Brother's Birthday Camping

Oh my, friends. Two weekends ago my cousins (Chip and Katie), my brother's girlfriend and myself went camping with brother Jim for his birthday. It was kind of a drunken disaster (on Jim's part). 

See this video for what happened about an hour and a half after we got to the camp site. His drunkenness just escalated further all night: 

The next morning we got yelled at by not one, but TWO camp rangers and were told that "if you guys were staying another night, you wouldn't be staying another night" - apparently the other campers didn't like how loud and obnoxious my brother got that night (after quiet hours). 

And then it rained all morning. And we got woke up a million times by passing trains. And creepers in our camp sight. I went to bed early and so did Katie, but the boys and Jim's GF stayed up and partied and got a little crazy/  

And even though I wasn't directly to blame for us basically getting kicked out of the camp ground, I might be partially to blame for my brother's drunkeness - I did make him take pulls off of an ICE 101 bottle. Sorry, Katie! 

Here are some pictures of the trip:

boys in the rain the next morning
Camp ranger: "you're drinking already??"
Jim "it's my birthday"
Chip: "sometimes you've just gotta bite the dog back"
Camp ranger glares and walks away...

tents!
Chip basically set up all three. Mine is the front left, chip and katie's is on the right and Jim's is on the back - it's the one he borrowed from Chip and Katie after forgetting the poles for the family tent. Good job, Jim!

the boys decided to jump in the [deschutes] river 

the boys swimming

after swimming - drunkeness = wow

Katie, Chip, Brother Jim & Jessica

I live in a trailer park

on an Indian Reservation (for 4 1/2 more weeks - yes, I'm counting down). But most of you already knew that. Here are some picture I took of my lovely home today during my lunch break (seriously guys, today has been soooo slowwww).

(I hope that if you're feeling sad you can look at these pictures and feel better because at least you don't live here - or maybe you do... and if so, we should totally be friends because I'm basically a huge, friendless loser on the rez). 

My trailer complete with the corolla, a toilet, and a stray trailer park kitty 

Mine is the second one down. So classy.

and because I'm the coolest - a classy self-timer pic of me and my trailer park home!

yesterday and things

This week has been sooo slow at work. Like so slow. I only have one client scheduled for this week and he's not coming until tomorrow (we had a meeting scheduled for yesterday morning but he totally stood me up - standard). Luckily I got invited to an information session tomorrow on the Cobell case/settlement which one of the women in the office is holding down at Yellowhawk (the tribal health center) to pass out some fliers and introduce myself to some people and hopefully get some clients and things.

Moral of the story: I'm desperately trying to find things to do at work today and it's proving to be a pretty unsuccessful effort. It's hard to write wills when you don't have any clients.

In the mean time, here is a picture of my classy trailer park (I snapped this baby yesterday when I was deliriously hungry and thinking I was hilarious after the gym. Dustin took a picture of the fancy hotel he is staying in for work this week and I told him that I was also staying somewhere fancy this week, so I wasn't at all jealous of his waterfront Marriot hotel - pshhh whatever). Enjoy:

I'm actually really surprised there is only one child and no bikes in this picture. There are usually 50 kids on 50 bikes. All. the. time. I'm kind of afraid I'm going to run one of them over one day.

And even though I've probably shared this before, I just really enjoy it so I'm sharing it [again]. This pictures was taken just about 1/2 mile from the trailer.

Portland Trip

On Friday after Dustin got off work he came and picked me up at my Seattle home where Erin was having people over for her birthday and we drove to Portland. The reason for this late night Portland trip was to take Dustin's cat (Battle Cat) to his friend Pickle's house. Dustin left for Des Moines yesterday on this work trip that is taking over his week, then basically the day he gets back he is going on vacation for a little over a week and won't be around to feed/love Battle Cat. So Pickle is babysitting. That's what BFFs are for, right?

We didn't get to Portland until around midnight, so we didn't end up doing anything on Friday night. Saturday morning though, we got up and got ready and the three of us went on a "nature hike" to breakfast. I had some tomato/avocado eggs Benedict and coffee and it was good. After that we "hiked" back to Pickle's house then decided to go to the mall (Washington Square Mall is crazy close to Pickle's house, who knew?). After the boys did some shopping at Macy's (with my expert help, of course:) and I got some starbucks (so necessary) we went to Nordstrom's. They were having a sale on boy things and we picked out some awesome 7 For All Mankind jeans for Dustin (nice, darkwash jeans = so necessary for boys, and also these super nice jeans were a first for him, YAY so exciting). Then we did something a little vom worthy, but not totally on purpose:  

His & Hers Sperry Top Siders

He needed new summer shoes and I've been wanting a pair of Sperry's for-everrrrr. Also I figured that if I bought them in Oregon, where there is no sale's tax, I would basically be saving money. Right? Right. Don't judge me. So after feeling totally jealous that the boys bought stuff and I hadn't yet (minus my dirty chai and Pickle's Iced Mocha, nom) I needed to buy myself some new shoes. And I'm basically in love.

Also my boyfriend is going to look GOOD this summer (jealous? ha). 

