Sha la la la la la la

High: Joan is back in my possession and more beautiful than ever! The folks who fixed the panel even detailed her. My graduation present looks just like new!

Low: Mascara Wand meet Eyeball. Eyeball meet Mascara Wand. I bet you can guess who the winner was in that scenario. Um ... OUCH!

What I Learned: It sucks, like, a whole whole lot to not have readily available transportation. And talking on the phone whilst searching for a shirt to wear in the middle of applying mascara is not so smart.

Song of the Day: Send My Love to the Dance Floor, I'll See You In Hell (Hey Mister DJ) by Cobra Starship. (Prepare to shake some major booty without warning.)

Fall is HERE!

Helllllloooooooo, FALL! I would like to officially welcome my most adored season to 2008. Fall is when the crispness in the air arrives, the warm and fuzzies start to grow, and the temperature begins its slow decline into cold.

(Maybe not where I am, but ... that's how Fall should be. I'm going to ignore the possibility of skipping this glorious season entirely in the sauna where I currently reside. If you build it, they will come. Ha!)

I mean, that's what Fall is to me. I am happier and more content in this season than in any other. I can't pinpoint exactly what makes me so giddy, but I just love it. Maybe it's the increasing need for scarves (it's love), the excuse to bust out (and bust on) my favorite boots (flat on the bottom, tall on the top), or the chance that one of these nights, I might go for a walk and actually see my breath.

I like my nose turning red, my cheeks staying pink, and the perfect occasion for drinking hot, hot coffee, delicious chai tea, and creamy hot chocolate. It also doesn't hurt that Fall weather could possibly mean a reason to pull out the heavier blankets and snuggle up in bed (or on the couch) for a day of movies (hell, I'll be agreeable ... even football!).

Oh yeah, and my birthday and Thanksgiving both happen right smack in the middle of the Fall. My birthday is just a day to me these days, to be honest, but growing up (and, fine, even now), my family always made a big deal of birthdays. (Not just of mine, of everyone's.) Hey, it's an excuse to celebrate! And, of course, everyone must know my deep, deep affection for Thanksgiving. You get to eat a lot of great food, there are no presents required (unless you totally want), and the whole family gets together to cook, drink, and be merry! It's beautiful.

Me and Fall, we are like Peas and Carrots:



Yesssssssssssssss ...

Peek-tures!

Today I thought I would test out the picture feature on this thing. I'm trying to get more advanced in the whole technology world, and this seems like something all the cool kids are doing. Plus, pictures are awesome! I insist on picking up my obsession again. Bear with me, I'm new at this part. :)

This is Lime Creek. It's the place in Colorado where Alex, his mom and dad, and I went fishing in July when we were there for a little over a week. I had never been fishing "like that." We drove up, up, up, up, up into the mountains, parked, unloaded the dirt bike and ATV's, then drove down, down, down, down into the middle of one particular mountain to the base of the creek. From there, the boys fished while his mom and I followed with supplies (and cameras, of course). The mosquitoes were the craziest things I've ever seen ... HUGE and plentiful. But, we managed to keep them at bay with spray. (That rhymes.) Anyhow, that day is one of my best memories so far from the year. The mountain was beautiful and we all had a really good time. Plus, I got to drive the ATV the 7 miles back up the mountain with his dad on the back. I'm not talking about paved roads with rails here. I'm talking rocks and dirt and skinny paths and ditches and massive drop-downs off to the side. I was a little timid at first, but put my big girl panties on towards the end and kicked up the pace. It was fun!! And, let me just say, the shower at the end of the day was the best one I've ever had. 14 hours on a mountain was diiiiiirty!


Of the day, this one is my favorite picture. I think this was at about Hour 7 in the foliage. We both look like the biggest nerds in the world, but I just love it! Maybe that's why. Because we look like nerds. (Yes, I am wearing 2 hats and no make-up.) Oh, and that's Alex. And you are correct, he's completely amazing.


