Category: misadventures

2011 in Review

December 29th, 2011 · · Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America, Bob, creative play, holidays, Houston, lists, love, memory, misadventures, silver screen, Stars of my Life, still-frames, the not so single life 29 comments - Tags: , , , , , , ,

I’ve posted yearly recaps since 2008. I’m a stickler for tradition so here’s my recap for 2011.

Previous years: 2008, 2009, 2010

I had a good year.

Note: All links open in a new window.

January

February

  • It snowed.
  • I didn’t see Alan often because of his work.
  • BDF (Best Dudie Friend) visited Austin! This ended up being the only time I saw him this year.
  • BDF surprised me with cookies. His note gets me Google search hits that make me a little sad.
  • Sent out Valentine cards and socks to my girlfriends.


    • Alan and I hanging out

March

  • Alan took me to my first NBA game, Heat vs. Spurs.
  • BFF had cake balls delivered to me at work.
  • My solemate (deliberate misspelling) visited Austin.
  • Went to Austin’s 2nd Annual Bacon Takedown.
  • Went to Sketchbook Project 2011 tour stop in Austin.
  • Hosted my first giveaway on the blog.
  • Attended a free screening and Q&A with director of Meaning of Tea, a fantastic documentary about tea. Really!
  • Alan and I had a two part dinner to celebrate our three year anniversary at Haddington’s and Uchiko (my favorite restaurant).
  • Attended Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance Launch Party and applied for membership.
  • March was a turning point in my life. I faced myself in therapy. I’m still reaping the benefits.


    • At Sketchbook Project event

April

May

  • I got bangs impulsively, changing my do for the first time in 5 years.
  • Took a canoe trip with coworkers, facing a handful of irrational fears very reluctantly. Obviously, I survived.
  • I participated in Leo’s Habit Course and developed a palate for vegetables by eating one serving a day for 30 days.
  • Flew to Boston to see BFF. We drove to New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island, all three were states I’ve never visited.
  • Read 8 books this month.
  • Totes Awesome Channel was founded.


June

  • Went home to Houston for Father’s Day.
  • Rolled down a hill inside of a ball.
  • I hit a boulder with my car. I always hit non-moving objects. Anyway, this was the start of a chain of bumper problems during the rest of the year.
  • I hemmed my first dress! As part of my new year’s resolutions, I wanted to do 10 learning tasks with sewing. This was my first major lesson.
  • Went to third Annual Cupcake Smackdown

July

  • Met Ashley D, Ashley, and Nicole of Totes Awesome Channel and recorded a vlog.
  • Celebrated my 28th birthday simply with a dinner with Alan and then a movie and drinks with friends.
  • Made my favorite video: 28 Life Lessons from 28 People (for my 28th birthday).
  • I caught up to 2007 and got my first smart phone!
  • My friend, Naz surprised me with a vlog from my dad.
  • I got really cozy with Tennessee Williams and his movies. Cat on Hot Tin Roof is excellent!


    • Celebrating my birthday

August

  • Successfully completed VEDA despite being out of town twice and moving!
  • Met up Hillary and Alex in Dallas for our second girls’ weekend of the year.
  • Moved in with Alan.
  • Used my passport for the first time since renewing it 2007. Alan and I took a vacation to Vancouver, Canada, my new favorite city.
  • Saw the bats in Austin for the first time.


    • In front of the Vancouver Aquarium

September

October

November

  • Posted a blog post everyday in November.
  • Ran two blocks of a 5k for Race for the Cure and raised 460 dollars. Thanks to a lot of you!
  • Went to Texas Renaissance Festival with Brandi and Jessica. It was our third year going and we decided to only do new things. We threw knives, shot bow and arrows, and had our face painted. It was the first time I’ve ever had my face painted!
  • Had my second blogger date with Treavor.
  • Attended a We Are Girls conference with my little. It was incredibly insightful.
  • Had a Thanksgiving picnic with friends at the park. We threw a whole cooler’s worth of ice cubes into an enormous fountain, to create ripples, to help push a soccer ball to a sad toddler across the fountain. We were successful.
  • Had a progressive meal day with Kim, Thomas, and friends.
  • During breaks between eats, we made paper cranes for Kim’s tree.
  • My bumper nearly killed Kim and me and got us murdered in the woods.
  • Made our sparkly tattoos dance.


