Euphoria

Lots of magnificent things have been happening lately.  It's been really wonderful.  Jason and I took that amazing trip to the west coast.  It's finally Fall, my favorite season, even though the temperatures won't actually start to cool off for another few weeks here in Austin.  Who cares if Texas doesn't experience full "seasons" climate-wise?  Fall is a magical time of year for me - whether it's hot or cold.  It's my birthday month, my favorite holiday's month, there's an exciting new scent in the air that makes everything feel new and refreshing for some reason.  It's simply magic.  There's just no explaining it.

The Breaking Bad series finale happened, and it was even better than I was expecting it to be.  New Girl, Parenthood and Homeland are back on.  The Vampire Diaries is about to be back on.  

I successfully threw Jason a surprise party for his 30th birthday this past weekend, and so many people came out to help us celebrate, even in the gross, rainy weather.  It made my heart so happy!  I can't wait to share some pictures from the big event, thanks to Emily and Sarah, who were my fearless photographers for the evening.  

Pretty soon we'll begin our search for a rental house.  I'm a gigantic ball of nerves every time I start to think about moving.  The hassle, the time, the expenses, the deposits, the headaches, the stress... ick.  Here we go again.  At least this time, we will hopefully be moving somewhere with an actual yard for Fozzie and more square footage for our ever-growing collection of stuff we have accumulated as a couple over the past four years...

Oh, and ACL is this weekend! 

Well, it's just about bedtime for me.  I just wanted to check in and share a few things that have made me feel especially grand as of late.

Goodnight

xoxo

We're Back!

Hi there friends!  I just wanted to pop in real quick to say hello and to let you all know that Jason and I made it back to Austin safely late last night.  It was a mostly smooth three and a half hour direct flight from San Francisco.  I always forget about the beauty and comfort of nighttime flights.  I was lucky enough to get a window seat, and although the plane we were on was super tiny, it was actually pretty comfortable because there were only two seats on each side of the center aisle, unlike most flights I've taken where I feel like a sardine among many, squished together with three seats on each side.  It was nice little ride.  I did some reading, some people watching, some ginger ale drinking (I always get ginger ale when I fly for some silly reason) and, as we were descending over Austin from the Northwest, I had the pleasure of seeing downtown in all its glory, lit up and smiling in my direction, welcoming me home.  :)

I know you're dying to hear all about our eight-day vacation to one of the most beautiful parts of the country, and I promise you, I will be blabbering so much about it over the next week that you'll probably want to throw a grenade at me by the time I'm through.  Today, however, is my "recovery" day.  I took an extra day off from work to get settled back at home, that way I'll be well-rested when I return to the old j-o-b tomorrow.  Jason and I are both still stuck on Pacific time, so we were both able to sleep in until after 10 a.m. this morning, which is an absolute miracle for Jason.  Other than that, we've just been grocery shopping, preparing for the upcoming week of normal routine and re-watching Twin Peaks since we were just up in Washington where parts of the show were filmed.

I hope everyone is having a brilliant week so far!  Thanks again to each of my guest bloggers that filled in while I was away, and thanks to you, my readers, for continuing to read in my absence!  I am so happy to be back blogging normally again.  Before I go back to my lazy day of recuperation, I will leave you with a little peek of my vacation:

Bainbridge Island, Washington

Busy Body!

Whew!  My schedule has become super sporadic and all-over-the-place ever since I got this promotion. I just spent the last hour updating my calendar so I won't forget all of the upcoming things I have planned.  I've just been storing them in the file cabinet of my mind, trying to remind myself of everything on a daily basis so I don't forget, but this will be much easier now that it's all written down!  I always seem to underestimate the month of June.  It's just a silly little summer month; who knew I would have to cram so many things into those 30 days?  Let's see there's -- job training, Father's Day, my dad's birthday, the She & Him concert, new season premieres of The Killing, True Blood and Dexter, my girls are coming to visit, my grandparents' anniversary dinner, my best friend's birthday....and I really hope that's everything 'cause that's all I can think of.

Anyway!  Sorry I don't have time for a normal, lengthy post today, but I'll try to get one in tomorrow before work.

Hope everyone has a Saturday to remember! ;)

Five

Five songs I'll listen to for the rest of my life:

1.  "The Sea & the Rhythm" by Iron & Wine
2.  "Well...All Right" by Buddy Holly
3.  "Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears
4.  "Shift" by Grizzly Bear
5.  "Teenage Lust" by The Jesus and Mary Chain

Five movies I'll watch for the rest of my life:
1.  Blue Valentine
2.  The Wrestler
3.  Gigantic
4.  Vertigo
5.  The Shining

Five things on my bucket list:
1.  Get married
2.  Have kids
3.  Travel to the Greek Isles and drink with the Ios locals
4.  Stay in a bungalow on a beach in Thailand
5.  Find my one true occupational passion!

Five celebrities I'd love to hang out with for a day:
1.  Emma Stone
2.  Evan Rachel Wood
3.  Adam Scott (actor, not golfer)
4.  Andy Samberg
5.  Ian Somerhalder

Five things I always carry in my purse:
1.  Wallet
2.  Glasses
3.  Cell phone
4.  Chapstick
5.  Car keys

Five books on my reading list:
1.  On the Road by Jack Kerouac
2.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
3.  The Red House by Mark Haddow
4.  Out of the Cocoon by Brenda Lee
5.  Haunted by Joyce Carol Oates



Thanks to Carissa for inspiring this post!

Oh, Friday.

