Stefanie's blog

Gush Part 1

2012-01-20T22:44:00.001-08:00

It's (a little) late right now, but I'm wide awake thinking about how great my life is right now. Sure, I wish I had a member of the opposite sex to take me out on dates and tell me how awesome I am all the time, but I'm okay with the fact that I don't. My friends are pretty great & that's enough for me. Wait, that sounds like they're a consolation prize or something.

They're not. At all. They're amazing, which is why I'm taking the time to write this post to gush about them a bit (and because I'm not ready to start catching up on season 2 of "Glee" yet--yeah, I know I'm way behind).

I started hanging out with this one group of friends--three strong, funny, beautiful ladies and two dudes (just kidding--they're strong, handsome & hilarious, too) when we got together to play trivia during the summer. My entire summer was pretty rough because I had barely any cash coming in & my food pantry supply was dwindling at an astronomical rate. I thought I'd never crack open the 36 pack of Ramen noodles (bleh--I hate Ramen), but I did. I also thought way more optimistically about my cash flow situation because I gave the entire box of Ramen to a homeless man when I was only about three packs in. I thought he needed it more than I would, which wasn't exactly the case when I was staring at my pantry midway into the summer at only a can of kidney beans and a can of tuna. Okay, I actually had a roof over my head, so he did need the Ramen more than I did, but those ended up being some hungry days for me...

...until one of my friends stepped in. This friend (K) started inviting me out to dinner with her & her boyfriend (S) after we got off work some nights. I had known K since I moved here (she was actually one of the people who convinced me to come to KU), but we didn't really hang out much. I knew K & S were into sports and they had talked about going to some Chiefs games, so I figured we'd start hanging out more. Long story short, K ended up working this awful summer job with me. The only upside was that we got to know each other really well. K & S did everything for me to make sure I didn't starve that summer. I'm not kidding. They bought me lunches, dinners, gave me gift cards to eat. They helped me out immensely, despite the shame I first felt when I genuinely had to take them up on their offer(s). The shame quickly turned to gratitude because they never, ever made me feel guilty for the situation I was in. Their kindness is something I will never forget. I'm actually getting teary-eyed now as I think about what all they did for me during that time. Also, we share a love of chicken finger subs; if that doesn't say friendship, I don't know what does.

Which brings me to one of the other things they did for me: introduce me to their trivia crew. Oh. My. God. These are some of the funniest, smartest people I've ever met. Let's start with Lady L. At first I thought she didn't like me, but that's probably because I get really insecure around super smart people. And this woman is smart. I'm glad my feeling of shy awkwardness went away fairly quickly with her because she cracks me up. There might have been a time that we might have had a few drinks and might have been dressed in ridiculous (or awesome. or ridiculously awesome.) costumes and we might have eaten off the same popcorn ball a-la-Lady-and-the-Tramp that some people might still remind us about. Maybe. Ahh. Always good times with her.

Then there's Dude L. So. funny. I heard that he wasn't genuinely friends with a person until he got a little sassy with you. A few weeks after that, he got sassy with me & I've felt closer to him ever since. Although I admittedly don't know him nearly as well as K & S, the whole group gets closer during our bad movie nights and random get togethers, which means I'll get to know him better (let's face it--that makes me happy). I had a workshop class with him before I got to know him outside of class & read some really strong, well-written pieces that were so heartbreaking/funny/real. I hope that someday my writing will evoke emotions the way that his does. (Yeah, all my friends are super talented. Jealous?)

And finally there's J who--nearly everytime we meet--makes me laugh so hard I pee a little. There. I said it. I hope to be half as good a teacher, mother, wife, and friend as her in my lifetime. I know I'll never be as funny as she is though (or even half as funny). One thing that I first noticed about J is just how confident she is at everything, which is why I frequently go to her for teaching advice (and pretty much advice about anything). I've gotten closer to her family as well--she's got two adorable children that I love to babysit. They're both quite a riot--super smart, funny, and beautiful. Just like their mom.

My birthday is next weekend. I'm having a music video themed birthday party & I know that these five peeps will bring it with their costumes. Yet another reason why I love them so much.

Wrapping up the Semester

2010-12-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while so I feel I have to address my last blog entry-- turns out the first woman who was attacked was a big huge faker...but I'm pretty sure all one of you who reads this already knew that.

Anyway, I shouldn't be blogging, but I'm in the last two weeks of my first semester of grad school and I'm coming up with more & more creative ways to procrastinate on the mountain of work I have to do. Actually, I'm waiting to go to a meeting & I've decided that I don't want to start on anything I can't finish in the next 30 minutes before the meeting begins (it sounds logical in my head).

I wish I had something funny to blog about--like my preschoolers that used to call the ever popular breakfast pastry a "Hop Tart"...or that time when one of them woke up from his nap and loudly asked "What's that f#ckin' noise??" (there was no noise...I think he was dreaming)...or when one of my little boys informed me that he wasn't taking a nap that day because he "Just don't feel comm-ter-ble on that mat" (I gave him our oversized turtle pillow to sleep on instead that day & he went right to sleep). But I don't have anything funny. I haven't seen my preschoolers in months and I miss them terribly.

But I can rest easy as I try to plow through the remaining two weeks of school because I will get to see my preschoolers' sweet little faces after that as I plan to fill-in as their teacher during Winter Break. I only wish my current students were as funny as my preschoolers were, but college freshmen seem to only come up with funny excuses for a number of things pertaining to why they couldn't keep up with certain responsibilities.

Random Acts of Violence

2010-09-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have been known to suffer from irrational fears in my day. In fact, I'm dealing with moving past an irrational fear as we speak, but then I hear horror stories in the news or online that stops me in my tracks and I start to think maybe this fear isn't so irrational after all.

After hearing about the random act of violence on Bethany Storro of Vancouver, WA, in which a woman simply walked up to her, said "Hey pretty girl, you wanna drink this?" and threw a cup of acid in her face, I can't help but feel sick. Why anybody would commit such an atrocity is absolutely beyond me. Thankfully, strangers quickly rushed to Bethany's aid after the attack and made sure she got to a hospital. While Storro seems to be in relatively high spirits in the days after her attack, I am not.

Everyday since I heard of the attack, Bethany has crossed my mind at some point. I know she didn't wake up thinking "Today's the day that my life is going to change forever...and it's not going to be pleasant." Nor did Derri Velarde of Mesa, AZ consider how her life was going to change on the day she was attacked (on Friday, September 3, 2010), in what officials think is simply a "copycat crime" of the attack on Storro. She was as unsuspecting and completely helpless as anyone else would have been in the same situation. Scary.

No, I don't worry that I'll have acid thrown in my face or anything of the sort. However, these two attacks have exponentially increased my awareness in the fact that I am a woman who shouldn't go for walks outside too late at night, needs to keep my guard up as I turn onto a dimly lit street when I walk home, and look over my shoulder when I walk out to my car before getting in the driver's seat. As if I needed this reminder.

My heart goes out to these two women and I pray that their attackers are brought to justice very soon.

Climbing out from under a (Round) Rock

2010-09-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well well... it's been quite a while since I've posted here. I've decided to pick it back up as much as I can because I'm not taking any writing workshops this semester.

"But wait!" you say. "What do you mean you're not taking any workshops this semester? Of course you're not taking any workshops this semester! You graduated college already, silly!"

Yup, I did. And now this girl's all grown up and in graduate school! Yee haw!

One month ago exactly, I left Round Rock, TX to move to Lawrence, KS. I'm currently an MFA student at KU and I must say that I absolutely adore this place. I love the people-- not just the locals. I mean my colleagues in the English department, the professors, the staff...everyone. I love my students (oh yeah, I'm teaching English 101). I love the campus. I love the near 60-degree angle hill I have to climb everyday to get to that campus.

And by "love the hill," I mean I hate it. Oh well, I should be in pretty decent shape by the end of my program.

Lawrence is now my home and I couldn't be happier. Okay, that's a lie-- I could be a little happier if I could catch a UT football game on tv every once in a while (hey--those burnt orange roots run deep).

Don't get me wrong, now. I fully support KU and will especially be doing so tomorrow at my first college football game (of many), but perhaps I should get some rest before I set out for such a long day tomorrow. The hill climb was particularly awful today & my calves are aching. Until next time...

Kool aid, Kool aid-- tastes great. Kool aid, Kool aid-- where are you?

