a million miles from you...

2010-02-08T22:58:00.001-06:00

I'm currently reading: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky - Heidi Durrow

Just finished reading: Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

Before that: Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby

I'd recommend all three. Thus far, the first is heartbreaking... I'm about halfway through it. Wicked Lovely was a mix of fairy tales/folklore and the struggle of a teenage girl. It was interesting. Juliet, Naked was fantastic. I'm in the tank for Nick Hornby, though...so take that for what it's worth. I like all his books.

I've gone on a bit of a movie tear lately, too. I've seen Up in the Air, It's Complicated, Julie & Julia, Paper Heart, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Youth in Revolt, Nothing Like the Holidays and a few more whose names elude me at the moment. I enjoyed all of them with the exception of Youth...it was just too slow with not much of a story (or not much of a story that interested me).

The only answer is I've been brainwashed...

2010-01-13T15:54:00.000-06:00

No joke - I've listened to "Somewhere Beautiful" at least 100 times today. What the heck is going on? I was hoping posting that link on FB would curb the "need" to hear the song...not so much.

Steamboat was a great time. I went in a little wary. It was going to be different without a lot of the regular roommates/friends. It made me realize that I can go alone and still know about every 4th person I see. LOL

Definite highlight of the week for me: Wade covering "I May Hate Myself In The Morning" with Watkins and CodyB backing him up vocally and on twin fiddles. Wade KILLED it.

Other high points:

* Jack being Jack at the outdoor show (plus - CASEY! lol)

* WillyB and Jamie singing an outstanding cover of Mendocino County Line

* BOLAND BOLAND BOLAND

* Sean McConnell (brainwasher) & Todd Snider

* MMC - couldn't ask for a better set list

* JT&NL and Band of Heathens at Bear River...I don't think I moved the entire time from my spot

* Walt Wilkins/Jason Eady show to close out the week of music...just the best

* Road conditions were perfect - you couldn't ask for better driving conditions

It was fun to hang out with everyone from years past and meet some new people. I took pictures, but who knows when they'll see the light of day. I held true to my decision to not go see Randy or Ragweed. There were just too many good options at the same time. I went to the tent a total of two times...both worth the trip. As Amber and I drove back we were already talking about next year...

Don't you know that there's more beyond these dead skies and all these filthy streets? Oh, take my hand, let me pull you out of the blindness of your weary soul to somewhere beautiful...

2009-12-29T16:16:00.001-06:00

I leave for Steamboat Saturday afternoon, and I am not ready in any form or fashion. The only thing I know I have are my YAKTRAX. At least I know my chances of falling down on the ice/packed snow are slim. We're driving in on Sunday morning, but heading out to see RRB/Ragweed/JTNL Saturday at Azteca Music Hall. That name makes it sound like a grand venue...lol. It's actually a big hangar with a stage set up on one end and a big concrete floor. There are some chairs dispersed throughout the venue...but I'm not sure if that's only for certain shows. Anyway...it should be a great show to kickoff the week and it will keep me from feeling bad about skipping RRB's and Ragweed's shows in the Big Tent at Steamboat. I think I lasted 4 songs into RRB's set last year before bolting. I just hate. the. tent.

I just remembered another thing I've done to prepare for the trip. I've checked the weather conditions for the days we'll be driving to Denver and to Steamboat. Luckily, right now, the forecasts call for sunny skies. I drove into Denver last year in the midst of a snowstorm. It was not fun. It took ninety minutes to get from the Denver city limits to my hotel.

Downside of going to Steamboat - I am missing the Avett Bros show at the Granada on January 3rd

Other than that, I'm curious to see how this year plays out. I'll miss seeing a lot of familiar faces that for one reason or another will not be on the mountain this year.

2009-12-06T22:55:00.003-06:00

Last week I lost every single file on my ipod. Freak out moment. I got a small ray of hope when I opened the ipod through My Computer and saw all the files there, but they just would not show up when connected to itunes. Then and there, I decided to copy from the ipod drive to my laptop and then transfer back. Sounds like a simple process... Wrong.
I have spent every night since transferring files off the ipod drive onto to the laptop and back into itunes. Not only was this incredibly tedious and slow going, but it was also a waste of time. Some of the files would not move because I didn't have "approval" to play them on my computer. What? I bought it... Some files would show on my ipod, and show the track time, title, artist, album and not play. Today, I did a complete restoration. I wiped everything down and started from scratch. I now have 10.46 GB on my ipod. Yeah. I had 74.3 prior to the crash. I imagine it will only take all my free time for the remainder of the month to move my files back over from my external drive. Fun stuff...

I'd much rather look forward to what the rest of the month holds: possibly MMC @ Woody's this coming weekend, OKC the following Wednesday for a mini-break before Christmas with a side trip to Ft Worth for some Randy (shocking!) and Eady

I've been swamped at work with writing deadlines and an unexpected Federal case that is eating up every free minute I think I'll enjoy. All that reading at work has diminished my time to read outside the office. I hate that. I also have seen only one movie in the last month...ridiculous. New Moon, if you're wondering. I wasn't really a fan. I would have much rather seen Fantastic Mr. Fox. I cannot wait for Up in the Air or Invictus. I still have yet to see Pirate Radio! 27 days until I get a full week from here...I'll get some reading done and get to spend some time with friends I rarely get to see. I'm ready to go now.

hey blogger...

2009-11-06T15:24:00.003-06:00

Let's hit the lowlights since I last blogged:

* My debit card number was apparently swiped by someone. There's nothing like waking up to find unauthorized charges on your account. The investigation just wrapped up yesterday, and my account was reimbursed. Thank you.

* A wreck to start off the day...I highly recommend it! The damage wasn't bad, I still haven't taken it in to be repaired. Thank goodness it was a minor fender-bender.

* Another recommendation: Get really intoxicated and drive 6.5 hours the next day! I must say, though...I am happy I didn't choose to fly. It would have been B-R-U-T-A-L.

* I would come in tomorrow afternoon if I were allowed to sleep in this morning. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed at the BL until closing time?

If you're a fan of Kathy Griffin, her book, Official Book Club Selection, is a must-read.

Steamboat - Paid. In. Full. Initially, I was okay with not going. Now, I'm looking forward to it. The Bear River shows are what pull me back. I just need to get some new YakTrax, since mine bit the dust on the last day this past year.

Has anyone seen Paranormal Activity? Stephanie recommended it. Maybe this weekend...

2009-10-08T15:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was an entirely wasted afternoon. I spent 4+ hours reviewing interrogations and counseling sessions. Today, guess what? A plea offer you dream of... Notes - trashed...time - wasted.

Listening to and watching the dvds was brutal. Then, I began to feel disgusted with the tone of voice the authority figures were using. I was intrigued, however, with the reaction of all involved. I can imagine, on one hand, that has to be a phone call you dread receiving...yet, the reaction was hilarious. (p.s. this was no life/death situation) The resulting revelations were frustrating and, at times, sad. Someone dropped the ball, but placing blame isn't that easy...

_______________________

Sorry I subjected you to the above, I didn't want the day to be a complete waste.
Quick recommendations:

TV: Modern Family - if you haven't been watching, catch up online
Parks & Recreation - I admit I was ready to ditch this show, but it has been hilarious this season

Movies: If you get a chance to see the Toy Story double feature, GO! The 3D may be pure novelty, but I loved it. Next up, I must see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Books: Lush Life
House of Night series - these were recommended by the two Jamies. It's another vampire series. This one is set in Tulsa, OK.

o-k-l-a-h-o-m-a

2009-10-01T22:56:00.002-05:00

Lots of driving and laughing last weekend during a trip to Oklahoma. First up was Miami, followed by Family Jam and the after-party with MMC.

We may have been a little to overzealous Friday... We missed the first 4.5 hours of Family Jam. Oops. LOL

Miami wore me out. It was a fun show and good times. It was one of those shows that we got to spend a little downtime before and after, since it began at 8 and ended around 10. The casino didn't have free drinks, but $1.25 is nothing to sneeze at for a beer. Checkout came MUCH too early. We got sidetracked in Tulsa, and showed up in OKC in time for an early dinner. Iron Starr...mmmmmm. I also got Jamie and Tracy to go along with us, so that was a bonus.

We got to Family Jam just in time to see McClure. Perfect. Also, the sun was just setting, even better! Tesla was an experience. Ragweed was great. I always think I can do without their live shows, and then wonder how I go the entire year only seeing them 2 or 3 times.

We raced downtown to see Micky after the show. That was worth the trip alone. They're one of my favorites, hands down. Stoney joined them for much of the end of their set. That meant lots of good, classic covers. I loved it.

Sunday, I spent a lot of time with the Jamies. I also got to spend some time in Norman. I plan to get back in November.

This week at work has been focused on blood and denial of medical treatment. What fun! I'm ready to go see the Toy Story/Toy Story 2 double feature tomorrow.

progress report...

2009-09-15T23:32:00.002-05:00

The eye is SO much better. It's still sore, but the scar is so faint and diminishes a bit every day. Plus, I've worn closed shoes now for a full week! lol

I finished up 2 books this past week, Ice Cream and Burning City. Ice Cream is a collection on short stories. I usually gravitate to such books when I'm short on time. This one, I just happened upon while browsing the library shelves last week... Burning City is labeled Young Adult. It wasn't what I expected. The story revolved around the life (or lack thereof) of "bike boy". I enjoyed it.

I watched tons of tv last week. Let's see. I watched: College football, Jet in Concert, The Vampire Diaries, Glee, True Blood, Entourage, Greek and I'm sure there's something I'm forgetting...

I also re-watched I Love You, Man. I recommended it to Amber, since she was needing a lift after watching Marley & Me. She sent me a text while watching it, saying she was grateful for the recommendation. I had to re-watch the next day...still funny. lol

I walked out of the office yesterday, got in my car, and noticed a nice new crack running north/south down the windshield. Apparently, I got a nice chip earlier that day. There was a big fluctuation in temperature and that was not helping my cause. Oh well, I should have it cleared away by tomorrow or Thursday.

Up this week: RRB tomorrow night; rest of the weekend is up in the air
What I've been listening to (multiple times): Radney Foster, Jason Eady, and Jet

great weekend...not so great Wednesday

2009-09-03T23:11:00.003-05:00

I spent last weekend in Helotes, New Braunfels, and San Antonio. I saw some fabulous shows and spent some time with some great friends. Here's the rundown: MMC Friday, Eady and Jamie Griffin-Wilson Saturday, Charlie Sunday...

I drove home EARLY Monday morning and went into the office that afternoon. It looked to be an easy week, with today being the only busy day. Well...things didn't go as I planned.

Yesterday morning, I cut the hell out of my face. I don't know how to describe what it looked like immediately afterwards. Let's just say Thank God I am not one of those people that faint at the sight of their own blood. I was just about to get into my car and dropped a file. I had already opened the door just a few inches. Well, I bent down and scraped my face from my cheek up to my eyebrow. I believe my exact words were F@!# ME! (I rarely drop the F-bomb...just FYI). However, I thought to myself, "Deal with it, you're going to have a red scratch and a bruised eye. Get to work." Oh, if only.

I get in the car and glance up at the rearview mirror. I see a stream of blood running from my eyebrow down the right side of my face. It looks like I was attacked by someone with a knife or Edward Scissorhands fetish. How I managed to not damage my eye is beyond me...but for the grace of God, I guess. I get back in the house and quickly apply pressure with a cold, wet towel. I clean up the mess, apply some ointment and bandages and go in to work. (After cleaning the blood from the console, seat and armrest in the car...) I don't step more than 5 feet in the door when I am told, "GO HOME!" At this point, the throbbing is starting to set in. I am glad I'll have the day to rest...but am afraid to fall asleep b/c of a fear that I may have a concussion. I managed to stay awake all day and fall asleep around midnight. I woke up and (stupidly) forgot all about the gash on my brow. Ouch.

It looks a little better (the cheek does, at least) today. The lower eyelid is the worst! Imagine carpet burn on your eyelid...blinking/sneezing sucks. Everything else, I can live with. I forget about it...and then get gaping stares from people and remember.

Here's hoping I get through the remainder of this month without another injury. I know that's a lot to ask...

I had plans this weekend to go to Amarillo to see EYB and then the BL Saturday to see Charlie. I'm don't think I'm quite ready to go out to a bar just yet.

______________________

Sidenote:

Inglorious Basterds
I loved it. If you're a Quentin Tarantino fan at all...go see it. It was not at all what I expected. It was funny, suspenseful and of course action-packed. The tension in some of the scenes was unbearable. Yes, it's long. Yes, it probably could have been edited down to a more desirable running time. That doesn't change the way I felt about it ultimately.

well

2009-08-19T13:56:00.002-05:00

Well, I survived the trip to Idaho with minimal damage to my foot. I'm sure I could have stayed seated for more hours in the day. I'm sure I could have gone straight to the room when the day's shows were over. I'm sure that would have been no fun. I had a great time, even with the boot. The yucky, mud and muck-covered boot...

Here are a few of the pictures from the days spent in Challis. I don't think there's a single shot from Boise (adventure walking downtown) or Stanley...

The weather could have been better. We got hailed on, again. It hurt this time, we weren't near the merch tents for shelter. Bucky the singing deer was the hit of the weekend. I had a great time, AND for the first time ever, did not come home sick. YAY

hello, blog...

2009-07-29T16:16:00.004-05:00

Guess what? I still haven't uploaded those pictures! NOW, I have even more on the camera. They're amazing...I wish you could see them. LOL

I find myself stuck here in work for the next 4 days without much to do. I could call on a few clients, or talk with a few county/district attorneys regarding cases. However, I don't see the point in doing so right now when I'll be gone until the 13th. Oh well. I'll peruse my favorite music blogs, deadspin, and popwatch to pass the time.

This past weekend, I was down in Austin/New Braunfels for Greenfest. I had a great time. We had a fun Friday night at the Mean-Eyed Cat with a few friends...and a lot of pitchers of beer. Saturday, I woke up before 10 o'clock to get ready to trek to a theater to see 500 Days of Summer with Trisha and Tay. Trisha and I had been hunting for this movie for about 2 weeks. We couldn't find a theater anywhere near ATX that was showing it. Then, Thursday night, Trisha sent a giddy email saying she'd found it showing at a theater about 15 miles from the apartment! Yay!

You know I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I also love Zooey Deschanel. I love her in movies, I own the She & Him cd... I love her. So, it should come as no surprise that I loved this movie. There were some fantasy moments in it, some harsh moments, but overall, it was fairly realistic. It also showcased a part of LA that's not usually on-screen. The soundtrack is pretty fantastic, too. Go see it! (...and I've had "Here Comes Your Man" stuck in my head continuously, since seeing this movie)

Anyway, on to the rest of Saturday. Most of you were there. Hula Hut. A wedding reception of sorts at Jackalope's. Momo's. Adam Hood. Matt Powell. Modern Day Drifters. Ryan James. Mystery Guest I am not allowed to divulge (LOL). It was fantastic to see everyone that made the trip. I think I got a chance to say hi, at the very least, to everybody. If I didn't, I'm sorry. I did think the venue was perfect. The patio was a godsend to escape the bar when it was too stuffy.

Sunday was a relatively lazy day. I stayed around Austin for much of the day before taking a few back roads to New Braunfels. I had no desire to drive down 35, so took the long way...it was fabulous. I got to the Floathouse around 4:30, had an early dinner with Suzy, Christy and Travis. It was sweltering. I stayed up in the shade and read my book while most everyone else was sitting in the river, or on the bank. The show that night was a lot of fun. Drew Kennedy was the perfect emcee. The Peter Dawson performance was bittersweet. It made me miss his voice. Grider was great, as usual. I'd never heard Rodney Hayden and Austin Collins live. They didn't disappoint. Of course, I was happy to see/hear Randy and Brady... The crowd never got too rowdy. It was pretty great.

