Today’s VEDA (Vlog Every Day in April) submission centered around a presentation by a very neat nonprofit. I saw No Kidding: Straight Talk from Teen Parents today with my little from Big Brothers & Big Sisters. At 11 years old, I would think that she’s too young to sit through a 2 hour presentation of very heavy and very real talk from teen parents. However, she had made a comment about wanting to be a single mother that I felt it was appropriate to “torture” (to quote her).
If you’re reading from a reader or email, I have a new layout. New layout is simple and white and makes me feel lighter!
6.
This weekend I’m breaking bread with my friends, Shane and Nam. I haven’t seen Shane since November in 2009. And Nam is always traveling for work (His job is 100 percent travel!). I have a lot of friends who go off and do their own thing in different cities, states, and countries. Both Nam and Shane are two of them. I really appreciate those friendships where there’s room to go off and not check in for months and almost years, but when we’re finally in the same city and country, we can just call and have dinner. I know a few people who can only have those close knit friendships that don’t allow the flexibility needed for growing up and moving on.
7.
This week’s moments of bliss: ♥ Alan’s bowling league team winning their championship ♥ eating asparagus and loving it ♥ Austin Restaurant Week ♥ dressy dinner date with Brittany ♥ pork belly in my belly two nights in a row ♥ decadent chocolate cakes ♥ using Alan as a recliner while watching TV, a recliner that hugs ♥ Watching Lincoln Lawyer at Alamo Drafthouse while eating warm chocolate chip cookies with icecream
Questions: Do you celebrate Easter? If so what are your Easter traditions?
You know the new Bachelor, Brad Womack who was also the Bachelor three years ago? I have a picture with him from Halloween 3 years ago! He was standing outside one of his bars here in Austin.
Funnily, I also know someone who used to date his twin brother.
2.
It’s been two weeks since I started my resolutions of blogging three times on the food blog. If I fail a week, I have to increase my Vietnam fund goal by ten dollars. I’ve only blogged once this week, and twice the week before. If I keep this up, the travel fund will be FLUSH.
So far in 2011, I feel like I’m scrambling and way behind. I’ve fallen off the 5.5 hours of sleep a night wagon and am now grudgingly riding on the 3.5 to 4 hours of sleep a night wagon. It seems like my entire life is a constant losing battle to get more sleep and drink more water.
Back to my point. I’ve been trying to catch up in 2011. Work is full and I’m behind there. It looks like I have to pay myself another ten dollars for the food blog this week (unless I whip something out both tonight and tomorrow), I haven’t yet finished a book this year. I think what has done me over is constant out of town visitors filling up my calendar and the Sketchbook Project. Now that a lot of my friends have gone back to their respective towns and the sketchbook is on its way to Brooklyn, hopefully I can get a better grip on my schedule.
4.
I helped my little from Big Brothers and Sisters of America brainstorm her science fair project. She wants to work with Mentos and soda. A la this video.
I volunteered to help with her experiment this Sunday. Admittedly, I’m a little nervous about cold weather and sticky explosive streams of soda. Wish me luck!
5.
As I was catching up on my subscriptions on Youtube, I saw my Texan vlogger friend, Treavor post a Pummelvision video of his facebook photos and I liked it so much, I followed suit. Here’s my life in Facebook photos, chronologically from age 22 to 27.
A lab member brought back some Kit Kats from Japan. I love foreign candy! I offer you a blurry cell phone picture of our selection. We all kind of guessed the flavors since work is so hectic, we forget to ask. Pictured from top to bottom: maybe raspberry, maybe miso (taste like coffee), blueberry cheesecake, cherry (yum!), and some weird Japanese citrusy fruit with pepper? The last one is gross.
7.
I received a blog award from the gorgeous and fellow Austinite, Pink Sun Drops. I’m actually suppose to meet her tomorrow for a mini Austin food event.
Rules are to share 7 things about yourself and pass on to 10 bloggers. Instead, I pass on to you. Comment and tell me 7 things about yourself or if you have a blog, go forth and blog. Here are my 7 things.
I really want to buy myself a label maker so I can label my photo albums and journals with dates.
I have always felt guilty using my vacation days.
My first email password ever was “bonethugs.” Yes, you can laugh at me.
I’ve been blogging since 1997.