2009-05-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

When my cousin was two or three, they taught her the "Kool Aid" song. If you haven't heard it, and I'm not sure if there are more lines to it, but it goes "Kool aid, Kool aid/ Tastes great!/ Kool aid, Kool aid/ Can't wait!" She sang it just fine for a couple days, but all of a sudden, when we told her to sing it, she would say "Kool aid, Kool aid/ Tastes great!/ Kool aid, Kool aid/ Where are you?" It was soooo funny and so adorable. I don't know how she mixed it up like that, but it was cute. We still walk around singing that line to this day.

Scale from the Future

2009-04-26T21:11:00.001-07:00

I've been working out pretty hard the last two weeks and I decided that I wanted to track my progress. Granted, I didn't want to start tracking my progress NOW because that would include weighing myself NOW, which is something I haven't done in quite a while. I didn't want to know my weight at all, but I knew I had to learn eventually.

Anyway, I had a little extra cash so I went to the store to get this fancy-schmancy scale that's made by "The Biggest Loser" people-- it tracks your body fat percentage, water percentage, weight, BMI, muscle percentage and...uhh... a couple other things that I forgot. You can put in your age, height, gender, etc. and it stores your personal information. It does this for up to five people. Pretty cool, eh?

Well, I wanted to get everything just right so I read the manual front to back (my Tech & Business Writing teacher would be SO proud) then I went about storing everyone's information in the scale. Then I read an alarming little tidbit on one of the last pages of the manual. It said that I "must remove shoes" before stepping on the scale because in order to get readings for all the extra stuff (other than just weight), it sends AN ELECTRIC CURRENT through your body to get the reading.

Oh-em-eff-gee.

An electric current?! A few lines later, the manual claimed this current was completely harmless, but in the same line, it said that if you have a pacemaker "DO NOT USE THIS SCALE." Needless to say, my heart was pounding so hard the first time I stepped on the scale that I probably was very close to getting my own pacemaker.

They were right (thankfully). I didn't feel a thing. However, the pain-free current was not the only thing my heart was pounding about-- I was worried to finally see what my weight is at. It was worse than I thought :( But on the upside, my muscle percentage was in very good shape so maybe the weight number isn't THAT bad. Still... I have a long way to go.

Non post

2009-04-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

I want to blog... I've BEEN wanting to blog... but I can't.

It's a new day

2009-04-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

I'll be starting my workouts today.

I'm a little nervous about this because I've always been told that I will never be able to accomplish something like this. Sure, I can graduate college and be the smartest person on the planet if I wanted to (according to my naysayers)... but anything physical? No way.

Lord, help me.

Wish me luck, ladies & gents.

Life, Death, God, and Cakes

2009-04-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I was just gonna post a small update and head off to bed, but now I feel like I've got to write something. It won't be good, but it'll be something.

I can't wait for Frank Warren's newest edition of the Post Secret series to come out-- Confessions on Life, Death, and God.

I also can't wait for Longhorn Football to start back up again.

Before that, I will be taking part of an eight week program when I'll be doing nothing but writing in the McNair Scholars Program. Hopefully I'll produce something that is a complete masterpiece and I'll get accepted straight into a Ph.D. program. We'll see...

Also, I have come to love the show "Ace of Cakes." Duff and Jeff are hilarious, although I must say that I would think they were both total slackers if I randomly met them on the streets. Oh, c'mon... like I'm the only person to judge outward appearance.

Hopefully I will do something wildly entertaining tomorrow with... this guy I know :) Eeek! I just used an emoticon when I swore to myself that I wouldn't do that in this blog. Eh, oh well.

Return of the Jedi

2009-04-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe not the Jedi (actually, I've never seen a Star Wars movie), but I'm back!

I'm going to start blogging again... not that anyone reads this anyway.

There's a story I'm trying to write, but I can't think of the angle that I want to write it from. It's nonfiction about two war buddies.

Still thinking.

Better posts to come, I promise.

Becoming a Guitar Sensei

2007-12-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

On Black Friday, my younger sister purchased the greatest game known to man: Guitar Hero III. I was extremely disappointed that she took the game (and the Playstation 2) back to school with her- 5 hours away. However, she's out on Christmas break and the rock show has begun.

Possibly the best thing about the game she bought after standing in line for 3 hours on that fateful day is that it came with two guitars. Score. Now we both rock out to "Paint it Black."

I have no idea how to play a real guitar, nor does she, but we're delusionally confident that we could so play one in real life. She has mastered the video game guitar and now plays on the expert level. I can tear it up on medium level (which is 2 steps down from expert), but I still have a ways to go to catch up to her.

This is not your typical video game. It is not to be played while sitting down on the couch. Oh no, you must stand and get crazy, perhaps occasionally banging your head (only when you know the "notes" without looking at the screen). You can start a band and play with another person, attempting to accomplish a tour around the world. You can play solo. You can battle it out with another player. Any way you play it, this game is a blast.

My sister's so good, she already has a groupie- our mom.

Mailing Your Secrets

2007-12-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

Davy Rothbart's Found has always fascinated me. People around the world find bits of "trash" and turn them into treasure. Discarded notes, grocery lists, photographs, etc. that could be found anywhere (tumbling down the street, stuck between the pages of a library book...) are collected by people with watchful eyes, then they're mailed off to Davy Rothbart and company where they compile the notes into a book.

I have found some pretty good Finds, like 3 page letter from a father to his daughter who apparently hated him after an ugly divorce with her mother, in which he tried to explain his side of the story. I also found an eerie photograph of a frowning, distant little baby boy that I mailed in. So far none of my Finds have made it into the magazine, but I still keep an eye out when I walk my dog or go jogging to mail in some more.

My new fascination, however, is in Frank Warren's Post Secret books. The whole book is a similar concept to that of Davy Rothbart, except that people don't find anything to submit- they mail in secrets of their own on a handmade postcard.

The books have pages and pages of secrets from around the world. Some are heartbreaking (like the one I read about an owner accidentally killing his dog with rat poison), some are hilarious, and some are heart-wrenchingly depressing. It's startling how many secrets are relatable and it's somewhat relieving to see them printed on paper, even if you weren't the original sender.

Samples of Finds and secrets can be seen on their websites: www.foundmagazine.com and postsecret.blogspot.com. Both book series can be found at bookstores or online at amazon.com.

Encounter with the Grinch

2007-12-15T21:14:00.000-08:00

I'm a manager at a fast food chain so I'm pretty used to dealing with disgruntled customers fairly often. However, Christmas time usually brings out the cheer in everyone, so my job is actually surprisingly easy during the holidays.

Or so I thought until today.

A man called the store and asked to speak with a manager. I quickly got to the phone and asked what I could do for him. He proceeded to tell me that he lives about 5 miles from the store and that we messed up his burger. He "specifically ordered it as a plain double-meat cheeseburger with only mustard and chili," but he bit into it and got "a mouthful of onions... which makes [him] gag."

I apologized profusely, but he cut me off and told me that this was the second time this happened. The first time "pissed [him] off," but he didn't call and notify us of the problem. Again, I apologized and tried to ask him what he prefer that I do (send him a card for a complimentary meal, have him come back up and I'd remake it, etc.), but he cut me off again to cuss me out, and said that I better send him the coupon because "[he's] so irate that if [he] comes back up, something's gonna happen to someone."

Are you kidding me?

This is not the first time I've received threats over something as ridiculous as onions (the last time, it was all over some mustard). I don't know what gives people the audacity to actually believe that they can treat us (food service workers, retail workers, etc.) like we are the scum of the earth. It was an honest mistake. I don't know where the chain of command broke down, but I was sure to talk to all of my employees about the problem. But really- I wish the only problem I had going on in my life was over some onions. Must be nice.

I was on the verge of tears when I got off the phone with this man (or rather, after he hung up on me), but my mood quickly changed when one of my employees came in with a generous $13 tip from a customer. At least someone was in the Christmas spirit.

I'd take Drunken Christmas Caroler Girl (refer to my "Christmas on Halloween" story) over Mean Onion Man any day.

Medical Leave & Someone Gets Auf'd

2007-12-14T21:04:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was a sad day for me. Yes, that's right, we had to say goodbye to our first piece of eye candy on "Project Runway": Jack. At least Kevin is still there so not all hope is lost.

