ratzeo's and my new apartment (♥♥♥) is in need of a vacuum cleaner. Since I'll be getting a cat at some point, I'd like to buy a vacuum that works well on pet hair, so I come to the communal expertise of the Internet. Do any cat owners out there have a recommendation for a reliable, not-horrendously-expensive machine? (My coworkers rave about the Dyson vacuum, but those things run upwards of $400, so ...)

x-posted to IJ

I have another question! But this one is less selfish.

Back at the beginning of summer, I set a goal for myself to start making regular monetary donations to worthy causes if I got a promotion/raise. And since I did, I want to make good on that goal. I have a few places in mind already, but I was hoping I could get some suggestions of other places to look into.

I would like to focus my attention on activist organizations that set anti-oppression as an overarching goal for their work - groups that seek to fix not only the symptoms (like providing shelter for people escaping abusive relationships or providing food for the homeless) but also the causes (like rape culture or institutionalized racism). Not that the former isn't vitally important - that would be asinine - but I really want to support organizations that are about dismantling unequal power relationships. CARA is a really excellent example of this strategy.

So if you have any suggestions, that would be great. Especially for places that I might overlook because of my focus on race and gender activism - maybe groups supporting trans youth, homeless families, etc. Give me a shake-up of my own privilege while we're at it, yeah?

x-posted to IJ

Seattle-area folks:

ratzeo and I are in search of a place to live come September. I've been searching for about a month now, mostly using craiglist and Rent.com, with no luck, and I'm approaching the hair-tearing frustration stage ... If anyone has advice about where to look or who to contact, it would be much appreciated.

If it helps, here's what we're looking for: a 2-bedroom apartment or house of reasonable rent (say, $1000ish, depending on the place), generally in the area bordered by Fremont-Green Lake-Wedgwood-Laurelhurst-Wallingford. I'd like it to be a place that allows cats, because I want to get one sometime after the move.

If you can help me find a place, I'll love you forever. (Barring that, if you have any recommendations of where to get boxes or hire movers, that would be great.)

Thanks!

x-posted to IJ