Death Cab for Rachael

Catch Up

2011-04-11T22:22:00.002-05:00

I have met so many wonderful people and had so many wonderful experiences recently. I love love love it. Thank you, Universe.

My Favorite Bike at NAHBS

2011-03-09T00:58:00.001-06:00

For Pucci

2011-03-02T22:32:00.002-06:00

Dromorti

Aerial Shots

2010-11-09T23:12:00.002-06:00

As promised...

Aerial Update

2010-10-29T18:30:00.001-05:00

Flew 2.3 hours today taking photos. Wind whipped, exhausted and ecstatic all at the same time! Images to come soon...

New Project, As Promised!

2010-10-20T23:28:00.002-05:00

New project in the works, accompanying photos here: here

Follow Up

2010-10-08T19:35:00.002-05:00

More than just trying to soak it up, I am having a full on love affair with this weather! 88 during the day, 50 at night?! It does good things to me.

Undeniably Autumn

2010-09-27T21:33:00.002-05:00

No kidding. In Texas. In September. Coming only a few days after my seasonal affective disorder kicked in again, and I started feeling like I missed out on summer while I was Eagle Lake. However, I was giddy all day at being able to sleep with my windows open last night.

It's not a given that we actually have seasons here in Central Texas so I'm doing my best to soak it up!

Checkin' In

2010-09-23T22:43:00.004-05:00

There are many many things I've thought about blogging lately as there are many many things that have been happening in my world.

Over the years this blog has seen some love, but all too often is neglected. Sometimes I consider starting a new blog, a fresh blog, to write about all these things I want to share with you. A clean slate to tell you about the creative, the beautiful, the inspiring that is all around me these days. But I don't know if I can altogether leave this themeless blog.

I dare not say likely, but I think it possible that this blog could see more than one post a month...

Still the One

2010-08-05T21:05:00.004-05:00

Sitting down to work on my online flight instructor renewal I turned on the tv for background noise/diversion while I first uploaded some photos.

Having tired for the afternoon of Shark Week (there is a lot of tv watching happening while in Eagle Lake, getting my dose of tv for the year) I pulled up the guide to see if any movies were coming on. And what do you know, Kill Bill, Vol. 1 was to start in just 15 short minutes! Oh. Hell. Yes.

Now, I'm not one for movie, music, tv reviews despite seeing/hearing/experiencing things that move me. And this blog has never served as a place for such. So all I'll say is this: When the opening credits began to roll, followed by Uma's panicked breathing then her bloodied face, I remembered how I waited with bated breath for the inevitable the first time I saw the movie. Years later, seeing that scene again, I still got that short-of-breath-excitement as the first time around.

Here's to the mad genius that is Quentin Tarantino.

Harmony

2010-07-31T15:26:00.004-05:00

Flying, for me, might never get old. At least I hope it doesn't. I still get butterflies before I fire up for the day. And when it's been a while since I've flown the feelings are even stronger. Last weekend I went home for a few days then came back to Eagle Lake to the rice contract. I had trouble sleeping the night before I was set to fly again. It wasn't nervous energy, or anxiety--more like that excitement you feel at the beginning of a relationship when you are waiting for the next time you're to see the person.

But nothing compares to the feelings I have when I'm actually flying. Having been an athlete for years I am very physically aware of and in control of my body. But nothing I've done athletically ever gave me the satisfaction I get from making the helicopter do exactly what I want it to do. With almost indiscernible movements of my hands and feet I make a machine that is said not to fly, but to beat air into submission move with such a violent grace that it seems more an extension of myself than a separate entity. As with my body, all I have to do is think about what I want the aircraft to do and it begins to do it. After all, moving your legs to walk isn't a conscious effort. And in the same way that I feel my feet and hands move and my heart beating I feel the aircraft--the vibrations from the main rotor, the tail rotor, the engine, the way it reacts to the wind and to my control input. Both hands, both feet, both sides of my brain constantly perfecting the balance between lift and weight, thrust and drag.

New, Fun Stuff!!

2010-07-23T10:32:00.005-05:00

I'm all giddy. Here's why:

-Mainly, I've been flying. It isn't until I go fly again that I remember just how damn much I miss it when it's been a while. I really, really need to get myself a more steady gig and keep moving down the road to becoming a full-time heli pilot. Which leads me to the next thing that has got me all a'flutter:

-New business prospect(s)!! More on this when it's more concrete. I'll just say this, it involves helicopters AND photography! What more could I want? (Maybe to take Buddy, but that will happen eventually)

-New running shoes and feeling pretty darn fit.

-The move back to my old 'hood, possibly even my old house that I love love love!

-The fact that, thanks to Austin Art Garage, I have sold artwork before it's even been hung. My prints are ready to be hung and I should be up on their webpage within the next day or so!!

-I've had the little boy dog for a while now and will have him for a while more. Good quality time. He is asleep with his super soft snout on my foot right now.

-My super duper kind of new peeps Jon and Amy. Love spending time with these guys.

...From SE Texas

2010-07-17T22:35:00.004-05:00

Whoa. Two months since a post, sorry 'bout that.

I've been in Eagle Lake, Texas for the last couple of weeks and likely to be here for a couple more. Flying the rice contract again. Fun stuff.

Austin Commuter Challenge

2010-05-17T22:00:00.003-05:00

Since you asked, the Austin Commuter Challenge coincides with Bike Month (May) and encourages people to trade vehicle trips for bike trips. Regardless of distance, anytime you ride your bike rather than turn your car key you get to log a trip. There are team, individual and family "competitions". Those with the most trips at the end of the month win mad bragging rights and cheesy trophies to drink beer out of, or I suppose juice for the families.

The majority of people's trips are within 2 miles of their homes, and 90% of those are made in their vehicles. So I read.

Since I've been commuting to work I've slowed down enough to notice just how many people are on bikes around Austin. Today I passed a little old man cruising Shoal Creek Blvd. (my route for about half of my commute) and said, "Morning". He looked a little surprised to see me next to him, but emphatically responded with a, "Good Morning!" Then a lady pushing a stroller on the other side of the street looked over, smiled and said Hi even though she was on the phone. A second lady who was running, sans cell phone, did the same. It was incredibly refreshing and put me in a really good mood first thing in the morning. It's still an uphill battle to be recognized out there though, as I was cut off twice in a row at the same intersection in Tarrytown, which is a very quiet, pretty slow-paced neighborhood with a lot of runners and walkers out every day.

About half-way through the month I've gotten in 78 miles in 14 trips. Not great, but not shabby either. Hopefully I'll be able to at least double that by the end of the month.

May Is Bike Month...

2010-05-09T20:21:00.003-05:00

Which coincides with the Austin Commuter Challenge (some of you may have your own commuter challenges in your oh-so-progressive cities). It's given me extra motivation to make the 8+ mile each-way ride to work as frequently as possibly when I don't have the pup.

How's it going? I get to start my day with a metabolism boost. I spend less on gas and less time being annoyed by the drivers on Slo-pac. I get to cruise through some of Austin's finest neighborhoods. Stop at my favorite coffee shop on the way. I hear birds, I breathe the beautiful Spring-time air. On the way home it's usually dusk and honeysuckle is heavy in the air, which is refreshingly cool. Plenty of fresh laundry smells to sniff along the way as well.

It's so, so liberating and simple. Riding home tonight I took a different route than I normally do. At least on the rides home, I try to vary my route just a little each day. More than simply a means to an end, my bike ride provides me with a pinch of exploration wrapping up an otherwise normal day.

One Word, 15 April

2010-04-15T17:00:00.003-05:00

OK. Thanks to Carly and her intraweb finds, here's a blog for you. String of conscious style writing prompted by a given word that you can find here

Coaster brakes on bikes are so much fun. Remember when you were a kid and you'd pedal pedal pedal as fast as you could just so you could lock up the brake and slide as far as possible and see how long a skid mark you could make on the asphalt or better yet the gravel in the driveway.

2010-03-06T20:59:00.003-06:00

Posted on: 08 August 2009

After being around so many fake, rude, dumb, mean, unable, unwilling people, it is the good ol' boys, with their smiles and their jokes and their hard work and their true happiness and their truly care free attitudes, that make me love being around man. They remind me that there are real, live people who function as I do and value the things I value. It is these guys who made those days some of the best I've ever had.

6 March, 2010

One of those good ol' boys is gone. Bless him, and his family.

Pre-Occupations

2010-02-04T18:51:00.003-06:00

It's been raining for two days straight and is supposed to rain every day next week. I'm not sure where it's all coming from, but it's keeping me indoors mostly. Forced productivity is ok with me, if I can't have sunshine.

I've created a Fine Art America print-on-demand account. So anyone who is interested in buying a print or print on canvas, stretched or not, can go to my profile and choose their size and printing options.

Check out: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/rachael-cook.html

In other news, Mom is going to be in Austin all next week for her teachery convention. Which is excellent because I will probably get to go have drinks with her--always a hoot.

Lucky her, getting hooked up with tickets to the ACL filming next week. Trying to figure out how I can crash it with her.

Ramblings and musings are all, really, for this post...

Deadwood has had my almost undivided attention, and I'm on to the third season. Best. TV. Ever. Ever. Period. More to come after I finish the series.

Pace Bend Camping Trip

2010-01-08T18:48:00.011-06:00

Commenced with a beautiful sunset.

Still a little muddy after the rains, getting loose in the corners.

New Teeter-totter to play on.

Buddy testing it out.

Beautiful weather and trails had us both excited.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-31T12:52:00.009-06:00

First white Christmas since 1926, so I heard.