So sad to see him go, but it was even more upsetting that he had to leave because of a medical condition. Poor guy. I'm glad he was able to show some talent while he was on the show. Maybe he can audition again next season & get on the show again. Regardless, I hope his treatment works out for him & he gets his health back as much as he can.

And now for the fashion part of the show...

I'll come right out and say it: Steven's dress was horrendous. I kept saying "She looks like a maid!" during his model's fitting (Nina stole my line). However, it wasn't too poorly made, despite the last minute glue, and he definitely incorporated more of the original piece (an equally horrendous wedding dress. Okay, that's a lie- the wedding dress was worse) into his dress than Jillian did. Her dress was well made, but c'mon, she didn't use any of the original material. That's just not fair.

Based on the funeral-attending French maid dress, I suppose Steven should've been the one to go home (which is what ended up happening). But I still think that Jillian just didn't follow the rules and that should've trumped Steven's judgment error on his dress.

I propose that we overthrow Nina Garcia on the judges' panel and give me a shot at deciding what's hot and what's not.

Until next Wednesday... Auf wiedersehen.

It's Over

2007-12-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last night was the final episode of "Kid Nation." I must say I was a little disappointed that Taylor wasn't reduced to tears by any of her fellow Bonanza citizens, and Sophia didn't give everyone a tongue lashing, but everything ended up being okay. One good thing that happened, or rather, didn't happen, was that Taylor wasn't awarded a $50,000 gold star. As a matter of fact, she went the entire series without winning a gold star period.

It was refreshing to see the kids being kids when the rules were thrown out the window. Surprisingly enough, they always chose the practical rewards rather than the fun rewards at the end of town missions, so this was quite a change. I can't say I wouldn't have ransacked the candy store either. Granted, they did redeem themselves when Zack encouraged everyone to clean up the town and they all got down to business.

So what will these kids be up to now? Of course, they'll all be heading back to school for the time being, but will there be a reunion? Give it 5-10 years.

Full- length Interview with Zack Pope

2007-12-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

Zack Pope is a hometown guy from Round Rock, Tx. He just graduated from Duke University, where he played as an outside midfielder. Now he's looking to move on to bigger and better things: Major League Soccer.

Stefanie: Soccer is already popular in Austin, but there is not much coverage when in comes to MLS (as it unfortunately seems to be the case across the United States). How do you think that we can make MLS (and specifically, the teams in Texas) more popular in Austin?

Zack: Team camps- that's probably one of the best ways to get recognition for players and for MLS teams. Players coming to do day camps at a local parks and soccer fields would definitely increase awareness about the game and get their names out there.

Stefanie: Would you consider putting on one of your own camps here, being from the Austin area?

Zack: Definitely! For younger kids, that's probably best thing you can really do. It's one thing to sit around and watch a soccer game on TV or live, but to have hands on experience with players in the league would be awesome. Younger children would definitely take to that and parents would catch on.

Stefanie: What suggestions, if any, do you have about hyping MLS in Austin (player camps, fantasy camps, exhibition games, etc.)?

Zack: Definitely by raising awareness with fantasy camps and things like that. It's not that people aren't passionate about soccer, but they don't necessarily have the opportunity to show it. MLS is still growing, so they need to take advantage of their opportunities by reaching out to the community. Player camps put on in surrounding areas would definitely be good for MLS.

Stefanie: What do you expect from the player combine?

Zack: Basically, you have to be in the best shape of your life. I mean, you've got 3 games in 3 days. You're training for something that's huge.

Stefanie: How are you going to prepare for the player combine?

Zack: Well, I've got a torn MCL right now and I'm waiting for that to heal. There's not much I can do for that yet. After that heals, I'm just going to go running. The combine is held in January so I'm gonna work hard until then.

Stefanie: Do you have any fellow teammates or friends that are off to the combine with you (and if so, who)?

Zack: Yes, two teammates: Mike Videira and Spencer Wadsworth. Two players from Duke were drafted last year, and they actually were drafted to the same team.

Stefanie: Do you plan on going to any college tryouts for specific teams (L.A. just had one)? If so, where?

Zack: I do have one tryout with D.C. United, and possibly one with Chivas (USA), other than the player combine. I'm still working on some others, but it's all about networking. Use your connections where you have them so you can manage everything and hopefully get out there on a team.

Braving the Christmas Crowds

2007-12-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

Holiday shopping usually makes me want to put my own eye out with a candy cane, but I was pleasantly surprised by my shopping experience today.

My mission: find gifts for my aunt and uncle, my grandmother, and my other aunt and uncle.
The place: La Frontera in Round Rock
The time: middle of the afternoon... a.k.a. the worst time to shop.

My mom, my sister and I all headed out to H.E.B. first to take a look at their ever-so-popular holiday food baskets. That was a bust. Everything was spectacularly overpriced compared to last year. We still liked the idea of food baskets for the family (they love 'em), but we figured we'd explore a little further down the road at La Frontera to check out whether or not there was something better.

At La Frontera, we immediately headed to World Market, which happens to be one of my absolute favorite stores. However, the three of us were a little nervous about heading into the holiday shopping crowds without knowing exactly what we were looking for. World Market surprised us in the best way possible.

Upon entering the store, two employees cheerfully greeted us. Immediately, we spotted a table off to our right that was stacked with holiday specials. Shiny ceramic mugs, pasta gift bags, Asian cookware, and all the trimmings for the everyday griller. Perfect. My Uncle Steve and Aunt Brenda love to grill (and we love to eat whatever they barbecue). We decided on a gift pack of different grilling spices, rubs and sauces for them. My Aunt Gwen and Uncle Ken are healthy eaters and love Mediterranean food. We got them the pasta gift pack, complete with oils and sauces.

The only negative experience I had at World Market followed my sampling of a red apple caramel candy. The sourness of the apple mixed with the caramel did NOT make for a good combination. That was quite possibly the worst thing I have ever tasted.

After a speedy checkout at World Market, we headed over to a little country store here in town and quickly found the softest white sweater ever created. Perfect for Grandma.

Mission accomplished.

A Gift for Granny

2007-12-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

You would think that I'd have learned my lesson by now: plan out Christmas gifts earlier in the winter. But does that stop me from waiting around? Not at all.

I'm getting a little better though because I'm currently contemplating the gift for the most difficult person to shop for in my entire extended family: my grandma. After turning over multiple ideas in my head, I've still got nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Here's the basic rundown on things that she loves to do: cook (and boy, is she good at it), collect pictures of the whole family, and watch LSU football. That's it.

So what do I do about this?

She's pretty set in her ways when it comes to cooking. She doesn't need anymore cookware and certainly has no use for a cookbook.

Her house is literally covered in framed photos of the extended family. No lie; it's wall-to-wall. I don't think she has anymore wall space for another picture.

I considered getting her an LSU football blanket or something like that, but that's problematic for a couple reasons. A.) She is always hot. Always. Her house is fifty below and she thinks she's in a sauna. What use would she have with a blanket? B.) The purple and gold would NOT match the interior design of her home. Trust me, she wouldn't dare throw a blanket over the back of her floral-print couch. The blanket would just go in the hall closet where she keeps all her other spares.

I haven't visited the Hill Country Galleria yet. Maybe they'll have the perfect gift for her already waiting for me. I just hope I can find it.

Puppy Play Day

2007-12-10T10:25:00.001-08:00

I've taken my dog, a black Labrador named Ajax (pronounced EYE-yaks, not A-jacks like the dish soap), to Walnut Creek Dog Park a few times in the past couple months and he loves it, of course. When my car takes the turn off of Lamar into a little winding street, his whining ensues. Immediately, he begins pacing back and forth from window to window in my backseat. Excited is not the word for it. More like bursting with animated spirit.

At first I was apprehensive about getting him around other dogs, especially without the restraint of a leash. He's very shy and is afraid of other dogs (puppies included). He's not too keen on other humans, either. But after our first trip to the park, I knew we'd finally found something that we both could get used to.

The scenery is reminiscent of my California days when we'd go hiking down to a little creek (minus the redwoods, of course). The enormous white boulders that dot the banks of the creek are perfect for owners to take a pit stop while their dogs run amok in the shallow water. It's a little strange that for as much as my dog despises bath time, he adores splashing around in the creek.

Foot trails wind around the park in numerous directions and are often so deep and twisting in the woods that other dogs and owners can't be seen. Occasionally the trails are shared with brave cyclists, who are always polite to curious dogs and nervous owners (like myself). I've tried to jog the trails alone, without my dog, but the sight of other canines running free in the park instantly makes me feel guilty and I'm forced to dash home to get him.

