You know your relationship has reached a new level when you spend part of a Saturday morning reading "Hamster Eater" by Mark Hunt. Well, I only read part 1, part 2 is MIA and I was assured that part 3 would make no sense at all without the missing sequel.

Hamster Eater was Mark's 4th grade opus about a creature from outer space that ate hamsters...hence the title "Hamster Eater"

It got rave reviews.

Mrs Esquivel said "Excellent Story"

"An Eeking Success" said Michael Rooney

"It scared my hamster silly" Said Bryce Baker

Mark Hunt raved "I like my story"

I would excerpt the book, but I don't have the author's permission... and he took his stories away from me and I don't know where he put them. I do remember the page where he dedicated his tale to his hamsters and his cat.

Hamster Eater may just be the subject of my next musical, if we can work out the copyright issue

Plentiful Parking Blues

I suppose it is time to update my profile. I have lived in Issaquah for nearly 3 months and it looks as if I will be here awhile. So it is with great sadness that I must remove “Seattle” from my location.

Issaquah has it’s advantages. It’s cute and quiet and there is always a place to park. My only worry is that I will become one of those people that gets so used to the convenience of the suburbs that our frequent visits to the city become occasional. Occasional then becomes rare. Rare then becomes a once a year hassle to see the Nutcracker or attend Bumbershoot. We will pay 20 dollars for parking so we don’t have to walk more than a block to our destination. What will become of me? What if I forget how to scout out the perfect parking place?

Parking isn’t an issue here in Issaquah. That makes me nervous. While, I like to find parking without so much as a circle around the block, there is a part of me that misses the thrill of the hunt. Parking is free and convenient and plentiful and yet pulling into a wide open parking lot leaves me feeling a little empty inside. The stalls are clearly labeled and easy to understand. I had become a speed-reading cryptographer as far as deciphering the Seattle city parking signs. I miss the challenge a bit. I am already losing my eagle eye and my finely honed parallel parking skills.

I suppose things are pretty good here though. If the only thing I have to complain about is the abundance of parking in my town…I’m obviously pretty happy.