I prefer savory to sweet. I love desserts but eating sweets gives me immediate cravings for something savory. Sometimes I eat my meals backwards because of this. Start with dessert and work backwards.
I prefer summer clothes over winter clothes.
I do not enjoy reading anything with magic, wizards, dragons, gnomes, fairies, monsters, spaceships, unicorns, and witches.
Share with me some tidbits about yourself? Really, I want to get to know you.
I took a small break from blogging and it was wonderful. I vegged out more and may have gotten addicted to Rock Band 3.
2.
Holidays are around the corner and I’m making my “who I need to shop for” list. This year I want to try to give more experience based gifts and less stuff. Experiences result in more happiness and less materials will also mean less waste. I’ve always known this but am recently reminded of some of the best memories I have with friends are experience based gifts. Taking Jessica to Renaissance Festival for her birthday. Jessica and Brandi taking me to Seaworld. Concert tickets. Broadway shows… This year for my little’s birthday, I took her to Austin Park & Pizza and she loved it. Last year I gave her Hannah Montana crap that she’s long since lost.
3.
Just finished reading my 32nd book of the year. Chuck Palahniuk’s Diary. I love Palahniuk but only mildly like Diary. It just wasn’t as engaging as I hoped.
An excerpt:
“Everything is a self-portrait. A diary. Your whole drug history’s in a strand of your hair. Your fingernails. The forensic details. The lining of your stomach is a document. The calluses on your hand tell all your secrets. Your teeth give you away. Your accent. The wrinkles around your mouth and eyes.
Everything you do shows your hand.
Peter used to say, an artist’s job is to pay attention, collect, organize, archive, preserve, then write a report. Document. Make your presentation. The job of an artist is just not to forget.”
4.
One of my new year’s resolutions is to read 40 books this year. 8 more to go! Crap, it’s crunch time. Less Rock Band, more reading.
5.
There’s been a really obvious trend to this last week. Maybe it’s because I watched season 1 Gossip Girl marathon style. How I Met Your Mother had a recent episode highlighting the fact that girls share too many details and the discomfort it gives men. My coworker was telling me how she doesn’t know how her parents make it because her mom shares everything much to her dad’s discomfort. My bff was telling me about an conversation that she and her husband were having with their neighbors. The men think that the women talk too much. My girlfriends tell me so many tiny details about everything and guys are more closed-mouth. When girls talk about break-ups, they truly just break it down. When my guy friends go through break ups, I noticed they rarely ever break it down. In short, women thrive on the chatter and gossip and men abhor it. I used to think it was a stereotype. I’ve now reconsidered.
6.
Going out for Halloween tomorrow. I love gawking at costumes downtown. My costumes the last three years have been documented on the blog.
2009
2008
2007
7.
I bought my Halloween costume on a whim this year. And even typing that makes me feel compelled to tell you that all of my girly bits are covered. I feel compelled though because I’ve noticed there’s a lot of judging of the sexy costumes as skanky and slutty and my costume has a garter belt. And fishnets. So its a little risqué. We (women) are always so worried about appealing skanky and slutty and cheap that we tiptoe around. I don’t know how many times I’ve asked my girlfriends if my miniskirt is too short or panicked because I forgot to pack a cardigan in my overnight bag to cover bare arms. Even when it’s 100 something degrees outside. I’m starting to feel a little defiant. A slut is someone who sleeps around indiscriminately. Showing a little arm and leg with a costume and being confident enough to do so is not an accurate indicator of what one does in one’s bedroom. I am wearing my dang fishnets.
VEDA – Um this was the most blooper filled experience I’ve had taping a vlog. I have one clip ready for the day we reveal some bloopers. I don’t know why but I think I was the most nervous doing this vlog because I could not stop stuttering. Which resulted in 2-3 jumpy cuts in the final product. I just had to give it up. This is good practice for something that might later be useful in life, no? Blah, whatever, here it is.
2.
Just a random picture of a tower of boxes. I’ve been collecting boxes in my cave of an office at work for the boyfriend’s looming move.
3.
I had dinner with my little (Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America) a couple of nights ago and it’s like she sprouts a few inches every time I see her. She went from little tiny 8 year old to an almost 11 year old and it’s unsettling in numerous ways. For starters, she’s going to be taller than me real soon. That’s no fair, right? Second, our conversations are getting a little more mature. She told me she can’t wait to get old enough to get a tattoo. I said, “Oh yeah? What would you get?”