Bryan, Evan, Jake, Lynn

Major Major Major

Buddy loves Christmas

Our House

The New Ride

2009-12-03T15:55:00.003-06:00

Happy late birthday to myself! Super stoked to have a new ride. Pump tracks, girlie jumps, street rides commence!

I don't like eggs.

2009-11-29T09:58:00.005-06:00

And I don't like that many veggies. So why is it that when I ask for a breakfast sandwhich with no eggs, and instead ask for bacon, do I get charged extra? If I were to add eggs to an eggless sandwich I would be charged the same as adding bacon. So if the two cost the same, doesn't reason suggest that I could swap them without penalty? And when I ask my friends at Thundercloud subs to leave the complimentary veggies off my classic club, but please add a pickle, they hit me with a 50 cent* charge. I mean, I'm saving them money by not taking the veggies, so it all evens out. Except that it doesn't. There's no justice in the food world.

*So I'm blogging this from my iPhone and I don't have a cent sign on my keyboard. So I
considered my options of a) writing it as $.50 or b) as I wrote it. I chose the latter because not only does $.50 look totally goofy but also because it occured to me that this blog might get some extra traffic from people accidentally being directed here while googling 50 Cent the rapper/badass/personal guilty pleasure. I realize that is totally pathetic (not that he is one of my guilty pleasures, but that I am using his name to get more blog taffic.) I should really get over myself.

Pace Bend Park Ride

2009-11-15T18:56:00.004-06:00

Have ridden these trails before, but they were MUCH better this time around. All the mud reminded me of my childhood when my brother, his friends and I would slide out in the puddles and jump off culverts into muddy water holes.

First time back on the bike in far too long. Good company. Beautiful weather.

After the first long, muddy descent:

Mud running down over the socks:

End of the ride:

Ghost Dog On The Loose!

2009-10-27T19:29:00.006-05:00

Buddy is in the Halloween spirit!

Looking long-faced because I interrupted his costume chewing for a pic.

Oh, and all that stuff on the floor? Ghost Dogs LOVE their beer boxes.

My Dear Friend, Duct Tape--

2009-09-29T17:04:00.005-05:00

Why is it that you insist on popping off at me, when I apply you to your position? I know I stick you on flimsy, ugly brown boxes, but please do cooperate.

Even though you are in for a forgettable, dark ride to already visited places, and, upon arriving, you are likely to be given another dark, probably humid home, it would be nice if you stuck it out with your newly acquired, cubic companion.

Because you see, even though this may feel like a very lateral move for you, I assure you that greater things await. You may be lonely in the mean time and you may defiantly turn up your edges. But I predict that when you finally find your home, you will be quite resistant to removal.

--Your Fellow Weary Traveler

What's In A Name

2009-08-29T19:04:00.006-05:00

So a couple of days ago, I was walking to my truck--most likely to go to the coffee shop. A car drove by and as I glanced up, I thought the girl driving resembled a girl I used to play softball with on my travel team. Chrissy and her twin Reeca played on my team when I was a sophomore and junior in high school. They were not from the same town I grew up in, but my dad was friends with their parents and good friends with their uncle before any of us were born. In fact, my brother Evan Douglas is named after their uncle Joe Douglas Wilson.

Often times something very specific will catch my attention and remind me of something else. Usually, it is something that only I notice and is usually a product of my weirdo imagination. So I didn't think much of it.

Until today when I checked the mail. There were two wedding invitations addressed in fancy script to a house with one digit different from mine and Wilson's. I can easily see how the postman would make the mistake. So I figured instead of having them go through the return process, I'd just walk them over. One of the invitations was addressed to some name I had trouble pronouncing and the other was addressed to Mr. Kevin Cook and Ms. Chrissy Wilson. I hopped onto Chrissy's FB page and sure enough, she's engaged to Kevin Cook. So I walked the invites down the street to the house I drove by earlier today that was hosting the garage sale that I ALMOST stopped at.

So I rang the doorbell and her roomie answered. I asked if Chrissy was there. She was sitting on the kitchen counter and could see me from across the room. She made a funny face and her roommate goes, "Sorry, she doesn't know you."

"Oh. Yes she does."

From the Flight Back, 23rd-ish March, 2009

2009-08-13T17:09:00.008-05:00

Incomplete account:
(Corresponding Photos)

2009-08-08T02:05:00.001-05:00

After being around so many fake, rude, dumb, mean, unable, unwilling people, it is the good ol' boys, with their smiles and their jokes and their hard work and their true happiness and their truly care free attitudes, that make me love being around man. That remind me that there are real, live people who function as I do and value the things I value. It is these guys who made those days some of the best I've ever had.

Baseball Rant

2009-07-05T22:10:00.004-05:00

Money is destroying baseball.

Here's the deal: A century ago, the starting pitcher threw every pitch in 88% of games played. Managers left the starter on the mound, win or lose. It was his game. But by the early 1920s, about 50% were complete games. Only 22% by 1979.

Last year, only one in every 35 starts resulted in a complete game. That's 2.8%

What's going on? There is now a widely held belief in baseball that making a pitcher throw more than 100 pitches per game will wear out his arm significantly faster than if he only throws a few innings per game. With clubs investing millions of dollars in their starting pitchers, teams can't "afford" to lose pitchers to injury or early retirement. (Even though the pitchers probably won't stay with the team for long anyway. Since, we all know there is more money out there for free agents. I mean, I know I'd be dying to find a better deal too because, I just don't know how I could possibly live on $3 million a year. Plus, few players show any loyalty to their clubs anymore. And they certainly aren't thinking about their fans or the city they play for.)

The business of baseball has become disgusting. Wouldn't it be nice for an owner of a ball club to invest in up-and-coming players and quality coaches that would be the foundation of the organization? The guys who want to be good ball players, not the ones who are just out there to get rich. If an owner were to do this, it wouldn't be just a team anymore. No. It would be a franchise. An institution. It would be classic baseball.

I could continue this tirade and explain the fallout from this evolution that makes baseball largely unbearable for me, but I'll save it in case I get REALLY desperate for blog material.

What the Hell are Beaver Nuggets???

2009-06-20T16:13:00.011-05:00

I am disturbed.

Maybe you've heard of Buc-ee's convenience stores. There are several of them in the middle of nowhere along Texas highways. But they will be on your mind hundreds of miles before you reach them. Why would a gas station be on your mind for so long? Because of the bucktoothed beaver billboards that impose themselves on you every few miles along your route. Example: "ONLY 262 MILES TO BUC-EE’S. YOU CAN HOLD IT."

I have been to Buc-ee's in Luling once before, which I just learned covers over 10(!) acres. It was a quick, in-and-out stop months ago on a trip from San Antonio to Louisiana. Saturday morning I was driving from Houston to Dallas. I was in need of some petro and some breakfast. I saw the signs. I stopped.

I don't think I can adequately describe this place, but I will try. It is a freaking carnival. A carnival with necessities. Because clean restrooms are preferable, and I knew they would deliver. (In fact, as I walked through the store, looking at the tile floor, I was thinking that the place might be cleaner than my house. Which is saying a lot since I live with an obsessively clean person.) This place is the size of a truck stop, but no trucks are allowed. And it stays packed. They have everything from Buc-ee's venison jerky to "specialty coffee".

When you walk in this place, you have to pause for a minute, take it in a bit and actually plan your attack. I needed breakfast tacos. So I walked 100 feet across the store to the counter. Under the heat lamp all I saw were egg-laden tacos.
R: "Can you make me something without eggs?"
Lady at the taco counter: "Sure."
R: "Great. Here's what I want."
Lady: "No, no, no."
She pointed behind me. "There's where you order."

It was a fucking kiosk. A fucking KIOSK!!! And there were 6 of them! Apparently, they even have them at the gas pumps so you can order your food while you pump your gas. Taken from their marketing firm's website: "With this kiosk, you have a blurring of the lines between restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets." I don't know who these people are, but the only time I use a kiosk is to check in at the airport.

This was just WAY too much. While I waited for them to be fixed, I headed across to the coffee counter. I had to have more information. I stopped to talk to one of the girls making some sort of old-fashioned sugar coated popcorn. Her name was Lindsey Lou. No lie, that was on her name tag. And when I asked her how she felt about Buc-ee's she replied, in the thickest southern drawl I have EVER heard, "It's a lot for this small town." I could tell I wasn't going to get the answers I was seeking. I ordered my coffee, I grabbed my tacos and headed to the checkout. Maybe this young man would be more help.

R: "What do you think about this Buc-ee's experience? Because I can't quite wrap my head around what is happening here."
Young man: "It is pretty crazy. I was headed to San Antonio not too long ago. I wasn't going to stop at the Buc-ee's in Luling, because I work here. I get enough of this place. But I saw the signs, and I gave in to them."

I felt like I should get the hell out before I drank the kool-aid. As I got on the road, Roger called, and I expressed my thoughts. I asked him for his. "When you plan a trip to Buc-ee's, you know you're fucked." Agreed.

On down the road I went. Cringing a little as I devoured my semi-automatically generated breakfast tacos.

Thought @ Work

2009-06-12T15:28:00.002-05:00

Recently I have had several strange things suddenly occur to me.

1. I was walking into work the other day alongside a few of the guys. Walking to punch the clock. All of a sudden, I got the overwhelming feeling that I was in one of those old depressing movies where the men are going to the mine they work in for the job they hate. The job they do to put food on their family's table.

I don't work in a mine. And I don't hate this job. But it is mindless. The nice thing about this is that I don't have to take it home with me. But it is frustrating to do this kind of work when I have a degree. And four helicopter ratings. And my drive. I have to remind myself that it pays my bills. It's just that I am not satisfied with "just paying the bills".

2. Similarly, I find myself in another place when I go to Paramount Theatre. Well, not place, but time. In this instance, the experience is grand.