Flashback Friday // Me & my Pop, circa 1988

Whelp...I tried my darnedest not to get sick, and it happened nonetheless.  My head feels like a balloon floating a million miles away up in the sky, and I keep coughing up the most disgusting things.  TMI, I know.  My apologies.  

Hopefully I feel much better come Sunday when Jason and I are off to San Antonio for our little getaway.  I'm working the evening shift tonight at work which will be really weird.  I hope I can stay awake!  Then, I'll have to turn around and work the morning shift tomorrow, but oh well, it's the price I pay for requesting too many days off I suppose.  

I'm still job hunting.  I've applied for a total of eleven jobs so far this year.  Here's hoping something catches!  I'm trying my best to stay as optimistic as possible.

Enjoy your Friday!

xoxo

Dream Thoughts & A Bestie's Birthday

Random thought in relation to a dream I had last night: Do you ever have fond memories of a movie or TV show you used to adore as a child and then decide to watch it as an adult, and it's just not the same?  How can this happen?  It makes me so incredibly sad.  I guess it's just one of those downfalls of growing up.  Like the traditional Disney movies used to seem so alive and awe-inspiring, and now something just seems off and a bit lackluster.  Don't get me wrong - The Little Mermaid is still in my top 10 favorite movies of all time.  I'll never get sick of that gem!  Sometimes I still pretend I'm Ariel.  Embarrassing, but 100% true confession.

Moving on.  Today is the birthday of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Taylor.  This morning I sent her a quick "happy birthday" text, and it turned into a thoughtful conversation wandering down memory lane.  We went to elementary, middle and high school together.  We initially met in Girl Scout Troop 3215.  What can I say, our friendship blossomed in a whirlwind of cookie sales, crafting, snacking and camping.  Ah, camping.  I think our troop might have only gone on one camping trip in January or February when it was freezing and miserable outside.  We slept in these makeshift tent-cabin structures and were strictly advised not to go to the restrooms alone, as it was pitch back out there at night.  Of course, I end up having to go to the restroom in the middle of the night so I try to wake someone up to go with me, but it doesn't work and I end up peeing all over myself.  So that is what I remember most clearly from the camping trip, but I believe we also participated in some sort of sock hop talent show thing as well.  I suppose that was a good time.  Anyway, Taylor and I have been through interesting situations together including numerous prank phone calls to infomercials, trying to start a girl band, stalking boys (mostly my doing), creating fake personalities named Jeb, Bertha and Sidalee Bock, Bobo, Buckbo and Bob-O Bonfire, and of course Sidalee's boyfriend Jimmy.  Fun, weird times were had, and here's to many more!  Love you, Bertha-Funky Lady-Taylor.

In Transit

I had a conversation earlier with a friend about how frustrating real life can be.  You don't realize it when you're in college.  Everything seems so fantastic (minus exams and papers and what not), and you just feel as if the world is your little baby oyster to do with what you please.  Then you graduate, and you're probably still hopefully optimistic, rearing to go, "WATCH OUT WORLD, HERE I COME!!!" attitude popping out.  Two years later, it hits you.  I'm still working here at this job that was supposed to be a transition job?!  I'm still in the exact same place I was TWO whole years ago.  What is going on here?  I'm beginning to think this is just how it is in your twenties.  Everything is up in the air, you're on the fence about everything, waiting on opportunities that may never arise.  Life is mythical and absurd and challenging and exhausting and abrupt and weird and spontaneous and scary and the list goes on and on.  When does this awkward stage end? When does life begin?  It's especially difficult for me because, by nature, I'm such a planner and an over-analyzer.  I try to relax and just be content with where I am right now and accept it, but eventually it all starts to overwhelm me again.  It's a never-ending cycle of uncertainty, but I'm doing my absolute best to just go with it and take another step forward and not two steps back.

I'm attempting to get back into writing poetry again.  I dabbled a little in high school and I remember it making me happy so I think I'll give it another go.  Maybe I'll try to publish a small collection.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

I jogged/walked three miles earlier out on the Lady Bird Lake Hike & Bike Trail.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  I chose fitness over slothing it on the couch all day watching TV.  Tonight Jason and I are meeting our friends Corey and Helen for drinks on the east side.  It should be a fun time.  One of my favorite bars, Brixton, is over there, and I'm looking forward to trying a couple of new bars as well.

Well, it's time to get all of this disgusting sweat off my body.  Happy Friday & enjoy your weekend :)

A Warm Welcome to 2013

Photo credit - thedailygreen.com

I have never been real big into new year's "resolutions" or really even setting goals for myself.  I'm not sure exactly why; I just don't see the point I guess.  If you really want to do something, work hard and do it!  Why the need for a big proclamation and scene?  Having said that, I do think it's important to hold yourself to some standards and make plans to gradually better yourself as a person.  I guess that could be considered the same thing as "setting a goal"?

Am I contradicting myself??  Very well, I contradict myself.

In all seriousness, I believe self-improvement is continuous, constant and never-ending.  You should always strive to be a better you than you were the day before, if that makes any sense.  Look at me - giving a pep talk.  Never thought this would happen, haha!  I think when it comes down to it, I just hate the words "resolution" and "goal."  So there.  Actually, there's a long list, as my close friends know, of words I cannot tolerate.  I'll spare you, and save that for a different post.

Here are a few things I would like to accomplish in 2013:

1.  See The Great Gatsby Baz Luhrmann style.  (Summer 2013)

2.  Finally lose the weight I've been complaining about gaining for the past 2 years.

3.  Apply to at least one job per day, and, hopefully, find an actual CAREER.

4.  Seriously limit my intake of sugar and fatty foods in general.

5.  Try something outside of my comfort zone.  I've been toying with the idea of trying Crossfit.  We'll see...

6.  Become a little more confident in myself.  I've always doubted myself a bit too much for my liking.

7.  De-stress.

8.  Take a moment every day and stop whatever I'm doing to truly appreciate and feel all the wonderful components of my life.