This is one from this past New Year's Eve. (I wish it wasn't blurry, but you take what you can get.) We celebrated here in Austin at a place on 6th Street called The Barcelona. It was sweet because we all just paid a blanket cover for the evening, and had an open bar for the rest of the night. We ended up springing for the VIP area as well, so we had our own, personal waitress. In the end, I think there were about 10 or 12 of us there. While I don't remember every detail of the night, I do remember that it as my best NYE yet, we all got silly and danced, and that we all managed to drink our weights in tequila. Loved it! Every minute of it.


And this is my family from my graduation last December. What a day! It was full of tears and laughter and tears through laughter. My family is so important to me. My mom is ... well ... my mom, my friend, and my checkpoint. Kay is just wonderful. I miss them a lot, a lot. The holidays this year should be really special. Not only because it will be the first that I will be "coming home" from actually not living there, but also because we will have a little wee one this Christmas! Melanie is due on November 16th, so little Corinne will be spending her first Christmas in Lubbock. Wow.


Speaking of Christmas, last year, I think my family had the most fun we've ever had on any holiday, ever! For whatever reason, we all got goofy and started acting a fool. Crystal, my oldest cousin, was running through the kitchen, diving, and having Melanie, Mark, and I catch her. Aunt Charlotte captured it on film, and I think it could be my favorite photo of the four of us together.



Heidi and Courtni! I have known Courtni since I was 2 years old, and I've known Heidi for a very long time as well. We finally became great friends when she and I worked together this for a year or so before I graduated college. These girls will be my friends for the rest of my life, and I just love them to pieces. Good friends make all the difference.


This one is from last Halloween. Melissa (my roommate) and I made these peasant costumes with my mom's help. It as such an accomplished feeling to finish those costumes. My mom helped us quite a bit, but we actually did the majority of it ourselves. We didn't wear them for as long as we would have like, though. We went to a Halloween party, then went back to my house and drank a bit. Still, it was a good time ... and now I have a last-minute costume should the occasion arise. (Maybe I could even talk Alex into putting on some tights and accompanying me. HA! Not freaking likely.)


From my 26th birthday. I miss my Kala! I've known her since I was 15 or 16. We were talking about how long we've known each other when we were in Dallas for that concert a few weekends ago. We made it through a lot there in the early years of friendship. The trick is we supported each other through it all. That's key. She's a GREAT friend, and I honestly don't know what I would do without her.


From Jersey Boys weekend in Dallas in late July. I had never seen the play before, and it was amazing! (For those of you who don't know the premise, it is about Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. I didn't realize that they sang so many well-known, truly great songs!) Alex had seen it on Broadway the last time he was in New York, but it was his favorite, so he didn't mind seeing it again. It was nice to meet everyone out of town and have a little mini-vacation together. I think that's actually the last time we were all together at the same time.


And, finally, 3 of my very favorite people in the entire world! Alex, Aunt Kay, and my mom. This is one was taken on Aunt Kay's birthday, when we stopped through on the way back from our 10 days in New Mexico with Alex's family this summer. Norbert was cooking and we were taking a break from presents and cards. I have a lot of really great pictures from that weekend, but I think this one is my favorite. It is framed right by my side of the bed. :)

Okay, so I should stop now. I have a ton of pictures, but wanted to experiment with some of my favorites. You have now seen what is most important to me in the world. Missing are my sister (I'll have a lot next weekend, though), my Norbert, and my dad. I'll include all of them a little later. As I said, I'm saving my sister for ACL weekend. So ready!

I said "favorite" a whole lot in this post. Oh well, it's Friday!!!!!

"Wait for all I am ..."

