Dreaming of a White Christmas

45 degrees and rainy in Houston and Austin...it's cold and gray and different...but still charming. There are palm trees here, and it's Christmas...I find that charming anyway. The only other experience I've had like this was a few years back in Puerto Rico. It wasn't Christmas, but right after and everyone still had yard decorations up...bright green lawns, palm trees and inflatable snowmen. I think I took more photos of Christmas decorations in PR than I did of the beach.Full disclosure...I did not take the above photo...I definitely stole this from google.

Anyway. It's charming here but I miss the snow, and all of you. xoxo and Merry Christmas loves...biggest hugs to all of you.

What makes a lady?

I started reading Bossypants this week...Tina Fey makes me laugh out loud while reading, and then I interrupt whatever James is doing to read him whatever it was that made me laugh. My delivery is off, but I think he gets the comic idea.

She talks about how she went to a conference while doing research for Mean Girls, the best Lindsey Lohan movie of all time (admittedly not saying much here). At this conference the women were asked to write down the time they first time they truly felt like a woman. Turns out most of them wrote down things like being heckled at by dudes. Cat calls, nice tits, look at that ass, etc. Sad.

It was this year, my 27th on this fine earth that I think I started to feel like a woman for the first time...and it was all because of lipstick. You see, I have small lips. Tiny lips. My top lip is basically non-existant. Growing up I tried not to show my teeth when smiling in photos because it made my non-lips even smaller. I remember doing makeovers at a slumber party when I was maybe 13 and my friend's mom told me I could always draw on an upper lip with lip liner ("Just like movie stars!" she told me). Due to my non-lip complex I never wore lipstick. Gloss, tint, maybe lightly colored chapstick...yes. Bright red lipstick? No.

This year I said fuck it. I like red lipstick. I like orangey red lipstick. I like bubblegum pink lipstick. I want to wear it. So I did what any grown woman does, I bought 99 cent L.A. Colors lipstick from the dollar store near my house. Don't judge...I wanted to test my ability to wear before making a more expensive purchase.

It's not really the lipstick that makes me feel like a woman. It's the fact that I finally said fuck it.

learning to be poor...and other first world problems

James does not think I'm poor, he thinks I have extravagant taste for my income level. He may be right, but I still think I'm poor.

I am going to pretend it's Lent and give a few things up (even though I don't practice Lent when it is Lent; I don't know how else to justify this without just feeling poor).

Since we bought a car we now have to make car payments. Making car payments is something I've never done, not really. I've always either bought a car I could afford outright *amazing 1987 Honda Civic...anyone remember that death trap (?); or I made car payments to my grandparents for the now deceased Mercury Sable. Making car payments to your grandparents is about the least serious thing you can do...it is not like they send some thugs or collectors after you if you only pay them $50 one month instead of the $150 you promised. They love you, they won't do that.

Guess who will do that? Capitol One.

Things I will be giving up so I'm not so poor:

1. Cheese. Oh sure, we can still buy sharp cheddar or pepperjack for our sandwiches, but if you want a nice bucheron or chevre don't come knockin on my door.



2. Clothes. Oh god, clothes. I love clothes. So much. I like pants, dresses, skirts, shorts, tanks, blouses, sweaters, I even like vests. I don't do much shopping, I really haven't since I moved to Texas and became poor. Now I'll be doing no shopping. My dream of red pants will never come true.



3. Brunch. The ultimate first world indulgence. Mimosas, bloody marys, hot coffee with fresh cream no more. Goodbye Condesa & Taverna...I'll miss your delicious treats.




4. The idea that I can buy new furniture soon. Curtains, tapestries and a new couch? I think not.




5. Fixing all of my boots. I don't even want to buy new boots, but all of my winter boots need repairs. Guess I'll be picking my favorite pair.

So, if you're still reading: Please forgive me for being such an uppity white girl with first world problems.

The fact is, and what I'm struggling with...but I do know is this: None of those things matter, not really. All that matters is I have love, endless amounts of love from amazing people in my life who I care about so much and who I love back. Maybe I won't be able to impress those people that I love with my red pants and my awesome boots at my dinner party with a great cheese plate where we talk about how fabulous my vintage couch that I personally re-upholstered is while we reminisce about what a great brunch we had the day before. I think you guys would still like me if I asked you over for Ramen. I make a mean Ramen (and it's cheap!)

Jack's a natural

Had a little Christmas Card photo shoot Monday night courtesy of the totally fabulous MarQuito. Jack was a total pro.

We shot on location in a number of looks, it was especially difficult getting permits to shoot on the White House lawn but Marcos made it happen...what a guy.

Look for your Christmas card soon. xoxo.

oh the interwebz

Not only was I lucky enough to watch I AM SKATEBOARD today, I was lucky enough to find some serious creative genius in facebook advertising while watching it...notice the groupon ad.

WTF? 5 New things to do in Austin everyday includes hanging out with a mutant house cat?

Music Lounge

Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr today in the KGSR Music Lounge. I think I may start a project for myself where I attempt to record/track all of the live music I see in one year. 2012 New Year's Resolution?
*photo credit goes to Jill Braley

They played one of my favorites today; here's them performing it during sxsw.

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011

FunFunFun Fest 2011.

Friday

• 
  
  Yacht


• 
  
  Picture Plane


• 
  
  Franki Chan


• 
  
  Big Freedia


• 
  
  Matt Bearden


• 
  
  ...a minute of Okkervil River


• 
  
  Lykke Li at ACL Live taping (amazing)


• 
  
  Late Night at Beauty Bar...Andre Williams

Saturday

• 
  
  Manejo Beto


• 
  
  Future Islands


• 
  
  Purity Ring


• 
  
  Tinarewin


• 
  
  Cecil Otter


• 
  
  The Joy Formidable


• 
  
  Tune-Yards (!!!)


