It's absolutely crazy that September is almost upon us. I have absolutely nothing to show for this summer. I don't think I went on one vacation!! I think I may put together a few of my summer of '08 photos. Nothing too fancy though since as I just stated, nada happened this summer.
I found a new walking partner, one of the girls at my work and I are now going out and walking around Green Lake. It's almost a 3 mile walk, so it's super good for us. I cleaned up a dead bird that the cat left as a present for me in the entry way a few days ago. It was super intense, but I think it means I am ready for kids since it takes a lot to clean dead things up and what not. I didn't even get mad at the cat. I showed her lots of love even after I had to pick up the poor little birdie. I'm house sitting into the middle of September now. Which is okay with me, since the three of us (dog, cat, and myself) have become quite the happy family. We all three pile into the bed every night. Kerouac on my stomach and Paco snuggled up next to me. It's going to be really hard leaving these two, even though currently the cat has decided that 
stabbing my leg over and over is an awesome idea and the dog it whining for absolutely no reason by my feet. Fantastic!! But other than that... I'm loving these pets. As crazy as they may be!!!
This week is pet appreciation week for me. Even though I don't always have family or friends around, I get these awesome animals who love me unconditionally and are always around when I need a good cheer up, or even a hug. Yay for animals!! I just love em.
First pic is Paco, he's a cute one! Second pic is Kerouac, she's got something stuck to her nose, but she won't let me pick it off, dang cats... so don't mind her little smudge. She's always getting dirty.
Any who. Bed time. Gotsta sell those shoes, and you need energy for that!! Plus the sooner I go to bed, the sooner it's tomorrow, and I got a new pair of shoes a few days back that are sitting in their box just itching to be worn. They're beautiful red heels made in Spain... Oh how I love my job. Til next week. adios.
Obviously from the title of this post things are still warm here, really warm. It's such crazy weather! Last night I truly grew up. Things are still hot hot hot, but have been storming recently. Last night at 9:03, I was minding my own business watching Project Runway, popcorn in hand, when suddenly, LIGHTS OUT! Eek! I discovered the dog, Paco, is super scared of the dark. So he was in my lap freaking out, it was pitch black, and what's worse I had no idea what was going in Project Runway land!! MISSING THE SHOW! The lights came back on in 5ish minutes. I went and got a candle, lit it just in case, and continued to enjoy the show only a few minutes lost. AND THEN... bum bum buuuuum.... LIGHTS OUT! With the dog hugging my leg, I, Jen Taylor, Jen- always been afraid of the dark-Taylor, Jen- watches too many scary movies and regrets that during the hours of 8:30pm-5:00am- Taylor, Jen- dreams up the scariest situations ever known to man kind- Taylor, Jen- can't go pee in the woods- Taylor, Jen- sleeps with a light on- Taylor, Jen- nail biter extrodinair- Taylor, braved the pitch black stairs of doom and lit candles all over the house. I soothed the dog, who should've been soothing me. I pulled out a book, and BRAVED THE BLACK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, I did actually have my friends come over and keep me company for a few hours. The lights came back on, and things were well again! Yay for growing up!!
Emily and Dustin Sether, my best friends from Oregon, came up yesterday for the Radio Head concert. I had fun showing them around where I work and my apartment. I expected them to laugh at the shabby state of my apartment, but they actually liked it, granted they admitted that it did need a good cleaning. It's nice house sitting, it gave them a place to stay while they're up here, since my apartment's way too small to house visitors. We spent the day today out shopping like good old visiting Seattle times, only now I kinda know how to get around, and I emphasize the kind of. They left a few hours ago to head back down to Portland, despite my best efforts to convince them to move up here.
Work's still work, church's still church. I'm still hoping for fall. I got my new camera, but haven't gotten out to use it yet. It's going to be a lot harder than I thought to get the hang of it. But what isn't hard isn't often worth doing. Or something motivational like that. Wish me l
uck as I start the process of getting back into college. I'll work on getting the entrance tests done, then look into what classes I want to start taking. Hopefully I'll be back in school in January, no promises, just know that it's something I'm working on!! I'll get back to school, when the time is right. :)
Other than same ol, I'm just livin the dream, wearing my dresses, snapping my pictures, sellin those shoes. Life's fabu! Miss you all, well, most of you. Just kidding, all of you for sure! PS... I got a hair cut... hope it looks ok!
It's like a billion degrees out there these days, it's miserable! I'm a cool weather gal myself. It's always good to layer up, add a few extra fashion accessories that way. But in the heat?!? Not much you can do other than strip down and hope no one minds you running around naked. Alas, that's not a very viable option. There is no A/C at my work either, which means you're dripping in sweat about 3 minutes after arriving. Lame! Any who...
This week was just same old same old. The boss' are all back at work so I'm relieved of having to be the boss. I'm now writing up a manual of our policies and procedures at Market Street Shoes. That's been occupying most of my time. I just pick topics I know need to be laid out for everyone to know the official rules on, and make something up that sounds about right! It's nice being so familiar with this job that it's not that hard just typing up our day to day things. Plus I can add my own personality into it, so it's not just a boring old rule book, it's got some spunk.
I'm back at my usual house sitting job for the rest of August. Which is nice. I love the two pets here. It'll be really sad when I have to leave them. They feel like my very own animals. Mark, the owner of the house, left me a note explaining a few things when I moved back in this week. he said, "Welcome home!" very first. I often end up calling this house my home when I'm staying here. The neighbors have even gotten to know me. It's kinda a pain having to move my things from house to house, but I've got it down pretty well now, so I don't really mind anymore. Lots of times animals prove to be better roomies than actual roomies do!
