Friday 7 Quick Takes (vol 31): Snow Day!

1.


Cell phone photos of what greeted me this morning waking up at Alan’s place:


And because I live in Texas, I get a snow day! Hurray for a day off!

2.

I’m slowly catching up to speed in 2011. Was so behind in every aspect of my life in the month of January but am regaining footing. For starters, I finally finished a book. With my goal to finish 40 books in 2011, I’m behind! Last year I had very good pacing with the same goal and still fell short by 1 book at the end of the year. It’s only February and I’m already feeling the pressure.

3.

In regards to my travel resolutions for 2011, I bought my airline tickets for Boston to visit bestie. I’ll be visiting her in May. Alan and I also picked out the month for our Canada trip. I’m already jumping out of my skin excited. For a quick minute yesterday, I also contemplated going to Hawaii with Kim in a few months but airline tickets are almost 900 dollars. So steep! Hmm.

4.

Since we’re on the topic of resolutions, another progress report:I resolved to schedule 2 active dates with friends a month to baby step my way to a healthier lifestyle. In January I had a Wii date playing Just Dance and another date walking/jogging Town Lake for 6 miles. Yesterday, a couple of my girlfriends managed to talk me into buying a lap-dance class Groupon. What swayed me is that I can count it as an active date. :) Cardio while gyrating in a chair. Interesting and totally not where I expected this resolution would take me.

5.

My best dudie friend who lives in NYC, flew into Austin for a wedding yesterday. I only have a few meals with him allotted for the weekend, starting with dim sum tomorrow, but I am ecstatic to see him! I have missed him dearly.

6.

You know when you get scared witless sometimes, you yell out the weirdest things in the highest of pitches? Yesterday I was throwing out my trash and before I could swing the trash bag into the dumpster, a raccoon came out from behind it and started waddling towards me. Terror-stricken, I started scrambling backwards as I yelled out “Oh please God NOOOOOO! Noooo!” Really? Oh please God no?? It approached me for a bit and then just turned around and walked behind the dumpster again. Needless to say, it took me about 5 minutes of staring at the dumpster and working up the nerve to get rid of my trash bag. I think this is why people get married. So the hubbies can kill roaches and deal with raccoons.

Half kidding.

7.

So it’s finally February, one of my favorite months because it’s the month of Valentine’s Day, my absolute favorite holiday. People often roll their eyes at me when I say that because they think it’s because I have a boyfriend that I love it. But honestly, some of my favorite Valentine’s day memories happen while I’m single. I just love the actual holiday. Usually by this time of the month, I’ve already got a stack of Valentine Day cards to send out, a couple of birthday presents to send out to my February 13 birthday girlfriends, cookies to send to the parents, and lots of Valentine day socks to update my ever growing supply and to send out. See picture before of a pile of cards I sent out last year.

This year? I have nothing ready yet! As mentioned in No. 1, I’m only just now catching up to 2011 and the cold front grasping its icy fingers around Texas has kept me home and away from stores running Valentine’s day errands.

Question: What are your favorite snow day activities?