LOTS OF LOVE &

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Adolescence

It's 1993.  

I am five years old sprawled out on the green carpet of Nana's "big room" upstairs.  I'm playing an intricately planned game of Barbies.  Ken has just asked Barbie to be his wife, only their names aren't Ken and Barbie - they are Chris and Lisa.  Lisa has a younger sister, Amanda (Skipper), and the little neighbor girl, Kelly, has just come over to help bake cookies.  Life is good in Barbie world.  I have decided all of their ages, occupations and personalities.

I am the master of Barbie universe.
I like playing independently.  This way it's all up to me; everything goes according to my predetermined plan.  I have always been quite imaginative.  I enjoy creating circumstances and story lines.

I am tired of playing Barbies for now; my brain aches.
I go outside to swing on the little round swing that hangs from a thick branch of a large tree in Nana's yard.  I push my legs out and pull them back in until I'm breezing quickly back and forth, back and forth.  I begin to sing a song, but no one knows it except for me.  I am making up the words as I go along.  Such is life...

back
and
forth.

Back

and

Forth.

Politics & Religion: A Naked Moment

I don't quite know how to start this, and I have to tell you that I'm not super excited to be opening myself up this much on my personal blog.  My intention for this space was to try my absolute best to keep it peaceful, light and as a beautiful piece of the web to hold my memories and pictures.  However, I'm afraid I have to allow my original purpose for this to subside for a moment so I can discuss something very crucial, personal and deep.  I know this will surprise some people, maybe even those that I hold closest to my heart, but that's okay; it's necessary that I voice my opinions in order to be honest with everyone (myself included).  Please know that I am not trying to offend anyone.  I am only telling my own personal thoughts and feelings.

Beginning as far back as I can remember, I was raised to be a Christian - to believe that God created the world; that Jesus Christ, his son, died for our sins so that we could be born again and spend eternity in heaven after we die.  It seems so easy...simply stated - just believe this and you will not spend forever in the fires of hell.  As a child, hell definitely didn't seem like a place I'd like to live someday, and the idea of God sounded surreally wonderful.  I chose to believe it; to believe something no one can prove or see with their own eyes, but it somehow made sense to me and I rarely questioned it.  When I did question it from time to time I was told, well, that's what faith is...believing something you can't see.  You just have to trust it and know in your heart that it's the truth.  Okay.  So I continued to believe.

In the later years of elementary school, I remember attending a local baptist church with my family.  I've never been a fan of church, especially the services.  I was always incredibly bored unless I suddenly noticed many people laughing at something the pastor had said, and that would get my attention for a little while as I listened intently waiting for the man with the strange accent to say something funny again.  I attended children's choir at this church, and I was actually given rather large acting roles with singing parts and even solos in a few different plays put on by the church.  At this time, I was enjoying going to church on Wednesday nights, singing with my church friends and learning about the Bible.  I was even baptized when I was 9, if I recall correctly.  I remember being told that I had to make the decision to have a personal relationship with God in order to be baptized and washed clean of my sins.  It seemed strange to have a personal relationship with something I wasn't even 100% positive existed, but I was convinced He was real and I needed to do this to spend my afterlife in heaven with the people I love.

I've always heard people say they have conversations with God, or God has spoken to them and told them what to do in tough situations.  I used to try so hard to talk to God.  I would pray and pray and pray and ask God to send me a sign.  I think I may have gotten a sign a time or two, but it could have just been a coincidence.  Who really knows?  I prayed harder than I ever had in my life when I saw my Pop having a seizure in the passenger seat of his friend's car sitting in the driveway when I was 11.  I fell while running up the stairs to get away from the chaos, squeezed my eyes shut so tight as tears came streaming out and I prayed.  Why is this happening?  Make it stop.  Make him all right.  It isn't time for him to go yet.  He died ten days later.  I remember seeing his body - bruised, yellow in coloring laying on the hospice bed, lifeless after having fought so hard.  But I continued to believe.  Bad things happen sometimes, and we cannot control it.  It was time for him to go.  God wouldn't have taken him if it wasn't time.  Although, some people in my family didn't believe he would go to heaven, so for all I know he could be burning in hell right now.

Back to the topic of church.  By the time middle school rolled around, I was attending "Surge" which was a youth group that met on Wednesday nights.  I really enjoyed the youth leader.  He always made sure we were having a good time, one way or another, with silly songs, props and dances.  The thing I didn't like about it was that my old choir friends were different.  We weren't really friends anymore.  The youth group became very cliquey and no matter how hard I tried to be a part of their groups, I didn't feel welcome.  I felt like an outsider that didn't belong.  It was almost humorous how quickly things had changed.  It's not that they were rude to me and it may have solely had to do with the fact that they all went to the same school and I attended a different one.  Whatever the reason, I started disliking church again.  My freshman year of high school, there was a church youth group for high schoolers that was "all the rage" called M-Pact.  What I found interesting about M-Pact was that the same kids I would see worshiping and praising the Lord with their hands lifted up and waving in the air, tears pouring down their faces because of the feelings they were supposedly feeling, were the same kids cursing in school, drinking, running around in the hallways grabbing each other's body parts to be funny, being disrespectful to teachers and so on.  It just didn't add up to me.  These kids considered themselves Christians?  This made me view the idea and institution of church even more negatively, and I gradually stopped going to M-Pact.

