Baked Beans

Alec walks into the bedroom and sees this on top of my armoire:

Alec: Um, Joy? Why are there baked beans in the bedroom?
Joy: Circuit studying!
Alec: what?
Joy: That's my barbell for adductions!

I try to keep him guessing.

Best Husband Ever

So I have a huge test in Cross Sectional Anatomy tomorrow and I've been a freak stress ball for about a week. My wonderful husband insisted, and I mean INSISTED that I get a massage tonight because I've studied enough and what I really need is to relax and good a good night's sleep. He's the best.

I'm reposting the story he wrote about how we met that we had previously posted on our wedding website. Who knows how long those stay up, and who ever looks back upon them?

It seems natural to begin with, “So how did we first start dating?” which is pretty darn interesting in its own right... but not the story we’re telling today. So how did it all happen, or better yet, where did we first cross each other’s paths? In keeping with our respective personalities, our introduction required more than a little bit of awkward social circumstance.

Many years back, Alec began working at a new job and within a few weeks of starting, a co-worker and his wife invited him to meet them at a local bar. Though highly uninterested in their choice of venues and doubting having very much at all in common with this couple, Alec didn’t want to appear rude with a new colleague, thereby souring potential relations at work. After a bit of coercing, the offer was accepted. (At the risk of sounding elitist, some editorial content must be injected at this point to further the irony of our meeting and explain that this particular bar is the kind of place Joy and Alec would both generally avoid as if every table and chair brought with it a moderate chance of the plague.)

Upon meeting said co-worker and entering, Alec felt extremely out of place and began people-watching over a few rounds of drinks. Out of an extremely packed bar, there was quite obviously one person who consistently caught his eye… and why wouldn’t she? Even across a dimly lit thirty feet, she had an amazing smile and laugh that spoke of humor and a desire to make her surroundings a place we’d all like to be part of (which Alec likes to say is evident to this very day). She was comfortable with herself, yet without the slightest note of arrogance. She was unique, yet visibly quite genuine and unlabored. Not to mention, she was wearing the greatest black jacket with pink trim. So yes, Joy was sitting at a small table, also looking out of place given the element, and talking with a female friend (who also turned out to be a co-worker at Joy’s recently acquired job).

At any rate, Alec’s co-worker apparently took note of how his surveying the room seemed to linger a little bit longer any time his eyes passed in Joy’s direction. It was at this point that he and his wife began a discussion as to whether Joy and her female friend were there together or “together.” What was Alec’s reaction to this, in a word? Mortified, folks. It didn’t take long at all for the discussion between husband and wife to evolve into a full-scale debate, at which point the wife challenged to go over to the girls’ table and find out. The terrors and humiliation that ran through Alec’s brain were white hot, and despite his protests she proceeded to walk over, introduce herself, and sit down in the last open chair. Seriously? The one person in that establishment to whom Alec might like to talk, and he was unwittingly caught up in a sad social display that would almost certainly result in his looking like an underdeveloped fool. It was at this point that Alec turned to walk out the door, but his co-worker stressed that they could walk across to the other side of the bar as his wife chatted away on her devious little mission.

Sitting on the other side of this place, it was obvious that Alec’s co-worker was trading text messages with someone on a fairly regular basis. After an uncomfortable fifteen minutes, his co-worker informed him that he had to relieve himself and asked Alec to please remove his wife from her conversation? Eager to get it over with and leave, Alec walked over to Joy’s table and before any words had the chance to escape his lips, the wife bolted up from the now-empty chair and said, “Hey Alec, I need to use the restroom. Take my place for me while I’m gone. Joy, this is Alec,” and promptly abandoned him at the table. At this point it dawned on Alec that he’d been set up from the beginning.

The ultimate revelation here was that this couple had planned to see who the new employee would gravitate toward, and then thrust him into a “sink or swim” scenario. The fake debate, text messages, and restroom trip? All part of the ruse. But hey, that night Alec and Joy managed to find great conversation and a bunch of laughs in a sea of striped shirts and popped collars. It’s crazy to think that two people so completely out of place, meeting up with their respective new colleagues for almost identical reasons, were able to establish a friendship lasting many years before dating ever entered into the picture. Well… before they were nebulae, but that’s a whole other story.

** Professionally edited by an OCD journalism major! It's great being surrounded by brilliance.

Circuit Studying

Last night while I was trying to fall asleep I came up with a brilliant invention - at least it seemed brilliant to me at midnight as I lay in bed nearly asleep. I study 10-12 hours a day and I need a way to relieve some stress. I was trying to figure out how I could exercise without sacrificing study time. I realized I need to circuit study! I will study in 45 minute increments, which is better for memory retention anyway. At the end of each 45 minute study session I'll do some sort of 15 minute exercise like wall angels or jumping jacks or whatever. A studying blog is boring, right?

Rubies

It may seem like I'm a suddenly a music blog... but um... I'm just listening a lot while I study. A studying blog would be boring. This song makes me happy, and it seems like these stop motion videos are trendy these days, but the amount of work that has to go into them still impresses me every time.

Music Goes Well With Studying

I love this song, and I think this video prototype is pretty cool too. Thanks, Elsie for talking about Chris Merritt often enough to make me check him out myself. I love him.

Call For Art Entries

Speaking of bands that belong to my friends that I love (both the friends and the band)...


Whitney Lee who is most famous in Austin, TX for her AMAZING wedding photography is also part of one of the coolest new local Austin bands. I'm going to copy and paste from their post because they say this stuff best:

Black Cock Call for Art – Cash Prize

Austin TX band Black Cock has released their debut album, Robot Child with a God Complex, and they’re ready to celebrate. On July 9, 2009 there will be a private RSVP-only awesome party and art show happening at the Mohawk to do just that.  Party includes Real Ale Beer, catered snacks, and other fun stuff like DJs in the private party room upstairs at The Mohawk on Red River.