And just because I'm so super nice, here is a pic of the sunset from the hill by my Pendleton trailerpark trailer as I was driving home from the gym last night: 

Now it's time to finish up my day at the office then head to the gym, to Safeway and to wash my car (it's happening today, I decided, it NEEDS to happen today). In what order? I'm not sure yet. 

I hope the rest of your day is wonderful, friends! 

Dear Client,

I want to love you because you were my first client, ever. And that was a big deal for me. And I want to love you because you are a sweet old man, and sweet old men definitely always have a place in my heart, just so you know. But you've been making it really difficult lately. Last week when my supervisor was here you stopped by the meeting room we were in to say that you would come in after your meeting and get your will executed. We waited and waited for you and you never showed back up. My supervisor was definitely annoyed but I defended you. When I got back to my desk later that afternoon I had an e-mail saying that you talked to someone by my cubical about how I wasn't at my desk and you didn't know what to do (even though you knew that we were in the meeting room - because that is where you found us before). But I could have forgiven you for your flakiness that time.

However, when you showed up at my cubical today and wanted to go into a meeting room to talk, you made it even harder for me to forgive you. Remember how I have met with you every week for the past 5 weeks? Remember how you have taken up more of my time than any other client I have had? Remember? I do. Anyway, that was all fine. It's not like I've been so busy that I haven't had time to meet with you. But today, when you showed up at my cubical and you wanted to meet with me to tell me that you didn't want any of your assets to go through the probate process, I became incredibly frustrated with you. I have been trying to work on my patience lately - after this epiphany the other day that I am far from a patient person. So, when you told basically told me that all my work for you has been for nothing, I tried to let you explain your thought process and your concerns. I understand that the probate process can be unnecessarily long. I understand that you don't want to go through that (even though you don't have to, because you will be dead when that happens), and I understand that you don't want to put your family through that. But I want to let you know for the 5th time, that no, first client, there is not some alternative document that says that "upon my death I want all my property to be transferred into my Grandson's name." That document is called a will, and wills go through the probate process. Even if you die without a will something similar will happen to your property. I don't know how I can make you understand that.

First client, I hope that you understand that it is somewhat difficult and time consuming to get land transferred to someone else's name whether you are alive or dead. But if you really want, you can transfer it now and avoid probate upon your death. But, if you do it now you will relinquish any interest you have in all of your property. Or you can have it done when you're dead (like normal people) and enjoy all of your property while you're alive - you know, most people like having a  house to live in and not being homeless and asset-less. And since I've spent countless hours with you, writing your will, meeting with you, fixing your will, meeting with you again, fixing your will again, counselling you when you unexpectedly show up at my cubical all upset, I'd suggest that you have the document that I prepared for you executed and stop worrying about it. The probate of your assets is something that you're NEVER going to have to deal with. And guess what? Most people are happy to deal with the process because at the end of it, they end up with a bunch of free land and stuff.

So, the moral of the story is that you're stressing me out and making me VERY frustrated before I can have my first cup of coffee (which may have helped with my patience). And I don't like feeling like this toward you, dearest first ever, sweet old man client.

So if you could calm down and just come in on the 14th to get your will executed that'd be great. Kthxby.

Hugs,
Rebeka

some things from yesterday

I went here for lunch:

(Paseo = the MOST delicious Cuban sandwich place ever, like seriously, if you're ever in Seattle you NEED to go. Call me and I will take you. It's that good. It's unmarked and it's on Freemont Ave or Way or something, before you actually get to the main part Fremont. More in Wallingford. But it's so delicious = moral of the story)

And I ate this 

(the Cuban Roast = roasted pig and cilantro and sauce and lettuce and grilled onions and jalapenos and delicious bread and ohhhh its so glorious. I could eat only that forever)

The I did some work. 

Then I did some shopping. 

And I got this ring (which I think is really cool) and this fingernail polish which is really more of an orangie pinkish color. It's nice. Even my boyfriend liked it (I consider that a win). Also the Sally Hansen complete salon maincure nail polish is the shiz (that's what I used for my fingerz). It's really really shiny and that makes me happy. Also it goes on well which is nice:

Ok there were some highlites of my day yesterday. Other highlites include drinking two glasses of wine and passing out on Dustin's couch last night = not making it to Earl's for Erin's birthday fun. Yeah I know, I'm really disappointed in myself. I LOVE Earl's on the Ave. If you're ever in Seattle you should go there too. You'll get drunk. And it's really classy. Ha. Also I drank coffee from Zoka and did work. And I made overnight oats for the first time and had them for breakfast this morning (1/2 c. oats, 1/2 c. almond milk, big spoonfull of cocoa powder, stir together, put in fridge, take out the next morning, stir in PB and eat = yum). Ok now I'm just rambling so I really should get back to work before it's time to go to lunch with Erin! XXOO lovelies!

procrastinating

Today I'm working from home in Seattle and of course that means I'm procrastinating getting started on my work even though I woke up at approximately 7 this morning.

Today's means of procrastination = cleaning out my closet. Organizing and putting aside clothes to take to friends/good will. But oh it feels good to have a clean closet. 

