I love my puppy.

Tuesday Morning

Well, I have been totally neglecting journaling lately. Work, Master's, and Puppy occupy so much of my time, it's amazing I find time to have a "life" of any kind.

Work and Master's are just that ... necessary and not always tons of fun ... no surprises there.

Puppy, or "Kimbo Slice," as Alex calls her, is growing like a little weed. She's getting bigger and bigger, as is her personality. She's a super-awesome puppy ... can be quite spirited at times, but overall, couldn't ask for a better little dog. Right now it is all about training, and training is all about patience. She's "getting it," though. Sheesh, Alex taught her her how to "Sit" in less than 4 hours!! Girl gots the smarts!

I am happy that it has actually been getting cold here. We've had a few days of Indian Summer, but for the most part, the temperature has actually been dropping. In fact, I think we had our first freeze last night. I definitely felt it when my bare feet hit the hardwood floor this morning. Yikes!

Oops ... must go! The little one is rousing, time to go outside.

Kimber

This is our new puppy, Kimber. She is an Alaskan Malamute, 8 weeks and 3 days old, and I am totally and completely in love with her. She's the funniest, cutest, sweetest, smartest, most precious little thing I have ever seen. I couldn't be happier. :)

C'mon Fall!

Today has been a really good day. We stayed in bed until about noon, then made coffee, waffles, and bacon. It was deeeeee-licious! I've spent couple of hours since cleaning the kitchen just to mess it up again. We are headed to Nikki and Joe's tonight to watch the Tech vs UT game. I'm baking brownies and making some queso in the crock pot. Football and queso go together like peanut butter and jelly - I'm telling you the truth. (I should probably blame Aunt Kay for this.)

I'm excited about the game tonight. I have no idea when I started enjoying football so much, but it has happened. I think it has to do with the hint of Fall creeping in, with the grilling and the excitement. I don't know ... I just really look forward to football season these days.

School so far this semester has is going very well. I'm still trying to do whatever I can do go above and beyond. I am determined to get a good job next school year and graduate (eventually) at the top of my graduate class. I do this so that I can perhaps write my own ticket into a Ph.D. program ... and, of course, a better job once I graduate.

Still trying to think about where I might attempt the Ph.D. I mean, I have plenty of time to suss it out, but I think our discussions are centered around either Austin or Denver. Both have good schools, and both are pretty awesome cities.

Yeah, I'll admit it ... I miss Austin a little. It's a really fantastic city ... even with the horrendous traffic. The food there is top notch, and the atmosphere is just ... cool. The heat, I could definitely do without. I felt like I was dying during the summers ... and I hate not having all four season ... but, even so ... great city, and I do miss living there. (Oh, "Ode to 'Alamo' ...")

I'm also thinking of reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels. I have no idea why I feel inclined to mention that on here, but there it is. We watch Tru Blood like it's some sort of crack, and I hear the books are better than the show. So, I'm going to give it a go. I just need something fun to balance all of the required reading I do for school.

Oops! Buzz go the brownies. Time for me to cool them off, cut them up, get ready, and head out for some at-the-house tailgating. Whoooo-hooooo!!!

(And, P.S., the Jimmy Eat World station on Pandora is the coolest thing since pockets. Seriously ... check it out!)

Basterds, Laundry, & Weddings

Went to see Inglorious Basterds today. The verdict is that it was alright, but could have been better if it were a little shorter. Some funny parts, not at all historically accurate ... but I guess that was probably the point. Anyhoo ... it would probably have been better to wait and watch it on DVD.

I've been cleaning house and doing laundry since returning from the movie. I would much prefer sitting on my duff on the couch and zoning out for a while, but things such as lack of clean clothing and dirty dishes must be attended to somehow. No other time like the present!

Nikki and Joe's wedding was nice yesterday: very non-traditional, very fast ... which I appreciated. I mean, the wedding was definitley BIG and FANCY (make no mistake about that), but the vows and the way it was all done was very much not in the realm of what most would call "milk toast." (Is that even the right expression? Sheesh.)

The reverend who presided over the ceremony is an old friend of Joe's who got ordained in college, but is not the leader of a church or any other religious affiliation, so the vows were very short, sweet, and ... unique. He actually quoted The Ataris ... I thought it was SO COOL! :)

Anyhow, I'm a little wiped out from work, school starting, this wedding's events, and such, but I am incredibly glad that I could be there for Nikki. She has been a great friend to me through the years (almost half of my entire life, yikes), and she deserves to be safe and sound ... and will be with Joe.

I did take note of a few things while watching her plan her wedding, and while hearing her talk of how much work actually goes into a ceremony of that size. The first is that I am just not cut out for a large wedding of my own. The second is that (if and when I get married) I want something very small, very intimate, and very stress-free! Of course, then there would be a very large reception (in the form of a house party) a week or so later ... but, you know, the actual vows and ceremony ... short, sweet, intimate, calm.

I think that the older I get, the more I realize that I just don't want (and could not handle) an extravagant lifestyle of any form or fashion. Some might call it boring, but I think it's nice to keep things as simple as possible. No muss, no fuss. I just want to be happy. The rest doesn't matter too, too much.

Oh, and did I mention that the entire time I've been writing this, some strange man has been knocking on my door incessantly? (Guess he didn't (or can't) read the "No Soliciting" sign clear as the day is long right beside the front door!) It's nearly nightfall and I'm here alone, so I'm a little freaked out. I never know what to do in these kinds of situations ... open the door and try my luck, call the police, sneak out the back door and run.

Ugh! I'll let you know what I decide.

Textbooks and Dresses

I'm knockered. (Meaning: worn completely out!)

School starts tomorrow, and it will be my first night class since I was trying to graduate from high school a year early. (No dinosaur jokes, please ...) The rest of my classes will be on Tuesdays.

Work has been a little crazy this week, but I suppose that can be said of most jobs when all of the paperwork is due. End of the month = never a dull moment.

I've also been convinced to be on the United Way committee this year, which has a kick-off luncheon tomorrow. I'm still very unclear as to what I will actually be doing (such is my life), yet I suppose anything for charity is worth doing.

(Did I say "anything"?! Whoooo ... I'm slipping. Never use words like "anything" ... or "never," for that matter. Whatever.)

Nikki and Joe's wedding is this weekend, and I am a bridesmaid, so it is going to be busy, busy, busy. Rehearsal and dinner Friday evening, wedding on Saturday, reception with open bar to follow. Good times!

I'm also quite thrilled because the dresses are chocolate brown and very much wearable outside of the wedding setting. This pleases me, as so many bridesmaids dresses I have seen in my lifetime are completely grotesque and humiliating.

... And don't even get me started on theme weddings! I mean, seriously! What the ... ?

Well, it's 9:30, and I feel like a grandma today, so I might as well embrace it and go to bed now.

Hope all is well! 'Night.

Buckley

How in the world did I forget the BRILLIANCE that is Jeff Buckley?!?!

I put the 'Grace' CD on last night, and can't stop listening to it. The music mirrors my mood.

Gosh, he was SO GOOD! Such a shame.