• 
  
  Ra Ra Riot


• 
  
  M83


• 
  
  Lykke Li


• 
  
  Spoon


• 
  
  The Damned


• 
  
  Late Night at Plush for Straight Hood Shit! and then Beauty Bar for Sexy Sax Man

Sunday

• 
  
  Brunch at Frank (a bloody mary and 2 mimosas later)


• 
  
  Mates of State


• 
  
  MNDR


• 
  
  Austra


• 
  
  Baths


• 
  
  Del the Funky Homosapien


• 
  
  HUM


• 
  
  Black Lips (and my boyfriend's boyfriend Ryan Gosling)


• 
  
  Diplo


• 
  
  Slayer

A few impressions:

Future Islands were great, Purity Ring was a nice surprise, Tune-Yards are amazing live, The Damned was a brain melter, Austra was lovely(if not a bit sleepy) and Ryan Gosling really is as attractive as you think.

so I've started a tumblr.

but i'm not letting anyone see it yet. i actually started it a while back but i'm pretty interested in curating the appropriate content before i make it public.

once it's ready i'll share with all.

so for those of you who don't care about that at all...a few things you should be aware of:

1) Listen to Wu Lyf. If you're not yet stop what you're doing. STOP. Right now.

Watch/Listen.

2) I got to hang out with Tucker Jaymes Gerrick a couple weeks ago. We got tattoos. Of each others names. Top that shit.

3) Looking forward to one Mr. Sam Cassidy's arrival to Austin. Also looking forward to seeing Tapes N Tapes at the new Emo's. Good things come from Minnesota.

let's wrap this up by saying if you're in mpls i will be seeing you soon. never soon enough. if you're in austin and i haven't seen you in a while let's make a date for tapes n tapes next week, yeah?

Holy Blogspot Batman, Why Haven't You Been Blogging?!

Work. Work. Work. Work. Work.
When you work ALL day long it makes it REALLY hard to get motivated to come home and get back on the computer...especially when you leave work at 8pm every night.

God I've missed you all. I don't have time to really update now, because I'm running out the door w/ James for some food cart dinner and a Revival Fund show at Antone's.

I don't have any recent pics uploaded on this comp and because of said time crunch I won't upload anything new. Here's an old one of James and I just so ya'll can see our pretty faces.

If I don't see you at Antone's then I'll see you in my dreams. xoxo.

It doesn't get much better than this.

Three of the most awesome people in one room, after way too many drinks, and a great conversation in german and spanish. Can't get enough of these guys, wish it wasn't such a short trip this time...sometimes still wishing it wasn't a trip at all...xoxo.

Looks like we got awesome.

Trust me, we did.

More of this please (never enough).

This was going to mpls.
Heading to Charleston tomorrow (T-Minus 5 hours) for Aly & EC's wedding. Cannot wait (get me there now).

I Can Read Movies

I've been thinking about posting these for a while, they're really great and I have a bunch more saved that I'll add soon. What better time than now? Cary sent me an amazing link to Better Book Titles and I knew I had to put these up.

Have you heard, it's hot

Two things I'd like to point out.

1) It's hot.
2) Earth is pissed.

It's hot everywhere, and if you look at all the videos on the weather.com homepage right now you'll find errupting volcanoes, flooding in 5 states, a bounce house that got blown away (with kids in it!!!), tornados, and a dude who dies after running a race. Conclusion: earth is pissed and weather.com is a lot racier than it used to be. With that said, it's supposed to be 102 here today. FML.

The homepage of weather.com - real life happenings are damn near as scary as that not very scary movie Maggie Gyllenhaal's brother starred in, I think in 2004.

What a dumb movie, it's clearly getting hot, not cold. (science).

Fresh Squeezed

I made ginger lemonade from scratch. It is amazing and looks beautiful. Feeling a bit like Lauren Michelle right now.

South By Southwest (sxsw)

Year One: Sam convinces me we need to go to sxsw in Austin, TX. I think it went something like this, "We should go to sxsw, that would rule." "Yeah, that would be awesome, let's do it."
Jenn + Eric + Nate + Sam + Me + 1,040 miles later, we were in Austin and he was right, it ruled. Fun Fact: Sam put me in a head-lock and drug me out of the Palm Door at 4am; I still contest the necessity of that action.Year Two: I've lived in Austin, TX for 1 month and 1 week and Sam, Tucker, Ryan, Jake, Travis, Hicks and Mikey come visit and play during south-by. James books them some shows, and we kick it all day and party all night. Tons of mpls peeps in town, tons of great music - pretty magical.
Fun Fact: Tucker bought Bill Murray a hot dog at Shangri La.
Year Three: I'm still not sure I've recovered from this past year. Over a year in Austin means I scored a platinum press badge, which meant I was able to go to all of the interactive events and parties, all of the film screenings and parties, and all of the music events and parties and I had press access. 10 straight days of madness. I would have skipped out on some of the early stuff, but Scott came down to kick it, and as the plans came together last minute I knew we had to get epic, and epic we got.
Fun Fact: Scott and I were in the press pit at Big Boi and it was nuts. I somehow didn't have my camera (WTF) but this picture I stole from the internet (Lorne Thompson's flickr) was probably taken by the chick I was standing right next to.
I'll say more about year three in my next blog post. This one already seems a bit long.

Dino-mite

uh, how awesome is this?!

I know what I'm doing this weekend.

uh, ok.

adoration

well isn't that just sweet.

Let there be light (inspired).

someday.

lovable loser

Charlie Brown is a lovable loser, a child possessed of endless determination and hope, but who is ultimately dominated by his insecurities and a "permanent case of bad luck," and is often taken advantage of by his peers.

(Thanks wiki).