And just for you, friends, part of my procrastination playlist (love):

Also, have I mentioned that I love my big, wonderful, beautiful, clean, amazing Seattle home and I never ever want to leave again? I'm sure I have.

wonderful clean seattle closet

Alright, it's time to bear the 50degree, rainy, Seattle "summer" day and head to zoka to do some real, big girl work and drink lots of coffee (I'm most looking forward to that - coffee in Pendleton sucks, remember?). I hope you all have a lovely day!

P.S. happy happy birthday to sister roommie Erin! yay!

Sister Erin and I before Law School Prom

drop by client

Today I had a client call me and ask if he could stop by in 5 minutes for a meeting. So is life on the rez. I told him yes, as I didn't actually have any meeting scheduled for today and a few minutes later reception called up to let me know he was here.

He was a very nice guy and had some changes he wanted to make to his will, pretty easy stuff, I was happy to help him. But also it just seemed like he wanted someone to talk to. We chatted for like 2 hours. He told me about an injury he got when after things started to get a little heated with a non-tribal-member on the rez, the non-member ran up and jumped on his back. The sudden impact snapped his leg/knee. He was very frustrated by the fact that he had lost his job over the whole thing (he is now on disability because of his injury) but the non-tribal-member was allowed to keep his tribal job and really had no repercussions. My client seemed to have unsuccessfully exhausted most of his remedies (I told him to go to the tribal council - which I guess he had) and no one was willing to fire the non-member over the issue. I get why, but I guess I also get his frustration. So he told me about his problem in what seemed like a last-ditch effort.

It's hard when people come to me wanting legal help beyond the scope of my work here. I want to help these people remedy their situations but at the same time I'm not a lawyer and I can't give legal advice. Not to mention the work I'm supposed to be doing here is really pretty limited (writing wills and other estate planning documents - that's really about it). Someday I'll be able to help more people. But for now I can really only write your will (for free, and only if you're a CTUIR member). Ohh the life of a Rez Intern. Ha.

One perk to my job though, is that it has been pretty slow today, so it looks like I'm going to be able to leave work early and head back to Seattle earlier than usual. I can't wait!

will executions

Ohhh today I am so tired, and I don't know why. But I don't want to tell you about today, I want to tell you about yesterday.

As you may or may not already know, I live in Seattle most of the time but for the summer I am a "legal intern" working for the Institute for Indian Estate Planning & Probate which placed me with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in Mission, Oregon (which is about 5 minutes east of Pendleton, Oregon, which is in the middle of nowhere). So here I am, 4 1/2 hours from Seattle, away from all of my friends, in the middle of the desert in Oregon. And let me tell you, it was already hot at 7:30 this morning. And I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of excited about the weather (a nice change from Seattle gray-ness, but that is beside the point).

Anyway, the Institute for Indian Estate Planning & Probate is located in Seattle and is a part of the Center for Indian Law & Policy at Seattle University School of Law. Therefore, my adviser is an attorney who used to work here in Pendleton as an attorney for the CTUIR for years and years, and he is also the director of the Center for Indian law and policy, which means that he spends a majority of his time in Seattle. So, because I'm only a law student and not someone who is licensed to practice law, I end up e-mailing him 100 times a day with questions and draft documents for him to look over and whatnot.

Don't worry, I'm trying to get to my point... Yesterday, my supervisor, Doug, came down to Pendleton to do will executions with me! This was exciting since him coming down meant I had someone to hang out with for the day, which I usually don't because I am a huge loser here with like no friends here. So Doug came down here, spent the night with his daughter and grand kids and then met me here at work bright and early yesterday morning. We had an 8am meeting scheduled yesterday, but our first client was a no-show (lame). So we just sat in the conference room and chatted. For being my boss who is much much older than I am, he was surprisingly easy to talk to (that could be because older men love me for the most part haha), and he has SO many awesome stories, it's crazy cool. We then had a 10am client who showed up early and got his will all notarized and executed and whatnot. Success! After that we waited for another client who ended up being a no-show, had two clients cancel and then finally dragged one of the ladies from the office into the conference room to get her will revision executed. Two down. After that we waited for another client who never showed up and then Doug asked me if I wanted to go to lunch with him (duh I said yes!).

So he drove me into Pendleton to the Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co.  Apparently Great Pacific used to be the place where all the cool kids hung out. He was telling me stories about how there was a group of his friends that were regulars at GPW&CC and they used to go there every day and chat and hang out in the same big table in the back and whatnot (which I'd assume would be pretty easy since his old law office was also located on that block, on the top, corner of the old hotel building) and he told me a story about how once him and his friends were jealous of the "rich" people in town going to catilian so they decided to throw a mock coat-tillian in the unused upstairs part of GPW&CC that ended up being like a grown-up prom (if you know how much I LOVE prom then you probably have a pretty good idea of how cool I think this is - I want to do something like that)! Anyway, he bought me lunch, a delicious sharp cheddar, apple & bacon sandwich on wheat bread (probs not the healthiest sandwich ever, but it was so so good) and he ended up running into one of his old friends from back in the day, who teaches at the charter Indian school here at Umatilla. So we talked to him and ate our lunch and it was good.