I have always enjoyed seeing movies by myself. My favorite place to see a movie, above Alamo even, is the Paramount. And typically, I go there by myself. Although I have made a couple of exceptions lately, because I can sometimes be a nice person. But this really isn't important.

My point is this: When I'm watching a movie from 1934 at the Paramount, I feel like I am in 1934 at the Paramount. Even though I am in flip flops, shorts and a tank, I feel as though I am sitting amongst men in tailored suits and fedoras, discarding peanut hulls on the floor. In my mind, I hear the movie reel turning, I see dust hanging in the air and I feel a trickle of sweat on my temple, even though I am actually freezing because the theatre is kept so cold these days. I remain there until the curtain closes and the noisy teenagers begin to file out. This is the kind of time travel I really enjoy.

3. Two years ago I got a call from my best friend from my childhood. She called to tell me she was getting married. At the point, if you asked me which of my friends would be the first to get married, Amanda would never have crossed my mind.

Two days ago Amanda had a son. I have not seen them yet, but when I thought of her holding her tiny new baby, I got the strangest feeling. Amanda's family is my family and mine is hers. I am happy that she had a boy, because, if it were a girl, she was going to name it Emory. Emory will be the name of my first child. Emory is my second family's name.

Amanda and I are a year apart, and we grew up in different towns, but our lives have largely mirrored each others. So it was strange when she agreed to marry. It is also strange that I am now (arguably) married. But her having a kid!?! Now, don't get me wrong. I think about eventually having kids. But she has one now. I don't have to tell you what enormous significance and consequence that comes along with. Not that she isn't a responsible person, but it is quite surreal to think of her in that way, because, now, she will never be apart from that image. And that image is very much incongruous with the image I have had of her for the past 10 years.

4. It is also surreal to pass a vehicle with Disabled Veteran plates and see that the driver is someone I might see at a bar, a handsome young man nearly my age.

Summer Breeze, And It Makes Me Feel Fine

2009-06-05T13:37:00.005-05:00

I am in Houston. I am exhausted. Naps in the middle of the day used to be my thing. They are quickly becoming so again.

Typically, when I do nap, I stay away from the bed. That's just a bit too pathetic for me. The floor is a good spot. So is the grass in the backyard. That is, until the stupid effing ice cream truck comes into the neighborhood with its abhorrent music blaring.

But, while I'm at Wilson's, the bed is the best place. My room here is wonderful. Red wall, minimalistic shelving, iron and dark cherry wood frame bed with red sheets and my favorite kind of down comforter. Huge western-facing windows so that the afternoon sun can keep me company. And curtains suggesting just the right breeze.

Behold, my afternoon domain,

I'll be alright long as I ain't seen it all

2009-06-02T19:01:00.004-05:00

As I was listening to Death Cab while working today, which I haven't listened to in a long time, I was thinking about how freaking deep their songs are. It got me to thinking about this bloggiddy blog here, and where I was when I began it. Well, not so much about where I was then, but where I am now. Very very far from there. Like those songs, I was in a deep place for a lot of reasons, but mostly, I think, because of lack of reference. And I was putting a lot of importance on the things that were happening. There was not a lot of hope or happiness trickling in. It was all buried somewhere deep inside.

Now, I am certainly still deep and analytical and "depraved and perverted". But geez, I think I've come a long way. I am incredibly happy and stimulated and fulfilled. And yes, I still think about some things way too much and get wrapped up in my sometimes silly ideas. But I feel like I have a lot more discretion and am more rational about things that are happening around me. I may or may not believe that, but I do feel better these days about my fucked up little reality.

I have a restored faith in a few of the more important people in my life, I am being creative, and I feel in control. And, I'm not holding on so tight to the things that aren't up to me.

So as I take in a confident breath, I relieve a sigh of contentment.

Dinner:

2009-05-25T21:24:00.002-05:00

Meat. Beer. Perfect.

Update

2009-05-23T12:38:00.002-05:00

I'm in Houston doing logistics for Bacardi Mojito parties. Got the pup with me and the lady's in Galveston--close enough for a few hours of seeing each other.

Last night we went to the Bacchus Wine Bar for a glass. It is one of the places we went last time, and it is a little gem. Music and good vibes at the sidewalk tables with a young crowd, but not frat-y or douche-y.

I tried a few new wines. I ended up going with a Marlec whose maker I cannot remember. But also tried an excellent Paso a Paso. And the Professor Black.

Northwestward

2009-05-16T00:40:00.006-05:00

I've been wanting to take a road trip up to Vancouver for a while. Now that I'm working 5 jobs, maybe I'll have enough money at the end of the summer to actually make it happen. Wish me luck. Oh, and if you want to contribute to the "Rachael's Summer '09 Road Trip to Vancouver" fund, feel free. Seriously.

Here's the proposed route up there:
View Larger Map

And the proposed route back:
View Larger Map

6000 miles, 4 and a half days of actual driving, plus all the time taking pictures and exploring, chatting with locals, takin' it in. I want badly to take Buddy with me to see it all, but I don't think he would ever forgive me for making him spend that much time in the truck. He's already sick of driving to San Antonio all the time.

I really really want to do this. I guess I'd better find a 6th job. Anyone hiring??

This One Goes Out to Carly

2009-04-30T23:56:00.002-05:00

I don't get why my friends disappear when it I ask them to spend time with me.

It makes me love Carly-Ann even more for calling me up and telling me she booked a ticket to come see me. From Vancouver. When we'd never even met face to face.

Where to begin?

2009-04-28T12:43:00.002-05:00

Ok kiddos. Well, it's been a while eh? A lot has happened since the last post back in August. Let's ease in with the toes...

I got my Instrument, Commercial, and Instructor helicopter ratings a week later.
Carly came to see me!
I went to New York with Molly.
I turned 23.
I started a business, and, subsequently, it got its own blog. See rachaelcookphotography.wordpress.com.
I graduated, finally.
I flew our helicopter up to Oklahoma. I stopped at my parents' house on the way, and was able to finally give my mom the flight she'd been wanting.
I missed out on a lot of work and a lot of flight hours due to some very unfortunate timing of the the helicopter being sold.
I downsized my bike collection. Now it includes only the one I rode to Alaska. If you know me, you know this is tough to swallow.
I planted a garden and some flowers and some grass. And built a dog house that the cat likes.
I traveled to Europe with Molly.
For about two weeks, I seriously thought I was going to become a State Trooper. Then my quite convincing inner "you know you're not going to be happy with this decision" spoke up.
My photography was accepted for exhibit in downtown McKinney. See Orisonsart.com.
I met some nice new people and reconnected with some nice "old" people.

As daunting as it seems to resume this blog, I might have found some inspiration. More to possibly follow soon.

Finished Product

2008-08-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

Getting the spacing right...
With the back rest up...
Hot Dog...
Stained and on the porch...
I'm sitting on it and drinking a beer as soon as it's dry...

For Carly...

2008-08-15T22:08:00.001-05:00

The latest project

2008-08-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

I will put more up tomorrow (maybe) when it's finished. Still need to put on the back rest and stain it. I might stretch it into another 2 days so I have something to work on.

My Yard

2007-11-06T20:54:00.001-06:00

I knew I would love this house when I saw it. An old country house set back behind a large front yard, looking out on the street from under its brow of low hanging hundred year old Oak trees. Like so many farm houses from my childhood, it’s got an old aluminum cattle gate at the side of the house granting access through the long driveway into the back yard that hangs crooked on its hinges and squeaks tiredly when nudged from the same old position it’s been in for so many years.

My neighbors are a quirky combination of young and hip, old and hippie, and they’re always willing to sit on one of our front porches and catch up for a bit over a beer. Just last week I was carving a pumpkin on my front porch stoop. Such an inviting neighborhood delights people to casually walk by, and these new people feel it too; they always smile and wave. It was the time of day when the afternoon sun perfectly finds its way through the leaves and warms the right side of my face just enough. Of course there is a delightful array of birds that loves to dance in the wisteria vines and other green havens provided by Sean and Shana’s yard to the left. There they are just out of reach of the young tabby cat that has made each of our porches her home. The way the sun is sliding in over the hedge row along the driveway, and just low enough to slip in below the trees, it reveals a thousand silvery rivers of fragile spider webbing that have so delicately been created on the fallen leaves and blades of grass. Just about this time, Shana starts playing her harp in her front living room. The sounds float softly over my ears providing the perfect background music for the thoughts revealing themselves as smiles on my face.

2007-10-16T18:18:00.000-05:00

Day 2

3 from Yosemite

San Francisco, who I'd like to meet

July

2007-10-16T18:10:00.000-05:00

California coast and Canadian laundromat all in the same month.

Shiner

2007-10-16T18:07:00.000-05:00

First taste in over 2 months. Just outside Denali National Park

Finally

2007-10-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

Since I was a kid I begged my parents to get me a dirt bike, but they insisted that I would kill myself. After a few close calls while riding my cousins' bikes and my friend's 4wheeler, I realized they were probably right. Now that I'm a little bit older and slightly less stupid (relative to my childhood I've come around a bit, relative to sane people, I'm still crazy), I decided it's time for me to have a bike. I'm starting small so that I run out of throttle before I can get too wild, but I can barely contain myself from waking up early to go for a ride, when normally I'm not functional before 10am.

Andy and I have done some work on the bike, and I feel like it represents my character quite well. My bike and I together have a personality that demands attention, so it's fun to see people stop and stare out of the corner of my eye as I ride past them. Here she is before

And after

2007-10-07T01:56:00.000-05:00

Below are some new posts. I wrote about 3 of the last days of the trip this summer. If you care to read them, it will make more sense if you read them in order since these 3 go together. So scroll down the one titled "Tok, Alaska..." and read up from there. Enjoy.