This just in: I've decided to name Cold Play as my new favorite band, that is for now. It makes me feel old to pick such a mellow band!! But then again, I still enjoy watching things like MTV Cribs, so I can't be THAT old! Cold Play's new CD, Viva La Vida, is one of the best I've ever heard. It has a little bit of everything, with a lot a bit of musicianship thrown in. When I can't decide what it is I want to listen to, I always fall back on that one. It was hard living for awhile with out a favorite, I felt lost and like I had no direction in life!! But now I know where I am, thanks Cold Play for filling that void!
I'm still waiting to get my camera from the camera repair place, patience is running low! Ah well, it will come soon enough. And then I will have ENDLESS pictures... ENDLESS!!!!!
Everyone hope for fall to arrive soon. Otherwise I'll end up melting into one giant puddle and
slowly absorbing into the ground, which can't be all that fun. Fingers crossed it comes soon!!!!!!!!!!!
---------------> this picture's one of the paintings which was hanging in our sneaker boutique a few months back for art walk. I like it!!! ---------------------------------------->
Love, Jen
As I sit here and eat my wonderful bag of Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn let us recap this past week. Note-- I took it upon myself to also snap a quick pic of me sitting here... I felt it would give you all a better insight into my mood and thoughts. I 'm just a good person like that sometimes. :)
Portland trip!!!
I woke up quite early Monday morning and headed down to Gresham, Oregon for my good friend Josh and Joy's wedding ceremony. Josh has been my friend since 6th grade, and best friend since 9th grade. We've had ups and downs, but we've been there for each other for the past 7 years always. Joy lived in my mom's house for a year when I was in 11th grade and we became quite close then. It was after Joy moved in with us that she met Josh, seeing as he was always around. They're so cute together!! The wedding was last minute, they decided last week to get married, and quite small, just us and a couple other family members. Emily and I were the witnesses, and I got to hold Joy's bouquet while they said their vows. It was all really exciting
. They already have a daughter together, Alexis, she wasn't in a very good mood though, so try to ignore her glare in our picture. After the wedding we went and hung out at Josh's family's house for a small reception and I turned around and headed back home that after noon. It was a really fun day getting to see my friends again. Josh leaves for the army this week, so it was super exciting to see them finally end up married just before he goes. They make such a cute little family. It's crazy how much we've all grown up just since I left 4 years ago. Emily, Josh, and I are all still best friends though!! I'm glad I've found such awesome people. It was like we were never apart. :)
I was the boss again at work this past week. It's just so stressful! It's hard when you're a peer one day to your coworker and then their boss the next. I never know what to tell people when I know they should be doing something but aren't. Ah well, I hope to keep moving up in this wonderful little company, so I need to see what it's like being a manager!!
I moved from my usual house sitting location to my other boss' house this week. Marc came home on Tuesday and I packed up my things and moved to Ryan and Lanne, my other two boss', house that same day. Their dog Rudy is 11 or 12 years old, they rescued him so they're not quite sure. He's a big ol' hound dog. He laid out back for almost 3 hours straight just howling away!!! 
I feel bad for the neighbors! He's so cute though, I snapped the picture while he was snoring away on the living room floor. It was a nice change in housing, and since my apartment's so small, crowded, spider infested, and often smelly, I really don't mind staying at other people's houses all by my lonesome with an animal or two for company. I'm back home for the rest of this week and on to Wednesday. I move back into Marc's house Wednesday night and I'll be there for the rest of the month. Notice how the dog's collar is Chaco, which is a shoe brand, even the pets in this company are decked out!
I bought a new camera yesterday! They have to make a few repairs on it so I won't have if for another couple days, it's quite used, but it's beautiful! It's a Mamiya Twin Lens Reflex camera. Which means it is a fantastic camera that you hold down in front of your chest and look in through the top to see the picture you are about to take. It takes 120 film, which is my preferred film choice, or 220 film which I've never shot with before but Joe at the camera shop says I should get excited about. And since they love me so much, and I'm in their store more than my own, I basically got the camera at half off. It's always good to be kind and generous with people even when it's just buying items from them. You never know when it will pay off. I always feel better when I go home after a day of fun and kind customers. Nothing puts me in a worse mood faster than someone who thinks he or she is better than me because I'm the one working in a shoe shop and they're the one buying said shoes. Respect is a good thing to grasp. Any who... I'm ranting. My camera's name is Chuck, because it is Chuck who fixes up all my broken and random thrifted cameras I bring into their store. I felt I owed him one. And he didn't even think it odd when I asked if I could name my camera after him. Once I actually have it I'll take a picture of it and put it up, then I'll take a million pictures with it and put those up! I need to invest in a scanner. And I'm looking into equipment for a dark room also, although I have no where to put a dark room, so equipment seems not so necessary. :) Ah well, it's these things that keep me sane, so I just keep doing em.
Other than that things are just same ol' Seattle life! I miss everyone. :) Have a superb week.
Love, Jen-- Shoe Salesmen Supreme.
stabbing my leg over and over is an awesome idea and the dog it whining for absolutely no reason by my feet. Fantastic!! But other than that... I'm loving these pets. As crazy as they may be!!!