After lunch Doug drove me around Pendleton and showed me some good places to eat and we drove past the water park (WATER PARK, WHAT? WHO KNEW THERE WAS A WATER PARK IN PENDLETON!! I'm sooo going when Dustin comes to visit - duh)! Anyway, then we drove past the skate park and I saw these kids there and thought to myself "those kids look like my Hood River friends, I feel like I need to go there and be their friends." Random. But then later I totally saw a picture on Dave's FB page of him skating at the Pendleton skate park. It totally was my friends. A-holes. In Pendleton and didn't even call me - SO rude. We're in a fight (hah)!

As I was saying, Doug drove me back through Pendleton and told me stories about his days as a a pistol shooting champion of Oregon (or something), and as a sniper for this time when the president was in Pendleton (there is totally a picture of him and Jimmy Carter in an old Oregonian - cool) and about how his dad totally got sent to Penn. to Indain boarding school and all types of other cool, super badass things.

I really hope that when I'm as old as Doug I have that many super unique and entertaining stories. He has done so so many cool things in his life, and so many important Indian Law things too. I definitely hope that I make a difference for Indians when I'm a real grown up lawyer! Hopes & dreams!

Anyway, today after work I'm headed back to Seattle and I can't wait. The end of this week marks the 1/2 way point in my internship! Hooray! The summer is flying by already (even though we're technically only 1 day in). Happy summer everyone!

Dustin made me do it.

Dustin made me promise to blog every night while I'm here in Mission (AKA my trailer) and I'm not completely sure that I've been doing that - but I've been trying for the most part.

Last night was rough. I felt awful and I definitely did not want to be here again. Allergies and stomach problems are basically ruining the excitement of trailer park life. But I forced myself to go to the gym and then I stayed up too late crying over the Sex and the City movie and talking to Dustin on the phone.

Today was super busy and productive (after I finally got out of bed). I met with three clients and I had a ton of work to do to get ready for will signings and my boss coming down here tomorrow. I even stayed at work late.

However, one of my clients (I worked for a large portion of the day on her stuff, first meeting with her then frantically trying to write her will and go to the BIA to get her ITI reports and drafting her other documents- so I could get her documents done for the signing tomorrow - she feels a large sense of urgency to get her will written) isn't registered Umatilla. She is a member of the Yakima tribe. And I didn't know that until pretty late in the game. So I prepared her documents anyway only to have my adviser tell me this evening that he wouldn't review her documents and I needed to tell her that we couldn't help her (since the tribe pays for me to be there, to help THEIR tribal members only, UGH). So in the morning I have to call her bright and early and tell her that she can have my draft documents to take to another lawyer (which I'm assuming she can't afford) to review and execute. Very very frustrating. Also I hate phone calls to begin with - that is going to be the worst.

After work I went to the gym and worked out tough.

And now I'm watching 30 rock on Netflix and eating dinner. Ohh my exciting trailer park life!

the drive

Last week driving from Pendleton to Seattle these things happened:

chipped windshield

got stuck in construction when I was crazy low on gas

was sure I was going to run out of gas

didn't 

got gas in the ghetto and had to pee but was too afraid to go inside the gas station

got lost trying to get on freeway because of construction 

ended up on the Yakima reservation 

(two reservations in one day is too many reservations in one day)

got back on track

got pulled over for going 8 mph over the speed limit - coming down a hill

didn't get a ticket 

finally got home over 5 hours later

It was seriously the worst drive I've had thus far. 

I'm so so SO tired of driving. And living in like 3 or maybe 4 different places. I can't wait to be back in Seattle again. 

trailer park visitor! yay!

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting at my desk debating whether or not I wanted to work late to finish up some documents with the hope that if I worked a longer day I would get to work a shorter day later in the week (I love making my own schedule), when I got a call from an unknown number. Much to my surprise it was my Aunt Anita (yay)! She asked when I got off work and said that she was in the Tri Cities and wanted to come visit me in my trailer (double yay). I was so SO excited! I immediately packed up my stuff (because at that point I was too excited to work, duh) and went home to do some dishes before she got there - my trailer is already trashy enough without dirty dishes in the sink haha.

When I pulled up to my trailer after work I found this:



Someone had knocked over the toilette in the front of my house. What? WHY would someone do that? Probably the same type of person who would put a toilette in front of a trailer in the first place, but that's neither here nor there. Confused, I propped it back upright.

I then did some dishes and found some bee's nests outside (one starting on my porch with bees working away on it, and not one, not two, but three in between my living room window and my screen - also complete with bees crawling in and out of it) boo! Stupid bees, get your own trailer!

But before I knew it my Aunt Anita showed up! Yay! We sat on my couch and chatted and she told me that my trailer was nicer than she expected (but I think she was probably just being nice haha). And then we took this lovely picture (where I look naked, I blame the strapless dress, I promise I was wearing clothes, especially since I had a visitor - I'm not that crazy):



and then it was time for her to head back to the Tri Cities to spend some QT (that's quality time, in case you didn't know) with her husband, Ray. After she left I went to the gym and got my swoll on (I DEF drank some muscle milk after - I judged myself, don't worry). Or maybe I should just say that I worked on my fitness, like Fergie. Or maybe I should just let it go and move on.