Nelchina, Alaska, Day 68, Aug 8th

2007-10-07T01:36:00.001-05:00

Today brought to reality a whole new reason I should be sacred to have ridden alone those 180 miles. After taking a long break in Glenallen for lunch we were riding up the road until we came up on most of the team pulled over on the side of the road. One of our riders was sitting on the ground in shock after some mother fucker had stopped her and tried to pull her off into the woods, all the while hitting her in the face. We were all thoroughly shaken up and stuck around until we were told by the police that the troopers had caught the bastard. I thought I was going to have to hold Amy from going back to torture the piece of shit.

We're all procrastinating in the morning now; I think we're all trying to prolong being together, despite being sick of a few people. We got chased by a dog on the road just as we left this morning. He was dragging a big ass chain from his collar, and I think he just wanted to play, but none of us wanted to get pulled off our bikes onto the pavement so we scooted on by him.

Amy and I kept up the pace from there with a little help from a tailwind. I really enjoy riding with her. I realize what I missed out on for most of the summer by not riding people, but it wasn't like I could ride with Amy all summer since she was on the Rockies route. I am having so much fun with her, Marlowe and Walker. It takes me back to Day 2 when we parted ways with them, and I immediately felt a gap and that I had chosen the wrong route. I know now that's not the case, but nevertheless it would have been great to spend teh summer with them. I am relieved by the fact that I will still hang out with Amy in Austin, and that Walker and Marlowe are going back to NY so I won't see them anyway.

I rode in some freezing rain toward the end of the day and am glad I didn't have to do so when I was more sick since it hurts so bad to cough today and I can't seem to stop coughing.

At the little RV park store where we're staying there's a man sitting in the corner of the porch when I roll up, but I can't tell if he's a real man or one carved out of wood until he saws hello to me. Apparently he lives back in the woods somewhere.

We have a big dinner then some ice cream sandwiches. While we're stalking seconds of pasta in the mosquito tent, Miguel and "Boris" (Vitek) are drinking 40s of "Steel Reserve" beer. Quickly after eating we build a fire in a barrel and hobo up to keep warm. So fitting with the 40s. The owner let his dogs out so Winchester--an extremely friendly Golden--and Priscilla--a confused Saint Bernard--provided the night's entertainment. It was pretty funny watching a drunken Boris yell at Priscilla and try to convince her to sit down at his feet.

The next morning is the last time we'll fix breakfast. Since Jon and I are driving, we make as many pancakes as possible, but decide in the end that the BIGGEST pancakes possible is a better approach.

Chistochina, Alaska Day 67, Aug 7th

2007-10-07T01:19:00.000-05:00

We rode a few miles down to Sourdough in the rain for the pancake breakfast they've planned for us. We're already wet and freezing--it's 55 degrees and raining--and no one wants to ride. Again I feel like riding in this weather will be detrimental to my health, and I'd rather ride 180 miles tomorrow to catch up with the team than make myself more sick riding in this all day. As the rest of the team is reluctantly heading off, I am unpacking my bag and refilling it with the necessary essentials to get me those 180 miles unsupported, hoping desperately that the weather will be better tomorrow. Oleg decided at the same time that he was going to try to ride for 24 hours straight the remaining 328 miles to Anchorage and arrive there 2 days early. If it wasn't for this damn weather, I would love to present myself with that challenge, but I'll have to do this 180 challenge instead. I've been sitting in the cafe here at the Sourdough Camp since mid morning and now it's 4:30. The RVers have been coming and going, and most of them are speaking foreign languages.

I have no concept of time anymore, or whether I'm riding up a hill or down since we always have a headwind. Being out in the Yukon was strange. I was so far away from anywhere I've ever been before, would ride all day and see the same hills and far-off mountains, but rarely any people. It seems like I'm moving myself as hard as I can all day long and getting nowhere. I hadn't talked to anyone from home in weeks, and when I was riding by myself sometimes I would be nearly overcome with feelings of abandonment and desolation. It got so bad at times that I would often think of Kelly. Further contributing to my disorientation was the fact that I was wearing my sunglasses at 10 o'clock at night and had to force myself to go to sleep when it was light at night. We left the bar in Destruction Bay at 11:30 and the sun was just setting.

So after sitting in the cafe for about 7 hours or so, the lady who owns it gave me some tea and reindeer chili in a sourdough bread bowl which was very tasty. Not too long after Jody's grandmom (her grandparents had planned their trip so they would be in Tok at the same time as us) came to get me after hearing of how I stayed behind. They took me to their trailer to sleep, fed me roast stew and scotch before I headed to bed. Not too long after being asleep, I heard a knock then Jordan, Daniel, and Oleg's voices. They hadn't taken me and Oleg seriously until they got to Chistochina and realized we weren't there. So J & D drove up 70 or so miles to get Oleg (he rode 170 miles before they caught him), then drove back 170 miles to pick me up. Then we drove the 90 scheduled miles for that day to the community center in Chistochina and arrived at 12:30 in the morning. Everyone was asleep when we got there, and I confused the cute boy on the floor (there were a couple of other people staying there too) for someone on our team who had decided to clean themselves up. Oleg and I raided the place and found some ice cream to eat before sacking out. On the way to Chistochina we saw a white fox on the road which made me realize I would have had to deal with possible wildlife encounters--bears and moose and whatnot--riding by myself in the middle of nowhere as I left at 3:30 in the morning to ride those 180 miles.

During breakfast the next morning we had another Darlene scare. As she was lighting the stove the gas had built up pressure, released and blown up into her face. After checking her over for melting flesh we saw only some fried hair, but no major deformations.

Tok, Alaska Day 66. Aug. 6th

2007-10-07T01:11:00.000-05:00

I wake up feeling ill at 5 and then 7 am after tossing all night. It's raining and no one wants to get on the bike today. It's a short 50 mile day, but I'm torn over whether to ride & get more sick or sag for the day. At the last minute I decide to sag, and it's a good thing because as soon as I got in the car I passed out, exhausted. When I wake up there's a massive headwind which would have undoubtedly made me cry, and with my current absence of energy, I would never have made it into Tok. Rambo, Mike & I went ahead into Tok & arranged for us to stay at a church instead of the Sourdough Camp where we were supposed to stay since storms were on their way. Not long after getting to the church I ate dinner and laid down. I fell asleep at 7:44pm and woke up the next morning still feeling ill, with a scheduled 90 miles, and it's raining.

*There are no pictures from this day. Because of the rain, I didn't carry my camera.

Before and Afters of the 1500

2007-09-23T19:49:00.000-05:00

Rachel, NV

2007-09-06T00:35:00.000-05:00

Day 21, Caliente NV to Rachel NV, June 22

Today is my drive day with Jon and we're bummed. Since it's summer solstice, tradition is that we all ride naked for at least a mile of today's ride. As we're fixing breakfast for the team, however, I spot 2 aprons in the church kitchen so we had our own version of naked day. Katrina asked me if I could "top off" her coffee. Ahhh... I had a blast driving through the desert today. What I do enjoy about driving is that I get some time to myself, so I jammed out to some tunes which really made it feel like I was on a road trip. All day at my rest stop I got to hear "Coming into Rachel" jokes, and I must say, some people were impressively creative with their one-liners. I've forgotten a lot of them, but "I think I'll take the back entrance into Rachel" was a favorite of the guys. It went on and on. The town of Rachel is in the middle of Area 51, and they take pride in their "alien encounters". It's 70 miles from Caliente and 110 miles for Tonopah, and we're told, is home to 60 people. The motel we stayed at consisted of the 21 of us packing ourselves into a single wide mobile-home trailer, one of about 5 that made up said motel. It was called "The Little A'le'Inn". Our hosts were awesome and fixed us dinner in their store/lobby/restaurant. As I'm eating I'm wondering why the cute waitress, near our age, lives in this town.

After dinner, 8 of us packed into the van and hauled ass for 2 hours to Las Vegas to check out the city. I never thought I'd like to go to Vegas, and I've turned down several invitations to go, but one of the reasons I'm taking this trip is to see new places. The way we did it however--laid back and cheap--I really enjoyed it. Maybe because I've been in the middle of nowhere lately and it's nice to see civilization again, but regardless, I had a great time. We finally got the van parked, although we thought at times it'd be impossible to find a parking garage it would fit in with the bike racks on top. Ryan Hill can pull off some amazing feats.

We grabbed a couple of beers and walked down to check out show at the Bellagio, won $20 on one hant the waterd of Black Jack, got 'ritas at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, headed to the Venetian and then to the newest hotel in Vegas, the Wynn.

As we were walking back to the van, I said to the rest of the crew that I it would be so awesome to run into someone I know in this huge city that I've never been to. Not 2 minutes later, as we're going up an elevator I lock eyes with a girl coming down the one next to us, and we both have that "I know you from somewhere" feeling. We continue to stare at each other as we pass on the elevators and even when I get to the top, and her the bottom, we're still looking at each other. Then all of a sudden she yells up to me, "I was your bartender in Albuquerque!" Totally unbelievable that the chick who served us drinks in a bar almost 2 weeks earlier would remember me in Vegas.

