Month of July, 2001

Last Day Today is my

Last Day
Today is my last day here. It will be my last day of posting to my blog all day, last day of surfing the internet mindlessly for hours while still collecting money, last day of uncomfortable conversation with coworkers, last day of waking up at 4am and dragging myself to work. This is the last day of a job that changed my life in a major way. The last day of the past 8 months which has moved me in a direction I never thought I'd go. Change is always a good time to reflect.

Too bad I don't particularly feel like reflecting right now. I just want to go home.

That's what it's called! "Booyas"

That's what it's called!
"Booyas" are the sort of energetic, earnest business people that can say the term "Booya" and not be the slightest bit sarcastic. They wear preppy shirts, make 'contacts', have screensavers of golf courses, drive sparkling SUV's, and think Austin Powers impressions and beer-holders in the shape of tits are really, really funny. The Man Show was designed for Booyas."
- Squirrel Bait

Making Peace Mena posted this

Making Peace
Mena posted this on her page and I got totally sucked in. It's a good story about a soldier who has made peace.

Quote of the Day "As

Quote of the Day
"As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death."
-Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

Thanks, Sarah, for sending this one. Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Sorry I missed it.

P's and Q's

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."
- Thanks, Kenna, for answering my question.

Blogdex Apparently there's a new

Blogdex
Apparently there's a new tracker which is specific to Blogger. It tracks the links that bloggers link. I'm not explaining it very well. Go read this.
- Thanks Redcricket for the heads up.

I'm going home. The is my second to the last unproductive day at Big Blue. Thank goodness.

Blog-a-thon Mena blogged her ass

Blog-a-thon
Mena blogged her ass off this weekend to raise money for guide dogs. It's good reading! Check it out. http://www.dollarshort.org/blogathon/

Humans for Sale? According to

Humans for Sale?
According to humanforsale.com, I'd be worth "exactly: $1,516,108.00." Am I really worth that much?! But what I really want to know is how they calculate this number!

Trip Highlights On the way

Trip Highlights

• On the way down to Austin, I was reminiscing about Gabe and Robert, two best friends that Summer and I had a fling with years and years ago. Ironically, I ran into Robert (aka. Roberto) at the bagel place Saturday morning. Cosmic.

• Tube standing is definitely a highlight of toobing.
• Beer and toobing is good. Next time I'm going to drink a whole lot more of it.
• Rocking R bus drivers are CRAZY. I think that next summer I'm gonna get a weekend job. I could handle driving a bunch of crazy, drunk, wet people around!
• I definitely need a straw hat next time I float the river. They just look so TEXAS!
• When we went toobing as kids, I don't recall that many drunk people. I think I was just oblivious. Saturday there weren't too many obnoxiously drunk people, but I had to wonder about the couple who flipped out of their tubes and could barely stand up in the 12 inch deep water.
• Wet lighters don't work.
• We got to watch some interesting group dynamics while floating. There's always that one person who talks a lot but everyone wishes would shut up. In one group we passed, it was this girl who had to tell everyone about her bad mushroom experience. All I caught was something about seeing "bugs crawling under her skin."
• Looking at half naked guys is fun!
• Looking at half naked girls is fun!
• Being half naked is fun!
• Made it to the tiki bar, Oceans 11, in Austin. It wasn't nearly as swank as I had hoped but considering it's the only tiki bar I can access right now, it will have to do. I didn't drink the flaming ceramic bowl drink simply because I didn't know the name. Next time I'm going to do some research before we go.
• Greg still needs a hair cut. At least he admitted to thinking about cutting it as it's becoming more mullet-like every day.
• Greg brought his friend, Jeff, who is working on his MCSE cert. Ironically, Jeff taught high school for a brief time just like me. And just like me, he moved into the computer industry. I enjoyed talking with him a lot. The cosmicness of the situation is he went to the same high school I taught in. Small world.
• I had the epiphany that I HAD met Chris before ... it was just when I was 16 years old. Naturally I forgot. But how could I forget the green hair?!
• Saturday night we ended up at Texture, which is the coolest dance club I've been to in Austin, as of yet. I was totally infatuated with the lighting guy. Well, I don't know about "totally" but there's something appealing about a guy behind two computer screens, in the dark, with techno pumping in the background, who's controlling the visuals for the whole club. Very cool job.
• Tiger went with us and was no trouble at all. I'm glad to have such a good dog.
• The drive back on Sunday made for the perfect time to think. More details to come...as if you'd expect anything less!

Home Sweet Home Back from

Home Sweet Home
Back from an incredible weekend in Austin. It's so nice to get away for a few days, see good friends, float down a river in an innertube, drink, and dance. Friday evening Karen and I showed up at Autumn and Ky's place. I was too tired to go out so we just talked for awhile then went to bed. Everyone was up early. Ky left to go climbing so the girls had breakfast. Mmmm, Einsteins Bagels...Arlington needs one! We hung out until Jackie and Dustin got in from Dallas. Then we picked up Dave in San Marcos and headed to the river in New Braunfels. I left the directions at home so it took longer than necessary to get to the right spot. We FINALLY got in the water and had a wonderful time floating in the Guadalupe River. Saturday night went out drinking and dancing with Karen, Dave, Jackie, Dustin, Chris, Todd, Greg, Jeff, Matt, and Russel. What happened to the days of just Autumn and I sitting at the bar together all night? Didn't sleep long enough Sunday morning before breakfast and driving back to Arlington. So I went to bed plenty early last night in order to get up for work. Let me add that today is the second to the last day I have to wake up at 4am for work! The end is in sight!!!

Austin or Bust Road trip

Austin or Bust
Road trip to Austin this weekend! Karen and I are going down to see Autumn and Ky. The much anticipated tube trip down the Guadalupe will be on Saturday. Jackie, Dustin, and Dave will be joining us for the tube adventure. Hopefully I'll be able to meet Chris and Todd while I'm down there also. Fun, fun, fun! Wish Kristen could come along too but she's being a good friend and going to a baby shower. I'm looking forward to a relaxing, stress-free weekend. The biggest decision I hope to make this weekend will be what shoes to wear in the river.

Out on a Thursday Night?!

Out on a Thursday Night?! Scandalous!
Yes, believe it or not, I went out on a week night! I stayed up way too late and I am tired yet satisfied. I went over to Brian U.'s apartment and we caught up on each other's lives. Brian is so smart and beautiful and charming and successful. It was good to see him again. We went out for a lovely dinner. Margaritas are good. But why do I always get a headache later? Tequila is not my liquor of choice...but margaritas taste SO good. After dinner hung out on the couch. The awesome 70's couch that is as old as Brian. His mother used to sleep on it when she was pregnant with him. Brian told wonderful stories all night. Yesterday was a day of stories. It was strangely nice to lay on the couch and watch TV. I should try that more often. I didn't want to leave, but it kept getting later and later. Kristen called to check up on me since it was late and I was still out. It's so nice to have people care and wonder where you are. Eventually I drove myself home. It was late. I was dreading getting up this morning. It wasn't that bad because Tiger woke me up about 2 hours early to tell me he needed to go outside. (Why can't he just use a toilet? He's tall enough.) So after letting him out, I slept a few more hours but never got into a deep sleep which made getting up this morning bearable.