My Aunt Anita was my first [real] visitor to my little trailer and I loved it :) I seriously have the best family.

P.S. Hi Aunt Anita (she told me yesterday that she reads my blog and that's part of the reason she came to visit, because she 1. felt bad and 2. wanted to see for herself what my life in the trailer park was really like).

Also, after work today I'm headed back to Seattle for a night or two, and I'm so excited. I'm def going to give Dustin the hugest hug, because he totes deserves it. HUGE I'm telling you!

today at the office, yo!

Once again it is freezing in my office. And once again I don’t know what to do with myself. Around 1pm I should start getting really busy (client meetings, finally!!) but until then I don’t really know what to do with myself. I worked really hard all day yesterday trying to get the last of my unfinished documents all finished up, and I did because I’m really good at being productive when I have to be (well I got all of them finished except one, which I found out this morning needed a minor change, but at that time I also found out that my supervisor will  be out of e-mail all day so I can’t really 100% finalize it until tomorrow). Maybe some day I will teach you my mad skillz.

Anyway, that’s boring and you probably don’t care about that.

Here are some more things you may or may not care about:

Brother Jim’s birthday celebration is this weekend – he’s thinking Kah-nee-tah and I’m pretty excited because (1) I love indianz (2) I’m super pale and I need some SPF + sunlight (3) brother/cousin time is basically my favorite, can you say “LETS PLAY SOME SPORTS?!” because I can.

Allergies here are killer. And so is the sty in my eye round two. Blah! And so is the AC in here, like REALLY? I’m a mess in my black dress.

Also, this office has like, the worst coffee I’ve ever had. I don’t get how it can be so bad? SO BAD I tell you.

It has already been “summer” for over a month (summah break), and I feel like it just started. I feel like time wastes away out here – especially in my trailer. Stupid trailer. You smell like gross  when I don’t burn my wal mart candle, and I’m mad at you.

Also, someone please please please come visit me in my trailer. I’d love you forever. It’s so boring and lonely out here at night after I get done with the gym. We can go for a walk, or to the casino, or we can go get a drink in Pendleton if we’re feeling crazy. Seriously, please?

I want to eat 100 peanut butter larabars. NOMz!

Maybe now it’s time to go hang some flyers? & maybe even sneak in a trip to Pendleton to Starbucks before my big client rush? Who really knows what the next few hours will bring?! My life is full of excitement, yo! Try not to be too jeal!

xxoo

Camano Island Adventure Day

Saturday started out lazy. I read my book and Dustin watched cartoons in the morning. And we drank coffee. Coffee is so necessary. At around 1 he suggested that we get out and go do something, but we didn’t know what. So he decided that we should just drive north until we found something to do. We ended up driving to Camano Island and following the signs for the state parks out there.

After getting a little lost (luckily it was a really nice day for a drive once we got out of Seattle) we finally arrived at Cama beach. We parked and walked down the steep hill to the Sound. There were a bunch of cabins and stuff down there on the beach – it looked like a really cool place to spend a weekend in the summer. We researched it and the cabins are basically 14X11’ glorified tents with bunk beds in them! You bring your own pots and pans and bedding and there is a big communal bathroom in the middle of it all! It sounds like it would be fun!

Luckily Dustin is a thinker and when we stopped for gas earlier he had gone in the store and bought snacks + 2 Miller Highlife tallboys – they’re the champagne of beer, guys! We’re classy! So we picnicked on the beach with our snacks and shared one of the beers. The beach wasn’t very big (in terms of area from the water to the non-sand part) but it was full of rocks and millions of shell pieces! There are crazy amounts of clam and crab shells everywhere. Then we skipped rocks. Or I should say that he skipped rocks and I just threw rocks into the water b/c apparently I have no skills. But it was so sunny and wonderful down there I didn’t even care.

 

After that we walked back up the big hill, hopped in the car and headed to the other state park where we stopped for a photo op and drove around the camp sites – another potential weekend trip!

Then we decided to head back down south. But first we stopped at Dairy Queen for a blizzard and french fries. Both were oddly disappointing. How can you screw that up? Freezerburned ice cream and soggy, cold fries is how! Dustin blamed poor management. I blamed people sucking at life! Get it together, Stanwood DQ!

On the way back to Seattle we stopped at the Tulalip outlet stores for a little shopping. While we were there we stopped into the Vans store and said hi to Sean Stuart, who I just love! It was good to see him like TWICE in one week after not seeing him for a year and a half (rude). Then Dustin bought some super fly shirts at J Crew and some undies at Calvin Klein. I unfortunately didn’t find anything good. Boo! At least he’ll look good.

Then we went to the liquor store, because cheap rez liquor is where it’s at!

After that we made our way back to Seattle and went to a BBQ at Dustin’s friend Greg’s new place. There was some delicious salmon and some beers and Doritos (that’s totally a vegetable) other friends and that was good too.

After that we went back to Dustin’s apartment and laid on a fuzzy blanket on the floor and drank wine from the bottle, because as I said before, we’re classy. Then I was drunk and wanted a burrito to go with my SNL, so Dustin made me one from the freezer because he is the best, and it was delicious, and then I passed out.

It was a really wonderful day.