I promise, with all the free time at work, I will upload the pictures. Promise.

dance post!

2009-07-16T16:07:00.003-05:00

LOL

I haven't posted a dance video in a while, and I know Stephanie is missing them. Hahaha! I'm sure while she's in Hawaii she's taking the time to check up on blogs, right?

Basically, I had to post this because he does the robot. C'mon.

I've been living with the memories of Harry Potter for a day now. I've decided that, while there were parts of the movie I LOVED, I can't say I really and truly loved the movie. There were changes that left me scratching my head. Daniel Radcliffe is fantastic in this movie, though. (This is a complete 180 for me.) Overall, I'd be kidding myself if I said I'd never go see it again. I think that may be the plan for part of the weekend.

Up for tonight: Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights! Woo-hoo! I cannot wait.

music - personality

2009-07-13T16:09:00.003-05:00

I was skimming some stories on Reader and came across an article re: what your playlist says about your personality. (Side note: I had just told Jessica on the drive down to Helotes that I hit the Top 25 list the night before and 20 of the 25 songs were by Reckless Kelly. LOL - I acknowledge that I have a problem.) Anyway, the results of some study/survey/research says if you listen to X type of music, you exhibit A, B, and C personality traits. My problem with the results is what people only listen to one type of music?! If I were to hit shuffle on the ipod, I could hear country, rap, classical, rock, latin, blues, r&b, alt-rock, pop... You get the point. What poor, sad, sheltered person limits the music to which they listen and enjoy to only one genre of music?

Here's the link: Music & Personality

I heard some GREAT voices this past weekend: Micky's was strong, Gary's was great (and I was disappointed to only hear him sing one), same can be said of Stoney's. Britt Daniel/Spoon was great, too. He kept apologizing to the crowd for the sound difficulties. I have no idea what he was referring to, because from where we stood everything sounded fantastic.

2009-07-03T10:28:00.003-05:00

Why was it necessary for the office to be open today? I so could have used another 2 hours of sleep.

Pictures - still not uploaded

I have seen two movies since last time, though. I did go see Away We Go, and then watched 10 Items or Less on dvd.

Away We Go - See it. The last scene of the movie was perfect. There were parts that I could have done without. Some of the characters were over the top and distracting, but that's really my only complaint.

10 Items - If you like Morgan Freeman, I'd say rent it. It's a small independent movie that runs maybe 75-80 minutes about an out-of-work actor and a grocery store clerk. His character asks the question in the movie: 10 items or less, what in your life would you keep?

I've decided to stay in town this weekend. I was tempted by the Boland show down at RRIH, but I just don't want to deal with the crowd/heat. I'll get that next weekend, I'm sure. Jack Ingram's in Ruidoso...if I had any desire to drive, I'd be there.

well...

2009-06-30T16:43:00.003-05:00

When I actually upload pictures, I'll post about the trip to Chicago and Concan.

This week, I am driving around in a rental car and wondering if I'll go to ATX/NB for the weekend. I want to get out of town, but don't really want to be packed in RRIH with everyone for the Boland show. Same story for Seguin. I guess we'll see how the rest of the week plays out.

I think I'm going to see Away We Go tonight. I've been looking forward to seeing it since April, so I hope it's entertaining.

I finished a book this weekend and started a new one. I finished Shutter Island. Leonardo DiCaprio is starring in the film adaptation. I think it comes out this fall. I liked the book, but figured out a good chunk of the story before the reveal. I'm sure I'll see the movie, just to see how it unfolds onscreen.

I am about half-way through Wintergirls. It's a young adult novel about a girl's battle with anorexia and the death of a friend. So far, it's pretty engaging.

Quick things from the weekend:

* It was so good to see everyone. I know it's only been a little over a month since I saw most at MMM's wedding, but it felt longer.

* I escaped the weekend unscathed by the sun! The same cannot be said of mosquitoes, mystery bumps and bruises. I've come to accept (and expect) these as a price of a weekend with these people. LOL

catchup

2009-06-11T15:54:00.003-05:00

A lot of things have happened, here's a quick rundown:

* My mom's recovery is coming along well (one trip to the ER later)
* I'm going through a hectic time at work. I'll have nothing to do for an hour or so and then there's a flurry of activity. I can't say I like it. I'm such a research and writing person. Translation - not exactly thrilled when my afternoon turns into family hour. People (parents) don't understand that I'm not beholden to them when their adult offspring hire the office. I don't care what YOU want...I answer to your child.
* The Hangover - hilarious. Go see it. Go just to see Bradley Cooper if you have no interest in bawdy comedies. LOL
* This week sealed the deal on my fate regarding remaining at this office. I will go crazy if I'm here much longer. It's not the caseload, it's not the staff...it's something that will not be changing. I know that, so I need to make a change.
*I have one more stinking brief due tomorrow by closing time. I'm actually happy with my progress on it at this time. I only have to polish the argument and it will be ready to file. This is a MUCH better feeling than last week.
* Season 5 of Weeds started up again this weekend. The first episode was good. I missed Andy, Silas and Shane. (Nancy? Not so much.)
* I've read two books in the last 2 weeks: Replay and Paranoid Park. I enjoyed both of them. Paranoid Park was a fast read. Replay was intriguing. I'd recommend both.
* No Sake of the Song Fest for me this weekend. I'm sorry that, apparently, I'm missing everybody and their dog. It just didn't work out. I get a great weekend here, though: Charlie on Friday and MMC on Saturday.

can't stop procrastinating...

2009-06-03T17:54:00.002-05:00

Things I should be doing:

* looking for another job
* finishing two briefs
* reviewing a case file
* writing the court about a scheduling order
* reading a few cases regarding "possession" of a child (there's no way I'm giving into what the latest ruling said...it's not reasonable in its application)

Things I should NOT be doing:

* writing this entry
* listening to new music
* reading Entertainment Weekly
* going to see Bingham in an hour
* putting off the briefs for another day
* anything on the internet that does not involve Westlaw

It's been a rough week. Monday started off with my mom undergoing an outpatient procedure. She's fine now. The immediate recovery was more difficult than anticipated, but she was just released mid-morning. Also, on Monday, the main atty in the office underwent open-heart surgery. (Thus the #1 item on my list.) He's also recovering nicely, and just moved into a room this afternoon. With him out of the office for the next 4-6 weeks, my caseload has increased. The slow June I had envisioned is gone. No Houston for me this weekend, no Sake for the Song, no RK pre-Rangers game... whine, whine, whine (sorry)... Thank God everyone is doing well now.

LOTS of new music this week, too....and CONAN on the Tonight Show! :)

Quick recap of last week:

RR/WB - fun, crowded, great covers
Graduation party - lots of laughs, lots of family and friends
Graduation - long
Remainder of Saturday night - FUN, lemon-drop martini, daiquiri, spectacular dancing (I wish there were more people around to witness the last one - it was fantastic!)

busy week

2009-05-27T09:00:00.003-05:00

There are tons of things going on this week, just a sampling:

* Writing a reply brief
* Mom's birthday
* Writing another brief
* Randy/Wade show
* Gathering info on a civil case that is a MESS
* Graduation party
* Graduation
* My sister's birthday

I had a fantastic time at Melissa and Travis' wedding a few weeks ago. I have some pictures of the day, and if I get some free time I'll upload them. It was fantastic to see everyone there. The rehearsal dinner was a good time, and the wedding day itself couldn't have been better. The only thing I would have changed? Maybe the number of patron shots or that adios mf'er drink...no, definitely that red shot. I had to give it away after taking a sip.

2009-05-13T10:49:00.002-05:00

I just finished up with the discovery phase of one of my cases, so I'm taking a break this morning. Here's how I've passed the time thus far:

* watched diggnation, the full hour, with the intent to watch only the first 5 minutes...damn kevin rose.

* trolled facebook

* checked movie times (with no intent to see something until next week)

* searched for new books on Amazon (I just finished This One is Mine - drama/comedy - better than most television shows)

* searched for new movies on Netflix to add to the queue (I know I'm 6 months behind, but I just saw Milk. WOW)

* skimmed Twitter

* emailed Jeanne pointless and random links, as usual

* realized I need to pay a visit to OKC, I miss it

* listened to some new mp3s, I'm not on the Passion Pit bandwagon just yet

* caught up on Spencer Tweedy's blog (Yes, Jeff Tweedy's son. His writing belies his age. How cool is it that his dad sang "Forever Young" for him at his Bar Mitzvah?)

I guess I should get to work this afternoon. I'm counting down the hours until the LOST finale, Macon Greyson tomorrow night, and road trip Friday!

2009-05-08T10:10:00.002-05:00

It's been a pretty hectic week at work, a series of small things here and there that have to be tended to immediately. That means I haven't had a single day go as planned. Oh well, nothing disastrous happened. That's a plus.

I did, however, completely forget about doing something for a cousin (not work-related), and just realized it last night. Yeah, I said I'd go over and try to help out Monday! Must. call. today.

Cinco de Mayo found me at the Blue Light for the recording of Charlie's cd. It should turn out great. It was fun to see them and hear a new song or two. I'd missed seeing the full band. There were a lot of familiar faces out (pro and con). LOL OH - most exciting of all, Charlie has actual merch! The incredulous text message replies from that bit of news were hilarious.

Random funny from the week: Brett Michaels and Lisa Rinna = twins

I was tempted to head back out Wednesday night to catch Charlie play an acoustic show, but wasn't motivated enough to actually make it. I stayed home and watched LOST and Dot the i, instead.

The arts festival last weekend was a good way to pass the time. I found tons of things I wanted...nothing I actually needed. I bought a present for a friend, watched my niece dance and then, headed out to the depot district for a project.

This weekend, I'll be around town again. My plans include: Tech grad party, Mother's Day, and Stoney LaRue and Bo Cox show. :)

in search of my attention span...

2009-04-29T11:48:00.003-05:00

I've been way too easily distracted this morning. Exhibit A - this blog entry.

I left the house without my license, debit card or cash. I have tons of change, though! lol Actually, I just found an AmEx gift card that still has money on it from Christmas.

I have spent the entire morning working on 4 different cases. I should just work on one at a time, but I get restless reading about the same subject matter after a while. This applies to one of the cases in particular. I've been working on it for about 2 months now and am going crazy reviewing the different rulings from recent cases. Why can't I find a brightline rule?!

I'm trying to think of possible mother's day gifts for my mom (obviously). I think an ipod touch would be an awesome gift. My sister, however, thinks that were mom to receive it, we would never see/hear from her again. She is addicted to internet games. Seriously. I think she can spend a day on Yahoo's game page... Thank God no one has introduced her to AddictingGames.com.

I've toyed with the idea of going to DFW this weekend. You know why. I won't even bother saying it. I think I might stay in town though, or close to home, anyway to see PG at Midnight Rodeo. I'm leery of how packed it might be, though, on a Friday night. I haven't seen Pat in AGES (well, seen him sing)...nevermind at the Rodeo. I have good memories of seeing him play there... I guess I'll see how I'm feeling about it Friday.

I bought some new shoes yesterday to replace my dead cons. Then, I tried to go graduation gift shopping. Complete waste of time. Maybe I'll find something on Etsy. Goodbye, productive afternoon!

quick rundown

2009-04-23T22:50:00.002-05:00

I spent last weekend in Austin. Well, I spent Friday night and Saturday afternoon in Austin. Some high & low lights:

* I had my first real frustration with SWA. I sat in LBB from 2:30 to 6:15 waiting for my flight to depart.

* The worst part of waiting? I made the smart decision to skip lunch. That worked out well...

* Dinner with Suzy and Jessica at Hill's: fantastic, low-key, and made better with a margarita

* Jessica and I went out to catch a late movie, Adventureland...recommended

* Slept in and headed out for a late lunch at Vespaio...a really nice, casual Italian restaurant. We dined out on the patio and I had an amazing mozzarella panini and fingerling potatoes with lemon oil that were ridiculous.

* We may have also visited the Hey Cupcake! trailer. Vanilla Dream...yum

* Jessica, Amber and I met up in the town of Burton for their Cotton Gin Festival. We're talking COUNTRY! lol It was a great time, aside from the foot of mud on our jeans and the death of my chuck taylors.

* Sunday - off to Round Rock for RKCSJ

* The sun still got me, even with SPF 55 applied continuously...the game and show following were worth it. I mean, how often do you get to see Hayes Carll ride a tricycle?!

* Monday morning, back at AUS airport with thousands of others trying to go through security... I made it home just in time to head back to work.

No plans this weekend... Tuesday night wore me out.

SF

2009-04-13T23:18:00.005-05:00

There's not too much to say, the trip was great. The weather was fantastic. The company was even better. Sunday came way too soon. While we didn't hit every tourist spot in the city, we had a fantastic time in an awesome bar on Haight and laughing, laughing, laughing.

We were walking down Haight Saturday afternoon trying to figure out our next destination. I spotted punch bowls on a few of the tables, and pointed them out to Erica. That was it. Destination located. The "punch" turned out to be rum punch. We had the seasonal Ginger Lemonade and followed that up with the House Punch. Best money spent all weekend. We also made some new friends and took over the music for much of the late afternoon/evening. The bar was like a black hole. Jeremy, a guy sitting next to us tried to give us some tips on a good time to hit the bridge, suggestions as to where we might go later that night. Two hours later, he's asking what happened to the bridge at sunset? Every time we'd mention leaving he'd just start to laugh, it's sad that he knew we weren't going anywhere any time soon. LOL

Sunday was a beautiful day spent on Pier 39. Rebs and I hit the Golden Gate Bridge and then headed there for lunch. They had amazing drinks. I'm still trying to hunt down the ingredients for mine...soooooo good. Time to catch my flight came much too soon.

The show Friday night was fun. It was great seeing them in a different environment. There were a lot of people out to see the show. I think MMC has a new crop of fans. We pretty much shut the bar down and then headed to Mission. There was a stop at the Beauty Bar and then off to a Taqueria. I have no idea where/how we ended up there, but we had a great time. LOL

_____________________

I got to see a full RRB show last Wednesday night. In a word, it was fantastic. I was willing to drive two hours on a weeknight to see them because I knew I wouldn't be fighting a crowd. Amarillo still hasn't caught on, and I plan on enjoying it while it lasts. It was great to see the guys and talk for a bit afterward before heading back home.

I'm heading to Austin tomorrow afternoon for the weekend. I have no idea what we'll be doing tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to Sunday, though. :)

crappy weekend to start...

2009-04-06T00:10:00.002-05:00

...ended up alright

Friday did not go as planned. The cherry on top? I had a flat tire waiting for me. Craptastic!

The rest of the weekend was fine. Well, after I got over the fact that I would not be seeing Boland Saturday night at the Wormy Dog (*sniff*). It would have been a harried weekend anyway, so I'll just find another time to visit.

I saw I Love You, Man over the weekend. Watch it if you get a chance. It has a great soundtrack, too. Spoon seemed to invade my weekend: on the ipod, the movie and HGTV commercials. That last one shocked me...I had to stop and make sure I wasn't mistaken. "Underdog" for some kind of generic HGTV promotion.

I didn't watch the ACM awards. I followed along on Twitter and the only things I am really curious about are: 1.) What's the Matthew "boots" story? and 2.) What did Blake Shelton sing? HAHAHA (That's for you, Suzy!) I'm bummed RRB got no face time (according to a text I got, no idea, didn't witness a second of the show). I loved following Chris' tweets about EYB's adventures out there through twitpic.

Here's to a fast week...Wednesday night in A-town for RRB (too long!) and San Francisco this weekend.