Fast-forward to college.  Everyone knows college is supposed to be where teenagers grow into adults and make decisions and choices that shape who they will become.  It's true.  I met a lot of different people from various backgrounds with various views and opinions.  I made some wonderful friends and formed relationships that I still cherish and respect.  It was an extremely happy time for me, and there are many things about that time in my life that I miss a great deal.  Now, I'm an adult.  I have made the afore-mentioned choices that have begun to shape me into the person I am and will continue to be.  Some of these unfavorable decisions have disappointed my family.  I moved in with my boyfriend right after graduation.  We had been dating for about a year and four months, and I saw it as a waste to pay for my own place because I was almost always over at his apartment anyway.  So for reasons of finance and love, I moved in with him.  Two apartments later, we still live together in - what some would consider - a bed of sin.  It's a pretty delightful bed of sin if you ask me.  He's my best friend and I learn more and more from him everyday, about him and about myself.  I'm content and, it's really wonderful.

The ideals of Christianity, faith and the afterlife honestly don't cross my mind too often these days.  I'm not saying I believe there is no God; I would still like to believe that there is, and sometimes I do.  I mean, truthfully, no one knows what happens after we die.  People either choose the road of believing in heaven and hell as real places of the afterlife, or they think it's all an idea/elaborate story to make people feel better about death.  At this time, I'm not really sure what I believe, and it's been this way for quite some time now.  People are always pressuring me to believe something - I HAVE TO believe something.  All I know is that I believe in family, love, happiness and being the best person you can be during the short time we have on Earth.  No one knows what's next, and that's okay.

Now personal views aside.  Let's talk about the Bible.  The Bible says homosexuality is wrong, an "abomination" is the word used I believe.

"If a man has sex with another man, kill them both." Leviticus 20:13

Okay, that's pretty clear.

Others sins in addition to homosexuality, according to the Bible, include getting tattoos on your body (I have a tattoo), cutting your hair and/or beard (pretty sure most people do this on a regular basis), eating pork, eating any kind of seafood (these organisms are considered unclean) and having wounded genitals (yes, you read that right).

"He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord." Deuteronomy 23:1

Another sin mentioned in the Bible is cursing at your parents.

"And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death." Exodus 21:17

Getting remarried after a divorce is also considered a sin, unless of course your husband cheated on you.  Also, working on the sabbath is a sin punishable by death.  That scares me a little because I don't have the ability to choose my work schedule and therefore work most every weekend.

"Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people."  Exodus 31:14-15

What I find a little odd is that Christians have somehow evolved and managed to forget some or all of these sins except for homosexuality.  If God views all sin the same, what sets homosexuality apart from getting remarried after divorce?  This cherry-picking just doesn't make sense to me.  These are the kind of inconsistencies that make me question the whole belief.

I have an endless amount of respect and love for my Nana because she has come to terms with having a gay daughter.  She struggled with it for a little while and finally decided to "love the sinner, hate the sin."  She doesn't nag my aunt about her choices and her lifestyle.  She loves her just the same as her other daughters, and told me personally about the gratitude she has toward my aunt for taking such great care of her in this difficult last year and a half that Nana has developed health problems.  Not a single day goes by that my aunt doesn't call to check on Nana, and she even had a new room built onto her house that Nana lived in during the past year.  They are two of the best people in my life - pure souls in a mixed-up world.

Moving on to a somewhat current topic in politics with the presidential election upon us - women's rights.  This is a subject that never ceases to infuriate me, but I'll attempt to keep it brief.  It's disconcerting that this is even still a present issue in society.  

Here are some verses from the Bible concerning women's rights:

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." 1 Corinthians 14:34-36

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord." Colossians 3:18

"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Genesis 3:16

I don't even know how to react or respond to these verses.  No wonder our country isn't willing to give equal rights to its women or let them make decisions regarding their own bodies.  These are the philosophies and beliefs many people grow up reading and studying.  What do you say to this?  I'm sorry, but a husband should not "rule over" his wife.  It's called a partnership for a reason.  It's not a master-slave relationship.

As far as the election goes, I honestly don't love either presidential candidate.  I watched parts of the debates and they both use colorful, buttered-up vocabulary and talk about percentages and numbers like they've got the bandage for our wounded country, but when it comes down to it, they're just trying to win us over with their words and their promises.  Amidst the shred of honesty they may convey, most of their talk is lies.  We've seen it happen over and over again.  This time it's no different.  Unlike many others, I'm not going to flat out announce who I'm voting for, but it's probably pretty obvious given this post.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to believe anything other than what they already do.  I just had to tell this story and get some of these thoughts out of my head and into real words.  It feels good to be open and honest - a breath of fresh air, a naked moment.

Leif Erikson // Bathing Beauties

Sue Lyon, Lolita, 1962

"She feels that my sentimental side should be held with kids' gloves,

But she doesn't know that I left my urge in the icebox.

She swears I'm just prey to the female.

Well then hook me up and throw me, babycakes, 'cause I like to get hooked."