Sunday I had to drive back to the Pendleton area, AKA the REZ!! But first Dustin convinced me to go to Fred Meyer and we got me a new iTrip (or he did – thanks, you) so I can have music on my very long and awful drives. Pandora makes things to much better! He then dropped me off at my Seattle casa, I quickly packed then got in my car and left for Pendleton. But not before bursting into sobbing tears while exiting onto the freeway. I was NOT looking forward to going back. I was surprised that I held the tears in for that long. Ha. I’m such a baby with the strongest emotions all the time. It’s kind of awful sometimes. Luckily the drive back here didn’t seem as long as it sometimes can and before I knew it I was coming to a stop at the gym for a quick workout before heading back to the trailer. I’m going to have to thank my tunes for that one! Also maybe I’m just getting more used to it? But probably my music was most helpful.

And then today I worked.

Things are finally starting to get busy. I have 4 REAL clients this week. And next Tuesday my supervisor is coming down here and we’re doing will executions. Exciting exciting! I’m going to be a busy bee this week, but it should be awesome. I’m excited! It definitely wasn’t worth crying over haha!

aw I love the summer there / I FINALLY uploaded weekend pictures

Last weekend in Hood River was so amazing and summery. Saturday it was actually hot out (well hot for Oregon, anyway, at like 85degrees). I ran into my sorority sister Stephanie and her family in downtown Hood River:

Then later that night a big group of us met downstairs at Brian's Pourhouse to celebrate Marissa's birthday in black and white. 

on the top: Marissa's happy birthday desert & song

on the bottom: Marissa and all the boys

I just love Hood River in the summer so so much. Can I please stay there for the next three months instead of doing anything else? K perfect, thanks!!

the creepiest client

I've been kind of debating whether to post about this or not, but I basically just sent this in e-mail form to my friend Julia who is doing the same internship up in Puyallup, so here goes:


story of the creepiest client:


So yesterday this guy comes in to see me after having seen my picture and a write up in the Umatilla tribal newspaper and when he gets here I take him into a conference room for confidentiality purposes and I quickly see that really he needs like nothing done on his existing will (WTF creeper). He seemed nice enough but things started to get awkward real fast. Like I said, he didn't really have anything he wanted me to do for him except change this one designation on his separate writing gift list because the person he was gifting this truck to passed away a while back. I'm pretty sure he could have just changed that one on his own because of the separate nature of the piece of paper, but I was trying to be nice and he was my first client all week so whatever I guess. I figured that at least I'd have something to do for a few hours. Anyway, after he tells me about his beneficiary change he tries talking to me for a really long time about non-will-related-things, and is kind of getting flirty (did I mention that he is like 50ish years old, ewe. I feel like this is old enough to be really creeped out but not old enough to brush off and blame on his being senile, which eh was not). 


Then proximity to work came up and I was like oh yeah I live pretty close which is really nice... and he was like I bet you live in the trailer park, in uhhhh the 2nd trailer in on the left. WTF?!?! OMG! HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE I LIVE! So I was like oh haha, that's funny trying to brush it off because at this point I'm totally creeped out. 


Then he proceeds to try and tell me that I seem tired and like I need coffee and then he says something about how we should go get coffee. I just pretended to not hear him and laugh awkwardly. 


Then he started talking about what a bitch his daughter is and asking me if I'm nice to my dad. I'm obviously feeling pretty awkward at this point and try to wrap things up by asking him if there is anything else I can do for him, THEN he awkwardly goes (in a super creepy way) yeah I have something else you can do for me and then mumbles something. WHAT THE HELL?!


So now I'm trying to figure out if I tell my supervisor or not (my supervisor is an older gentleman who is so nice and wonderful and who used to live here for years but I feel like that's kind of an awkward thing to tell him). Because I don't want to seem like I can't handle my own. And also I thought about the fact that maybe I misinterpreted him and if I did and I told on him that would be really bad for me and for the program. 


I'm thinking maybe I'll just wait until my supervisor gets here to execute documents, I'll have Mr. Creeper come in and sign in the presence of my advisor then then I'll be done with him. Unless he comes to my trailer and snatches me up in the night, "ROOM" style. FML.


UPDATE: 


Thank you all, lovely friends for your comments. After reading them (and working on creeper's documents and learning about his gun collection (FML)) I decided that I most definitely needed to let my supervisor know what was going on. He just got a long, crazy girl e-mail, I'm sure he's excited haha! I heart you all!

endorphins & flyers & bad coffee

Yesterday after work I just felt so tired. I took an almost accidental nap on my couch before finally getting up to post some fliers around the rez. I went to the health center and the senior center, where the director told me that she would pass out 40flyers on Wednesday if I brought her that many today. Score! Done, and done!

After finding that out I decided to head back to the trailer, change into my workout clothes and hit the gym. I worked out for a little over an hour before heading back home. I was going to go to Safeway on the way back but honestly wasn't feeling it. I came home and it was still pretty early and still really nice outside. So I decided to go for a walk (sans cell phone and music - I felt like I needed to be disconnected) down to the end of the sidewalk and back (about 2 miles). It felt really nice. After that I came home, put on some "pump up music" and stretched, took a shower and finally felt motivated to go to Safeway for some groceries (I think I could tell I was going to be hungry soon).