Quote of the Day Guys

Quote of the Day
Guys are in a permanent state of nonreadiness. If guys were turkey breasts, you could put them in a 350-degree oven on July Fourth, and they still wouldn't be done in time for Thanksgiving.
- Dave Barry

Thanks, Zack, for this bit of enlightenment on a Friday morning.

Summer's Story "Oh - I

Summer's Story
"Oh - I have a classic story about the [wedding] gifts we have been getting ... We received a "How to handle you marriage & finances - the Biblical method" yesterday! It came with 4 booklets, 2 audio cassettes and "Jesus-approved" software for our PC. Greg opened the first booklet and read "Describe how you will change your habits now that you know what the work of God has to say about credit cards?" I must have skipped the sermon where Jesus' mountain top Credit Card epiphany was revealed.... Needless to say Greg was speechless and to top it all off - she wrote a letter to me and told me to take head to the "Wives submit to your husbands..." scripture! I almost died."

Thank you, Summer!

Stories, Stories, Stories Today has

Stories, Stories, Stories
Today has been a day of stories! Two of my friends have written me stories explaining one event in their lives that was significant. Interesting how these things came up in "conversation" and both came back to me in email. I absolutely, completely love stories! Especially true ones! So if you've got a story, send it to me, or direct me to one you've loved!

Bored, Bored, Bored There's nothing

Bored, Bored, Bored
There's nothing worse than knowing you're leaving a job soon and having nothing to do in the meantime. I'm so bored I'm actually creating work for myself. Isn't it Friday yet? I guess I'm back to the HTML drawing board. Or maybe a new poll is in order.

Comments

I can't believe it's only

I can't believe it's only Thursday. I'm exhausted and just want to have the weekend to lay around...specifically in an inner tube on the Guadalupe.

Last night I spent some time with Jason, who I haven't seen in at least a month. It's strange how different our lives have become in such a short time. And though Jason is the same person he's also not. Maybe I'm just seeing him in a different light. It's hard for me that he's not happy yet not really sad either. He's in that completely neutral phase where life is just a day by day existence. It's hard for me to understand because I don't live like that. I don't think I could ever live like that. I'm programmed differently - I'm "too responsible." It was good to see Jason. It was wonderful to talk because with Jason I can talk about anything. There's a comfort level which I don't have with too many other people. Yet at the same time, it's difficult to spend time with Jason. My emotions are very up and down in regards to him. I wish I understood myself. But I'm glad I got to see him. It was good even if it was a little hard.

It's a shame the evening ended with a parking ticket.

DJ, play my song...continued Karen's

DJ, play my song...continued
Karen's song when she enters a room would be "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals.
Ernie's song is "Body Beautiful" by Salt-n-Pepper.

I'm in full agreement with both!

Why is it considered bad

Why is it considered bad luck to spill salt?
"We take salt for granted now, but it was once considered very valuable (after all, without it your food is terribly bland). In ancient Rome, the seasoning was so precious that soldiers were given special allowances for salt rations, called "salarium." That's how we got our modern-day word - "salary." Since salt was so valuable, it was bad luck to spill it. If you did so, you were supposed to throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder to nullify the bad luck. (More trivia - In Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting, The Last Supper, you can see that Judas has spilled the table salt. It's the artist's way of foreshadowing the tragedy that is about to follow."
- Thanks, Adam!

DJ, play my song "I

DJ, play my song
"I love how baseball players get a song played when they come up to bat. But why should only baseball players get a song? I want the KLF's "Last Train to Trancentral" when I arrive at work; Sparks' "Falling in Love with Myself Again" when I write a clever program; Robbie Williams' "Rock DJ" when I walk into any room."
- *ben, in perl

Cats Cats jump on house-guests

Cats

Cats jump on house-guests
when they're trying to sleep;
they walk on their faces
and nibble their feet.

Didn't anyone pass English? Grammar

Didn't anyone pass English?
Grammar Soup
link via Dollarshort

Comments

5 more days So including

5 more days
So including today I'll be here only 5 more days. It's such a relief. So far everyone here has been wonderful upon hearing about the job change. Of course they understand that this change is in my best interest. And with things so slow here, it's not putting anyone out.

Yesterday was one big rollercoaster for me. I played phone tag with the human resources director. Since she called, I expected a job offer. Finally, near the end of the business day, she called with an offer. It was exactly what I wanted. I immediately accepted. I couldn't believe what an easy decision it was and how right it felt. When I was getting out of college and looking for a teaching job, I got two offers in one week. I had such a tough time making a decision - nothing felt right. In comparison, this is so right. Just a few weeks ago I was saying that I wanted a job with a better salary, normal hours, younger co-workers, and the opportunity to move up. This job is all those things! "Ask and you shall receive."

Communication
Women communicate differently than men. Last night I went to visit my friend, Susie, and see the new house she just had built. The house is gorgeous and everything she wanted. I'm so happy for her. Through the course of the evening, we talked about many things but it occurred to me that our conversation mostly came back to our relationships with other people. I guess I haven't been talking to women enough because this struck me as oddly wonderful. What a wonderful night I had!

I GOT THE JOB! !

I GOT THE JOB! ! !
The best part, according to Keith, is "not getting up before the butt-crack of dawn anymore!" I'd tell you the details, but it's not very exciting and I'm exhausted. It's amazing how much energy one can expend being excited about the future. I haven't been this excited in well over a year. Thank goodness life is a cycle and I'm finally getting out of that down turn. One whole year later...

Quote of the Day "Love

Quote of the Day
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come."
- Matt Groening

Comments

Phone Frenzie For about an

Phone Frenzie
For about an hour last night I was like a chicken with my head cut off. It was like everyone wanted my attention all at once. It wasn't until an hour later that I realized my attention span was horrible and no one really got the attention they deserve. I was on the computer with Dave trying to have a conversation. Then Jason called (which was realy nice since we haven't talked in a couple weeks...it's strange how separate our lives have become when at one time they were so parallel...but that's something else entirely). So for a couple minutes I tried to chat with Dave, talk to Jason, and post a pic of Kristen and Bentley. Needless to say, no one had my attention. But I did still manage to get the post right. At about the same time my parents came over. I tore myself away from the computer and my parents to concentrate on Jason briefly. I think we're getting together on Wednesday for an early movie...Final Fantasy? Then I focused on my parents. Now that I'm not living with them, we don't have a chance to just hang out after work and catch up with each other. I miss that. Since they were really tired and hungry they didn't stay long. Dad was joking that they stopped by for a random landlord check - luckily we passed! I got back to Dave for a little bit then Dustin called. Now I feel really bad because I had absolutely no attention span for Dustin. I should have asked if I could call him back but instead I stayed on the phone completely distracted. I'll have to call him today so we can have a real conversation. Anyhow, Dave and I finished our conversation and I was completely exhausted. It suddenly hit me that I had way too many things going and my brain couldn't keep up. What's wrong with me? Stuff like that used to be a breeze. When I was teaching, I could answer 2 or 3 questions being thrown at me at the same time AND still know what "Johnny" was doing in the back of the room. Now it seems like I've lost my touch. I really believe that it's this job. Being stuck at a desk for 8 hours with nothing to do has dulled me. I really hope I get the new one.