Rita Hayworth

"I'll bring you when my lifeboat sails through the night

That is supposing you don't sleep tonight."*

*lyrics from "Leif Erikson" by Interpol

Photo credit: filmnoirphotos.blogspot.com

Quiet Mornings & New Music

Good morning!  I just know it's going to be a fabulous day.  Jason left for work about an hour ago, and I took Fozzie out to the dog park for a bit, really just as an excuse to go outside and soak up this 66 degree weather.  Unbelievable!  I feel like it's usually still swelteringly hot at this time of year, but oh well, I'm not gonna fight it.  Yesterday morning I made a delicious egg white omelet with corn, onion and jalapeno jack cheese.  I seriously impressed myself; I'm not too experienced in the making of omelets.  And being the carb-lover that I am, I had to pair it with a piece of cinnamon-sugar toast.  Mm mm good.  Oh, and there may or may not have been a Prosecco mimosa involved.  After breakfast, I started watching Gossip Girl season five, and I am loving it!  I'm sure many will disagree with me on this, but I think the show has gradually gotten better over the seasons.  I love it now that the Upper East Siders are all in college and (a little) more mature.  When I think back to their high school days, it's kind of upsetting to me how annoying Blair was with her dictator approach to friendship and excessive headbands and/or bows.  She's calmed down a ton; I actually like her now.  The rest of my day was pretty boring.  I just did a little Target perusing and hit up Sonic for a vanilla root beer.  When J got home we made tacos and cheese dip and watched the show Parenthood for the first time.  If you haven't watched the show and have access to Netflix Instant, I highly recommend it.  Any Nate Fisher or Lorelai Gilmore fans out there?  If so, you'll enjoy it for sure.  It reminds me so much of the movie The Family Stone.  They're both about large families, the kids are grown with families and problems of their own and they're all so close-knit and spend lots of time together at their parents' house.  Oh, and Craig T. Nelson is the patriarch in both.  Anyway, Parenthood is really wonderful, and like The Family Stone, it makes me want to have a large family someday and makes me hope that my brother, sister and I are close like that when we're older and have families of our own.

Today, I just decided to go with a simple bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and a plum for breakfast.  I've been eating a lot of plums lately.  I forgot how perfect they are - sweet and tart all at once.  My plans today include getting off of the couch, going to the San Marcos outlets for a few things, lunch at my favorite sushi spot, maybe the mall for some makeup and baking cupcakes.  We'll see how much of that actually gets done.

Today is a good day for new music!  New albums from Sea Wolf and The Avett Brothers are out today, and you can stream the latest from The Killers on iTunes.  Their album Battle Born is due out Sept.18 alongside Grizzly Bear's Shields.  I'm especially in love with the track "Blue Stockings" off of the new Sea Wolf album, Old World Romance.  September always seems to be a good time of year for new tunes.  Delight in it, my friends.

xoxo

Gossip Girl: Chuck and Blair

Ok, it's guilty pleasure time, guys.  You should really feel thankful that I don't bombard you with my Gossip Girl obsession more often so I think you can handle what I'm about to throw your way.  I've been watching the teen drama for the past 5-6 months or so via Netflix Instant starting with S01 E01, and I just finished the last episode available, S04 E22.  I am dying!  Season four ended with so many crazy cliffhangers I'm about to lose my mind.  Therefore I just had to jerk up my MacBook and youtube clips from season five immediately.  I won't give too much away, but I have to share with you my passion for Chuck and Blair's chaotic frenzy of a relationship.  Chuck has mommy and daddy issues GALORE, and Blair is an anal retentive head case.  Match made in heaven, my friends.  Yes, of course I love Serena and Dan, and they BETTER end up together at the show's conclusion or else.  However, in lieu of what I just witnessed on my television screen I'm a little more fixated on C+B for the time being.  I am going to share with you a few of my favorite C+B scenes throughout the show thus far.  C'mon!  Suffer with me, people.

Pretty Little Pieces

Happy Wednesday, Babies.

xoxo

If You Really Knew Me

This is a fun little post idea I got from Danielle, the creator/writer of one of the blogs I read regularly, Sometimes Sweet.  Like Danielle, I tended to be a bit of an over-sharer on my MySpace and LiveJournal accounts in high school, and oddly enough, just a few years ago in college with my Facebook.  I used to update my status almost everyday, sometimes multiple times in one day, which seems like wayyy too much to my current self.  Although I do log onto Facebook at least once a day, I don't spend anywhere near the amount of time I used to on the site, and I rarely update my status.  These days I see it as more of a way to keep up with close friends and relatives than a way of life like I used to.  It all seems a bit silly to me now, and I've since realized how much personal stuff I was openly dishing out and because of that I now choose to be much more private in my online endeavors.

So here goes.

If you really knew me...

- you'd know that I absolutely loathe all things Harry Potter.  Sorry, people, I just never got into it and am therefore sick of hearing about/seeing it.

- you'd know that I have a profound interest in the '60s, the '70s and the history/rise of punk rock as a beloved music genre.  The Misfits, The Germs, Choking Victim and The Adolescents are some of my favorite punk rock groups.

- you'd know that I love musicals.  Oklahoma! is at the top of my list, and I can sing every song word for word.  I was first introduced to it in the form of a school stage production at Crosby High School, my mom's alma mater.  I also own the full soundtrack, including the Overture, on vinyl.

- you'd know that I proudly own the entire Gilmore Girls television series on DVD.  Every time a boy would come over for the first time he would mockingly point that out.  Don't care.

- you'd know that I cracked my skull as an infant from falling backwards in my Nana's kitchen and would eat nothing but raisins in the hospital while they checked for brain damage.  They found none; although, some believe the results to be mistaken.

- you'd know that I am the eldest of three children in my family.  I am seven years older than my brother and eleven years older than my sister.  This didn't stop my brother from beating me up, haha.

- you'd know that I enjoy America's Funniest Home Videos from time to time, especially when I am in need of a good laugh.

- you'd know I can do an unmistakable impression of Cher singing "Believe."

- you'd know that I am a huge fan of both the Fast and the Furious and the Rocky sagas.