December

  • I decide to like Christmas. I discovered it took more energy disliking it than it does to give into the cheer.
  • Partcipated in Austin Food Blogger’s food swap.
  • I was without a car the whole time I was in Houston for Christmas (the bumper needed to be replaced) and was touched to have friends pick me up for dates.
  • Sewed couch pillows with help from mom.
  • Hosting a “Never Have We Ever” dinner party tonight. Post to come!


    • Bob hanging out with snowman

In writing this post, I realized this year was really sweet for relationships. It may have a lot to do with my prioritizing close friends over acquaintances and then learning to set boundaries. Recently, I’ve been in a funk about not having a life’s calling but I have to say, I’m really content with my tribe. Word on the street is that it’s the relationships that really matter.

Wishing you a terrific end of year celebration! Lots of love!


Question: What happened this year with you?

Friday 7 Quick Takes (vol 43)

May 20th, 2011 · · 7 Quick Takes (Fridays), misadventures, resolutions 2011, scary thing(s) of the week, wanderlust 14 comments - Tags:


1.


So when BFF dropped me off at the airport for my flight back to Austin, I inadvertently left my phone in her car. I made it all the way to my gate and was fishing in my purse for the phone to make a few calls when I realized I didn’t have it. I had about an hour til departure and was wheeling with anxiety. I needed to make at least two calls. One to her to let her know she had my phone and another to Alan to let him know I wouldn’t have my phone when I land. (He was picking me up.)

I decided I could try to boot up the wireless Internet on my Kindle and use Google Voice to text both parties. Just when I was about to open up my Kindle cover, I heard my name announced on the intercom. My heroine of a BFF had managed to call my gate and then arrange someone to meet me with my phone.

Anyway, the point of me sharing this is that I realized I really need to memorize a few phone numbers. In case something like this happens again. Or in case I get arrested.


2.

One of my new year’s resolutions this year is to publish 3 blog posts a week on the food blog. For every missed week, I pay myself 10 dollars in my Vietnam fund. This week is the very first week I completed that goal and did not have to drop a ten in the Vietnam account. High five!


3.

Links to the three posts:


Modern Diner (Pawtucket, Rhode Island)


Wordless Wednesday – Poutine


Flour (Boston, Massachusetts)


4.


I was going to write up a full recap for my fear-facing canoe trip I took with the work people, but I think it’s only really fascinating to me, the person whose mind and world were shaken by something most people find pretty tame. So now unconceived blog post has been reduced to a bulleted quick take.

  • The river was very low due to Texas drought. Which means if we were to tip over, all we had to do is stand.
  • I lost count of how many times a rapid turned our canoe backwards.
  • I lost count how many times we collided into tree branches. Thankfully, by holding up my paddle to protect my face, I escaped unscratched.
  • I saw a snake swim under us and because my fear of tipping over and being entangled with said snake was greater than seeing the snake, I remained calm and just anxiously waited til we were in the clear.
  • One of our canoes tipped over during the biggest and last rapid. One workmate disappeared underneath the boat and scared us witless but she was safe. The other workmate had a doozy of a bruise on her leg but was otherwise safe as well. I decided I was too faint-hearted to go through that rapid so I walked around it instead. Sound decision, I think.
  • Canoeing down a river for the first time was cool. I wouldn’t seek this experience out again but it wouldn’t be so terrifying should I find myself peer pressured into going again.
  • Sitting in a canoe and paddling for a collective 5 hours makes your bum hurt and your arms feel like they’re going to fall off.


5.


Conversation at Ben & Jerry’s Factory:

Best Friend:
Oh. My. God. That guy was SO hot.

Me:
Really? I started at the shoes and I couldn’t get past his wearing long socks with shorts. Didn’t make it to his face.

Best Friend:
Honey, the shorts and socks come off.


6.


Speaking of Ben & Jerry’s Factory. We went last week. I found a new flavor I like. Americone Dream: vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl.


7.

