MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hope everyone has safe and pleasant travels.
:)

It's the most wonderful time . . .

of the year. Christmas. Ahh. I haven't been home for Christmas in a while so it's been nice to be here with actual decorations, that have been gathered over the years, each with their own history. Sounds cheesy, but it's always fun hearing the same stories of who got what from where year after year.
Anyway, I have been TERRIBLE about posting lately. I just haven't felt like I had much to report. So here are my updates, per a few special requests.
I'm still substituting, and I still like elementary ten times better than high school. I have been going to a few more different schools so that's been good. Getting my face and name out there so come hiring time, they will hopefully (keep your fingers crossed) remember me and what an asset I would be to their school. :)
My mom is doing alright, good days and bad days, but I'm sure the holiday break will be a good time for her to rest and get annoyed with the family.
My little niece is still ADORABLE, and here is her Christmas picture.


Too cute, right??
What else, what else? Oh, yes, I am going to Heidelberg over my break to visit a college friend who lives there now. Another friend is meeting there too so we're having a reunion overseas. Woohoo! I love my college reunions. First Vegas, now Europe; I don't know how I'll top that. Anyway, I am super excited, of course, and you will see plenty of pictures and hear lots of good stories upon my return.
Another thing, and don't judge me for it, but I just got a new car. I know what you're thinking. "Susan, how is the WORLD can you afford this right now?? No job? No money?" You have every reason to question me; there's not a day goes by that I don't ponder that myself. I am truly blessed to receive such gifts. And yes, I'm spoiled. What are you going to do about it? Ok, phew. I was nervous to tell yall, but there, I did. I look forward to taking you for a spin in my sweet, new ride.


And last but not least, the Cardwell clan is coming over tomorrow . . . cousins, aunts, uncles, the whole shabang. We're making fajitas, and I made about 3 million cookies today so I'm hoping that holds up. :)
Hope your last few days before Christmas are blissful ones!!

*BIRD ALERT*

Just wanted to get your attention, but you will NEVER believe what I saw at Starbucks today. A man just walks up, pulls out a beach towel to drape over a patio chair, and proceeds to place a parrot (that had previously been perching on his shoulder) onto the towel. That's right, a parrot. Whoa! My eyes grew so large that the girl who was sitting on the other side of the window, right in my line of sight of the bird, got very uncomfortable with me "staring" at her. So I had to motion for her to turn around, and she nearly dropped her book when she came face to face with the parrot. We both chuckled, and I went back to reading, always keeping a watchful eye on the unique situation. The man comes inside to order and leaves the bird unchaperoned. Out of the blue, a woman walks up, picks up the bird, and begins petting it. And not just a normal bird petting . . . oh no. She strokes it, talks to it, gets in its face and kisses its mouth repeatedly (picture your favorite puppy licking your face . . . this was the EXACT type of exchange.) But then, it all got weirder. (as if this hasn't been weird enough) The woman goes inside and apparently she is the man's girlfriend or wife or whatever because they go back outside with their coffee and proceed to feed the bird a do nut and a cookie. As if this bird needs to be fed breakfast from Starbucks. Finally, a barrister goes outside with his phone and takes a picture with the bird, like it was some kind of circus act or something. It was all too much. I don't think I have stared quite so much in all my life. I felt I was in an alternate universe.

Emma Lauren

Well, she's here!! The much anticipated first niece of mine has entered the world (with apparently very healthy lungs), and I know I may be biased, but she is too cute. Here are a few pics of just her.


Look at that cute little tongue . . . I'll add more when I get the chance. I was just so excited to share with you!! I'm an aunt!! Hehe :)

Proof

A few weeks ago I told you that I feel down our stairs. Well, I'm finally healed, but before I got my proper leg color back, I took some photos to document the unfortunate accident.


See?? Told ya it really happened!

What happens in Vegas . . .

should stay there, but I'm breaking the rule.


