Feb 3

I’ve been blue and I’m guessing this will be my general status quo for a while. I’m very much a type 7 kind of person so I don’t do very well sitting on my couch and feeling sorry for myself. I’m the kind of person who when faced with bad moods and heartache, I do my best to battle it with good times and reflecting on blessings. I cackle extra hard at mediocre jokes and I seek adventure. I’ve jumped out of planes and shot guns and traveled all in the spirit of avoiding pain. I’m pretty open to new experiences, but especially so when faced with adversity.

Although this is how I am, I don’t think it’s exactly healthy. I think we have to let ourselves mourn and feel what we feel now so that it’ll eventually run empty. It doesn’t mean I have to like it when my melancholy catches up to me and holds me in a lingering embrace. Actually it felt more like an unwelcomed, crushing bear hug. And that’s exactly what it did yesterday. The afterglow of my weekend in Houston wore off and I just felt extremely sad. All day. Most of the night. I’m a pretty rational person and I know bad times (and obviously good times) will pass. It’s just that I’m fucking impatient.

In the spirit of being more healthy about my coping with pain, I sat yesterday and bore the depression during work hours. Then, true to form I tried to use it as a trigger to propel me away. I completed tasks I was avoiding because I figured, hell, I’m having a bad day anyway, let’s just get this all out of the way. I cried my way through it and eventually made it to bed.

Here I am this morning. Ready to face it again. Tonight I’m meeting up an old/new group of friends and cooking something. Don’t know what yet. You know, to distract myself.

To nurse that afterglow I mentioned, I’m going to post random fun pictures from my weekend in Houston. (I have a progressive meal series to work on posting as well).









This picture makes me laugh out loud. I accidentally grabbed his butt right at the very second the picture was snapped. I thought it was his back! I did this to Jessica earlier that same day too. Oi.


What do you do when you’re feeling down?

Jan 20

1219 South Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78704

One of my close friends, Cindy came up for a visit (first visit to Austin in a very very long time) this weekend. I met her up at Madam Mams for lunch on Saturday and then for a delightful second trip to Gourdoughs on Sunday. She was enamoured with the pictures posted from my first visit and insisted we go. How can I deny my friend?

I got to add 2 more donuts to my list of donuts (now at 9!) tried at Gourdoughs. I’m moving on up their menu.


Cindy, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s brother.


Bromance! That’s Cindy’s best friend, Vince and his old roommate, Daniel. I’ve recruited them to be my food buddies.


Mm. Black Out Donut – Brownie batter, chocolate icing, and chocolate covered brownie bites. It was so fricking rich. Pictured next to Son of a Peach.


Bring the Heath: cream cheese icing and Heath chips


I look extra chinky squinting at the sun….

Jan 9

I love the Alamo Drafthouse, a movie theatre chain in Austin and now Houston which not only lets you order food and eat and drink as you’re watching your movie but they also host a few fun themed nights. Deesh told me about how he saw the last Rose Bowl when UT played and won the championship at Alamo Drafthouse. It sounded so awesome that Alan rallied a troop to do so this Thursday.

We picked the Ritz location which is downtown with the logic being we’ll be able to just walk out and instantly be able to barhop in celebration or barhop to lick our wounds.

Sadly, we (or they, I was actually designated driver) drank to lick wounds. Such bad luck. Not to be a sore loser at all, but Alabama had an ugly win. They did not have the honor of playing the team that got us to the championship in the first place. Our star QB got injured the first two minutes of the game. I’m still very proud of our football team.

Hook Em!
Jan 3

Balloons waiting to be written on.

Every year at aroud New Year’s for the past 3 years, Kim and I, inspired by an article in O magazine, release balloons. We adapted what Lance Armstrong’s exwife did (she released balloons to symbolize things she was letting go) and we write on 2 balloons. 1 with the things we want to let go that we had trouble letting go of in the year prior, the other with things we desire and hope for in the year to come. It’s an extremely girly thing to do but we enjoy it tremendously and look forward to it when a year draws to an end.


Each balloon gets a quotation we choose/vote on.


Our quotation chosen for our wishes, desires, and hopes balloon.


I transcribed this quote for our regrets/letting go balloon and inadvertently left off two words that you now see ungracefully inserted in.


Kim adding to our wishes and desires for 2010.


Here are some things we look forward to and hope for.


Some more things we look forward to and hope for.


Things we’re letting go.


More things we’re letting go.



Video of our balloon release

Cheers to 2010.

Jan 1

I wish everyone a safe, better than 2009, healthy new year in 2010. I had a wonderful time last night and spent today eating good barbecue, seeing Jen T one last time before she goes back to Philly tomorrow, browsing a bookstore, and now I’m doing some cleaning and game planning for 2010. I’m feeling good over here.

Dec 31

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


Celebrating New Year’s with the boyfriend

February 2009


Alan and I at the Killer’s Concert

March 2009


Rodeo, Austin, TX

April 2009


Selina’s Birthday

May


Celebrating Sae’s law school graduation

June 2009


Cindy and me at Grand Lux Cafe in Houston

July


Brandi and me on Fourth of July

August

  • The first two weeks of August, I tried to squeeze in as much time as I can with Alan because he was about to leave for Korea for up to 4.5 months.
  • Starting, August 16, I started counting days Alan was gone.
  • Kim came to visit the weekend of the 22nd and we saw Wicked.
  • I saw 500 Days of Summer three times this month, in theatre, of course. This is the first movie I’ve done that.
  • Jon visited from NYC.
  • I got a part-time, part-time (yes you read that right) job, thanks to Brittany dropping a good word for me.


Alan’s last night out with friends before going to Korea.

September

October

November


Having hot chocolate at Ren Fest.

December


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.

Dec 30

One of my New Year’s resolutions should be to get better at taking self portraits. These photos were all taken by me Saturday night. The last one was REALLY off but maybe it’s because I drank half a beer. (I’m weak sauce.)


The last one is a really cute one of Pinky but it was originally supposed to be a group shot.

Dec 30

5120 Washington Ave
Houston, TX 77007
(281) 701-4248

Okay, let me get this fact out of the way first. Taps has NINETY-SIX BEERS ON THE WALL. NINETY-SIX.

I was in Houston for the holidays and had a fun night out at Taps with some Houston girl friends. I like the crowd here. No attention hungry loud girls, no dudes in Affliction/douchebag t-shirts, just young professionals in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties. The bar staff is super friendly, the prices were reasonable, the beer abundant. I’m liking this place on Washington Avenue. It would be a great place to come back to on an off night when it’s less crowded and watch a sports game.


More beer on tap


Cindy, me, Pinky.


Lovely sisters: Pinky and Aishah. Aishah was a roommate of mine in college for three years!


In case you are wondering, Aishah’s doing a fist pump, a la Jersey Shore.


There was a time when this girl was in middle school and would come up to Austin to visit her sister and me in college, now she’s all grown up and is our fricking designated driver.

Dec 26

This is a photo of my parents when my mom was pregnant with me at age 31. Pretty momma!

Dec 25

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