This week’s moments of bliss: ♥ great 5 day trip with best friend ♥ 3 day work week ♥ catch up phone call with Naz ♥ crossing paths with Brenda on a sidewalk and exchanging a rushed hug ♥ Realizing that for the past month I somehow inadvertently and mentally readjusted my goal of 40 books in 2011 to 50 books in 2011, correcting this has given me more breathing room ♥ finishing an entire Anthony Bourdain book during one day of traveling ♥ silly banter with boyfriend ♥ Ally McBeal marathons ♥ fresh, clean, and white bed sheets


Questions: Do you have any phone numbers memorized? Which numbers do you know?

“He’s going to die!”

March 28th, 2011 · · memory, misadventures, pursuit of happiness 18 comments - Tags: ,

I was 22 years old and had just gotten my heart broken by my first boyfriend of four years. My parents had taken to blowing up my phone because I was MIA for three days. I usually talked to them everyday but couldn’t bring myself to talk to anyone. My dad left a voice mail threatening to come up to Austin if I didn’t call him back. Not wanting to deal with hovering parents while I grieved, I reluctantly called them back.

Dad:
Baby?

Me:
(In between cries and hiccups) Hi. Daddy. We. Broke. Up.

Dad:
Is he crying right now?

Me:
No.

Dad:
Is he crying to his daddy?

Me:
No.

Dad:
Don’t you cry to your daddy.

Me:
Fine but you called me first!

That was our conversation in totality. Note how he didn’t even ask the whys and whens of the split. He didn’t need to know. It was enough that we were over. It was enough that I was crying and my ex was not.

The next day he called to apologize. He told me he was sorry to be so rough with me the day before but he just wanted me to see this break-up as practice. I remember being so perplexed on what he could possibly mean by “practice.”

“You know, when you meet that someone who is perfect for you and get married and have kids and live your life, what do you think will happen?”

I remember being afraid to let him finish this thought but I braced for it anyway.

“He’s going to die!”

My dad had tried to make me feel better about my first break-up by likening it to practice for when my future spouse dies. It’s so awful that the memory of this still makes me laugh 5 years later and this story still gets requested by my friends at gatherings.

Brutality aside, I think I get what he was trying to tell me. We are on borrowed time. Nothing and no one is really ours. Everything and everyone gets given back. A break-up is just one way things get taken from us and at the time, my break-up was just a small introduction to the greater losses life will bring me. No wonder I’m so scared of losing my loved ones. I can’t imagine how unbearable the pain will be when the losses become bigger.

“P.S. If you get fat, no one will love you.”

February 10th, 2011 · · love, misadventures, pursuit of happiness 19 comments - Tags: , ,

This week was kind of hard for me. My bestie was having a hard week and when she hurts, I hurt. My best dudie friend left for his hometown of NYC after a too short couple of days. My boyfriend’s sleep cycle has been completely opposite of mine with no overlap. He too is having a hard week, and when he hurts, I hurt. For the first time in my life, I kind of want to skip Valentine’s day. Normally I’d have wrapped gifts by now to send out to my gals around the country and something for my parents, but I still don’t have anything and I’m babysitting tonight. The joke about me is that you know something is seriously wrong, if I, Food Fanatic, skip a meal. Well something’s gotta be terribly wrong if I, Obnoxious Valentine’s Day Cheerleader, want to skip Valentine’s.

So, last night, these thoughts and bad moodifers were pulling me down when I grasped onto the idea of making chocolate chip cookies from scratch. I had all the ingredients sitting around, including Ghirardelli’s chocolate chips. Great quality chocolate chips! Off I went, measuring ingredients and cracking eggs and being completely present in the glory of making cookies. I felt at peace. Things were going to be okay. I was about to have my favorite, chocolate chip cookies. I got my hand mixer and turned it on, within seconds, it. died. on. me. It’s 20 something degrees outside and I really didn’t want to leave my toasty apartment but, these cookies had now become the holy grail of fixing piss poor moods. Grudgingly, I sent my best dudie friend who happened to be online, a bitchy rant. “I NEED COOKIES. MY MIXER BROKE. I’M NOW GOING TO PUT ON EIGHT LAYERS OF CLOTHING SO I CAN GO OUTSIDE IN TWENTY DEGREE WEATHER TO BUY A NEW MIXER. BYE.”

I made the dreaded trek. While parking at the grocery store, Boyfriend called and we got into an argument! He caught me at such a grouchy time. I snarled at him. Why do we do that? Snap at those we miss? My need for homemade cookies was all consuming now. I bought my mixer and went home.