That's about all I can think of right now.  Perhaps now you know me a little better than before, and as always thanks for reading!

xoxo

The Day After Independence Day

Greetings, everyone.  I thought I would take a short amount of time to illustrate what I've been up to the past couple of days.  MAGIC MIKE was such a fun movie!  Apparently everyone else was just as excited to see it as I was because the theater was already jam-packed thirty minutes before the showing, and Jason and I weren't able to sit by each other.  That was a bummer, but the entertainment made up for the crummy seating arrangement.  There isn't a whole lot that's better than watching a group of super foxy men bust a move and take their clothes off.  Ahem...the story was pretty good too.

Yesterday on the way home from work I bought True Blood season four on Blu Ray, so that's what I've been doing today.  It's amazing seeing all the little details I missed the first time I watched it.  Season five makes more sense now, haha.  

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Summer Lovin'

"And if you're scared of the future tonight,
We'll just take each hour one at a time.

It's a pretty good night for a drive,

So dry up those eyes, dry up those eyes.

Because the radio will still play loud,

Songs that we heard as our guards came down.

Like in the summertime when we first met,

I'll never forget, don't you forget - these nights are still ours."

The Gaslight Anthem

It's lame, but I just now (like today) started listening to The Gaslight Anthem, and I don't for the life of me know why.  I am so surprised I never gave them a chance before, especially since I've always been an Against Me! fan.  I am a stranger to myself sometimes.  Their songs seem like good summertime songs - the lyrics are angsty, youthful and tell cute little stories of love and heartbreak.  Is there really anything better?  No, there isn't.

Ahhh, yesterday Jason and I got our sushi fix down in good ole San Marcos, Texas at Japan Latino.  I got my usual Sex on the Beach roll, Jason got the Seafood Dynamite roll and we each treated ourselves to Sakeritas.  Yum!  My mouth is watering, guys.  I could seriously eat sushi every single day.  

Some things I'm excited about right now:

1.  Eating sushi again ASAP  :)

2.  Moving on with my life, and refusing to let this post-college/pre-successful-adult-life chew me up and spit me out.  I will make something of myself!  This economy will not keep me down.

3.  PORTLAND next month with my best friend, Jessica.  I've already started piecing together a tentative schedule of events.  Planning ahead and looking forward to something keeps me sane.

4.  Looking into possibly doing something fancy for mine and Jason's three year anniversary.  I mentioned staying a night at the Driskill or maybe a resort on Lake Travis.  Basically, whatever we can afford when the time comes, but it will be extra special and full of love nonetheless.

Young-Life Crisis

Being in your twenties is a funny thing.  Basically, you're at your peak, physically speaking (for most people), you have more energy than you will in decades to come, your whole life is ahead of you with so many possibilities and opportunities, but it's also a very difficult, sometimes traumatic time.  It's frustrating when older people go on and on about how jealous they are of you and your youth and they encourage you to travel and "see the world."  Let me tell you, I would love nothing more, but I have to pay rent and bills each month which pretty much swallows up each and every paycheck I receive.  I'm slowly starting to save, but it's hardly anything because I need every cent I make.  So I won't be rushing off to Europe for months at a time.  Sorry, guys.  Looks like you won't get to live vicariously through me in the manner that you wish.  The way I see it is that I have all the years ahead of me to travel and see the world, but right now I'm just trying to find myself and simply get by.

I've never been a "live in the moment" kind of person.  I am super anxious all the time, and I'm always anticipating the next adventure.  This makes it difficult for me to enjoy things as they happen because I am constantly looking forward to the next thing.  Sad, I know, but also very true.  Lately, I've been peeking back into the past at certain times when I know I was really happy and trying so hard to remember exactly how that moment felt - what I could see, what I could smell and hear and the people there with me.  This isn't to say I'm not happy right now and I'm trying to remember what it is to be happy.  No, no.  I am very happy with how things are going for me.  I'm young and in love and I live in a beautiful, cultured city with lots of great sights and food.  It's just sometimes comforting to remember little moments of pure joy.

I was reading something the other day when I came across the question "where is home to you?"  The answer is the physical place/location where you feel the most comfort and happiness.  For me, it's probably Nana's house.  I've been going there for the past twenty-three and half years.  It's where many of my earliest memories take place.  I remember specific times of being over there.  The kitchen curtains open, natural light pouring into the room, the just-mopped floor still damp as the ceiling fan works hard to dry it, the faint smell of cleaning products and cigarette smoke, the theme song of The Young and the Restless coming in from the living room...

Nana is finally back in her house after mostly recovering from her heart surgery last summer.  She bounced around to different areas of the hospital before staying with my aunt Kandace for about six months until she felt comfortable enough to move back home.  Hopefully I'll get to go see her back at home, the way things have always been and should always remain.

It will be nice to be back in that barn-like house.  It will be nice to be home again.

100 Questions

1.  Are you young at heart, or an old soul? Definitely an old soul.  I worry constantly, cannot stay awake past 11 p.m. and love to make casseroles.

2.  What makes someone a best friend? Complete trust, true honesty, someone with a great sense of humor, but knows when to be serious, how to listen and you know will always be there for you.

3.  What Christmas (or Hanukkah) present do you remember the most?  I think I was five or six when I got a My Size Barbie from Santa.  That pretty much made my life.

4.  Tell me about a movie/song/tv show/play/book that has changed your life.  I don’t know that any of those things have really “changed” my life, but both the films “Mammoth” and “Babel” really helped to change my perspective of the importance of third world problems and good communication.

5.  Name one physical feature that you like about yourself, and one you dislike.  I like my hair, I hate my legs.

6.  Would you like to reconnect with any friends you’ve lost contact with? Yes, some friends from high school that I deleted from Facebook during my post-college mass deletion phase.  I really regret that.

