Nice Place to Live

The past two times I have left my trash outside my door to carry down to the dumpster, it has miraculously disappeared before I could take it downstairs. Usually I leave it on my porch so it doesn't stink up my place but I am usually also carrying a guitar or something down the stairs when I leave so I don't always put it in the dumpster immediately. Someone is beating me to it. I'm thinking it's my neighbor...I like my neighbors. :)

(Note: I'm not like...leaving it for DAYS and ignoring it so they're throwing it away in desperation...I think they're just nice).

Weeeee.

Why is it that when I need to be my most focused and on my game, I diddle around like a kid on Jolt? Oy vey. I need NEED to be productive this week, and next week is SXSW and my calendar is already so packed I can't even stand it. I need the week off work, is what I need. So many networking events! So much...PEOPLE time. Eck.

If I do not answer my phone for 2 weeks, forgive me. Send emails, loves.

This Town Is Mine

Oh a new John Jennings CD always makes a week go down nicely. Like buttah. And the best song is a 7 minute opus ending with a 3 minute guitar solo and hence the title of my post. Like you needed to know.

Today I did the church thing (as last week I missed out due to aforementioned insomnia), then walked down the street to Central Market to partake in...Sunday Morning Gospel Singers. Yes. It was so grand to sing a long to "Wade in the Water" whilst watching people eat their eggs. The awesomeness of the spring day (yes, I know it's still winter) didn't hurt, either. No eggs for me, but no issue there. I think I've hit the vegan stride. I am actually appreciating the fact that grocery shopping is 10 times easier, most of the stuff I buy now has ingredients I can pronounce, and I feel good. I don't know how or why or if it's the food I'm eating or not, but I feel good.

In fact, I'll say it here but not in the official vegan blog (I have too many blogs)...I'm scared of not being vegan. I'm scared I'll puke when I eat beef for the first time in 3 months, scared I'll go back to nasty eating habits, scared of the increased number of food choices open to me. I think I'll remain vegan at home but not be so picky when I eat out, though I'll try and vegetarianify most things...for the most part. I made that word up.

It just seems like a good constant to have in life, to not worry about beef or chicken or e coli or salmonella or this aisle or that aisle...to have a diet that rules out so many things but does not seem like a lifestyle of deprivation. I have enough choices to make in a day, and so many things I worry about...that eating well needs to be automatic and not a struggle. It's always been a struggle. Maybe being a vegan makes it less of a one.

It's also a grand excuse for not accepting food. No one lets you go with "I'm on a diet." You get ridiculed, or over-flattered, or something. ("Oh you don't NEED to be on a diet!" Oh yes I do.) Then you end up eating a 400 calorie something. That 400 calories does me no good. It's a fact, and not the musings of a future anorexic. :) I have not taken a piece of cake or rice crispie treat at work for 3 months, all the while watching that stuff get horked down at 9 am like it was Cheerios. Sigh. I don't want to do that. Bah.

presidential.

Well. I had a suitable day of napping, laptopping, and some well-timed cleaning. (I let things get a little too...meh sometimes). I tried to write and no direction came. I hate that.

I went through a pitcher of "mixed berry" stuff.

I found a t-shirt at the thrift store that says "Ruidoso, New Mexico." Purple.

I am in love with Odwalla bars.

I sat on my patio in the sunshine and enjoyed the first little bit of spring we've had.

I didn't go to bed until 4:30 AM on Sunday, and I think my schedule is now suitably screwed up.

I did finish the new website.

If I get one more friend request on Myspace from someone who wants to give me a free iPod I'll scream.

Same Old.

Remember how last week I was all...extroverted-out? I did it again. My week:

Monday: work, then stayed home.
Tuesday: work, then happy hour gig from 5-7, then off to watch a showcase until 11
Wednesday: work, then open mic from 8 - 12:30
Thursday: work, then postering for Jana Banana Rama, then beer, then watching a show at the Cactus Cafe' until 12:30
Friday: work, then gig til 11
Saturday: SLEEP IN (yay), gig for 2.5 hours, seeing Terri Hendrix at the Cactus TONITE

I am all socialled out. It's been fun, though. However, I think starting tomorrow I will hermit myself and only go out for necessities. :) I need to be in fine guitar shape for SXSW Week and would like to have a new song or 2 to debut as well. Does anyone care? No. I am just typing out my life to myself. Please ignore. :)

Diet Coke is grand. I need more than 5 hours of sleep.