Alaska Border Day

2007-08-28T12:11:00.000-05:00

Day 65, Beaver Creek, Yukon to Northway Jct, Alaska, Aug. 5

It's Katrina & Elyse's birthdays and we leave as one big peloton around noon to set us up for the border race. I don't know if the people lined up at Canadian Customs knew who we were, or if they just thought it was cool to see a big group of cyclists out there, but the drivers and passengers of the 20 or so cars, trucks, and RVs were yelling, clapping and slapping our hands as we rode by. It was so cool that we got to celebrate this big event with an audience, some of whom were from Texas. Vitek somehow got mixed up in the loose gravel in the ditch and busted ass, face first, into the rocks. When I stopped he was fine, but I hung back and was not able to catch the peloton for the final sprint to the border sign. Our team (Coastal) took 1st-10th places. We took a million and one pictures at the big Alaska sign and the sense of accomplishment was pretty great. During our photo op a woman came up and rudely asked for us to move so she could take a picture of the sign without us in it. Impatiently she said, "I drove 3000 miles to get here and I want a picture!" We all kind of smirked and one of the guys popped back, "Oh, well we've been riding our bikes for the last 65 days to get here, over 4000 miles, so you can wait!"

Not long after we passed American Customs we stopped at a gas station/gift shop/cafe and there was no doubt we were back in America. The place had fountain drinks, regular priced candy bars, a flat screen playing ESPN in HD and waitresses talking about watching Nascar earlier in the morning. It was a nice change from the $2 canned cokes and $2 candy bars in Canada.

Amy and I rode the rest of the way in together and stopped to talk to a woman just outside of town who raises and sells Huskies. It's pretty empty out here. Since she's the Principal at the school of 40 kids--K through 12th--the rundown single wide trailer with holes in the walls and ripped up flooring, that requires a bucket of water be poured in the toilet bowl for it to flush, is passed down to her by the school rent free. The water in Northway is not drinkable so they make weekly 60 mile trips to Tok and haul water back home. She's only a few hours shy of her Ph.D. but in a year, her 17 year old son can make what she makes in salary as a flagger for the road construction crews. The place is a wreck, "but there's nothing else out here," she tells us. Amy and I get into camp & get in a quick shower before the store closes [which would turn out to be my last shower before getting to Anchorage]. The mosquitoes are unbelievably bad tonight and I'm not feeling well so I cut out early. I'm kept awake, however, until almost 3 am by a combination of coughing, a runny nose, and my teammates who are drinking and yelling long into the night.

Centrally Located

2007-08-20T20:17:00.000-05:00

I'm finally back in Austin, and it's weird to say the least. I can't really expand on it much at the moment--it's still sinking in. What I'm here to say is that I'll be getting my pictures from Darlene's computer soon. When that happens, I'll be chosing some of the more interesting journal entries from this summer and blogging them along with the corresponding pictures. Be on the lookout.

I ride on. And on. And on.

2007-07-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

I'm presently in Olympia Washington and tomorrow is Seattle. I'd love to move to Portland, but I miss Austin too. This isn't going to be much of a post, because I have to hop in the shower and go to dinner. I'm just letting you know I'm still here. In a couple of days I'll be in Canada--Vancouver (yay!) to be precise--and that is going to be crazy. The distance I've gone started to set in as I rode over the Golden Gate Bridge, but Canada is going to be extra special since it'll be my first time out of the States.

My journals and pictures will be put online when I get home to regular internet access and a more normal lifestyle.

I love you all.

Interview Questions Thanks to Queenie Carly

2007-05-07T23:38:00.000-05:00

1. You used to play ball for the Longhorns. What was the greatest thing that came from that experience? What do you miss most post-retirement?

The absolutely best thing about playing ball, and not just for Texas, but for as long as I've played seriously, is the friendships I've established with some of my teammates. As soon as I got to Texas for orientation, I had 18 friends who helped me figure out so much as a freshman. Now, I'm still close with several of those friends and hope to be for the rest of my life. To invest so much mental and physical effort into being an athlete on a team, and playing a sport, that means everything to you with those people, all striving and sacrificing for the same goal, is much like being in a relationship. So there's that understanding and connection between us that will never go away. Many of my best memories in life are with those friends.

As a close second, which you didn't ask for, but is still important, is the opportunity to come to school at UT. If not for playing ball, it would be hard to justify spending so much money on my education; I was only on a partial scholarship. But the possibility of winning a National Championship in the sport I've played all my life was too great an opportunity to pass up.

The thing I miss most post-retirement is simply playing ball, in the most basic and pure sense. All those baseball movies you've seen, cliche underlying love stories aside, actually reflect a ball player's love for the game.

Today I finally let Wilson talk me into going to the batting cages and to throw the ball around. The reunion was like hugging your first love but knowing you could never be together again. Today was hard. But I will always, always love and miss just going out and feeling like a kid throwing the ball around, and feeling the gratification for all my efforts as I made a huge defensive play in a big game.

2. What is one constant track on any mixed CD you do/would make for a friend?

I can't even remember the last time I made a mixed CD. But it would have to be "Business Time" by Flight of the Concords. I love those guys and like to spread their funk.

3. Which destination are you most looking forward to on your Texas 4000 trip this summer?

Vancouver, of course! Actually, I'm most excited about the stretch from Yosemite to Whistler for all of the great cities--and scenery--I'll be seeing. Oh and Anchorage, because it means I'll get to come home to all of my friends and the boys, and that I've completed this crazy experience.

4. You were recently considering some very bold career options. What is one thing you've had in your life, one influence or one experience, whatever, that enabled you to be such a remarkably courageous woman?

It's got to be that I read so much as a kid. I would walk around with as many books as I could carry, or take a huge stack out into the back yard, throw down a blanket, and lay in the grass reading all day long. I remember doing that in first grade when we had a reading competition, and I finished something like 300 books, children's books of course, but nonetheless that's a lot of reading. When I was reading Huck Finn and anything else of Twain's I could get my hands on, I found this old leather strap to keep the five or six books I was concurrently reading at the time together so I could carry them around with me everywhere I went. When I was helping my dad on this one particular house I remember we would stay really late some nights, and that's the week I read all the Greek mythology my mom had at home.

So very early on I had so many new worlds opened up to my imagination, and was aware that there was much, much more in the world for me to see than what my tiny home town offered. This, coupled with my belief from an early age that my life here on earth is all I get so I must do as much as I can while I'm able, were my foundation for ambition.

5. What is one thing that your friends and family see and instantly think "Rachael."

Jets. My dad always calls and tells me of the programs on the Discovery Channel and the Military Channel, or Modern Marvels, about fighter jets. And I get calls from my friends when they are at sporting events with flyovers. My friend who is in the Air Force in Tampa right now rubs it in that she works on the flight line, and that the Blue Angels practice out there.

I'm stoked about becoming a helicopter pilot, but I will always dream of being a fighter pilot.

...And here are a couple of bonus questions just for you.

*What do we have to do to get you to post more than once a month?

Well I'm finished up with school for the semester, so now I have more time. And with the summer I have coming up I'll have a ton to talk about. Expect many posts and many pictures in the near future.

*I read Ten Things You Need to Know about RC online. If you get another cat, will you name him Vince?

Not that I plan on a third, but if it happens I can't see that there would be any other name for him to have...Except for maybe Cat, after "the Big O" Cat Osterman. But that'd just sound silly.

*What do you want to trade for that I Heart VY shirt? (Can you even still get them???)

I looked again at the Co-op the other day, and they haven't sold them in months. But I can be pretty crafty, so I can make it happen. You've waited all this time for it, so what's 2 more months? I will personally deliver it to you when we pass through Vancouver. July 18 and 19. Mark it.
---------------------------
Now it’s YOUR turn to play:

Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions.
You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Dirty Bastard

2007-04-07T23:15:00.000-05:00

Phew! I'm back online after not having a computer for about 2 weeks. Thanks to the Best Buy extended service plan that saved me $400 when my motherboard pooped out.

I've been suuuuper busy lately, but I'll be back more often. Right now I'm trying to stay warm. It's 32. In Texas. In April. WTF*CK?

From a conversation earlier tonight

2007-02-28T01:28:00.000-06:00

since you already went and generalized about "us southerners" let it be known that i can detect the slightest amount of sugar in my tea and when i do, i turn my nose up at it. and i'm with you--tea cannot be beat.

it's funny that you should say that actually. a few messages ago i dug up my list of things that i want to do in my life. some of them are very small things and some are quite outlandish (of course) and some i've done before but always make my day to do again. one of those being drink iced tea on the front porch swing. my aunt has the best old farm house and every summer we sit on the front porch, she and i in the swing, whoever else is with us in the chairs and we drink tea--sometimes with some fresh mint out of her garden. we just sit and swing and talk and enjoy the day. that's one of the ones that stood out to me on my list tonight.

my mom always makes sun tea out on our front porch and with me and my brother at the house we go through a jug a day. one of my favorite things in the world is to sit on our porch (tea in hand, of course) and look out over the land we own as a summer thunderstorm comes rolling in on us. not the dark kind of thunderstorm but the summer kind where the sky stays light and the suns back out in 30 minutes. sit and watch the rain come down and listen to the thunder come rolling down through the small valley in front of us, toward us, then over us, then on past us, then wait for the sun to move down and send us its warm, soft, fleeting kisses of orange, purple and red over that same field after the storm rolls out, as if to say, i was here for you during that but it's time for me to go on too.

2007-02-14T13:11:00.000-06:00

Well has it been said that there is no grief like the grief which does not speak.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Twenty minutes before my Texas 4000 for Cancer meeting on Monday night, which happens every week as we prepare for our ride this summer, a ride to raise money for and spread hope and knowledge about cancer, I found out that my friend's mom died--from cancer. It was one of the most difficult things I've had to do--go to that meeting and sit there while my teammates talked about how many great things our organization is doing, while one of my closest friends had JUST lost her best friend in the world, how she was and will continue to grieve, and that the efforts I am doing to help beat this disease couldn't keep my friend, her mom, and her family from suffering now. Too late. I'm too late. Tina just lost her mom...