That's right . . . you're getting a close up, in depth look at my recent trip to LV. Ok, Ok, for the sake of some of my audience, I'll censor it a little. For my big 25th birthday I went to Vegas for a tri-state reunion. Have I really gotten to an age where I must plan a trip out of state to get old college friends together? It feels very Sex and the City. Anyway, I met two of my Pepperdine buds at LAS where we took a cab to the great and wonderful TI! (the new and improved Treasure Island) It was actually quite a nice hotel and just a train ride from The Mirage, the wonderful place that housed the greatest Cirque Du Soleil show of all time . . . LOVE.


True, I've only seen this one Cirque Du Soleil show, but I would venture to say it's one of the best, if not THE best one, in Vegas. Very impressive, trippy stuff. Here we are pre-amazement. Clearly excited.


I also managed to win $40 on a slot machine. At least it paid for my buffet . . . my #1 thing to do in Vegas, next to playing the slots. These buffets are just a gluttonous way to try all sorts of foods that either you're too lazy or too cheap to order normally, all complimented by an unending amount of champagne. Scrumptious! This year, I think I passed my last record sitting time, spending nearly 3 hours there eating, drinking, and overall just being silly. Amidst our gambling, eating and drinking, we did sleep and we even went to the club in our hotel, but left soon after we arrived due to its overly skanky atmosphere. Not as classy as we would have liked. I know, I know, it's Vegas. I shouldn't be so discriminatory.


The last thing we did was swing by Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant (surprisingly AMAZING nachos) where we were able to walk off with our cocktails in plastic cups.


Only in Vegas, folks.
Overall, great trip. If you ever need a buddy, I'm always up for going. :)

High school

Do you remember what high school was like? Were you ever intentionally mean to your substitutues? Well, then shame on you! I have been in high school this whole week, and I have never been so ready to go back to elementary school. So, tomorrow I will be in a kindergarten class. For just a few hours, but I cannot wait to see the little ones. The ones who still enjoy adult company and aren't automatically excited when they see a sub because they think they can get away with murder while the teacher is away. They just aren't as manipulative or rude as those older ones. I'm sorry. I'm sounding pessimistic, but I really wish I could record some of my conversations with these winners. No respect. No manners at all. And those 3 or 4 in each class pretty much ruin it for the rest. I hope and pray that my children (should I choose to have any after all this) learn how to treat people in a proper, nice manner. Both their peers and adults. No matter how much they don't like either. Ok. Venting over.
Guess what tomorrow is?? My birthday. 25 years of life. I am starting to feel old. Ah well. I'm going to Vegas to celebrate, and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to forget my exact age while I'm enjoying martinis and playing the slots. Or however I choose to spend my time. :)
Happy Fridays everyone!

Home again

So mom is back. And surviving. :) I'm happy to finally be able to contribute to her getting better.
I was so excited for it to be Halloween today, but our doorbell only rang 3 times tonight. And one time they were teenagers. So now we're left with lots of extra candy and very few memories of children in cute costumes. Slightly disappointing evening. At least next year I'll have a niece to take pictures of. (I know I know, she won't even be 1 yet, but that doesn't mean she won't get dressed up, if I have anything to do with it. :)
Full weekend ahead, starting with a lunch/shopping adventure tomorrow morning. Yay! In the evening, we'll have a full house to feed and watch the football game with. I'm a little nervous about the game, but I'm hoping for the best. Sunday, well, I guess there's nothing happening there. But I'm sure I'll find something to do.
That's all. Minor entry. I'm just pleased to report mom's back.