Black Cock is seeking submissions of artwork that will be on display for the event. One piece will be selected for a $500 cash prize and will be featured on the band’s next album cover, due out Fall of 2009.  



Exhibition Theme:  Black Cock the band (no porn, please).  This can be rooster themed, or it can be inspired by their music, or it can be their likeness (though they really aren't that vain).  They're really just looking for work that is loosely related to Black Cock and that will look good as an album cover.  Again, please don't submit obscene artwork.  





Jurors: Band members – Whitney, Chico, Jordan and Ben



Submission Deadline:  July 3, 2009



Guidelines:

 

• Drop-off your work on Friday July 3, 2009 at  2011 E. 2nd St., Austin TX, 78702.  Drop-off hours are 3pm-8pm.  


 

• Out-of-towners are welcome to mail work to us.  If you are from out of town please ship to the same address above (Attn: Chico Jones).   Please also supply postage for return shipment.  After the party we'll post photos of the event so that you can feel like you were there!



• Works can be executed in any media, though please give it to us display-ready.  If you have any specific instructions or equipment please let us know!



• If you plan on participating, e-mail blackcockrock@gmail.com ASAP so that we reserve space for you!




• Work submitted must be available July 3, 2009 - July 10, 2009



• Label the back of your work with your name, the title of the piece, the selling price, your phone number, and your e-mail address.  

 

• If someone wants to buy your work, we'll put you in touch with that person directly. If you attend the party we'll try and find you so they can buy from you then.  Otherwise we'll supply them with your contact information, and you with theirs.  



• Submissions will be juried by the members of Black Cock.




• Winning piece will be featured on the band’s new album with full credit given to the artist.  However, to receive the $500 cash prize, the artist must sign a copyright release.  

 

• To spice things up and keep it fair we will also award a smaller cash prize for "people's choice award" and another prize randomly drawn for participating artists.  Who knows, maybe the band members have bad taste. We appreciate everyone's participation.  Cash value to be determined.  

 

• We will take the utmost care of your artwork.  However we have to mention that we don't have insurance. Nor does the venue.  Sorry!




• Finally, THIS IS AN RSVP-ONLY EVENT!  We'd hate for you to not be able to get in to see your own artwork because the door guy doesn't know better.  So please e-mail rsvp@blackcockrock.com to get on the list!  And have your friends and family rsvp too!

Fancy Rolling Backpack

I'm never much of a fan of sporting name brands on my clothes or other possessions that the public sees because I feel like it is backwards for me to pay for something that advertises for someone else. Shouldn't they be paying me for advertising for them? Anyway, I need this huge rolling office bag for all of my heavy school books, etc and the best one had a brand name on the front. I covered the metal square with the name brand with spackle used for walls to fill in the engraved parts of the brand name. Then I used that metal square as the base of this cupcake. I didn't photograph with the name brand showing but here is just the spackle on the metal:







and here is the final product.




I feel much less dorky rolling this around now.

Highlights From the Weekend List

Almost everything I did this weekend was out of character, and not what I had originally planned for myself. I had been looking forward to studying and getting ahead with a weekend on my own while Alec was out of town building us something cool - pictures will come later, I promise.

Once I recognized that sleeping and/or studying would be impossible at my house due to the extreme noise problem I:

1) Left town to escape my favorite town to go to my least favorite town.
2) Went to a wood store called Wood World that is located next to Rock Barrel - how convenient. ( I later heard rumors that this store is run by ex-cons, which might explain the mullets)
3) Played Pool in a sports bar while the hockey playoffs were happening.
4) Played darts in the same location, and didn't actually injure anyone.
5) Voluntarily and actually encouraged others to play a doom/horror game that involved slaying monsters and goat girls with my enchanted blade.


I also got to spend some time with my wonderful mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law, which is always such a treat. ...and yes, I shared my cupcakes with them.

West Texas - Big Bend, Terlingua, Lajitas, Guadalupe State Park

I studied for 11 hours straight today. You may begin to notice that my escape from school overload is to plan real-life escapes that we hope to take sometime soon. We're shooting to spend New Years with just us under the beautiful stars of West Texas. For those that don't know, Fort Davis, Texas has the best vantage point in all of North America to see stars. Here are some landscapes from West Texas that are calling my name:









McDonald Observatory:

...which is incidentally where we fell in love. Awwwww.

Nashville!

Well it looks like I might get to attend my first work-related trip in my new career field later this year! The annual conference is being held in Nashville, Tennessee this Fall and I super duper hope I get to go! The learning seminars look awesome and I'm sure I'll meet lots of future colleagues, which is always a plus when you start looking for a new job. Look how huge the hotel is:




The hotel is adjacent to this!





Maybe I'll get lucky and get to see Dolly Parton, George Jones, or Waylon Jennings doing normal things like walking their dogs or driving their cars just like the stalker trash magazines swear celebrities do!

Hearts On My Feet

Lately I've been on a kick of adding heart shapes to things like my school binders, sticker on my computer, and other random things. Today when I got a pedicure the girl asked me if I wanted a design and I asked her on a whim if she could draw a heart. She asked me if I was serious about 4 times and then she did this:




I love it! It's ridiculously cute!

First Day of Summer School

Today was the first day of my college summer school and the first day of the actual PROGRAM that I'm accepted to. No more pansy prerequisite classes for me anymore. Now I'm the real deal. I was so excited I wore my new blue jeans and curled my hair with a curling iron. I also got my new backpack with my new pencil bag all ready to go ahead of time! It was all so elementary school and fun to be back on that side of the first day of school rather than showing up as the teacher!