MBM

2009-03-30T16:00:00.000-05:00

I got to see the Motorcars this weekend. It was the normal crowd, I still wish they'd move back to the Blue Light. The setlist was great. The crowd was about what I expected. There was however a guy who kept yelling out stuff between songs. Examples: Yeah! Micky & the F'ing Motorcars!, We love the Brauns!, Richard Thompson!, You're Nobody's Baby!... You get the point. I was annoyed, but admit to laughing at the Braun and Nobody's Baby shout-outs. Micky tried to shut him up by following up with Nobody's Girl...didn't quite work.

The rest of the weekend was spent reading, clearing out the DVR, NCAA tourney games and sleeping. There was a family dinner and birthday party in there as well. I can't kick this sinus infection. It needs to be gone already. I know going out didn't help matter any, but you know...

Two Scotts

2009-03-27T23:19:00.002-05:00

I stayed in this Friday and am trolling music blogs. I know I've talked about my love of the Avett Brothers before, but not sure if I've mentioned Scott H. Biram. I came across two recent clips and had to share.

Scott Avett - Rambling Fever:

Scott H. Biram - Sinkin' Down

Sometimes the only answer's Austin...

2009-03-23T23:38:00.005-05:00

I had a quick trip to Austin this past weekend. When I found out I wouldn't be leaving the office early Friday, I had second thoughts. However, I just really didn't want to stay in town. I arrived at Waterloo Records in time to catch a bit of the GW showcase. We then had a late night bite to eat at Magnolia. Ideally, I would have gone to see Dan Auerbach...realistically, I was not going to head out at 2 in the morning alone to catch the show. I listened to the cd on the way home. Now, I really wish I had gone...

Saturday, I woke early. Something I know would not have happened if I'd gone to the show the night before. We watched a little NCAA action and then headed out to try to see Slaid Cleaves. Well, we got as close as next door. That was fine with me, because we ended up at Freddie's for a late lunch and frozen margaritas. Then, we made our way to Waterloo Park. Lucero was scheduled for the 6:00 slot. I think we had perfect timing. The parking, weather and music were all perfect. I was hoping to leave Austin without a sunburn...FAIL! I applied sunscreen before we headed out, it was very late in the day, we stayed in the shade, and I still have a slight sunburn. It's not even summer yet! I spotted this guy in the crowd while watching Lucero. I have no idea why, but his shirt made me smile. I don't even know what it means:

We really didn't have a plan for the rest of the night. All I knew was that I would be seeing Bob Schneider at some point. LOL We had dinner at Shady Grove. I may or may not have almost started a fire at the table. Suzy and Amber dropped us off at The Ranch to catch some of Brandon Rhyder's set. We spent the first twenty minutes or so watching the last minutes of the Duke/Texas game. I was the happiest person in that bar! The W.Kentucky game was nuts, too. We left the main bar for the music. We should have stayed out in the bar for another 20 minutes. The band onstage was ridiculous. BRhyder took the stage and we got to hear four or five songs before heading down to Threadgill's for Bob.

The show was fantastic. I was just happy to be there, honestly. There were twin fiddles, a banjo, steel guitar, accordion and guitars on stage. It was a great way to wrap up the weekend. The dancing, the sing-a-longs...a Bob show always makes me happy. A smart person would have made plans for after the show. We were not so smart and ended up walking back up Congress to 7th to meet up with Suzy and Amber. Then, we walked back down to 5th. LOL...communication is key. I missed tons of shows that I'm sure were fantastic. However, I was more than happy with the shows I got to see. I surprised myself by waking early Sunday and hit the road. If I would have lingered around another hour or so, I don't think I would have survived the trip home.

"I gave the sun a cussing as I drew the shades..."

2009-03-11T16:13:00.003-05:00

I was late coming into the office this morning. I mean late! I woke up around 6 and hit snooze. I'm sure the alarm went off some time between then and the time I actually got out of bed (7:50), but I didn't hear it. The only thing I really missed out on was prep time. Thank goodness.

So, my goal is to start going to bed earlier...we'll see how long this lasts. Logically, I know there's no reason to stay up reading/watching a show. Realistically, I'll stay up until 3 in the morning during the week for no good reason. Sometimes there may be work involved, like research or writing...but more often than not, I'm just up. Up late and cursing the lack of sleep the next day.

I picked up a new book at the library yesterday: Babylon Rolling

From the acclaimed author of Pretty Little Dirty, comes a glittering, gritty, and unflinching story of five families--black, white, and Indian--living along one block of Uptown, New Orleans.

It is the summer of 2004, and Orchid Street is changing. Newcomers Ariel May and her husband, Ed, relocated from Minnesota, are trying to make sense of the Southern city. From her front porch, Philomenia Beauregard de Bruges watches her new neighbors, the Guptas, as they move into one of the biggest homes. Across the way, Daniel Harris, aka Fearius, has just been released from juvenile detention. And Cerise Brown, a longtime resident now in her late seventies, hopes only to pass the rest of her days in peace.

But with one random accident, a scene of horror on Cerise's front lawn, the whole neighborhood converges on the sidewalk to help, to cast blame, and to offer hope. And as Hurricane Ivan churns his way toward the city, bringing a different series of challenges, these new relationships tighten, intertwining the families' paths for better and for worse.

Told in five achingly real voices, Babylon Rolling is the story of one year on Orchid Street, a place where lives clash and collide, and where the humid air is charged with constant wanting. Offering a bold understanding of human nature and the hidden prejudices we harbor, Babylon Rolling is a powerful portrait of racism in America and a city on the edge of transformation.

Just started it last night, pretty good so far.

2009-03-08T23:21:00.004-05:00

I realize I never posted about the acoustic show in Austin...it was a great trip. I had a great time, seeing everybody and the music, of course, was fantastic. Thanks for the picture, Meg!

This weekend was pretty slow. I thought about going out to the BL on Friday...too lazy to do it. I think I caught up on the DVR instead. Then, Saturday was full of birthday celebrations. I spent all day with family and ended the night at the JB&S show. There was a great crowd out, much more so than the last time they were through town, and the set was all I could have asked for. Big plus: Brad was back on the drums. I missed seeing him/hearing him at the shows. I'm not sure how the shoulder held up throughout the show, because I stuck around long enough for a hello to JB and I was out of there. I didn't have the desire to stick around for another hour while everyone got things signed/took pictures or whatever...especially with the time change.

BL

2009-03-04T00:52:00.004-06:00

I am barely recovering from this weekend. There was a lot going on every night, lots of good stuff on Saturday and Sunday/Monday...

Saturday was the final night of the BL anniversary celebration and David's last night in town. Will Green opened up the night with a really good set and then, Charlie took the stage. They played a GREAT set. There were some old songs, new songs, and a few favorite covers. They closed out the night covering "Helter Skelter"...loved it. Lexi, Stephanie, and Jessica kept me laughing most of the night. Matt Martindale got up and sang a few songs. Susan Gibson was also in attendance, but wasn't there to sing, just to enjoy the show.

After the show, I was wrangled into taking a few shots with Stephanie. For some reason, I lingered for some time. I caught up with a few people, met some new ones, and said goodbye to David. It'll take a while to get used to not seeing him around.

Morning came too soon Sunday, I dragged myself out of bed and hit the road...

Oh, baby, do you wanna dance?

2009-02-26T15:49:00.002-06:00

I have no idea why, but I woke up this morning with The Ramones' "Do You Wanna Dance" in my head. It has stuck with me ALL DAY LONG. I've listened to it on my ipod at least four times today thinking it will go away after each listen...nope. do you do you do you do you wanna daaaaance? It could be worse, I suppose.

The show at the BL Tuesday night was great. I was afraid that everyone and their dog would be at the show. Not the case. It was a good crowd, but there was welcome breathing room. They filmed the entire thing. Actually, they are filming all week and will be releasing a dvd celebrating 10 years at the BL in the near future. We got to hear a lot of old songs and old covers. It was a lot of fun. I ducked out during the encore. I had to get home in time to be at the office by 8:15 the next morning. Getting up Wednesday morning was a little painful (as was seeing a "guest" at the show last night).

I think I'm staying in until Saturday. I'm looking at another night at the BL for Charlie! Very excited to see his show and Jessica will be back in town before her break. Should be a fun night!

morning cancellation = blog time

2009-02-23T10:30:00.000-06:00

I exercised some restraint this weekend, and did not drive two hours south to see MMC. I went a bit of overboard with RK the latter part of last year, don't want that to happen with MMC, too. The overkill had no lasting effect, though, because I would love to see RK right now.

Instead, I caught up on the DVR (Conan!) and DVDs. Let's see, I watched: Body of Lies, Pride & Glory, and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (again). Body of Lies was good. I was completely annoyed by Russell Crowe's character throughout, but I suppose that's a good thing. Unlike my friend, Jamie, who thinks Leo can do no wrong, I'm always a little distracted when he's on screen. It's a little hard to separate the celebrity from the character. Anyway, the movie was dark and suspenseful and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I really liked Pride & Glory. Some story lines were never fully explored regarding the character's personal lives, but I liked it overall. I loved Edward Norton in the movie, I feel like it's been a while since I've seen him in something I enjoyed.

As much as I love movies, I don't find much joy in watching the Oscars. I recorded it and watched it in about 30 minutes. I fast-forwarded through the majority of it. I did like the format change, in which they honored all of the nominees. You could see in Anne Hathaway's face that hearing Shirley MacLaine speak so highly of her promise was an award in and of itself. That being said, I have no idea how Hugh Jackman was as the host. I completely missed the opening, was it good? I did LOVE the closing (and that is not said in a smart-ass way). I thought it was a fantastic way to build excitement for the upcoming releases of the year, like (500) Days of Summer and, of course, Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince! lol

New book: Waiter Rant, Thanks for the Tip - Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
So far, so good...

100

2009-02-18T20:45:00.002-06:00

This video is great for a few reasons, my top 2: the songs and the shirts! #13 is a definite fave...

BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.

Currently listening to: M. Ward's Hold Time, and Abbie Gardner/Anthony da Costa's Bad Nights/Better Days (I'm loving both)

2009-02-16T09:33:00.003-06:00

I'm sitting here at my desk, "working", on Presidents Day...and am bitter about it. LOL I don't really have much to work on in-office right now. Therefore, I'll be taking an online class today, since it appears I'll be here until noon (at least).

Random:

Here's a clip I found this weekend I've shared with some of you already. I love the commitment! Make sure you have the speakers on...

That's a good way to start a Monday, right?

bedtime...

2009-02-10T00:21:00.003-06:00

Quick post before I pass out:

Go listen to Abbie Gardner & Anthony da Costa! It's my current favorite...you know, besides RK. (*I changed the link to Heather's blog, since she has "Nothing Left to Hide" posted. It's fantastic.)

I had a fun trip down to Austin this past weekend. It was good to see everyone and the shows weren't bad, either.

Sad #1: Only 10 more Late Night w/Conan O'Brien episodes until he shuts down and moves to LA.

Latest book: Supreme Courtship, it's a fun, political novel. I'm flying through it.

Sad #2: We didn't get tickets to see Flight of the Conchords in Austin. :( Apparently, they sold out in around 10 minutes. *insert sad trombone here*

Latest podcast: You Look Nice Today, because the 60 minute escape Uhh Yeah Dude provides just isn't enough for the week.

2009-02-02T09:17:00.002-06:00

Friday was a whirlwind. The PG in-store bled right into dinner and then, it was off to the bar for a bit before the show. The second I stepped out of my car, I immediately regretted not wearing an actual coat to the show. It was around 38* at that time, and the temperature continued to fall. I missed the first 3 or so EYB songs, but got to hear "Enough is Enough", so I was happy. RRB took the stage and I was already sick of the crowd, the cold... I left with about 30 minutes left in their set to see Macon Greyson. The promise of good music, a smaller crowd, four walls, and heat was too much.

I didn't do much the remainder of the weekend. I worked on some files, watched movies and read my book, Schooled. The book is a fun, fast read...highly recommended if you like Gossip Girl/Mean Girls. I watched Eagle Eye and Stop-Loss this weekend. I also caught up on Friday Night Lights.

Eagle Eye was fine, not great but not awful. I enjoyed Stop-Loss, but that was probably due to the cast more than anything. You know how I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It was a little too Ryan Phillippe-centric...and, yes, I realize he was "the star" of the movie. However, I was just as interested in the peripheral characters' stories.

I'm looking at, what should be, an uneventful week of mediations, telephone conferences and in-office appointments.

2009-01-29T11:07:00.002-06:00

I really should have gone to bed early last night. I keep trying to find something to distract me, to keep my attention, but I am failing. I need to find time for a nap. These cases just aren't that riveting...

Up for tomorrow:

* in-store with Pat Green - should be fun for my nieces
* early dinner with some high school friends
* meet-up after with others for a few drinks before the show
* RRB/EYB show at the amphitheater (hoping it will be nice out)
* race to Jake's following the show to try to catch Macon Greyson

I usually don't get that much music in a few weeks, much less one day. We'll see how it goes. I'm fighting the urge to drive somewhere Saturday...

w o o - h o o

2009-01-28T00:35:00.000-06:00

I get a call tonight, instead of needing to be in the office at 8:30 tomorrow morning, D says to show at 9. Thanks a lot. LOL

2009-01-26T23:26:00.004-06:00

Today was a miserable day, weather-wise. It was freezing this morning. Then, the sleet mix hit, and finally came the fog. Now, we're experiencing a light snowfall. I really don't want to go to work tomorrow. I just want to watch movies and read the new book I picked up, Schooled. I've got a two hour drive for a final hearing. It should be a straight-forward hearing with maybe two or three witnesses, total. It's the word "should" that always screws you in the end.

I had a quiet weekend. We went out to a birthday dinner and I spotted someone that looked like Sweet D's twin (for the three of you who watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...I was tempted to throw a ball at her head). Apparently, Elvira was not stingy with the tequila behind the bar at dinner. I was in poor shape the rest of the night...like loopy and uncoordinated.

I woke around noon and wasn't sure that I wanted to know what was going on at Gruene Hall. A part of me was glad I didn't end up making the drive down. I haven't really had any down time since returning from Steamboat. The other part of me wanted to get in the car and drive as late as six that evening to see The Stragglers in Dallas. Oh well, there are other weekends... I'm not even sure what I did that night. Obviously, it was very exciting.

P.S. I think I finally kicked the Steamboat cough! *fingers crossed*

near the end...

2009-01-22T23:40:00.002-06:00

Thank goodness this week is almost over...I'll be so happy to put it behind me.

Random things that have entertained me in the recent weeks:

* The Deadspin Civil War's conclusion today - watch it, it's hilarious
* Fuck You, Penguin
* Secrettweet
* Rock of Love Bus (nothing but crazy people)
* Damages - I love that Timothy Olyphant is on this season, in addition to all the returning cast members.

Highlight of the day: Confirming I will be in Austin for the Acoustic Show

Re-post...

2009-01-20T22:19:00.002-06:00

My sister, Becky, posted about a project her friend's son is at the heart of, The Micah Project. I'd encourage everyone to visit the site and, should you be moved to make a donation, send it to:

Micah Johnson or "The Micah Project"
P.O. Box 453302
Garland, Texas 75045-3302

_________________________________

I'm still battling a cough that just doesn't want to die... Other than that, it's back to business as usual. I had a great weekend in Ft. Worth, Austin and New Braunfels. It was fantastic seeing everyone, and meeting some of you for the first time. I'm always up for a trip to Austin...no matter the reason. Seeing Django at the Mean Eyed Cat was highly entertaining. I almost talked myself into seeing the Motorcars again this weekend, but I have a birthday dinner to attend. Gruene Hall was great, as always. The company all weekend long was top-notch, I miss you guys.

