Home and Out Again

Home from Galveston and heading up to Dallas tomorrow.

Cathy and I had a blast celebrating her birthday! We spent Thursday shopping at the outlet mall. Thursday night we had a very fancy and wonderful dinner on the water at Willie G's, then walked too many blocks in the icy cold wind to Crow's, where Soulshine was playing. Great crowd there that night, including a fun group of Aggies!

Friday we hung out at Jimmy's on the Pier and then ran around UTMB, visiting with employees and trying to locate the old pedi endo lab. (I worked there the summer after high school.) We gave it a good effort, but I think it is hidden in a construction zone. The whole hospital is a construction zone, since Hurricane Ike- weird temporary hallways, lots of doors that say "no exit." It's sort of the thing nightmares are made of, now that I think about it.

The two things I really recognized as exactly as I remembered were the entrance to the hospital and the campus medical library. We (my fellow high school grads and I, who were in the research program) used to go to the medical library during lunch and watch videos of all sorts of births, just so we could gross ourselves out. It was a very effective method of birth control for our particular age group.

So yeah. Winter on the island can be fun!


SATURDAY 9: HAPPY HOLIDAYS

1. As you can see, Sam loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. Yet some children are reluctant to climb into Jolly Old St. Nick's lap. Did you enjoy the tradition or were you shy? Or did you by pass it altogether -- either because you wrote him a letter or because your family didn't celebrate Christmas?
I wasn't at all shy with Santa. I figured the best chance of getting something on my wish list was to meet with him personally.

Dad's company Christmas party- age 3. Looks like
Santa is a bit worn down from my detailed list.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there?
Nice. I'm always nice! :p

3. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If so, which one traveled the farthest?
I had a pretty, live evergreen centerpiece shipped to my Grandpa in Dallas. Does the check to my 19-year-old cousin in Denver count?

4. Did you buy yourself a gift this year?
I cannot tell you how many ubercool things I passed up for myself at the Blue Genie art show and the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar and the mall. So no, I have not bought myself a Christmas gift.

5. What's your favorite holiday-themed movie?
Love, Actually

6. Thinking of movies, Christmas is lucrative for Hollywood. Have you ever gone to a movie theater on Christmas Day?
We all go as a family pretty often on Christmas afternoon.

7. Have you ever suffered an embarrassing moment at the company Christmas party?
Nope.

8. What's your favorite beverage in cold weather?
coffee

9. What will you remember most about 2012?
What a craptastic year it was. Eagerly anticipating a wonderful 2013!