I've been with School Employees for almost 20 years, and I've been really happy with them. Nice folks, very helpful and efficient. They just have the one actual branch(in South Lake Union, just down from REI), but you an use any credit union's ATM's for free (including BECU's). My only complaint is that the branch doesn't open on Saturday, and like Tracy M, about once a year I need to actually go in for something, so Saturday hours would be handy. Otherwise, I'm a very satisfied SECUW customer.

The best selection of fancy, quality chocolates that I've found locally is at the Chocolate Box http://www.sschocolatebox.com/ on Pine, near First Avenue. They have all kinds of truffles, molded chocolates, exotic flavors, and boxed assortments from a lot of different chocolatiers. If you want to put together a knock-out give of pretty, really high-quality chocolates, this is the place to go.

I've been aware of Phoenix Jones and his antics for maybe a year now.

I can't speak for all of Seattle, but personally, I think Phoenix Jones is a delusional idiot who takes himself WAY too seriously, and if he keeps up this crap, is liable to hurt somebody seriously, or (more likely) get hurt or killed himself.

We hired a DJ from a bridal show for our reception, so he was supposedly a professional, and familiar with the routine. We didn't give him a complete playlist, but we did give him (in advance) a few special songs that we wanted to make sure he played. We didn't hear about it until later--I guess he waited until we were in the next room at the buffet, or something--but people told us he was making (amplified) cracks about our musical tastes, telling everybody "Hey, this stuff wasn't my idea!!" Well, umm, no--it was the idea of the people you were paying to be here. If that's a problem, you're in the wrong line of work.

The thing that pissed me off the most was that nobody told us about it until AFTER we'd given him a generous tip!!

What's your price range? Salty's on Alki has rooms that will easily seat that many, but they won't be cheap.

We took a class offered through Highline Community College. They covered all kinds of useful stuff--various types of financing, cleaning up your credit record before you apply, how you can (and can't) put together a down payment, working with an agent (and knowing who they really work for), the closing process, etc. Plus, it qualified us for something like a 1/4 percent discount off our mortgage.

If you Google "first-time home buyer classes Seattle" you'll get all kinds of links to courses like this and agencies that offer them.

I can't altogether dismiss your concerns. I saw my mother take care of my twenty-years-older father as his health declined and Alzheimer's took over...not pretty.

But...you never know what's going to happen. A hot, healthy, 25-year-old partner could still die, or become disabled and dependent. Chances are less with a younger partner, but there's no guarantee you won't find yourself a twenty-something widower, or a caregiver, even if you end up with a partner who sees you as the "older guy." Or YOU could be the one who ends up disabled, and your older partner could be taking care of you! Stuff happens, and it can come at you when and where you least expect it. You can't live a life without risks.

This guy is 55--not exactly one-foot-in-the-grave just yet (even if 55 does seem ancient from the perspective of 25). Could you settle for a couple of good decades with a great guy, maybe more, assuming it all works out? That's more than a lot of people ever get. If that's an attractive enough prospect to get you past your fears, then hang in for a while and see where it goes.

For weird, goofy stuff, there's no place like Archie McPhee (Wallingford). It's my go-to place for stocking stuffers, gag gifts, and other silliness.

For something a little less weird, but still kind of interesting and fun, I like the Fireworks Gallery stores (Pioneer Square, Westlake Center, Bellevue Square, University Village, Southcenter, and Sea-Tac). They have a lot of spendy stuff, but there are always a few affordable trinkets to be found.

"Honesty is the best policy'.... usually. But if you really feel (as is often the case) that your current employer will retaliate if they know you're looking, then you're perfectly justified in keeping it to yourself. Even the best employer will be looking out for the good of the organization first, and if they believe that goes counter to your best interests, you lose. You need to take care of yourself and put yourself first, because if you don't, who will?

Hudson on East Marginal in Georgetown, a little south of the West Seattle Bridge--they'll fix you right up. Haven't had a Bloody Mary there, but they tend to make their drinks well, and potent.