A New Year, A New Beach

We took a little excursion to a beach in Seattle today. I have seriously been craving some outdoor time lately. I feel like I've been cooped up in a hot and stuffy restaurant for a thousand years! So we went to the beach. For my fellow Oregonians, we all know that we don't actually go to the beach, we go to the coast. Seattle's "beaches" are really nothing like the Oregon coast, but enjoyable all the same.

First of all, it only took us about 15 minutes to get there. Second of all, it wasn't the Pacific ocean that we dipped our toes in, it was the Puget Sound. We went to Golden Gardens park. Golden Gardens had a decent bit of sand, some rocks, and even a little tide poolish area with anemones. It had a wetland area, a big grassy open area, a stand of trees, picnic areas, and a sweet playground.

 Even though this beach experience was not the same as what I am used to, we had a really fun time and the fresh air did wonders for my mood. Lucy had a blasty-blast too.

I still don't really like living in Seattle and I'm not going to force myself to like it. I'm not actively trying not to like it, I just don't.
What I am trying to do is not dislike Seattle itself just because I don't want to live here. It isn't Seattle's fault that I only have like 2 friends here, that I have a hard time driving on freeways, or that I'm just not a big city person.

Seattle has many redeeming qualities. There are nice views almost everywhere you look. Some views are mountains, some are water, some are harbors, some are city scapes, but all are quite lovely. Seattle has lots of great shopping, restaurants, and fancy houses which, if we weren't poor would be very nice. Seattle has a great recycling and waste disposal program. Seattle has an aquarium AND a zoo.

When we were at the beach today I realized that I should try to have a better attitude. The beach was beautiful--it helped remind me that I do love the small naturey parts of Seattle and that they have value too. They might even need me more than the naturey parts of Eugene and Salem because they are so small and few.

Now that I have a job and a car I'm going to spend some time this week choosing a place to volunteer. I want to volunteer at least three times a month at some sort of environmental program up here.                                        

Just because I can't find a way to do it where someone will pay me for it doesn't mean I shouldn't still save the planet.

I think I am giving 2012 a fighting chance for being a worthwhile year. I hope you all are too.