Counting down

I am so close to being able to work, I can taste it. And it's a good feeling, folks. A good feeling, indeed. I have already received my letter proving I've had my fingers printed, and yet I just got the email from the sub lady that says, and I quote, "I am sorry but the letters were sent before the code was put in your file to show completion of fingerprinting.....without this code the profile cannot be done.....just wait a day or 2 and then try again...you should be able to register then...." Are we dealing with idiots here or what? I am trying not to get frustrated or snippy, but come on now. Couldn't they have checked fingerprinting status BEFORE the sub orientation? Or better yet, couldn't they have submitted the code in our file BEFORE sending out the precious letters that were supposedly guaranteeing our right to register??
Ok, I'm done with that. So, I'm excited to start working . . . should I ever get to. :)
And on to other news, yesterday started as any other day. I got up, ate a little breakfast, went to a workout class where I stretched my limits lifting weights, swung by the library to vote early (thus avoiding lines later, although there was quite the line even at 10:45 am), went to the store in preparation for a dinner I ended up not making because after I got home, I ate a terrific homemade chicken salad sandwich, watched an episode of Gilmore Girls, and fell down the stairs. For those of you who haven't been to my house in the last few months, we recently aquired hardwood floors. This includes all the stairs. So, in my flurry to make it out the door for a coffee date I was already running late for, I slipped off the steps, about halfway down, and rolled the rest of the way. I have 5 bruises, that I've counted so far, and as embarrassed as I am to say this, I think this is the worst I've been roughed up. Maybe ever. It was sad and painful, and now I'm terrified of the stairs. And walking down them in anything but my bare feet or sneakers. But, on an up note, well, I haven't found one of those yet. I'm still pretty bitter.
Things I still find joy in . . . last night a cold front came through, and it was a whopping 57 degrees when I woke up this morning. Cool! I have LOVED it. After I let the exterminator in, I brewed myself a pot of fresh coffee, grabbed a chocolate chip muffin, and headed to the back porch to continue reading those pesky little Twilight books. It was a wonderfully blah morning after my overly eventful afternoon yesterday. :)
Wait a minute, here's a positive. It's almost the weekend and more football!

CA Dreamin'

So I'm back from my weekend away. And it was great. It was a busy busy time, but that was perfect. Never felt like I wasn't taking full advantage of my time. I had a great flight out there with my ride picking me up and taking me to her hot spot in good 'ole Newport Beach. Friday was a day in the life of an Orange County Housewife complete with a lovely drive up the coast. Friday night a few of us went to Knott's Scary Farm. (they Halloween up Knott's Berry Farm, a theme park near Disneyland) This is apparently a place for high school students to go and stay out way too late. I learned it was an experience I don't wish to repeat again, unless I magically de-age, but it was still super fun.







Saturday morning I basked in the UT win over OU. Hook 'em!



That night I enjoyed the sweet singing of Sara Bareilles, and let me tell you . . . she is FANTASTIC in concert. If you don't know her, get to listening to her music. She is super talented and so so so good live. That night was my main reason for going this trip, and it was so worth it.



Sunday I went back to my old town, even to the very apartment complex I once inhabited for 2 years of my life. I was unable to go in, exactly, but I did hang out with my good friends there, eating lunch and watching The Office and Grey's. The end of my trip consisted of seeing one last friend Sunday night, where I stayed and recieved a ride to Pepperdine. It's changed; they're knocking down old auditoriums and building new classrooms. But the ocean is still there, as beautiful as ever, along with the Santa Anas blowing so much dirt/sand at you that you feel you've just had your own personal facial. Since I was back at school, I figured I might as well take a class so I went to my friend's dad's class on Harry Potter. They were discussing the last two books, which are my favorite, so it was pretty entertaining. And finally I went to the airport, and I had the most pleasant Southwest flight experience EVER at LAX. Except when I got to SA, the stupid baggage people left one of my bags on the cart outside, and it wasn't until I was almost home when they called to tell me this blessed news. So I have to go back to the airport today, and I am NOT looking forward to it. Of course they took the bag that actually had stuff I needed, you know, toothbrush, makeup, clean clothes, etc. But, anyway, that was my time. Sounds pretty terrific, right? It was. Very good.
Today I'm taking another test to further qualify myself so hopefully I'll get a job quicker. Wish me luck!! :) And then I have my substitute orientation Wednsday so I can finally get ready to start substituting and be productive in the world. My next visit to Houston is going to be later this month so I don't know how much subbing I'll get in for a while, but still, to know I can will be good for me.
And that's all folks!