Speaking of which, human resources called yesterday. I fear that if I say too much I will curse myself but I should quit being so superstitious. I am in control of my own life and journaling about a phone conversation is not going to keep me from a job. Anyhow, HR called and said that she heard my interview went well and that she wanted to know how interested in the position I was. Of course, I explained that I felt it would be perfect for me, that I liked who I'd be working with, and that I really like the company. Apparently one of the interviewers felt I would "be good for the company." WOW. So she needed my references and said we'd talk again. Needless to say I was exstatic. I did the happy-dance all over the house! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am at the prospect of getting a job offer. I'll be learning something new that will hopefully be challenging (at least at first), I'll be working with younger people, I'll have the opportunity to excell and move up in the company. It's everything I've been dreaming about except that I don't get to work from home (but it's for the best...I don't want to be a complete hermit). Now, I realize that I still might not get it and I'm trying to be level-headed about the whole thing. But I really can't imagine I'd get a bad reference. I always mind my P's and Q's. (You know, what the hell does that mean anyhow?)

How many Brian's do you know?
Got an unexpected phone call from Brian U. last night. We probably haven't talked in 6 months but he said he was thinking about me and picked up the phone. I love it when people do that. I'm just glad he told me his last name because you know how many Brian's I know, or rather, have known over the course of my life?!

Interview Update Human Resources called

Interview Update
Human Resources called today and wanted my references! I've got a good feeling about this!

They breed weird people up

They breed weird people up there
I've never been into space as much as some people. Guess the idea of a huge place where it's dark and you can't breathe just isn't too appealing. Then there's that reoccurring dream I have about being stuck in the middle of nowhere that isn't really anywhere...tough to explain. Anyhow, Adam just told me the other day that he's always loved space and would definitely go given the chance (even if it meant not coming back). Which is why he made me read this article on the Rocket Man.

Chris's Dream Interpretation "wandering around

Chris's Dream Interpretation
"wandering around a big mysterious place with so many options.. and you feel that you have a need to communicate your story to strangers...hmmm.. I think a vacation is in order with Doug..someplace fun.. where you can just be yourselves... and no one will know if you are crazy.. then you need to come back and tell the world... "

Thank you, Chris!
Ironically, Doug might be going on the road trip to Austin this weekend. And don't worry, I'll come back and tell everyone about it.

Drawing I was thinking about

Drawing
I was thinking about drawing just now. I've had a deep-seeded need to draw the past few days. I can't believe that last year I was teaching high schoolers how to draw (among other things). I learned an amazing amount about drawing by teaching it. Interesting how that works. Actually, I learned an amazing amount about myself through teaching in general. Sometimes I miss it, like today, but most of the time I don't. Though I'm probably only missing it because I want to do some drawing myself. The only down time I would have in school was during a long project and the kids just needed time to work, I could pull out my own art and work. I've got a pretty hilarious self-portrait somewhere done that way.

Perspective was always fun to teach. It usually took students a little longer to figure it out, but I think many of them enjoyed the fact there was a "right" and "wrong" way. Art is so subjective that some students would get frustrated, but perspective is extremely clear cut. I always enjoyed it because of the level of precision required. I've always had a side of me that loves to be anal about detail. (This is probably one of the reasons I liked doing jewelry work...small pieces, very controlled, repetition.) I can remember learning how to draw in perspective in 4th grade when Katy Louis's grandmother came and did a special art class for us. (I went to a small private school that didn't have art for elementary students.) I think I drew a picture of a road going through the desert with a fence and telephone lines running next to it.

All is Quiet I'm at

All is Quiet
I'm at work, it's early, and it's quiet. Woke up this morning with a slight memory of my dreams. I was in an old hotel up in the mountains which had many secret passageways. Doug and I were trying to find our ay around when we stumbled upon an old costume room. It had all these amazingly elaborate costumes and a beautiful vanity for makeup. Somehow we also found our way back out. In the attempt to track someone (who knows who it was) down, we ended up in the lobby which was huge. I started telling a perfect stranger about my experiences and he looked at me like I was losing my mind. I quickly retreated. Now, of course, I'm wondering what this all means. Any ideas?

Friday night
The family got together for dinner...mmm, TexMex! Then we spent many, many hours in Home Depot gathering materials. It was exhausting but a lot of fun as well. I grabbed a few pics. Kristen and I decided to stay home as it had already been an eventful night. So we rented Unbreakable. I really enjoyed the comic book twist as well as Samuel Jackson's costuming. I thought it was interesting that someone chose to keep the comic book twist a secret while marketing this movie. Were they afraid to scare off the general public? Or maybe they just figured out that people don't want the trailer to give away the whole movie! After the movie I had all the intentions of getting a good night's rest. Which of course meant that I stayed up way late talking on the phone.

Saturday
Tiger woke me up earlier than I wanted. But Kristen went out and got kolaches which made for a great morning. Mom and Dad came over fairly early as well. The women went to Kristen's apartment to finish packing and moving her stuff. There really wasn't too much to do so it went quickly. Dad stayed at the house and installed recessed lighting in the bathrooms. He worked really hard all day, and they look really good! I snuck off for a little nap before helping Mom prepare a presentation for the travel club. She learned the basics of scanning pictures!

Early that evening, Adam and I enjoyed the benefits of video chat. We can't hang out since we live in different cities and it's just too far for one night. Instead of driving all that way, we got goofy on the computer. Sure it started off as a normal conversation and I didn't realize anything was going to get weird until Adam came back with an army helmet on. Which of course led me to grab some blue-tinted glasses. Everything just got wackier from there, but it was hilarious! Guess you had to be there. I can only imagine what we looked like - Karen walked by the office, looke at me, and quiet casually said, "Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Of course I pleaded sane and blamed it on Adam. Lucky for me, he was still wearing the army hat.