I did my grocery shopping, got a movie from the RedBox, came home, cooked myself dinner and watched "The Dilemma" which was actually pretty funny.

It was one of the better nights I've had here. I think the workout endorphins are much needed on these lonely trailer park nights. I'm definitely glad I joined the gym.

Today I actually have not one, but TWO client meetings scheduled (score)! Maybe two and a half if you count the 2 minute meeting I had with my very first client this morning when he came to pick up his draft documents. I'm actually feeling a tiny bit important today. Almost. Ha!

A while after getting to work this morning I printed out flyers and drove down to the Senior Center. After I dropped them off, I decided that since it was already 65degrees at 9am and I didn't have a meeting until 11, it would be nice to drive into Pendleton with the windows down to get a coffee (the coffee they have here at the Governance center is seriously the worst, OMG, how do they drink it every day? Yuk). When I got to the Great Pacific Coffee place it was closed. What? Yeah, that's right, it doesn't open until TEN a.m.!! WHAT? What kind of a coffee shop is this? Seriously? As a girl who used to get up at like 4:30 to go to work at a coffee shop, AND a girl who has lived in Seattle for the last 6 years, I just really don't understand how you can have a coffee shop that doesn't open until 10a.m. Wouldn't you think they would get the bulk of their business before then? Whatever. Over you!

I then mapped another coffee shop on my iPhone (thanks favorite phone), and I was mildly disappointed when I figured out it was a drive-through. I decided I should just go through it since I had already driven out there. I got my latte & it was also mildly disappointing, but was only $2.80 (amazing) and then I headed back to work.

So now I'm waiting for my first actual client meeting of the day, with my new, short hair that I washed and left wavy today, and I'm actually fairly pleased with the results. It might be because of the new thickening shampoo & conditioner my mom gave me (thanks mom, for not wanting your thick hair to be any thicker and gifting me your expensive shampoo that you bought on accident, because I ALWAYS want my hair to be thicker and wavier and bigger).

the obligatory survey post (sorry)

Here is a little Q & A for you all since I still don't have anything to do at work:


--


What is your middle name? Ann. Rebeka Ann Osborne is a good name. I like it and I don't know if I'll change it if/when I get married. 

How big is your bed? I have three (my life is seriously in chaos). In my Seattle home and my trailer I have Queen beds and at my parent's house I have a full size bed. 

What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Ohh if you have blue eyes or a good beard I probably notice that first, otherwise probably your smile or your hair.

What is your Favorite Food? This one is so hard, but maybe Nachos. You can never really go wrong with nachos.

What is your hair color? dirty blonde/almost ginger. Also, fun fact, I have never colored my hair. Virgin hairz win.

Do you wear contacts? I do and I want lasik. 

What is your favorite Season? Summer, especially if I'm in Hood River! But really, for the most part when you live in the Northwest you live for summer (stupid rain). 

What books are you reading? I just recently re-picked-up "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" - the first part has been sooo slow. I started it at Christmas. 

What is your favorite college football team? University of Washington Huskies, DUH! 

What about your favorite animal? Fluffy Face (cat). I also kind of heart horses because of Barney - he was the coolest. 

What is your favorite drink? Alcoholic: vodka soda. Non-alcoholic: water or coffee. 

What is your favorite flower? Tulips! I also love daffodils in the spring. And the flowers on dogwood trees. Sigh. Amazing. 

Have you ever fired a gun? anyone who knows me probably knows that I have and it's awesome. And if you don't know me, then know that I hunt deer in the fall, and they are delicious (also I don't mean to offend anyone, I definitely hunt for the good, natural meat and use all of the animal, including donating the hide). 

Do you like to travel by plane? No. The first time I ever flew was the summer after my freshman year of college. It was really scary. I still freak when I fly, but you can't beat the convenience. 

What are 3 things you can't live without? my cell phone, my laptop, and your love (ha).

What is your favorite song? probably "train in vain" by the Clash. 

What are you afraid of? spiders that jump at me when I'm in my trailer, dying in a plane crash, dying in my trailer, man-eater dogs and mostly butterflies (butterflies are the worst). 

If you are stuck on a deserted island, and you can only bring one thing, what do you bring? If my iPhone gets reception and can be always charged, I bring that. Otherwise maybe hairspray. You can do anything with hairspray. Or a lighter. That might be more important than hairspray? Ha.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? Actually, I wanted to be a lawyer. Livin' the dream, yo!

What do you usually do when your alarm turns on in the morning? Honestly, I hit snooze like three times. Every day. I need to get that habit under control. 

Is there anyone you want to meet? Yes, actually, all of my favorite blog authors. I feel like I already know you all, but it would be amazing to meet you all in person!

cursed mojitos & poo on my porch

Once again I'm blogging from work. I almost feel bad except I literally have nothing to do. I just e-mailed my supervisor with a frantic, I have nothing to do, what should I be working on e-mail. I'm sure he probably hates getting stuff like that. OOPS! Sorry!