All Smiles

What a weekend o' fun. I really love having family and good friends together. (Even if they're only my friends through extension [thanks to my brother and sister-in-law]). This weekend entailed lots of events, including seeing some extended family that I hadn't seen in a while, helping to host my sister-in-law's baby shower (can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!), partying it up at my brother's diaper shower, and then spending some time at home with my other brother. Oh, and I slept until 10:00 this morning, the latest in several weeks. I haven't been sleeping great (see past posts), but after this great weekend and lots of reaffirming conversations with those I love, I feel much more refreshed and content. Thus the late hour of my awakening . . . not that I'm still not tired and heading to bed any minute. But I just wanted to quickly send out a happy face for how I'm feeling. :) Tomorrow I am heading to Houston with my mama for some routine tests and appts. As always, prayer is appreciated. Then the countdown continues for my trip to CA. Good times, good times.
On a completely unrelated topic, I have begun the hideous task of car shopping. Now that I've found a few I could live with and love, convincing my parents that it would be in their best interest (although I haven't quite figured out how) to spend the money necessary to make my car dreams come true is the task at hand. Wish me luck on that. Ha!
Happy New Weeks!

TOP FIVE

Here are the top things I'm looking forward to in the next 2 weeks...in no particular order.
1. Dinner with Megan. (love seeing my friends)
2. Liz's baby shower. (yummy food, drinks, and baby stuff. what could be better at putting you in a good mood?)
3. Mom/Houston time. (on the surface, not an incredibly fun trip, but i like my mom, and i like to drive her car. this equals a good time for me.)
4. Sara Bareilles concert. In Los Angeles. At the Wiltern. (predicted good times)
5. Ok, my overall trip to LA in a few weeks. I am in need of some serious CA recharge time. And Coffee Bean.

ho hum

you know, i wish i had something really exciting and worthwhile to share, but unfortunately, i don't. i just thought i should post something so you'd know i wasn't dead or hadn't fallen off the edge of the earth. i am still very much alive and jobless and missing ca deeply. lately, i've been wondering if i made the right decision moving back to tx at all.
and then i think back to the last 6 weeks i've been home, and i wouldn't want to trade any of it. really. i cherish my time with family again and the chance to relax and catch up. i'm just realizing that after i've had a chance to catch my breath, deal with some things in life, and start to figure out what i really want, moving back to san antonio hasn't seemed like the best idea. or the most logical. or the most unobtrusive. alas, it was the decision made, and i'm not changing it anytime soon. i don't think. ;)
although this entry is not uplifting in any way or particularly clever, i am purely staying true to my word in keeping you updated on life as it is. the good thing, though, is that i'll have to write something else again soon to get this off the top of my list.
i can't stay mopey or sad for long. it's boring. and aggravating.
on an up note, i finally went to church for the first time in a loooong time. it felt good to be in a large group taking communion and worshiping. granted, i went to oak hills and knew none of the songs or the people, but it was also nice being "invisible" and not having to say much. is that weird to just want to take it all in?

phew

These past few days have been a whirlwind of excitement and non-stop going. Let me give you a recap...
Thursday night I went to my first MacArthur High School football game since I graduated in 2002. This may sound lame, but it was weird that I wasn't assigned a specific place to sit or go on to the field to perform at half-time. I just sat with the teachers (I was bonding with mi mama), and they were a rowdy crowd, let me tell ya. We won, though. Go Brahmas!
Then, Friday night, my good friend from CA was supposed to come (and she did--woo!), but not before lots of calls to the airline and obsessively watching the weather to see where Ike wanted to go. Many thanks that he avoided my neck of the woods and all we got were threatening clouds.
Upon her first night in good 'ole San Antone, we watched some TV and chatted, on Saturday morning there was breakfast at a new little love of mine, Magnolia Pancake Haus, and then a night out on the town. We tried to go to church Sunday morning, but the church traffic was so intense (yes, I said church traffic), we decided that God would much rather us go to La Cantera to enjoy the cooler weather. And then, sadly, it was airport time around 5:30, where I said my goodbyes and followed with dinner with family friends in Gruene. Yum yum.
Looking forward to more exciting days ahead! :)

On a sadder note...
Amidst my busy and wonderful weekend, tragedy struck for a good friend of mine last Friday. Her father was killed in the Metrolink crash in Chatsworth, CA. Although I didn't know him well, I had met him enough times to know how much he will be missed. Please say a prayer for her and her family as they deal with such a devastating loss. Thanks.
http://cinenet.com/~barbara/Walt_Fuller/walt_main.html