Saturday night I went out to Dallas to hang out with Dustin and "the crew." Dustin and I went off by ourselves for dinner which gave us an excellent chance to talk. I really like Dustin, feel comfortable talking with him openly and honestly. It's so nice to have a a real friendship developing. After dinner we went to Soul 2 Soul with Billy, Blake, Jackie, and Adrian. Ran into Shannon and Laura there as well. It was hot as hell so we didn't do too much dancing. Sat outside on the patio and watched people. I really, really enjoyed this aspect of the evening. It was so typically Dallas. Everyone was dressed up, trying to impress. Men and women were flirting. It was all very entertaining. Later everyone went back to Dustin's and took a 2am swim. Overall, the evening was really nice and chill. The only crappy part is driving back to Arlington when it's late and I'm tired.

Sunday Shopping Circus
Kristen and I went shopping for groceries. It was scary how much stuff we bought. Just take a look at our freezer! Hopefully we will not have to do such a crazy adventure again anytime soon. My pocketbook would definitely not be able to handle a second round. It's so exciting to have food. I actually brought my lunch to work today. Though I'm not going to tell you what it is for fear of sounding like a girl. If you really knew me, you'd know I don't eat like a bird. Of course, the real excitement on Sunday was buying a Wacom Graphire. I haven't had enough time to play with it just yet but I'm already amazed at what I can now do. Though it's going to take a little while to get used to using it. I wish I had learned to use a computer with a pen and pad rather than a mouse. But then again, I wish I had learned how to write with a paintbrush rather than a pencil.

Quote of the Day "There's

Quote of the Day
"There's some new show on fox - "Love Cruise." Looks like a winner. Didn't i say something about the fall of the American Empire?"
Adam

Big Hair

Big Hair

He's Back! Dave: oh yeah

He's Back!

Dave: oh yeah
Me: is that sarcasm?
Dave: no, it's overwhelming stoke-ed-ness

How could I not miss a man who talks like that?

Interview Report So the interview

Interview Report
So the interview went really, really well in my opinion. I don't want to curse it by saying too much. But even if I don't get this job, I'm happy. I'll know something by the end of next week.

Comments

Goodies for things going badly?

It's Friday and what a day it's been already! A software change went out last night but it didn't go out right. So when I came in this morning, one of our servers was down...an "internal server error." Sounds bad (not as bad as "failure") but couldn't they be more creative in naming it? Like "software suicide" or "hardware hernia" or "server sickness" or "admin addle" ... I'm in an alliteration mood at the moment. Anyhow, things went poorly with change but they managed to bandage everything up even if the system is still in pieces. I know they're all thankful it's Friday and they've got all weekend to work on a fix. The interesting part is I'm currently eating a bagel that my manager brought as a reward for the change. Too bad it didn't work. But I'll sit here and enjoy my bagel because I worked hard this morning (starting at 5:30am) to find out the status of everything and to inform the right individuals.

Why does my job suddenly get interesting when I finally have an interview somewhere else?

Yes, today is the big day. Interview at 2pm. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'm just going to do the best that I can. If it's right, it's right. You'll know as soon as I know.

Apparently Adrian is in town this weekend. Blake's friend that I met in New Orleans. I think there's talk of a shin-dig which probably involves dancing but I'm not sure I'm up for it. I'd like to see Adrian but it's going to be a long day. After the interview, I'm going to help Kristen pack the rest of her apartment so we can move it tomorrow morning (before it gets hot). Then tomorrow afternoon I will help my mother prepare a Powerpoint presentation for her travel club meeting. So being out late doesn't sound like a good plan. But from the mood I've been in recently, I'll probably go out anyhow.

Slow day at work..speeding home

It's been a slow day at work so I finally went back and read JR's archives. It's taken me all afternoon and he hasn't been writing all that many months. I'm afraid I post more often than he does...so whatever you do, DON'T GO BACK AND READ THE ARCHIVES! God only knows how many days you could waste doing that. And I don't think it would be good for your eyes. I think I'm going blind at the moment. As far as JR is concerned, I can't decide if I like him or hate but I enjoy reading him. Mostly I'm glad I'm not 21 anymore.

The movers are coming for Kristen this afternoon. Well, they're coming for her stuff. Since I'm "supervising" (which really means paying for it) maybe I'll take some pics. Hey, at least I don't have to carry that big ass coffee table down her stairs! Good luck guys, whoever you are, you're going to need it!

Oh yeah, and Dave's back! I missed him more than I want to admit.

The Six Things That Attract Women

*according to a man*

1) Means (Wealth, possessions, gifts to them or providing for them)
2) Power (Influence, Leadership, provide safety)
3) Fame
4) Looks (Including height)
5) Exclusivity (Royalty, already married, hard to get, affiliation)
6) Personality (Humor, creativity, romance, intelligence, mystique etc.)

This is my favorite quote from this page. "Now, numbers one through five are largely out of your immediate control. If you're not rich, you're probably not going to get rich this week. If you're not famous or tall, you're probably not going to be in a hit movie or grow 6 inches in the next 24 hours. So that leaves us with number six, PERSONALITY." No kidding, Sherlock?! Who clued you in? And the really funny part is that this guy is trying to sell an ebook on dating!

I can't speak for all women, but you know what I really want? Someone who is honest about who they are.

Here's another bad one. ""I've tried probably 50 different types of 'lines' and I've found that the simple ones work the best. If I'm in an environment that has a lot of people, and I'm with a friend, I like to start by asking a woman for her 'opinion' on something. My latest favorite: "Hey, let me ask you a question. My friend and I were talking about something, and I think we need a female perspective�" (This is a killer, by the way. It's taken me a long time to figure this one out� but it kicks ass). Then I say "I was just looking on the internet� and do you know that the average woman in America is 5' 4", weighs 150 pounds, and wears a size 14?" They usually grab the ball and take off into the conversation with just that."

You know, I could be weird but I don't really want to discuss the average weight of American women when I'm out on a Saturday night. There's just something wrong with this guy's perspective on women. Like we're something to be caught. Am I the only one left believing that some people click and some people don't? It shouldn't be that much work.

Bits of Trivia Thanks Adam

Bits of Trivia
Thanks Adam for the enlightenment this morning!

Does chocolate promote tooth decay?
"You can munch away - chocolate not only does not promote tooth decay, it might prevent it. According to the American Dental Association, milk chocolate contains ingredients, such as calcium and phosphate, that might modify acid production in the mouth that leads to cavities. Some oils in chocolate might also prevent tooth decay. Chocolate does contain sugar, of course, but these are simple sugars that are less harmful than the complex sugars contained in other foods."

I don't think I was worried about the effect chocolate has on my teeth, rather I was thinking about my thighs.

Can too much coffee kill you?
(this one is for Tim)
"Yes. Large doses of caffeine, also found in tea and soda, can be lethal. You'd have to drink A LOT, though. Ten grams of caffeine, or about 100 cups of coffee over four hours, might do you in. Be careful."

Comments

Blogger was robbed Webby Awards

Blogger was robbed
Webby Awards were last night. I didn't get a chance to watch the webcast, not that it would have been all that exciting anyhow. (In the web world it's never too late to see it though!) But the cool thing coming out of this is the huge list of nominees. I've got surf material for years! Blogger didn't win which is a crock. But I think that if you don't use it, you don't know how great it is. Hope Ev isn't too upset.