Determined, I resumed cookie making. I didn’t feel completely defeated, just defeated enough to be pathetically crying into the cookie dough. I mixed the dough, dolloped two dozen sizable morsels of dough on my pans, stuck the pans in oven, and waited the instructed 10 minutes.

10 minutes later they came out burnt.

Burnt.

I went to bed.

After screaming.

The screaming maybe didn’t help.

This morning, feeling deflated and defeated, I updated best dudie friend’s facebook wall. “Cookies came out burnt. :(”

Less than an hour later I get a phone call while at work from a beloved and famed Austin cookie delivery bakery telling me they’re in the hallway outside my office with a package.

2 dozen cookies ranging from my beloved chocolate chip, to butter scotch, snickerdoodles, and oatmeal chocolate in a happy birthday box, 2 containers of ice cold milk, and happy birthday balloon.

The card contained a postscript: “P.S. If you get fat, no one will love you.”

I know who gave me the cookies.

A postscript of my own: My birthday is in July.

2010 in Review

December 30th, 2010 · · Austin, Birthdays, holidays, Houston, letters, lists, love, memory, misadventures, pursuit of happiness, quotations, resolutions 2010, the grind, the not so single life, wanderlust 13 comments - Tags: , , , ,

It’s that time of year again! I share with you my personal recap of 2010. This year was much better than 2009 (which was much worse than my 2008). It was a year of recovery and regaining balance. I feel very fondly of 2010 but I’m ready to embrace 2011. Bring it!

Note: All links open in a new window.

January 2010


Celebrating New Year’s Eve

February 2010

Progressive Meal in Houston

March 2010


Crawfish Boil

April 2009


May 2010


The back of Conan

June 2010

If a June night could talk,
it would probably boast
it invented romance.
– Bern Williams

I touched Anthony Bourdain's tricep.

July 2010


Jon and Me at my Birthday Dinner

August 2010


Aishah’s 27th Birthday

September 2010


Me & Joe Rogan

October 2010

  • I planned and organized a regional conference for work.
  • My dude turned 26! We celebrated for over a week.
  • Tried my first absinthe.
  • My half sister whom I haven’t seen in over ten years found me on Facebook.
  • Dressed up as a cop for Halloween.
  • Auditioned for a travel reality TV show after receiving an email from a casting director. I took Neville as possible partner and he totally outshone me.
  • A close friend’s brother died unexpectedly. Being with her has been a top priority whenever I’m in Houston. I’ve grown deeper in love for and with her.
  • Tried out Breakfast Klub, a culinary highlight in 2010.

November 2010


Brittany & Me at Race for the Cure

December 2010

  • Participated in Reverb10.
  • Road trip to Oklahoma! Why Oklahoma? To cross off another state.
  • Attended annual Christmas Party for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America with my little and her cousin. This is our third year in attendance!
  • Had hot pot on Christmas day twice. Lunch with Mary Ellen and her mom and her brother, and dinner with my own family. I did exactly this last year for Christmas!
  • Tomorrow’s plan is to party on a rooftop downtown in celebration of a new and fresh year. A stretch Hummer may have been rented.


Annual Christmas Party with my Little

That was my year! I’m happy to have shared it with you and have your support, comments, and readership. It means an awful lot to me. Thank you!


Question: What are five highlights from your 2010?

How NaBloPoMo is Giving me a Twitch

November 9th, 2010 · · misadventures, National Blog Posting Month '10, pursuit of happiness, the grind 12 comments - Tags:

I’m killing myself over here. I took on this challenge of blogging everyday in November. So far, 8 or 9 days in, I’m doing okay and haven’t missed a day but only just barely and not without anxiety and developing a twitch. I had mad blog block already on Day 2 and struggled throughout the rest of the first week. My bestie (who I’ve roped into doing this with me and isn’t having a hard time at all) is about to kill me. My first tough day, Day 2, she gave me countless ideas on what to blog about and I nixed them all. I remained infuriatingly disengaged. She told me to blog about voting and I told her no way. I do not have anything to say about voting except to say I was going to vote, therefore I won’t blog about voting. I dillydallied and struggled and held out. What happened late evening on Day 2? I fricking blogged about voting.