2 things I love

#1 winking
#2 napping
Both of these things bring me so much joy. Let's start with winking. I love it when someone winks at you. To me, it's comforting, friendly, and fun-loving. It just eases me if someone winks my way when they know I may be feeling uncomfortable. (I, of course, am not speaking of uncomfortable winkers here. This includes winks from inappropriately aged individuals trying to flirt or who knows what. These winks are not so good.) And the other, napping. Or just naps. Who doesn't love these precious tid bits of time when we get to drift off into dreamland in the middle of the day? You'd think that with all the free, unemployed time I've been having I would have naps everyday. But I do try to stay productive throughout the week so I've reserved weekends for nap time. And boy are they good.
That's all. Go winks and naps!

Football season begins

It's almost fall. The sun is still brutally hot, but fall always brings about the start of special something. That special something is football! (Not to be confused with "futbol" where one actually uses the foot to move the ball.) Anyway, yesterday I had the honor of attending my first college football game in several years. 6, to be exact. Memorial stadium is just as beautiful and fun-filled as I remember. And although nothing about the experience has really changed, things are still different. The fans are just as crazy excited, but the stadium has grown. We are still drinking beer as we gear up for the game, but our location has moved. So as I reflect on this time-honored tradition, I shall list all the things I love most about football at Memorial Stadium.
I love . . .
*tailgating before games. Nothing like a cold beer and snacks to get you ready to cheer your team to victory.
*the tradition. I still can't believe how everyone joins in on the songs and cheers and overall "rooting" for the team the WHOLE game through. (guess that's what I get for attending a school with very little school spirit)
*the food. Gotta love standing in line for orange and white dippin' dots or a corn dog.
*the sea of burnt orange that stretches across more than 94,000 spectators.
*that where else are inappropriate gestures and slander more widely accepted?
And last but not least, I love the coming together of people ages 2-92 for a good time in the hot TX sun.
I love football, and I'm so glad to be back in TX to enjoy it once more. I can't wait for the upcoming season. Hook'em, horns!

http://www.lsufootball.net/tvschedule.htm

Updates

Goodness me, it's been nearly 10 days and nothing from me. That must mean I've been busy as a bee. Let's see, let's see. What have I been doing . . . oh yes, this past Friday I was at a family function in the great city of Walburg, just north of Austin. Nothing like schnitzel, beer, and intoxicated family members. Then I saw a good friend in Austin the next day. We just spent the afternoon gabbing about life and how much it sucks to be an adult and out of college. I had dinner with family friends that night where I showed off my beautiful Italian Cream Cake I made. Can you say yummy? Mmm good. Sunday was a lazy day. No church. I really do need to get back into that.
Monday was started with a lovely drive to Houston to take my mama to her appointments/checkups/treatments at MDAnderson. I met the infamous Dr. Hwu. She's great. Excellent bedside manner. And she can keep my mom in line. Also, mom's nurses at the different doctor's offices were soooo nice as well. I walked away from the whole event feeling very good about having gone. I have missed out on spending time with her, and this was a great way to catch up and stay involved in her whole healing process. Doctors tell her everything is under control but pretty much the same. So I'm thankful for the small things. Although nothing is all that better, nothing is worse. Thank you, God.
While in Houston I met up with 2 of the lovely chi chis. It felt good to just go have dinner and chit chat. It was the first time since I've been back when something felt normal. I was around where my friends were so we went to dinner. That may sound simple, but it was good to do.
And that brings us to today where I am sitting holed up in my room while our lovely Olivia irons for my folks and George redoes our floors. That's right, say goodbye to carpet and hello to really rad wood floors. Other than the guy blaring classical music as he hammers and saws, the guy can WORK. He did about 3 days work in 2 so Mom could get a visual of how everything will look once he finishes. She was ecstatic when she walked in close to midnight last night. I think it gave her a jolt of energy to get through today, her first day at school.
And that's life here. I'll be holding down the fort/sleeping/watching pointless television to recover from the weekend and Houston trip. Or maybe I'll be put to work moving stuff back into place for the parentals. We'll see.
Happy Wednesdays!

alright, i'm spilling my beans

ah, yes, secrets. digging down into the souls of your friends and finding out weird and hopefully interesting facts. here are mine.

