I’ve recieved this question all too any times since I left home 5 weeks ago, so I figured that it’s best that I show you using Google Maps.

The map below is an overhead view of the city of Seattle. The area zoned-off and highlighted in pink is a small portion of our neighborhood, Queen Anne, and also includes a portion of the adjacent neighboorhoods, Lower Queen Anne, Westlake, and South Lake Union.

Circled below you can see our relation to Key Arena (where the Sonics play), the Space Needle, the floating house of Tom Hanks in Sleepless In Seattle, the location of “Seattle Grace Hospital (which actually houses our favorite sports bar and is the home of KOMO 4 News) , and of course… Meredith’s house from Grey’s Anatomy, which is in our neighborhood and about a 3 minute drive from our house.

Although it’s hard to tell from this view, we sit at the top of Queen Anne Hill. The Space Needle is at the bottom of the hill.

“Do you like to know who’s reading your blog?”

I get this question all the time. I do like to know who reads the blog. Then I know not to make fun of you. Kidding. However, I really do enjoy when people tell me follow the blog, even if they only hop to the site once or twice per week.

Over the course of the last few months, people I’ve never even met have emailed to tell me they read. Also, I have had quite the self esteem boost lately, especially over the last few weeks as I’ve bumped into many old friends who walk up and say, “Dude… I read your blog everyday.”

Needless to say… I’m flattered.

You have millions of websites to choose from, and according to statistics, people only consistently check 3 to 5 websites each day.

Your readership is valued.

I know that on any given weekday, about 300 people (about 2,000 per week) come through the doors of the blog . Of course, I have no real way of knowing who actually reads the blog. I have a stat counter, but it only tells me what city folks read from. And many times even that is misleading.

The second most asked question is, “I read… but I never comment or answer the Question of the Day. Does that matter?”

Why should it? If you wanna talk, that’s cool. If not, that’s cool too. It’s no big deal. I’m just glad to have you around.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you guys and gals are the best… even the ugly ones… and the short ones… and the ones who weren’t “planned” by their parents.

You know who you are.

A number of you have already inquired about the possibility of vsiting the Puget Sound metro-area once I’m settled there.

As if you even need to ask.

Accomodations will be provided free of charge to anyone who so choses to visit the Seattle after September 1st.

I’ll be living in a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom house on Queen Anne Hill, the same neighborhood as the fictional home of Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, and George from Grey’s Anatomy (I’ll tell you about housemates later). And while we have a roof-top deck, I seriously doubt we’ll have the same view. Though it never hurts to be on top of a hill.

So plan your trips. Southwest always has good deals if you buy a month or so in advance. I’ll pick you up at the airport. There’s more than enough to do in the Seattle area, depending how long you visit. Most of what needs to be seen can be seen within 2 days. However, trips to Mount St. Helens and whale watching expeditions take up most of the day.

What the crap can you do?

Bainbridge Island Ferry at sunset
Pike Place Market
Dinner in the Space Needle
Seattle Central Library
Drink coffee at the orignal Starbucks
Fremont Troll/Fremont District
Gas Works Park to have a picnic and watch the sailboats/water planes come in-and-out
Experience Music Project
University of Washington/U-District
Shop for outdoor gear at REI
Pacific Science Center
Ballard Locks
Discovery Park
Seattle Aquarium
Kerry Park

…if you come at the right time

Seahawks game
Sonics game
Mariners game
Sounders game
Thunderbirds game
UofW huskies football/basketball game
…or a number of concerts by top artists that seem to happen nearly every weekend

..and if you’ve got some extra time

Day trip to Vancouver, Canada
Day trip to Mount St Helens
Day trip to mountains for snow skiing
Day trip to Mount Rainier for hiking/camping
Day trip for whale watching
Day trip to the Oregon/Washington coastline
Day trip to Portland, OR
Day trip to Vashon Island/camp-out

I’ll find out more junk to do once I’m immersed into the culture/lifestyle of the area.

…that last sentence didn’t really mean what it my imply. I’m straight as a freaking arrow.

As most of you know, I’m a news junky. Not-so-much as I was in my Juicee News hayday… but still quite obsessed. I’ve also recently jumped head-first into the world of fashion as my position at DaVille required me to be “up to snuff.”

I check frequently…

The Drudge Report for breaking news and political gossip. I read Deadspin for sports news/gossip and highlights from the previous day. I read Gawker for media/nyc/celebrity issues.

I check sparaticly…

Digg for links to tech news and interesting links. Bloglines for who’s posted what on their blogs – this includes all my friends who have blogs as it serves as a one-stop-cure for my blogging ills. TV Squad for updates from the world of television.

I check at the end of the day…

Lifehacker for tips/tricks/life stuff. Gadling and Gridskipper for travel articles. PSFK for media and advertising info. Valleywag for web news/gossip. I also read Cool Hunting, Josh Spears, and Uncrate for all things worthy of cunsuming.

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with music, as are most of you. I get this question all the time… and quite frankly, it’s hard to decide.

If you put a gun to my head (which I hope you wouldn’t do because it’s extremely rude) I’d have to go with Radiohead’s ‘High & Dry‘.

Why do I love it? Because of the deep meaning behind the lyr— err, ok… I really can’t tell you why. I just like it. It calms me down in any stressful situation yet somehow manages to pump me up at other times.

Or, maybe I just like it. Let’s not make this too deep, folks.

I’ve recieved a few phone calls over the last few days by a few of you who wanted to see if I had purhcased an XBOX 360 to resell on eBay.

Nope.

The thought of hopping from Best Buy to Circuit City to Wally World, all the while looking over my shoulders to make sure no overzealous soccer-moms would jump me just didn’t appeal to me 2 days before Turkey Day.

Not to mention the fact that I didn’t see them selling for an exorbant amount of money. I was right.

However, Keith Vanzant [facebook] has one.

A few folks have asked me lately about which blogs I read. As others have mentioned before, there are multiple “blog trackers” out there. Bloglines and Kinja are two that I use. However, I prefer Bloglines.

While I have provided quite a long list (which you will find to your right on the page under ‘blogroll’) I’ll try to narrow/sort some out for you.

Here are some suggestions, divided by category:

Advertising:
Ad Jab
Adrants

Cities:
Austin
Boston
Chicago
London
Los Angeles
Paris
San Francisco
Seattle
Washington DC

Entertainment:
Defamer
TV Squad

Food:
Slashfood

Friends/Associates:
A Tale of Two
Chi Omega Girls
Clinton Administration
Edward Sanders
Magnolia Report
My Take
Telle’s Tales
Snyder News

Gadgets:
Gizmodo
Engadget

Life:
Download Squad
Lifehacker
LifeHut
Luxist
Post Secret

New York:
Gawker
Gothamist
Overheard in New York

News:
The Note
Public Eye
Sploid

Political:
Captain’s Quarters
The Corner
Cox & Forkum
InstaPundit
Little Green Footballs
Michelle Malkin
The Political Teen
Powerline
Red State
Townhall
Wonkette

Travel:
Gadling
Gridskipper

So I’ve gotten alot of emails and calls about ‘Laguna Beach‘ over the last couple of days. However, I ask you not to question my sexuality.

I’m a man baby.

The main question was: “What was that ‘it’s good to be in love’ song they played during the advertisement for the Season Finale of ‘Laguna Beach?’”

C’mon folks… let’s make this a little tougher next time ok?

Frou who? For those out there who have seen Garden State, Frou Frou is the artist whos song (‘Let Go‘) comes in at the very end of the movie.

Rent it… you won’t regret it.