This week, I'm (still) reading God Save the Fan by Will Leitch. I'd recommend it to any sports fan. I've spent much of the week listening to my podcasts (PTI, UYD, WWDTM) and (surprise!) Reckless Kelly.

2009-01-16T12:15:00.001-06:00

I got back into the swing of things at the office this week. Tuesday was my first day of work this year. Wednesday, I was back in court...same story Thursday. Today, I'm sitting here, with a goal of completing a CLE seminar online. I haven't even begun to listen...

I'm ready to leave. I know I just got home, but I'm ready for a weekend in Austin/New Braunfels. I haven't been to Gruene Hall in a few months...Saturday afternoon will be nice.

Overdue/under-developed Steamboat thoughts:

* Walt Wilkins' show at Bear River was worth every penny I spent on the trip. Physically, I was a wreck. I could feel myself getting sicker, but emotionally, it was the best thing you could ask for.

* Jack Ingram was the star of the week (and he was only there for the last 2 days). First, he headlined the outdoor show in white-out conditions wearing nothing more than a short-sleeved T and ski goggles. Second, he joined Walt Wilkins at the above-mentioned show and made me long for Acoustic Motel. Whether he was backed by a band or just sitting on a couch with his guitar, he was totally captivating.

* Be careful talking/shouting to people on balconies...you never know who it might be. LOL

* Option A or B, V says no....Wait! That's too many letters!!!

* Marshmallow guns, Wii, Mr. Bear, the Gondola Pub, Tim D-bag, red fox, Amber 'in da house', college mix, buttons, your sex is on fire, jello shots, queso at 2 in the morning, bumblebee, identify yourself!

* Band of Heathens completely won me over at the Bear River show. Apparently, the live show is where it's at...because I do not feel the same way with regard to the cd.

* It had been way too long since I'd seen Adam Hood. The second he started singing, I was already thinking about when I'd see him next.

3 more hours until I get to leave this place...looking forward to seeing some friends and hearing Charlie sing for a few hours this weekend.

2009-01-12T14:59:00.002-06:00

Oh, man. If you came here looking for great pictures of the trip to Steamboat, you're out of luck. I took *maybe* 30 pictures while I was there. I just enjoyed spending time with everyone and never really had the inclination to take many pictures. I know I was in pictures with other people, but I didn't really take any non-show pics besides a wayward trip home one night with Vegas...

I've decided that I can dish out the money to go to Steamboat and never set foot in the tent, and still leave happy. Allow me to qualify that. I loved seeing Stoney's show. He was ON. Bingham was great, too. I'd say the same for RRB, for the few songs I stayed at the tent to hear. RK was icing on the cake. I wasn't expecting to see them play while I was there. They were scheduled to play the extended set only. Thank goodness there was a change, and they were added to the last day of the festival. All that being said, as much as I loved the performances, I hated the setting. The location, the sound, the crowd...too much. I'm spoiled living in this relatively small city.

I'll post highlights later on...right now, I'm doped up, fighting my souvenir sinus infection.

new year...still procrastinating

2009-01-02T14:58:00.002-06:00

I hope you had a good NYE. Mine was very low-key, and that's fine with me. I am really just looking forward to leaving to Steamboat, I didn't give much thought to NYE. I had a few jello shots and a nice dinner with family.

(Sidenote - Graham Harrell came *this close* to scoring before the half ran out on him...that was a surprise.)

Instead of using this surprise day off wisely, I am watching the Cotton Bowl. Things I need to do: laundry, clean out the car, PACK, find my yaktrax, find gloves, round up all the phone/ipod chargers/books...and I'm sure there are a dozen other things.

I've had two free days (and I mean FREE) to get my stuff together for the trip. I have done nothing but read and play wii games. It's good to know that I can still procrastinate like I would when I needed to study for exams. LOL

I did pop in the office for all of about 30 seconds this morning. Everything that needed to be taken care of, I've done over the phone. Well, I've tried in vain to take care of it over the phone. How hard is it to tell me if an inmate is scheduled for release today? Fine, you were bombarded this morning... I'll call back this afternoon. Cut to five hours later, still haven't had the chance to check on the status? Are you freaking kidding me?! I have an idea, look.it.up.in.the.damn.computer! Sorry for the mini-rant. I just got off the phone with them a few minutes ago.

OK - I'm going to go clean out the car. It's halftime...

good decision...

2008-12-28T23:46:00.003-06:00

I got home from my quick trip to Dallas a few hours ago. I got to see Heather, Sarah, Jessica and Dawn...and Charlie, Mando Saenz, and Todd Snider. It will be the last show I see in 2008, and I can't think of a better one to round it out with. Sarah and I looked at each other during "Alright Guy" and both said that's the moment of the show tonight. Closing out the second encore with "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" wasn't a bad moment either. I said the same thing last year, and I'm saying it again this year... Todd Snider - probably the best show I saw all year. (That link takes you to the Flickr account of the photographer at the show...go straight to page 2 for the pics)

Hearing Todd Snider sing Alright Guy/I Believe You last night...the closest I can equate it to is hearing Walt Wilkins sing Songs About Texas/Poetry. Hearing the covers isn't quite the same...Todd Snider and Walt Wilkins take you some place completely different.

It was just a bonus getting to see Mando Saenz and Charlie open. I think the crowd had a positive reaction to Charlie's set, and it looks like he picked up a show before the night was over. LOL

I'm ready to leave to Colorado next week, but haven't even begun to gather my things to pack. I just want to be at the Tugboat already...

what I thought would be a slow week...

2008-12-22T09:27:00.003-06:00

What I thought would be a slow week is now, apparently, going to be filled with drafting documents. I am working today, tomorrow...and Wednesday is somewhat up in the air. (I'm thinking no...and I'll continue to press the issue.) Wednesday is the big family day for us. Most of the the family gatherings don't happen until the evening, but the office doesn't really have to know that. At least I'm working on an adoption. There are no ill-feelings involved in this one, and everyone involved will be better off in the end.

Recap of Saturday night:

I was to meet up with everyone at Fox & Hound to watch the Cowboys game. Just FYI: I hate NFL games. I have no interest in the Cowboys, or any other team for that matter. The only reason I have any sort of insight as to the team records and players is based on who I watched play in college and listening to my PTI podcasts and reading Deadspin. So, as you can imagine, I really didn't want to sit in a bar for four hours watching a game in which I had no interest. I could just flip back and forth on the tv at home for score updates, and to see how much longer it would be before I needed to head out to Wild West.

Instead of Fox & Hound, I watched Hockey Night in Canada...much more interesting. I saw the Penguins get slaughtered, but somehow manage to come away looking like a good team.

Finally, it was time to head to Wild West to see Jason Boland & the Stragglers!

The plan was to meet up for the show after the Dallas game. Yeah. I was alone at the bar for a good hour/ninety minutes. Oh well, I don't really mind. I brought in a few toys for the annual toy drive and waited for the band to take the stage. They were fantastic. I don't remember Jason ever sounding or looking better. I really missed seeing/hearing him. This was the first show I'd been to since the acoustic run last Christmas season. I think I heard everything I could have asked for, save for "Mary". The crowd was into the show, too. I wasn't sure what to expect with school out. The only drawback? No Brad f-ing Rice... I hope he has a speedy recovery. I can't wait to see them again at Steamboat. I believe mP said they're playing the Grand. That makes me happy. I'll take the Grand over the Tent any day.

* I forgot about the greatness that is "Big Shot Rich Man" live. It always reminds me of Becky's imitation of Jason. LOL

* Attending the show Saturday night was a bridal party. Nothing unusual there... Oh, wait. The bride and groom are here, too! I just wish I'd heard the conversation between them when plans for the wedding night were discussed.

I'm looking forward to celebrating Christmas and then taking a small trip to Dallas to see Heather, Charlie and Todd Snider. Should be a good one!

I hope you have a great holiday! Merry Christmas!

Working on Sunday...

2008-12-14T15:34:00.005-06:00

I'm finishing up some files that I have been pushing back for about ten days now. I wasn't helped by attending that hearing on Wednesday (edit - yeah, I meant Tuesday...). (Which has taken an even more disturbing turn, if you can believe that...) I'm playing catch up now, and hope to finish it by tomorrow afternoon.

Things that entertained/horrified me this week:

Story #1 (of my nightmares)

Story #2 (adding fuel to nightmares)

#3 (to balance out the above 2 clips)

#4 (a classic)

#5 Hi, I have a problem and can't stop reading Leitch's posts.

#6 I've also been watching Jimmy Fallon's prep for taking over Late Night in a few months. He still makes me laugh...especially Day 2, reading viewer comments.

I hope this week flies by. I have a Jason Boland & the Stragglers show to go to! I cannot wait to see them again.

exhausted

2008-12-09T21:17:00.002-06:00

Today wore me out, plain and simple. I found out yesterday that I would be going to a hearing this afternoon out of town. Fine. Whatever. The rest of the day I spent reviewing the case file, going over financial docs and calling the client to go over some details I was unsure about after going over the file.

The client came in this morning to go over the basics and to bring in verification of income, assets, and liabilities. Already, the details of the case were more muddled than I was initially led to believe. However, it came as no surprise. Whenever someone tells me "everything's agreed upon," I never trust it...because nothing is ever that simple! There's always just one. more. thing.

I spent the first chunk of the afternoon trying to work out an agreement. I knew it was unlikely, but I really wasn't looking forward to being in the courtroom with the opposing party. Unstable, to say the least. There had already been several outbursts and just generally erratic behavior, and I had no desire to subject myself, my client, or the court to the same.

We were running out of time and decided we'd reached an impasse. The actual hearing was fairly smooth. The reading of the judgment was another matter. I have never felt the need to ask a bailiff to escort me out of the courthouse before. I have had a bailiff and a judge impose such actions themselves, but I've never felt the need for it...before today. Holy cow! To say the opposing party was unhappy with the judgment would be an understatement. I couldn't wait to get out of there.

The day was mentally exhaustive and I was so glad to be home. Now, I'm winding down by finishing up The Shack (as Lori recommended) and listening to some Evan Dando. Just think, I get to wake up and do it all over again!

confession

2008-12-07T00:19:00.002-06:00

When it came to evidence questions in school, we would always ask ourselves the following: What would they do on Law & Order?

Seriously.

I'm watching this week's episode and it's one of those classic Jack McCoy story lines. Jack (Sam Waterston) takes everyone to task and the future role of his character is up in the air... I still love this show, 19 seasons in.

Yes. This is my Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I spent the rest of the day finishing half of my Christmas shopping and watching football games galore. It was a good day. :)

2008-12-05T23:52:00.003-06:00

A Friday at home. Nice, but not when I could be seeing MMC... *sigh*

If I had a little bit more notice, I am sure I would be standing at Woody's right now. I knew about the show, but I didn't know of anyone choosing MMC over RK/Jack video shoot in the Stockyards. The invitation came a little too late...

Oh, well. It's all for the best. I need to get my Christmas shopping done. I have 3 gifts. Only 1 is actually in my possession, the others are yet to be delivered. I stopped by the independent toy shop today to take a look around. I would blow my entire paycheck there if I could. I am going back tomorrow or some time next week to buy a few toys for The Stragglers' annual toy drive. I ask Monty the same question every year...what is the age range for the kids? Is it 5 and up? I'm not joking, I think I've asked him every year for the last five or six years. Anyone know?

I'm feeling much better and the head cold is almost completely cleared up. I'm sure it helped tons being in the bar Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Wednesday was entertaining, no doubt. The crowd was about 1/8 of the previous night's, but 100% more annoying. How is that even possible? Anyway, the setlist was great from RK. There were some awkward moments that had me laughing much of the night. I just don't think this person realizes how ridiculous their actions were...

Goal for the remainder of the month - get Sarah to speak to CS! Hahaha!

2008-12-03T17:22:00.002-06:00

I had a good time last night. Packed doesn't begin to describe the venue. People on the railings on the staircases, behind the glass... I can't even remember all the songs played, but a few things stick out in my memory:

* Randy covering Keith Whitley's "When You Say Nothing at All"
* Cody singing "Back Around" - never. gets. old.
* Cody singing "Broken" - just haven't heard it in a while
* Wade singing just about anything/everything requested of him
* STP
* Some dancing that cannot be described
* Finishing out the night with Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings"
* What's that guy's name? Brady? Hahahaha
* It's your job tonight to keep him OFF stage
* FAIL

I am ready to head right back up there tonight to see RK. Since I couldn't make the acoustic show Sunday, there's no way I'm missing the show tonight.

stupid sore throat

2008-12-01T00:38:00.004-06:00

I'm sitting at home when I thought I'd be in Denton seeing two Brauns and Stoney. Not exactly the ending to the weekend I'd wished for...

The holiday "break" was just a series of one thing after another, not much of a break. We had a great time Saturday at the Tech/Baylor game. However, I'm sure that's why I'm sitting here now instead of being at the show with everyone. The weather was fantastic the first half and was bone-chilling at the beginning of the 3rd.

The game was much better than I thought it would be. I was positive it would be a blowout by the half. Good for Baylor. Robert Griffin was amazing. The runs he made, the tackles he was able to evade...it was a joy to watch. Admittedly, it was so much fun to watch because I really didn't have a rooting interest in the game. I was more worried about the game later that night. (And, yes, I wore my OU shirt to the Tech game.)

We hit the anniversary party for a few hours. I made two trays of jello shots and didn't get to have a single one! I made up for that at the next party stop. We arrived at the house and the drinking began immediately. The game was in the 3rd, card games in the dining room, a lotto/drinking game for everyone in the house, and seeing friends and family...it was a good time. I am fairly sure I cleared at minimum a dozen jello shots. The number of beers consumed is unclear. I stayed away from my vodka sours, so no pain this morning. Well, no paid aside from a mildly irritating scratchy throat.

That scratchy throat escalated by the early afternoon to a low-grade fever and just feeling crappy. I made the hard decision to not make the drive to the show. I didn't want it to get worse or infect anyone else. I have a hearing set for Wednesday that I'd really like to dispose of without delay. Plus, Tuesday night Randy/Wade/Cody are in town for the More Acoustic Healing Tour and Wednesday RK is in town. I am crossing my fingers that I will be feeling better by then.

Originally, I'd planned for half a day off tomorrow but I think I'll take the entire day and rest up. Aside from a few calls, I don't have anything I need to go in to the office to complete.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and has a great week ahead.

OH YEAH - YAY for the Sooners! Thanks to their great play late in the season, they are headed to the Big 12 Championship game this coming weekend against Missouri.

2008-11-26T15:22:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

I've got the entire family thing going on tomorrow. Tomorrow night, we're heading to see the late showing of Twilight. My sister and I are waking up early to buy a few things, but nothing crazy on Friday morning. Saturday, heading out to the Tech/Baylor game. (The change in atmosphere in LBK is ridiculous following the loss in Norman to my Sooners. I feel bad for the team, they've had a great season and people are acting like all is lost. I would never say this to my dad, though. Hahaha!) Saturday evening, there's a family party and then later that night another family birthday celebration. Those are code for drinking, drinking, and jello shots. At some point Sunday, I'll be heading out to Denton for the Micky/Willy/Stoney acoustic show and to see some great friends. What better way to end the month?

2008-11-24T21:39:00.003-06:00

Quick summary of the weekend:
* Quiet Friday night
* Gameday!
* Twilight

I traveled back to Norman last weekend. It was great to be back. There were new buildings, new bars, restaurants, but it still felt like home.

I spent the majority of the weekend with close friends and their families. We spent some time on campus and the majority of the afternoon on Campus Corner. I missed Beth, which I am sad about. She was at La Luna and we were at Victoria's...literally steps away. Ridiculous. I crossed paths with some friends and one pop singer unexpectedly. ;) I allowed Curt's aunt to pour a few of my drinks...I couldn't breathe after the first sip. I'm glad Curt had the same reaction...I thought I might be the weak one. Jamie, as always, was a great hostess. It was great to see her with Ellie and to spend the day hearing about what's going on with her.