Despite the frigid weather today, I think Ajax might be in for a treat: a day at the dog park. I just hope he avoids the water today...

Who am I kidding?

Hopefully Nobody Can Catch This Gingerbread Man

2007-12-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

Smithville, Tx has a hold on a record that hopefully won't be topped for a while: the World's Largest Gingerbread Man.

Last year, the folks from Guinness came out to inspect the 25-foot gingerbread man to see if it qualified for the books. So far, the people of Smithville haven't heard back from the Keeper of the Record-Holders, but that didn't keep them from baking another cookie man this year.

Volunteers mix up huge buckets of dough and pour about a thousand pounds of batter into the giant cookie mold. The gingerbread man is then cooked over an open fire, while volunteers and onlookers participate in the town's annual Festival of Lights. Of course, it's difficult to get an even bake for the cookie and some burn holes appear, but according to festival-goers, it tastes better than it did last year.

Full-length Interview with Stuart Holden

2007-12-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Stuart Holden is a 22-year-old midfielder for the Houston Dynamo.

Stefanie: How did you get involved in soccer?

Stuart: I started playing soccer at a young age in Scotland with the influence of my mum and dad. I always loved kicking a ball around and as I got older my love for the sport became stronger. Growing up in a country where soccer is the main sport obviously helped me develop a strong passion for it.

Stefanie: Soccer is already popular in Austin, but there is not much coverage when in comes to MLS (as it unfortunately seems to be the case across the United States). How do you think that we can make MLS (and specifically, the teams in Texas) more popular in Austin?

Stuart: It is tough for the MLS to put a lot of money into advertising the MLS in cities that don't have teams, but TV exposure is the best way to grow the popularity. If people can turn on their TV's every saturday and watch their favorite MLS teams or the best games of the weekend, it will help turn more people (adults and children included) into bigger soccer fans and hence increase the demand for more soccer on TV.

Stefanie: Does playing in front of a home crowd for you personally (since you're from Houston) affect your play?

Stuart: For me to be able to play in Houston infront of friends, coaches, and most importantly my family is unbelievable. It gives me a special connection to the crowd and in a way I am a role model for young soccer players growing up in Houston with aspirations of playing professionally, which gives me a great deal of pride when I put on the Dynamo uniform. My first goal in my professional career was at home vs New England, and my whole family was there to experience it, which to me was more than I could have ever asked for.

Stefanie: When you're playing against teams with some of the "big names" of soccer, does it enter your mind at all that you're playing against guys you possibly grew up watching or can you just naturally block that out?

Stuart: Before the games, you know who you're going up against and you start to prepare yourself for that game, so obviously you know if you're going to be playing against some "big names" who are good players. But once you step on the field, all of that goes out the window. Even if at a younger age they were my role models or idols, we are playing in the same league now and are both professionals, so to put them on a pedestal during a game would only leave me at a disadvantage.

Stefanie: How effective do you think that MLS teams giving youth soccer camps in their respective cities (and possibly surrounding cities, such as Austin in this case) would be in raising awareness about MLS? What about doing another exhibition game (like the Dynamo did in Austin when Houston just got a team)- would that ever be in the works again?

Stuart: I think this is an initiative that MLS has already started to take, because players on our team partake in these events from time to time. This is one of the most effective ways of promoting the game, because young players get a chance to interact with their idols and learn the game from them. This helps develop a passion for soccer and therefor more interest in playing it at a higher level. As far as exhibition games and camps in surrounding cities such as Austin, this only helps spread the popularity and awareness for the Dynamo and the MLS. I personally loved playing in Austin, because it gives a chance for fans of the Dynamo to come and see us a little closer than a 3.5 hour drive!

Stefanie: I know the L.A. Galaxy runs a Fantasy Camp for adults that is widely popular among the fans. As a player, would participating in something like that (with fans) interest you at all? How active do you think the team would be in putting on something like this for fans?

Stuart: I have been involved with a couple soccer events similar to that put on by the Dynamo, including a Soccer 101 event for women that was extremely successful. I loved doing these sorts of things and interacting with people that want to learn more about soccer and that have a love for the Dynamo!

Stefanie: Who do you room with when you're on the road with the Dynamo? Any roommates at home in Houston?

Stuart: On the Road I room with Joseph Ngwenya and we have a great time. I have enjoyed rooming with someone other than the people I live with because it gives me a chance to get to know them better. At home in Houston I live with Mike Chabala and Patrick Ianni and we have become close friends. Pat and I are actually together with the USA U23 team in China and it really helps having close friends on these trips especially.

Stefanie: I know you're headed to China to get ready for the Olympic qualifiers. I've always wondered how much down time you guys get while you're away at tournaments and friendlies? Is there anything you're personally looking forward to doing while you're in China (will you guys get to see the Great Wall haha)? Do you know who your roommate will be over there?

Stuart: I am actually writing to you from the hotel in China and the experience so far has been out of this world. The 15 hour flight was draining, but the hotel has more than made up for it. We are stationed in Changsha in a 5 star hotel with staff that are constantly helping us with anything. We dont usually get too much downtime on these trips, because at the end of the day we are here on business and to help prepare for Olympic Qualifying in March. I think later in the week we are going to have an afternoon or two to try and see some sights around here, which I am definately looking forward to.

Stefanie: How does the coaching style of Peter Nowak compare with Dominic Kinnear?

Stuart: Coach Nowak is very focused on the job at hand, which is to help the team prepare for qualifying and then competing in the Olympics in Beijing. His style differs slightly to that of Coach Kinnear, but both are very knowledgeable and passionate coaches. I relish the opportunity to work with both Coaches and learn from them to help develop as a player.

It's that time of year...

2007-12-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

The Trail of Lights in Zilker Park is back!

This is my favorite time of year because I get to go back to my childhood days. Walking up and down those trails at Zilker with millions of Christmas lights twinkling all around me makes me feel like I'm in my own version of a real-life Candy Land. Glittering lights, hot chocolate, candy canes and Christmas carolers always put me in the Christmas spirit.

Dell always puts on a spectucular display, which is the main event I look forward to every year, aside from eating too much kettle corn and spinning around under the Big Tree at the trail's end until I nearly puke.

I'm intrigued to know what goes on behind the scenes setting this monster up. I've never seen it going up, oddly enough, but something this big has got to take a lot of man hours. Hmm... maybe next year I can get a sneak peek.

This year, a bunch of my girlfriends and I are planning on going to the Trail together in honor of our good friend, Megan. She was always a huge fan of this spectacle at Christmas, but very sadly, she passed away this past August. On December 17th, we will gather under the Big Tree and toast our hot chocolate to our friend. She wouldn't want it any other way.

The End of a Kiddie Era

2007-12-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

CBS's newest reality tv show, "Kid Nation," is approaching its end with the finale airing next Wednesday.

So now is the moment of truth: which kid will be awarded that final $20,000 gold star, whose parents will actually be proud of their child, and who will finally put Queen Taylor in her smug little place? I hope DK gets to do it because he's been chomping at the bit to let her have it. Should be interesting.

It is worth knowing what will become of these kids as they grow older. Will Taylor grow up to be an even brattier Miss America? Will Anjay enter politics? Will Jarod invent a groundbreaking teleporter in the world of science? Will Hunter star as the all-American "Bachelor" in years to come and hold a rose ceremony of his own? I smell a "Where are They Now?" special in the distant future.

I think if Sophia goes off on everyone before it's time to go home, Taylor is reduced to tears, Olivia professes her undying love for Anjay, and 8-year-old Mallory makes Greg cry, then the finale will be a success. Be sure to tune in.

CBS Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. central

These Night Witches Have Got it Together

2007-12-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Two Texan ladies on a mission: bringing back pin-up girl style to fashion.

Jenny Howe and Kim Jaques are "Devushka." The word (devushka) comes from the Russian word for "girl," which aptly describes the elegant, sexy style of the dresses put out by Devushka. All of the dresses are inspired by the 1940's style of womenswear in Russia and Eastern Europe, yet they also have a slightly more sinister role model. Russian women during World War II were fashionable by day (in dresses similar to Devushka's recreation), and ferocious bomber pilots by night. They were appropriately dubbed the "Night Witches," by the Germans who feared them, and are also the clothing line's major influence.