1. apparently this first one is not unique . . . i too facebook stalk. i say i see it as a way to keep up on my friends' lives. really, it's just me being nosey. but if you put it on facebook, you want people to know. and i'm going to find out.
2. i cry every time i watch the olympics. it doesn't matter who's winning the medal or how they did, as long as they tried hard and they look touched, my tear ducts fill and usually one or two get squeezed out.
3. i get super jealous of people who have style. i mean, who go shopping with a purpose. who know what they like and go for it. i see myself as having no style. or having the style of whoever i go shopping with. so i'm more of a conglomerate of those special friends willing to take me shopping and listen to me bitch as i go. without them, i'd be naked.
4. which brings me to my next one that i'm rather leery of sharing, but who reads this anyway? if it all came down to me, i'd go naked. forget those annoying pieces of fabric bunching and keeping me hot. i would rather set my thermostat to suit of birthday suit and save money by NOT shopping.

well, as far as i'm concerned, that's a good start.

not even sure what to title this

So i was going through this drawer by my bed, looking for this set of notes i once had, and instead i found my list of what i want my perfect guy to have. This has got to be from elem. or early middle school, judging by what it was with in the drawer. Get ready . . . i got rather specific.
1. smells good (not much has changed there. gotta love that cologne)
2. six-pack (?really? i guess i was a little vain. or i just wanted a strong man)
3. tan (i didn't want our kids to have predetermined pale skin)
4. tall (duh)
5. dark hair
6. pretty eyes (the window into your soul)
7. good taste in clothing (ha, funny, apparently i don't want to have to dress him. i've got enough to handle on my own)
8. nice smile
9. nice butt (lol)
10. shy-looking (? not sure what i was going for there. i must have been more out-going in my younger youth)
Any men that match this description? Send them my way.

correction

just found out badminton uses a "shuttlecock" to play, not a "birdie" as i was previously informed in grade school. it is now easier to understand how this sport is so hardcore.

Olympic Plug

Well, since the Olympics are such a hot item to talk about, I am thinking I should hop on that bandwagon and give my two cents.

Gymnasts are AWESOME. I am constantly in awe of all they can do. It is freaking incredible. They are on up there with ice skaters, in my opinion (who do amazing stunts all while riding on shoes that rely on blades for balance; phew).

Also, diving. Now, what I don't understand is how you can get timing just perfect and dive at the same time, the same speed, and the exact same rotation as the person next to you. Synchronized diving has brought a whole new WOW factor to overall diving for me.

Of course swimming has been so darn exciting this season. Did you see Michael lead in the relay? He was a full body's length ahead of his competitors after just one leg of the race. Go Phelps!

My newest sport that I have never paid much attention to before but have thoroughly been enjoying . . . badminton. I know it doesn't sound like much, but at the Olympic level, they take things seriously. Who knew the sport we learned in elementary school involving a "birdie" could get so badass?

And finally, the sport I am going to attempt to get into, well, there's two.
One: synchronized swimming. I have ALWAYS wanted to watch this but never could catch it. This year is the year.
Two: trampoline. How impressive does that get? Well, I'm not sure. But I did have an insider's opinion on its difficulty, and he certainly peaked my interest.

That all may be more than two cents. Oops.

Stupid nail polish

I went to the store the other day and walked by the nail polish at the end of the isle. I thought to myself, "It's been a while. I think it's time for some more." Because I have not had the best luck picking out colors in the past, I decided to stick with something I knew. So I began looking at all the colors that looked like my toes until I recognized the name. I bought it. Upon taking it home and applying the product this evening, I made a discovery.
It's not the same color.