We were joined by Jamie a little later in the afternoon, after what seems like an inordinate number of changes to our plans. I was avoiding texts asking where we were because I don't think I was ready to subject myself to 4 hours at one of the tailgate parties. We made it there eventually, just an hour and a half or so prior to kickoff. It was fantastic to see everyone...I just didn't have the energy to spend all afternoon there. I think everyone was stunned by how lopsided the game was at halftime. The entire town was buzzing. It was freezing, but other than that, the night was perfect.

Sunday we met up at Jamie's and had lunch then headed to see Twilight. I've read how some of you guys felt over on GW. I liked it. In fact, I'll be going to see it again with my sister and some cousins. The only thing I had to put out of my mind was how obvious it was that RPattinson studied at the James Dean school of acting to prepare for the role. I mean, really, if you've seen Rebel Without A Cause recently it's a little hard to ignore. I read a few comments on entertainment sites stating something similar...so, at least I know I'm not crazy. Ultimately, it didn't detract from the movie. As the story unfolded, the performance improved. I walked away having enjoyed it. The only casting I took issue with was Rosalie. Everyone else I found to fall in line with what I'd imagined while reading the books. There could have been more Emmett and Jasper, but there's always a sacrifice when a book is adapted into a movie.

Things from the weekend:
* How DARE they?!
* Everyone here is so civil...
* Harrell wears Jorts
* I Dreamed It...In My Head...we would lose
* This is Crazy!!!
* His chariot finally arrived?
* Phone book
* Tech That
* Green Man
* JB: I do like him.
JW: Yeah...ya think?! hahahaha

Why do I find this so funny?

2008-11-18T14:58:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure what I would do if someone were yelling these things at me while I was walking down the sidewalk, waiting outside school, hanging out at the park... I do know that if I was riding in the car, I'd be dying laughing.

2008-11-14T13:42:00.002-06:00

It was a fairly early night for me last night. It was nice to see Owen Temple again. I like a lot of the new songs live. It's like you always tell someone they have to see Bingham live, the cds don't do him justice. I feel the same way about Owen Temple, the emotion's more evident sitting in the same room with him singing. We were sitting to the bar side, so the sound wasn't the best. I still loved it, though. His voice and his choice of covers were great.

I ducked out when they took a break a little after midnight. I had to get some sleep, and still do...

Tonight Cory Morrow is at the Blue Light. I have no idea if this is an acoustic show, full band or what... I do know two things: it will be crowded and I won't be there. I keep going back and forth in my mind thinking I should go, but I know I'll miss it and be just fine with that tomorrow morning.

Sarah called me for 3 or 4 songs from Charlie's show at Gruene last night. They sounded great, but it made me wish for nothing more than to be there instead of here...

random...

2008-11-11T11:51:00.002-06:00

The courthouses in all the surrounding counties are closed. This leaves me little to do today. I'm hoping D comes into my office and says we're closing it up early today.

* I think I f'ed up my knee again a few weeks ago. I was playing Wii with Lauryn last night. The side to side moves during tennis were when I'd feel the twinge most. (I beat her soundly, by the way... Who cares if she's just 5? Hahaha)

* I've spent the morning on Deadspin and reading articles from The Washington Post. This one in particular: A Butler Well Served by This Election.
Busy, busy, busy...

* I've also done some searching for Christmas gifts for the family. I found an awesome game that I almost *have* to buy for my nieces...so what if my sister and I will like it just as much?

* I'm hoping to get out to see Owen Temple at the Blue Light Thursday. I know the last time I saw him, he was at a show and I got a chance to talk with him. It's been too long since I've heard him sing.

* Friday, I think Brandon Rhyder's in town...it might be Saturday. Either way, I'll be there.

Text from President Bush's Veterans Day Proclamation:

On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the men and women who in defense of our freedom have bravely worn the uniform of the United States.

From the fields and forests of war-torn Europe to the jungles of Southeast Asia, from the deserts of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan, brave patriots have protected our Nation's ideals, rescued millions from tyranny, and helped spread freedom around the globe. America's veterans answered the call when asked to protect our Nation from some of the most brutal and ruthless tyrants, terrorists, and militaries the world has ever known. They stood tall in the face of grave danger and enabled our Nation to become the greatest force for freedom in human history. Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard have answered a high calling to serve and have helped secure America at every turn.

Our country is forever indebted to our veterans for their quiet courage and exemplary service. We also remember and honor those who laid down their lives in freedom's defense. These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice for our benefit. On Veterans Day, we remember these heroes for their valor, their loyalty, and their dedication. Their selfless sacrifices continue to inspire us today as we work to advance peace and extend freedom around the world.

2008-11-09T21:48:00.003-06:00

Watching Skins...

I didn't do much of anything this weekend. I read a few chapters of a new book, SNOOP: What Your Stuff Says About You. I also started reading the draft of Midnight Sun. More Edward to pass the time until the movie release...

Friday - I never got to that matinée showing of Role Models. I ended up having to go to the county jail. Quite a trade-off... That ranks right up there with my least favorite things about my job.

Saturday - I woke entirely too early, but don't remember doing anything productive. I watched tons of college football and hockey that night. The Tech game was a big deal at mom and dad's house. Dad, of course, is all about his Red Raiders. He's recruited one of the nieces to his side. I knew that a Tech win would be good for OU, but honestly, it's easier to deal with a disappointing OU season than listening to my dad talk about Tech incessantly. The next two weeks are sure to be the longest in recent memory.

The Alabama/LSU game was crazy! I was flipping back and forth between that and the OU/A&M game. It would have been something to see LSU win after that blocked field goal...but, it just wasn't meant to be.

Steamboat's so close I can't stand it... I am ready to leave, like yesterday.

weekend on I-35

2008-11-05T10:46:00.004-06:00

Technically, I guess my weekend bled into early Monday morning, but whatever...the 15+ hours spent in the car were completely worth it.

Friday night in the Depot District can be summed up in one word: Ridiculous.

Saturday: I woke up early to head out to Dallas for Sara's baby shower. I got to see some of my favorite people for a few hours. Thanks to Heather and Cori for a great setting, and I hope Sara enjoyed the afternoon...because I know the night didn't turn out as she'd hoped. (Sorry, Sara! Well, you know, not really.) Bonus - I got to see Jocelyn's wound. It wasn't nearly as bad as I'd pictured in my head after reading the tweets. Thank goodness.

Next up? Waco. I would be meeting with Sarah at my sister's house. To pass the time, I talked with Rob and my sister, Monica. Rob was as entertaining as always and I need to find time to visit. Monica was amped up for the game, and shooting verbal daggers at family members who dared root for Tech...not even the kids were spared from this. LOL I got to Becky and Brady's about an hour or so before Sarah, so hung out with them for a while. We watched whatever college football game was on and the beginning of the Texas/Tech game.

Sarah arrived and we headed for New Braunfels. Amber ended up meeting us at Gruene Hall for the Motorcars' first headlining show there. The show was perfect. There was a good, responsive crowd out. The good music mixed with the texts updating the score of the OU/Nebraska and Texas/Tech games made for a great night. I think Rebs' were the most entertaining... (Alas, no tequila at Gruene Hall.) It was nice to see a good crowd out for MMC, nicer to just say hi...I feel like I haven't seen them in a LONG time. Random stories, ripping down posters and being the last few left in the bar, as usual...

Lunch with Suzy on Sunday and back out on the road for the benefit in Waco. Sarah, Nikki and I stopped in at Becky and Brady's before heading to the show. Nikki didn't get her wish for baby-time, but we had fun. The show itself was definitely worth the price of admission. I would have paid that for the opening set featuring Stoney and Randy. A little trouble with the lyrics for RR at one point, but I think the candy made up for it. Hahaha! Wade's set was great. I haven't seen a full band show in months. They played a great mix of old and new. CCRW then took the stage. What can I say? It was fantastic to see them with a crowd of a few hundred people (if that). I loved every second of it...they were joined at some point or another by RR, Stoney, Rodney Pyeatt, WB and Wade's dad, Jim. Sarah and I left as the encore was starting. No doubt it was great, but I did have a long drive ahead of me.

The best thing about the weekend was getting to see everyone and meet some new people.

Finally...

2008-11-04T11:17:00.002-06:00

Election Day emotions - excited/anxious

Weekend wrap-up later...for now:

The most vivid election night memory I have is the 2000 Bush/Gore election. I stayed up until 3 or 4 in the morning. I remember flipping back and forth between the big three networks and CNN; Dan Rather and his "Ratherisms", Tim Russert and his dry erase board...

Going to class the next day, all prep the professors had was thrown out the window. The election was all that was discussed, whether we were in Ethics, Criminal Law, or Legal Writing. The most interesting was Constitutional Law. Now, the case of Bush v. Gore is discussed in Con Law for it's ruling regarding the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. I particularly remember Tracey being livid about the results. Bill and I had talked over the summer before heading back to school and he said something like, "I'm voting based on the social issues, I'm scared what might happen if the election were to go the other way. I'm voting for you and every other woman." I remember laughing at this, because if you know Bill...you would laugh too. It sounded like a bad pickup line. However, I know he was being completely honest in one of his reasons.

Who knew everything that would transpire in the following 8 years? The liberties conceded in the name of security have been scary. I hope there's a way to swing it back the other way. I understand there are viable threats to this country. I understand that some encroachment of our personal rights and liberties is necessary to ensure our security. However, the "it's in the best interest of the country" argument has been used too often without question to expand on said encroachments. I hope this is one of the issues that the next President addresses, whether it be McCain or Obama. Too much was given without looking at the long term costs...

2008-10-31T00:10:00.002-05:00

Who knew the number of people that google the lyrics to Pat Green's "Let Me"! Holy cow...
__________________________

Election Countdown: 4 days!
__________________________

I am ready for the weekend.

Friday: Halloween Party at the Blue Light w/Charlie
Saturday: Sara's baby shower, a trip down to New Braunfels for some MMC
Sunday: a trip up to Waco for WB Benefit and then the drive home

I'm so glad I'm going to be gone for game day. I have had my fill of commentary about the Texas/Tech game. Traffic is going to be a nightmare around campus. They're blocking off all roads leading to Memorial Circle to make way for ESPN's College GameDay crew. That should be fun.

I picked up The Host today from the library. I wonder if it's as fast a read as the Twilight books. (21 days until the movie!) I think I've convinced my cousins and my sister to go watch it that Friday. Although, I still think Cedric Diggory rather than Edward Cullen when I see Robert Pattinson.

one week...

2008-10-28T09:26:00.003-05:00

Can I just say how glad I am that this election season is in the home stretch? Try as I might, I still read some comments incredulously. It's not the attacks on substantive matters, it's the debasing of others with generalizations and personal attacks. 7 days...

____________________________

After reading Ryan's latest post, I began wondering when did I first hear Ryan Bingham? I can't remember. It's been a few years. I remember a day in the parking lot of the Starplex (or whatever it was called back then) with everyone and Wishbone Saloon making an appearance. How long ago was that? I get my PG concerts confused...I can't distinguish the big Dallas/Houston shows anymore in my mind. I do remember seeing Stoney play the VIP tent that day. I'm almost positive that was the Dallas show.

Anyhow, I want to say that it was just before then that I actually became aware of his music. I'm sure it was through Joni at one of the Clubhouse Concerts. I have vivid memories of a more recent Clubhouse Easter Sunday concert (2005) with Randy and Brady playing...and who should happen to be at the show? Ryan and Stoney. That was a great show.

Even though I can't quite remember the specifics of it all, I have great memories of past shows/encounters with his music. Just this past week they re-aired the appearance on Late Night. Today, he'll be recording his appearance on Austin City Limits. That's quite a leap from the show at The Spoon here in LBK.

2008-10-26T21:47:00.004-05:00

I headed out to the Blue Light to meet Jessica for Ryan James' show. We had a great time...and so did he. Hahaha! RJ's onstage comments were priceless. The place was packed, great crowd out to see the show. I ran into a few unexpected people out in front and then walking around trying to get to the game room. Afterward, we looked at some baby pics and checked some dance moves. This was almost as entertaining as the show itself. The only downside of the show? Ryan behind the drums = No Ryan dancing while covering "Pink Cadillac"!

Saturday morning, I woke up entirely too early. I picked up Jessica early in the afternoon to go to the wedding. Veronica looked great and Manuel looked equal parts nervous and giddy. Jessica and I were commenting on how we hoped he didn't lock his knees up there. The weather was beautiful, the wind held up until they made their exit from the church.

We headed to the reception downtown and followed the final minutes of the Texas game via iphone and blackberry updates. The last 49 seconds were painful. My nieces and Ben entertained us for the remainder of the reception. Ben's hypothetical toast would have played great in front of their high school crowd. If only he didn't censor himself.

The plan for Saturday night was to head out to the Daiquiri Lounge to see Benn's band. First, I had to stop off by the bookstore. I get a call, asking where I am...there's drinking going on. This leads to the following text message exchange:

Eric: Where are you?

Me: Bookstore on a Saturday night. Woo!

Eric: Bookstore?! You better bring your ass!

Me: Yeah, yeah...I'll meet y'all there

OK - I fully intended to go. I made the mistake of stopping at my sister's house. What can I say?Her yawns were contagious! I left her place a little before 11. I came to the intersection and chose to turn right instead of left towards the bar. That led to even more text messages throughout the night. I. was. beat.

I haven't done much of any consequence today. I'm looking forward to this week, though...another trip looming.

I'm regressing...

2008-10-23T22:45:00.005-05:00

I sat and watched Soundstage on PBS tonight. I was as happy as a teenage girl to see Dashboard Confessional as the week's performers. Hearing Chris Carrabas made me happy tonight. It was a happy coincidence, I listened to the Unplugged 2.0 cd the last part of the drive home today.

Plans for the weekend:
* Ryan James @ the BL (2x in one week!)
* Manuel & Veronica's wedding; maybe head back out to the BL afterwards?
* Lay low Sunday, maybe catch up on some reading

Quick trip down to Austin for work. I stayed for the Ryan James/RK show at Hill's...nice bonus. It was great to see everybody. It had been too long since I'd seen some of them. We got one step closer to resolving the case. RK had a nice acoustic set (I loved that they played "Black & White"). It would have been great, minus the multiple d-bags in attendance. Sarah tried to hold down the fort as long as she could. (hahaha) I'm not even going to go into my monumentally stupid decision to pack an OU t-shirt. Yeah, that didn't draw any attention... Thank goodness tomorrow's Friday...it's been quite a week.

let me be the one who sets your feet upon a road where you've never been....

2008-10-17T09:42:00.006-05:00

Tons of new music the past month or two and I am just now getting time to listen to a few of them. I keep neglecting the new for the familiar... When you find something you like, it's hard to break away, right?

Anyway, I can't tell you how great it is to hear Ray LaMontagne's Gossip in the Grain cd. It's a definite change from most of the stuff I've been listening to lately. I still haven't managed to listen to REK's Marfa show he has up for download on his site. Nor have I listened to Todd Snider's Peace Queer more than one time through. I keep going back to RK's Bulletproof, or RK in general and RRB's latest with a little Rollercoaster thrown in.

The one thing that surprises me is that I cannot stop listening to PG's single, "Let Me". I can't tell you how good it is to have PG back in my ears. Whether the song is from 2 months or 10 years ago...it's been getting a lot of play on the ipod. I finally broke down and bought the single off Amazon yesterday. Remember what I said about familiarity earlier?