7.  What’s more important in a relationship: physical attraction or emotional connection? Emotional connection, for sure.

8.  Name a movie that you knew would be terrible just from reading the title.  The Human Centipede.

9.  What holiday do you most look forward to? Halloween and Thanksgiving.

10.  How is the relationship between you and your parents? I have really good relationships with both of my parents, especially my mom who I’ve always been very close to.

11.  You’ve got the TV on, but you’re not really watching. What channel is the TV on? Food Network.

12.  Name a song that never fails to make you happy.  “Well All Right” by Buddy Holly

13.  You know at least one person named Michael. Tell me about him.  My grandpa’s name is Michael.  He’s a pretty interesting guy who comes from a pretty interesting place.  He was in the Air Force, he eats really fast because of that, and he’s been very generous to me my whole life.

14.  Have you ever read the “missed connections” on Craigslist? Have you ever posted one, or wanted to? I have overheard my old roommates reading them and talking about them, but I’ve never read them myself.  I've never posted one.

15.  If you could pick anywhere to live the rest of your life, where would it be?  The Greek island of Ios, but in all honesty, that won’t happen because I really just want to be close to my family.

16.  Can money buy happiness? No, but it sure helps out a lot!  Money problems are the pits.

17.  Do you drink? Smoke? Do drugs? Why, or why not? I drink occasionally, don’t smoke and don’t do drugs.  I enjoy fine wines, beers, and margaritas.  Smoking killed my Pop.  And drugs are bad.

18.  Is there anyone close to you that you know you can’t trust? You don’t have to give names. Yes.

19.  Where was your favorite place to go when you were a little kid?  Nana and Pop’s house.

20.  Have you ever spent a night in the hospital?  No.

21.  Do you enjoy being with only one or two friends, or with a large group of people? Just a small group.

22.  Do you like the type of music your parents listen to? Do your parents like the type of music you listen to?  My dad has pretty good taste in music; he’s the one that got me into a lot of classic and 90s rock.  My mom listens to pop and rap music mainly, and I enjoy some of that stuff too.  My dad likes the music I listen to, but my mom won’t even give it a chance.  She just makes fun of it, haha.

23. Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever bullied anyone else? I have been bullied, but I’m thankfully not “friends” with that person anymore.  And, no, I have never bullied anyone.

24.  If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Jason’s goat cheese mashed potatoes with caramelized onions.

25.  If your partner wanted to wait until marriage before having sex, would you stay in that relationship? Of course.

26.  Do you prefer cooking or eating out? It depends on the night.  I enjoy both.

27.  Of all the social networks in the world, why use twitter? Because it’s a fast, easy way to get a lot of information at once. It’s way better than watching the news.

28.  What’s your favorite hashtag to track? Don’t have a favorite, don’t use hastags too often.

29.  Would you call yourself/your family “middle class?” I’m probably lower-middle class, but I would consider most of my family to be middle class.

30.  Name a TV series you didn’t enjoy until after it ended. Six Feet Under.

31.  Have you ever bought a product from an infomercial? Surprisingly no.  Although, I’ve seriously thought about too many times.

32.  If you could give up your car and never have to drive again, would you? No.

33.  If you go back to one point in time to give advice to yourself, when would you go and what would you say? I would go back to the time of the aftermath of my first serious breakup, and I say, “He’s not worth your tears and pain.  You will find someone much much better.  Just get over it and move on NOW.”

34.  What’s your “quirkiest” habit? Making strange, small noises all the time, or bursting out into random song throughout my day.

35.  What is “normal?” Are you normal? Normal is a highly subjective desciption.

36.  Someone close to you is dying. You have the choice to let this person live for 10 more years, but if you do, you cause the death of 10 strangers. You don’t have to see them die. Do you take the offer? Yes.

37.  What is one thing you could never forgive? Someone physically hurting my brother or sister.

38.  Would you rather be in a relationship after the honeymoon period ends, or be single? Be in the relationship…there are few things more fulfilling.  The honeymoon stage always goes away, then you move into a deeper, more respectful love for one another, and nothing can match that.

39.  Is it possible for guys and girls to be just friends? I don’t believe it’s possible.  I’ve never seen proof of it.

40.  Where do you and your friends go to hang out? I don’t really have friends that live close by anymore, but we used to hang out at each other’s houses/apartments, coffee shops, music venues, bars, and the like.

41.  Write the first sentence of your obituary. Kassie Lanae Kitchen passed away this morning at the age of 102 in her favorite white rocking chair with her cat in her lap.

42.  What is the best TV theme song ever? Alfred Hitchcock Presents

43.  When you were young, what would you dream you would be when you grew up?  I first wanted to be a dance teacher, then a pharmacist.

44.   When you’re alone in your own home, do you walk around naked? No, sometimes without pants, but that’s the freakiest it gets.

45.   What gets you out of bed in the morning? My alarm buzzing in my ear.

46.   Do you want to have more friends than you have right now? Not necessarily, I just wish the ones I do have lived closer!

47.   What part of the past year sticks out in your mind? Moving to Austin, our trip to Las Vegas, getting to see my friends.

48.   You win a scratch-off lottery game that gives you $2000 a week (after taxes) for the rest of your life. Do you keep your job? No, I quit immediately.

49.   Could you be in a long-distance relationship? If you’re in one, what makes yours work? Nope.  I know some can, but I am not one of those persons.  I have tried it a handful of times, and it always ends disastrously.