Babies without men?

Babies without men?

Tubing or Toobing? Well, I've

Tubing or Toobing?
Well, I've already got a couple takers on toobing in New Braunfels! Talked to Autumn yesterday and it sounds like she's game. Which is good since I was planning on staying with her in Austin! Tim wants to go as does Summer. (But I don't think she'll make it down from Seattle just for a Saturday on the river. Especially not 2 weeks before her wedding. OMG, 2 WEEKS?!) If Autumn goes, Ky will probably go. And we can round up Mark and his wife and Stacia and Naomi and Cindy and Erik and Ginger (or whatever his girlfriend's name is). Bobby might meet us down there too.

A Thought: Why are all my friends in Austin and I'm still in Dallas?

Hula Party Pics!

Thanks to Jackie for posting these!

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Architect by day, Movie Critic

Architect by day, Movie Critic by night
"Sexy men with guns and a mission. Can't beat it."
Adam about Boondock Saints

Job Interview!! Good news! Good

Job Interview!!
Good news! Good news! I have a job interview on Friday. It's at a software company and it's tech support. So why would I want a job doing basically what I do right now? Because at that company I would have the opportunity to actually move up. Working for a consulting company isn't a great way to climb the career ladder. And since work here has gotten so boring, I'm thinking it's time to move on. Opportunity knocks. Or maybe I'm knocking. Everyone cross your fingers that the interview will go well. I'm very excited. Because I feel like if I can get an interview I can get the job.

Raccoon Family
Driving into work this morning, I saw a whole family of raccoons in the driveway. It was a mama and three babies. They were SO cute. Since I don't believe anything happens by chance, I decided to do some research on raccoons. (Sorry, Jeff, I know you don't like my opinion on "fate's" role in our lives.) so here are some things I found.

The Raccoon is the trickster, the sly and crafty one who may appear slow, but who is quick and agile; the opponent who outsmarts his enemies, and who uses his hands like a human. The Raccoon is the survivor, who lives alongside man as if to show him that he cannot truly conquer the land.
from the World Wide Raccoon Web

It's interesting that this is one of the first things I found. Because last summer I was reading a book about tricksters in myth, art, and religion. The trickster fascinates me because of the power and cunning and humor he is known for in all different cultures. I wonder how this applies to me. Maybe I should dig that book out of a box (somewhere in the stack of boxes in the office, I think) and finish reading it. The cycles of life.

It's interesting to think that last year at this time I was living in Junction, Texas for the summer, making art all day long. Well, not all day because I'd sneak off to the creek with a chaise lounge for a little sun and a nap most afternoons. That makes me think of the time one Sunday morning in Junction when I was sleeping on the very same chaise lounge in the middle of the creek. I had been watching a dozen or so dragonflies land on me and stare. It was such a perfect moment that I slipped into sleep. Only to be woken by a dozen or so canoes of people come down the river past me. I think they were far more suprised at seeing me but I definitely woke with a start!

River Trip?
Anyone in the mood to go camping in south/west Texas? Sure it's hot as hell right now, but we'd just have to pick somewhere with water and stay in it from the time the sun comes up until the time it goes down. Gosh, even going toobing down the Como or Guadalupe River! I think a trip to New Braunfels is in order! Besides, where else can you get good German food? And boy does that sound good right now! We could probably just crash at Autumn and Ky's place in Austin so we wouldn't sweat to death in our sleep! If this sounds good and you want to come, drop me an e-mail!

The beauty of the crime

The beauty of the crime scene

Thanks, Adam, for this link.

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The rest of the weekend

The rest of the weekend
Friday afternoon Tim and I had a GREAT Tex-Mex lunch. I'm so glad that Tim and I have become friends again. It's quite amazing how well we get along after all these years. Some background for those of you that don't know. Tim and I met in junior high. I actually knew Tim's younger brother in elementary school and Tim knew my older sister. But once we got into junior high we became friends. His mother taught English at our private school. Anyhow, at the tender age of 15, I fell completely hopelessly in love with Tim. And after much wailing and fretting he finally asked me out. I was in heaven except that my parents had always said I couldn't date until I was 16. I don't know how he did it, but Tim convinced them to let us date. Did I mention that at the time he was 17? Parents, NEVER trust a 17 year old boy with your daughter! I don't really think Tim convinced him. They just loved him to pieces. So we got to double date in the months before I turned 16. And I think even once we were allowed to go out by ourselves! We dated for awhile but I honestly don't remember how long. Then things just kindof fizzled out. As far as I remember it, no one had hard feelings or was hurt badly. We remained friends through junior high and high school. Going to college in different states had a lot to do with not keeping in touch later. But Arlington isn't a huge place and we eventually ran into each other again. Only a couple weeks ago I was over at Tim's apartment and forced him to get the pictures out. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. If I can pry a few away from Tim, I'll be happy to publicly humiliate the both of us! There's just nothing quite like junior high love.

Wow, I got sidetracked.

The rest of Friday afternoon consisted of picking up the house. And waiting for Adam to arrive. Apparently he stopped in College Station to see some old friends and to eat at Freebirds. (Something I just can't relate to since I didn't go to Texas A&M.) When Adam did arrive he was worn out from driving and I was worn out from cleaning house. So we just sat around talking. I had unpacked a bunch of my art that day so I forced Adam into looking at it. Poor guy was probably worn out by the time I decided we should stop. And I hadn't even gotten to the ceramic sculpture!

Saturday morning was leisurely until Kristen came over to mow the lawn. I ended up edging it and did a MUCH better job than the last edging attempt. I think I might actually be able to master the lawn care before long! The rest of the morning we got the house ready for the party. Adam was a great sport about helping me move couches from Kristen's apartment and changing electrical outlets in the kitchen. He didn't even laugh that loudly at seeing me drive the neighbor's big, old pickup truck. It got so hot so quickly that we spent the rest of the day in the pool at Mom and Dad's. Adam even made daquaris! It was the perfect afternoon.

Sunday morning went to Denny's with Karen, Dave, Dustin, and Adam. We must have been quite a contrast to the church crowd. I hadn't even taken a shower! But the next best thing to taking a shower is swimming, right? So that's what we did after breakfast. Dave had to get back to Austin for work, so he and Dustin left around 2 or 3. Speaking of work...Dave works the 7pm to 7am shift at a computer company (that will remain unnamed because I've suddenly become paranoid about divulging any personal information about other people). And I thought MY shift was bad!? Not long after Dustin and Dave left, Adam had to start his trek back to H-town. I enjoyed the evening by myself, unwinding in front of the TV. It had been a good but exhausting weekend. I'm still trying to catch up.

How do I stumble across

How do I stumble across these things?
This product is "clinically formulated by European lovers and chemists." But there's no way it's worth the price tag.