I started a new book this week, The Betrayal: The Lost Life of Jesus. It's a novel written by two archaeologists. Sounds thrilling, right? Here's the description from Amazon:

There is an alternate story of the life of Jesus. One the early Church fathers found so menacing they outlawed the books that documented it, ordered them burned, and threatened anyone found copying them with death. International bestselling authors and award-winning archaeologists Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear put more than thirty years of exhaustive research into this fascinating novel.

In A.D. 325, Brother Barnabas is a student of the ancient holy texts. These books paint a portrait of Jesus that is radical, heretical, and irresistible. In the writings of Mary Magdalene, Phillip, and James, Barnabas finds clues to a secret he must protect at all costs. But the Ecumenical Council of Bishops has just declared his cherished books "a hotbed of manifold perversity." Emperor Constantine has decreed that the documents must be burned and that anyone found copying them will be executed as a heretic.

Barnabas's monastery is attacked. Brother Barnabas flees with his trusted companions, but they are being followed, for the True Church cannot allow them to find the most sacred place on Earth. In fact, it will do anything to stop them...

The endnotes alone are worth the read...which is where I learned some new facts.

It was great to see everyone last weekend! I don't have much planned for this weekend besides dinner and a night out for my cousins' birthdays. Something interesting usually happens, we'll see what happens this year.

I hope you have a great weekend!

2008-10-13T16:16:00.000-05:00

I have a PDR deadline coming up on 10/24 that, apparently, I am not too worried about.

It's been a slacker's paradise in the office today. I can't believe we're actually open. I don't recall having to work on Columbus Day while working here. Oh, well. I can't actually call what I've done today working. A few phone calls to the DA's office; phone conference with a judge and a few proposals drafted. I'm bored bored bored.

Next week looks a little nasty, but I think I'm going to be able to move some things around to accommodate my plans. That is, if someone would ever *gasp* make an appearance in their office... Grrr. I don't even want to get into how ironic it is that I'm having problems with this particular office. If I was allowed to deal directly with the assistants, all would be golden...

Kings of Leon's Only By the Night is rocking...if you like their sound, you'll love the new cd. It's been yet another distraction today.

2008-10-09T09:50:00.002-05:00

With the election less than 30 days away and many calling the election already, I start getting uneasy. This isn't due to what pundits are shouting or any late-breaking news. It's the thought in the back of my mind... You know that for all the support candidates receive leading up to Election Day, the percentage of people who actually show up to exercise their right to vote is going to be lower than you think it will. I don't understand it. I can't wrap my brain around letting others have a say in your life (to whatever degree), while you stand aside. Regardless of which candidate or party you support, I hope you make a visit to your polling place on Nov. 4th.

The courting of the young vote has been more apparent this time around. I think it's all fine and dandy that there are more young people registered to vote in this election...blah, blah, blah. However, what good is it to be registered if you don't actually show up to vote?

I was watching the Late Late Show earlier this week and Craig Ferguson had an outstanding monologue regarding this subject. The entire segment was great, but FFWD to 6:25 if you're interested in hearing his thoughts on the subject. To hear someone like Ferguson, a new citizen to the United States, speak about the power of voting is something you'd hope every person learns in a basic civics/government class.

Odds & Ends

2008-10-06T13:48:00.003-05:00

- Becky and Brady took Nolan this weekend to 'sit' for some pictures. Avery took the photographs, and they came out great. You can go to Photography by Avery to see the pics. Nolan's pics are in the first post on the page.

- Remember all that rain a few weeks back, when the stadium (along with other things) was flooded? Well, the result has been a boom in the mosquito population. I cannot wait for the first freeze!

- As I drove to Denton last week, I took highway 114. It's much shorter than taking the interstate and I wasn't in a real hurry. I was passing through all these little towns that are still left with entire fields of standing water. I have no idea what the recoup time is for something like that, or what the long-term effect will be. I was astonished at how many 'lakes' I came across driving 114. I did see a huge statue of a gorilla out in the middle of one of these new lakes...bizarre, to say the least.

- Bambi almost killed me driving to Denton. I'd forgotten about it until the next day. I was somewhere between Seymour and Decatur. The car in the oncoming lane flashed its brights, I guess to call my attention to the deer. Well, the only thing they succeeded in doing was calling my attention to their lights. Then I flash back to the roadway in front of me to *just* miss the backside of the deer. Too close...minor panic attack...all was good by the time I got to Denton.

2008-10-06T08:58:00.003-05:00

I woke up at the insane time of 3:55 a.m. I fell asleep last night without seeing the final fifteen minutes of Skins and Mad Men is still on the DVR. Apparently, I was worn out. From what, I have no idea.

I don't have too much going on this week in the office. The trial concluded Thursday afternoon, going just a little longer than I thought. Now, I'm tying up some loose ends on a few other cases.

I'm looking forward to the trip to Dallas on Friday. Although, I'm a little jealous that Jessica is going to be seeing Ryan Adams on Saturday night. Wouldn't you know that the first time Hayes Carll stops in for Raidergate we'd both be out of town?

Here's to a good week and I hope I get to see some of you this weekend.

hmmm...

2008-09-30T23:18:00.003-05:00

I seriously need to commit to a plan...in more than one area, but this is specific to the next two weekends.

I am going to Denton Thursday. That is certain.

Absent a certain phone call, I would be fine sticking with the original plan. Now, though, I'm thinking of waiting until the Nebraska game... We'll see.

Driving home today, Stubbs called and asked if I was in for OU/Texas. I was planning on passing this year. I'm not really sure why, but I just wasn't really feeling up to it. Now, the seed's been planted...how can I say no? It will be great to see the regular OU/Texas group, Stubbs, Bill, Trav, Scotty, and Rob. Plus, I'm almost positive Beth and Wade are flying in. It would also be great to see Jake and Brooke...and whoever else we happen to run into over the course of the weekend. I'm not committing just yet, but the draw is definitely there. (Nevermind the fact that RK will be playing Friday at the AAC Plaza and Stoney and MMC are at the Palladium Ballroom...lol. Ridiculous. I know.)

The trial has been going as well as can be expected. I got out of there the past two days around four, thankful for the break. Today was the worst of it...it can only get better, right?

What did I do this weekend?

2008-09-28T23:57:00.003-05:00

* Finished book 3 and am halfway through book 4
* Slept 13 hours Friday night/Saturday morning
* Hung out with the family
* Got ACL updates from Jessica and a photo of Gordo
* Family dinner Saturday night and after-dinner margaritas
* Didn't go see Wade and the boys
* Got a call from Vegas @ Venice Beach, trying to convince me to take a trip in November
* Checked flights to LV and LAX
* Watched tons of college football

Nothing very exciting... Ready for the work week to start so I can head out of town for a little while come Thursday.

fighting sleep...

2008-09-24T23:10:00.002-05:00

I've been waking up earlier than usual this week, and been fighting to stay awake later to finish up some things to prep for next week. I think I finished all the big things today, thank goodness.

The trial next week is going to be harrowing. Thank goodness I am not the lead. I just did the majority of the grunt work. Even that left a bad taste in my mouth. I hate the case. I hate the hours upon hours I've spent listening to police interviews; reviewing medical records; looking at photographs; comparing x-rays and CT scans. I wish I could delete it from my memory.

Right now, I'm watching Letterman lay into John McCain. What were they thinking? Ouch...

Tomorrow night: Miss Lauryn has her first school recital, so that's what my Thurs night holds

Jessica is trying to talk me into a trip to ATX... Problem: I have no ACL passes, and really no desire to go, other than to see Bingham and the Foo Fighters. Yes, Shooter's in town...so that's a plus. However, I don't think it's going to happen. I have to get back to Oklahoma...and next weekend it's calling my name. :)

woo-hoo! friday!

2008-09-19T00:25:00.004-05:00

I've been pretty bored all week at work, or just plain disgusted. Neither of those is a good thing.

Things going on this week:

* New nephew! Nolan was born Monday night. You can see pics here.
* Obsession with the Jonathan Tyler & Northern Lights cd. I've had it for at least 4 months, but am just now giving it much attention.
* Trying to avoid listening to the audio from some interviews. I just can't detach my feelings from the situation enough. I had to shut it off after 33 minutes yesterday. That leaves another 2.5 hours. I guess that's what I'll do tomorrow just to get it over with.
* Decided once and for all that I do not have the stomach for criminal law.
* Family law presented a problem this afternoon, too. Sometimes things just really suck for all sides. If everyone could take a step back and see that there's a reasonable compromise underneath all the hurt, it would be so much better.
* Welcome distractions: The Bonnie Hunt Show, the return of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (so wrong, so funny...I was crying earlier tonight from laughing).

Tomorrow I'll be cutting out of work an hour or two early to hit the road to see the baby. I'm looking for something to do this weekend...woody's? manchaca? nada? It will definitely be a game time decision.

I hope that the people affected in the Houston/Gulf area see some sort of return to their normal lives.

tell me those stories I adore...

2008-09-15T10:35:00.004-05:00

...about all your voices you try to ignore

- Tall Tale, Charlie Shafter

I got a text from Deidre last night. She'd walked into Adair's and said THE Charlie Shafter Band was playing and she thought of me. I'm not sure that it's a good thing that for many people I am reflexively connected with them. Hahaha... Do I talk about them that much? More than RK or RRB?

Anyway, I was happy that Deidre got to see the show and that she likes them, too. Originally, I planned to see them at Gruene Hall next Thursday. I thought, "Why not?" I'll already be headed that way to see Becky, Brady and the new nephew, Nolan. Well, that changed this morning. It looks like I'll be going this coming weekend to the Waco area. Mom called and said Becky was headed for the hospital.

Run down:
Thursday/Friday morning: water, water everywhere

Heather sent me this picture, which I had missed:

Obviously, the drainage system in the stadium was pretty good since the game went on as scheduled. The roads home were almost impassible. The courthouse was closed the next day due to flooding and the likelihood of more rain on Friday.

Friday:

Gloomy day, but never more than a few scattered showers throughout the morning. The plan was to work from home and then head to see RK for an in-store performance. Well, stuff happens. I ended up shopping for my cousin's birthday, taking my nieces to the library, doing a little more research and realizing the afternoon was gone. I never even attempted to go to the show.

I call the amphitheater to make sure RK and RRB are still on for the night. They say it's still on. I am flying solo. Jessica was on her way to Dallas to see the Eagles in concert with her family on Saturday night. Chris was who knows where. Elvira was working. Eric and Emily? No idea. Kristi? No idea. Michelle and Mana? They thought it was Saturday night. At this point I have to admit I didn't call anybody before heading out. I figured the odds were good that I would know someone there among the thousands of people. Well, all I can say is Thank God for Brad. I didn't know a single soul there (Well, I didn't see anyone I knew until the last 10 minutes of the RRB set).

The RK set was great, as always. There was a time I thought they would walk from the stage because of a few bottles being tossed...never made contact, but came very close. I'm trying to remember the specifics of the setlist, but I clearly remember Guy Like Me, Castanets, and 52 Vincent. I would go see them anytime, anywhere.

RRB was fun. They played the new stuff, including Never Be That High, which I hadn't heard live before. The crowd seemed to have a good response, but they went absolutely crazy for KMITD. Still amazes me...to see all those people there for RRB.

I found out that 75 people or so showed for RK's in-store performance. I totally could have made it. Brad said there was some sort of mix-up with the production company and the show ran like 3 hours late. Daaammmnnit! (À la GDV) He assured me I didn't miss much.

Saturday: College football and Christopher's first game of the season in his youth football league. Christopher is the younger cousin I took to see The Dark Knight. Not only was this his first game, he was named QB and was celebrating his birthday. Big day. Following his win (32-6), we had his birthday dinner and party. He cleaned up re: football gear, video games, and cash.

I'm not really sure what I did after leaving my aunt and uncle's house. Wait, I watched SNL. Tina Fey returning to portray Sarah Palin was the highlight.

Sunday: a whole lotta nothing

In my dreams I remember every feature, 'til I wake up to an imaginary creature...

- Tall Tale, Charlie Shafter

I've spent the better part of the last week reading the first two books of the Twilight series. I have book 3 waiting in the wings until lunchtime. Rebs posted a tweet asking Trisha and I if we've had any Edward dreams. I wouldn't go that far, but the second book sure was great at developing a longing to hear from his character. The books are totally geared toward a younger set, but I enjoy them just as much as my cousin, Dione, a high school senior. I am counting down to the movie (even if it did bump my Harry Potter movie until next summer...), ready to get lost in the next book, and not really wanting to finish the fourth anytime soon.

2008-09-11T23:58:00.000-05:00

The rain from earlier continues. It will continue to fall the rest of the night until 4:30 this morning according to the weather reports. The playa lakes have exceeded their limits, the streets are a mess. Driving home, I never went faster than 20 mph and usually in a single lane of traffic due to the flooding. The standing water was well over a foot in some areas. According to the reports, thunderstorms will hit the region again tomorrow evening. I'm not sure how much more rain we can take.

___________________________

I didn't want the day to pass without acknowledging the day in some fashion.

things I've done today:

2008-09-11T14:41:00.003-05:00

1. Nothing actually related to my profession

2. Acted as the IT person in the office. Seriously, I spent much of the morning setting up the network between the computers in the office and adding a wireless router for the front office because...well, I'm not sure why. I should get a bonus for that. IT guys get paid at least $75 bucks for basic installation, right?

3. Positive note: All the computers are successfully connected and available throughout the network. Negative note: For some unknown reason, the printer connected to the front administrative computer will not work! WHY? It is not hooked up to the network, just the local computer. The network connections had nothing to do with this printer and its connection to the computer...I'm at a loss. The printer is ancient, though. I think it's time for a new one. It's seriously one of the first laser printers that was widely available. I don't think buying a replacement is out of the question...at least that's what I'll be saying when I talk to D later today. lol

4. I've watched the rain fall outside my window for much of the day. I've been watching the street flood bit by bit. Should be a fun drive home. (I hope all you Houston/Gulf residents are prepared and have adequate shelter and provisions!)

5. Listened to Jenny Lewis' cd, Acid Tongue, on her myspace page. I can't get into the falsetto voice she employs on some of the tracks, but overall I really like it.

6. Wondering where Ryan Bingham is going to be this Friday. I don't usually spend time thinking about this...just FYI. I was looking around Craigslist last night and found a posting for Kalf Fry tickets tomorrow. The ad listed the following artists: Reckless Kelly, Randy Rogers Band, and Ryan Bingham. Excuse me? I have no idea if that's true or not...but how I hope it is.

From Sara, Heather, Suzy, Steph, Sarah...and everyone else that did it:

I AM…still sleep-deprived.
I WANT…a sleeper couch in my office.
I HAVE…more than I probably need.
I KEEP…thinking about that damn printer up front. It will haunt me until I figure out why it's not working.
I WISH I COULD…turn the thermostat up. It's freezing in here.
I HATE...reading political threads and the inevitable insults that result. What's so wrong with agreeing to disagree?
I FEAR...the coyotes in my parents' yard. They have taken to getting on the roof of the house via the storage shed/trees of mom and dad's next door neighbor. The tree extends over the fences and reaches the roof. The tree's like the Bering Strait or something. The family of foxes were fine. Coyotes...not so much.
I HEAR...The Damnwells' "Texas". It's still one of my favorite songs.
I DON’T THINK...tomorrow night is going to go as planned. There's a 90% chance of rain. FAN-tastic! If they try to cram 4000 people into the covered theater, I'm not going to be happy.
I REGRET…nada. If you changed something, who knows where you'd be now.
I LOVE… good times, detours, my favorite people, thunderstorms, books, laughing at lex and lauryn, the staff at the BL, sleeping in, sneaking out to catch matinée movies, road trips.
I AM NOT…a morning person.
I DANCE… only if forced to do so by Tater. LOL
I SING…pretty much at shows...or to irritate my niece, Lauryn, who has her own theme song.
I NEVER…thought I'd step foot in the Tequila Lounge. However, that's where I'll be in Nov.
I RARELY…see this much rain in a month, much less three days.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH…I don't know. Everwood? "The Gift" or "The Body" episodes from Buffy?
I AM NOT ALWAYS…this much of a slacker at work.
I HATE THAT…I haven't seen some people in a very, very, long time.
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT…that stupid printer.
I NEED…to let the printer thing go.
I SHOULD…make a few phone calls before the day is done.