I think it was Colin Hay whose album was titled Waiting For My Real Life To Begin. I feel a lot like that these days. Like I'm "waiting for" ... something ... to happen, to surprise me, to snap me out of or in to ... something. I'm sure it will all change one day and I will forget these thoughts ever even entered my far-too-over-thinking mind. My problem is that I do have too much time to think, and that my thoughts are leading me down the same path of frustration, assessing that I thought I would (personally) be so much more than this by now.

As Martin de Maat said, "You are pure potential!"

I know it will change, and things can only continue to get better and better. I truly believe this. I am definitely thankful for what I do have. (Maybe it's just the human condition to always want more?) Even so, the ruts will be conquered and the monotony will give way to purpose. (It's up to me, I know this much as well.) "All things in time ..." It's what keeps me moving forward in my life, not regressing backward.

Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should ... - Max Erhmann

(Listening to: Forever May You Run by Gavin Rossdale.)

Ike & a full year!

So, Ike did nothing here. We didn't even get any rain. This was a tad disappointing to me. I was all geared up for some heavy rain on Saturday; it didn't even spit. We had a few clouds in the morning and a breeze for a bit, but nothing I could even classify as actual "wind" coming from where I do.

(Of course, I didn't want anything devastating from Ike. That would have been awful. Just a little rain, please. Thought I'd clear that up before I move on.)

So, we just hung out most of the weekend. Nothing too exciting. I cooked a lot, we watched some movies, some TV, figured out the true badass-ness that is the Wii, downloaded some old school games (I'm talking Super Mario Bros. here), and ran around just a bit.

This weekend did mark a year of Alex and I knowing each other. Not officially "an item" yet (that would be sometime in November, I believe), but just introductions and "getting to know you, getting to know all about you" stuff. (I so very much know I am a loser, okay.) I feel like it was so long ago, yet so recent. Bizarre! The year, as all of time these days, seems to have literally zoomed by. Seriously so, so weird.

Funny where life takes you, isn't it? It's never quite what you predict, or how you picture it in your head. And I do mean that in the best of ways in this instance.

Other than that, things have been pretty low-key lately. Not too many exciting things happening right now. Just regular, ol' day-to-day. The highlight of my week will be (finally!) taking my car in to the body shop to get it fixed. It's been dented a slight, slight bit with some paint scratches since April. (Too, freakin' long, if you ask me.)

I had been the proud owner of Joan (Jetta) for only 5 months when some idiot ran into me while trying to park in the spot next to mine. If it weren't for the very nice man in the Subway right next door, I never would have known, as Alex and I were in Chipotle grabbing lunch and never saw the incident. The little jerk wasn't even going to tell us he had hit us! Whatever. I am now able to get it fixed, so this is good news! I will be car-less for a few days, but it's all good.

I'll leave you all with a (a rather disturbing) fun fact: the original color of Coke was green. Um ... ew.

YouTube is too entertaining!

Well, this just had disaster written all over it. A bucket ... on a platform?! You've got to be kidding me ...




Maybe I'm cruel, but this just makes me laugh ... and laugh ... and then laugh some more ...




And this guy just needs a hug ...

Eleven on the Twelfth

1. I'm feeling a sudden burst of motivation to 'Dive in and do!' I can't decide if it's the incredibly strong pot of coffee I made (and proceeded to drink the majority of) this morning, or if I am just now discovering that I have a ton of stuff I could be doing in lieu of this recent, very boring situation I find myself immersed in (no 'real' job, no 'real' responsibilities).

2. List of what I plan to 'Dive in and do!': A. My new-ish digital camera (very high-tech, very swanky) that I got for my BIG graduation present in December. I haven't read the manual and figured it out yet, and I should. I love, and I do mean LOVE taking pictures. It's time to start. B. Photoshop. I have the hand-me-down Mac from my mom's shop, which is still super-duper nice. It has all sorts of interesting applications. Time to go! C. Speaking of ... the cards I started working on a while back and discarded (hahahahahaha ... get it? DisCARDed!) when things went nuts my last semester of college. D. The GRE! Nuff said. E. The book. Again, nuff said. F. Coloring. Seriously. I love it! I don't do it enough. And my mom, in an act of sheer silliness, bought me the biggest, 3-tier thingy of crayons I've ever seen. It's glorious, too pretty to be broken in, but begging to be used. G. Painting! I'm no good at it, but I adore it in ways I'm not comfortable discussing. H. Scrapbooking! Okay, so, it's a little hokey. I get it. Still, I'm going to do it. I have a three-drawer tupperware chalk-full of supplies to get the things I have stock-piled from my past organized and put in coherent order. May as well, right? Right.