Most of the dresses are fairly form-fitting, allowing the wearer to flirtatiously, yet tactfully, show off her curves. Bold gem tones, sleek fabrics, and racy prints make up this apparel line. Ladies will definitely be able to channel the seductive pin-up girls of the '40s in one of Devushka's dresses.

Devushka has revamped the 1940's style for modern women's fashion. Geared towards the trendsetting young adult female, Devushka's clothing is sure to have quite an impact on Austin's fashion industry .

View some of the dresses or drop the lovely ladies of Devushka a line here:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=252501361

OR
View the dresses in person at Devushka's upcoming debut fashion show:
December 14, 2007 at 9:00 p.m.
Vicci Nightclub
404 Colorado Street
21 and older

Not making it work

2007-12-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

This season of "Project Runway" is a bit lackluster compared to seasons past, in my opinion. None of the designers truly stand out in their clothing designing abilities. Granted, some of the men and women on the show have made some clean, wearable dresses and womenswear, but everything is forgettable.

Well, everything except for the horrendous menswear some of the designers threw together for celebrity guest Tiki Barber. I realize that most of them have never designed menswear, and designing a men's button-down shirt might be vastly different than designing a women's button-down for all I know, but they were better off sending down a smock than some of the pieces that went down the runway. Inadvertent three-quarter sleeves on shirts and circulation-stopping crotches on pants are completely unacceptable. And don't even get me started on the sloppy collars. Some of these designers should really be ashamed of themselves, especially if they didn't bother putting a shirt on a model at all (and yes, this really did happen).

It's time for Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum to light a fire under these guys. I want something to wow me. I suppose I could lighten up; after all, it is just fashion (thanks to Andre and Santino from two seasons ago for that little saying), but it's time for the designers to bring their A-game.

Bringing the Beautiful Game to Austin (feature)

2007-11-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Nov. 2, a heart pounding, exhilarating event took place right here in Texas: round one of Major League Soccer playoffs between F.C. Dallas and Houston Dynamo.

What? Soccer? But nobody cares about soccer!

Au contraire.

Since David Beckham's arrival in the States, soccer- and more specifically, Major League Soccer- has been getting some long overdue press.

The League's inaugural season was in 1996 and attendance levels at games are back at an all time high. Soccer-specific stadiums are popping up all over the country and are still being built to house different cities’ major league teams. The League has shifted a bit, adding teams in Houston, another team in Los Angeles (the Galaxy's ugly step-sister, Chivas USA), a team in Salt Lake City, and even in Toronto, Canada. There was a team in San Jose, CA, which ended up being transplanted to Houston, but the League will be expanded again next season to bring a team back to the bay area city. Seattle will soon host a Major League Soccer team of its own as well, as the League looks to possibly expand to Philadelphia and St. Louis.

The League has become exceedingly more competitive. Houston won the League's Cup Championship in the team's first year of existence. After a home-and-away series based on aggregate goals in round one of playoffs, Houston prevailed. Dallas defeated Houston 1-0 in Big D, and then went on to drive the stake deeper as they were first to score during game two of the series in Houston. With Robertson Stadium brimming with a sold out, standing-room-only crowd, Houston bounced back to win the game 2-1, tying the number of aggregate goals 2-2. The game went into thirty minutes complete overtime, in which Houston scored not one, but TWO goals during those final heart-stopping minutes, ending the aggregate series at 4-2. In the western conference championship game, the Dynamo defeated the Kansas City Wizards, who boasts an Austinite midfielder, A.J. Godbolt. The Dynamo was later crowned the Cup Champions after a battle against the New England Revolution for the second year in a row.

So why didn’t Austin catch wind of this?

While soccer is growing in Austin and its surrounding areas, something is lacking. Even the long shot of Michael Dell purchasing Austin’s own major league team, it would still fall short of the real possibility of bringing Major League Soccer to Austin. Why not support the two Texas major league teams then? Perhaps because most people don’t know they’re out there.

With a championship team a short drive away and another competitive team just up I-35, more awareness should be brought to the heart of Texas. During the Dynamo’s first year as a team, they put on an exhibition game right here in Austin against Real Salt Lake. The game had an excellent turn out, despite the lack of coverage and advertisement. The Austin American-Statesman itself rarely, if ever, prints box scores for the League's games, much less feature stories. Maybe inviting the Dynamo or F.C. Dallas back to Austin to play another exhibition game (this time keeping up with the coverage) could expand the fan base here.

The Texas teams' players might be equally excited about playing exhibition games in other cities, like Austin. Just ask Stuart Holden, outside midfielder for the Dynamo. "As far as exhibition games and camps in surrounding cities such as Austin, this only helps spread the popularity and awareness for the Dynamo and the MLS. I personally loved playing in Austin, because it gives a chance for fans of the Dynamo to come and see us a little closer than a 3.5 hour drive!" Holden says.

Other teams in the League always put on soccer camps in their local and surrounding areas. Why not invite them to host a camp in Austin? Zack Pope of Round Rock, and more recently, a graduate of Duke University, where he was an outside midfielder for four years, is looking to make the big leagues when he makes an appearance at the player combine for Major League Soccer. And would he consider putting on his own camp for his home crowd here in Austin? "Definitely! For younger kids, that's probably best thing you can really do. It's one thing to sit around and watch a soccer game on TV or live, but to have hands on experience with players in the league would be awesome," Pope says. And his hometown is rooting for him to earn a position on a team in the League.

Some teams, such as the L.A. Galaxy, have put on fantasy camps for adults in their home cities that are widely popular. What grown man or woman wouldn't want to pretend to be a part of the team for just a few days? The Dynamo itself has put on a camp like the one the Galaxy puts on. "I have been involved with a couple Soccer events similar to that [of the Galaxy] put on by the Dynamo, including a Soccer 101 event for women that was extremely successful," Holden explains. And of course the League's players love putting on these events because it gives them a chance to get even more in touch with their fans. Pope is also in agreement that camps like these would definitely be popular here in Austin. "It's not that people aren't passionate about soccer, but they don't necessarily have the opportunity to show it," he says. This would give adults and children alike the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

Soccer nights at the Irish pubs around Austin always have rowdy crowds. More publicity for these events could raise awareness about America's version of the Beautiful Game. Supporters’ chapters throughout Texas always bring in more fans, so why not start one here?

While the likelihood of Austin getting any major league sports team is wafer thin, the city is on the cusp of bursting with soccer pride. Teams like the Cowboys and the Spurs get loads of support here; now the city needs to cater to the soccer fan’s needs.

Christmas on Halloween (XL story)

2007-11-27T13:20:00.000-08:00

Standing on East Sixth Street the weekend after Halloween, I spotted a messy-haired girl stumbling out of a shot bar with three of her equally intoxicated friends.

She lowered herself to the curb and sat down, throwing her head back. At this point, she apparently noticed the sparkling green star holiday decorations stretched across Sixth Street.

“Oh. Oh! Lookie! It’s Christmasss!

“Jungle Bells ... whoops!

“JINGLE bells! Jingle Bells!” she belted out for her giggling friends.

Perhaps these ladies partook of a bit too much eggnog. At least they got the spirit right.

Bringing Out the Animal in You

2007-11-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

Throngs of people stood outside Austin's newest, most exclusive club on Saturday night: Pangaea. Everyone was pleading with the bouncers to let them in. Some were shouting. Some looked on the verge of tears. Nobody was getting behind that velvet rope, but I was determined.

I asked a girl in front of me if she was in line.

"Technically, yes, but they're not letting anyone in unless you've got connections."

Damn. No connections here. I had just come from a very ritzy engagement party in Austin's hill country so I was dressed to the nines. It was my turn at the rope.

"Can I get in? Please?" I asked the intimidating bouncer. He looked down at me and smiled.

"Sure," he said, pulling back the velvet rope to let me through. Score!

Instantly, the crowd was hurling questions at me.

"What did you say to get in?!"
"Why'd they let YOU in?!"
"Who ARE you?!"

I have no idea why he let me in. Maybe the "please" did the trick. No clue, but I didn't care.

Inside the faux-tent of Pangaea, everything was dimly lit. Raw woodwork and animal skulls ornamented the walls. Bamboo everywhere. I felt like I was camping at a chic Safari party on a warm night.