2008-09-09T11:11:00.002-05:00

It's ridiculous how sleepy I am. I'm reading everything I can (work-related or not) to try to keep me awake. I've got the ipod on and continue to fight falling asleep at my desk. The weather is a contributing factor. It's a pale gray outside, threatening to rain. Fall's definitely just around the corner. Yesterday was the same gray sky and rain throughout the day.

Saturday night was a much needed break from being at home. I knew it was going to be less than ideal circumstances due to the multiple band lineup and game broadcast at the bar. However, I ended up having a good time. I was there to see CSB, but the Hogg Maulies and Will Green were also good. I just hate the overcrowding in the bar on football weekends...and they weren't even playing in town. The feed of the Tech game was grainy, so I usually had my back to the screen watching the actual telecasts of the Texas/UTEP game. Brady sent me this clip from the game that is so AFV, but I laughed nonetheless:

Things spotted Saturday: grinding action that had Tracie and me in stitches; B getting a little excited about the show LOL; plans for a spaceship; hairstyles that Rebs wouldn't have been able to keep her hands out of...

I was planning on going to see Jason Eady tonight at the Blue Light...but that's not happening. I'm going home. I'll save it for Thursday when Ryan James is back in town...and the acoustic set with RK Friday afternoon...and RK and RRB Friday night. Good weekend coming...but not fast enough.

2008-09-03T23:23:00.002-05:00

Well, last weekend did not go as expected. Instead of RDRU, I was home with most of the family. My grandma took a turn for the worse and never recovered. She passed away early this afternoon. I'd gone to work yesterday and today. Sitting around was driving me a little crazy. I decided to go in and see if I could find something to bide my time. My mom called around 11 a.m. this morning, saying that I should probably come home. I left the office and drove to grandma's house. She passed peacefully and I think we're all grateful for that tonight.

Thanks for the continued prayers and thoughts for our family. I missed you guys this weekend, and your texts, calls and twitters made me smile quite a bit.

2008-08-26T22:09:00.002-05:00

Anyone else watching the Democratic National Convention? Hillary Clinton closed out the night tonight; Michelle Obama last night. I didn't watch last night, but finished my paper in time to watch tonight. Whoever wrote the speech should be commended. I'm not sure that it cured all that ails the Democratic Party, but maybe it helped. The passage about Senator McCain sure did start out nice...and then took a 180. Again, the writing was remarkable. I can't wait to hear tomorrow night's.

Entire speech here: ABC News

2008-08-24T23:39:00.002-05:00

Tonight was the first episode of this season of Mad Men that I thought was really great. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. If you watched...OMG. The flashbacks, the ring, the new girl, the salt... I loved every second of tonight's episode.

There was one line spoken by Peggy's mother that was so perfect while she was in the state ward. "I'm goin', but I'm not leaving." So good...and exactly what I'd imagine everyone would want to hear.

I'm freaking out a bit about my schedule this week. I've got a brief due Wednesday and feel like it's 70-80% complete. I could probably finish it tonight, but I need to get to the office early tomorrow, so I'll like put it off until tomorrow afternoon. I want to have the entire morning Wednesday to review/edit everything. I know I can delegate most of the end bits to the staff, but I hate not doing it myself. I have a real problem not reviewing everything with my own eyes until the thing's placed in the mail. I re-check everything...standards of review, case citations, dates of incidents, addresses, spelling of names... I just feel like it's the least you can do in situations where it's likely the client's last shot at reversing the court's ruling. The point of all this being, I should have reviewed my schedule earlier. I will not have time to do this Wednesday. I guess this means I know what I'll be doing Monday and Tuesday nights. Fun...

Hey! Take It Easy...

2008-08-24T01:44:00.003-05:00

Saturday:

We got off to a LATE start this morning. Heather and I stayed up a while after going back to the room, we watched the second airing of Larry King Live. It was all about John Edwards admitting to the affair, which had been swirling around for weeks. It's strange which details stick in my head...

I don't remember much besides all of us moving slowly and heading down to the store to grab some lunch from Subway, cash at the ATM, sunglasses, and ice for the cooler. We run into Sunny and Vinny and it seems like their group is coming to life just as slowly as ours. After a quick lunch, it's time to make the lemonade and figure out what to do with the other bottle of vodka. A few weeks before the trip I bought a Platypus water bottle. It holds a liter...no glass allowed inside the gates...so, it will be a vodka bottle today. Heather, Suzy, MMJ and I head out to the show with our cooler in tow. We are arriving a little late, so the parking was not going to be in a great spot. Thank goodness for the shuttle they'd arranged for everyone. The couple that picked us up were great and extremely helpful. I would hate to think how long the trek would have taken us if it weren't for them.

We get in the gate and the Doo Wah Riders were already on. The lawn was so crowded, in comparison to years past. Thankfully, Maureen and Carolyn were already there and had staked out a spot. At some point, I went back to the merch booth to talk with MMJ and Suzy, and ended up staying there for a good while. The vodka sours started around this point. In retrospect, probably too early in the day...

I'm standing out in front of the Ragweed merch booth and say I feel a sprinkle. Nathan asks for some help to shield the side with a tarp, just in case. Not fifteen minutes later I see a huge piece of hail (which I first thought looked like a small snowball) bounce off the RK booth. I get under the tent to watch 4000 people clamor for cover. We watch the hail storm move across the mountains...one of the coolest things to watch all weekend. Then a rainbow...and the rain come.

The merch booth sees a steady stream of customers...but I bailed the second RRB starts to set up for their show. It was one of the best sets I've seen from them in a LONG time. It truly was like it used to be. The crowd was great...and as the set went on, it grew larger. I loved every second of it. Even though I probably see them more than any other band, I still have the best time at their shows.

I may have this on the wrong day, but at some point I remember we were all talking about how weird it was to see Randy just standing in the middle of a crowd at a show. The last time I'd seen this, it wasn't the best time. Let's just say that. Anyway, it was announced that REK would be doing a special presentation. Cody and Shannon Canada walked out on stage. They are celebrating their ten year anniversary, and chose to renew their vows in Challis. It was definitely one of those moments.

Things get a little fuzzy around here...I have no idea how much vodka or lemonade I've had at this point. I do remember going back to the merch booth. I remember thinking I'm having no part of the maker's mark...thank you. I bought some raffle tickets in Travis' name. He wanted so desperately to win that autographed guitar. At this time, Take It Easy became the theme of the night. Mustaches everywhere.

...and just like that, it's dark in my mind. I remember being off to the side of the stage with everyone. Shan and her Dyrdek dance. Trying to avoid Rebs and Erica every time they shout Take It Easy! LOL Too much to drink. Sunny taking pictures. Ragweed was on stage and I remember hearing pieces of songs...but if you'd asked me to give you a list, I'd be hard-pressed. I remember having a great time though...that's something. We stayed in the same spot for MMC. I remember "Twilight" clearly. I keep thinking everyone came out for Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", but I could be wrong.

I remember heading back up to the merch booth after the show. Still not completely aware of the injuries sustained. Somehow getting to the car. I seriously have no recall of any of this. I have racked my brain as to how we got to the damn car for days now. I have no idea. I vaguely remember walking down the main road. I think we went to Bux again. Not certain. I know we spent a lot of time outside that night. I remember MMJ turning to us, as we're sitting on the bench by the fire, and saying..."Well, I'm done." I think Suzy and I agreed and we found our way inside just before daybreak.

The following morning came much too quickly. We totally missed check-out...took a good hour to leave the parking lot (or so it seemed). We met up at the Village Inn for some food before heading on to Stanley. We weren't a very lively group at first, but then it became apparent that there was a reason we were seated in the "other" room.

The majority of the group headed out whitewater rafting the second we got to Stanley. Erica and I had other plans. I was looking forward to sleeping a few hours and getting off my now swollen ankle. The sleep didn't come, but I got some reading in. The ankle still stings as I type this. The thumb is recovering much better. It's almost back to normal. The cabins were in the most picturesque setting imaginable. The river literally outside your back door. After a late dinner, we hit the Kasino Klub. None of us were particularly up for a long night. The band was fun, the dancing was funnier, and the George Brett impression was funniest. All in all, it was a good last night in Idaho.

2008-08-21T10:48:00.004-05:00

I promise I will post about the last few BBR days, sometime. It's saved on my computer at home, which I haven't turned on in four days. I have been going to bed entirely too early or too late this week. I don't know what's going on.

I'm a day late, but I just listened to Boland's "Comal County Blue". I had no idea how much I missed hearing Jason's voice. Is it wrong to say it sounds like the old stuff? I didn't hate the most recent cd; it just never hooked me. I think I might love this one. I love that "Alright" makes an appearance. I love hearing JB and REK singing together. I love the dark songs, the reflective songs, and oh yeah...Noah's unbelievable.

P.S. I have washed the hoodie/jacket that I wore out by the fire...and it STILL smells like I live in a smokehouse. Seriously.

I should be sleeping...

2008-08-20T01:43:00.002-05:00

I woke up ninety minutes early today, was dragging around 6:30...and now, I am wide awake. Tomorrow is going to suck.

I've spent the majority of my time tonight reading and writing. I was out of the office for Idaho + sick days last week. So, I'm playing catchup on some cases. In addition, tomorrow, I'm putting in a leave notice for Steamboat + extended stay. Thank goodness I work in a great office.

At the end of the work day, I entertained myself with visions of possible videos for RK's Love in Her Eyes. I hope they put the submissions on their website. I am dying to see what people produce for the contest.

Break from the Brauns...

2008-08-18T11:30:00.004-05:00

Just for a second...

If you haven't seen Pineapple Express, go! I had such a good time at the movie. The movie won't win any awards, but James Franco and Seth Rogen are great.

Friday

2008-08-17T01:47:00.002-05:00

Oh, man. Where did I leave off? Friday. I woke to an empty room and figured everyone was down the hall. Heather came in maybe a 1/2 hour later and I joined everyone in the Vegas room. We decided on a trip to Antonio's for lunch and then on to the show.

The weather was already looking iffy, but I was positive it would clear out. Um...not so much. Although, I will say it was nothing compared to the previous night's rain. Following lunch, we went back to the Northgate to gather supplies and ended up with a primo parking spot and did a little tailgating. We made some young friends and had a music war of sorts with the surrounding cars.

We decided to go ahead and enter the show, just in time for the guitar pull. The set featured Robert Earl Keen, George DeVore, Micky, Willy and Muzzie, Cody Canada, and Randy. In a word, the set was perfect. If that's all the show would have consisted of, I would have returned home happy. REK won the crowd over with his "Village Inn" song, which he wrote the night before. He's a great entertainer that I've come to take for granted over time. One of the reasons I love this trip so much is that it renewed my love for his live shows. Willy wowed me with "Mirage". Honestly, he could have sung anything from Bulletproof and I would have loved it. Another plus was the smile on Cathy's face watching the set. She told me she'd heard Ally asking Tate that morning, "Dad, have you ever been this happy?" I'm glad they loved the trip (aside from the bugs). It was great to see them.

The Braun Family and George DeVore both had fabulous sets.

REK – still amazing

Reckless closed out the night. I love them more every show. They never disappoint me, they can leave off a favorite song, but replace with 3 or 4 others that more than make up for it. The set Friday night was fantastic; great mix of the old and new.

Time to shut it down, we cram in a few people over capacity into the car and drive down to Bux; ½ hour power hour!

Back to the Northgate for the fire…entertained by the play by play and “setlist”

Early night for me (330)

Odds and Ends: Dirt bike; whispering in the ear; circling, circling…target acquired; where is your beer?!; Elvira…(grrr); 44 seconds!

Wed-Thurs

2008-08-14T03:12:00.005-05:00

While it's true that I came home bruised and injured, I think it was one of the best trips up to Challis so far. Final word on thumb - no break, "just" dislocated; ankle - sprain (still hurts like hell)... In addition to these injuries, I came home with a nice sinus infection that kept me home today.

Wednesday morning we arrive in Boise and pick up the rental car. First stop - Wally World for snacks and drinks...not a veggie or fruit purchased. This was probably a mistake. Second, we stop in at a pizza parlor for lunch. I played it safe with a Caesar salad and pizza. The other salad looked interesting. Suzy declares herself drunk as we leave. LOL! The drive to Stanley begins.

We stop a few times along the way. The scenery never grows old.

After checking into the cabin and setting our luggage down, we head to the Rod 'n' Gun...for 9 1/2 hours. Suzy and I school the rest of the bar at ping pong (hahaha). We play drinking games. We are, essentially, the only people in the place. We meet a river guide that refreshes our memory as to how to play "Asshole"/"President". He said he'd sit in for the first two rounds...um, yeah, he was still there when we left the place around 1:30 a.m. There was a foosball lesson in there somewhere, too. It's probably not a great thing when the bartender is very concerned as to how the group is getting home.

After hitting it hard the day before, I'm kinda dragging Thursday. I think we went to The Bakery for breakfast and then headed over so some could go canoing. Maureen and I went to the post office and stopped in on a few shops in Stanley. We also tracked the progress of the canoes along the road. We set up at at little spot on the side of the road at a bend in the river...then the rain came. We booked it back to pick up the other car and drove downstream to find the girls. The rain made for a slow, cold, wet ride back to Stanley.

It was the early afternoon when we began driving to Challis. We checked into Room 209, as usual. There are a few new decorations in the Northgate...and I wonder how long these will last. Vegas arrives and we head out to greet them, then it's off to Antonio's for an early dinner. Well, after a stop at the liquor store. We see most of the RRB boys walking down Main Street. Inside we find the Martins and have dinner. We walk out in time for RRB's soundcheck. Randy is singing "A Song for You" and it was one of the highlights of the weekend for me. I have a bit of it recorded, and now wish I'd recorded the whole thing. You'd only know it's RRB by the voice because we were still back on the far side of the street...but it's great just the same.

I have no idea how we passed the rest of the time before the street dance began. Giggly juice, maybe??? In my mind, the sun is set and Muzzie's on stage with Willy on the drums covered by the tarp due to the light rainfall. Then, the heavens open up and a steady downpour begins. RRB's set will be delayed.

Deeming it safe to go on, Muzzie introduces RRB and everything is going great. They sound great, the crowd's reaction is great...and then some jackass throws a bottle and hits Geoff. All I saw out of the corner of my eye was the light reflecting off the glass as the bottle was flying. Then, I saw his head. Randy stops the show, and they tend to Geoff. I was sure the night was over. I had no expectations for them to return to the stage. I have no idea why Erica, Shannon, and I end up behind the stage, but we watch as all the guys return to the stage. After a few songs in, the band retires and leaves Randy and Brady to finish up with an acoustic set.

We hang out for quite a while after the show. There are some ninja moves, more giggly juice, jager, flashlights, introductions, photos, and gawking…

I was just about to type that it was a fairly early night out by the fire, but that would be a lie. There were not many people out that night, but I think I made it in around 445.

*The video is being processed by youtube...just FYI!

home sweet home

2008-08-12T10:04:00.003-05:00

I don't think I've ever been so glad to be back in the LBK. It's not that I wanted to leave; I just wanted my bed back.

Pics/recap from another unreal trip to Idaho coming up...

P.S. Amalia - the "sober section" was one fewer Saturday night

2 work days to go...

