les miserables

Okay, beautiful people-- here it is:

I am on my way out the door to go pick Samuel up, head to Houston, 'cause baby-- I'm going to see Les Mis!!! Broadway across America is stopping in Houston, and Samuel has an extra ticket and a huge heart! I also get to stop in and see my grandfather who is recovering from surgery-- so that rocks too! I just wanted to stop and share my joy!!! YAY!!! :)

every night should be girls' night

I love you, Nicole and Julie.

You two are truer than true and I love you more than you will ever know.

PS- So, a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead walk into a party... stop me if you've heard this one...

a night on the town

Last Thursday night was Crush downtown at Friends. I was escorted by two of my favorite guys on the planet- Samuel and Bryan, seen below. Samuel is the greatest thing since sliced bread and we've been incredible friends since last summer. Bryan was my first boyfriend, way back at Austin Academy in the the 7th grade. We've been best buds ever since. They were wonderful dates and I danced and laughed the night away.

reconstruction

Every morning I wake to the sweet sounds of jackhammers and workers. Construction work surrounds my house-- the builing of apartments, the repairing of condos, and the filling in of pot holes. I can't go outside without seeing it. I can't go home without hearing it. And as it turns out, I can't do anything without feeling it.

God is building up new parts, and rebuilding others. I can't escape it, because it is taking place on the inside. I wake to it every morning, and it continues until sundown. It isn't easy- construction never is. I have to find new routes, since the old ways don't work anymore. I have to be ready to stop suddenly and wait while His bulldozer clears the path and His steamroller smooths it over. It isn't easy, but it is a welcome change.

There should be CAUTION tape around me, because the work is still going on. The sign out front should say "Please excuse our mess." I don't know what this building will look like when He is finished, but I'm looking forward to the improvements.

i love my boys

I wasn't going to do it, and I held out as long as I could, but there is something deep inside me that loves this day. I love Valentine's Day! I really do, and I thought I could boycott, but it just isn't me. I love love! I love romance! I love pink and red and fuzzy and chocolate!

Wow- I am a girl...

I find myself content and single this Valentine's Day, but not alone. No, I have several men in my life, several amazing men. I want to honor these men today and tell them how much I love them and how much they mean to me. These men love me, watch over me, teach me, guide me, listen to me, and most importantly... put up with me! And for that, you all deserve the highest honor and praise, for you are amazing men and I love you with all my heart! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

PS- I really wanted to call this entry "happy vd" but my cute side won out over my cynical side... dang cute side

unhealthy preoccupation

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, adjective morbid is defined as:

"a person, mental state, etc.: characterized by excessive gloom or apprehension, or (in later use) by an unhealthy preoccupation with disease, death, or other disturbing subject; given to unwholesome brooding"

This semester I finally enrolled in the Creative Writing- Fiction class that I always promised myself. My expectations of this class came from one of my favorite childhood movies, My Girl. But where are my hippie writers and free expression? Where is my rather attractive male prof? This class sure isn't what I expected. However, I have learned several things about myself in these first four weeks of classes:

1. I can write a short story for class in about 45 minutes flat,
2. I will actually pull my hair out of my head when people string together twenty million adjectives to sound like a good writer,
3. and I am morbid. Actually, I'm really morbid.

Every time I sit down to write, the only thoughts that come to mind that have any sort of potential are about death, dying, sadness, and irony. This coming from the same little girl who used to include a dream and a princess in every story. I like my stories, my class seems to like them, and my prof loves them. I've seen her shudder at the end of my readings. I love that feeling-- that something I wrote can actually induce a physical response.

But shhh! Don't tell. I mean, if that got out- I'd be ruined. No more perky blonde giggles. No more innocent, clueless looks. Can she give it all up for the sake of her art? Will she embrace this newfound morbidity? I rather like my unhealthy preoccupation, thank you.

dating tip

The Great Julie shared this bit of wisdom with me:

The Onion's Dating Tips #10:
Instead of going out tonight, punch yourself in the nuts three times, and in the heart twice. This will save you approximately $75.

Thanks, Julz. I'm look forward to Monday's "non-festivities" on that random "non-holiday" that happens to be on February 14th. :)

isa anthology

This is my anthology to Isa. Isa is my Spanish Angel, who had to fly back to Spain to spread her blessings over everypne there. I miss her dearly.

Isa came to UT as a "visiting researcher" in the English department, but her disguise didn't fool me. Nope-- I saw right through it. Isa was actually sent by God to come and love me during a really rough time. She's good at what she does.



Isa and I went on many adventures. Before leaving Spain, Bart gave her a list of places in Austin that she had to see (which consisted of coffee-shops and eateries, of course) and after a few revisions on my part, we had quite a few stops.



One night Isa and I stayed up talking about life and relationships. I've never had a conversation like that. She brought so much life experience and understanding to the table, something I don't experience having friends my own age. I love that she listened so intently, as silly as my contribution was.

I taught Isa what it means to be an Austinite and a true Texan, and Isa taught me what it means to really be a friend.