“Oh, I want a tattoo of my boyfriend’s name.”
I almost pulled over. Instead I vehemently discouraged her. I’m like, “No, really, really, really don’t ever do this.”
“What?! But wwwhhhy?”
“Because, Little, I know you’ll meet someone and you’ll think you’ll be together forever, but the odds are against you. Really. They’re against you. Most likely you’ll break up – I’m sorry I’ve seen this and been through this. It’s what usually happens. And when you do break up, you’ll be that girl who just got broken up with with his NAME on whatever body party you tattooed it. Trust me, I’ve seen youtube videos of people trying to remove tattoos, it ain’t pretty.”
To which she huffs. “I’m not stupid. I wouldn’t do it unless I knew we’d be together forever.”
Face to palm. FACE to fricking PALM. My best friend suggested I take her to a tattoo parlor and let her talk to a tattoo artist. Ha. Too bad this conversation didn’t happen before I already discussed piercings and tattoos for VEDA.
4.
While we’re on the topic of my crazy little. Here’s a self portrait she took of herself with my camera.
She thinks I’m a grandma or something because she started to quiz me on Internet speak. Used to be called AIM speak but I guess AIM is all outdated now. She asked, “Do you know what BRB means?”
Ha. I almost said, “Child, please!” (Yes, I’m channeling Chad Ochocinco.) “BRB was around before you were even BORN.” But I never belittle my little and was chill and answered her a plain, “Yeah, be right back.” She was shocked I knew. She then confirmed my level of competency by further quizzing me about LOL and TTYL. :) I’m glad I passed.
Random excerpt: “Generally speaking, though, Americans have an inability to relax into sheer pleasure. Ours is an entertainment-seeking nation, but not necessarily a pleasure-seeking one. Americans spend billions to keep themselves amused with everything from porn to theme parks to wars, but that’s not exactly the same thing as quiet enjoyment. Americans work harder and longer and more stressful hours than anyone in the world today. But as Luca Spaghetti pointed out, we seem to like it. Alarming statistics back this observation up, showing that many Americans feel more happy and fulfilled in their offices than they do in their own homes. Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working, yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure). ”
6.
I was debating on posting this video. I cursed a lot. Bleep bleep bleep, bleep bleep bleep. But uh, cursing is what I do when I freak out. I freaked out because there was a lizard in my apartment. I videoed it under Brittany and Martin’s suggestion and because I was reminded fondly of Chitown’s insect video. This isn’t hardly as funny. So in case for some reason I find myself on the job market, I uploaded the video but it’s unlisted. If you’z friends of mine want to see a freak out of yours truly, you can ping me.
I cashed in a favor from Deesh and called him at 11pm for my reptilian emergency. Offering of course to treat him to lunch :). He was over in a jiffy and freed the imprisoned lizard (I trapped it in a shoebox against my wall). He hardly reads my blog (which is on par with most of my real life friends), but just in case he peeks in, thanks again, friend!
7.
Because I ran out of takes and this will tie in neatly with take #1, here’s a picture of the miniature snow globes I have at work.
Two of my dear high school friends, Alex & Hillary are coming for the weekend. We’re going to camp out on my living room floor. On our agenda for sure: booty shaking. All else will be decided on whim. :) Cannotwait.
Here’s a pic of the three of us from November. I think this is the last time I saw either of them.
2.
I liked this voice mail I got from my friend Davey. Mainly for the mumbled, “I like you.” Shared with permission.
I like him too. It’s not yet my birthday.
3.
On the walk to my car one day this week, I saw a statue hold a balloon and it made me smile.
4.
I’m on a SARK kick. Here’s my loot from the Austin Public Library.
5.
Click for bigger picture
I don’t know if I buy that a squirrel waved at her. I also don’t know if I buy that another squirrel waved at her previously disbelieving brother. I will admit, I might start discreetly waving at the squirrels on campus just to test it out.
6.
My little from Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America has a boyfriend. She tells me they have a lot in common. For instance, when people fall down, they both laugh. They also both like to “do pranks.”
7.
Beef Stroganoff Fail
I made my first marinara sauce from scratch on Wednesday. It was decent. I wasn’t feeling confident with cooking because I royally screwed up my first attempt of beef stroganoff on Sunday. The recipe said to cover and simmer for an hour. I had no idea I was supposed to stir occasionally! The sweet thing is, Alan scraped off some off the top (the edible portion) and actually complimented it! Aww.