This weekend was super fab. Marissa's black and white party was a total success (minus the three spilled Mojitos at dinner - they're cursed and no one is ever allowed to order them in Brian's Basement Bar again)! I think everyone had a really fun time. I know I did!

Saturday before the party I made a trip into Hood River to run some errands and I saw not one but two out of town friends! YAY! My friend David who I haven't seen in probably 2 years was randomly in town with his girlfriend, so we got FroYo and it was good. Then I got a picture text from my sorority sister, Stephanie of the outside of Ground. I immediately parked in downtown Hood River and found her and her family about a block away. They live in Vancouver and decided to take a mini-day-trip to Hood River since it was so nice outside. We stood in the sun and chatted and it was great to see her (PC05 love)! OH and also, Chip stopped by to see me and so did his dad (randomly and later). So that was like 4 long lost friends + 2 family members I got to see in one day. 5 if you count Sean Stuart who was playing another show at Trillium on Saturday night, so obviously we all eventually made our way down there to watch the end of his show during Mar's birthday bar crawl. It was a good day, especially since it was like 84degrees and I love Hood River in the summer.

Yesterday I chilled at home with my family for most of the day and gave Fluffy Face lots of love. I also got to see Chip and Katie when they were on their way to the Dalles to check out a house (that apparently was no good and smelled like wet dog - EWE). And my mom made me dinner and even packed me some leftovers to take to the Rez. Score.

When I got back to my trailer last night I found that some animal had taken a poo on my crappy "porch" - awesome. And my whole trailer smelled like garbage because I had forgotten to take out the trash before I left last week. I am so classy. My trailer is so classy.

So, almost immediately after arriving yesterday, I left and went to the gym where I signed up for a membership and got in a hour-long-workout before they closed. It felt good. I'm looking forward to getting my swoll on, round two, tonight (b/c I basically LOVE being jacked and tan, and drinking lots of protein shakes, and ummm doing other jacked and tan things?) ha. My life.

Anyway, I'd better go try and find something job-related to do now. Also I might post some pictures of this weekend later, but I didn't bring my camera to work with me and pictures still need to be updated, so sorry for the text only post!

new hair

Yesterday I drove from Seattle to Hood River. My first stop was at 5th Element Salon to see Kalyn and get my hair cut. I cut off like 6" of it! EEK! It was down to the small of my back and now it's about armpit length  I'm not going to lie and say I didn't feel any haircut regret after a few drinks last night, but for the most part I'm loving it!

After that I headed to Parts+Labor which is a super cute clothing store where my friend Marissa works. My friend Sean's band was playing an acoustic show there for First Friday and the ladies at Parts + Labor were serving up some delicious free blueberry vodka drinks (can't say no to live music and free booze, right?). I was super excited to see Sean, he moved from Hood River about the time I started law school and I haven't seen him since, so it was good to reconnect with an old friend. 

Later that night we decided to stop back by Parts + Labor for a free pre-funk drink with Marissa's co-worker, who was just finishing up her closing duties, and a photo opp before heading to the pub (which was crazy packed with all my favorite people - and Sean's band playing more music). 

We had a few drinks at the Pub and chatted with everyone who was out and about. It was even nice enough for us to sit outside, which is always awesome! I love Friday nights in Hood River during the Summer. They are seriously the best. 

Then around 12:30 we decided it was time to head to Jack's for some classy dance time. NOTE: for those of you who don't know, Jack's is a Chinese restaurant turned sketchy dance club on weekend nights. It's very dive and seedy and it's the place you go at the end of the night to dance until they turn on the lights at 2am. I'm not going to lie, we were definitely there when they turned on the lights last night. Ha. It was SO much fun though, we danced it up! 

Nights out with Beth and Marissa are always so much fun! Tonight we're going to do round two for Marissa's birthday! She's having a black-and-white theme party that's going to start with dinner at Brian's Pourhouse. I'm so excited! It should be a good time. But now I think it's time to get outside and enjoy a little of this sunny 80degree weather (SO excited) and give my little Fluffy some lovin'.

so unmotivated

I'm having such a hard time getting motivated while working from home (in Seattle) today.
Maybe it's because I love love being here, in my home, where I feel happy and comfortable.
Or maybe it's because my stomach hurts.
Or perhaps because when I was going to go print documents I saw that it was pouring rain outside (bummer)!
But it's like Forrest told me once:
"excuses are like a-holes, everybody has one"
so maybe I should get to work.

But first let me tell you: tomorrow I'm heading back to Hood River for the weekend. Mostly to celebrate Marissa's birthday with a sweet black and white birthday party (so excited). And today I found out that one of my old friends, Sean Stuart, will be in Hood River for the weekend playing some music. I haven't seen him since he moved away like a year ago (rude!!), so I'm pretty excited! I also get to see my fav cousin. And maybe get a haircut from lovely Kalyn. So hopefully this weekend will be good. Too bad it means that I won't get to see Dustin for like a week, but I guess that's what you get when you take a summer job in BFE Oregon while you're dating a boy who lives in Seattle. It'll be ok though, I know he'll still be here when I get back and that's why I heart his face off. Yep, right off of his body. Done & done.

Oh hey, it's Rebeka, "working" from home in my parrot shirt and favorite feather earrings from my favorite boy!