The clientele was very nice and in high spirits. Nearly everyone was dancing. Heading to the back bar, I noticed there were people three and four deep, but I made it to the front rather quickly. This bartender was on top of his game. All I got was two beers. The price? Eleven bucks. Good God.

Still in a good mood, I got up on a platform (which was actually the back of a couch that four people were already dancing on) and joined the party. Looking out at the crowd, it was like looking at one giant, throbbing mass pulsing to the beat of the music. The energy was palpable.

Upon my exit, a random stranger grabbed my friend to lay a wet one on her. Very unexpected. Perhaps the Safari party was bringing out the beast in him. It wasn't so bad... I guess.

Expensive drinks won't keep me from coming back to this place, but perhaps the bouncers will. Who knows if I'll get that lucky again?

Pangaea Austin
409 Colorado Street

How long would you wait for love?

2007-11-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

After a couple heartbreaks, I'm at the point in my life where I don't think I believe in love. I realize that this is probably a phaze... at least, I hope it is. But I'm giving up on love! Sort of...

That doesn't stop me from desperately wanting to see "Love in the Time of Cholera." As far as I can tell, it is about a man who falls in love with a woman, despite being rejected by her (though apparently forced by the hand of her father). He stays in love with her for nearly a lifetime- over 50 years.

The trailer is superbly done. I can't wait to see this movie and I am usually not one for the heartbreaking romances.

In theaters November 16th. View the trailer here on the movie's official website:

www.loveinthetime.com

Japanese Ninja Skirts!

2007-11-06T22:49:00.000-08:00

A skirt that doubles as a faux Coke machine.

I must have one.

Yes, that's right. You can hide from potential attackers with this clothing masterpiece, as was the designer's goal to ease women's fear of crime. Aya Tsukioka came up with the design- a plain, solid red, floor-length skirt. The skirt has quite a bit of excess fabric as it unfolds to a full-sized soda vending machine.

Better hope you get attacked in the winter time, ladies. Can't imagine lugging around all that heavy fabric during the summer months. Heaven help me.

Here's the idea:
You're walking home late at night (alone, of course) and out of nowhere, someone runs at you in an attempt to... "get" you. Quick! Run around the corner and unfold your skirt. Just hope the villain isn't thirsty.

If you don't happen to have a ninja skirt, don't fret ladies. You can get the "man hole" bag that resembles (obviously) a man hole cover when you lay it down. Thieves unknowingly will walk right past it!

Have children? Well they can be the talk of their classmates with the backpack that doubles as a fire hydrant. They'd make it home safely for sure.

View the skirt here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=489110&in_page_id=1811

C'mon, you know you want one.

Love, Heartbreak, and Bombs

2007-10-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

Never judge a movie by its publicity.

An image of four nude, smiling twentysomethings sprawled around the title "The Bubble" suggests yet another raunchy, slapstick teen movie. But this flick is quite the opposite, so much so that the all-Hebrew dialogue with English subtitles seems like an afterthought.
Drama, politics and a modern-day Romeo and Juliet (played by two young gay men) provide the material for director Eytan Fox's gem, set in Tel Aviv.

The opening scene is gritty, set at a barren checkpoint somewhere between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian city of Nablus, where Israeli guards toting semiautomatic weapons bully a busload of Arabs, checking out potential suicide bombers. Among the Arab men is Ashraf (Yousef "Joe" Sweid), who catches the eye of a young Israeli soldier, Noam (Ohad Knoller), as the soldier rushes to the aid of a pregnant woman delivering a breech baby. The baby is stillborn, setting off the angry mob of Arabs, who blame the baby's death on the innocent soldier. In all the chaos, Noam loses his ID card on the roadside.

Unsurprisingly, Ashraf finds and miraculously returns it on the same day Noam returns home from his monthlong stint as a guard (after an undisclosed period of time, as time seems to fly in this movie with few transitions). So begins their puppy love saga.

Noam's two peace-loving roommates, Yelli (Alon Friedmann) and Lulu (Daniela Wircer) warily accept Ashraf into their apartment and their lives, but quickly decide they really do like the guy. Through all the roommates' torrid love affairs — and a few sex scenes (though tactfully done) — the city of Tel Aviv remains their oyster, or rather, "bubble." It is clear that living in Tel Aviv has sheltered them from the stark world of two countries at merciless war that surrounds the city.

Though the acting is consistent, the plot lacks conflict until the final 20 minutes, other than the danger that Ashraf braves being a gay Palestinian in Tel Aviv, which is only hinted at subtly. The very end might as well have been from a different movie: suicide bombings, death and destruction, none of which made appearances in the previous 90 minutes.

Though a lack of transitional tact and restrained conflict keep "The Bubble" from being spectacular, it is still certainly a movie that far outdistances its own publicity.

Ode to Pete

2007-10-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that through all the times I’ve been downtown, I’ve never been to Pete’s Piano Bar. Well, until last weekend, I had never been. Let me just say that after spending my entire Saturday night there, I will definitely go back (and I think I can honestly say that it was one of the best nights out I’ve ever had in downtown Austin).

Most of the crowd that populated the barroom was in the 25-45 year range, which is a breath of fresh air from the 18-21 year-olds running around 6th street. Everyone was in high spirits, singing along to each song that the two dueling pianists played. The two guys behind each piano were young (probably mid to late twenties) and easily got the crowd involved in the piano jams. For those of you who haven’t been to a dueling piano bar, here’s the concept:

People write their song requests on cocktail napkins, wrap the napkins around some money (I’d say the average is probably five to seven bucks) and go up to the stage and place it on the piano. The two pianists have fish bowls overflowing with cash, but it is all well deserved. Some people give them up to twenty bucks to hear a song, in which case, they immediately bump it up to the next song on the playlist and announce rather loudly (and very gratefully) that they received such a generous tip. These guys know just about every song imaginable and it’s safe to say that they definitely do each song justice.

Occasionally they bring people from the surrounding tables up to the stage to sit on the piano as they serenade the bar goer. Saturday night, they brought a bride-to-be up to the stage, along with all of her bridesmaids and members of the bachelorette party, and they all visibly had a great time singing (or rather, shouting) to Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll.”

The bartenders hustle to make drinks for patrons (and they’re more than willing to make any and everything) and do so with a smile. The bar itself is a little run down and has a saloon-like feel to it, which adds to the nostalgia. Tables fill up rather quickly, but there is an upstairs bar area that looks down over the two grand pianos. It’s easy to meet people in this place, as everyone is in a good mood and often compliment each other's song choices.

Pete’s Piano Bar is a guaranteed good time for all.

Now open on Mondays
421 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 472-PETE (7383)
Fax: (512) 472-7390
Mon-Sat, 6:30 pm-2:00 am
Showtime at 8:00
Manager - Tim Lopinto
www.petesduelingpianobar.com

Now THAT'S entertainment

2007-10-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I am normally not the type to make fun of people, but this was just far too classic not to write about.

So I'm sitting in the student lounge at school (my exact location will remain anonymous)... actually, I'm laying on a couch in the student lounge... and this boy just got up from one of the computers and ran to the bathroom (he spilled something and I'm assuming he went to get a paper towel). I say "ran" in the loosest sense of the word.

First, let me describe his footwear. He's wearing those all-black, rubbery sandal things with the velcro straps on them. You know, only nerdy guys wear them? Yeah, that's this guy. When they slap the granite tiles, the noise in here is deafening. Anyway, he is also wearing cargo shorts ABOVE THE KNEE that appear to be super baggy, but in reality, he is stick-skinny. He has them pulled up not just around his waist, but above his belly button. Almost mid-chest. He also has an olive green t-shirt on that, once again, is awfully bag-like on him that is tucked in to his heinous shorts. His tuft of hair that wildly sticks out from underneath his beanie is no match for his meager attempt at facial hair. And the coke-bottle glasses bring the whole ensemble together. Did I mention he's wearing socks with sandals?

Anyway... so he galloped towards the bathroom. Almost skipping, but not quite. He would slap the ground with his ridiculous shoes for a couple steps, then take a wild leap forward, slap the ground again, jump again... repeat. All the way to the bathroom. I think my jaw was hanging open at this spectacle. He grabbed some paper towels very quickly and bounded back to his desk in the same manner, only this time, the rubber lip of his sandal screeched on the floor. He fell. Hard. I forgot to mention he had a straw in his mouth (I don't know why).

There was no blood.