I saw Tina right up until the time she got the call to go home and say her goodbyes, and although she seemed as though she was ready, I couldn't imagine the hurt she was going through when it actually happened.

Diane found that she had lung cancer this past summer, and over the Christmas break, after surgeries and chemo, was told that her lung, brain and lymph node cancers were all but gone. Just over a month later her doctors told her that it was back, in nearly every one of her organs, and she had a month of quality life left. So she went home to her family.

She treated us all like her children. She had so much spirit at our games that she would always make tons of UT garb to hand out to our fans so they could show their support as well--especially at the World Series--so much so that ESPN did a feature on her and Tina.

While I was having a hard time grasping the situation and also having a negative attitude about our ride, Tina is actually the person who made me feel better. She wrote a letter to all her friends saying that she would put aside her selfish desires to keep her mom with her if it meant that she didn't have to suffer anymore. Even though we are making progress in the fight against cancer and people beat this disease more and more often, we're not there yet. While I couldn't do anything to help Tina and Diane, maybe my efforts will have a small part in finding a cure. Until then I can only remember the people I've lost to this awful disease...

Diane Hendry
My cousin Luke Rollins
My grandmom Granny

So here we are

2007-02-10T19:01:00.001-06:00

Spring time is rolling around and something weird is happening inside me. At first I couldn't figure it out then came to realize that something is missing. For the past 11 years, this is the time of year when I start playing ball again. What is missing is sinking my spikes into the dirt and running onto the grass in the outfield of a ball field with the warmth of the recently returned sun on my shoulders, my favorite mitt perfectly returning to my hand, and the excitement of the rest of my teammates because we all know it's the beginning of something special.

This spring I don't get to experience that. But by no means do I regret retiring. Continuing to play ball in the environment that I was playing in would have eventually led me to have such a bitter, hateful feeling towards the whole situation that that's all I would have remembered. If I had continued my career and this was me thinking about ball 2 or 3 years down the road I probably wouldn't be experiencing this nostaligia for the times I spent on the field. Instead I wouldn't think of it at all, rather I would completely block it out of my mind since the thought of playing would only remind me of the resentment I felt toward the things that drove me to retire.

Fortunately that's not the case, and I'm not at all bitter about how things went down. It was a difficult decision that I thought about for over a year, and one that forced me to walk away from something I absolutely love in order to pursue my happiness--even though it now comes from other new sources instead of from playing ball--but my happiness is the most important thing. Because I made that difficult decision, I can think about all those first days getting back on the field, about waking up at 6am to go bust my ass and test my limits and push the limits of my teammates because sometime soon it's going to help me beat out a basehit, about beating the hell out of our rivals--and getting revenge against them when they beat us, about traveling together, about getting sick of everyone else on the team because we'd spent so much time together and then giving them the biggest hug after pulling off a huge win, about dancing in the lockerroom and all the other crazy shit that went down in there, about hackey circles. About all of that great stuff.

Those are the reasons why I was playing all along anyway.

2007-02-06T20:49:00.000-06:00

aah-aa, yeeah-eah

2007-02-05T23:02:00.000-06:00

I closed my eyes and let my imagination go. It wound me up so tight I thought I'd not come down but when I did, it was on an amazing trip to places in my mind that I haven't reached in a long time. My creativity is on the loose and it's so good. It's amazing what my mind will do if I just close my eyes and let it go. Having my creative processes firing up again is quite refreshing--I'm drawing again and seeing things differently than I do every other day of the week. I'm tapping part of me that has been on hiatus for the past two years or so, but now I'm armed with the knowledge to help me keep it right this time.

2007-01-31T15:32:00.000-06:00

It's funny to be sitting at my desk, look out the window and see the cat that was only a couple of minutes ago laying across my keyboard running around outside. I didn't let him outside and no one else is in the house. Major has recently figured out how to open the door and lets himself outside whenever he feels like roaming around. That shit ain't right!

disconnected ramblings

2007-01-24T22:03:00.000-06:00

This dreary weather for the past 2 weeks or so is starting to get to me. I was really wishing today that I was in sunny California so I could go outside without having to put on a ton of clothing.

A conversation I was having earlier got me to thinking again about how much I want to travel and how I might possibly be able to do so in the near future. Sure I will be seeing over a hundred new places this summer, which sounds promising until I'm reminded of the fact that I will be seeing them for only about an hour as I ride on through them on my bike. Hopefully I'll get to explore at least a little bit in some of the cities.

Each day I'm wavering more and more about my decision to pursue flying after I graduate. It's got nothing to do with flying and everything to do with the fact that the military lifestyle is not one I want to live. I've wanted to fly more than anything my entire life, and always just considered the military as a means to an end, but I don't know if I can compromise myself that much for that long. Playing softball at Texas has given me some perspective on a similar situation. Although I don't regret playing for the 2 years I was there, I was definitely unhappy a large part of the time. I was playing the sport that I absolutely love, made great friends, and got to experience some once in a lifetime opportunities, but, obviously, I ultimately decided even those things were not worth my unhappiness. I could apply the same logic to flying, but in this case what scares me is that it would be a much larger--at least 4 year--commitment. And if I didnt' make the cut as a pilot I'd get thrown into something else which I most likely would dislike.

I recently have begun to be not so bummed out about the fact that some of my best friends have moved very far away from me--we're talking about opposite coasts--and today Wilson tells me she'll most likely be moving back to Houston in 6 months. Yeah it's just H-town, but what's a girl to do without her big sister?

ooooh mmm yeah, that's nice

2007-01-22T22:13:00.000-06:00

Here's a little update for you loyal loyal reader(s) of mine. I'm alive and well and glad that school has started. Although it will be a work intensive semester academically (as well as with Texas 4000 and at the Sport Shop), I'm really excited about my classes. Hopefully I'll be able to maintain the level of motivation I've had so far to do well in my classes and finally pull off what has been to me, that elusive 4.0.

I've been reading as much as I can about the world (vague huh?), religion, listening to stimulating music, thinking A LOT and having some super conversations (which I've been missing in general) with some people.

I'm definitely taking a new approach to things, one that makes motivating myself come much more easily. I'm getting back to my old self and that is nice since I've been missing aspects of myself for the past 2 years. I'm getting back to my "let's go!" self that I was my freshman year with a little more wisdom in my head to keep myself in check and (hopefully) not make the same mistakes that I did that year to get me derailled in the first place. All the while I'm still figuring out how I feel about the world and my life and where both are going, independently of each other and because of each other. In other words, how I want to live my life, how the world is functioning and whether I should try to really apply myself to making the world function more properly or just exploit the world to create a plush lifestyle for myself. That's kind of a whole other issue to get into though.

I've rid myself (for the most part) of a cancerous burden that has been dragging me down and muddling the picture of where I want my life to go for some time and that is one of the things that has liberated me to pursue my life again. I'm seeing things more clearly than I have in quite some time which is fantasticly satisfying and extremely exciting since it's mearly the tip of what's to come.

On a lighter note, I've finally given in to myspace since, but I'm keeping it real on there. Only people who are my close friends are on my page (with only an exception or two). I am getting off of facebook too, since it has become even more invasive than myspace, which was one of my problems with myspace in the first place.

If we haven't spoken in a while, drop a line. I'd love to hear from you and you and you.

Resolutions?

2006-12-16T22:04:00.000-06:00

I think New Year's resolutions are stupid. Why is it that people need a special day to start making their lives better? Why not just do it anyway? And what's more, most of the time the ideas are abandoned or neglected after a few days or weeks anyway. That being said, do any of you have plans for making resolutions for the first day of 2007 and what might they be? What resolutions have you made in the past that you've committed to or some that you may have given up on in the past?

A beautiful day on the hike and or bike trail, in the ghetto

2006-12-13T14:11:00.000-06:00

"You're crazy but I like you."

2006-12-11T21:06:00.000-06:00

It seems like they are getting crazier and crazier daily.

But cats don't like water! More evidence that they're actually pterodactyls, or possibly velociraptors.

Their sweet side

eff that noise

2006-12-10T23:33:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Cat's "what the hell?" comment I'm back to blogging again.

So here's what's up:

Today is my bro's birthday. He's 23.

This is what I wish I was doing right now:

ALSO:
Cullen is coming back into town to throwdown before she leaves for Kuwait in the spring.

This time last year>>

Fall classes are over and after my two finals I'll breath a sigh of relief that I made it through the semester despite skipping half of my classes. Yes, half. The only class that I really enjoyed this semester was at 8am and of the handful of times that I went, or maybe even less, I fell asleep. So most of the time I didn't bother with going. Next semester is looking more promising.

I'm gearing up for the bike ride next summer. My teammates are pretty rad and we're working to get things set up, but I'm just ready to hop on the bike and get going already. I want to see some new stuff and can't wait to find myself waking up in a new city everyday. I think I've only been to 2 or 3 of the places that we'll be going through so that makes me extremely excited. Maybe it'll itch my traveling bone long enough for me to save some money for my next trip. Only six months until we leave for Alaska...
AND
I've moved into a new house for those of you that I haven't talked to in a long ass time. It's amazing.