Big Apple Bound

Well. I booked a plane ticket to NYC this week. I am so poor, but well-traveled. Or trying to be well-traveled anyway.

I am getting a cold.

I burnt myself out on people this week...I was not being a good introvert. Now I'm exhausted and uninspired.

So Long

JP 2/2007

Maybe there's a god
But I haven't seen his face round here in so long
He must have spared the rod
Cause this earth has been so spoiled for so long, so long
The weight of the world ground my heart into a pearl
Cold as the ocean and shiny as the sun
And I don't think it ever thawed
And it's kinda had me down for so long, so long

When I left South Dakota
I'd been stuck in wintertime for so long
My god I should have told ya
How my will to live had withered for so long, so long
Blood lines and star signs won't tell me how I'll take
And this poor farmer's almanac says nothing bout my state
It just says that I'll survive
Even dead comes back alive after so long, so long

--------------------------------------------------
Mom and Pop turned Big Box - welcome back
Now there's smoking laws and city blocks - welcome back
And the cost of living is cheaper one town over
One town over - welcome back
--------------------------------------------------

I drove in on a Sunday
Been hoping for my head to clear for so long
But I got lost along the way
In one second all those years were so gone, so gone
I crossed over on a highway through barriers and cones
This poor heart wanted badly but I couldn't see my home
Instead I just kept driving
And this car has been in gear for so long, so long
So long.

This is my 100th post.

I love that there is a smudge in that photo in the last post because I can't clean my mirror properly.

Things I am excited about:

March 6th, baby.

(Let's go driving around town to every Borders known to man, Beth and Lisa!)

Also, I have signed on to FAWM. I don't know how you say that but I imagine it's a lot like "FAAAAWWW-mwah." February Album Writing Month. Since being a vegan for 90 days only occupies about 45% of my thoughts daily, I thought I'd add in another timed and impossible-sounding challenge. I only write MAYBE...in a good year...10 acceptable songs. 14 in a month is scary. But if it will get my butt off the internet and into pen-and-paper-mode...so be it. I ain't sayin' they'll all be good, but so help me there will be 14 somethings by February 28th.

Hi.

Life is just...

SO DANG GOOD.
Thank you.

Snowy Austin Day

That's right. Snow. In Austin. Apparently we haven't had the stuff in 3 years. I'd like to think I brought it, just like I brought the Southern Charm and the Badass Barbeque to this state. Oh wait, that wasn't me? Well then.

Except it's more of a "dusting" than a "snow." But I get 2 days off of work plus the holiday on Monday meaning...a 2 day work week. And when you work for the government, you don't have to make the days up in June. SCORE. Apparently they build lots of flyovers here for the roads because it is so temperate usually, and then when it freezes those flyovers become little pinball machines of death. I ain't drivin' in it. Heck no.

I basically only have the strength to post in short bursts these days. Booyah.

I'm an aunt!

Well then. I know I've been an aunt for quite some time, but alas I was too young and stupid to really enjoy the babydom of any of my nieces and nephews. That's why I've claimed (manhandled...marauded...crusaded for) aunthood for Baby Lydia, whom was carried around in a little water sack of love for 9 months by Lisa. Lisa must have done a heck of a job with multivitamins, because this kid has hair!!! She is pretty much the most gorgeous little being. I'm not biased, and I'm no America's Next Top Model Judge either. I just know.

Rainy Austin Day

So, I guess I don't get the 2 feet of snow, but we are getting like 3 inches of rain tonight. I can handle that. I don't get cranky in the rain. Much.

Life is really good. Right now. I have always been kind of down on "the new year" and the resolution junk and I still am. If you don't like yourself enough to change something you want to change on December 16th or May 12th, why bother on January 1st? This is my view for the most part. However, I guess it is a good thing to evaluate yourself every so often and if January 1st is a date that people shoot for...more power.

January 1st did happen to be a good day for Jamie and I to start our veganism pact...90 days of no meat, eggs, or animal products. Eek. The nutty flavor of my soy latte agrees with this so far, though.

Anyway, I am psyched up about 2007. Not because of a resolution, but because of momentum. I think I am figuring out more and more that for things to "happen" -- I need to be the causation. There is no "it just happened." There is only "I worked hard to MAKE it happen." So bring it.

Now, to work!