Feb 25

From Bob Marley to Boys/Men

“You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before, she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect- you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together, but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break- her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there”

And other places you can find me: (all links open new windows)

You can ask me anything here and even do it anonymously.

My new food blog

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Feb 19

  1. A plane crashed into an IRS building here in Austin yesterday morning, killing two people. I just read the pilot’s 6 paged suicide note. I’m really sad for the innocent man who showed up for work and never came home because some sad twisted man could not take rein of his life and own responsibility for his unhappiness.
  2. Yesterday, during my lunch and on my own, I went to the Blanton Museum to see their exhibit on desire, aptly named On Desire.

    No photos were allowed at this exhibit but if you’re in Austin, I recommend it. It highlights a great span of desire, touching on heartbreak, confusion, sex, love… I sometimes find art hard to relate to but a lot of the pieces on display in On Desire really touched me and spoke to me. Very.. human.


    I’ve always loved the Blanton’s peaceful grandeur.

  3. Lately, I have a lot of mind chatter that is self-deprecating. I’m starting to worry that it’s excessively self-deprecating and I can’t seem to find my way out of it. Yet, anyway. I’m toying with the idea of talking to a counselor. My insurance covers it after a deductible.
  4. This video of a three year old sobbing over Justin Bieber is heartbreakingly CUTE. Such anguish for a little one.

  5. In the last week I finished the first three books of 2010: Fup, The Shack, Bonk, and am almost done with 50th Law. I think it’s amusing that when you read a handful of books all at once, there’s a lag in finishing books but then you start to finish them at the same time. Book reviews to come of all three (four?) books soon.
  6. My mom had my fortune told by this Asian dude who records his take on your life on tape. According to him, per my mom, the funnest years of my life is from age 24-34. She said according to him, I’ll get married and start a family at around 34/35. Interesting. Everything that has happened in my life, my mom claims she already knew was going to happen to me. My dad, a skeptic of fortunes, was gleeful to report that the fortune teller thinks that any degree of charismatic magnetism I possess comes from his side of the family. Ha! My parents crack me up.
  7. I’m most hungry for reassurance right now. Cuddles. Chicken soup. Hugs. Murmurs that everything will pan out. For now, I settle for still wearing Valentine’s day socks and knickers, and chocolate chip cookies.
Feb 17

I was doing my usual 20-30 minute walk from my car to my building on campus when I did a double take of a car I passed. I saw a car FILLED to the BRIM with STUFF. At first, I thought, “no way it’s trash, it’s probably someone moving.” But upon double take, it most certainly is not moving boxes. It’s a bunch of random… trash? Papers. One coat hanger. Books. I didn’t want to take too long so I pulled a stealthy ninja move and snapped two pictures. Had to pretend to be looking for something in my purse to wait for a few walker-bys to finish walking by.

But I did it. And I did it for you.

Behold! Car hoarder’s car!

This person clearly has a problem. I hope they get help for it soon.

Feb 7

I love Clinglish signage. I used to have a collection of photos taken around NYC Chinatown with English signs written by a presumably Asian person who doesn’t have a full grasp of the English language yet. Now, my heart goes out to people have who have to learn English as a second language. It’s a pretty tough language to learn with all its rules and tougher still, with all its exceptions to these rules. So it is with endeared amusement when I giggle at these signs that I found in a Japanese store in Houston.

Jan 24

Where the Sidewalk Ends

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Shel Silverstein

Brandi and I went on a walk around our neighborhood today. Something we’ve never done. We found 3 random sidewalks and followed them each to where they end. I brought my camera just in case we find something fantastic. You never know. Well, the only thing extraordinary we came upon was the remains of a crayfish on a little bridge.

How utterly random. Poor little crayfish.