Saturday's Party All in all,

Saturday's Party
All in all, it was a great party. I think everyone had a good time. It was surprisingly laid back. Just one of those nights I suppose. Here are some things I remember.

• Sitting on blankets in the backyard.

• Putting our feet in the wading pool that Adam bought as a spontaneous housewarming gift. Thank you!
• Leis, leis EVERYWHERE!
• Seeing old friends from high school - like Josh and Scottie and Danny and Erik! I've got to make an effort to see them more often!
• Girls in bikinis and grass skirts.
• Housewarming gifts from Ragan, Ernie, Catherine, and Paul.
• Tiki torches!
• Blake complaining that there weren't enough women at the party.
• Doug's hair and costume!!
• Autumn and Ky didn't make it up from Austin. But Dave did! (Who I really enjoyed getting to meet.) And Adam came from Houston!
• In the middle of the party, Adam and I went for a walk around the block and were shocked at how quiet the neighborhood was. There were plenty of cars in the street, but you really couldn't tell where the party was.
• Dustin was our fearless DJ! Who was so unpretentious that he even let Scott play some records. I love you, Dustin!
• Marisa had the cutest sundress on! Ragan's hair is very red!
• Kristen has a billion cute guy friends! Too bad they're all a little too young for me.
• Deah in a bikini!!!
• Waking up the next day and going to Denny's for breakfast!

Believe it or not, but I didn't take any pictures. I just wasn't in the mood I suppose. It was more fun to just sit around, watch people, and chat. I should mention that everyone looked great! As well as did the house. (Much to my surprise!) I'll try to get a hold of some pictures from someone. I know there were plenty of digital cameras floating around!

Recovery It's already Monday. That

Recovery
It's already Monday. That sucks.

I had a great, great weekend. However, I'm a bit tired and grouchy at the moment. Stayed up WAY too late Saturday night for the party. But had a wonderful time. More when my brain starts functioning at normal speeds.

Fast, slow, fast, fast, slow

Fast, slow, fast, fast, slow
Today can't decide whether it is going to fly or creep by. This morning was flying because Keith called and we chatted for awhile. Then I had some work to do. (Imagine that!) Then Summer called! (What a BIG surprise!) Then I got a bunch more work. Finished all the work and don't have anything to do. So now it feels like the day is never going to end. Only one hour and 22 minutes.

I have a feeling this weekend is going to be crazy busy. Adam gets in this afternoon (YEAH!) and I'll be plenty busy getting the house cleaned up. I'm sure house cleaning will roll over into tomorrow as well. I'd like to lay around the pool some tomorrow...gotta be tan to wear my coconut bra! Oh yeah, did I mention it's a Hawaiian theme? Karen got us the greatest plastic tiki glasses. All pray to the Tiki gods!

Which reminds me, I've got to go to that Tiki bar in Austin with Ky and Autumn one of these days. But they'll be in Arlington this weekend for our little housewarming! I'm so excited to see them!

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Friday the 13th Are you

Friday the 13th
Are you superstitious? I am about some things but not about Friday the 13th. Though it was always a good excuse in high school to do something crazy. Anyhow here are some interesting facts about superstitions from Martha.

• People used to think that your soul would rush out of your body if you issued an unprotected yawn.
• Eve is rumored to have given Adam the apple on a Friday.
• About 90 percent of Otis elevators don't have a button for the 13th floor.
• The U.S. Navy won't launch a ship on Friday the 13th.
• Many people just won't fly on the 13th, unless they're headed to Las Vegas.
• A Norse myth has it that a great dinner party with 12 guests was ruined when a 13th crashed the event and killed the god of joy and gladness.
• There were also 13 guests at the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, who was crucified on a Friday.
• Finally, a correctly tied hangman's noose has 13 knots, and executions used to happen on Fridays.

Late, late for a very

Late, late for a very important date
I was late for work again. But today I was REALLY late. Two whole hours late. How do I do this? I'm not sure. I've just been really tired recently. I think I've been working too hard. I feel like I have two jobs. A desk job during the day and a construction job in the evenings. It's wearing me out. Solution - going to bed early tonight.

DSL makes life good I'm

DSL makes life good
I'm coming at you from the LUCCI HOUSE! Yes, we've got connection!! OMG, and it didn't take 3 months! I'm in total shock. What can I say, Telocity/DirectTV DSL is the BEST!!!

So I've got a new desk setup with an actual lazy boy for my desk chair. I could sleep at the computer now. Wow, that's an exciting thought! Anyone up for an all-nighter with me?

What you can't see in the picture is that I have my keyboard in my lap and the mouse on the armrest. I think I'm in heaven.

I've been painting all night and am exhausted. But the kitchen is finished! The color we picked out is a little too light but I think we can fix it with a darker wash. Though I'm not going to touch that job for a couple weeks. There are far more pressing things in this house. Like unpacking.

Unpacking
I started getting some kitchen things out this evening and into the dishwasher. This is the first time I've seen my plates in a year. You have NO idea how excited I am. These plates are incredible. Take my word for it. If I weren't so tired I'd go take a picture. Maybe tomorrow. Anyhow, while unpacking I came across a few things that totally reminded me of John. I was surprised at how emotional I felt at seeing the toothbrush holder he bought me. We always talked about how it was going to be in our apartment. How did things change so fast?

Done a lot of screwing

Done a lot of screwing around this morning. Some HTML here and on the Lucci House blog. Sent some email. Caught up on all the blogs I normally read. Work is boring. There's nothing for me to do. I've got to find a new job. Especially before I get laid off. I hate having that creeping up behind me. Well, off to look busy!

With this ring... I've always

With this ring...
I've always said one of these days I'm going to buy myself a diamond ring, since I'm not going to sit around and wait for someone to buy one for me. I think I found the perfect ring. How can anyone not love stainless steel?

Add some content to the

Add some content to the web
Answer questions at Q7A.
And can you guess which comment was mine on July 2?

Weekend Update So the weekend

Weekend Update
So the weekend was a crazy one! Friday night I went to the lingerie party. Like I mentioned it was quite tame. Strange how people can be standing around in bedclothes and still behave themselves. I think everyone was disappointed there wasn't more debauchery. Should have hired a better DJ. Saturday got up early and moved. Tim and Doug helped for which I am eternally grateful. Once the job was done we laid around the pool all afternoon. I learned some good secrets about Tim. Sorry, I'm not telling. Saturday night Bobby came into town. There's a lot of history with Bobby but I'm not sure I'm going to get into it. It feels like I've explained it numerous times to people recently and telling it this morning even once more seems like too much. So the short version is that Bobby is awesome and we had a great time together. Sunday Cody and Kenna stopped by to see the new house before they made the trek to Lubbock. Gosh, I'm going to miss those guys...I can see a trip to Iowa in the near future. Sunday night the Casteel's and Risley's, friends of the family, came over for dinner. Well, not to my house but to my parents' house. This is getting confusing since I'm having a hard time making the jump. Remember, Erica, you don't live at home anymore.