50.  What’s the best route to your heart? A man that can cook and be silly.

51.  Have you ever met someone through the Internet, then met them in real life? Yeah.  Weird.

52.  What is your favorite sport? I don’t enjoy playing any sports myself, but I like to watch baseball, but only if someone I know is playing, like my brother.

53.  What has been troubling you lately? My job and my financial situation.

54.  Did you enjoy your high school prom? If you haven’t gotten there yet, do you look forward to it? If you didn’t go, why not?  My HS prom was so overrated!  My friends and I planned for it for an entire year leading up to it, and it was so not worth it.  However, we did drive down to the beach right after, and that was a blast!

55.   What do you use more often: your intuition or logical reasoning? I’d like to think I use a little of both.

56.   Do you know what makes you happy? I know some things that make me happy.  I’m sure I have yet to discover others.

57.   Tell me about the last book you read. Well I’m currently reading The Help.  It’s awesome. It’s weird to read the book after you’ve watched the movie though; the book gives so many more details.

58.   What is the nicest compliment you’ve ever been given? My boss once told me that he’s admires my confidence and he knows I must have been raised well by great parents.  He is right.

59.    Who was your first crush? Doug Garner in first grade.

60.    Do you believe that there is life on other planets? Yes.

61.    Predict what your life will look like a year from now. Hopefully, I’ll be making fat stacks of cash and living the good life somewhere nice with my love.

62.    Often, people will ask how your last relationship ended. I want to know how it began. Well I’m currently in a relationship, and it began in beginner bowling class at Texas State.  On the first day, I saw this tall, handsome guy who seemed oddly familiar, but I just couldn’t put my finger on where I knew him from.  I thought maybe I had seen him play a show at some venue, but the truth is, I didn’t know him from anywhere, and I hadn’t ever seen him before.  Call me crazy, but I got a quick glimpse at the future and the universe was telling me there’s something special about this one. I guess he felt the same.  Cha-ching.

63.    Where is your favorite place to go out and eat? Ooh, I like too many places.  Probably Japan Latino, my favorite sushi restaurant ever.

64.    What is something you want to change about your current situation? I want to make more money, live in a cute little house, and not have to work.

65.    Early bird or night owl? Neither.

66.    Are there any childhood possessions you still hold on to? I have a yellow Barbie boom box that has a button you push and crazy funk music from 1993 blares out of it.

67.    Give me an unpopular opinion you have?  I hate Harry Potter.

68.    What was the last song that was stuck in your head? “Tongue-Tied” by GROUPLOVE

69.    Where do you live? Be as general or specific as you want. I live in an apartment in Austin, TX.

70.    Do you believe in giving kids medals and trophies for participation? No, a winner’s a winner.

71.    What was the longest car ride you’ve ever taken? A family road trip from Houston to Breckenridge, Colorado.  It was only supposed to be like 17 hours, but there was a blizzard and it ended up taking us 25 hours straight.  We did not stop except for once at Denny’s for breakfast at 5 a.m.  It was very strange.

72.   Have you ever taken part in a protest? Yes.

73.   Would you ever use an online dating service? As a last resort.

74.   What is your ethnic heritage? Scottish, Irish and French.

75.   Describe a person that inspires you. My Nana.  She is strong, hilarious, confidant, and the sweetest person on the planet.

76.   If you earn minimum wage doing what you love, would you? Probably not.

77.   Do you believe in luck? No.

78.   Describe the last time you were very angry with someone. It was work-related, and my brain was shaking I was so mad.

79.   Do you want to live until you’re 100? As long as I’m not hooked up to some machine and my mind still partially functions, yes.

80.   Do people change? If so, how do you keep a relationship together when both of you start to change? Yes, people constantly change.  You just have to accept that person for who they are all the time.  Be open to their changes and continue to love them just the same.  I know it’s easier said than done, but no one ever said relationships were easy.

81.   Have you ever risked a friendship by telling someone you liked them? Yes, and we dated and it ruined everything.

82.   Would you rather be alone doing something you enjoy, or doing something you don’t like with your best friends? I’d rather be alone.

83.   Do you practice what you preach? Most of the time.

84.   If you take precautions to stay safe, do you ultimately act more recklessly? No, I’m always safe.  Not a risk-taker in the least.

85.   What do you value more in a significant other: Attractiveness or intelligence? Intelligence.

86.   Are you hard-headed? About some things, yes.

87.   Have you ever laughed uncontrollably when it was socially inappropriate? Yes!  Haha, that’s the absolute worst feeling ever, but also one of the best at the same time.

88.   When have you felt most alive? Seeing shows on Broadway in NY, and staring out into the horizon as far as I can see when I’m at the beach.

89.   Would you prefer to live? A city? The suburbs? The countryside? The mountains? Either countryside or mountains, but close enough to a city so I could go enjoy it when the mood strikes.

90.   Do you often skip breakfast? I used to all the time, but I eat breakfast most days now.

91.   How do you know what true love is? When you're in it, you just know.

92.   Would you want to know the exact date and time you were going to die? No way, Jose.

93.  Where is “home” for you? Houston, TX

94.   What song best describes your life right now? Can’t think of one off the top of my head.

95.   Do you want to be perfect? Perfect is boring. And non-existent.

96.   What have you never tried, but would really like to someday? What’s holding you back? Traveling to other countries.  Money is holding me back.  Flights aren’t cheap.

97.   How do you express your creativity? Writing.

98.   Describe your neighborhood. Quirky, clean, environmental, fairly safe, nice.

99.   Name something you only liked because it was popular. Beanie Babies.  Dumbest trend ever.

100.  Give me the story of your life in six words. Birth, fun, school, love, graduation, work.