Boys

Have you ever felt that the whole world knew something that you didn't? Like there was a secret that had somehow failed to reach your ears? Or perhaps you had a label scrawled across your forehead that had appeared there or been placed by some higher being that everyone else can see but you can't.
Well, yesterday made 2 days out of the past three where a gentleman has hit on me. Now, I know what you may be thinking. Um, hello?! Isn't this a good sign? You're ready to be out there . . . embrace these weirdos. I mean, they're not exactly weirdos, but, well, let me explain.
The first came as quite a surprise when I answered the door in my bright orange sweatpants and t-shirt (that has orange in it as well. I was wayyy matchy matchy. eew.). Mind you, I had to open the door without stepping on the tile because there was wet cement where our tile once was. (one of the many remodeling projects I get to witness upon this blessed move home.) So, I look ridiculous as it was, holding the door from the side, and wearing the bright orange pants. The, what could only be described as, boy, fired off, as soon as I opened the door with, "Hey, you from Hawaii?" This was what was printed on my shirt. I look at my skin and think, "Hawaii? Ha!" But I proceeded with, "No, just a shirt with Hawaii written on it." Was he shot down? Oh, no. The following takes place.
B: Oh, well, I'm from...(can't remember the whole spiel). Can I ask you a few questions?
M: I'm sorry, but I don't live here. Well, I just moved back here so I'm afraid I'll be of no help.
B: Really? Where'd you come from?
M: CA.
B: Oohh, CA. What part?
M: Just north of LA, in a smaller community called Simi Valley.
B: What brought you to CA?
M: I went to school out there. Pepperdine. Just stayed out there a while after I graduated. (hinting towards my definite older age)
B: Cool, well, can I stop by later?
M: Excuse me?
B: Sorry (blushing). To talk to your parents.
M: Sure, they'll be home in about an hour.
B: Thanks, you have a great day. So nice to meet you. (hand out for a shake)
So there's instance one. Apparently to a 12-year old, I'm hot stuff.

The next situation caused me a few more butterflies, but he wasn't as forward. I was sitting in Starbucks, as I'm prone to doing these days to relax, unwind and pass the time, reading my Harry Potter book 5, when this ponytailed older man (around 30, I would presume) sweeps in and sits right next to me on the comfy couch. I think to myself, "Ponytail? Really? I have to check this one out." And let me tell you . . . his face was like a Greek god. Chiseled, almost modelesque. The ponytail was soon forgotten as he got out this old Sheryl Crow CD that no one I know owns. I comment on it, and our conversation turns to light chit chat. Then I read my book and stopped to look up every now and then because let's face it, I'm a stare-er. Always have been and probably always will be. The hour I was there, between the talks and stares, there was a fly that we both tried to get to stop buzzing around us, as if it was buzzing in the path of a heart to show our budding love. Then again, maybe not. But he was nice to look at and seemed to be a kind person.

And with these two examples in mind, it causes me to wonder . . .have I got "single, super available and desperately seeking mate" written across my forehead?

On it goes

So another day of unpacking and sorting is upon me. But good news . . . I woke up before 9 and got straight to work emptying a box and 2 big bags already, and it's not even 10:30! Oh, and I've showered. Let this day be productive and full of adventure.
One thing I've discovered about myself in the past few years is how much I like music. Perhaps it's more of a "duh" moment more than anything else, but nonetheless I have started to use it to my advantage. Whenever I want to alter my mood I just plug in my ipod or pop in a CD, and BOOM! My mood is either more uplifted or more comtemplative or whatever I'm going for. Yay! I like this because it gives me a little more control over how I'm feeling these days. I know, I know, control? Me? But yes, folks, I like to have my feelings under complete control. Which is hard for girls in general, but I'm always up for the task.
In my life I have begun to re-read the Potter series starting at book 5, and man, is it good! I just cannot get enough of little Harry. It's always a nice break between studying for my tests. Oh yeah, I am taking my teacher tests for teaching in TX starting tomorrow, another on Thurs, and one more next Mon. Exciting, I know. Gotta love feeling like you're back in school but really not.
And no, I did NOT experience the earthquake in CA a week ago. I hold that CA was just showing me how much it missed me. It shimmied for me, for goodness sakes.