2006-11-02T13:55:00.000-06:00

On the three and half our trip to Connecticut, where I was sharing half my seat with the overweight person next to me, Mike and I decided to pass some time. Remember that game where you speak only with questions? This is our version:

Mike: Hello rachael, how are you doing?
Rachael: I want off this plane.
M:I have a bomb in my underwear, we are going to cuba.
R: Is it brown?
M: Brown and stinky can you deal with that?
R: Just like a Cuban huh?
M: Have you found Cubans to be like that in the bedroom?
R: Was it a dirty Cuban? In the bedroom? With a, er, candlestick?
M: How can I tell, he called it a candlestick when he kept telling me to blow it out.
R: So it’s confirmed?
M: Why should I be talking to you about such private matters?
R: Didn’t I just hear him yesterday telling everyone how good it was for you?
M: Wasn’t that right after he got done towling you off?
R: Oh that?
M: How can you be so passé about the most incredible 20 seconds of your life?
R: It lasted that long?
M: When will you stop judging me?
R: Weren’t we talking about Cubans? Sweaty Cubans?
M: Is that the mouth you use around your parents?
R: Didn’t my mom teach me well?
M: Do you know what I thought you were going to write; didn’t my mom teabag me?
R: What does that mean?
M: Don’t you think it’s a little late in life for me to be explaining this stuff to you?
R: How do you expect my mom to teach me everything?
M: Gotta lotta of what? Deeds to do?
...
M: How do you feel about enimas?
R: Why are you asking me?
M: Would you like me to give you one?
R: Are you a doctor?
M: Don’t I look like one?
R: Does this remind you of anything?
M: Does that night we spent in that Mexican prison have anything to do with this?
R: Can you repay me for the months and months of therapy you just reversed by bringing that back up?
M: Can I work off through sex?
R: Won’t that take too long?
M: Can you take some time off of work?
R: What kind of down payment are we talking about?
M: Do you accept food stamps?
R: How many of these people do you think are members of the mile high club?
M: Wouldn’t you say at least one? How many people joined on this flight?
R: How did we get seats right next to the bathroom and not capitalize?
M: Do you remember me asking you? Wouldn’t you say that we missed the boat?
R: Aren’t we on a plane? There’s motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking boat!?!
M: When did you become a large black man?
R: How many times do I have to tell you things change when you go to cuba for the weekend?
M: Is it true? Once you go black you don’t go back?
R: Have you ever tasted brown sugar? I thought you knew I prefer mocha java?
M: Can you tell me how you lost your leg?
R: Is this plane going down? JK JK. Have I ever told you about the night I went Honky Tonkin?
M: Why can’t I seem to recall that story?
R: Do you know where Anna is? And have you heard of the Coyote Den? Que? Why does my boob itch?
M: Do you have a yeast infection that you got from Napolean’s face? Or maybe you have a degree from the UTI?
R: Can you take me to the doctor to have this checked up? I think maybe I was downwind from [name changed to protect the not so innocent]???
M: I thought that I already told you that I am a doctor? If you have a second I look at it right now.
R: Where’s your white coat?
M: Aren’t cutbacks a motherfucker? Why is it my hospital won’t get me anything useful except tongue depressers?
R: How can you question the usefulness of tongue depressers? Shouldn’t you be thankful?
M: Why don’t you go screw yourself with a tongue depresser and then tell how useful you think they are?
R: Can you throw in a bottle of Vaseline?
M: For you? Do you think you deserve it?
R: I don’t need your stinking tongue depresser then!!

2006-10-24T21:59:00.000-05:00

Sorry no posts lately..I've been swamped at work.

I ordered a new bike the other day to get started on my training for the Texas4000. Happy birthday to me.

Mike and I found a bad ass house and moved in yesterday, also a reason that I've been so busy.

The Master Cleanse lasted a day. Cayenne pepper is not nice to me. Neither is not eating.

Texas4000 is beginning to take up a lot of time as well since I was assigned to equipment committee chair. Oh and raising $4000.

Here are some more pics from the trip. These are all from NYC.

Back from life. Back to reality.

2006-10-09T22:32:00.000-05:00

Last night marked my return home from one of the greatest weeks I've ever had. Ten days of touring New England. Stories and more pictures to follow.

For the past several weeks, or months even, I've felt quite stagnant in Austin--exactly what I had hoped to never have happen. Getting out of town showed me it already was. As cool as Austin is and as much as I love it, I've fallen into a rut which has left me rather uninspired--nothing new, no imagination, no aspirations. My favorite part of the trip was going to my favorite place--Manhattan. The trip absolutely stimulated my mind in ways that it'd been starving for (explanations to come.) It also validated how I can be obsessed with and love so much a city that I've only spent a total of 5 days in, including this past week. My mind is very much rejuvenated. For now at least. Onto my body...

For the next 10 days I'll be going on quite a different kind of expedition. I will be consuming only Master Cleanse (distilled water, organic maple syrup, lime juice and organic cayenne) from Daily Juice down the street, which my body should appreciate after everything I put into it over the past 10. To know me is to know that I love food. This should be interesting.

Atlantic City sand on my foot.

2006-10-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

2006-10-05T08:50:00.000-05:00

An Amish buggie in Pennsylvania only a few miles from where those kids got shot.

Tailgaiting before the Monday Night Football game.

Atlantic City.

We were a big hit at the game.

Derek Euston of Live playing in his studio for the song Doug recorded for his wedding this Saturday.

Here's for a little update

2006-10-02T14:32:00.000-05:00

I'm presently in Lancaster Pennsylvania where earlier today a murder-suicide took place in an Amish school. Six dead including the shooter and more injured.

In other news. I spent the weekend in Atlantic City and it was nothing short of amazing. In Lancaster this morning I had the best damn cheesesteak I have never imagined. Sorry Texadelphia, you're dead to me (other than the queso of course). We are on our way to Philadelphia to tailgate before going to the Eagles game.

I'll probably spend a few days in NYC before the wedding on Saturday.

Pictures coming.

It's official

2006-09-21T20:56:00.000-05:00

Dear Texas 4000 for Cancer applicant,

After reviewing your application and interview, it is our pleasure to invite you to be a part of the 2007 summer Texas 4000 for Cancer tour. Congratulations! In less than 300 days, you'll be pedaling your heart all the way to Alaska.

The first team meeting is proposed for Monday, October 9, at 7pm, location TBA. (Update coming soon.) At the meeting you will receive more information regarding the fall and spring schedule, team policy, answers to your questions and curiosities, and a few treats to kick-start your experience as a Texas 4000 rider.

All general Texas 4000 meetings will take place on Monday nights for the rest of the semester, so please plan your calendar accordingly to the best of your ability.

Again, congrats! We (the 2006 team and recruitment committee) are looking forward to getting to know you better. Allow us to be of any assistance throughout the year.

Lily Gross
Interim Director
Rockies '06

Pictures. As Promised. Woohoo!

2006-08-26T16:34:00.000-05:00

Downtown from the hot air balloon ride.

Mike and Ricky Bobby.

Wilson's make up job on me for the Bloc Party concert.

A velocaraptor at the Botanical Gardens in Austin.

A Moose Deer at the Austin Zoo.

Awesome leopard. Probably related to Lance and Major somehow.

One pissed off Tiger. Can't blame him. He'd been rescued from a travelling religious circus. A TRAVELLING RELIGIOUS CIRCUS.

Wilson and I took in a baseball game after the zoo yesterday then headed downtown where I saw

Allow me to introduce...

2006-08-12T00:53:00.000-05:00

You may or may not have heard about Emily Pitek. If you haven't, chances are you will. Cat used to drop Em's name or sometimes just refer to her as 'my friend from 'Bama'. The first time I ever saw her, I was sitting at my computer in our hotel room at the World Series and Cat said, "Look! Look! Emily's on tv!" I leaned over and this is what I saw.

I watched in awe as she led cheers. I had to meet her, and I did a day or two later at the hotel. I walked up to her and was introduced by Cat. Although denied a greeting hug, I was immediately infatuated with her. I couldn't stop laughing as long as I was around her even though our season had just been bitterly ended by UCLA for the second year in a row. I poured confetti over her head and even some in her mouth.

Those five minutes are the only ones I've ever spent with Emily.

Emily can be a pain in the ass. She's stubborn and has a bad temper. She's impatient. She'll put on a smiley face, but she's very hard to get close to. She's all about the shits and giggles, but she'll tell you that's not who she really is. She won't open up to people. Her redeeming qualities? She's brutally honest, fiercy loyal to people she loves, sees beyond the bullshit, and despite her act she's real. She would fight someone for me in a heartbeat, would have my back.

She does everything on her own terms, so she'll get to the root of your motives in a hurry and drop you cold if you're not coming correct. I've spent all of five minutes with her ever, but I can go a week or more without talking to her at all, call her at 2 in the morning, and talk to her for an hour like I've always known her.

I've got to wrap this up, because she's only got a few more minutes online before she's gone for a week for soccer preseason, and she's being impatient.

Some things I've learned from Emmy P

How to be a badass. She just broke this chick's nose.

Sometimes you should just play dead.

And you don't have to brush your hair to look pretty.

Let me catch you up

2006-08-06T17:16:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, excitement abounds. This is long but a lot has been going on the past few days. Pictures will follow whenever I get my crap working.

I got a knock on my door at 8 a.m. on Friday morning. Granted it's not that early, but since the boys kept me awake until 5 a.m. I was not in the mood to get up. Until I heard there were free hot air balloon rides across the street at Auditorium Shores that is. I was up and dressed in two seconds, and Wilson and I were on our way. The new phone company Cricket was advertising by giving free rides. The balloon was tethered to the ground so we only went about 150 feet high, but it was awesome.

After our ride and breakfast at Magnolia we went to the Barton Creek greenbelt to run. I was telling Wilson as we passed the rock walls that we should go to the rock gym and climb. Right about that time we came across two guys climbing. After talking to them for a couple of minutes, they offered to let us climb. I couldn't get the gear on fast enough. I've been to the rock gym and climbed, but it was nothing compared to climbing a real rock face.

