Superfunds in Tacoma

I'll start with the bad news. Superfunds. Yes, those big, toxic nasties that you hear about? Well, they're real and they are right in our backyard. there's a big superfund site from toxic company ASARCO in the town of Ruston, better known as the place just west of Tacoma near my beloved Point Defiance. Ruston seems like a great place, but this smelter created tons of toxic waste. The company causing the problem is now in Chapter 11 (of course), and they're literally building condos on the site of the superfund, saying that that portion of the land has been successfully reclaimed. I'd never seen a superfund before, so tonight after work, I drove down there.

It's weird to see something that you know is dangerous intellectually, but where you're unable to see the danger. Sure there's environmental impact signs everywhere and chain link fence, and "Private Property" notices -- but that'd be the same at any construction site. Maybe what scared me the most was the cheerful sign that said "Welcome to Point Ruston!" and the fact that there's a huge sign reading "Condos! For Sale NOW!!" What's really scary is how normal and everyday it looks. What's scary is that people are going to buy those condos and maybe not really understand what happened there. It's scary that that must happen all the time. It's scary that the only reason I know about it is because I'm a little obsessed with the history of this beautiful place I happen to be living, and I love researching these little mysteries.

And why did I get so obsessed with Tacoma history, already? Because it's a wonderful place. As someone once said, "Scoffers may scoff and be damned." I mean it -- it's gorgeous here. Commencement Bay gazes back serenely whenever I look to the north. There are so many old, lovely homes. There's a real sense of community here. I think I really like it.
I had my housewarming and my neighbors came. The across the street neighbors brought a big ceramic fish filled with pepperoncini, and an amazing fresh tomato and basil salad with veggies fresh-picked from the garden. The next-door neighbors like cats and offered to catsit for us. I think I can live with that.

Other exciting news: I go to Point Defiance about every other day. It is the coolest park ever. It's got the pretty coastline and internal beauty similar to Stanley Park in Vancouver, but it has also has a zoo, rose garden, beautiful pagoda (where I insist on planning weddings at some point), an old Fort, and a logging camp. Everyone is invited to come ride the Santa train with Alex and me at Christmas, and to take a tour of the Zoo Lights, which are supposed to be beautiful.

My big news: Friday is my last day at work, so I'm looking for a new job. I'm really looking forward to a little time off.

Other news: I'm planning on doing a lot more hiking! These hour-long walks at Point Defiance are inspiring me. I'm also interested in trying camping. If you have gear you want to get rid of, let me know.

I'm just really enjoying life lately. I like being that lady that walks forever along the shores of Salmon Beach, and the lady that knows where the superfund is.

Book Reviews: Lunar Park, Prep, Good Omens, My Soul to Keep

Some book reviews. You should probably read more, you know?

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
I really loved Neil Gaiman's book American Gods and so I went on to read Coraline (cute, not nearly creepy enough) and Anansi Boys (slick in a way that intrigued me a little but annoyed me more than intrigued). I came away from those three books thinking, "I like Neil Gaiman. He's the kind of author I like." But having read only one of Terry Pratchett's novels (the first of the Discworld series), I knew Terry Pratchett was the kind of author I do not like. I even had a thought that reading the coauthored Good Omens might associate Gaiman and Pratchett in a way that would put me off Gaiman for good. And I fear that's what's happened.

Good Omens is funny, I suppose. In a trying-way-too-hard, "aren't we so very, very English and very, very clever, and ever so impressed with ourselves!" sort of way. In short, it's this book about the Apocalypse, and it's supposed to be funny, and it reminded me of drinking a soda which doesn't totally suck but which you realize about two sips through is way too sweet and why did you decide to get a damned Orange Crush anyway?? and you don't really want it but you already bought it and well, you can't really just dump the crap out where you're at so you take unenthusiastic sips and think how it's just another 250 cal you have to work off and another little bit of tooth decay and by the end it's flat and your tummy hurts and you just can't stand Terry Pratchett.

Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis
Amazing! Page turner + literary genius + creepy as all HELL. I cannot recommend this book enough. I ignored everything else in my life until I finished this book. As a result, I hardly noticed the fact that I moved to Tacoma. It just sort of happened in between slipping away to go read.
Briefly, it's a semi-autobiographical supernatural horror with strong ironic awesomeness. Wait till you get to the plot summary of Teenage P-. I laughed out loud really uproariously on the train. And then I almost started laughing later the same day in court, on the record, remembering how the narrator couldn't concentrate because he kept thinking about Teenage P-. Read it. Read the book now. And then if you want you can come talk to me about it at my beloved Nerd Out! bookclub, which will be October 12. This book goes on my list of favorites, which I'm starting right now.

My Soul to Keep by Melanie Wells
This was a quick little read and I feel kind of stupid for having read it. It wasn't really that great. However, I mention it in case you want to have a little mental break and read about some psychology professor who discovers that demons were somehow involved in the kidnapping of her friend's little boy. It's like watching The Closer or one of those shows. My Soul to Keep is entertaining, but the romantic line completely falls flat and the Christian overtones might annoy some readers.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfield
This portrayal of prep school culture and teenage insecurity is definitely making it to my unofficial list of favorite books. Having survived an incredibly snobby school in my high school years, it rang very true. I won't say this is a happy-go-lucky feel-gooder where you get a tear and say, "Wow, those days were really something, weren't they?" But if you're me, you'll say, "That's right. The good, the bad, and oh, GOD, the ugly was in me and everybody else."

So, read Prep and Lunar Park. Let me know what you think. Especially Lunar Park. By the way, Lunar Park would be a great choice for Halloween. Go buy it and read it and love it, please.

Thanks for reading!

Tacoma, Ellen DeGeneres, Monkeys

Last night, we finished moving into our two bedroom craftsman in Tacoma. With our things in it, the vibe has switched markedly from somewhat creepy to mostly homey. I love it. We still don't know where to put the tv. Apparently they didn't think about tvs when they designed homes in 1930.

I had somewhat troubled dreams. The Tacoma version of Ellen DeGeneres was showing me around the Point Defiance zoo, saying how ridiculous people were for not getting how cool Tacoma is. She pointed at the monkeys and shook her head, saying, "See? Just as cool as Seattle monkeys."

I thought the neighbors would be a little nicer in our beautiful neighborhood. So far, only one neighbor has said hi to me. I live across the street from an older man who drives a Subaru Outback and has an immaculate garden in front of his huge colonial-style house. You think he'd say hi, welcome to the neighborhood, right? Wrong. He looked towards my general direction and glared a little, then walked into his house without even waving. However, a local five-year-old drove up to me on his tricycle, abruptly shouted "HI!," and then pedalled away as quickly as his little legs would pump. The welcome wagon it was not, but it beats the neighbors by Marcus's place who welcome you by furtively smoking crack and leaving greasy nacho containers in your yard.

I drove to work to day... only took about 40 minutes and on the way I listened to "Guns, Germs & Steel." I love the drive to my new house, actually. As I get off my exit in North Tacoma I see the port on the right side, and as I pass through Old Town, it makes me feel like I live in a small harbor town. It's beautiful.

Things are good!