Wait, wait, wait! That's not fair to you, is it? That I'd just leave you hanging like that about Bobby. Have I lost all sense of responsibility to pour my heart out online? To inform perfect strangers (like Dave) about my personal life? To exhibit myself? To bare all and think nothing of it? Why, yes, I do believe I have.

Firsts
I went grocery shopping for the first time in almost a year yesterday. (Scary!) I also edged a lawn for the first time yesterday. Edging is a weird task. Basically you're trying to get your lawn lined up with the sidewalk. Hmm, harmony between grass and concrete...nature vs. man. They are just opposing forces and always will be. So the struggle with edging begins. I can appreciate how much better a lawn looks when it is edged but I have not perfected the art of it yet. And I'm afraid my lawn looks only slightly better off now. I do not have a natural affinity for edging. And this is strange to me. I'm good with my hands. I've had a lot of practice with power tools. And a lawn is basically sculpture. This should not be hard for me. Yet I struggled for over an hour last night and it doesn't look a whole lot better. The worst part is that I'm in the front yard and I know all the neighbors are peering out their windows at me. Ok, ok, I never actually saw anyone watching me but it sure felt like it. Afterall, my sisters and I are the talk of the neighborhood. It's like no one can believe young people would actually live there AND all in the same house. I'm afraid they're all in for a surprise Saturday night. (Don't worry, Dad, we're not going to do anything to make the landlord mad...at least this time the neighbors can't threaten to "call my parents.") (I probably should explain that reference...when I was 16 I got caught having a party in my parents' house, which I now realize was a very poor choice. There were so many people the neighbors came up and then called the police. Of course, they threatened to tell my parents unless I did. So I was grounded until I was sorry, which happened to be 3 months later at the end of the summer. Man, my parents were smart!)

Now how did I get from grocery shopping to edging to being grounded all summer when I was 16? I'd better lay off the coffee this morning.

Sisters So, last night I

Sisters
So, last night I experienced the first crappy thing about living with my sisters. A little history to complete the story. Friday night I ended up going to the lingerie party that Karen's friends were throwing. It was very tame and I had a nice time. While I was there, I decided to flirt with Blake's friend, Michael, who for the record is very attractive. So Michael and I talked for awhile but he didn't seem particularly into me. Eventually he asked where my sister was. Things suddenly became clear when he went into the apartment to talk with her. He ended up hanging out with her all night (or as long as I was there). It's always tough to be brushed off but it's even tougher when it's your sister you're brushed off for. Well, that's not entirely true, it's a blow to the ego for sure but at the same time I'm pleased because he's into my sister. At any rate, he called last night for her and I had to take the message. Of course, he knew who I was, and we exchanged pleasantries. But I can't help but feel a little bit like the dorky little sis.

Moving

Moving

Mmmmm, it's Friday. It's so

Mmmmm, it's Friday.
It's so nice to have the week split up like this week was. I mean, it's already Friday! Today is probably going to be pretty full for me. Having a "farewell" lunch for an acquaintance here at work. Then I'm getting together with Cody and Kenna this afternoon. (Remind me to tell the story about them that popped into my head on the way to work this morning.) Some of Karen's friends are having a party tonight, but I don't know if I'm going to go. If I could just slip in for an hour or so, have a drink, then go on my merry way. Since I'm moving tomorrow, sleep will be a good thing. However, the party is in Dallas which means at least a 30 minute drive just to get there. AND it's a lingerie party. Yeah, I know. Everyone is supposed to come in lingerie or pajamas or you won't be allowed in. I'm just trying to picture all these 20-something semi-professionals standing around an apartment, having drinks, wearing lingerie. I know it's hot outside, but really! It would almost be worth it to go just to see the awkwardness that is standing around in your underwear. But I'd have to get out before drunkenness kicked in...

The Chop
I need a haircut. Normally this is not a big deal, as I would call Liz and make an appointment. Arnold, a friend of a friend in Austin who cut my hair once, wanted me to come down to do a hair show. He'll cut my hair (and maybe even dye it if I ask really nice), dress me up in something ridiculous, and have me "model." Arnold works at Toni and Guy so everything is WAY over the top. I think it would be fun. Plus, it's a free haircut (and possibly color...I want blonde highlights). The only problem is that he hasn't called and when I originally spoke to him, things were up in the air. I know that as soon as I break down and get a hair cut (read "chop"), he'll call. So I'm waiting and every minute that goes by it gets a little bit longer and a little bit more annoying.

Isn't it funny what we remember?
Oh! The story about Cody and Kenna. When I met them in Lubbock they were already married and living in this GREAT house. Apparently it belonged to a family member who didn't need it so they stayed there. The house was towards the outskirts of town where it was a bit drier outside. The backyard was landscaped nicely with indiginous plants which made it fairly desert like. (At least that's how I remember it.) One afternoon, they put their comforter outside to air out. Then of course that evening they brought it back in and put it on the bed. Now, keep in mind that I wasn't actually there for this event and only heard it after the fact. However, it still sticks in my head after all these years. They went to bed and Kenna was woken up in the middle of the night by Cody thrashing about and probably saying a few choice words. Before Kenna could fully wake up and evaluate the situation she felt an intense burning on her neck. At that point the both realize the severity of the situation and hop out of bed. Apparently a scorpion had made it's way into the comforter when they had it outside. In the middle of the night, it stung Cody who instinctively flung it away. Unfortunately, it landed on Kenna's neck and stung her. Of course they recovered with some Benadryl and ice, but I'll never forget hearing Kenna tell the story and blaming it on Cody. It still cracks me up.

Lost in Thought "Missed my

Lost in Thought
"Missed my exit coming home on the freeway today. Never happened before. This particular exit requires finesse. The traffic pattern dictates that a wise commuter pull into the far left lane in order to overtake three other lanes of slowed traffic. Then, just at the right moment, said commuter must swiftly cross the same three lanes, exiting neatly to the right. Always works. Except today. Perhaps it requires more concentration than I realized. Clearly, I was distracted. Lost in thought. Hmmm."
- Jeff

Happy Birthday, Bobby!

Happy Birthday, Bobby!

Back to the Grind Back

Back to the Grind
Back to work today after daquaris by the pool yesterday. Little was going on at work and hardly anyone was there. If only I could have "worked" from hom too.

Before work this morning, I got really freaked out. After my shower, while I was getting dressed, I heard a noise outside the bathroom window. Keep in mind I get up around 4am and it's still dark outside. It made me so jumpy. When I finally took Tiger outside for his walk, I couldn't help but look behind me a dozen times. Then I walked into the kitchen to find the microwave display rolling numbers in a sporatic fashion. I'm superstitious so it really freaked me out. It took all my courage to walk through the backyard to my car...even with a full moon to light the way! Of course, now that I'm home during the day, I'm feeling stupid for being so scared.