Austin’s Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America is looking for mentors. I’ve really enjoyed being a Big. I’ll be honest and say that I thought it’ll be easy and fun and games, and most times it is easy, fun, and games. However, it’s also challenging. You’re committing to someone, which involves proactively setting aside time to give them your undivided attention and consistently do so. As a working adult sometimes juggling two jobs (so glad that’s over) or someone in my mid-twenties still enjoying and wanting an active social life, being consistent and setting time aside can be difficult. Also, there’s no trading in your little. You are not guaranteed to be paired with a “Mini-Me.” The point of Big Brothers and Big Sisters is to be a positive constant.
And with that, I’ll leave you with this list:
It’s important to give back to your community.
It’s flexible scheduling, you work out when you see your little. BBBS asks you see them 3-4 times a month.
Having conversations with impressionable kids is awesome. There’s a natural sense of wonderment.
It’s a chance to a be a positive role model. Maybe your little will grow to think you’re cooler than Miley Shanky Cyrus. Here’s your chance to be a good influence!
You now have a valid excuse to be a kid again. Since having my little, I’ve been to kid’s festivals with face painting, puppet shows, kid movies (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is AWESOME), and marvel at balloon animals.
Every penny you spend on your little on outings is tax deductible. For instance, if you go to McDonalds, her happy meal is tax deductible, yours isn’t.
You’ll have a new friend.
Your little might teach you something. Just listen and watch.
If you’ve never had a younger sibling, this is your second chance.
So if you’re from Austin and are interested in becoming a mentor, please check the website www.bigmentoring.org, call the office (512) 472-5437 or email the staff volunteer@bigmentoring.org.
If you’re not from Austin, check if your town has a Big Brothers Big Sisters of America chapter.
Last weekend, little and I went to our first cooking class. She not only ate her first springroll, but she made it!
In comparison to 2008, 2009 was awful! The one thing I can think of that 2009 had over 2008 was that I read more than double the books I read in 2008. I’m anticipating the fresh feel of a new year that is 2010. In the meantime, here’s a review of how my year has gone with heavier emphasis on my blessings verses my misfortunes.
Note: All links open in a new window.
January 2009
Celebrated New Years with Alan and his friends.
I worked a lot. Logged a lot of hours.
Saw one of my favorite movies of the year, Slumdog Millionaire.
Visited Mary Ellen for a long weekend in Boston. First time I’ve gone to see her since 2005. Had best breakfast ever at Mike and Patty’s and most interesting hot pot.
Celebrated Alan’s birthday at Joe Dimaggio’s. Was very happy to have him back in Texas and to be able to celebrate his birthday with him and take him as a date to weddings. He had good timing :)
Had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Houston where I reunited with people I don’t normally see! (Willis, Thomas, Kim, Shane, Kelvin, Chris, Aishah, Kym, Hillary, Alex)
I went home to Houston for Christmas break and was able to see Mary Ellen, Aishah, Pinky, Cindy, and Kim of course my lovely family.
Had hot pot on Christmas day twice. Lunch with Mary Ellen and her mom and dinner with my own family. Hot potted out! (Blog entry to come.)
Released balloons 4 days early as part of a New Year’s Tradition with Kim. (Blog entry to come.)
Tonight, most likely will be going downtown for New Year’s and spending it with Alan.
After party in the car.
I’m a blessed girl. Instinctively, I’d tell you my 2009 was pretty awful but when I write it all out like this and focused on the good rather than the bad, I can see now I’m still quite lucky. Farewell, 2009.
Tell me how your year went. Or better yet, if you have a year in review entry, I’d love to read yours.
Yesterday, I hung out with my little and her family at the Big Brothers Big Sister’s Annual Christmas Party. It was a lot of fun. I’m a little jealous of her big family. :)
My little with some of her family members
I ran into a friend/high school classmate at the party. I forgot to call her to see if she was coming but it worked out anyway. My little said you can see the “whole world” behind us.
My little debuts her new dance move in the video below.
Texas native. Living and working in Austin, TX. Twenty something. In hot pursuit of good food, adventure, and laughter. Dreams of owning her own place with a big giant library.
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