Home at last, home at last

Above are a few pictures from my going away par-tay and my last day at the beach.

Well, just as the title reads, I am now officially in San Antonio, TX, the place I called home for more than half my life. I say that because I can't quite believe I am calling it home once again. I have always loved visiting throughout the past few years, but I haven't felt like it was home for quite some time, since moving away, and now I feel a little homeless. And yet, I am anxious to find my niche here, or anywhere in TX, really.

The drive here went so very smoothly. I-40 through Arizona was absolutely beautiful. My stay in NM was nice but not altogether relaxing (too many people around). We went through Roswell on our drive back, thus the following pic.


Of course, landing in SA before midnight after a long day's drive just put a wonderful end to the trip. I have been rather busy this first week home. With roommate in tow, we did some SA things, such as Natural Bridge Caverns and Schlitterbahn, and then we headed to Austin to see college friends. (Pictures to follow.) We ate at some amazing restaurants, and I deduced that Austin may not be a bad place for me in the future. Only time will tell that.

(this place look familiar, girls?)

This weekend was my first official family time I've had since I've been back. We floated the river with some family friends, but that is the extent of my details. If you want more, ask me later. I would like to not post that days proceedings for the public.
Let's see, let's see, now I am starting to settle in, applying for jobs, and realizing how much of an adjustment it will be to be living with my parents again. Alas, I will do my best to put myself back in that equation.
Now that I've posted 3 or 4 times, I can't help but feel inadequate in my bloggings. I mean, am I doing this right? Should I be talking about other things? Because this move is all I can focus on. Apparently there are 4 huge adjustments in your life and moving and getting a job are two of them so I'm trying to do just that. Adjust. Any suggestions?? Or friends in the area I don't know?? :)
Ok, enjoy your weeks, folks; I'll be here trying to figure out mine.

The day is almost here

Please send those prayers up as we embark on our journey east.
TX . . . here I come!!

Packing away . . .

Busy busy bee. That's what I've been. A day and a half of packing, and I can finally see my room looking different. Phew. There are boxes in my living room that are to somehow fit in my car later this week, 3 boxes on the way to TX, and 3 boxes on the way to be sent to TX. I can see the light. I think. I'm worried I may have to leave last min. stuff here in a suitcase so next time I visit I can just bring that suitcase back then. We'll see, though. I have collected an absurd amount of mugs and other pointless kitchen crap. But I want to keep it all. But I do have this insane pile for good will, not to mention everything I'm just throwing out because nobody wants old notes or invitations or ticket stubs that have been kept so long the ink is rubbed off so I no longer know what they were for or when they were from.
My very caring CA friends are also throwing me a going away shindig this Thursday, and all my favorites are coming. Including you know who. It will be at a restaurant/bar down in Santa Monica called SOUTH. What better way to end this experience than with good friends enjoying some good 'ole comfort food down in trendy LA?
And my sister in law was kind enough to let me know "Don't worry, if you need a place to stay, we can always shack you up in a cabana out by our pool." So if life with the folks doesn't pan out, I always have that option.

Finally convinced to blog.

Thanks, Chi Chis. Against all my better judgement, I have now been convinced to start a blog. I was presented with the argument that not only do my Texas gals want to hear more about my life, but as I make the big leap from CA to TX, perhaps my California pals will want to hear about how my life ends up in TX. So here you go. This first blog is dedicated to those sweet girls I've known since before adolescence.


This weekend I returned to Texas for the first time in over a year. Things are about the same. Still hot. Still the friendliest people. Still the greatest food EVER. All in all, a great trip. The Chi Chis gathered for the weekend for the last of our weddings. (until mine, at least) It was great to see everyone again and just catch up, eat, and hang out.
I leave this afternoon for CA to start packing and planning my move back. That's right, I am coming home. Leaving the land of Hollywood and sushi, good friends and great music, for good 'ole San Antone. What's in store for me there? GOOD Mexican food, tubing, the Riverwalk, a few more margaritas, my niece on the way, and of course family and friends...esp. the Chi Chis. (thanks, Dab) Wish me luck!