When I was younger, LOTS of things scared me. I was constantly running and jumping into my bed just in case there was someone under it waiting to grab me by the ankles. Of course it never occured to me that no grown man could fit under that bed! I can remember watching Jaws at a friend's house and being scared to go swimming in their pool the next day! I didn't particularly like watching scary movies though it's grown on me quite a bit as I've gotten older. My favorite scary movie which still scares me to this day is Candyman. If you've seen it, you'll know that it's completely stupid but the fact that it remains unresolved makes it super scary still.

Maybe I should go rent it and the two sequels that followed. Then again, maybe I shouldn't...I still have to get up in the dark every morning.

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Independance Day

Independance Day

Please don't take it away!

Please don't take it away!
There's more talk about layoffs here...specifically in Global Services. Yep, yours truly works in Global Services. It makes me nervous. Especially since I'm about to be financially responsible for rent again. So please don't take my free ride away, Big Blue! But at the same time, maybe I'd be able to find something a bit more interesting. That's an exciting thought. This job practically puts me to sleep.

The perfect job right now would mean me actually working, making more money, working with younger people, and working mostly from home. THAT would be perfect. And pigs would fly. I'm thinking something in sales would be interesting. I'm not sure I'm the right sort of person, but it's worth a shot. I could always go back to teaching. The only problem is I need to start applying for teaching positions now rather than wait until I get laid off. And do I really want to work that hard for such little money? Guess I'd better go home and update the resume. Get the fax machine whirrling. What have I got to lose?

Thank goodness tomorrow is a holiday. It's tough work not working AND worrying about your job...they should never have hired me. There's never been enough work for me to do.

Bumper Sticker "Only fools believe

Bumper Sticker
"Only fools believe the bias liberal media."

Sometimes people amaze me.

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What a weekend. This was

What a weekend.
This was a great weekend. I can't believe so much was fit into such a short amount of time. Makes me feel alive. Though I think that in another week I'll be feeling a little too much alive. There's SO much going on!!!

Phone
Friday afternoon I spent a couple hours catching up with an old friend from college, Kenna. Kenna and her husband, Cody, were both art students at Tech which is how we got to be friends (with a little help from my ex, Brian). Cody was accepted into grad school in Iowa so they moved the same year I moved to Houston. So we lost touch and haven't talked in 2 years. (Was that really 2 years ago?!) Kenna found my blog and sent me some email last week. So Friday I decided it was time for some real interaction and picked up the phone. We couldn't quit talking. Man, I'm so thankful for old friends. It's so great that you can just pick up where you left off. I think the best part of old friends is that you don't have to explain yourself or define your life all over again because there's history. Kenna and Cody seem to be doing really well even though they're in Iowa. (We're not in Texas anymore, Toto.) Cody, of course, is in grad school for studio art, specifically metals. It sounds like he's had some really great experiences which of course makes me think I should go to grad school. Kenna is supporting them while Cody's in school by teaching elementary art. It sounded like she enjoyed it a lot this year which is very encouraging. Teaching is such a hard job. She's enjoying her summer vacation and has done some really great projects already (painting her hairdressers's studio, doing commissioned portraits as well as her own art). The best part of catching up with Kenna is that I'm going to get to see her this weekend! Cody and Kenna are coming to Texas to visit and Kenna's sister now lives in Plano. I'll get to see them in 3 or 4 days! There's nothing quite like instant gratification!

Friend of a friend of a sister
Karen, my sister, keeps up with a bunch of college friends through a yahoogroups bulletin board. Since I've met a bunch of her friends, I have started posting to the board as well. Last week Athena, who I knew nothing about other than she went to Texas A&M, posted that she had a friend coming to Fort Worth who needed some pointers on where to go. I offered up some suggestions and my phone number in case her friend wanted some company. It's been a long time since I've hung out in Fort Worth and I'm usually up for meeting new people. So Carol called me and we made plans for me to pick her up. I knew she was in town for a wedding and basically nothing more. It certainly made me a bit nervous but how bad could it possibly be? So I picked Carol up from the Stockyards Hotel, which is just about as tacky Texan as you can get. (I'm linking it for Dave who is always making fun of Texas...Dave, this is definitely something you should make fun of.) We went to dinner at Mi Cocina, which in my opinion is the best place to eat in downtown. The food and the atmosphere are GREAT. On the way to dinner, Carol and I started our introductions. I learned that Athena and her husband, Jay, went to A&M then moved to Seattle so Jay could work for Microsoft. I got a little lost on how Carol got to be friends with them, but it was something as random as meeting at a party. It was fascinating to me that our conversation leaped to Burning Man. I'm not going to comment on this as I don't know enough yet. It's just interesting that it's come up in my life a couple times recently. Is someone trying to tell me something? Anyhow, Carol and I couldn't quit talking all night. And it wasn't the forced I'm-uncomfortable-since-I-don't-know-you-but-I-have-to-entertain-you kind of talking either. I believe that some people are just meant to meet, soul-mates if you will, and Carol and I were definitely meant to meet. So many things in common and a comfort level I haven't had in awhile. Women are so cool. I really wish I had more in my life here in Dallas but at least I have a new friend in Seattle! Which is also another neat instance of instant gratification. I'll be in Seattle in August for Summer's wedding so I'll get to see Carol again very soon! Hopefully I'll get to meet Athena too. Connections, connections - gotta love the internet. Anyhow, we went to 8.0 after dinner (which has some really nice new murals btw) and finished up with coffee in Carol's swank Texan hotel room. Needless to say I got to bed really late.

This Old House
Saturday woke up late - noon. It felt so good to sleep in. Then I went over to the house and started working on the kitchen. All day Saturday (well, all afternoon), I tore off wood paneling from the kitchen. I didn't really have any idea how hard it would be but it's SO worth the work. The kitchen looks a million times more contemporary without that crappy dark paneling on the lower half of the walls. Who decided that ever looked good? And did it EVER look good? Probably not. Saturday night I was exhausted so I got in bed with a home fix-it book. I'm quickly becoming my father. Sunday got up early and worked on the house all day. It was such a relief to get it done and have the texture turn out so well. I can't help but smile when I think about it.

Now it's time to start moving my stuff. Thank goodness I've got Wednesday off. It's going to be a crazy week with Kenna and Cody coming in town, trying to move, and the possibility of Bobby coming this weekend. (But somehow I don't think that last one is going to happen.) The real trick will be to keep my mind together while my body is so tired. Hey, life is good. I couldn't ask for anything more.

It must be Monday I

It must be Monday
I got almost halfway to work this morning when I realized that I didn't have my my badge which gets me into the building nor my desk keys. #*&^#!* Working so hard on the house this weekend makes it hard to come to work today. But at least the kitchen is textured!