3. Whew. That is A LOT of stuff. My head is spinning already.

4. I also very much want to figure out the widgets (is that the technical term?) for all of the fancy features on this blog. I would love to include some photos, I am figuring out how to put music up, and I also have one of those totally cheesy voice recorders (had to buy it for a class a while back and it actually comes in handy while driving and whatnot). I figure I could put up some voice posts from time to time. Might be weird, but who cares? Fly your freak flag proudly!

5. I have no clue if Hurricane Ike is headed our way, or if it will skirt us like the 3 previous have; however, I am prepared! Movies, food, water, candles, flashlights, and games! Just in case. And the funny part is that I didn't even have to buy too, very much to be "prepared." It just happened that I had it most of it here. Strange, but true. And I am also very pleased that I filled up on gas last night, instead of today. Because so many of the evacuees are being guided here, 'they' were saying on the news a bit earlier that the entire city may be bone dry (gasoline-wise) by this evening. Freaky.

6. It's time to get going on that sewing machine my mom gave me to keep here. I've been slightly intimidated by using it without her expertise in the same vicinity, but it is definitely time to conquer the beast. Be smarter than the machine. You get the idea. I'll start small first, then work my way up. Must walk before you can run. Remember that. ;)

7. I had a 2 1/2 hour writing test for a job with the Texas Legislature on Wednesday morning at 8am. It's one I applied for online on a total whim. The session here in The Capitol starts in January, and they are in need to folks to fill spots in the Bill Analysis Unit. If hired, I would start mid-October and would work until the session ends on June 2nd. From my understanding, I would be proof-reading, editing, and summarizing bills for the higher-ups. They said my English major is a huge bonus, so we will see. I would love to get the job. It pays well, would be interesting, and I wouldn't have to worry about quitting before I start my Master's because the job would end about 2 weeks prior. Seems perfect. I'm crossing my fingers, but won't know anything for a few weeks.

8. Subbing kind of sucks. I don't mind it too, too much. I did think I would have my own class by now, though, so teaching others' kids on a random, different from day-to-day basis isn't exactly my fav rave. I will continue to do it (when there are jobs available, that is) until I find something else, of course. I'd just rather either have my own class, or, as I said, do something entirely different. I need more of a purpose. I get stir-crazy quite easily ... and these past few months have not been the keenest in controlling the urge.

9. It's mid-September-ish ... already! I cannot believe how quickly time is flying by. I'll be 27 in about a month. 27!!!! Obviously, I knew I would be getting older and older as the days persist, I just thought when I was younger that ages such as those in the late-20's (and early 30's, even) were so far away. Now it is here. The weird thing is that I don't feel (almost) 27 ... whatever that is supposed to feel like. I feel like I've grown up for the most part, but I don't feel any differently than I than any other time I remember. Maybe that is because change is subtle. Some might even say sneaky.

10. I said it before, but really ... I'm totally stuck on Sweet and Low by Augustana right now. Also, Detriot Waves by Matt Nathanson, Live To Be Free by Griffin House, I'd Rather Be With You by Joshua Radin, Love Remains the Same by Gavin Rossdale (yes, the one on that cheesy trailer), and Sidedish Friend by Rachael Yamagata are all great songs.

11. Remember ... make out, not war (way more fun in my estimation) ... and, as always, be kind to one another. :)