Only him on all fours grabbing his throat and hacking on the straw saying "Owww! Owww!" in a rather nasaly voice. I buried my face in a pillow for a long time, then I posted this in my blog.

Long winter... and spring... ahead

2007-10-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

The "Sex and the City" movie doesn't come out until May.

MAY.

I want it now.

Aimee Bender

2007-10-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

Attention everyone:

Check out writer Aimee Bender.

Hilarious. Entertaining.

Do it now.

This show creates quite a bang

2007-10-15T00:55:00.000-07:00

“The Big Bang Theory” is CBS’s newest comedy showcasing just how inept two brilliant young physicists can be when it comes to women, street smarts and real life.

Johnny Galecki (made famous as David on “Roseanne”) plays Leonard, a genius in love with the way-out-of-his-league blonde bombshell neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco of “8 Simple Rules”). Leonard’s roommate, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) seems to have an even smaller grasp on the way the real world functions and doesn’t seem to understand Leonard’s hopeless crush, but both are genuinely nice guys. Penny, a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory, lives up to her blonde roots, yet seems to have a soft spot for her geeky neighbors.

Most of the sitcom takes place inside Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment, where the two guys usually have company in the form of their two nerdy friends, Raj and Howard. Raj physically cannot speak to women and Howard is quite the opposite, considering himself the ladies man, though his bowl cut and always skin-tight pants suggest otherwise. The guys are usually found sitting around the coffee table playing computer games on their laptops, playing “Dance Dance Revolution” (while hurling wordy insults at each other from their impressive vocabularies), or contemplating all things Penny.

Though the four physicists converse in “nerd speak,” using massive words and logic to explain the simplest things, it is surprisingly easy for the audience to follow along (and in turn, laugh hysterically at the thinking processes these guys go through). Last week’s episode had a perfect example of this when Leonard, crushed at the thought that Penny had a new boyfriend and trying to move on, asked one of the female physicists (played by Sara Gilbert- Darlene from “Roseanne”- an amusing casting choice) from work out on a date.
______________

Leonard: Leslie, I would like to propose an experiment.

Leslie: Hang on, I’m trying to see how long it takes a 500-kilowatt oxygen-iodine laser to heat up my Cup O’ Noodles.

…………………..

Leonard: Anyway, I was thinking more along the lines of a bio-social exploration with a neuro-chemical overlay.

Leslie: Wait, are you asking me out?

Leonard: I was going to characterize it as the modification of our colleague-slash-friendship paradigm, with the addition of a date-like component, but we don’t need to quibble over terminology.
______________

Penny makes a great addition to the foursome of nerds, as most of her facial expressions and reactions to their genius jargon are what an average person’s might be. She is sweet and charming: the perfect balance for her neighbors.

The show is hilarious and must be watched by all.

"The Big Bang Theory"
Monday nights 8:30 ET on CBS

And the winner is...

2007-10-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

Hung!

Tonight's "Top Chef" announcement wasn't very surprising, although I was really pulling for Dale or Casey to win (since CJ was booted out a few episodes ago). We've heard all about his excellent knife skills and I'm sure his food is delicious... blah, blah, blah.

Whatever.

Congratulations, Hung (I guess). Now change your attitude. Arrogance is not a positive quality.

Library Etiquette 101

2007-10-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

Warning: I'm venting here.

What part of "Please turn cell phone ringers off and conduct all calls in the student lobby" is such a mystery that people fail to follow these rules? The sign in the library, which, by the way, is posted on every column, wall, and desk throughout the establishment, does not say "It's okay, you can conduct some of your calls here inside the library while people are working quietly. You won't disturb them. Trust us!" Yet something still gets lost in translation.

I am disappointed and slightly appalled that St. Edward's students so often completely disregard the fact that other people are working around them who don't want to be disrupted. I always follow the rule: put my cell phone on vibrate and keep it in my pocket. I'll still know if someone's calling and I can go out to the student lobby and take the call if I feel it necessary.

Yesterday, I was working at a table with 12 other computers, all occcupied, when the girl across from me got a phone call.

"Hello?" Nope. She wasn't whispering. In fact, she wasn't even talking in a normal tone of voice. She was a notch under yelling.

"Oh! Heyyyy girrrrl! Yeah, I'm still coming over... yeah, I'll pick it up. You wanted Bacardi Peach, right?... I know! That's my favorite too!... Nah, I'm still in the library... Oh, no! It's cool! Nobody cares... Okay, I'll call you back when I get outta class. Bye, girrrl!"

I wanted to punch her in the face, but not more than the girl who interrupted me at that very same table today. I was on a roll writing my American Dilemmas paper this time.

*Britney Spears ringtone* and then:

"Hello?" Once again, almost shouting.

I write.

"Where are you?"

Trying to ignore her, I delete the last few words I've written in an attempt to focus.

"Where are you?"

She's getting into my head now.

"Where are you?

Oh my God, SHUT UP.

"Where are you?"

Everyone has stopped working at this point and is staring at her. A very polite older man, probably mid-fifties, pipes up:

"Excuse me, miss, but could you please take your call outside? I completely lost my train of thought!" He smiles.

She rolls her eyes and hangs up on her caller.

"Ugh, whatever." She gathers her things and storms out, causing a scene.

As if she hasn't been rude enough already.

And don't even get me started on the idiot in the computer lab yesterday. She even discussed (very) loudly with her friend how the last time she was in there, unable to keep her freaking mouth shut, a woman asked her to please be quiet. Someone else overheard her this time (and really, how could we not?) and asked her if she could do so again. Her response?

"Ugh! What is the deal?! Get your own freakin' computers people and work from home. That's what I do!"

Disgusting.

Promo for "Depends" adult diapers

2007-10-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

"The Big Bang Theory" is the most hilarious show on tv right now. Or quite possibly that's ever been on tv.

No, I've seen far too many episodes of "Friends" to make such a snap judgment.

But seriously, you probably have to wear a diaper when you watch the show because it will make you wet your pants laughing.

"The Big Bang Theory"
Monday nights at 7:30 central on CBS

Sports, Beer & Movies

2007-10-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Meeting men, watching sports, drinking beer, and quoting the occasional movie line, oddly enough, go together very well. I suppose it’s quite obvious that men gathering to drink beer and watch a football game has been the great American pastime for years, but it is also quickly becoming the twenty-to-thirty something single girl’s dream at Logan’s on Sixth.

The dark wood bar top paired with the brass rails around the multilevel (though still single-story) barroom give the place an atmosphere of a slightly more sophisticated sports bar than the average one on Sixth Street. Dark colored carpeted floors and tiled walkways throughout the bar also add to the classier aspects of the establishment. The clientele also don’t appear to be the average downtown bar-crawlers. Most of the men are dressed in slacks and a polo or button-down shirt, appearing as if they recently left the office, and the women dress nice but casual in dresses, skirts, or jeans and a tastefully sexy top. Everyone mingles with each other over the music, which ranges from 80s, 90s, and today, as the place gets packed by 10:30 pm, mostly with a “Big Beer” in hand (probably around 32 ounces).

And if rubbing elbows with other people won’t get you a conversation started, the movie clips that interrupt commercials from different sports games displayed on the giant flat screen televisions will do the trick. Last week when I was there, the music was paused and the showing of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” was replaced by a Dennis Leary acoustic music video of his famous song comparing people to a certain bodily orifice. There’s nothing quite like a crowded bar full of mostly well-dressed frat boys and stylish young businessmen belting out that song in unison. I met the group of five guys standing next to me at the bar immediately following this occurrence because they were shocked that “Chicks know this song?!”

The bartenders themselves keep the patrons coming back every week (or every night, in several cases) because of their die hard service. The men and women behind the bar are always busy hustling from one end to the other with multiple “Big Beers” in each hand, which is pretty amazing considering even the most willing and able double-fister can only hold up to two. The average drinker requests beer from this bar, although I must say that I have had a dirty martini from a bartender named Sean that was to die for. The always smiling wait staff and bartenders are more than willing to bend over backwards to make sure that each customer is having a great time and never thirsty. The bar top and stools around the bar are surprisingly clean, as well as the restroom facilities, and the tables and chairs throughout the bar. Like I said, the wait staff hustles not just to grab drinks for customers but also in keeping the place clean, which is a huge plus.

Whether people are downtown for dancing or drinking, Logan’s is the perfect place for a pit stop drink or for camping out for the night for the ladies and the fellas.