2008-08-03T22:25:00.002-05:00

I'll finally get to see Cross Canadian Ragweed again...outside the confines of this state. I'll see a full RRB show, which I don't think I've seen since May. I'll see RK - sans the vodka veil (or attempt to, anyway). It will be good to see MMC with an enthusiastic crowd, too... and, of course, George DeVore. Is REK on the list this year? I remember having a great time during his set last year. He's another that I just don't get to see much more than once a year.

One of my favorite trips, with some of my favorite people. I can't wait to leave the office Tuesday!

I would really like to FFwd to the weekend

2008-07-29T14:32:00.002-05:00

I am whiling away hours at the office doing small documents that fail to eat up much time. I cleared all the big stuff out of the way and grow increasingly bored as the afternoon stretches on. It looks like the Blue Light may be in my future, which also means I'll be coming in late tomorrow. I'm counting down to a little Idaho preview with the Motorcars this weekend. :)

I can't wait to leave the office next Tuesday and board a plane for Dallas. Then, onto Idaho early the next morning!

Last night, my niece talked me into watching a few minutes of the Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers concert in 3-D that she had saved on the DVR. How do I get that time back? Sitting in mom and dad's living room, wearing 3-D glasses? LOL Lauryn, though, loved every second of it.

Today, I learned that the public library has audiobooks and videos available for download through their site. How great is that? You don't even have to go to the library...you just need your PIN and can access it all from wherever you are. Awesome.

I've become addicted to the spreeder.com application. I read all the big BBC stories this morning with this thing in record time. I figured reading comprehension would suffer and I'd end up having to read it again...but the human brain's capability surprised me. I would never use the application when reading books that I enjoy. I like going back and reading my favorite parts, or taking weeks to finish the last few chapters of a book. It's great for reading news and the like, though.

weekend wrap-up

2008-07-28T01:06:00.002-05:00

Friday night, I crashed. I did absolutely nothing. There wasn't really much I had planned for the weekend. I thought about going to see Step-Brothers, but never made it to the theater. I think I just ended up watching a few episodes of Spaced that were on the DVR. Oh, I was also entertained by text messages from Nikki and her run in with a Knight look-a-like at the bar, and Kathy V's call for "Snake Farm".

Saturday, I worked on an Order that has to be sent in for review Monday morning. That ate up much of the day. I spent much of the remaining afternoon looking for the phone charger to my old cellphone. My cousin, Josh, lost his and was looking for a replacement. I told him he was welcome to the phone, but I had no luck finding the charger. I hope he can find one at best buy or something, if not he's out of luck.

Jessica and I ended up heading out early to the marina at Buffalo Springs to see Charlie. We called ahead and were told that the show would begin at 8:00. Okay, we always take these start times with a grain of salt. This time we should have listened. (oops) Anyway, we got there maybe 1/2 an hour later than they went on...and stuck out like sore thumbs. We were the only people there who hadn't just come off a boat. (Not many people wearing jeans in the crowd...) It was a nice little place, and I would go see them there again. The sound wasn't the best, but I wasn't expecting it to be top-notch at an outdoor venue. Highlight for Charlie: his dog got to see him play for the first time. He said, "He always sees us packing up our things and then we head out, leaving him behind. Now, he sees where we go and what we're doing." LOL

The venue didn't live up to my Spongebob expectations (no crabby patties, Maureen). However, if I'd been thinking, I would have snapped some pictures of the menu. They had these bizarre/hilarious cartoon depictions of some of the items. The baked potato was CLASSIC.

I slept in this morning and went back to work on the Order. I think I only have a few more hours to put in on the brief this week, and I'm done with the big things before leaving to Idaho. I cannot wait, and I know this week will drag on and on and on and on.

Things I need to do this week:

2008-07-21T16:32:00.003-05:00

Finish this damn brief;

Listen to more RRB ("Black Rose" just came up on the ipod...);

Try to find out what the h-e-double hockey sticks a client was thinking the night of his arrest... I refuse to believe someone can be this clueless; and

Go see Charlie 2, maybe 3 times... Two of the shows are this weekend at the Krusty Krab. I can only surmise the owners are big fans of Spongebob.

Last weekend did not go according to plan. I was to drive down to Dallas and meet up with Lori, Dawn, Deidre, and Tracey (and potentially Sarah) to see the Motorcars. None of that happened. The main reason I was headed that way was to take Becky her car in exchange for my parents' car. Well, I find out the dealership won't have the car ready until Tuesday. So, I decided to just hold off. I'm sorry I missed out, though. Based solely on the calls and pictures, it looks like I missed out on a good time...and Campisi's. LOL

I did go see The Dark Knight, and it was just as good as I hoped. No let down here.

2008-07-14T22:44:00.002-05:00

At what point does a "nap" just turn into sleeping. I just woke from a 3 1/2 hour "nap". Oops...that'll come back to bite me in a few hours.

I blame the rain...it's like having a huge white noise machine outside my window. I'm amazed I stayed awake today at the office. I found myself reading the same passages over and over again.

Best Message I got all day: "Charlie at the BL tomorrow night!"
I can't wait...I feel like it's been ages. I know it's only been since movie night...but we were cheated out of some songs then.

I am really looking forward a quick trip to DFW Saturday. A drive will be fun and I'll be seeing Lori (and I hope a few others) at Gilley's for the Motorcars.

I would be leaving Friday, but I've already promised to take my cousin to see The Dark Knight. We've been planning this since May. I hope the hype is more than just that... (side note: I do love the Comcast commercial about the family that just moved to Gotham City. Hilarious.)

For Sara...

2008-07-08T20:07:00.004-05:00

What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was just out of undergrad, and I was trying to figure out where I would like to go to law school the next fall. I took a year off to visit schools and find out what I did/didn't like about the different class environments. Basically, I enjoyed a year off doing whatever, whenever.

Five snacks I enjoy in a perfect, non-weight gaining world:

Victoria's Pasta Shop!!! I miss Norman and Campus Corner...but Victoria's cheese lasagna is at the top of the list. I'm positive there's crack in the sauce.

Campisi's Pizza (As Sara said, I love Campisi's! Her old place was right down the road from your choice of the restaurant or the Kroger's site.)

Margaritas! Flavored, frozen or on the rocks...I don't care.

Cookies & Cream Milkshake from Chick-fil-A

Melted Mozzarella on anything

Five snacks I enjoy in the real world:

Cereal (with milk or without)
Oranges
Bananas/banana chips
Bagel Crisps
Fuji apples

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Take care of family
Travel, Travel, Travel
Buy every book I want, when I want
Not sure what else...I'd like to think I'd do something altruistic

Five jobs I have had:

Private Tutor
Big Brothers Big Sisters Assistant
Research Assistant
Staff Attorney
Associate Attorney

Five habits:

Cursing myself for not going to bed early
Always carrying Blistex - Complete Moisture
Visiting the BBC News site at least 3 times a day
Watching tons of TV...good and bad
Procrastinating

Five places I have lived:

Levelland
Norman
Dallas
Amarillo
Lubbock

Five people I’d like to get to know better:
(Blogger/Wordpress/Xanga/Myspace blogs...whatever)

Dawn
Nikki
Sarah
Maureen
Suzy

wall-e, weekend, & wimbledon...

2008-07-06T22:48:00.003-05:00

I left the office Thursday a little after lunch and headed over to catch a matinée showing of Wall-E. I wasn't really interested in seeing the movie based on the trailers. However, the reviews were so good across the board, I thought I'd give it a shot. I really liked it. I don't think it's the best Pixar film ever, that's still Toy Story for me.

I figured out that the filmmakers had their hands tied when it came to enticing people to see the movie. There's not exactly a lot of dialogue...a significant part of the movie is "silent." I think that's one of the strengths of the movie, though. I have talked to one person who absolutely HATED it. In fact, they fell asleep about 45 minutes in. I'm on the other side of the spectrum, I'd recommend it to any one.

I had absolutely no plans for the weekend. I knew there would likely be a family gathering at some point, but I didn't have any great plans. I ended up spending much of the weekend looking for birthday gifts for twin 5 year olds and watching Weeds. (I'm going to hate not knowing what's going on during the 4th season!)

I woke this morning ready to watch the men's final of Wimbledon. The rain hit and the delay was on. I lost interest in watching the coverage and tuned out. I didn't check back in until the 5th set...they were tied at 5-5. I really thought Federer would win in the end. It was not meant to be this year. What a sports year for Spain, though...the Euro and now, Nadal winning Wimbledon.

This week doesn't hold much, work-related. I do have two birthday parties on Saturday; the twins and then an adult outing which will probably end with galaxy bowling. hahaha

well, it's been a hard week(end)...

2008-07-01T00:00:00.004-05:00

Prep for the shower was a bit hectic, but everything was done and I think Becky had a good time. I had to dash out of the house to head to the event I've been dreading since I learned of Ismael's death. I came to handle the written messages, but seeing everyone in his family and the school friends would be rough. If you'll indulge me...

I walked across the lawn and the first faces I saw were Robby and Billy. None of us spoke, just gave each other a hug hello and headed indoors. Jordan and his mom, Nancy, came straight to the door and at that time I think I just started to block out the real reason we were all there. Nancy asked about the family and chastised me for not going to visit enough. Jordan asked how I was and, truthfully, I was much more concerned about him. I know he was torn up inside. I turned and saw a familiar and comforting face starting towards me. Blake had decided to come in after all. He, I and his dad talked for a while as we greeted others from our class that began to fill the foyer of the church.

I followed Jordan inside and sat with Billy and Robby. Blake and his dad joined us. I've been through this before with Robby and hate that he has to go through it again with a close friend. After all the time that's passed, he's the boy that could always make me laugh and kept things light. The entire thing was just too much, completely surreal. Blake and I sat there in a daze through the entire service. I couldn't make eye contact with Robby for fear of losing it completely. A pat on the leg and holding his arm was all I could do. We had all been through this once before, during our senior year, but that didn't make saying goodbye any easier.

It was a simple and fitting service. A book of recent photographs showed us what we had missed out on, and the old pictures from our time in school and trips we'd taken brought back memories of why we all felt the need to come back. I don't think Mimo knew how loved he was by everyone and that hurts the most. Although you couldn't call Texas his home anymore, it was obvious he carried a piece of home with him. All you had to do was look at his production company's name, Highway 114 Pictures. In recent photos, he still had that infectious smile and bit of swagger and arrogance that I found irritating to no end when I first met him...and truth be told, from third grade all the way through our college years. However, I knew that if I needed something and asked, he would give his all to help. He loved giving friends a hard time, always knowing that he'd come through in the end. I don't like knowing he'll no longer be around.

ugh

2008-06-26T01:06:00.004-05:00

I'm so bored at work, and apparently, it shows. The main attorney in the office came by to ask if I'd do some research on an appeal for him and said, "Wow, you look like you could fall asleep any second." So true. I haven't been out to an actual hearing in at least ten days. I haven't been to mediation in over a week. I had one scheduled Monday; I was looking forward to a change of scenery, but we worked out a deal beforehand.

Now, I don't foresee having anything outside the office in the upcoming weeks, due to settlements, continuances and scheduling orders. I'm doing the research for D, reviewing transcripts for a few briefs, and searching a jury trial transcript with a fine tooth comb for any point to justify a new trial. The jury trial only details a few hundred pages...yeah, I barely got to page 70.

I get sleepy just thinking about going into the office tomorrow. That is not good. I've talked myself into taking off Friday and probably hanging out around the house. Saturday is Becky's baby shower in L-town. I'm going to make a dash from the shower to the services for Ismael. It's not really shaping up to be a relaxing weekend...

2008-06-20T15:40:00.002-05:00

I spent two nights out at the Blue Light this week. Tuesday for Charlie...and a film crew. Last night for Macon Greyson.

Tuesday night, we headed out late to the bar, thinking that by the time we get there Charlie will be on stage. We couldn't have been more wrong. We walk in and some random people greet us at the door with a general release form. They are filming in the bar. Fine...but is Charlie still playing? I'm assured that yes, he will be playing. We sign and walk over.

The heat radiating off these lights is ridiculous. Ryan messes up my drink order, Charlie is nowhere near the stage, and the night is not getting off to a good start. Charlie spots us and signals us over. He says he should be going on soon...or so he hopes, it's already 11:20. Cut to midnight - another band is on stage playing songs from the 70s. That's all well and good...but we came to see Charlie play.

He doesn't go on stage until 12:48. Yes, I noted the time...because I was ready to leave at this point and was of the mind that he should leave as well. He ended up singing 10 songs...3 of which were the same. We did have a good time though, with the exception of being called out from the stage, but I expected it.

Thursday night - Macon Greyson
STORMING outside... The crowd was small, but the band was GREAT. When Buddy said I want to that everyone for coming out, he meant it. He literally came around to everyone afterwards to thank them for coming out the show. LOL I just love that they sound different than any other band I regularly listen to. They don't have as many fans as some bands, but that has no effect on the show they put on.

Tonight, McClure's in town...you know that will be a great show. Tomorrow, I'll probably spend watching Weeds, Season 3 from Netflix. Sunday - Randy & Wade finally come to town. I cannot wait to see them!

______________________

I could not hate this story more: US asks to rewrite detainee evidence

Are you kidding me??? I'll stop now.

lazy days...

2008-06-17T11:12:00.004-05:00

My workload has consisted of nothing but letters, phone calls, reading, and drafting these past few days. I don't know what to do with all the free time. I considered not coming into the office today, but don't want to take too many days off with Idaho looming. Maybe I'll call it an early day.

I watched two movies this weekend, The Happening and Son of Rambow. I loved Son of Rambow. I didn't hate The Happening, but I didn't love it either. Generally, I'm a fan of M. Night. However, the movie was so straightforward, so simplistic. If there's another layer to it, it was completely lost on me. The movie devolved into a comedy, mainly due to the stunted dialogue and acting...and I like Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel. I thought the set up was good, creepy...just no follow-through. Son of Rambow was a lot of fun. The premise seemed a little similar to that of Be Kind, Rewind, but it was so much more entertaining.

Is it wrong that I want to keep the birthday present I got my dad? I bought him and mom tickets to the Willie Nelson/Pat Green show that's in town on July 2. It's been so long since I've seen either of them.

not the best weekend...

2008-06-09T22:20:00.003-05:00

My grandma hasn't been well for quite some time. She had to be admitted to the hospital this past week. She remains there tonight. She does not look well, and is in what seems like unrelenting pain. Aside from a procedure that was postponed this morning, there's not much the doctors can offer in the way of relief besides morphine. Thanks for any thoughts and prayers.

In addition to this, I got a message Friday that Ismael passed away following his two-month battle. I don't think I've come to terms with this on any level. I can say it, but it's not really ringing true. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

I'm hoping for a better week ahead...

2008-06-05T14:15:00.002-05:00

I'm promising myself right now that I will not be setting foot in a bar this weekend. I have spent the last three nights in one, and can't take less than four hours of sleeps another night.

I had no plans to go out last night, but got a random text yesterday as I was leaving the office. John was in town and had plans to go to dinner with his family and wanted to meet up after. Christy and I ended up meeting up with him at the O Bar. When the hockey game was over, I headed out there. (The very last play of the game was U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E. They were so close to forcing OT, and possibly Game 7.)

First, I don't even remember the last time I'd been to the O Bar. It had to be some time before I even left to OU. Second, there was a kid playing electric guitar and had a setup that allowed him to loop the track, so essentially he was accompanying himself. I'd never seen him around town before, don't even remember his name. But, he was really good. He played a variety of songs, covers, originals...different genres. I meant to ask Les what his name was, but completely forgot about it as the bar was closing down.

With any luck, I will catch up on some sleep this weekend. I had planned on going to OKC to visit. I suck at sticking with plans lately.