Today, Day 9 is also another excruciatingly bad day. I finally gave my neglected food blog some love and blogged a full post (as opposed to just posting pictures) and it left me tapped out for today’s post on this blog. Bestie kept telling me I can just post a note on this blog directing you to my food blog. Seriously, that makes sense right? It IS a blog post written TODAY by ME, only just on a different blog. Right?! But no, that gave me anxiety. I’m no perfectionist and find that perfectionism can creatively block you. However, for some reason this gave me the same frustrations as a 4 year old perfectionist who is crumbling in tears because she colored outside the lines in her coloring book. I did NOT want to deflect today’s blog post to my food blog post because they are MIXING. The challenge was for my personal blog; I cannot deflect to my food blog! Doesn’t this remind you of those people who freak out when their mashed potatoes are touching their meatloaf?

Sigh. So instead having a blog post about how my post for the day will be at my food blog, I decided to make it about how this gives me anxiety. This is my loophole. Go check out my food blog – I blogged about Vince Young Steakhouse.


Question: How do you frustrate yourself?

Friday 7 Quick Takes (vol 15)

August 13th, 2010 · · 7 Quick Takes (Fridays), Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America, lists, misadventures, on the nightstand, the grind, VEDA, videos, wanderlust 11 comments - Tags: , , ,


1.


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.


5.

Current book: Eat, Pray, Love (Amazon affiliated link)



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.

Happy Friday, ya’ll!


Question: Do you collect anything?

Brittany’s Bingo Birthday Bash

June 22nd, 2010 · · Birthdays, misadventures, still-frames 4 comments - Tags: ,

BBBB was the most stressful birthday party I’ve been to. I don’t know how the bingo pros /elderly do it. I had one sheet of 9 cards and that’s pretty relaxing and laid back but when I decided to take one of Brittany’s 9 card sheets to help her out, I felt like I was back in elementary school doing SPEED MATH. Minus the math… At the big bingo hall in Austin, on your birthday you can buy 27 cards and a computer game for one penny. I don’t think Brit’s doing 27 cards again.

How do you make bingo classy?

bingo
You bring your own minature bottles of wine!

We managed to get Alan to come even though he swore after his first time, he’d never go back. This time he learned his lesson and stuck with a relaxing 9 cards. I love how in the following picture he looks like he’s going to stab the shit out of his bingo cards.

bingo

bingo

So you can buy yourself fancy bingo bags on the internet. For instance, this one I found on Amazon.

Or you can make your own!

bingo
The bingo bag we made last night

Time to go to work :) I’m taking half a day today off so I can face one of my biggest fears. Kayaking. Wish me luck.

Why I need to learn how to sew:

April 9th, 2010 · · misadventures 12 comments
I bought this really cute summer dress and was able to wear it once and once only before I inadvertently shrunk it. I just simply forgot to pull it out of the dryer and linedry it. I think I’m a little too old to wear my dresses this short unless it’s coverup for a swimsuit.

skank length
Kind of skanky now, that length.

I found a way to salvage it. I can sew on a trim! To see how it would look I layered this dress over another dress in a color I’d consider adding to the bottom.

Purple
Here’s the other dress.

Mock up
Here’s the mock up of the finished product!

My only issue is I don’t know how to sew.

Case of the Mondays

March 15th, 2010 · · Austin, Birthdays, misadventures, new thing(s) of the week, Personal Finance 4 comments
twitter status

I’m groggy. I’m cranky.

So I’m trying to budget OUT 400 dollars a month to engage in a weekly activity I think may be beneficial to me. Hence the trying to bring lunches and dinners to work. Extra 400 is kind of tough with all the other miscellaneous expenditures (yes, I really needed those Conan tickets and yes, all weekend celebrating my roommate’s birthday IS necessary, dammit. Finally, I DID call my dentist to make sure they take my new dental insurance but they ended up charging me for that visit anyway.) Needless to say, I had to cancel next week’s appointment til further notice.

On to happier things, some happy photos from this past weekend.

Brandi blowing out candles
Blowing out her candles off the dilapidated cake I made her.

Brandi and me at Bacon Takedown
We went to the Bacon Takedown yesterday! As part of my birthday gift to her.

Happy Ides of March, ya’ll. How was your weekend?