We got home at 11 a.m. and I had already had the day of the month. After spending the afternoon at Barton Springs, I got to hang out with Cullen and her roomie. We went downtown and thanks to Cullen's charm and our good looks we didn't pay for a drink all night. I even got to see my long lost buddies Amanda and Lacey.

That was Friday.

Saturday was a little more relaxed but we did get to see a really cool production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" at the Zilker hillside theater.

This morning Mike, Eric and I did a 60 mile road ride to San Marcos and back. It was so amazing, I can't wait until I get to ride my bike everyday next summer to Alaska. It's going to be such an amazing way to see the western states and even some of Canada (yay Carly!).

J-5 MCs

2006-08-01T23:58:00.000-05:00

Mike and I just got home from the AWESOME show Jurassic 5 put on at Stubb's. I could tell they really liked each other, and they loved Austin. So fun. Thanks Mike.

2006-07-30T22:18:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics that finally made their way onto my computer.

Mike and I planned on seeing The Format, but it was sold out so we ended up at the Slightly Stoopid show at Stubb's.

After the show I ran into C Money who played a mad trumpet in the band.

Because we can, we decided to get dressed up and go out for drinks. We moved from the Driskill Bar to Cork & Co, then Betsy's Bar for drinks, dancing and Atari. We capped the night off at Plush with more dancing. Mike, our neighbor Kate, my new roomie Wilson and myself. (Yes, that is me.)

Roommate love. Wilson and me.

I'm going to need for you to focus on Mike in this one.

Playing around with the camera and Picasa2.

ALIVE

2006-07-15T21:32:00.000-05:00

People, calm down. Reports of my death have been widely exaggerated. I've just been incredibly busy this summer, but Rachael has inspired me to give a little update. So, I've been interning at Career Sports & Entertainment (www.careersports.com) in the public relations department and it has been absolutely fabulous. In fact, they offered me a job but I am going to finish my LAST semester of grad school before I accept it and move to the ATL for good (or for a while). I've been living with Maggie - you guys remember good 'ol Maggie right?? - in a bad ass house she just bought. I've also been commuting back to Athens twice a week for school, which totally sucks and contributes to my utter and complete exhuastion. Let's see, what else. I gave Gerry the boot for those who didn't know...I cut off all my hair and straightened it...my parents now officially live in Arlington...Beanie is bunking with them for the summer...I met Young Juc (the rapper) outside of a bar in ATL and went riding around in his white stretch Hummer limo...I've been getting my toes wet in the dating scene down here and let me tell you that has been INTERESTING. I mean, give me a guy sitting at the bar chain smoking Parliament Lights and in a band and apparently I am DONEZO. Everything else is going really well, I have finally begun to like it here and feel at home - but I still miss Austin like CRAZY. And especially all you people in it! Sorry this isn't especially entertaining, or witty, or very creative...but now you know I'M ALIVE!

Peace.

2006-07-15T15:14:00.000-05:00

there hasn't been much going on with this blog lately. reason being, i have nothing to write about. see the thing is, i've lost sight of why i do this. last summer i was bored, and lonely, and lacking any sort of creative outlet, thus my blog was born (actually, i missed its birthday, which was 10 days ago, so happy late anniversary to you, blog). i'm still bored, but not lonely, and it's lacking purpose now. i'm indifferent to it.

2006-07-10T18:18:00.000-05:00

bleck. (thanks em). i'm bored, and bored with my blog. this is what i've come up with. my camera is still fucked up or i would have pictures for you. thanks too, to the person who i stole this from:

Finish each sentence.....
1) My ex is.....the reason i'm so pleased with being single
2) Maybe I should.....call my parents more often
3) I love.....lance and major
4) I don't understand.....
5) I lost my......a lot of stuff, i just moved again
6) People say that I'm....a down ass bitch
7) Sex is......intense
8) Love is......possible
9) Somewhere, someone is......eating dinner. i'm hungry
10) I will always.....want to do more
11) Forever is.....imaginary
12) I never want to....be complacent
13) I think the current President is.....should be assassinated. just kidding. but really
14) When I wake up in the morning I.....give the boys some love
15) Life is full of.....possibility
16) My past.....i'm focused on my future
17) I get annoyed when......people cut me off
18) I wish......i had the pedal down on my new M3, or the throttle open on my JSF
19) my dog is...*lance and major fuckin rock*
20) Tomorrow I'm going to.....work, work out
21) I have low tolerance for....closeminded people
22) If I had a million dollars I would.....travel and invest
23) Sometimes I want to.....dye my hair

2006-07-06T23:28:00.000-05:00

i can't get a lot of stuff out of my head lately and none of it's good

Can't stop. Won't stop. Get it. Get it.

2006-07-03T01:42:00.000-05:00

The Hackey Crew

Why does it look like I have glow sticks for nipples in this one???

Team Cheetos and Speedos Baby!

2006-06-29T14:53:00.000-05:00

Urban Assault Race
Place: 47th Coed Division, 2 hours 36 minutes

2006-06-26T13:41:00.000-05:00

Oh how I hate technical difficulties. Camera is down. Pictures coming soon.

Texas 4000

2006-06-19T22:06:00.000-05:00

Aight. So I'm buying Joe's bike from him as soon as I get some money. I've been 'test riding' it lately, and I'm counting the miles I've put in on it towards my training for the Texas 4000--a 4500 mile, 70 day bike ride from Austin to Anchorage (yes, Alaska) to raise money for cancer research. It's in its third summer, and so far the three 40 man teams have raised $635912. Mike and I will be making our way to Alaska next summer on this sweet ride (his being the men's model of course) which they will give us when we get signed up. (I might also be trying to recruit people to do it with us.) I'm keeping a running total of my miles over on the column on the right, and I'm starting small so I don't want any flack.

coming up

2006-06-18T10:59:00.000-05:00

I'm more excited than ever about seeing TP play on the 29th. Now I've just got to figure out how to afford a ticket to Rhode Island to see My Boy Mraz the next day.

Next Sunday Mike and I are going to dominate the Urban Assault Race.

2006-06-18T10:49:00.000-05:00

The Rascal Flatts concert last night was bomb diggidy.

Life is a highway

2006-06-17T02:52:00.000-05:00

I just scored a ticket to Rascal Flatts tomorrow night in San Antonio. Effin Stellar. Even though it won't be as good since I'm not going with my concert buddy Mike. I'll just have to sing by myself tomorrow.

Oh Baby, Oh Baby

2006-06-16T21:27:00.000-05:00

I was super pissed after last night. Long story, but point is, I rarely get that angry. So today I was talking to Mike (he had nothing to do with me being pissed) and he promised he had something that would put me in a better mood. I walk in and from his pocket he pulls a ticket for....dun DADA DA!! TRISTAN FREAKIN' PRETTYMAN!! I mean come on, I "Love, Love, Love" her. Cullen and I would have driven to Dallas to see her several months ago, but I had practice. No worries though, she's coming to Austin on June 29th. Count me in.

helllloooo out there

2006-06-16T17:31:00.000-05:00

"But I don't even know anyone in Alabama."

You may or may not know that I can see who reads my little blog. Well, I can't see you, but I can see where you're from. I have regular readers from places where I don't even know people. So, if I don't know you, do post a comment, or email me. I want to meet you.

newest aquisition

2006-06-16T00:20:00.000-05:00

I looked for this hat in stores for a year after I first saw it, and when I finally found it, the day was glorious. Then I lost this most beloved hat of mine last fall.

*After looking through the pictures from the night that I lost it, my theory is that it fell off somewhere in the process of Teter and myself drunkenly frolicking home from Whataburger. Most likely when we ended up laying in someone's front yard holding hands and gazing at the stars.*

Anyway, I've been mourning but have since gotten a new love, thanks to Joe Bob. I think perrywinkle is my new color.

2006-06-10T20:31:00.000-05:00

We went floating today. I'm not sure if I'm more drunk or more burnt, but either way, I hurt. Radiating heat.

10th of May

2006-06-10T02:40:00.000-05:00

We're not going to relive the past right now and recount everything I've been doing since I last posted. It'd take too long and, more importantly, bore the hell out of you. So for today, all I've got to say is that it's official--I no longer live at Park Terrace. Ok. I'm more sad at the fact that I don't live one door below Mike.

I lived in the same house back in Anna (yay for anna.) for basically all my memorable childhood, and it was what some people would consider my home. But I couldn't wait to leave and I didn't (don't) miss it necessarily. Truth is, you can pick your friends but not your family. And while I love my family to death, that doesn't mean I like living with them. But at my apartment I lived next door to several different people who, over the past year, I have become very close to and very accustomed to seeing daily. Not going to lie, I came very close to crying when I had to turn in my keys today.

2006-06-09T01:09:00.000-05:00

the come back has begun.

for now, what's on my mind

#3

2006-04-19T22:58:00.000-05:00

I dig t-storms and we got a good one last night before we left Austin for the dust bowl that is Lubbock. Even better that it came at the end of a not-so-great day and some of my best buds were there to play in it with me.

#2

2006-04-11T01:28:00.000-05:00

I have been asking for Yankee playoff tickets for my birthday for years and have yet to see them play. I would settle for regular season tickets, as long as Jeter was on the field it'd still be pretty sweet. But an October or November night game would be ideal. Oh and I would preferably like for this to happen while they're still playing at Yankee Stadium.

*BTW, I actually got to see Jeter play with the USA team while we were in California and it was glorious, even if they did get embarrassed by Korea. Even better than that though was when the whole USA team watched us practice. They were like 20 feet away from us. Needless to say we couldn't really function since we were all oohing and ahhing over them. Oh and I'm pretty sure I heard Derek comment on how nice my swing (and my butt) were too. He's such a gorgeous, gorgeous man.

Also, I just noticed that this is post #2. Coincidence? I think not.