in Seattle, got burned out and decided to try something else. She stumbled across chocolatiering and learned how to do it on the internet, which she admitted, "Is kind of like learning to play the cello over the internet." After purchasing some fabulous truffles, I asked if we could meet the llamas. They weren't very friendly or cuddly, in case you were wondering. I asked our host where a llama could be purchased. Not that I wanted one, I was just really curious - are there breeders? Llama rescues? She said, and I quote, "Well, I've always wanted a llama. We got them at a llama auction on the mainland."

"I've always wanted a llama." I can honestly say that is the first time I've ever heard anybody say that.

The PNW just cracks me up.

This weekend, for like a nano-second, the clouds that have been covering the city for the better part of the past 3 months moved... sort of. The effect was intoxicating. These are all taken from my apartment deck.

For the past several months, there has been an enormous tanker parked at the docks near downtown. See?




It has caused a bit of a stir among local residents because it blocks this view:




Personally, I think that they just haven't figured out how to work the tanker into the scenery:

This weekend I went to the main Seattle Library for the first time ever. It is definitely one of the coolest buildings I've ever been in, certainly in Seattle, if not everywhere.

I never knew that being "fireproof" was such an important hotel feature. I guess every day is a school day.