200 E 6th St # A
Austin, TX 78701-3648
Phone: 512-236-0300

The Cafe of Austin

2007-09-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

It never fails; during finals week (or basically any other week, for that matter), I always get a hankering for cinnamon french toast at 2:30 a.m. IHOP and Denny's are far too boring to satisfy my craving, so I grab my friends and head to the always-open Kerby Lane Cafe.

The mellow customers blend perfectly with the laid back, yet polite and recently prompt wait staff. The atmosphere is usually quiet and mature, though not stuffy by any means, but sometimes buzzes with excitement when the restaurant is packed.

With an impressively wide array of food, Kerbey offers the most moist, fluffy pancakes that would put any grandmother’s recipe to shame. The menu runs the gamut of multicultural foods, such as enchiladas, quesadillas, and nachos (topped with juicy, fresh beef fajita meat), hummus, Italian-style pasta platters, the occasional Greek plate, and all-American foods.

What is most commendable about Kerbey Lane is the commitment to serving all natural meats as well as farm-fresh, pesticide-free vegetables. This cafe puts a spin on a Mom and Pop style kitchen by the awareness of the importance of offering healthier options. Kerby caters to carnivores and vegans alike, offering a spectacular assortment of foods to the vegetarians, which isn’t something that can be said about most other restaurants that offer vegetarian dishes.

With multiple options offered a la carte, Kerbey is also very affordable, which is praiseworthy for any college student. Customers can venture in with only ten dollars and satisfactorily eat a full meal. Kerbey cuisine will be a staple for years to come in the lives of Austinites.

Visit Kerbeylanecafe.com for locations, menu, prices, etc.

Disappointment in Becks

2007-09-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

Soccer fans and strictly David Beckham fans (yes, there's a difference) are getting frustrated with Becks. Major League Soccer has spent an astronomical amount of money on him and he can't seem to stay healthy. What is the deal?!

Personall, I'm getting frustrated with him because I want to watch him play live at least once, which is something I honestly never thought would happen. Now that my dreams have come true and he's in America, he can't leave the bench in L.A. I'm not completely outraged because one of my all-time favorite players is a teammate of his that CAN stay fit: Landon Donovan. At least I can still watch him shine on the field.

I went to a game a few months ago that Becks should've played in, but... you guessed it! He re-injured himself the week before the game.

I'm going to another game in three weeks that he should be playing in, but he was injured AGAIN.

I know, I know. He's not doing this on purpose, and he's not actually injuring himself; he's just a casualty of the sport. But really, Becks: hit the gym. Maybe you need to toughen up a bit to avoid all the injuries.

Damien Rice

2007-09-17T21:38:00.001-07:00

September 15, 2007; AT&T stage

Although I adore Damien Rice's laid back style of music, I wouldn't say that I'm a big fan. Well, prior to ACL I wouldn't have...

I was torn between seeing Arctic Monkeys and Damien Rice so I settled on seeing Rice the first half hour, then jetting over to Arctic Monkeys. Immediately after Rice's set started, I knew my plan was out the window. There was no way I could tear myself away from his soothing Irish voice and David Beckham-esque looks.

Okay, okay, in all honesty, he was excellent because of his diversity. At times, the usually mellow Rice morphed into an angrier version and I can't say I hated it. The edgy lyrics ("F*ck you and all we've been through") were vastly different from the Rice of old, but the raw emotion in his voice definitely made me reminisce on times I wanted to say the same thing to an ex.

For the crowd favorites (like "The Blower's Daughter"), his calming voice rang out so clearly above the masses and his smooth acoustic guitar paired with a cello clearly put everyone in the romantic mood. I soon realized I was very alone in a crowd of twenty-somethings sloppily making out with each other. Awkward.

True musicians like Rice are what ACL is all about and what keeps the crowd coming back year after year. I know I'll be there next year.

My First Ever Austin City Limits Festival

2007-09-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

I had a one day pass to ACL on Saturday, given to me by my sister in agreement that we would be seeing The White Stripes together. Sadly, I had to break the news to her when they dropped out of what would've been our first ACL Fest together (or at all). She immediately decided to boycott the event and I was on my own.

I was unsuccessful selling my second ticket (originally my sister's) in the two days before the show started, but as I walked up to the entrance of ACL, a couple passed me and jokingly asked if I had an extra ticket. They were shocked that I did and even more shocked that I sold it to them for exactly the price we paid for it (hey, jacking up the price on somebody isn't what I'm about).

Though I've never been to ACL, I have been to South by Southwest the past five years in a row. Still, I was not prepared for what I saw. It is absolutely mind blowing to see the thousands of ACL-goers strolling about Zilker Park. Instantly, I felt the buzz of energy surging from every direction.

After meeting up with a friend at the bar, we headed over to see Back Door Slam (superb). The heat wasn't too unbearable, but maybe it was the sheer excitement of ACL that kept me from dwelling on the fact that I literally looked like I just jumped into a swimming pool. A little sweat never hurt anyone.

Honestly, that was the best concert/festival/musical event I have ever been to. Hands down. I will definitely be back next year.

My lineup:
Back Door Slam
Augustana
Cold War Kids
Blue October
Andrew Bird
Damien Rice
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Muse

more on a few artists later...

No! Not CJ!

2007-09-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Since the first episode of "Top Chef Miami", I liked CJ. He was always cracking jokes, usually having to do with his love for Padma or his testicle (yes, that's singular), talented (obviously- he got down to the top six), and always a team player in the kitchen, even though "Top Chef" is ultimately every man for himself. He was quick to lend a helping hand to anyone, sometimes even if his own dish wasn't complete yet.

Within the first few minutes of the most recent episode ("Snacks on a Plane"), I knew he was doomed. He was the primary focus of the episode, whether in the kitchen or his one-on-one time with the camera. Then, when the chefs discovered they were headed to NYC and CJ revealed he had never been, I really knew he was a goner. Too much forshadowing to ignore there.

In agreement with the judges, his dish did look completely unappatizing. The broccolini appeared overcooked by its brown tint and limpness. The fish... wait, was it fish?... was forgettable (except for maybe how bland it was; I don't know, I didn't taste it).

Aww, but he's so funny! Who will be the comic relief in the kitchen? Padma looked like she got a little choked up before she told him to "Pack [his] knives and go." Maybe she was the only one pulling for him at the judges' table. Is there romance in the future for those two? In CJ's dreams, maybe. All in all, I am very sad to see him go.

Not half bad...

2007-09-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

I must say I was disappointed to see that Saradora's, Round Rock's adorable little coffeehouse, was closing its doors. I wondered what new business would be taking its place, where I frequently enjoyed the best Italian sodas I've ever tasted, but I didn't have to wait long before a new buyer moved in. I drove past the location (on the corner of Main Street and Mays) on a daily basis so I watched the transformation from coffeehouse to... live music venue/bar? In Round Rock?! Instantly, I decided I wouldn't ever vist this place... this eyesore in the heart of my little town (that's actually not so little anymore).

After the doors opened at The Rock Room (which I refused to call by its name... it was "Saradora's Sad Replacement" for weeks), I expected nothing but lame musicians and average bar-goers to flood it. Almost every night, I sat in my car at the light on that corner with my windows down, begging the light to turn green so I wouldn't have to hear the music spilling out of the bar. And every night this happened, I found myself liking (*ugh*) not only the music more and more, but the varieties it came in.

So... four weeks ago, for reasons unknown, I decided to give this place a chance. My friend and I ventured in on a Thursday night, which happened to be karaoke night. I admire the gutsy people who get up to belt out a song, but I have never gathered the courage to do so myself. Instead, we explored the beer menu, which wasn't very big, and they only serve beer and wine. No liquor. Definitely my kind of place. It was actually very clean and comfortable: polished hardwood floors, tables as well as stools at the bartop, and plush, over-stuffed couches in the back room.

Ever since our first trip, we've made it a point to go on Thursdays (8:00-midnight) for karaoke. Shockingly enough, I found the courage to sing last week. Me? The wallflower? Actually sing? I'm pretty sure they wanted an encore, but I just gave 'em a little taste. Everyone- customers, karaoke staff, and bartenders- is always genuinely nice, which is a different world compared to Sixth Street (although I am a fan of the downtown scene all the same). Now more often than not when I drive by, it fills up more and more with people. The Rock Room is quickly becoming the place to be in Round Rock, and I can't say I hate it.