Jan 21

Martin from This Rugged Life emailed me a response to my blog entry about organizing my bookshelves. He said he spent a whole Friday night in to rearrange. He did a pretty decent job! You can tell a lot about someone by the books they have… It’s almost like peeking in their underwear drawer. He was brave enough to let me share his collection! It’s an impressive one. If I didn’t know him (which I kind of don’t), I’d guess that he’s a well traveled, boxing, social-justice-and-politically-aware guy who enjoys Stephen King and knows how to cook. I wonder how far off I am? I especially love his nonbook artifacts that are also displayed.


Biographies, Politics, and a Hammer for his Gong



Fiction



More Fiction



Boxing Books



More Politics, Sociology, Philosophy



Sociology, Philosophy and a Piece of Corral from Thailand.



Travel Books, Backpacking, Survival and Topographical Maps



Cook Books, Reference and an Opium Pipe




Photo Albums



Comics (per Martin: “Don’t judge”), Boxing Magazines, and his Grandfather’s Bayonet


Dec 18

Yesterday. I was being trained at my new job in the biology building on campus. It kind of feels weird to be in that building as a staff member and not as a student. Mid-training, I hear a loud, hearty, and lingering laugh from one of the ladies I’ll be working with a lot. She excused the interruption and explained that we haven’t had a Botany Department in over ten years and yet they just received a package addressed to the Chair of Botany Department. Here’s a paraphrase of the note she read to us.

Years ago, I worked in your department
and thoroughly enjoyed my job and the
people I worked with. Upon leaving my job,
I stole a stapler. I am now trying to
live more honestly and wanted to right
this wrong. Enclosed is a brand new
stapler.

I really am tickled that he carried this stapler on his conscience for over ten years. I’m also touched that he took the time and paid the 8 dollar shipping to right it. It got me thinking of some wrongs I could right from my distant past.

The first wrong that came to mind is stealing candy from my parents. I should buy my mom and dad a whole bunch of banana flavored Now and Laters. My parents used to sell these to mostly children for 10 cents a little pack of 4 Now and Laters (pictured above). I stole a few of the banana ones sometimes several times a day and I’d bring them to school and share them with my friends and my crush and first puppy love, Austin Bates. I started doing this in the first grade and didn’t stop til maybe middle school. Maybe I’ll be able to find a bunch of banana ones before Christmas and this could be part of their Christmas gifts.

What’s one wrong you want to atone for and how would you do it?

Dec 16
Festive Car
icon1 Linda | icon2 holidays, in passing | icon4 12 16th, 2009| icon3No Comments »

I ran into Reindeer Car this morning while getting my coffee.

Note: I actually did not have a blog entry for today drafted up and ready like I usually do and am working my day job AND night job today. However, I noticed that I’ve blogged at least once (sometimes three times) everyday for 10 days straight. Today will be 11. I do this 3 more days and I’ve completed another goal of mine in my 202 things in 1001 days list. That website needs a major update. I’ve crossed out maybe 10 things without updating that blog. Oops :)

Dec 13
Sunday Ritual
icon1 Linda | icon2 in passing, videos | icon4 12 13th, 2009| icon32 Comments »

One of the first things I do on Sunday mornings is check Postsecret.

Frank got in late from a book tour so secrets will be posted later. I saw this video posted instead and I enjoyed it enough to want to share. :) Enjoy.


PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death and God from Frank Warren on Vimeo.

Dec 4

On Monday, I found a note on my car. It was a stranger letting me know I needed air in my tire. How randomly kind is that? I used to love acts of random kindness but this made me realized it’s been a while since I’ve come across a random act of kindness. Someone actually honked at me for wasting one second of their lives as I handed over some food to a homeless person. I usually don’t flick people off but I’m quick to anger when behind a wheel.

I don’t know how to gauge air pressure and Alan was asleep so I drove over to Deesh, Bing, and Brittany’s and Deesh helped me. Deesh and Brittany, I’m finding are the epitome of acts of kindness.

I hope this blog entry has inspired you to take a moment and maybe do something nice for a stranger (or friend). Spread some cheer.

What was your last encounter with a RAOK?

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